application_number
int64 10.3M
15.9M
| decision
stringclasses 3
values | title
stringlengths 3
468
| abstract
stringlengths 43
4.3k
| claims
stringlengths 44
338k
| description
stringlengths 1.93k
2.86M
| background
stringlengths 0
194k
| summary
stringlengths 0
391k
| cpc_label
stringlengths 0
12
| filing_date
stringlengths 8
8
| patent_issue_date
stringclasses 691
values | date_published
stringclasses 720
values | examiner_id
stringlengths 0
7
| ipc_label
stringlengths 0
10
| npe_litigated_count
int64 0
410
| examiner_full_name
stringlengths 6
34
| invention_title
stringlengths 3
410
| small_entity_indicator
stringclasses 3
values | continuation
int64 0
1
| decision_as_of_2020
stringclasses 6
values | main_ipcr_label_subclass
stringclasses 451
values | filing_year
int64 2k
2.02k
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10,942,326 | ACCEPTED | Squirting toy | A squirting toy is comprised of a cylindrical housing and a piston that slides within to force water into or out of the housing via a hole therein. The housing is encased within a polyethylene closed cell foam shell. The shell is non-absorbing, so that the foam remains buoyant and keeps the gun afloat indefinitely when left in water. The foam is soft, so that the gun is not a safety hazard when left floating in a swimming pool. | 1. An encasement for a partially hollow squirting toy comprised of a soft material that has buoyancy sufficient to keep the toy afloat in water when the toy is filled to its maximum capacity with water. 2. The encasement of claim 1 wherein said soft material is closed-cell polymer foam. 3. The encasement of claim 1 wherein said material is closed-cell polyethylene foam. 4. The encasement of claim 1 wherein said material is closed-cell ethylene vinyl acetate foam. 5. A toy for receiving, storing, and squirting water and encased in a soft material that has a buoyancy sufficient to keep the toy afloat in water when the toy is filled to its maximum capacity with water. 6. The toy of claim 5 wherein said soft material is closed-cell polymer foam. 7. The toy of claim 1 wherein said material is closed-cell polyethylene foam. 8. The toy of claim 1 wherein said material is closed-cell ethylene vinyl acetate foam. 9. A toy for receiving, storing, and squirting water and comprising a tubular housing defining a chamber for receiving and storing the water, said chamber having means for expansion or contraction and said housing having a hole to allow communication between said chamber and the outside environment, whereby said toy is adapted to inhale the water through said hole while said hole is submerged during said expansion of said chamber, and said toy is adapted to exhale the water through said hole during said contraction of said chamber, and further comprising an outer shell comprised of a soft material that has a buoyancy sufficient to keep the toy afloat in water when said expanded chamber is full of water. 10. The toy of claim 9 wherein said soft material is closed-cell polymer foam. 11. The toy of claim 9 wherein said material is closed-cell polyethylene foam. 12. The toy of claim 9 wherein said material is closed-cell ethylene vinyl acetate foam. 13. The toy of claim 9 wherein said chamber comprises a cylinder and said means for expansion and contraction of said chamber is a piston sealingly engaging said chamber's interior cylindrical surface, said piston adapted for longitudinal movement within and relative to said cylinder to alternately expand and contract the volume within the chamber. 14. The toy of claim 13 wherein said outer shell is cylindrically shaped. 15. The toy of claim 14 wherein said soft material is closed-cell polymer foam. 16. The toy of claim 14 wherein said material is closed-cell polyethylene foam. 17. The toy of claim 14 wherein said material is closed-cell ethylene vinyl acetate foam. | FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a water squirting apparatus for use at play. More specifically, it is a soft floating tubular piston type squirt gun for use such as in a swimming pool or swimming area by participants in or adjacent to the water. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Squirt guns are well known in many forms in the prior art. Numerous squirt guns and squirting toys are made and have been made over the years for use by persons while swimming in or standing adjacent to a swimming pool, which are adapted to quickly take in water from the swimming pool for squirting. One such toy is called Water Stix™ and is sold by Hearthsong Inc. This toy, representative of many such squirting toys, is basically comprised of a housing having a nozzle at its squirting end. A piston, which includes a graspable handle, is adapted to slide within the housing so that, when the nozzle end of the housing is submerged in the pool and the piston is pulled backwards, water is drawn into the housing through the nozzle. And when the piston is subsequently forced forwardly, that water is forced from the housing, through the nozzle, towards a target, in a powerful stream. Additionally, many squirt guns of the prior art are constructed in a manner that entraps air and thereby inadvertently enables those guns to partially float in water. The degree of such buoyancy is relative to the amount of water that has been taken into the gun and the longevity of such buoyancy is relative to the to the amount of air leakage from the housing. There are also floating toy “swimming noodles” in the prior art, which are made of resilient floating closed-cell polymer foam. These toys are used to provide buoyancy to the user while swimming. Because these toys are often left floating in the pool when not in use, their softness eliminates the safety threat that they would otherwise pose. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved squirting toy that floats fully atop the surface of the water, whether filled with or empty of water. It is a further object to provide a soft squirting toy that is safer that squirting toys of the prior art. It is a further object to provide a squirting toy that is both buoyant and soft. It is a further object to provide such a squirting toy that has a similar appearance to a “swimming noodle”. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon a review of the following description and drawings of the invention, including the preferred embodiment thereof. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a squirting toy that is housed within a polyethylene (PE) closed cell foam shell. The closed cell shell is non-absorbing, so that the foam remains buoyant and keeps the gun afloat indefinitely. The foam is soft, so that the gun is not a safety hazard when left floating in a swimming pool. In the preferred embodiment, the squirting toy is comprised of a cylindrical housing and a piston that slides within to force water into or out of the housing via a hole therein. The foam shell of the preferred embodiment is similar in size and shape to a “swimming noodle”, and is therefore more attractive to a child who is familiar with such. A more complete understanding of the invention will be realized upon review of the following description and drawings of the Preferred embodiment of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an action view of a squirting toy according to the preferred embodiment of the invention showing water being expelled there-from. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the toy of FIG. 1 in its retracted/empty state. FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial section of the toy of FIG. 1 floating in water, FIG. 4 is an action cross-sectional view in showing the intake of water into the toy of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is an action cross-sectional view in showing the expulsion of water from the toy of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The Preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 though 5, where there is depicted a toy 100 for squirting a water stream 102, and which is adapted to float on the water surface 104. The toy comprises a rigid tubular housing 106 that encloses a hollow cylindrical chamber 110. The forward end 112 of the tubular housing is closed except for a small hole 114. Piston 116 slides longitudinally within chamber 110 and is sealed against the cylindrical inner surface 120 of the chamber by o-ring 122, which is seated within groove 124 of the piston. The piston separates the chamber 110 into a forward portion 110A and a rear portion 110B. The piston 116 is rigidly connected to shaft 124 at the forward end 126 thereof. Slide bushing 128 supports shaft 124 at the rear end 130 of the tubular housing 106, while allowing longitudinal movement relative thereto. Handle portion 132 is rigidly connected to shaft 124 at the rearward end 134 thereof. Expansion of the handle portion 132 relative to the tubular housing 106, while hole 114 is below the water surface 104, as depicted in FIG. 4, causes water to be inhaled into the expanding forward chamber portion 110A, through hole 114. Subsequent retraction of the handle portion 132 relative to the tubular housing 106 causes that water to be exhaled through hole 114 in a powerful stream 102. Tubular shell 138, preferably made of closed-cell polyethylene foam, surrounds tubular housing 106, to provide both a soft protective surface and buoyancy. Other materials may be substituted for polyethylene foam, such as ethylene vinyl acetate closed-cell foam. Handle portion 132 also includes handle shell 140, which is preferable made of the same foam, and is rigidly connected shaft 124 by means of support bushings 144 and 146. Alternatively, other materials having sufficient buoyancy, softness, and water impermeability, such as polyurethane foam, may be used for both the tubular and handle shells. Or the shells could instead be replaced by blow molded or rotationally molded air-filled cylindrical bladders. When the handle portion is retracts as in FIG. 2, the shells create a similar appearance and feel to those of a common “swimming noodle”. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the applicable arts that the foregoing is merely one of many possible embodiments of the invention, and that the invention should therefore only be limited according to the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Squirt guns are well known in many forms in the prior art. Numerous squirt guns and squirting toys are made and have been made over the years for use by persons while swimming in or standing adjacent to a swimming pool, which are adapted to quickly take in water from the swimming pool for squirting. One such toy is called Water Stix™ and is sold by Hearthsong Inc. This toy, representative of many such squirting toys, is basically comprised of a housing having a nozzle at its squirting end. A piston, which includes a graspable handle, is adapted to slide within the housing so that, when the nozzle end of the housing is submerged in the pool and the piston is pulled backwards, water is drawn into the housing through the nozzle. And when the piston is subsequently forced forwardly, that water is forced from the housing, through the nozzle, towards a target, in a powerful stream. Additionally, many squirt guns of the prior art are constructed in a manner that entraps air and thereby inadvertently enables those guns to partially float in water. The degree of such buoyancy is relative to the amount of water that has been taken into the gun and the longevity of such buoyancy is relative to the to the amount of air leakage from the housing. There are also floating toy “swimming noodles” in the prior art, which are made of resilient floating closed-cell polymer foam. These toys are used to provide buoyancy to the user while swimming. Because these toys are often left floating in the pool when not in use, their softness eliminates the safety threat that they would otherwise pose. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved squirting toy that floats fully atop the surface of the water, whether filled with or empty of water. It is a further object to provide a soft squirting toy that is safer that squirting toys of the prior art. It is a further object to provide a squirting toy that is both buoyant and soft. It is a further object to provide such a squirting toy that has a similar appearance to a “swimming noodle”. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon a review of the following description and drawings of the invention, including the preferred embodiment thereof. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention comprises a squirting toy that is housed within a polyethylene (PE) closed cell foam shell. The closed cell shell is non-absorbing, so that the foam remains buoyant and keeps the gun afloat indefinitely. The foam is soft, so that the gun is not a safety hazard when left floating in a swimming pool. In the preferred embodiment, the squirting toy is comprised of a cylindrical housing and a piston that slides within to force water into or out of the housing via a hole therein. The foam shell of the preferred embodiment is similar in size and shape to a “swimming noodle”, and is therefore more attractive to a child who is familiar with such. A more complete understanding of the invention will be realized upon review of the following description and drawings of the Preferred embodiment of the invention. | 20040916 | 20071016 | 20060323 | 58800.0 | A63H318 | 5 | KINDRED, KRISTIE MAHONE | SQUIRTING TOY | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | A63H | 2,004 |
|
10,942,467 | ACCEPTED | Top-down floor cleaning system | A system including a method and apparatus for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces. A floor service trolley defines container receptacles and a soiled mop cloth receptacle. A plurality of mop cloth containers are individually removably supported by the container receptacle and define an upper sealing rim. A closure member defines a seal recess containing a sealing member disposed for sealing engagement with the upper sealing rim and establishes a seal between the upper sealing rim and the closure member preventing leakage of liquid from the container when it is inverted. A plurality of mop cloths are located within the container and are evenly pre-impregnated with cleaning solution by adding cleaning solution to the container of mop cloths, assembling the closure member in sealed relation with the container and inverting said container for a sufficient period of time for saturation of said mop cloths by action of osmosis. The containers provide for cleaning and pre-impregnation of the mop cloths in a laundry, provide for transportation of the pre-impregnated mop cloths to or by the floor service trolley and provide for dispensing clean pre-impregnated mop cloths for use in floor cleaning activity. | 1. A method for cleaning floors, comprising: providing a container defining a mop cloth compartment and providing a floor service trolley defining at least one container receptacle and having a soiled mop cloth receptacle; placing within the mop cloth compartment a plurality of clean mop cloths and a quantity of floor cleaning solution and positioning a cover in sealed relation with the container; inverting the sealed container for a sufficient period of time for even saturation of the plurality of mop cloths by the floor cleaning solution; positioning the sealed container upright and in support by the container receptacle and moving the floor service trolley to a site for floor cleaning; removing the cover from the container and removing individual pre-saturated mop cloths from the container and conducting floor cleaning with the pre-saturated mop cloths releasably attached to a mop head and depositing soiled mop cloths into the soiled mop cloth receptacle; and transporting the container of soiled mop cloths to a laundry facility and washing the mop cloths. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mop cloths comprise a panel of microfiber floor cleaning material fixed to a first panel of hook and loop fastening material and a second panel of hook and loop fastening material is fixed to the mop head, said method comprising: positioning said first and second hook and loop fastening panels in contact to releasably support a mop cloth by the mop head; and applying a pulling force to said mop cloth to separate said first and second hook and loop fastener panels and remove said mop cloth from said mop head. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said container defines a closure rim and said step of positioning a cover in sealed relation with the container comprising: providing a closure having a seal recess corresponding to the dimension and configuration of said closure rim and having a closure seal within said seal recess; and assembling said closure to said closure rim and positioning said closure seal in sealing engagement with said closure rim, said sealing engagement preventing leakage of liquid between said closure and said closure rim when said container is inverted for pre-saturation of said mop cloths. 4. The method of claim 1, comprising: upon removal of all of the clean and pre-saturated mop cloths from the mop cloth container replacing the empty mop cloth container with another container of pre-saturated mop cloths and returning the empty mop cloth container to the laundry facility for refilling thereof with clean mop cloths; and pre-saturating the clean mop cloths by adding cleaning solution to the mop cloth container, placing a cover in sealed relation with the container and inverting the container of mop cloths for even saturation of the mop cloths by action of osmosis. 5. The method of claim 1, comprising: adding cleaning solution to said container of mop cloths assembling said closure member to said container and inverting said container for a sufficient period of time for saturation of said mop cloths by action of osmosis 6. A system for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces, comprising; a floor service trolley defining at least one container support and removably supporting a soiled mop cloth receptacle; at least one mop cloth container being removably supported by said container support; a closure member establishing a liquid tight seal with said mop cloth container when said mop cloth container is inverted; and a plurality of mop cloths being removably located within said mop cloth container and being evenly saturated with cleaning solution within said container by adding cleaning solution to said container of mop cloths assembling said closure member to said container and inverting said container for a period of time for saturation of said mop cloths with cleaning solution by action of osmosis. 7. The system for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces of claim 6, comprising: said at least one container support defines at least one container receptacle; and said container receptacle receiving a lower portion of said at least one mop cloth container and positioning said at least one mop cloth container for dispensing of clean and pre-saturated mop cloths therefrom during floor cleaning activity. 8. The system for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces of claim 6, comprising: said closure member defining a seal recess and having a sealing member within said seal recess and disposed for sealing engagement with said upper sealing rim, said sealing member establishing a seal between said upper sealing rim and said closure member preventing leakage of liquid from said container upon inverted positioning of said container; and a plurality of mop cloths being removably located within said mop cloth container and being evenly saturated with cleaning solution within said container by adding cleaning solution to said container of mop cloths assembling said closure member to said container and inverting said container for a sufficient period of time for saturation of said mop cloths by action of osmosis. 9. The system for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces of claim 6, comprising: said mop cloth container defining at least one locking element; and said closure member defining at least one locking element being positionable in locking engagement with said at least one locking element when said closure member is positioned in liquid tight sealing relation with said mop cloth container. 10. The system for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces of claim 6, comprising: a plurality of locking elements projecting outwardly from said mop cloth container; a plurality of yieldable locking tabs being provided on said closure member and defining locking openings, when said closure member is positioned in sealing relation with said mop cloth container said yieldable locking tabs being positionable with said plurality of locking projections engaged within said locking openings and securing said closure member to said mop cloth container. 11. The system for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces of claim 6, comprising: said at least one mop cloth container being a plurality of mop cloth containers each having sealing closure members, at least one of said mop cloth containers being positioned on said floor service trolley and others of said mop cloth containers being employed to transport cleaned and pre-saturated mop cloths to said floor service trolley and others of said plurality of mop cloth containers being employed for pre-saturation of clean mop cloths and for storage of cleaned and pre-saturated mop cloths in readiness for immediate use. 12. The system for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces of claim 6, said plurality of mop cloths each comprising: a floor cleaning panel being composed of microfibers; and a releasable fastener panel being fixed to said floor cleaning panel. 13. The system for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces of claim 6, comprising: a mop head having a handle; a first releasable fastener panel being fixed to said mop head; a floor cleaning panel being composed of microfibers; and a second releasable fastener panel being fixed to said floor cleaning panel and establishing releasable contact with said first releasable fastener panel to releasably secure said floor cleaning panel to said mop head. 14. The system for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces of claim 13, comprising: said first and second releasable fastener panels being components of hook and loop fastener panels. 15. The system for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces of claim 6, said floor service trolley comprising: a trolley framework having a pair of side members each defining front and rear legs and wheel assemblies being mounted to said front and rear legs of each side member; front and rear horizontal support strut members having ends connected respectively with said front legs and said rear legs and defining tray locking elements; a plurality of tray support members each having ends connected with said horizontal support strut members; and front and rear container support trays are supported by said plurality of tray support members and are secured against substantial movement by said tray locking elements. 16. The system for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces of claim 15, comprising: an intermediate supporting and reinforcing partition being fixed to said side members and supporting portions of said plurality of tray support members and defining front and rear container compartments within said trolley framework, said front and rear container support trays being located respectively with said front and rear container compartments. 17. The system for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces of claim 15, comprising: a plurality of support struts being mounted to said trolley framework and projecting upwardly therefrom; a soiled mop cloth container support being mounted to said plurality of support struts and providing releasable mounting for an upper end of a soiled mop cloth container and positioning said soiled mop cloth container for support by said rear container support tray; and a closure member being pivotally mounted to said soiled mop cloth container support and being pivotally moveable to an open position permitting deposit of soiled mop cloths within said soiled mop cloth container and to a closed position covering the open end of the soiled mop cloth container. 19. The system for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces of claim 18, comprising: a front two of said plurality of support struts being defined by a U-shaped front strut member having a pair of strut legs and an upper integral connecting member; clamp devices being mounted to said soiled mop cloth container support and having clamping engagement with said upper integral connecting member; a rear two of said plurality of support struts having supporting engagement with said soiled mop cloth container support; and handle elements extending from said rear two of said plurality of support struts and having hand-grips thereon positioned to be grasped by a user for moving said floor service trolley. 20. A system for cleaning and/or disinfecting floor surfaces having a mobile floor service trolley defining at least one container support and removably supporting a soiled mop cloth receptacle and at least one mop cloth container being removably supported by said container support; said system comprising; at least one mop cloth container being removably supported by said container support; a closure member establishing a liquid tight seal with said mop cloth container when said mop cloth container is inverted; a plurality of microfiber mop cloths being removably located within said mop cloth container and being evenly saturated with cleaning solution within said container by adding cleaning solution to said container of mop cloths assembling said closure member to said container and inverting said container for a period of time for saturation of said mop cloths with cleaning solution by action of osmosis; a closure member establishing a liquid tight seal with said mop cloth container when said mop cloth container is inverted; said floor service trolley having a trolley framework having a pair of side members each defining front and rear legs and wheel assemblies being mounted to said front and rear legs of each side member; upstanding support strut members having lower ends connected with said side members and having upper ends; a container support structure being fixed to said trolley framework by said upstanding support strut members and providing support for a removeable soiled mop cloth container; at least one tray support member having ends connected with said horizontal support strut members; at least one container support trays being removably supported by said plurality of tray support members and being secured against substantial movement by said trolley framework, said support tray providing support for the removeable soiled mop cloth container; and a container closure being pivotally supported by said container support structure and being pivoted to an open position for access to the soiled mop cloth container and to a closed position to close the soiled mop cloth container. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for cleaning floors, particularly the large dimension floor surfaces of commercial establishments, such as schools, hospitals, assisted living facilities, restaurants and the like, where floor cleaning and disinfecting is desired. The present invention also relates to small dimension floor surfaces, for example, the room of a sick or invalid person where cleanliness is of paramount importance. More particularly, the present invention concerns the provision of a cleaning system and the method of its use, wherein a floor cleaning trolley is provided for a floor cleaning crew, the trolley providing mobile transport for the various implements and cleaning materials that are needed for cleaning and disinfecting large floor surfaces. Also, the present invention concerns the provision of a hermetically sealable mopping cloth container that is transported by the trolley, enabling microfiber mopping cloths to be pre-impregnated in a laundry facility with floor cleaning and disinfecting agent, thereby minimizing the potential for spillage of chemical cleaning materials in rooms where floor cleaning is done and minimizing contact of soiled mopping cloths by workers. 2. Description of the Prior Art It is well known that the large floors of many commercial establishments should be disinfected as well as being cleaned, to thereby protect patients, students and workers from coming into contact with potentially dangerous bacteria during use of the facilities. It is also well known that floor cleaning personnel often use trolley devices for transporting cleaning and disinfecting materials and the equipment that is used for floor cleaning. Typically floor cleaning agents and disinfecting agents are mixed in a bucket at the site of use and floor mopping is then done. Periodically, the soiled heads of mops are placed within the bucket and agitated to liberate the soiling material, such as dirt, dust and other debris from the material of the mop head into the liquid material of the bucket. The material of the mop head is then subjected to squeezing action, typically by means of a mechanical wringer or mechanical compression device. Obviously, as the liquid material of the bucket becomes more and more soiled the mop head does not get properly cleaned, so that a residue of soiling material and cleaning and disinfecting agent will remain on the floor surface as the result of mopping. Since it is well known that less contaminant residue will remain on a cleaned and disinfected floor surface if soiled mop heads or cloths are removed from the mop and either disposed of or cleaned of the contaminant material, more recently, disposable mop head materials have been provided. These disposable mop head materials have been found quite acceptable for domestic use; however they have been determined to be too expensive for use on a commercial basis. Consequently, many commercial establishments have laundry rooms or special facilities for storing and handling floor mopping equipment and materials. The mop devices that are used have removable mop cloths. The mop cloths are usually saturated with cleaning and disinfecting materials by dipping them in a bucket of the mixture and then using them to scrub and mop the floor surface. When the mop cloths become soiled, they are removed from the mop head and placed in a soiled cloth receptacle. From time to time the soiled cloth receptacle is transported to the laundry facility where the cloths are placed in a washing machine and subjected to cleaning activity. The cleaned mop cloths may then be re-used many times. As mentioned above, the floor mopping and disinfecting material is typically prepared at the site of the floor to be cleaned. In addition to a bucket for the floor mopping and disinfecting material, a typical floor cleaning trolley will have containers of soap or surfactant and containers of disinfectant material. As these materials are being added to a bucket of water and then mixed, some of these concentrated cleaning and disinfecting materials can be spilled, possibly causing damage to the floor surface or contamination of the environmental air of the facility. It is desirable therefore to provide for the mixing of cleaning and disinfectant materials in the laundry facility, away from the site of the floor surface to be cleaned. It is also desirable to ensure that the floor mop cloths are properly saturated with an efficient mixture of floor cleaning material and disinfectant material so that the cloths have an optimum moisture content for properly cleaning and disinfecting the floor surface. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a principal feature of the present invention to provide a novel floor cleaning and disinfecting system employing re-useable mopping cloths composed of microfiber material and which are pre-saturated with a floor cleaning and disinfecting solution by placing new or clean mop cloths in a container, adding a measured quantity of floor cleaning and disinfecting solution, closing and hermetically sealing the container and then inverting the filled container for a sufficient period of time for all of the mop cloths of the container to become saturated by osmosis. It is another feature of the present invention to provide a novel floor cleaning and disinfecting system employing a unique floor cleaning trolley that provides floor cleaning and disinfecting personnel with the capability for moving floor cleaning equipment and materials to a site to be cleaned and accomplishing cleaning and disinfecting activity without coming into physical contact with floor mop cloths. It is also a feature of the present invention to provide a novel floor cleaning and disinfecting system enabling efficient use, cleaning and re-use of floor mop cloths, thus enabling efficient and low cost cleaning of floor surfaces. Briefly, the various objects and features of the present invention are realized through the provision of a trolley for use by floor cleaning personnel and which is designed to transport devices and materials to a floor site for cleaning and disinfecting the floor surface. The trolley is designed to provide mobile support for a container of re-useable pre-saturated mop cloths that are positioned so as to be picked from the container by the head of a floor mop device and used until the mop cloth has become soiled to the extent of needing replacement. The mop cloths are composed of microfiber material to provide for superior floor cleaning capability and to provide long lasting use. The microfiber floor mop clothe material permits the mop cloths to be cleaned and re-used numerous times, thereby promoting the efficiency and low cost nature of the floor cleaning and disinfecting process. The trolley also provides support for a receptacle within which soiled mop cloths are placed after they have been removed from a mop head. An important feature of the present invention is the provision of a clean mop cloth container having a hermetically sealed removable lid. The mop cloth container is designed to receive a stack of clean mop cloths. A desired quantity of cleaning and disinfecting solution is then poured into the container of clean mop cloths and a hermetically sealed lid is then put in place. The mop cloth container is then inverted and permitted to remain in this inverted position for a sufficient period of time to permit the mop cloths to become evenly saturated with the cleaning and disinfecting solution by action of osmosis to ensure optimum moisture content for efficient cleaning and disinfecting of a floor surface. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS So that the manner in which the above recited features, advantages and objects of the present invention are attained and can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the preferred embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the appended drawings, which drawings are incorporated as a part hereof. It is to be noted however, that the appended drawings illustrate only a typical embodiment of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. In the Drawings: FIG. 1 is an isometric illustration of a floor cleaning trolley and containers of pre-saturated mop cloths, together with a soiled mop cloth container and/or refuse container, and embodying the principles of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an isometric illustration of the floor cleaning trolley of FIG. 1, showing a removable container or receptacle removably supported thereby; FIG. 3 is an isometric illustration of the floor cleaning trolley of FIG. 1, showing the closure thereof pivoted to its open position; FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the floor cleaning trolley of FIGS. 1-3; FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the floor cleaning trolley of FIGS. 1-4; FIG. 6 is an isometric illustration of a hermetically sealable mop cloth container embodying the principles of the present invention and being show in its upright position with its carrying handle at its upstanding position relative to the container; FIG. 7 is a plan view of the hermetically sealable mop cloth container of FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the hermetically sealable mop cloth container of FIGS. 6 and 7; FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the hermetically sealable mop cloth container of FIGS. 6-8; FIG. 10 is an elevational end view of the hermetically sealable mop cloth container of FIGS. 6-9; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional illustration showing the wall structure, support structure, closure and closure sealing and locking geometry of the mop cloth container of the present invention; FIG. 12 is an schematic pictorial illustration of a microfiber and showing the manner by which it collects and holds dirt and moisture during floor cleaning and disinfecting activity; FIG. 13 is a pictorial illustration of a mop head having a panel of hook and loop fastener material thereon and being adapted for releasable retention of microfiber mop cloths according to the present invention; and FIG. 14 is a plan view of a microfiber mop cloth having an opposite panel of hook and loop fastener material thereon for releasable attachment with the mop head of FIG. 13 and having part of the mop cloth broken away to show a portion of the panel of hook and loop fastener material thereof. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and first to FIGS. 1-5, a trolley mechanism, shown generally at 10 having a trolley framework shown generally at 12. The trolley framework may be composed of a wide range of materials depending on the needs of the user. For example a wide range of polymer materials, stainless steel material, plated or painted steel material may be utilized for construction of many of the structural components thereof. The trolley framework comprises a pair of side members 14 and 16 with side member 14 defining front and rear legs 18 and 20 and side member 16 defining front and rear legs 22 and 24. A front transverse and horizontal support strut member 26 has ends that are fixed in any suitable manner to the front legs 18 and 22 and a rear transverse and horizontal support strut member 28 has ends that are fixed to the rear legs 20 and 24. The front transverse and rear horizontal support strut members 26 and 28 define upstanding front and rear tray locking elements 30 and 32. Tray members 31, one of which is shown in FIG. 2 are supported at least partially by the front and rear horizontal support strut members 26 and 28. The tray members are locked against forward or rearward movement by the tray locking elements 30 and 32 respectively. The front tray member will be removably supported by the front portion of the trolley framework and may be similar or identical of the support tray 31 if desired. A plurality of tray support members 34 have ends that are fixed to the respective front and rear transverse horizontal support strut members 26 and 28 and ends that are connected with the lower bifurcated ends 36 and 38 of an intermediate supporting and reinforcing partition 40. The lower horizontal support members 34 provide releasable support for the tray members 31. Side portions of the intermediate supporting and reinforcing partition 40 are fixed to the side members 14 and 16 of the trolley framework 12 to assist in maintaining the side members in substantially parallel relation and in substantially upright position and lower bifurcated end portions 36 of said reinforcing partition 40 are connected for support of said tray support members 34. Thus, the intermediate supporting and reinforcing partition 40 defines front and rear container compartments within the trolley framework. The front container compartment typically provides for location and support of one or more mop cloth containers of the nature shown in FIG. 6 and the rear container compartment provides for location of the lower portion of a soiled mop cloth container or refuse container that is supported by the upper portion of the trolley framework. Mobility of the trolley mechanism 10 is provided by a plurality of wheel units 42, at least the front or rear of which are in the form of casters that enable the trolley mechanism to be steered as it is manually moved along a floor surface. The trolley framework 12 incorporates a transverse brace member 44 having connecting ends 46 and 48 that are fixed by fasteners 50, such as bolt and nut assemblies, to upper portions of the side members 14 and 16. The connecting ends 46 and 48 define recesses or receptacles that also receive the lower ends of a pair of upstanding front support members 52 and 54, so that the fasteners 50 also secure the lower ends of the upstanding front support members 52 and 54 in fixed relation with the transverse brace member 44 and the lower portion of the trolley framework. The upstanding front support members 52 and 54 are defined by an inverted U-shaped member 56 having a generally horizontally oriented integral connecting member 58. The upstanding front support members 52 and 54 define intermediate support regions 60 and 62 to which a pair of brace connector members 64 and 66 are fixed. Lower ends of inclined support brace members 68 and 70 are connected with the brace connector members 64 and 66 by fastener members 72 and 74 such as bolts, screws rivets or any other suitable fastener members. The upper ends of the inclined brace members 68 and 70 are connected with spaced generally straight side portions 76 of a container support structure shown generally at 78, thus providing fixed support for the container support structure relative to the trolley framework. The container support structure 78 is of generally rectangular configuration, having a rectangular container support frame 80 defining rounded rear corners 82 and defining rear and side flanges 84 and 86. The rear and side flanges provide for support of a container 88 shown in FIG. 1 that may be employed to receive soiled mop cloths or to receive the refuse that is typically collected when a facility is cleaned. Retainer clip members 90 are employed to secure the upper, open end of the container 88 to the rectangular container support frame 80. The side flanges 86 are slightly spaced from the side portions of the rectangular container support frame 80 thus defining grooves that receive the upper ends 92 of a pair of support struts 94 and 96 thus providing for support and positioning of the rectangular frame relative to a container for soiled mop cloths or refuse. The lower ends of the a pair of support struts 94 and 96 define support saddle sections 98 and 100 that fit the curvature of the side members 14 and 16 and are secured to the side members by fasteners 102 such as rivets, screws, bolt and nut assemblies or the like. A pair of handle elements 104 and 106 extend from upper portions of the support struts 94 and 96 and have handgrips that are positioned to be grasped and manipulated by a user of the trolley to position it for efficient floor cleaning activity. The upper forward part of the moveable container support structure is mounted to the connecting member 58 by means of clamp devices or other mounting devices 108 depending on whether or not the rectangular frame is to be removable. The moveable container support structure 78 is capable of being pivoted downwardly to an out of the way position to permit other objects to be supported by the trolley mechanism. This can be accomplished by raising the rear portion of the container support structure 78 so as to clear the upper ends 90 of the support struts 94 and 96 from within the recesses defined by the side flanges 86. The support struts 94 and 96 are then spread slightly and the container support frame is pivoted downwardly about its mounting clamp devices 108. A closure member 110 is pivotally mounted to the container support structure 78 by one or more pivot members 112 and is shown in FIG. 2 to be in its closed position relative to a container that is supported by the rectangular frame. The closure member is provided with an actuating projection 114 which is manipulated by a user of the trolley mechanism to open the closure member as shown in FIG. 3 or move the closure member to the closed position shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. If it is not intended that the moveable container support structure 78 be capable pivoting downwardly, then elements 64 and 66 may simply take the form of a fixed mounts to which the lower end of the inclined support arms are secured by fasteners. In this case the upper end portions of the inclined support arms will be fixed to the rectangular frame, providing the rectangular frame with intermediate support. Also in such case, as shown in FIG. 4, fastener devices, such as bolts, screws, nut and bolt assemblies, may be employed to secure the upper ends of the support struts 94 and 96 with respective connection projections 93 that depend from the container support structure 78. Likewise, the upper ends of the inclined support arm members 68 may be secured by similar fasteners 69 to downwardly depending connector members 71 of the container support structure 78. It is shown in FIG. 2 that containers or receptacles such as shown at 116 may be releasably supported outboard of the support struts 94 and 96. In such case the support struts 94 and 96 are provided with mounting devices 118, shown in FIG. 2, that establish bayonet or other interfitting connection and support with one or more connector members of the container or receptacle 116. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the trolley mechanism of FIGS. 1-5 is designed to provide for efficient support and positioning of one or more “top-down” containers, generally identified by reference numeral 120. The term “top-down”, which will become more apparent in the discussion below, generally identifies the method or procedure and the container structure that permits efficient pre-saturation of mop cloths with a solution of cleaning and disinfectant material and presenting the pre-saturated mop cloths for efficient acquisition and use by floor cleaning personnel. A top-down container, as shown in FIGS. 6-10 comprises an integral container body 122 having opposed side walls 124 and 126 and opposed end walls 128 and 130 and a bottom wall structure 132. The bottom wall structure 132 is integral with the container body and merges smoothly with the side and end walls by means of smoothly curved bottom corners. Preferably the container body 122 is of tapered rectangular configuration with smoothly curved corners to substantially match the configuration of new or clean floor mop cloths; however, it should be borne in mind that the container body may have other forms or configurations, such as round or oval configurations, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The side, end and bottom walls of the container body 120 are preferably formed of a suitable polymer material by a molding operation and have a thickness in the range of from about 1/16″ to about 3/16″; however the wall and bottom thickness may be less or greater if desired, to provide for the light weight or durable nature of the container structure. For support of the container 120 in its upright position, as shown in FIGS. 6, 9 and 10, the lower portion of the container is provided with rectangular support structure, shown generally at 134, and which defines support corner sections 136, 138, 140 and 142. The rectangular support structure 134 is recessed or relieved intermediate the support corner sections by smoothly curved relief areas, one being shown at 144 in FIG. 6. With reference to the bottom view of FIG. 8, the support corner sections are respectively strengthened by four circular support elements 146, 148, 150 and 152. The circular support elements are formed integrally with the bottom portion of the container body 120 and are strengthened by triangular webs 154 that are also integral with the container bottom structure and merge with the bottom wall of the container as is evident from the sectional view of FIG. 11. As mentioned above, new or cleaned mop cloths are pre-impregnated, according to the principles of the present invention by being placed within the internal compartment 121 of the container body 120 and a quantity of cleaning and disinfecting solution is then poured into the container. A cover or closure member for the container is then positioned in hermetically sealed relation with the upper contoured edge of the container body. The closed and sealed container of mop cloths and cleaning and disinfecting solution is then inverted so as to rest on its closure. The cleaning and disinfecting solution, over a period of time, such as overnight, will impregnate the mop cloths by action of osmosis, so that the entire group of mop cloths will become evenly impregnated with the cleaning and disinfecting solution. Thus, it is important that the closure of the container body be capable of sealing with the container body to such extent that leakage of the cleaning and disinfecting solution will not occur with the container inverted. As is evident from FIGS. 6, 9 and 10 and especially the sectional view of FIG. 11, the generally rectangular container body is provided with an upper contoured rim 156 having a down-turned exterior flange 158. A container closure or cover 160 defines a closure panel 162 that is of essentially the same configuration as the configuration of the upper portion of the container. The container closure or cover 160 defines a closure rim 164 having an upwardly extending rim section 166 that is integral with the container closure or cover. The closure rim 164 and the upwardly extending rim section 166 typically project upwardly beyond the plane of the closure panel 162. The closure rim also includes a downwardly extending integral flange or skirt 168 that, with the container closure positioned on the container, extends downwardly at least partially over the downwardly extending flange 158 of the container rim. The upwardly extending rim section 166, the closure rim 164 and the downwardly extending integral flange or skirt 168 cooperate to define a generally rectangular seal recess 169 having a contoured cross-sectional configuration. A closure seal element 170 is positioned within the generally rectangular seal recess 169 and, when the closure 160 is assembled to the rim of the container, the seal element establishes liquid tight sealing of the closure to the container rim and prevents leakage of the liquid cleaning and disinfecting solution when the container is inverted for impregnation of the mop cloths. To enhance the sealing capability of the closure 160 with respect to the upper rim of the container 12, each of the upper sides and ends of the container structure define outwardly projecting locking elements 172. The downwardly extending integral flange or skirt 168 of the closure 160 defines at least one and preferably a pair of locking tabs 174, each defining a locking opening 176 through which portions of the outwardly projecting locking elements 172 extend to releasably lock the closure 160 to the container structure. The locking openings 176 are in locking registry with the outwardly projecting locking elements 172 when the seal element establishes sealing engagement with the upper rim of the container. In practice, a person using the container and having put mop cloths and cleaning and disinfecting solution in the container compartment, will place the closure on the container rim and apply downward force on the closure to fully engage the container rim within the seal recess and establish sealing of the closure to the container rim. Then the user will simply apply sufficient force to the yieldable locking tabs 174 to move the locking openings over the outwardly projecting locking elements 172. After the closure has been sealed and locked to the upper portion of the container in this manner, the closed and sealed container may then be inverted to a position resting on its cover and may be allowed to remain in this inverted position for a sufficient period of time for the mop cloths to become saturated. The container of pre-saturated mop cloths is then moved to its upright position and is lifted to position it on a trolley in position for efficient use, or it is carried by cleaning personnel to a site for floor cleaning activity. For lifting and carrying, the end walls of the container are provided with handle bosses 178 that receive pivot elements 180 of a container handle 182. The central portion of a handle bail section 184 of the container handle defines a hand-grip geometry 186 so that the handle will not tend to slip in the hand of a user even when the hands of the user or the handle may be coated with water, cleaning solution or any other such material. With reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, a mop head is shown generally at 192 and defines a generally rectangular mop cloth support 194 and is provided with a handle support 196 that releasably receives a handle 198. The mop cloth support 194 is provided with a panel of hook and loop fastening material 200 that covers the bottom surface and opposed edges of the mop cloth support. As shown in FIG. 14, a mop cloth is shown generally at 202 and has an opposite panel of hook and loop fastening material 204 so that the mop cloth is capable of being releasably attached to the hook and loop fastening panel 200 of the mop head. Each mop cloth consists of a panel of microfiber floor cleaning material 206 is fixed to the panel of hook and loop fastening material 204 and is of slightly larger dimension as compared with the dimension of the panel of hook and loop fastening material 200, thus permitting the edges of the panel of microfiber floor cleaning material 206 to extend beyond or to be folded about the edges of the mop head 194 as is evident from FIG. 14. A pull tab 208 is fixed to an end portion of the mop cloth 202 and thus provides the user with the capability for easily pulling on the pull tab and releasing the mop cloth from the mop head when the mop cloth has become soiled to the point that its cleaning is required. The soiled mop cloth is then deposited in a soiled mop cloth container of the floor service trolley and a clean and pre-saturated mop cloth is then affixed to the mop head so that floor cleaning activity can continue, without any need to wash the mop cloth on site as is typically the case. Typically, the mop cloth container will have a volume in the range of from about 10 liters to about 25 liters, the most logical container volume for efficient handling and manual carrying being a container volume of about 20 liters. Containers of this volume will typically contain about 20 microfiber mop cloths. The mop cloths will typically be placed within the container in vertical edgeway position or any other position for efficient impregnation thereof. As shown in FIG. 12, each microfiber of a mop cloth is composed of thin and stiff microfibers and has a cross-sectional configuration that lifts and traps dirt and moisture 190, leaving a mopped floor surface clean and substantially dry. Thus microfiber mop cloths using thin and hard microfibers provide a higher cleaning action as compared to cotton fibers, penetrating into the floor microporosity, absorbing the removed dirt and holding the dirt as shown in FIG. 12 until the mop cloth is later washed. It has been determined that microfiber mop cloths, because of the exceptional durability of the microfibers, readily accommodate about 350 cycles of use and washing before becoming worn to the extent that replacement becomes necessary. The cotton fibers of conventional mop cloths, in contrast, simply dislodge dirt from a floor surface and move it along the floor surface. The result is that dirt and liquid is still present on the floor surface and can only be removed by dry mopping, thus adding to effort and expense of floor cleaning and disinfecting activity. The top-down system for floor mopping and/or disinfection in facilities such as hospitals, rest homes, clinics, restaurants and the like, where cleanliness must be observed employs pre-impregnated microfiber mopping cloths, together with apparatus and methods for preparing the mopping cloths, using them and cleaning them for further service. The top-down floor cleaning and disinfecting system is of simple nature and guarantees a quick performance and a considerable improvement in the results as compared with traditional floor cleaning systems. Furthermore, the top-down floor cleaning system joins together the advantages of pre-impregnation, which is the preparation beforehand of floor cleaning cloths, to the ones of microfiber. Because of the stiff and very thin fibers, microfiber ensures a higher cleaning action compared to cotton fibers, penetrating into the floor microporosity, absorbing the removed dirt and moisture and holding the dirt and moisture to the microfiber until the mop cloth is subsequently washed. The top-down floor cleaning and disinfecting system, with pre-impregnated mop cloths offers several advantages compared to traditional methods based on the use of cotton fiber mops and trolleys having one or more mop washing buckets and a mop wringer for minimizing the moisture content of the mop cloths. The most obvious advantage is elimination of the preparation phase wherein a cleaning and disinfecting solution is present at the floor being cleaned and is typically in an open container so that spillage and dripping of the cleaning solution often occurs as the cleaning and disinfecting solution are frequently changed. Also, when mop cloths are cleaned in an area where a floor surface is being cleaned, typically the mop cloths are not efficiently cleaned, especially as the cleaning solution becomes more and more fouled with dirt, dust and other contaminants. This is especially disadvantageous when the area of the floor being cleaned is located within a hospital or clinic ward where clean and sterile conditions are maintained for the benefit of patients and nursing personnel. When the top-down floor cleaning and disinfecting system is employed, no changing of the cleaning and disinfecting solution occurs. The top-down floor cleaning and disinfecting system requires the preparation of properly cleaned and impregnated mop cloths beforehand, directly in a laundry room and not in a ward or other clean and sanitary area. Thus, there is no risk that the end user of the system will use or handle dirty or contaminated mop cloths in an area where sanitary conditions must be maintained. The top-down floor cleaning and disinfecting system also provides for higher performance as compared with traditional floor cleaning systems, owing to the exceptional cleaning action of microfiber with the subsequent breaking down of the bacterial charge that is present on the floor surface. The microfiber mop cloths are resistant to a high number of washing cycles (about 350 cycles at a temperature of about 90° C.), thereby minimizing the costs and significantly enhancing the commercial advantage of the top-down floor cleaning and disinfecting system. Another significant advantage is the remarkable reduction in labor costs due to the labor savings that exist due to the fact that cleaning activities for mop cloths do not occur during floor cleaning activity, but rather occur at times when floor cleaning is not being done. Another advantage is that the method of floor cleaning according to the present invention is simple in nature. The pre-impregnated mop cloths, lying an a 20 liter container, are taken still in the container from the laundry and transported with a small trolley to the area, such as a ward, where a service trolley is located. In the ward, the end user will open the hermetically sealed container and will remove a previously cleaned and impregnated mop cloth from the container and attach it to the head of a mop. The user will then apply the mop to the foor surface to clean and disinfect about from about 10 to about 20 square meters of the floor surface, after which the mop cloth is considered to be soiled. The user will remove the soiled mop cloth from the mop head and deposit the soiled mop cloth in a soiled cloth receptacle that is present on the service trolley. After 20 or so soiled mop cloths have been collected, they are transported to the laundry room where they are first cleaned by washing, typically in a washing machine, and are then impregnated with cleaning and disinfecting solution. If new or dry microfiber mop cloths are being treated, they will typically have a dry weight of about 90 grams each, the weight of the mop being a function of the dimension of the mop cloths. For pre-impregnation, a worker will place about 20 mop cloths within a top-down container and then pour about four liters of cleaning/disinfectant solution into the container, the volume of the cleaning/disinfectant solution being a function of the number of mop cloths, the dimension of the mop cloths and the desired level of impregnation for the mop cloths. The closure will then be sealed and locked to the container, providing the hermetic seal that is necessary to prevent leakage of the solution. The container is then inverted and is caused to rest on its closure or top, so that the mop cloths become saturated to a predetermined extent by the action of osmosis. If the mop cloths have been washed but not dried, and contain a quantity of moisture from the washing cycle, then a lesser quantity of cleaning/disinfectant solution is needed to achieve desired saturation of the mop cloths. Also, if the mop cloths have a moisture content, it is generally appropriate that the lesser volume of cleaning/disinfectant solution be more concentrated to accommodate the water content of the mop cloths. The pre-impregnated mop cloths will be evenly saturated with the cleaning/disinfectant solution and therefore will attain desired cleaning of a floor surface without any need to add or remove moisture during floor cleaning activity. In view of the foregoing it is evident that the present invention is one well adapted to attain all of the objects and features hereinabove set forth, together with other objects and features which are inherent in the apparatus disclosed herein. As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the present invention may easily be produced in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered as merely illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalence of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for cleaning floors, particularly the large dimension floor surfaces of commercial establishments, such as schools, hospitals, assisted living facilities, restaurants and the like, where floor cleaning and disinfecting is desired. The present invention also relates to small dimension floor surfaces, for example, the room of a sick or invalid person where cleanliness is of paramount importance. More particularly, the present invention concerns the provision of a cleaning system and the method of its use, wherein a floor cleaning trolley is provided for a floor cleaning crew, the trolley providing mobile transport for the various implements and cleaning materials that are needed for cleaning and disinfecting large floor surfaces. Also, the present invention concerns the provision of a hermetically sealable mopping cloth container that is transported by the trolley, enabling microfiber mopping cloths to be pre-impregnated in a laundry facility with floor cleaning and disinfecting agent, thereby minimizing the potential for spillage of chemical cleaning materials in rooms where floor cleaning is done and minimizing contact of soiled mopping cloths by workers. 2. Description of the Prior Art It is well known that the large floors of many commercial establishments should be disinfected as well as being cleaned, to thereby protect patients, students and workers from coming into contact with potentially dangerous bacteria during use of the facilities. It is also well known that floor cleaning personnel often use trolley devices for transporting cleaning and disinfecting materials and the equipment that is used for floor cleaning. Typically floor cleaning agents and disinfecting agents are mixed in a bucket at the site of use and floor mopping is then done. Periodically, the soiled heads of mops are placed within the bucket and agitated to liberate the soiling material, such as dirt, dust and other debris from the material of the mop head into the liquid material of the bucket. The material of the mop head is then subjected to squeezing action, typically by means of a mechanical wringer or mechanical compression device. Obviously, as the liquid material of the bucket becomes more and more soiled the mop head does not get properly cleaned, so that a residue of soiling material and cleaning and disinfecting agent will remain on the floor surface as the result of mopping. Since it is well known that less contaminant residue will remain on a cleaned and disinfected floor surface if soiled mop heads or cloths are removed from the mop and either disposed of or cleaned of the contaminant material, more recently, disposable mop head materials have been provided. These disposable mop head materials have been found quite acceptable for domestic use; however they have been determined to be too expensive for use on a commercial basis. Consequently, many commercial establishments have laundry rooms or special facilities for storing and handling floor mopping equipment and materials. The mop devices that are used have removable mop cloths. The mop cloths are usually saturated with cleaning and disinfecting materials by dipping them in a bucket of the mixture and then using them to scrub and mop the floor surface. When the mop cloths become soiled, they are removed from the mop head and placed in a soiled cloth receptacle. From time to time the soiled cloth receptacle is transported to the laundry facility where the cloths are placed in a washing machine and subjected to cleaning activity. The cleaned mop cloths may then be re-used many times. As mentioned above, the floor mopping and disinfecting material is typically prepared at the site of the floor to be cleaned. In addition to a bucket for the floor mopping and disinfecting material, a typical floor cleaning trolley will have containers of soap or surfactant and containers of disinfectant material. As these materials are being added to a bucket of water and then mixed, some of these concentrated cleaning and disinfecting materials can be spilled, possibly causing damage to the floor surface or contamination of the environmental air of the facility. It is desirable therefore to provide for the mixing of cleaning and disinfectant materials in the laundry facility, away from the site of the floor surface to be cleaned. It is also desirable to ensure that the floor mop cloths are properly saturated with an efficient mixture of floor cleaning material and disinfectant material so that the cloths have an optimum moisture content for properly cleaning and disinfecting the floor surface. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is therefore a principal feature of the present invention to provide a novel floor cleaning and disinfecting system employing re-useable mopping cloths composed of microfiber material and which are pre-saturated with a floor cleaning and disinfecting solution by placing new or clean mop cloths in a container, adding a measured quantity of floor cleaning and disinfecting solution, closing and hermetically sealing the container and then inverting the filled container for a sufficient period of time for all of the mop cloths of the container to become saturated by osmosis. It is another feature of the present invention to provide a novel floor cleaning and disinfecting system employing a unique floor cleaning trolley that provides floor cleaning and disinfecting personnel with the capability for moving floor cleaning equipment and materials to a site to be cleaned and accomplishing cleaning and disinfecting activity without coming into physical contact with floor mop cloths. It is also a feature of the present invention to provide a novel floor cleaning and disinfecting system enabling efficient use, cleaning and re-use of floor mop cloths, thus enabling efficient and low cost cleaning of floor surfaces. Briefly, the various objects and features of the present invention are realized through the provision of a trolley for use by floor cleaning personnel and which is designed to transport devices and materials to a floor site for cleaning and disinfecting the floor surface. The trolley is designed to provide mobile support for a container of re-useable pre-saturated mop cloths that are positioned so as to be picked from the container by the head of a floor mop device and used until the mop cloth has become soiled to the extent of needing replacement. The mop cloths are composed of microfiber material to provide for superior floor cleaning capability and to provide long lasting use. The microfiber floor mop clothe material permits the mop cloths to be cleaned and re-used numerous times, thereby promoting the efficiency and low cost nature of the floor cleaning and disinfecting process. The trolley also provides support for a receptacle within which soiled mop cloths are placed after they have been removed from a mop head. An important feature of the present invention is the provision of a clean mop cloth container having a hermetically sealed removable lid. The mop cloth container is designed to receive a stack of clean mop cloths. A desired quantity of cleaning and disinfecting solution is then poured into the container of clean mop cloths and a hermetically sealed lid is then put in place. The mop cloth container is then inverted and permitted to remain in this inverted position for a sufficient period of time to permit the mop cloths to become evenly saturated with the cleaning and disinfecting solution by action of osmosis to ensure optimum moisture content for efficient cleaning and disinfecting of a floor surface. | 20040916 | 20090407 | 20060316 | 75629.0 | A47L1350 | 0 | CHAUDHRY, SAEED T | TOP-DOWN FLOOR CLEANING SYSTEM | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | A47L | 2,004 |
|
10,942,726 | ACCEPTED | Frame for a patty-forming apparatus | A frame structure is provided for a reciprocating mold plate type food product forming apparatus. The frame structure includes an angular strut configuration for resisting horizontal reciprocating forces caused by the reciprocating mold plate and associated drive, and a tie rod arrangement for resisting separation-reaction forces caused by food product compression by a plunger in a pump cylinder of a food product pump. A base plate supports the frame structure. A first angular strut extends from a rear location forwardly and upwardly to an elevated central location and is fixed to the frame portion. A second angular strut extends from a forward location rearward and upwardly to the elevated central location and is fixed to said frame portion. The first and second struts transfer the horizontal component of the reciprocating forces into the base plate. A plurality of tie rods span between a backing plate that mounts a hydraulic cylinder that drives the plunger, and the pump cylinder. A one piece pump housing and valve manifold is incorporated into the apparatus. | 1. A frame structure for a reciprocating mold plate type food product forming apparatus, wherein the forming apparatus comprises at least one hydraulically driven pump that includes a pump piston driven into a pump cylinder by a driving mechanism, and a reciprocating drive and connected to a mold plate, comprising a frame portion supporting the reciprocating mold plate; a base structure; a first angular strut extending from a rear location on said base structure forward and upwardly to an elevated central location and fixed to said frame portion; a second angular strut extending from a forward location on said base structure rearward and upwardly to said elevated central location and fixed to said frame portion, and said first and second struts being sufficiently rigid to withstand reciprocal forces caused by said reciprocating mold plate. 2. The frame structure according to claim 1, wherein said frame portion supports said hydraulic cylinder and said pump cylinder, and comprises rods operatively connected between said driving mechanism and said pump cylinder, said rods having a thickness to resist a reaction force caused by said pump piston compressing food product within said pump cylinder. 3. The frame structure according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said angular struts is fastened to said central location and to said base structure to be removable. 4. The frame structure according to claim 1, wherein said base structure comprises a steel plate substantially coextensive in plan with said frame structure. 5. The frame structure according to claim 1, comprising a third angular strut laterally spaced from and substantially parallel to said first angular strut, and a fourth angular strut laterally spaced from and substantially parallel to said second angular strut, said third and fourth angular struts fixed between said base structure and said central location. 6. The frame structure according to claim 1, comprising at least one tie rod fixed between a stationary portion of said reciprocating drive and said elevated central location. 7. The frame structure according to claim 1, comprising at least one vertical, horizontally extending plate connected between a stationary portion of said reciprocating drive and said elevated central location. 8. A frame structure for a food product forming apparatus that comprises a pump cylinder that receives food product to be pressurized by a pump plunger that is driven into the cylinder by a driving mechanism, comprising: a plurality of tie rods extending between said pump cylinder and said driving mechanism, said tie rods resisting a separation reaction force between said pump cylinder and said driving mechanism. 9. The frame structure according to claim 8, wherein said driving mechanism comprises a hydraulic cylinder having an extendable rod connected to the pump plunger, and said hydraulic cylinder is mounted to a backing plate, said tie rods extending between said backing plate and said pump cylinder to prevent separation of said backing plate and said pump cylinder during compressions of food product therein. 10. The frame structure according to claim 8, wherein said pump cylinder is one of two pump cylinders arranged side-by-side within a manifold housing, and said tie rods are arranged to be fixed to said manifold housing and arranged both outside of and between said pump cylinders. 11. The frame structure according to claim 10, wherein said driving mechanism is mounted to a backing plate, and comprising a plurality of tube spacers, wherein each tie rod is surrounded by a spacer having opposite ends abutting said backing plate and said manifold housing. 12. The frame structure according to claim 10, wherein said apparatus comprises a reciprocating mold plate, and comprising a base structure and a backing plate, said driving mechanism being mounted to said backing plate, and at least one support frame member vertically supporting said backing plate, and at least one angular strut connected to said backing plate and connected to said base structure, said angular strut configured to resist a horizontal component of a reciprocating force of said mold plate. 13. A frame structure for a reciprocating mold plate type food product forming apparatus, wherein said forming apparatus comprises a reciprocating drive and connected to a mold plate, comprising a frame portion supporting said reciprocating mold plate; a base structure; a first angular strut extending from a rear location on said base structure forward and upwardly to an elevated central location and fixed to said frame portion; a second angular strut extending from a forward location on said base structure rearward and upwardly to said elevated central location and fixed to said frame portion, and said first and second struts being sufficiently rigid to withstand reciprocal forces caused by said reciprocating mold plate. 14. The frame structure according to claim 13, wherein at least one of said angular struts is fastened to said central location and to said base structure to be removable. 15. The frame structure according to claim 13, wherein said base structure comprises a steel plate substantially coextensive in plan with said frame structure. 16. The frame structure according to claim 13, comprising a third angular strut laterally spaced from and substantially parallel to said first angular strut, and a fourth angular strut laterally spaced from and substantially parallel to said second angular strut, said third and fourth angular struts fixed between said base structure and said central location. 17. The frame structure according to claim 13, comprising at least one tie rod fixed between a stationary portion of said reciprocating drive and said elevated central location. 18. The frame structure according to claim 13, comprising at least one vertical, horizontally extending plate connected between a stationary portion of said reciprocating drive and said elevated central location. 19. In a reciprocating mold plate food product forming apparatus, wherein the forming apparatus comprises at least one hydraulically driven pump that includes a pump piston driven into a pump cylinder by a driving mechanism, the improvement comprising: a one piece pump housing. 20. The improvement according to claim 19, further comprising a valve manifold in flow communication with said pump housing, said valve manifold formed as a unitary piece with said pump housing. 21. The improvement according to claim 20, wherein said pump housing comprises two cylindrical pump cavities, and said valve manifold comprises a cylindrical cavity having inlet and outlet ports, said inlet ports open to said two cylindrical pump cavities, wherein said valve manifold is sonfigured to accept a valve element therein. | This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/503,354, filed Sep. 16, 2003, and U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/515,585, filed Oct. 29, 2003. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Use of pre-processed foods, both in homes and in restaurants, has created a demand for high-capacity automated food processing equipment. That demand is particularly evident with respect to hamburgers, molded steaks, fish cakes, and other molded food patties. Food processors utilize high-speed molding machines, such as FORMAX F-6, F-12, F-19, F-26 or F400 reciprocating mold plate forming machines, available from Formax, Inc. of Mokena, Ill., U.S.A., for supplying patties to the fast food industry. Prior known high-speed molding machines are also described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,887,964; 4,372,008; 4,356,595; 4,821,376; and 4,996,743 herein incorporated by reference. Although heretofore known FORMAX patty-molding machines have achieved commercial success and wide industry acceptance, the present inventors have recognized that needs exist for a forming machine having an even greater durability and an even greater duration of maintenance free operation. The present inventors have recognized that needs exist for an enhanced effectiveness of a patty-forming machine in producing uniform patties, for an even greater output rate of patties from a patty-forming machine, and for an enhanced convenience for cleaning and maintenance of a patty-forming machine. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A frame structure for a reciprocating mold plate type food product forming apparatus includes an angular strut configuration for resisting horizontal reciprocating forces caused by the reciprocating mold plate and associated drive, and a tie rod arrangement for resisting reaction forces caused by food product compression in a food product plunger pump. A typical forming apparatus comprises at least one hydraulically driven pump that includes a pump piston or plunger driven into a pump cylinder by a hydraulic cylinder to pressurize food product. The tie rod arrangement resists the reaction force from this pressurizing. According to one aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a frame portion supports a reciprocating mold plate. A base plate supports the frame portion. A first angular strut extends from a rear location forward and upwardly to an elevated central location and is fixed to the frame portion. A second angular strut extends from a forward location rearward and upwardly to the elevated central location and is fixed to the frame portion. The first and second struts transfer the horizontal component of the reciprocating forces into the base plate. According to another aspect of the exemplary embodiment, at least one of the angular struts is fastened to the central location and to the base plate to be removable. According to another aspect of the exemplary embodiment, the struts are designed to be adjustable in position during installation and easily installed and reinstalled as necessary. The replaceable struts allow for a more efficient assembly of the apparatus, particularly for the installation or removal of mechanical equipment within the machine base. If for any reason a strut is damaged, a replacement can be installed without undue difficulty. According to another aspect of the exemplary embodiment, the base plate comprises a steel plate substantially coextensive in plan with the frame structure. According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, the frame portion supports a hydraulic cylinder and a pump cylinder, and comprises rods operatively connected between the hydraulic cylinder and the pump cylinder, the rods having a thickness to resist a reaction force caused by the pump piston pressurizing food product within the pump cylinder. According to another aspect of the invention, the heretofore known multipart, assembled and fastened together pump housing and tube valve manifold is replaced with a one piece pump housing and tube valve manifold cast or otherwise formed as a single part. The one piece pump housing/valve manifold also functions as an integral part of the machine frame. The frame structure of the invention isolates high loads and stresses within the machine. Pre-stressed rods contain mold plate drive forces and plunger forces. The frame structure of the invention provides an overall rigid design. Wear and tear on the frame structure and on the drive components is minimized and machine durability is increased. Maintenance on the frame structure and on the drive components is reduced. The invention also provides an improved high-speed patty molding machine that is inherently quiet in operation. The invention also provides an improved high-speed food patty molding machine that is simple and cost effectively manufactured and assembled, and that can be readily disassembled for cleaning of the machine. Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will be become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, and from the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a patty-forming machine of the present invention; FIG. 1A is an elevational view of the patty-forming machine of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the patty-forming machine of FIG. 1, with some components and/or panels removed for clarity; FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 2, with some components and/or panels removed for clarity; FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along line 4-4 of FIG. 2, with some components and/or panels removed for clarity; FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along line 5-5 of FIG. 2, with some components and/or panels removed for clarity; FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along line 6-6 of FIG. 2, with some components and/or panels removed for clarity; FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken generally along line 7-7 of FIG. 2, with some components and/or panels removed for clarity; FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken generally along line 8-8 of FIG. 2, with some components and/or panels removed for clarity; FIG. 9A is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from FIG. 2, showing the machine configuration as the mold plate in a fill position; FIG. 9B is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from FIG. 2, showing the machine configuration as the mold plate in a patty-discharge position; FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken generally along line 10-10 of FIG. 2, with some components and/or panels removed for clarity; FIG. 11 is an enlarged, fragmentary view taken from the left side of FIG. 2; FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 12-12 of FIG. 2, with some components and/or panels removed for clarity; FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 13-13 of FIG. 2, with some components and/or panels removed for clarity; FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic view of the frame structure of the preferred embodiment of the invention; FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic view of the frame structure of FIG. 14; FIG. 16 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of a portion of the frame structure of FIG. 15; FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the frame structure of the apparatus; FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of a rear portion of the frame structure of the apparatus; and FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view of a front portion of the frame structure of the apparatus. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described herein in detail, specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. General Description of the Apparatus The high-speed food patty molding machine 20 illustrated in the figures comprises a preferred embodiment of the invention. The complete machine is described in U.S. Ser. No. ______, identified as attorney docket number 2188P0390US, filed on the same day as the present application, and herein incorporated by reference. This application also incorporates by reference U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/503,354, filed Sep. 16, 2003 and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/515,585, filed Oct. 29, 2003. The molding machine 20 includes a machine base 21, having a base plate 21a preferably mounted upon a plurality of feet 22, rollers or wheels. The base 21 has a length L (FIG. 2) of 112.5 inches and a width W (FIG. 3) of 49 inches. The machine base 21 supports the operating mechanism for machine 20 and can contains hydraulic actuating systems, electrical actuating systems, and most of the machine controls. The machine 20 includes a supply 24 for supplying moldable food material, such as ground beef, fish, or the like, to the processing mechanisms of the machine. A control panel 19, such as a touch screen control panel, is arranged on a forward end of the apparatus 20 and communicates with a machine controller. As generally illustrated in FIGS. 2-6, supply means 24 comprises a large food material storage hopper 25 that opens into the intake of a food pump system 26. The food pump system 26 includes at least two food pumps 61, 62, described in detail hereinafter, that continuously, or intermittently under a pre-selected control scheme, pump food material, under pressure, into a manifold 27 flow-connected to a cyclically operated molding mechanism 28. In the operation of machine 20, a supply of ground beef or other moldable food material is deposited into hopper 25 from overhead. An automated refill device (not shown) can be used to refill the hopper when the supply of food product therein is depleted. The hopper 25 includes a surrounding sidewall 25b that defines an open top end 25c and an open bottom face 25d. A conveyor belt 31 of a conveyor 30 defines a substantial portion of the bottom of the hopper to the forward end 25a. A top surface 31a of the conveyor belt 31 moves food material longitudinally of the hopper 25 to the forward end 25a. The food material is moved by supply means 24 into the intake of plunger pumps 61, 62 of pumping system 26. The pumps 61, 62 of system 26 operate in overlapping alteration to each other; and at any given time when machine 20 is in operation, at least one of the pumps is forcing food material under pressure into the intake of manifold 27. The manifold 27 comprises a system for feeding the food material, still under relatively high pressure, into the molding mechanism 28. Molding mechanism 28 operates on a cyclic basis, first sliding a multi-cavity mold plate 32 into a receiving or cavity fill position over manifold 27 (FIG. 9A) and then away from the manifold to a patty discharge position (FIG. 9B) aligned with a series of knock out cups 33. When the mold plate 32 is at its discharge position, knock out cups plungers or cups 33 are driven downwardly as indicated by 33A in FIG. 2, discharging hamburgers or other molded patties from machine 20. The molded patties are deposited onto a conveyor 29 (FIG. 1A), to be transported away from the apparatus 20. Food Supply System The food supply means 24 and associated hopper 25 are illustrated in FIGS. 2-6. As seen, the conveyor belt 31 spans completely across the bottom of hopper 25, around an end of idler roller or pulley 35 and drive roller or pulley 36, the lower portion of the belt being engaged by a tensioning roller 37. In some cases the tensioning roller 37 may not be necessary, and can be eliminated. A drum motor (not visible) is provided within the drive roller 36 for rotating the drive roller. The forward end 25a of hopper 25 communicates with a vertical pump 38 having an outlet 39 at least partly open into a pump intake manifold chamber 41. A vertically oriented frame 42 extends above hopper 25 adjacent the right-hand side of the outlet 39. A motor housing 40 is mounted to a top of the frame 42. A support plate 43 is affixed to the upper portion of frame 42 extending over the outlet 39 in hopper 25. The frame comprises four vertical tie rods 44a surrounded by spacers 44b (FIG. 5). As shown in FIG. 5, the vertical pump 38 comprises two feed screw motors 45, 46 that drive feed screws 51, 52. The two electrical feed screw motors 45, 46 are mounted on support plate 43, within the housing 40. Motor 45 drives the feed screw 51 that extends partly through opening 39 in alignment with a pump plunger 66 of the pump 61. Motor 46 drives the feed screw 52 located at the opposite side of hopper 25 from feed screw 51, and aligned with another pump plunger 68 of the pump 62. A level sensing mechanism 53 (FIGS. 2 and 5) is located at the outlet end 25a of hopper 25 comprising an elongated sensing element 54. As the moldable food material is moved forwardly in the hopper 25, it may accumulate to a level in which it engages the sensing element 54. When this occurs, a signal is generated to interrupt the drive for the roller 36 of conveyor 31. In this manner the accumulation of food material at the forward end 25a of hopper 25 is maintained at an advantageous level. When machine 20 is in operation, the feed screw motor 45 is energized whenever plunger 66 is withdrawn to the position shown in FIG. 2, so that feed screw 51 supplies meat from hopper 25 downwardly through outlet 39 into one side of the intake 41 of the food pumping system 26. Similarly, motor 46 actuates the feed screws 52 to feed meat to the other side of intake 41 whenever plunger 68 of the pump 62 is withdrawn. In each instance, the feed screw motors 45, 46 are timed to shut off shortly after the plunger is fully retracted, avoiding excessive agitation of the meat. As the supply of food material in the outlet 39 is depleted, the conveyor belt 31 continuously moves food forwardly in the hopper and into position to be engaged by the feed screws 51, 52. If the level of meat at the outlet 39 becomes excessive, conveyor 31 is stopped, as described above, until the supply at the hopper outlet is again depleted. The wall of the outlet 39 immediately below conveyor drive rollers 36 comprises a belt wiper plate 57 that continuously engages the surface of the conveyor 31 to prevent leakage of the food material 38 from the hopper at this point. Food Pump System The food pump system 26 of molding machine 20 is best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6. Pump system 26 comprises the two reciprocating food pumps 61, 62 mounted on the machine base 21. The first food pump 61 includes a hydraulic cylinder 64. The piston in cylinder 64 (not shown) is connected to an elongated piston rod 67; the outer end of the elongated piston rod 67 is connected to the large plunger 66. The plunger 66 is aligned with a first pump cavity 69 formed by a pump cavity enclosure or housing 71 that is divided into two pump chambers. The forward wall 74 of pump cavity 69 has a relatively narrow slot 73 that communicates with the pump manifold 27 as described more fully hereinafter. Preferably, the pump housing 71 and the valve manifold 27 are cast or otherwise formed as a one piece stainless steel part. The second food pump 62 is essentially similar in construction to pump 61 and comprises a hydraulic cylinder 84. Cylinder 84 has an elongated piston rod 87 connected to the large plunger 68 that is aligned with a second pump cavity 89 in housing 71. The forward wall 94 of pump cavity 89 includes a narrow elongated slot 93 communicating with manifold 27. Advantageously, the plungers 66, 68 and cavities 69, 89 have round cross sections for ease of manufacturing and cleaning. An elongated proximity meter 75 is affixed to the first pump plunger 66 and extends parallel to piston rod 67 into alignment with a pair of proximity sensors 76 and 77. A similar proximity meter 95 is fixed to and projects from plunger 68, parallel to piston rod 87, in alignment with a pair of proximity sensors 96, 97. Proximity sensors 76, 77 and 96, 97 comprise a part of the control of the two pumps 61, 62. In operation, the first pump 61 pumps the moldable food material into manifold 27 and the second pump 62 receives a supply of the moldable food material for a subsequent pumping operation. Pump 61 begins its pumping stroke, and compresses food product in pump cavity 69, forcing the moldable food material through slot 73 into manifold 27. As operation of molding machine 20 continues, pump 61 advances plunger 66 to compensate for the removal of food material through manifold 27. The pump can maintain a constant pressure on the food material in the cavity 69 during the molding cycle, or preferably can provide a pre-selected pressure profile over the molding cycle such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,595, incorporated herein by reference, or as utilized in currently available FORMAX machines. The pressure applied through pump 61 is sensed by a pressure sensing switch 78 connected to a port of the cylinder 64. As plunger 66 advances, the corresponding movement of proximity meter 75 signals the sensor 76, indicating that plunger 66 is near the end of its permitted range of travel. When this occurs, pump 62 is actuated to advance plunger 68 through pump cavity 89, compressing the food material in the second pump cavity in preparation for feeding the food material from the cavity into manifold 27. The pressure applied through pump 62 is sensed by a pressure sensing switch 79 connected to one port of cylinder 84. When the food in the second pump cavity 89 is under adequate pressure, the input to manifold 27 is modified so that subsequent feeding of food product to the manifold is effected from the second pump cavity 89 with continuing advancement of plunger 68 of the second pump 62. After the manifold intake has been changed over, pump 61 is actuated to withdraw plunger 66 from cavity 69. Thereafter, when plunger 68 is near the end of its pressure stroke into pump cavity 89, proximity sensor 96, signals the need to transfer pumping operations to pump 61. The changeover process described immediately above is reversed; pump 61 begins its compression stroke, manifold 27 is changed over for intake from pump 61, and pump 62 subsequently retracts plunger 68 back to the supply position to allow a refill of pump cavity 89. This overlapping alternating operation of the two pumps 61, 62 continues as long as molding machine 20 is in operation. The valve manifold 27, shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, holds a manifold valve cylinder or tube valve 101 fit into an opening 102 in housing 71 immediately beyond the pump cavity walls 74 and 94. According to the illustrated embodiment, valve cylinder 101 includes two longitudinally displaced intake slots 107 and 108 alignable with the outlet slots 73 and 93, respectively, in the pump cavity walls 74 and 94. Slots 107 and 108 are angularly displaced from each other to preclude simultaneous communication between the manifold and both pump cavities 69 and 89. Cylinder 101 also includes an elongated outlet slot 109. The valve cylinder outlet slot 109 is generally aligned with a slot 111 (see FIG. 9A) in housing 71 that constitutes a feed passage for molding mechanism 28. One end wall of valve cylinder 101 includes an externally projecting base end 103 that is connected to a drive linkage 104, in turn connected to the end of the piston rod 105 of a hydraulic actuator cylinder 106 (FIG. 2). When the pump 61 is supplying food material under pressure to molding mechanism 28, actuator cylinder 106 has retracted piston rod 105 to the inner limit of its travel, angularly orienting the manifold valve cylinder 101. With cylinder 101 in this position, its intake slot 107 is aligned with the outlet slot 73 from pump cavity 69 so that food material is forced under pressure from cavity 69 through the interior of valve cylinder 101 and out of the valve cylinder outlet slot 109 through slot 111 to the molding mechanism 27. On the other hand, the second intake slot 108 of valve cylinder 101 is displaced from the outlet slot 93 for the second pump cavity 89. Consequently, the food material forced into the interior of valve cylinder 101 from pump cavity 69 cannot flow back into the other pump cavity 89. The valve cylinder 101 and corresponding slots or openings can alternately be as described in U.S. Provisional Application 60/571,368, filed May 14, 2004, or U.S. Ser. No. ______, filed on the same day as the present invention and identified by attorney docket number 2188P0381 US, both herein incorporated by reference. According to these disclosures, rather than a single outlet 109, two rows of progressively sized outlets, smallest closest to the active pump, are alternately opened to plural openings that replace the single opening 111. Molding Mechanism As best illustrated in FIG. 9A, the upper surface of the housing 71 that encloses the pump cavities 69 and 89 and the manifold 27 carries a support plate or wear plate 121 and a fill plate 121a that forms a flat, smooth mold plate support surface. The mold support plate 121 and the fill plate 121a may be fabricated as two plates as shown or a single plate bolted to or otherwise fixedly mounted upon housing 71. The fill plate 121a includes apertures or slots 121b that form the upper portion of the manifold outlet passage 111. In the apparatus illustrated, a multi fill orifice type fill plate 121a is utilized. A simple slotted fill plate is also encompassed by the invention. Mold plate 32 is supported upon plates 121, 121a. Mold plate 32 includes a plurality of individual mold cavities 126 extending across the width of the mold plate and alignable with the manifold outlet passageway 111. Although a single row of cavities is shown, it is also encompassed by the invention to provide plural rows of cavities, stacked in aligned columns or in staggered columns. A cover plate 122 is disposed immediately above mold plate 32, closing off the top of each of the mold cavities 126. A mold cover casting or housing 123 is mounted upon cover plate 122. The spacing between cover plate 122 and support plate 121 is maintained equal to the thickness of mold plate 32 by support spacers 124 mounted upon support plate 121. Cover plate 122 rests upon spacers 124 when the molding mechanism is assembled for operation. Cover plate 122 and mold cover casting are held in place by six mounting bolts, or nuts tightened on studs, 125. A mold plate drive system is described in U.S. Ser. No. ______, identified by attorney docket number 2188 P0340US and filed on the same day as the present application, and is herein incorporated by reference. As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6 mold plate 32 is connected to drive rods 128 that extend alongside housing 71 and are connected at one end to a transverse bar 129. The other end of each drive rod 128 is pivotally connected to a connecting link 131 via a coupling plate 131a and a pivot connection 131c, shown in FIG. 11. The pivot connection 131c can include a bearing (not visible in the figures) surrounding a pin 131d within an apertured end 131e of the connecting link 131. The pin 131d includes a cap, or carries a threaded nut, on each opposite end to secure the crank arm to the coupling plate 131a. Each drive rod 128 is carried within a guide tube 132 that is fixed between a wall 134 and a front bearing housing 133. The connecting links 131 are each pivotally connected to a crank arm 142 via a pin 141 that is journaled by a bearing 141a that is fit within an end portion of the connecting link 131. The pin crank arm 142 is fixed to, and rotates with, a circular guard plate 135. The pin 141 has a cap, or carries a threaded nut, on each opposite end that axially fixes the connecting link 131 to the crank arm 142 and the circular guard plate 135. The connecting link 131 also includes a threaded portion 131b to finely adjust the connecting link length. The crank arms 142 are each driven by a right angle gear box 136 via a “T” gear box 137 having one input that is driven by a precise position controlled motor 138 and two outputs to the gearboxes 136. The “T” gear box 137 and the right angle gear boxes 136 are configured such that the crank arms 142 rotate in opposite directions at the same rotary speed. The precise position controlled motor can be a 6-7.5 HP totally enclosed fan cooled servo motor. The servo motor is provided with two modules: a power amplifier that drives the servo motor, and a servo controller that communicates precise position information to the machine controller. The controller and the servo motor 138 are preferably configured such that the servo motor rotates in an opposite rotary direction every cycle, i.e., clockwise during one cycle, counterclockwise the next cycle, clockwise the next cycle, etc. A bearing housing 143 is supported on each gearbox 136 and includes a rotary bearing 143a therein to journal an output shaft 136a of the gear box 136. The output shaft 136a is fixed to the crank arm 142 by a clamp arrangement formed by legs of the crank arm 142 that surround the output shaft and have fasteners that draw the legs together to clamp the output shaft between the legs (not shown), and a longitudinal key (not shown) fit into a keyway 136b on the output shaft and a corresponding keyway in the crank arm 142 (not shown). A tie bar 139 is connected between the rods 128 to ensure a parallel reciprocation of the rods 128. As the crank arms 142 rotate in opposite rotational directions, the outward centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the crank arms 142 and the eccentric weight of the attached links 131 cancels, and separation force is taken up by tension in the tie bar 139. One circular guard plate 135 is fastened on top of each crank arm 142. The pin 141 can act as a shear pin. If the mold plate should strike a hard obstruction, the shear pin can shear by force of the crank arm 142. The guard plate 135 prevents an end of the link 131 from dropping into the path of the crank arm 142. During a molding operation, the molding mechanism 28 is assembled as shown in FIGS. 2 and 9A, with cover plate 122 tightly clamped onto spacers 124. The knockout cups 33 are driven by a knockout drive mechanism as described in U.S. Ser. No. ______ identified by attorney docket number 2188P0360US, filed on the same day as the present application, and herein incorporated by reference. In each cycle of operation, knockout cups 33 are first withdrawn to the elevated position as shown in FIG. 9B. The drive for mold plate 32 then slides the mold plate from the full extended position to the mold filling position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 9A, with the mold cavities 126 aligned with passageway 111. During most of each cycle of operation of mold plate 32, the knockout mechanism remains in the elevated position, shown in FIG. 9B, with knockout cups 33 clear of mold plate 32. When mold plate 32 reaches its extended discharge position as shown in FIG. 9B the knockout cups 33 are driven downward to discharge the patties from the mold cavities. The discharged patties may be picked up by the conveyor 29 or may be accumulated in a stacker. If desired, the discharged patties may be interleaved with paper, by an appropriate paper interleaving device. Such a device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,478, or U.S. Ser. No. 60/540,022, filed on Jan. 27, 2004, both incorporated herein by reference. In fact, machine 20 may be used with a wide variety of secondary equipment, including steak folders, bird rollers, and other such equipment. Machine Frame System The preferred embodiment apparatus 20 of the present invention utilizes an exemplary frame 500 as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 5-8 and 11-19. The frame 500 includes a thick base plate 21a. The base plate 21a comprises a stainless steel plate, {fraction (1/2)} inch thick. Two rear anchors 506a, 506b and two forward anchors 508a, 508b are fastened to the base plate 21a with fasteners 507a and keys 507b, in a rectangular pattern. The base plate 21a and the anchors have recesses or keyways to receive the keys 507b. Two rear struts 510a, 510b extend obliquely forward in parallel from the rear anchors 506a, 506b and are fastened thereto using fasteners and shims. Two forward struts 510a, 510b extend obliquely rearward in parallel from the front anchors 508a, 508b and are fastened thereto using fasteners and shims. As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 11, 12, and 17 each rear strut 510a, 510b comprises a rectangular tube column 510c having a plate flange 510d, 510e welded to each end thereof. The tube columns preferably have 3 inch by 2 inch by ¼ inch thick cross sections. The bottom plate flange 510d is fastened to the respective anchor 506a, 506b using fasteners and shims. Each anchor includes a central stud threaded into the anchor and abutting the respective base plate and used for positioning and spacing the bottom flange 510d so that the shims may be installed before the strut is fastened to the anchor. The top plate flange 510e is fastened to a vertical backing plate 516 using fasteners 507a and a key 507b fit into keyways in the flange 510e and the backing plate 516. As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 5 and 17, each of forward struts 512a, 512b comprises a rectangular tube column 512c having a plate flange 512d welded to each bottom end thereof and a block flange 512e welded to each top end thereof. The tube columns preferably have 3 inch by 2 inch by ¼ inch thick cross sections. Each bottom plate flange 512d is fastened to a respective anchor 508a, 508b. The top block flanges 512e, 512e are fastened to a respective connection block 520a, 520b, by a tie rod 522a, 522b that is threaded into the respective block flange 512e. The connection blocks 520a, 520b are fastened to the manifold 27. The tie rods 522a, 522b are surrounded by respective surrounding sleeves or spacers 524a, 524b located between respective connection block 520a, 520b and the vertical backing plate 516. The tie rod 522a, 522b are tensioned by nuts 525a, 525b via tie backing blocks 526a, 526b. The spacers 524a, 524b are compressed between the connection blocks 520a, 520b and the backing plate 516 when the nuts 525a, 525b are tightened. The tie rods 522a, 522b are preferably 1¼ inch in diameter and the spacers are 2¾ inch in outside diameter. The connection blocks 520a, 520b are supported by internal columns 530a, 530b that are fastened to the base plate 21a (FIGS. 2 and 13) and the block flanges 512e. The internal columns 530a, 530b are preferably square tubes having a 2 inch by 2 inch by ¼ inch thick cross section. The vertical backing plate 516 is supported by a wall 532 provided within the machine base 21. The plate 516 is fastened to the wall 532. A pair of columns 531a, 531b supports the manifold 27 at a front of the machine (FIGS. 2, 8, 15 and 19). The columns are formed by tie rods 531c surrounded by tubular spacers 531d. The tie rods 531c are fastened to the anchors 508a, 508b using nuts 531e. The upper end of the tie rod can be threaded into the manifold 27. The tubular spacer is compressed between the manifold 27 and the respective anchor 508a, 508b when the nuts 531e are tightened. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, three more tie rods, with associated spacers or sleeves are used. Two top level tie rods 532a, 532b, surrounded by spacers or sleeves 536a, 536b, and located laterally outside the pump cavities 69, 89 are threaded into threaded bores in the pump housing 71. The tie rods 532a, 532b are tensioned with nuts 537a, 537b on a rear side of backing plate 516, via the backing blocks 526a, 526b. A central tie rod 540 surrounded by a spacer or sleeve 542 and located laterally between the pump cavities 69, 89 is threaded into a threaded bore in the pump housing 71 and is tensioned by a nut 543 and washer pressed directly against the backing plate 516. The tie rods, when tensioned, compress the spacers or sleeves 525a, 525b, 536a, 536b and 542 tightly between the backing plate 516 and the pump housing 71 and the connection blocks 520a, 520b which are fastened to, or formed as part of the manifold housing 71. The tie rods 532a, 532b, 540 have a diameter of 1¼ inch and the spacers 536a, 536b and 542 have a 2¾ inch outside diameter. The hydraulic cylinders 64, 84 have front flanges 64a, 84a bolted to the backing plate 516 via two reinforcing washer plates 548a, 548b. Thus, when one of the hydraulic cylinders 64, 84 drives the respective piston 66, 68 into the pump cavity 69, 89 to pressurize the food product therein, a reaction force is created that tends to separate the backing plate 516 from the pump housing 71. The five tie rods oppose this reaction force by tension in the tie rods. Because the tie rods take up this reaction force, instead of the machine frame, the associated stress within the machine frame is reduced, or eliminated. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the T gear box 137 is supported from a pedestal 568 on a support plate 570. The right angle gearboxes 136 are also supported from pedestals 569 fastened to the plate 570 (FIG. 11). The support plate 570 is fastened to a bottom of two vertically oriented, parallel, longitudinally arranged plates 571, 572. The plates 571, 572 are supported at a rear by being fastened to a crossbeam 574 that is supported by sidewalls of the machine base 21. The longitudinally arranged plates 571, 572 are laterally braced by a cross brace 577. The plates 571, 572 extend to the backing plate 516 and are fastened thereto by being fastened to the backing blocks 526a, 526b respectively by fasteners 573, locating pins 573a, and keys 573b fit into corresponding keyways in the blocks 526a, 526b and the plates 571, 572 (FIG. 18). According to the preferred embodiment, the backing plate 516 has a thickness of 1¼ inches. The plates 571, 572 can have thicknesses of ¾ inches and heights of 13¼ inches. The support plate 570 can have a thickness of 1¼ inches. For additional rigidity, the bearing housings 143 that are located above each right angle gear box 136, are connected by pre-stressed tie rods 580a, 580b to the backing plate 516. The tie rods 580a, 580b are threaded into tapped holes in the backing plate 516 and secured to each respective housing 143 by a nut 581. A vertical, rectangular opening 143d is provided through each bearing housing 143 to access the nuts 581 (FIG. 11). Each nut 581 is threaded onto an end of one rod 580a, 580b and tightened against the respective bearing housing 143. The tie rods 580a, 580b are surrounded by respective tubes 582a, 582b. The tubes 582a, 582b are compressed between a respective housing 143 and the backing plate 516 when the nuts 581 are tightened onto the tie rods 580a, 580b. The tie rods 580a, 580b, and the tubes 582a, 582b fix the bearing housings 143 with respect to the backing plate 516. The tie rod 580b and tube 582b are not shown in FIG. 11 but are identically configured and attached in parallel fashion as the tie rod 580a, 582a. The tie rods have a diameter of % inches. As shown in FIG. 14, reciprocating forces from the mold plate and drive system originate substantially in the horizontal plane of movement of the mold plate. These reciprocating forces are resisted by forces transmitted through the plates 570, 571, 572 and the tie rod/tube combinations 580a, 582a and 580b, 582b to the vertical backing plate 516. The horizontal component of some of the reciprocation forces is transferred through the vertical backing plate through the rear struts 510a, 510b and into the base plate 21a. The horizontal component of some of the reciprocation forces is transferred through the tie rod/tube combinations 532a, 536a; 532b, 536b; 540,542; 522a, 524a; and 522b, 524b to the pump housing 71 and the blocks 520a, 520b. These forces are transferred through the blocks 520a, 520b through the forward struts 512a, 512b and into the base plate 21a. According to one aspect of the invention, the individual struts 510a, 510b, 512a, 512b are removable given the fact that they are fastened in place using fasteners and can be removed from the machine base 21 and replaced. This is particularly advantageous during assembly and replacement of other components, wherein the struts can be removed for access to other components within the machine base 21. All of the internal structural members can be composed of structural steel, except the base plate 21a is preferably composed of stainless steel and the pump housing 71 and manifold 27 are preferably composed of stainless steel. FIG. 19 illustrates the pump housing 71 and the valve manifold 27 as a single cast stainless steel part. By forming these parts as a unitary part, significant assembly time is reduced, and the machine part count is reduced. From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Use of pre-processed foods, both in homes and in restaurants, has created a demand for high-capacity automated food processing equipment. That demand is particularly evident with respect to hamburgers, molded steaks, fish cakes, and other molded food patties. Food processors utilize high-speed molding machines, such as FORMAX F-6, F-12, F-19, F-26 or F400 reciprocating mold plate forming machines, available from Formax, Inc. of Mokena, Ill., U.S.A., for supplying patties to the fast food industry. Prior known high-speed molding machines are also described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,887,964; 4,372,008; 4,356,595; 4,821,376; and 4,996,743 herein incorporated by reference. Although heretofore known FORMAX patty-molding machines have achieved commercial success and wide industry acceptance, the present inventors have recognized that needs exist for a forming machine having an even greater durability and an even greater duration of maintenance free operation. The present inventors have recognized that needs exist for an enhanced effectiveness of a patty-forming machine in producing uniform patties, for an even greater output rate of patties from a patty-forming machine, and for an enhanced convenience for cleaning and maintenance of a patty-forming machine. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>A frame structure for a reciprocating mold plate type food product forming apparatus includes an angular strut configuration for resisting horizontal reciprocating forces caused by the reciprocating mold plate and associated drive, and a tie rod arrangement for resisting reaction forces caused by food product compression in a food product plunger pump. A typical forming apparatus comprises at least one hydraulically driven pump that includes a pump piston or plunger driven into a pump cylinder by a hydraulic cylinder to pressurize food product. The tie rod arrangement resists the reaction force from this pressurizing. According to one aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a frame portion supports a reciprocating mold plate. A base plate supports the frame portion. A first angular strut extends from a rear location forward and upwardly to an elevated central location and is fixed to the frame portion. A second angular strut extends from a forward location rearward and upwardly to the elevated central location and is fixed to the frame portion. The first and second struts transfer the horizontal component of the reciprocating forces into the base plate. According to another aspect of the exemplary embodiment, at least one of the angular struts is fastened to the central location and to the base plate to be removable. According to another aspect of the exemplary embodiment, the struts are designed to be adjustable in position during installation and easily installed and reinstalled as necessary. The replaceable struts allow for a more efficient assembly of the apparatus, particularly for the installation or removal of mechanical equipment within the machine base. If for any reason a strut is damaged, a replacement can be installed without undue difficulty. According to another aspect of the exemplary embodiment, the base plate comprises a steel plate substantially coextensive in plan with the frame structure. According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, the frame portion supports a hydraulic cylinder and a pump cylinder, and comprises rods operatively connected between the hydraulic cylinder and the pump cylinder, the rods having a thickness to resist a reaction force caused by the pump piston pressurizing food product within the pump cylinder. According to another aspect of the invention, the heretofore known multipart, assembled and fastened together pump housing and tube valve manifold is replaced with a one piece pump housing and tube valve manifold cast or otherwise formed as a single part. The one piece pump housing/valve manifold also functions as an integral part of the machine frame. The frame structure of the invention isolates high loads and stresses within the machine. Pre-stressed rods contain mold plate drive forces and plunger forces. The frame structure of the invention provides an overall rigid design. Wear and tear on the frame structure and on the drive components is minimized and machine durability is increased. Maintenance on the frame structure and on the drive components is reduced. The invention also provides an improved high-speed patty molding machine that is inherently quiet in operation. The invention also provides an improved high-speed food patty molding machine that is simple and cost effectively manufactured and assembled, and that can be readily disassembled for cleaning of the machine. Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will be become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, and from the accompanying drawings. | 20040916 | 20080115 | 20050407 | 64612.0 | 1 | EWALD, MARIA VERONICA | FRAME FOR A PATTY-FORMING APPARATUS | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,942,742 | ACCEPTED | Financial transaction approval system and method | A method of sale including processing a plurality of purchases to be sold to a consumer, identifying a consumer financial account held by a financial institution, receiving authorization from the financial institution to enable payment for the plurality of purchases from the consumer financial account, and providing the consumer with an option to approve the payment from the consumer financial account. The option is provided during processing of the plurality of purchases. Transaction approval systems provide additional advantages. | 1. A method of sale comprising: processing with a processor a plurality of purchases to be sold to a consumer at a point of sale; identifying a consumer financial account held by a financial institution; receiving authorization from the financial institution to enable payment for the plurality of purchases from the consumer financial account; and providing the consumer with an option to approve the payment from the consumer financial account, wherein the option is provided at the point of sale during processing of the plurality of purchases, to decrease the time the consumer spends in the checkout line of a retail establishment. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving consumer approval for the payment, wherein at least a portion of receiving consumer approval occurs simultaneously with at least a portion of processing the plurality of purchases. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving consumer approval includes receiving a confirmation signature. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the confirmation signature includes generating a digital representation of the confirmation signature. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the confirmation signature occurs during processing of the plurality of purchases. 6. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving consumer approval additionally includes receiving additional consumer approval of the payment after receiving the confirmation signature. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving additional consumer approval occurs during processing of the plurality of purchases. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing the consumer with an option to suspend approval of the payment until a total cost of the plurality of purchases is calculated. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the plurality of purchases includes recording a name and a price of each of the plurality of purchases. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a consumer financial account includes supplying a financial transaction card including a magnetic strip storing information identifying the consumer financial account. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the financial transaction card is one of a debit card and a credit card. 12. A method of performing a retail transaction, the method comprising: determining a total cost of at least one purchase to be made by a consumer in the retail transaction; offering a consumer a first option to provide an endorsement and a final approval of the retail transaction prior to determining the total cost of the at least one purchase, to decrease the time the consumer spends in the checkout line of a retail establishment; offering the consumer a second option to provide the endorsement and the final approval of the retail transaction after determining the total cost of the at least one purchase; receiving the endorsement from the consumer; and receiving the final approval from the consumer. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: offering the consumer a third option to provide the endorsement prior to determining the total cost of the at least one purchase and to provide the final approval after determining the total cost of the at least one purchase. 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: providing a consumer interface for displaying information to the consumer, wherein providing the consumer interface includes providing a cost display box for displaying the total cost after the total cost has been determined. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the consumer interface includes highlighting the cost display box before the total cost is determined. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the providing the consumer interface includes removing the highlighting of the cost display box after the total cost is determined. 17. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the consumer endorsement is completed via a digital signature box. 18. A system of approving a financial transaction by a guest to purchase a plurality of purchases, the system comprising: a point-of-sale terminal configured to process the plurality of purchases; and a financial transaction machine supporting a guest interface; wherein the guest interface provides the guest with an option to begin approval of the financial transaction at a first time, wherein the first time occurs after the point-of-sale terminal begins processing the plurality of purchases and before the point-of-sale terminal has completed processing all of the plurality of purchases, to decrease the time the guest spends in the checkout line of a retail establishment. 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the guest interface includes a signature pad and approval of the financial transaction includes receiving a guest signature with the signature pad. 20. The system of claim 18, wherein the guest interface provides the guest with an option to postpone approval of the financial transaction until the point-of-sale terminal has completed processing all of the plurality of purchases. 21. The system of claim 18, wherein the financial transaction machine is configured to provide the guest interface after receipt of a financial transaction card identifying a consumer account from which the financial transaction will be performed. 22. A transaction confirmation system comprising: means for recording each of at least one purchase to be sold to a customer; and means for receiving endorsement of a digital financial transaction to pay for the recorded at least one purchase including: means for prompting customer endorsement of the digital financial transaction after the means for recording begins recording the at least one purchase and before the means for recording completes recording the at least one purchase, to decrease the time the customer spends in the checkout line of a retail establishment. 23. The transaction confirmation system of claim 22, wherein the means for prompting customer endorsement includes means for digitally receiving a customer signature. 24. The transaction confirmation system of claim 22, further including: means for remotely accessing a financial account from which the digital financial transaction will occur. 25. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the consumer with the option occurs at the point of sale. 26. The method of claim 12, wherein offering the consumer a first option and offering the consumer a second option each occur at a point of sale. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein receiving the endorsement and receiving the final approval each occur at the point of sale. 28. The method of claim 22, wherein the means for recording and the means for receiving are each positioned at a point of sale. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Payments for goods and services with data cards, such as credit cards and debit cards, has become increasingly popular in recent years due in part to the ease and speed of performing data card transactions. For example, in retail settings, goods and/or services to be purchased are first entered into a cash register or point-of-sale terminal to determine their total cost. Once the total cost is determined, a consumer or a retail establishment associate swipes the consumer's data card to access consumer financial account information linked to the data card. The consumer provides approval, typically by providing a signature, thereby confirming intent to authorize payment from the consumer financial account for the goods. Following approval, funds are transferred from the consumer financial account to a financial account associated with the retail establishment. Although faster than traditional payment methods, such as payment by check, the time needed to swipe the data card and to approve the transaction contributes to the overall time each consumer spends in the checkout line waiting to purchase goods. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of sale. The method of sale includes processing a plurality of purchases to be sold to a consumer, identifying a consumer financial account held by a financial institution, receiving authorization from the financial institution to enable payment for the plurality of purchases from the consumer financial account, and providing the consumer with an option to approve the payment from the consumer financial account. The option is provided during processing of the plurality of purchases. Other features and advantages are also disclosed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the invention will be described with respect to the figures, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of a transaction approval system, according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a method of sale, according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a top view illustrating a portion of the transaction approval system of FIG. 1 during the method of sale of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a top view illustrating a portion of the transaction approval system of FIG. 1 during the method of sale of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a top view illustrating a portion of the transaction approval system of FIG. 1 during the method of sale of FIG. 2. FIG. 6 is a top view illustrating a portion of the transaction approval system of FIG. 1 during the method of sale of FIG. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A process and system for approving and confirming financial card transactions, according to embodiments of the present invention, decrease overall consumer time spent in checkout lines. Decreasing the overall time each consumer spends in the checkout line provides a more attractive shopping environment and experience, increases overall efficiency of the retail establishment, decreases the labor necessary to handle consumer purchases, and improves the bottom line of the retail establishment or other entity from which goods and services are purchased. FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a transaction approval system 10 including a cash register or point-of-sale terminal 12, a financial transaction terminal 14, and a stylus 16. In one embodiment, point-of-sale terminal 12 is electrically coupled with financial transaction terminal 14 via a cord 18 or wireless connection, and stylus 16 is coupled with financial transaction terminal 14 via a cord 20. Alternatively, stylus 16 is not mechanically coupled with financial transaction terminal 14. Purchases by a consumer are processed or entered into point-of-sale terminal 12 to arrive at a total cost to be charged to the consumer for the entered purchases. Purchases include goods and/or services being sold to the consumer. Financial transaction terminal 14 is configured to receive a financial transaction card 22 to access a related consumer financial account or source of funding and to charge the total cost of the purchases to the financial account by way of financial transaction card 22. Financial transaction card 22 is one of a credit card, a debit card, or a stored-value card such as a gift card, to name several examples. Stylus 16 allows a user to enter a user signature and/or other confirmation indicator into financial transaction terminal 14, to approve or confirm the transfer of funds from the financial account to complete the purchase and ultimately perform the associated financial transaction or withdrawal. Point-of-sale terminal 12 includes a keyboard 30, a scanner 32, a monitor 34, and a printer 36. Item barcodes or other product information can be entered into point-of-sale terminal 12 via keyboard 30 or scanner 32, which, in one embodiment, is capable of reading UPC or bar codes off of the purchases. Alternatively, point-of-sale terminal 12 includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) device capable of reading and/or registering cost data and other purchase data. The information entered into point-of-sale terminal 12 can be viewed by a worker or associate of the retail establishment and/or a consumer via monitor 34. Finally, upon completion of the financial transaction or upon each addition of a new purchase or item to the point-of-sale terminal 12, printer 36 prints transaction details to a receipt 38 including a list of the purchases processed as well as the cash or amounts charged to the consumer's financial account to pay for the registered purchases. In one embodiment, receipt 38 includes a printout of a digitally captured signature, as will be further described below. Financial transaction terminal 14 is a financial transaction card reader in communication with at least one financial institution network. As such, in one embodiment, financial transaction terminal 14 includes a financial transaction card reception slot 40 for at least partially receiving financial transaction card 22. In particular, financial transaction card 22 includes a magnetic strip 24 along one side of financial transaction card 22 including a magnetic representation of the information necessary to access the consumer financial account linked to or associated with financial transaction card 22. Accordingly, reception slot 40 extends along a side of financial transaction terminal 14 and includes a reading mechanism capable of accessing magnetic strip 24 to obtain necessary information from financial transaction card 22. Financial transaction terminal 14 is configured to selectively receive financial transaction card 22 as financial transaction card 22 is slid from a first end 42 of reception slot 40 to a second end 44 of reception slot 40. As financial transaction card 22 is slid from first end 42 to second end 44 of reception slot 40, the information on magnetic strip 24 is read by financial transaction terminal 14 and the associated financial account is electronically accessed based upon the information from the magnetic strip 24. Alternatively, in one embodiment, financial transaction terminal 14 includes an alternative financial transaction card reception slot 46 instead of financial transaction card reception slot 40. Financial transaction card reception slot 46 is positioned at one end of financial transaction terminal 14 and is configured to receive financial transaction card 22 and to pull financial transaction card 22 fully within financial transaction terminal 14 for reading information from magnetic strip 24 of financial transaction card 22 to access the associated financial account. Financial transaction terminal 14 additionally includes a user interface, monitor, or touch screen 48 on a top surface 45 of financial transaction terminal 14. Touch screen 48 is configured to relay information to the consumer or to the worker or associate of the retail establishment utilizing financial transaction terminal 14. In one embodiment, touch screen 48 also is configured to be contacted by stylus 16 to enter information into financial transaction terminal 14. In particular, financial transaction terminal 14 may exhibit buttons such as button 62 in FIG. 3 on touch screen 48 that can be pressed or otherwise selected with stylus 16. In one embodiment, stylus 16 is an elongated, pencil-like member including a pointed end configured to contact touch screen 48. In addition, touch screen 48 may display boxes for receiving written information or signatures. Touch screen 48 is capable of presenting different touch buttons and messages to a user throughout the transaction approval process. One embodiment of a method of sale 50 is generally illustrated with reference to FIG. 2. At 52, the purchases to be sold to the consumer begin to be processed. In particular, in one embodiment, at 52, the product codes of the purchases are entered into point-of-sale terminal 12 by the worker of the retail establishment or the consumer via scanner 32, manually via keyboard 30, RFID device, or other entry device or system. While purchases are being processed for sale at 52, touch screen 48 displays a message giving the consumer an option to initiate the financial transaction. In one embodiment, the message notifying the consumer that they may initiate the transaction is a message such as “PLEASE INSERT CARD” as illustrated in FIG. 1. If, at 54, the consumer decides to initiate the transaction, the consumer slides financial transaction card 22 through reception slot 40 or inserts financial transaction card 22 into reception slot 46 of financial transaction terminal 14 at 56. In one embodiment, only one financial transaction card reception slot 40 or 46 exists and, therefore, financial transaction card 22 must be inserted into or slide through the financial transaction card reception slot 40 or 46 existing in the particular financial transaction terminal 14 of transaction approval system 10. Once the financial transaction card 22 is inserted, financial transaction terminal 14 interfaces with magnetic strip 24 to read information from magnetic strip 24. More specifically, financial transaction terminal 14 reads the information from magnetic strip 24 to remotely identify the financial institution or a financial network associated with the consumer financial account linked to financial transaction card 22. In one embodiment, transaction approval system 10 uses the information to determine the type of financial transaction card 22 that has been inserted, more specifically, whether the financial transaction card 22 is a debit card, a credit card, stored-value card, etc. Alternatively, upon insertion of financial transaction card 22, in one embodiment, transaction approval system 10 prompts the consumer to identify the type of financial transaction card 22 that has been inserted. Accordingly, following insertion of financial transaction card 22 into financial transaction terminal 14, at 58 the consumer decides whether he or she wishes to begin the transaction approval process. In particular, at 58, touch screen 48 presents the consumer with confirmation approval page or graphical interface 59 indicating that upon approval by the consumer, the consumer agrees to pay for all charges incurred in accordance with the cardholder agreement with the financial institution holding the financial account linked to financial transaction card 22, as illustrated in FIG. 3. In one embodiment, graphical interface 59 on touch screen 48 includes a signature block 60, for receiving a consumer signature, and/or a transaction confirmation button 62. In one embodiment, graphical user interface 59 additionally includes a charge box 64 for indicating whether the total charges or cost of purchases have been determined and, if so, what the total charges are. At 58, charge box 64 is empty, indicating that the total charges for the purchases have not yet been determined (i.e. purchases are still being processed and a final, total charge has not yet been determined). In one embodiment, the empty charge box 64 is yellow or another bright color to draw consumer attention to the fact that the total charges are not yet determined. In one embodiment, once the total charges are computed, the color of charge box 64 is changed or removed. Alternatively, in one embodiment, charge box 64 remains a consistent color when empty and when displaying the total cost. Graphical interface 59 displayed by financial transaction terminal 14 as illustrated in FIG. 3 allows the consumer to determine whether or not they wish to continue approving the transaction at 58. More specifically, the objects displayed on touch screen 48 at this point allow the consumer to decide whether or not to provide a consumer signature within signature block 60 immediately or to wait until a subsequent time in the method of sale 50. In particular, if the consumer chooses to continue approving the transaction, then at 70 the consumer provides and transaction approval system 10 receives a signature 72 within signature block 60 as illustrated with reference to FIG. 4. If the consumer chooses not to continue approving the transaction at this time, the method 50 continues to 78 where processing of the purchases is completed, as will be further described below. Once signature 72 of the consumer is provided, the consumer determines whether or not they wish to finalize approval of the transaction at 74. If the consumer decides to continue the transaction approval process, then at 76 the consumer provides and the transaction approval system 10 receives final transaction approval or confirmation. If the consumer decides not to continue the transaction approval process, method 50 continues to 78 to complete processing of the purchases, as will be further described below. In one embodiment, the consumer provides final transaction approval by contacting confirmation button 62 of graphical user interface 59 with stylus 16. Contacting confirmation button 62 also signifies to financial transaction terminal 14 that the consumer has finished providing signature 72. At 78, following receipt of the final transaction approval, processing of the purchases is completed and the total cost of the processed goods is displayed in charge box 64 as illustrated in FIG. 5. In one embodiment, display box 64, once colored to indicate that total charges had not yet been determined, optionally changes or removes the color once the cost is displayed in box 64. In other embodiments, box 64 remains yellow or otherwise highlighted. Following calculation of the total cost of purchases, the financial transaction terminal 14 uses the information from magnetic strip 24 of financial transaction card 22 to access the financial institution or network associated with the inserted financial transaction card 22 at 79. The financial institution or network provides the financial transaction terminal 14 with an indication of whether the financial account is sufficiently funded or authorized to support the current transaction. In particular, the financial institution or network provides an authorization to use the financial account or an indication that use of the financial account is declined. If the financial institution or network authorizes the current transaction the method of sale 50 continues. At 80, data terminal 14 determines whether transaction approval is complete. If transaction approval is determined to be complete, then at 82 the transaction is completed by transferring funds, or at least an electronic representation of funds, or by authorizing such a transfer, from the consumer financial account linked to financial transaction card 22 to a financial account associated with the retail establishment. Upon conclusion of the financial transaction printed receipt 38 is created or finished and provided to the consumer detailing the purchases and the financial transaction. In one embodiment, printed receipt 38 includes a printed form of signature 72 digitally provided to financial transaction terminal 14. Upon completion of the financial transaction, the consumer is free to take the purchases from the retail establishment to their car or other desired location outside of or away from the retail setting. If, at 54, the consumer decided not to begin the authorization process 50 or if at 58 or 74 the consumer decided not to continue the transaction approval process, the method of sale 50 continues directly to step 78 in which, as described above, processing of the purchases is completed and the total cost of the processed purchases is provided to the consumer, for example, by display of the cost within cost display box 64 as illustrated in FIG. 6. At 80, transaction approval system 10 determines if transaction approval is complete. If, at 80, transaction approval system 10 determines that the transaction authorization is not complete (as it will if the consumer chose not to begin or finish the transaction or approval process at 54, 58, or 74), the method of sale 50 continues to 84. At 84, transaction approval system 10 determines whether financial transaction card 22 has or has not yet been inserted into financial transaction terminal 14 to initiate the transaction. If financial transaction card 22 has not yet been inserted into financial transaction terminal 14, transaction approval system 10 will continue to prompt the consumer to enter financial transaction card 22 into financial transaction terminal 14 via touch screen 48. At 86, a consumer eventually inserts financial transaction card 22 into financial transaction terminal 14. As described above, upon insertion of financial transaction card 22, financial transaction terminal 14 interfaces with magnetic strip 24 to read the information from magnetic strip 24 to remotely identify the financial institution or at least a financial network associated with the financial account linked to financial transaction card 22. In one embodiment, transaction approval system 10 uses the information to determine the type of financial transaction card 22 that has been inserted, and more specifically, whether the financial transaction card 22 is a debit card, a credit card, a stored-value card, etc. Alternatively, upon insertion of financial transaction card 22, in one embodiment, transaction approval system 10 prompts the consumer to identify the type of financial transaction card 22 that has been inserted. At 88, following insertion of financial transaction card 22 into card terminal 14, the consumer is prompted to provide consumer signature 72 via graphical interface 59 in a similar manner as described above with respect to receiving consumer signature 72 at 70. Following 88, in one embodiment, the consumer is presented with graphical interface 59 on touch screen 48, such as that illustrated in FIG. 5. At 90, the consumer provides and transaction approval system 10 receives final transaction approval, and the consumer acknowledges consumer signature 72 is complete by contacting touch screen 48, more particularly, by interaction with final approval button 62 via stylus 16. At 82, the funds are transferred or authorized to be transferred and receipt 38 is printed to complete the transaction. Once the transaction is complete, the consumer is free to leave the retail establishment with the purchases and receipt 38 in hand. Alternatively, if at 84 it is determined that financial transaction card 22 has already been inserted into financial transaction terminal 14, transaction approval system 10 determines, at 92, whether consumer signature 72 has yet been received. If the consumer signature has not yet been provided, the method of sale 50 continues to 88 where consumer signature 72 is provided in signature box 60. Continuing once again to 90, final transaction approval is provided for receipt by transaction approval system 10 via consumer contact with approval button 62 via stylus 16, and the transaction is completed at 82 as described above. If, at 92, transaction approval system 10 determines that a consumer signature 72 has already been received, the method of sale 50 continues directly to 90 where final transaction approval is provided by the consumer as described above. Once again, following final transaction approval, the transaction is completed at 82, and a consumer is provided with receipt 38, thereby leaving the consumer free to leave the retail establishment with the purchases and receipt 38 in hand. A transaction approval system and method of sale, according to embodiments of the present invention, allow the consumer to decide when to start and finish consumer approval of a financial transaction. In particular, in order to speed the transaction process, a consumer can provide a signature and final transaction approval prior to the final processing of all the purchases. However, in other instances, a consumer may provide a signature while the purchases are being processed, but wait to provide final transaction approval until the total charges have been determined. In yet another instance, a consumer may wait until the total charge for the purchases is determined before providing a signature and a final transaction approval. Although the invention has been described with respect to particular embodiments, such embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered to limit the invention. Various alternatives and changes will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, other display screens or buttons may be presented to a consumer in order to provide the consumer with a two or three point transaction approval process that can be entered into at a time chosen by the consumer. In addition, one or more retail employees can prompt the consumer to complete one or more tasks in the process. Additional modifications and changes will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Payments for goods and services with data cards, such as credit cards and debit cards, has become increasingly popular in recent years due in part to the ease and speed of performing data card transactions. For example, in retail settings, goods and/or services to be purchased are first entered into a cash register or point-of-sale terminal to determine their total cost. Once the total cost is determined, a consumer or a retail establishment associate swipes the consumer's data card to access consumer financial account information linked to the data card. The consumer provides approval, typically by providing a signature, thereby confirming intent to authorize payment from the consumer financial account for the goods. Following approval, funds are transferred from the consumer financial account to a financial account associated with the retail establishment. Although faster than traditional payment methods, such as payment by check, the time needed to swipe the data card and to approve the transaction contributes to the overall time each consumer spends in the checkout line waiting to purchase goods. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of sale. The method of sale includes processing a plurality of purchases to be sold to a consumer, identifying a consumer financial account held by a financial institution, receiving authorization from the financial institution to enable payment for the plurality of purchases from the consumer financial account, and providing the consumer with an option to approve the payment from the consumer financial account. The option is provided during processing of the plurality of purchases. Other features and advantages are also disclosed. | 20040916 | 20090331 | 20060316 | 99434.0 | G06F1760 | 1 | ELISCA, PIERRE E | FINANCIAL TRANSACTION APPROVAL SYSTEM AND METHOD | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | G06F | 2,004 |
|
10,942,766 | ACCEPTED | Disposable brew basket for electric coffee maker | A method comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket, inserting the disposable brew basket into the electric coffee brewing machine; brewing a single cup of coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket after the single cup of coffee has been brewed. The electric coffee brewing machine has a cold water reservoir, an electric heating element for heating the water, and a basket receiving recess. The disposable brew basket has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. The bottom wall of the basket has at least one port located in a central portion thereof to permit brewed coffee to flow from the disposable brew basket. The disposable brew basket is inserted into the basket receiving recess of the electric coffee brewing machine before brewing. | 1-15. (canceled) 16. (canceled) 17. (canceled) 18. (canceled) 19. For use with a coffee dispenser having a water reservoir, a location for a brew basket, and an electrical heating element for heating water for dispensing into a brewing reservoir within which coffee is brewed; a combination comprising: (a) at least one disposable brew basket adapted for location in said dispenser, said brew basket defining said brewing reservoir for brewing coffee, the brewing reservoir open at the top and adapted to receive therein a disposable coffee filter pack, the disposable brew basket having at least one port for dispensing brewed coffee from the brew basket into a receiving vessel that may be positioned beneath the brew basket, and (b) at least one disposable coffee filter pack containing ground coffee and adapted to be received within the brewing reservoir of said brew basket; (c) said at least one brew basket and said at least one coffee filter pack being packaged for one-time use for making coffee. 20. The combination of claim 19, wherein at least one said brew basket and at least one said coffee pouch are packaged together in a single package for one-time use for making coffee with said coffee dispenser. 21. The combination of claim 19, wherein only one brew basket and at least one said coffee filter pack are packaged together in a single package for one-time use for making coffee with said coffee dispenser. 22. The combination of claim 19, wherein at least one said brew basket and only one said coffee filter pack are packaged together in a single package for one-time use for making coffee with said coffee dispenser. 23. The combination of claim 19, wherein only one said brew basket and only one said coffee filter pack are packaged together in a single package for one-time use for making coffee with said coffee dispenser. 24. The combination of claim 23, wherein said brew basket and coffee filter pack are packaged together in a single package with said coffee filter pack positioned within the brewing reservoir of said brew basket. 25. The combination of claim 19, wherein said brew basket further comprises an outwardly extending flange. 26. The combination of claim 19, wherein said brew basket is of a plastic molded, one-piece construction. 27. The combination of claim 19, wherein said brew basket is of plastic molded, vacuum formed, one-piece construction. 28. The combination of claim 19, wherein said brew basket further comprises a substantially flat bottom with substantially upstanding sides, and said coffee filter pack is of a thickness substantially less than the depth of said brew basket, said filter pack adapted to be positioned within said brew basket and supported on the bottom of said brew basket. 29. The combination of claim 28, wherein said brew basket is greater in a horizontal dimension than in the depth dimension. 30. The combination of claim 19, said brew basket further comprising an outwardly curved front wall. 31. The combination of claim 19, said brew basket further comprising a front wall, and a handle at said front wall for use in removing said brew basket and coffee filter pack from said dispenser after one-time use of said of said basket and filter pack. 32. The combination of claim 19, said brew basket further comprising generally smooth upstanding side walls. 33. The combination of claim 19, said coffee filter pack further comprising a liquid permeable paper pouch containing an amount of ground coffee. 34. The combination of claim 33 wherein, said amount of ground coffee makes approximately one cup of coffee. 35. For use with a coffee dispenser having a water reservoir, a location for a brew basket, and an electrical heating element for heating water for dispensing into a brewing reservoir within which coffee is brewed; a combination comprising: (a) a first package containing at least one disposable brew basket adapted for location in said dispenser, said brew basket defining said brewing reservoir for brewing coffee, the brewing reservoir open at the top and adapted to receive therein a disposable coffee filter pack, the disposable brew basket having at least one port for dispensing brewed coffee from the brew basket into a receiving vessel that may be positioned beneath the brew basket; and (b) a second package containing at least one disposable coffee filter pack containing ground coffee and adapted to be received within the brewing reservoir of said brew basket. 36. The combination of claim 35, said first package containing only one disposable brew basket. 37. The combination of claim 35, said second package containing only one disposable coffee filter pack. 38. The combination of claim 35, said first package containing only one disposable brew basket, and said second package containing only one disposable coffee filter pack. | This is a divisional patent application of application Ser. No. 10/136,543, filed May 1, 2002, now pending. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to electric coffee brewing machines. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel single-use, disposable brew basket for an electric coffee maker. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For years, drip-type electric brewing machines have been used as an efficient means for making coffee. In general, these electric coffee brewing machine include a cold water reservoir, an electric resistance heating element for heating the water, and a reusable plastic brew basket for holding ground coffee in a paper coffee filter. To make coffee, cold water is poured into the water reservoir and ground coffee is placed in a coffee filter, which is in turn placed in the brew basket. The cold water is heated by the electric heating element, and the heated water then saturates the ground coffee. The brewed coffee then drips out into a receiving vessel, e.g., a coffee pot, which is positioned below the brew basket. After brewing is complete, the paper filter and used coffee grounds are taken out of the plastic brew basket and discarded. Then, the brew basket and coffee pot are cleaned for re-use. While such drip coffee makers are relatively fast and efficient, the process of cleaning the plastic brew basket and coffee pot after each use is time consuming. Moreover, if the brew basket and coffee pot are not cleaned regularly, the quality and taste of the brewed coffee is compromised. A related problem occurs when such drip coffee makers are used to brew flavored coffee. Unless the brew basket and coffee pot are cleaned thoroughly, the taste and strong scent of flavored coffee tends to linger in the brew basket and coffee pot and can be detected when these components are reused to brew coffee of a different flavor. While these concerns alone have not been significant enough to deter individuals from using drip-type electric coffee makers at home, these drawbacks are multiplied in the hotel industry, where such coffee makers are often provided by hotels for daily in-room use by their thousands of guests. The task of regularly cleaning the thousands of brew baskets and coffee pots is left to the housekeeping or other hotel staff. Thus, there is a need to simplify maintenance of drip-type electric coffee brewing machines, especially in the context of the hotel industry, where thousands of such machines are used daily by hotel guests. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to improve the efficiency of drip-type electric coffee brewing machines, and to reduce the time required for appropriately maintaining such machines. It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a single-use, disposable brew basket for use with a conventional drip-type electric coffee brewing machine. Another object of the invention is to provide a single-use, disposable brew basket that includes an integral single-use coffee filter pack. Still another object of the invention is to provide a single-use, disposable brew basket for a drip-type electric coffee brewing machine that is designed for brewing a single cup of coffee directly into a coffee cup. In general, a method of brewing a single cup of coffee comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket, inserting the disposable brew basket into the electric coffee brewing machine; brewing a single cup of coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket after the single cup of coffee has been brewed. The electric coffee brewing machine has a cold water reservoir and a basket receiving recess. The disposable brew basket has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. The bottom wall of the basket has a port located in a central portion thereof to permit brewed coffee to flow from the disposable brew basket. The disposable brew basket is inserted into the basket receiving recess of the electric coffee brewing machine before brewing. In another aspect of the present invention, a method of brewing coffee comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine having a cold water reservoir, an electric heating element for heating the water, and a reusable brew basket; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket; removing the reusable brew basket from the electric coffee brewing machine and replacing the same with the disposable brew basket; brewing coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket after the coffee has been brewed. The reusable brew basket of the electric coffee machine has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. The disposable brew basket has substantially the same dimensions as the reusable brew basket of the electric coffee brewing machine. The disposable brew basket has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. In still another aspect of the present invention, a method of brewing a single cup of coffee comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine having a reusable brew basket; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket of substantially the same dimensions as the reusable brew basket of the electric coffee brewing machine, providing a coffee filter pack comprising a liquid permeable pouch containing ground coffee within the brewing reservoir of the disposable brew basket; removing the reusable brew basket from the electric coffee brewing machine and replacing the same with the disposable brew basket and coffee filter pack; brewing a single cup of coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket and coffee filter pack after the single cup of coffee has been brewed. In yet another aspect of the invention, a disposable brew basket for use in an electric coffee brewing machine comprises a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls. The side walls extend generally upwardly from a perimeter of the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir. The bottom wall has a port located in a central portion of the bottom wall adapted to permit brewed coffee to flow from the brewing reservoir of the disposable brew basket. Each of the side walls of the basket extends upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall at an angle to facilitate nesting of the basket with adjacent, aligned baskets of like configuration. The bottom wall and side walls are of a monolithic piece of vacuum formed high-impact polystyrene. Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric coffee brewing machine used in the practice of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a disposable brew basket of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the disposable brew basket of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the disposable brew basket of FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the disposable brew basket of FIG. 2; FIG. 6 is a left side elevational view of the disposable brew basket of FIG. 2; FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the disposable brew basket of FIG. 2; FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the disposable brew basket of FIG. 2 with an integral coffee filter pack; and FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a nested stack of disposable brew baskets. Reference characters used in these drawings correspond with reference characters used throughout the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments, which follows. These drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate the preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A drip-type electric coffee brewing machine of the present invention is represented generally in FIG. 1 by the reference numeral 10. In general, the electric coffee machine 10 comprises an outer housing 12, preferably of molded plastic or another non-conductive material, a cold water reservoir 14, a basket-receiving recess 16, a brew basket 18, a receiving vessel platform 20 for supporting a coffee-receiving vessel, such as a coffee pot or coffee cup 22, and an electric power cord 24. In most respects, the electric coffee machine 10 is similar to other conventional drip-type electric coffee brewing machines. To make coffee, a lid 26 to the cold water reservoir 14 is lifted and cold water (not shown) is poured into the reservoir 26. An appropriate amount of ground coffee (not shown) is placed in a paper coffee filter (not shown), which is in turn placed in the brew basket 18. The cold water is heated by an electric heating element (not shown) housed in the machine 10, and the heated water then flows into the brew basket 18 and saturates the ground coffee contained therein. Brewed coffee then drips out into the receiving vessel 22, preferably a coffee cup, which is positioned immediately below the brew basket 18. The brew basket 18 shown in FIG. 1 is conventional and may be made of injection molded plastic or another suitable material that is durable and corrosion resistant. The brew basket 18 shown in FIG. 1 can be reused many times, as is well known in the art. After brewing is complete, the paper filter and used coffee grounds are taken out of the reusable brew basket 18 and discarded. Then, the brew basket 18 is cleaned for re-use. FIGS. 2 through 7 show a single-use, disposable brew basket 40 of the present invention. Preferably, the disposable brew basket 40 is shaped and dimensioned to fit within the basket-receiving recess 16 of the electric coffee machine 10, in lieu of the reusable brew basket 18. As shown in FIGS. 2 through 7, the disposable brew basket 40 has a bottom wall 42, a front wall 44, a rear wall 45, a left side wall 46 and a right side wall 48. The front, rear, left and right side walls extend generally upwardly from the bottom wall 42 to define a brewing reservoir 50 for holding coffee grounds and for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine 10. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, the bottom wall 42 of the basket 40 preferably has a single, central port 52 or “drip spout” to permit brewed coffee to flow from the brewing reservoir 50 of the disposable brew basket 40 and into the receiving vessel 22. Preferably, the bottom wall 42, front wall 44, rear wall 45, left side wall 46 and right side wall 48 are all of a monolithic construction. That is, these components are preferably formed as a single piece. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the disposable brew basket 40 is made of vacuum formed high-impact polystyrene. This material is preferred because it is relatively inexpensive, it is generally easy to work with in manufacturing, and it produces a sufficiently strong product with a minimum thickness of material. However, other disposable materials having similar qualities could be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, the disposable brew basket 40 may also include an integral coffee filter pack 60 comprising a liquid permeable pouch 62 (e.g., a paper filter pouch) containing an amount of ground coffee appropriate for brewing a single cup of brewed coffee. The coffee filter pack 60 is not unlike a tea bag, as it contains an amount of ground coffee that is appropriate for brewing a single cup of the beverage, and is designed to be used once and then discarded. Alternatively, a coffee filter pack containing enough ground coffee to brew more than a single cup in a single brewing operation could be used without departing from the scope of invention. Preferably, one coffee filter pack 60 and one disposable brew basket 40 are packaged together for use. The coffee filter pack 60 may or may not be adhered or otherwise connected to the bottom wall 42 of the basket 40. The coffee filter packs 60 and disposable brew baskets 40 may also be packaged and sold separately from one another without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, in use, the disposable brew basket 40 is inserted into the basket receiving recess 16 of the electric coffee brewing machine 10, in lieu of the reusable brew basket 18. Preferably, the coffee filter pack 60 is placed into the brewing reservoir 50 of the disposable brew basket 40, in lieu of a conventional paper filter and loose coffee grinds. In accordance with the present invention, both the disposable brew basket 40 and the coffee filter pack 60 are then discarded after use, i.e., after one brewing operation. More specifically, a method of brewing a single cup of coffee comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine such as machine 10; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket 40 having a brewing reservoir 50 for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine 10; providing a coffee filter pack 60 comprising a liquid permeable pouch 62 containing ground coffee; placing the coffee filter pack 60 within the brewing reservoir 50 of the disposable brew basket 40; inserting the disposable brew basket 40 into the basket receiving recess 16 of the electric coffee brewing machine 10; brewing a single cup of coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine 10; and discarding the disposable brew basket 40 and coffee filter pack 60 after the single cup of coffee has been brewed. A related method of the present invention comprises the steps of providing an electric coffee brewing machine 10 including a reusable brew basket 18 with a brewing reservoir; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket 40 of substantially the same dimensions as the reusable brew basket 18 of the electric coffee brewing machine 10; providing a coffee filter pack 60 comprising a liquid permeable pouch 62 containing ground coffee; placing the coffee filter pack 60 within the brewing reservoir 50 of the disposable brew basket 40; removing the reusable brew basket 18 from the electric coffee brewing machine 10 and replacing it with the disposable brew basket 40; brewing coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine 10; and discarding the disposable brew basket 40 and coffee filter pack 60 after the coffee has been brewed. As shown in FIGS. 2 through 7, the front wall 44, rear wall 45, left side wall 46 and right side wall 48 of the disposable brew basket 40 are preferably tapered outwardly, i.e., they preferably extend generally upwardly and outwardly from the perimeter of the bottom wall 42, to facilitate nesting of the disposable brew basket 40 with adjacent, aligned baskets of like configuration (see FIG. 9). This permits multiple nested disposable brew baskets 40 to be packaged, stored and/or shipped together at minimal cost. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the disposable brew basket 40 also preferably includes at least one integral spacer 66 for limiting the extent of nesting of adjacent, aligned baskets 40. Preferably, the integral spacers 66 are located on the left and/or right side walls 46 and 48 of the disposable brew basket 40, though spacers could be used on the front and/or rear walls 44 and 45 of the basket 40 without departing from the scope of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the spacer is preferably located on an inner surface of its associated wall of the disposable brew basket 40. Preferably, the spacer 66 includes a projection that extends generally inwardly from its associated side wall. The projection is adapted to contact and abut against a lower surface of the bottom wall 42 of an adjacent, nesting basket in a manner to space the nested baskets 40 from one another. Thus, the spacers 66 permit a plurality of the disposable brew baskets 40 to be “controllably nested” (FIG. 9) by preventing overly tight nesting and thereby facilitating separation prior to repackaging or use. Preferably, in a stack of controllably nested, disposable brew baskets 40, the location of the spacers 66 alternates so that the location of the spacers 66 of adjacent baskets in the stack differ from one another to prevent overly tight nesting of the baskets 40 and of the spacers 66 themselves. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, each disposable brew basket 40 includes only one spacer 66. However, multiple spacers, in the same or alternating locations, could be used without departing from the scope of the invention. In any case, however, the bottom wall 42, side walls 44, 45, 46 and 48 and spacers 66 are all preferably formed as a single piece of vacuum formed high-impact polystyrene. It should be understood that, although at least one of the novel methods described above includes the steps of providing a reusable brew basket 18, and then removing it and replacing it with the disposable brew basket 40, there are reasons why it may be preferable to practice the invention without these steps (i.e., without providing a reusable brew basket 18 at all), especially in the context of the hotel industry where such coffee makers are provided by hotels for daily in-room use by thousands of hotel guests. Again, the process of cleaning a reusable plastic brew basket and glass coffee pot after each use is time consuming, and failure to do so properly can compromise the quality and taste of the brewed coffee. This is especially so when the coffee makers are used to brew flavored coffee, which have tastes and scents that tend to linger in the permanent brew basket and coffee pot. These are among the reasons why a single-use, disposable brew basket designed to brew directly into a coffee cup is preferred in the present invention. However, in the context of the hotel industry, there are additional reasons why this is preferred. For example, if the drip coffee maker 10 is provided without a permanent “reusable” brew basket 18 (either because the coffee maker is manufactured and sold without one or because the hotel management removes it before placing the coffee maker in the room), then hotel guests and staff are less likely to steal the coffee maker, which is virtually useless without a brew basket. In addition to theft deterrence, providing a “single cup” coffee maker 10 (designed to brew directly into a coffee cup as shown in FIG. 1) without a reusable brew basket 18 and without a glass coffee pot eliminates risk of injury associated with handling these components. Also, because the “single cup” coffee maker 10 is preferably designed to brew directly into a coffee cup, there is no need for a heating plate, which further reduces the risk of injury. In view of the foregoing, it can be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and attained. The embodiments disclosed herein were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. As various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended thereto and their equivalents. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>For years, drip-type electric brewing machines have been used as an efficient means for making coffee. In general, these electric coffee brewing machine include a cold water reservoir, an electric resistance heating element for heating the water, and a reusable plastic brew basket for holding ground coffee in a paper coffee filter. To make coffee, cold water is poured into the water reservoir and ground coffee is placed in a coffee filter, which is in turn placed in the brew basket. The cold water is heated by the electric heating element, and the heated water then saturates the ground coffee. The brewed coffee then drips out into a receiving vessel, e.g., a coffee pot, which is positioned below the brew basket. After brewing is complete, the paper filter and used coffee grounds are taken out of the plastic brew basket and discarded. Then, the brew basket and coffee pot are cleaned for re-use. While such drip coffee makers are relatively fast and efficient, the process of cleaning the plastic brew basket and coffee pot after each use is time consuming. Moreover, if the brew basket and coffee pot are not cleaned regularly, the quality and taste of the brewed coffee is compromised. A related problem occurs when such drip coffee makers are used to brew flavored coffee. Unless the brew basket and coffee pot are cleaned thoroughly, the taste and strong scent of flavored coffee tends to linger in the brew basket and coffee pot and can be detected when these components are reused to brew coffee of a different flavor. While these concerns alone have not been significant enough to deter individuals from using drip-type electric coffee makers at home, these drawbacks are multiplied in the hotel industry, where such coffee makers are often provided by hotels for daily in-room use by their thousands of guests. The task of regularly cleaning the thousands of brew baskets and coffee pots is left to the housekeeping or other hotel staff. Thus, there is a need to simplify maintenance of drip-type electric coffee brewing machines, especially in the context of the hotel industry, where thousands of such machines are used daily by hotel guests. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is an object of the present invention to improve the efficiency of drip-type electric coffee brewing machines, and to reduce the time required for appropriately maintaining such machines. It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a single-use, disposable brew basket for use with a conventional drip-type electric coffee brewing machine. Another object of the invention is to provide a single-use, disposable brew basket that includes an integral single-use coffee filter pack. Still another object of the invention is to provide a single-use, disposable brew basket for a drip-type electric coffee brewing machine that is designed for brewing a single cup of coffee directly into a coffee cup. In general, a method of brewing a single cup of coffee comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket, inserting the disposable brew basket into the electric coffee brewing machine; brewing a single cup of coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket after the single cup of coffee has been brewed. The electric coffee brewing machine has a cold water reservoir and a basket receiving recess. The disposable brew basket has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. The bottom wall of the basket has a port located in a central portion thereof to permit brewed coffee to flow from the disposable brew basket. The disposable brew basket is inserted into the basket receiving recess of the electric coffee brewing machine before brewing. In another aspect of the present invention, a method of brewing coffee comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine having a cold water reservoir, an electric heating element for heating the water, and a reusable brew basket; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket; removing the reusable brew basket from the electric coffee brewing machine and replacing the same with the disposable brew basket; brewing coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket after the coffee has been brewed. The reusable brew basket of the electric coffee machine has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. The disposable brew basket has substantially the same dimensions as the reusable brew basket of the electric coffee brewing machine. The disposable brew basket has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. In still another aspect of the present invention, a method of brewing a single cup of coffee comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine having a reusable brew basket; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket of substantially the same dimensions as the reusable brew basket of the electric coffee brewing machine, providing a coffee filter pack comprising a liquid permeable pouch containing ground coffee within the brewing reservoir of the disposable brew basket; removing the reusable brew basket from the electric coffee brewing machine and replacing the same with the disposable brew basket and coffee filter pack; brewing a single cup of coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket and coffee filter pack after the single cup of coffee has been brewed. In yet another aspect of the invention, a disposable brew basket for use in an electric coffee brewing machine comprises a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls. The side walls extend generally upwardly from a perimeter of the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir. The bottom wall has a port located in a central portion of the bottom wall adapted to permit brewed coffee to flow from the brewing reservoir of the disposable brew basket. Each of the side walls of the basket extends upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall at an angle to facilitate nesting of the basket with adjacent, aligned baskets of like configuration. The bottom wall and side walls are of a monolithic piece of vacuum formed high-impact polystyrene. Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. | 20040916 | 20071225 | 20050714 | 94388.0 | 2 | ALEXANDER, REGINALD | DISPOSABLE BREW BASKET FOR ELECTRIC COFFEE MAKER | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,942,795 | ACCEPTED | Structure of driving unit in drum type washing machine | Structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine including a tub mounted inside of a cabinet, a drum mounted inside of the tub, a shaft connected to the drum mounted inside of the tub for transmission of a driving force from a motor to the drum, a front bearing and a rear bearing mounted on an outer circumference of the shaft at opposite end portions thereof respectively, a bearing housing built in a central portion of a rear wall of the tub for supporting the front bearing, a rotor composing the motor together with the rotor, and coupled to the rear end portion of the shaft, a stator fixed to the tub rear wall inward of the rotor to compose the motor together with the rotor, a connector serration coupled to the outer circumference of the shaft in front of the rear bearing and fixed to the rotor, for transmission of a rotating power from the rotor to the shaft, and a bearing bracket fixed to the rear wall of the tub to cover an outside of the rotor and support the rear bearing, thereby reducing noise, repair and power loss, by improving a structure of a driving unit, improving a product reliability, by improving a washing capability, and improving a productivity by improving workability in fabrication of components of the driving unit. | 1. A motor for an electrical appliance, comprising: a stator; a rotor rotatably mounted around the stator, wherein the rotor has a rear wall and a side wall integrally formed of steel, and wherein magnets are mounted on an inner surface of the sidewall; a connector coupled to the rotor, wherein the connector is formed of an electrically insulating material; and a rotating shaft that is also coupled to the connector, wherein the connector serves to electrically insulate the shaft from the rotor. 2. The motor of claim 1, wherein the magnets are evenly spaced around the circumference of the rotor. 3. The motor of claim 2, wherein locating projections are formed on the inner surface of the sidewall of the rotor to help mount the magnets on the sidewall such that they are evenly spaced around the circumference of the rotor. 4. The motor of claim 1, wherein an outwardly projecting step is formed in the sidewall of the rotor, and wherein the magnets are mounted on the outwardly projecting step. 5. The motor of claim 1, wherein an outer rim of the rotor is bent relative to the sidewall to increase the rigidity of the rotor. 6. The motor of claim 5, wherein the outer rim is bent so that a first portion of the outer rim extends approximately perpendicular to the sidewall of the rotor, and a second portion of the outer rim extends approximately parallel to the sidewall. 7. The motor of claim 6, wherein the outer rim is bent so the second portion of the outer rim extends approximately parallel to the sidewall and towards the rear wall. 8. The motor of claim 1, wherein fins are formed in the rear wall of the rotor, the fins comprising portions of the rear wall that have been bent inward towards the stator. 9. The motor of claim 1, wherein stiffening grooves are formed in the rear wall of the rotor, the stiffening grooves comprising bent portions of the rear wall that increase the rigidity of the rotor. 10. The motor of claim 1, wherein a central portion of the rear wall of the rotor extends towards the stator and includes a flange portion to which the connector is attached. 11. The motor of claim 1, wherein draining holes are formed in the rear wall of the rotor. 12. A motor for an electrical appliance, comprising: a stator; a rotor rotatably mounted around the stator, wherein the rotor has a rear wall and a side wall integrally formed of steel, wherein magnets are mounted on an inner surface of the sidewall, wherein a central portion of the rear wall includes a flange portion having a plurality of mounting holes and a plurality of positioning holes, and wherein sidewalls of the positioning holes extend above or below the rear wall of the rotor; a connector coupled to the rotor and including a plurality of fastening holes and a plurality of positioning projections that are integrally formed with the connector, wherein the fastening holes and the positioning projections are formed around the circumference of the connector such that the fastening holes align with the mounting holes on the rotor and the positioning projections extend into the positioning holes on the rotor when the connector is coupled to the rotor; and a rotating shaft that is also coupled to the connector. 13. The motor of claim 12, wherein the fastening holes and positioning projections are formed on a flat coupling surface of the connector that directly contacts the flange portion of the rotor when the connector is coupled to the rotor. 14. The motor of claim 12, wherein the fastening holes on the rotor also include sidewalls that extend above or below the rear wall of the rotor. 15. A motor for an electrical appliance, comprising: a stator; a rotor rotatably mounted around the stator, wherein the rotor has a rear wall and a side wall integrally formed of steel, wherein magnets are mounted on an inner surface of the sidewall, wherein a central portion of the tear wall of the rotor includes a flange portion, and wherein an inner circumferential surface of the flange portion comprises a rim that is bent to increase a rigidity of the rotor; a connector coupled to the rotor, wherein the connector includes a flat coupling surface that abuts the flange portion of the rotor, and a inner cylindrical surface having serrations; and a rotating shaft that is also coupled to the connector, wherein serrations on an outer surface of the shaft mate with the serrations on the inner cylindrical surface of the connector to prevent the connector from rotating with respect to the shaft. 16. The motor of claim 15, wherein stiffening ribs are integrally formed on the connector. 17. The motor of claim 16, wherein the stiffening ribs include at least one circular stiffening rib that extends around a circumference of the connector. 18. The motor of claim 15, wherein the rim on the flange portion of the rotor includes a first portion that extends substantially perpendicular to the rear wall of the rotor, and a second portion that extends substantially parallel to the rear wall of the rotor. 19. The motor of claim 15, wherein an outer rim of the rotor is bent relative to the sidewall to increase the rigidity of the rotor. 20. The motor of claim 19, wherein the outer rim is bent so that a first portion of the outer rim extends approximately perpendicular to the sidewall of the rotor, and a second portion of the outer rim extends approximately parallel to the sidewall. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drum type washing machine, and more particularly, to a structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine. 2. Background of the Invention In general, a drum type washing, making washing by using friction between a drum rotated by a motor and laundry in a state detergent, washing water, and the laundry are introduced into the drum, provides effects of beating and rubbing washing, but gives almost no damage to the laundry, and shows no entangling of the laundry. A structure of a related art drum washing machine will be explained with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 illustrates a longitudinal section of a related art drum type washing machine, provided with a tub 2 mounted inside of a cabinet 1, a drum 3 rotatably mounted on a central portion of inside of the tub 2. There is a motor 5a under the tub 2 connected with a pulley 18. There is a drum shaft connected to a rear of the drum 3, to which a drum pulley 19 is coupled. And, the drum pulley 19 on the drum shaft and the motor pulley 18 connected to the motor 5a are connected by a belt 20 for transmission of power. And, there is a door 21 in a front part of the cabinet 1, with a gasket 22 between the door 21 and the tub 2. There is a hanging spring between an inside of an upper portion of the cabinet 1 and an outside of an upper portion of the tub 2, and a friction damper 24 between an inside of a lower portion of the cabinet 1 and a lower side of an outside of the tub 2 for damping vibration of the tub 2 generated during spinning. However, the related art washing machine has the following disadvantages since driving power of the motor 5a is transmitted to the drum 3 through the motor pulley 18, and the drum pulley 19, and the belt 20 connecting the motor pulley 18 and the drum pulley 19. First, there is a loss of energy in a course of driving power transmission because the driving power is transmitted from the motor 5a to the drum 3, not directly, but through the belt 20 wound around the motor pulley 18 and the drum pulley 19. And, the driving power transmission from the motor 5a to the drum 3, not directly, but through many components, such as the belt 20, the motor pulley 18, and the drum pulley 19, causes much noise in the course of power transmission. The lots of components required for transmission of driving power from the motor 5a to the drum 3, such as the motor pulley 18, the drum pulley 19 and the belt 20, require many assembly man-hours. And, the more the number of components required for transmission of driving power from the motor 5a to the drum 3, the more number of spots which require repair, and the more frequent at which repair required. In summary, the indirect driving power transmission from the motor 5a to the drum 3 through the motor pulley, the drum pulley, and the belt requires many repair, has much noise, waste of energy, and results in a deterioration of a washing capability. Moreover, the tub 2 of stainless steel in general in the related art drum washing machine is expensive, has a poor formability, and is heavy. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. An object of the present invention is to provide a structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine, which can reduce noise, repair and waste of energy, and moreover, improve washing capability. Another object of the present invention is to provide a structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine, which has an improved supporting force. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine having a tub mounted in a cabinet, a drum mounted in the tub, a shaft fixed to the drum for transmission of driving power from the motor to the drum, and bearings mounted on an outer circumference of the shaft at opposite end portions thereof, includes a metallic bearing housing at a central portion of a rear wall of the tub for supporting the bearings mounted on the outer circumferences of opposite end portions of the shaft. In other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine including a tub mounted inside of a cabinet, a bearing housing built in a central portion of a rear wall of the tub for supporting a bearing therein, a shaft connected to a drum mounted inside of the tub for transmission of a driving force from a motor to the drum, bearings mounted on an outer circumference of the shaft at opposite end portions thereof respectively, a rotor coupled to a rear end of the shaft, a stator provided inward of the rotor fixed to the tub rear wall, a connector provided between the shaft and the rotor for transmission of a rotating force from the rotor to the shaft for rotating the shaft and the rotor together, and a supporter fitted between the rear wall of the tub and the stator for supporting the stator and maintaining a concentricity when the stator is mounted to the tub rear wall. In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine including a tub of plastic mounted inside of a cabinet, a metallic bearing housing inserted and built in a central portion of a rear wall of the tub having steps of “┐” and “└” forms on an inner circumference for supporting bearings therein, a shaft connected to a drum mounted inside of the tub for transmission of a driving power from a motor to the drum, having a front end portion fixed to a spider in the drum rear wall, a brass bushing press fit on a region of the shaft from a portion exposed in rear of the spider to the front bearing for prevention of rusting of the shaft, and steps on an outer circumference thereof for fixing mounting positions of the front bearing and the rear bearing on the shaft, bearings mounted on the outer circumference of the shaft at opposite end portions thereof respectively, a rotor of steel or steel alloy plate coupled to the rear end portion of the shaft, including a bent portion formed along a circumference thereof having a setting surface for supporting magnets fitted to an inside of a front portion of a sidewall extended forward from a periphery of a rear wall, and a hub at a center of the rear wall having a through hole for a fastening member, such as a bolt, for coupling the rotor to the shaft, a plurality of cooling fins formed around the hub in a radial direction each with a length for blowing air toward the stator when the rotor is rotated for cooling down a heat generated at the stator, an embossing between adjacent cooling fins on the rear wall of the rotor for reinforcing the rotor, and a drain hole in each of the embossings, for drain of water, a stator composing the motor together with the rotor, fixed to the tub rear wall inward of the rotor, a connector of plastic provided between the shaft and the rotor for transmission of a rotating force from the rotor to the shaft for rotating the shaft and the rotor together, and a supporter fitted between the rear wall of the tub and the stator for supporting the stator and maintaining a concentricity when the stator is mounted to the tub rear wall. In further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine including a tub mounted inside of a cabinet, a drum mounted inside of the tub, a shaft connected to the drum mounted inside of the tub for transmission of a driving force from a motor to the drum, a front bearing and a rear bearing mounted on an outer circumference of the shaft at opposite end portions thereof respectively, a bearing housing built in a central portion of a rear wall of the tub for supporting the front bearing, a rotor composing the motor together with the rotor, and coupled to the rear end portion of the shaft, a stator fixed to the tub rear wall inward of the rotor to compose the motor together with the rotor, a connector serration coupled to the outer circumference of the shaft in front of the rear bearing and fixed to the rotor, for transmission of a rotating power from the rotor to the shaft, and a bearing bracket fixed to the rear wall of the tub to cover an outside of the rotor and support the rear bearing. In a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine including a tub of plastic mounted inside of a cabinet, a metallic bearing housing inserted to built in a central portion of a rear wall of the tub having steps on an inner circumference for supporting bearings therein, a shaft connected to a drum mounted inside of the tub for transmission of a driving power from a motor to the drum, having a front end portion fixed to a spider in the drum rear wall, and a brass bushing press fit on a region of the shaft from a portion exposed in rear of the spider to the front bearing for prevention of rusting of the shaft, bearings mounted on the outer circumference of the shaft at opposite end portions thereof respectively, a rotor of steel or steel alloy plate coupled to the rear end portion of the shaft, including a bent portion formed along a circumference thereof having a setting surface for supporting magnets fitted to an inside of a front portion of a sidewall extended forward from a periphery of a rear wall, and a hub at a center of the rear wall having a through hole for a fastening member, such as a bolt, for coupling the rotor to the shaft, a plurality of cooling fins formed around the hub in a radial direction each with a length for blowing air toward the stator when the rotor is rotated for cooling down a heat generated at the stator, an embossing between adjacent cooling fins on the rear wall of the rotor for reinforcing the rotor, and a drain hole in each of the embossings, for drain of water, a stator composing the motor together with the rotor, fixed to the tub rear wall inward of the rotor, a connector of plastic provided between the shaft and the rotor for transmission of a rotating force from the rotor to the shaft for rotating the shaft and the rotor together, a supporter fitted between the rear wall of the tub and the stator for supporting the stator and maintaining a concentricity when the stator is mounted to the tub rear wall, and a bearing bracket fixed to the rear wall of the tub to cover an outside of the rotor and support the rear bearing. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention: In the drawings: FIG. 1 illustrates a longitudinal section of a related art drum type washing machine; FIG. 2A illustrates a longitudinal section of a drum type washing machine in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2B illustrates a detailed enlarged view of “A” part in FIG. 2A; FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view with a partial cut away view of the rotor in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged perspective view of “B” part in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a bottom in FIG. 3; FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the stator in FIG. 2; FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the connector in FIG. 2; FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of a bottom in FIG. 7; and, FIG. 9 illustrates a longitudinal section of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. A first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 2A ˜8. FIG. 2A illustrates a longitudinal section of a drum type washing machine in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2B illustrates a detailed enlarged view of “A” part in FIG. 2A, FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view with a partial cut away view of the rotor in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged perspective view of “B” part in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a bottom in FIG. 3, FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the stator in FIG. 2, FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the connector in FIG. 2, and FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of a bottom in FIG. 7. The drum type washing machine in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a tub 2 of plastic mounted inside of the cabinet 1, a drum 3 mounted in the tub 2, a shaft 4 fixed to the drum 3 for transmission of driving power from a motor 5 to the drum 3, bearings 6a and 6b fitted on outer circumference of the shaft 4 at both ends thereof, and bearing housings 7 of metal fitted to support the bearings 6a and 6b at a central portion of a rear wall 200 of the tub 2. The bearing housing 7 of metal is formed as a unit with the tub rear wall 200 by an inserted injection molding in the injection molding of the tub 2 of plastic. The bearing housing 7 is preferably formed of aluminum. The bearing housing 7 has steps 8a and 8b for holding the front bearing 6a and the rear bearing 6b fitted in inner circumferences of the bearing housing 7 for preventing the bearings 6a and 6b from being fallen off. Of the steps 8a and 8b formed on the inner circumferences of the bearing housing 7, the front step 8a has a form of “┐” for supporting a rear end portion of the front bearing 6a fitted to a front end of an outer circumference of the shaft 4, and the rear step 8b has a form of “└” for supporting a front end portion of the rear bearing 6b fitted to a rear end portion of the shaft 4. And, there are positioning steps 400a and 400b on outer circumferences of the shaft 4 disposed inside of the bearing housing 7 which transmits driving power from the motor 5 to the drum 3, for fixing mounting positions of the front bearing 6a and the rear bearing 6b on the shaft 4. A front end of the shaft 4 is coupled to a spider 10 in a rear wall of the drum 3, a region of the shaft 4 from a portion exposed in rear of the spider 10 to the front bearing 6a has a bushing 11 of brass press fit thereon for prevention of rusting, and there is a sealing member 12 on an outer surface of the bushing 111 for preventing ingress of water toward the bearing. There is a rotor 13 of a direct coupling type motor 5 fixed to a center of a rear end of the shaft 4, and a stator 14 of a crown form, consisting the direct coupling type motor 5 together with the rotor 13, fixed to the rear wall 200 inside of the rotor 13. Referring to FIGS. 3 ˜5, the rotor 13 of steel or steel alloy plate includes a bent portion formed along a circumference thereof having a setting surface 130 for supporting magnets 13c fitted to an inside of front of a sidewall 13b extended forward from a periphery of a rear wall 13a, and a hub 132 at a center of the rear wall 13a having a through hole 131 for fastening members 15a, such as bolts, for coupling the rotor 13 to the shaft 4. An overall form of the rotor 13 is preferably formed by press forming. There are a plurality of cooling fins 133 each formed to have a preset length in a radial direction around the hub 132 of the rotor 13 for blowing air toward the stator 14 during rotation of the rotor 13 for cooling heat generated at the stator 14. The cooling fins 133 are formed by lancing, to bend the cooling fins 133 at a right angle to the rear wall toward the opening to leave through holes 134 for ventilation. There is an embossing 135 between adjacent cooling fins 133 with a drain hole 136 therein for draining water. There are fastening holes 137 for fastening a connector 16 to the rotor 13 and positioning holes 138 for positioning an assembly position of the connector 16 around the through hole 131 in the hub 132 of the rotor 13 at fixed intervals, which connector 16 is serration coupled to an outer circumference of a rear end portion of the shaft 4 exposed to rear of the rear bearing 6b. The connector 16 is formed of resin having a vibration mode different from the rotor 13 of steel or steel alloy plate, and also serves as a bushing for the rotor 13. As shown in FIGS. 2B, 7 and 8, the connector 16 has fastening holes 162 to correspond to the fastening holes 137 in the hub 132 of the rotor 13 around a circumferential direction of the a peripheral region and a dowel pin 160 between adjacent fastening holes 162 as a unit with the connector 16 for insertion in the positioning hole 138 in the rotor 13 for self alignment of the fastening holes 137 and 162 in the rotor 13 and the connector 16, respectively. The connector 16 has a serration in an inside circumference of the hub 163 matched to the serration in the rear end of the shaft 4, and reinforcing ribs 161 on outer circumference of the hub 163 for reinforcing the hub 163. There is a hub 201 on the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 having the bearing housing 7 inserted therein when the tub is injection molded, and fastening bosses 202 on an outer side of the hub 201 along a circumferential direction at fixed intervals for fastening the stator 14 to the rear wall 200 of the tub 2. There is a supporter 17 between the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 and the stator 14, of a form almost identical to an outline of the tub rear wall 200, fixed to the tub rear wall 200 when the stator 14 is assembled for supporting the stator 14 and maintaining concentricity of the stator 14. The supporter 17 has a fore end brought into a close contact with an inside of ribs 203 at one side of the tub rear wall 200, and a rear end brought into a close contact with an outer circumference of a rear end of the bearing housing 7 which is not enclosed by the hub 132, but exposed. In the meantime, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 6, the stator 14 includes a magnetic core 145 of segregated layers of magnetic material, a frame 140 of resin coated on the magnetic core 145, a coil 142 wound around each of winding parts 141 on an outer circumference of the frame 140, and fastening ribs 143 on an inside of the frame 140 for fastening the stator 14 to the tub rear wall 200. The operation of the driving unit in a drum type washing machine in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained. Upon causing rotation of the rotor 13 by making a current to flow to the coils 142 of the stator 14 in a sequence under the control of a motor driving controller (not shown) fitted on a panel, the shaft 4 serration coupled with the connector 16 fixed to the rotor is rotated, together with the drum 3 as the power is transmitted to the drum 3 through the shaft 4. In the meantime, the drum type washing machine having the driving unit of the present invention applied thereto serves as follows. The tub 2 of the drum type washing machine of the present invention, formed of a plastic with an excellent heat resistance, is light and has a good formability as the tub 2 is injection molded. Since the bearing housing 7 in the drum type washing machine of the present invention is formed of a metal, such as aluminum and the like, the bearing housing 7 is applicable to a drum type washing machine having a drying cycle as the bearing housing shows no thermal deformation. And, since the metallic bearing housing 7 of the present invention is formed integrated with the tub 2 by inserting the bearing housing 7 in the hub 201 on the tub rear wall 200 before the tub 2 of plastic is injection molded, a separate step for assembling the bearing housing 7 to the tub rear wall 200 can be omitted, which simplifies an assembly process, that reduces assembly man-hours. The “┐” form of the step 8a in a front portion of an inner circumference of the bearing housing 7 and the “└” form of the step 8b in a rear portion of an inner circumference of the bearing housing 7 permit to support a rear end of the front bearing 6a and a fore end of the rear bearing 6b mounted on outer circumference of the shaft 4 at both end portions thereof. That is, the steps 8a and 8b on inner circumferences of the metallic bearing housing 7 on both sides thereof prevent both bearings 6a and 6b from being fallen off the bearing housing 7. The positioning steps 400a and 400b on outer circumferences of the shaft 4 at front and rear portions thereof permit easy positioning of the front bearing 6a and the rear bearing 6b on the shaft 4 in the assembly. The front end portion of the shaft 4 is coupled to the spider 10 in the rear wall, and the brass bushing 11 press fit to the region from the exposed portion outside of the spider 10 of the shaft 4 to the front bearing 6a prevents rusting of the shaft 4. The sealing member 12 outside of the bushing 11 prevents ingress of water toward the bearing. In the meantime, the rotor 13 of the direct coupling type motor 5 is mounted on a center of the rear end portion of the shaft 4, with the stator 14 disposed on inner side of the rotor, wherein the bend part having the magnet setting surface 130 is formed along a circumferential direction of the sidewall 13b extended forward from a periphery of the rear wall 13a of the rotor 13, for supporting the magnets 13c when the magnets 13c are fitted to an inside surface of the rotor 13, to fabricate the rotor with easy. The through hole 131 of the hub 132 at a center of the rear wall 13a of the rotor 13 permits the fastening member 15b, such as a bolt or the like, to pass therethrough for fastening the rotor 13 to the shaft 4, and the plurality of cooling fins 133 around the hub 132 of the rotor 13 in a radial direction with a length blow air toward the stator 14 during rotation of the rotor 13 for cooling down a heat generated at the stator 14. The cooling fins 133 are formed by lancing, to direct toward the opening of the rotor 13, and to leave through holes 134 for ventilation. The rotor 13 of steel or steel alloy plate is formed by pressing, which shortens a fabrication time period, that improves a productivity. The embossing 135 between the adjacent cooling fins 133 of the rear wall 13a of the rotor 13 improves an overall strength of the rotor 13, and the drain hole 136 in the embossing 135 drains water. In the meantime, the fastening holes 137 for fastening the connector and the positioning holes 138 for fixing an assembly position of the connector 16 around the through hole 131 in the hub 132 of the rotor 13 permits an easy assembly of the connector 16 to the rotor, which connector 16 is serration coupled to the outer circumference of the rear end portion of the shaft 4 exposed to rear of the rear bearing 6b. That is, once the dowel pins 160 on the connector 16 are inserted in the positioning holes 138 in the rotor 13, the fastening holes 137 and 162 in the rotor 13 and the connector 16 are matched automatically, and by fastening the fastening members 15c through the fastening holes 137 and 162 in the rotor 13 and the connector 16, the connector 16 and the rotor 13 can be assembled with easy. The connector 16 serves to damp vibration from the rotor 13 to the shaft 4 as the connector 16 injection molded of a resin has a different vibration mode from the rotor 13 of steel or steel alloy plate. The serration 164 in the inner circumference of the hub 163 of the connector 16 is fit to the serration 400 in the rear end portion of the shaft 4, to transmit the rotating force of the rotor 13 to the shaft, directly. The reinforcing ribs 161 on an outer circumference of the hub 163 of the connector 16 reinforce the hub 163. In the meantime, the fastening bosses 202 along a circumference on an outer side of the hub 201 on the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 at fixed intervals permits to fix the stator 14 to the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 by using the fastening boss 202. The supporter 17 between the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 and the stator 14 having a form almost identical to the outline of the rear wall 200 for being fixed to the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 when the stator 14 is fastened permits the stator 14 being supported and maintained of concentricity. That is, once the supporter 17 is fastened to the fastening bosses 204 on the tub rear watt 200, the fore end of the supporter 17 is brought into close contact with an inside surface of the ribs 203 at one side of the tub rear wall 200 and the rear end of the supporter 17 is brought into close contact with the outer circumference of the rear end portion of the bearing housing 7 at a central portion of the tub rear wall 200, which can not be enclosed, but exposed, by the hub 132, such that the supporter 17 supports the stator 14 as well as maintains a concentricity of the stator 14. The structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention has the following advantages. The motor direct coupling structure of the drum type washing machine in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention permits to reduce repair, and power loss. The bearing housing of metal in the drum type washing machine in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention shows no thermal deformation, that allows to apply to a product having a drying function. The rotor of steel or steel alloy plate formed by pressing in the drum type washing machine in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention requires a very short fabrication time period, with an improved productivity, because the steel or steel alloy plate pressing has an excellent formability. And, the magnet setting surface on the rotor of the present invention improves a workability in fitting the magnets, and the drain holes, the cooling fins, and the through holes provided to the rotor can prevent overheating of the motor, improve a reliability of the motor, and prolong a lifetime of the motor. And, the connector having a vibration mode different from the rotor in the drum type washing machine of the present invention can attenuate the vibration transmitted from the rotor to the shaft, and the supporter can support the stator and maintain a concentricity of the stator. A driving unit in a drum type washing machine in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 ˜9, in detail. FIG. 9 illustrates a longitudinal section of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The rotor, the stator and the connector in the second preferred embodiment of the present invention are identical to those of the first embodiment, to which the same names and reference symbols are given, and will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 ˜8. The drum type washing machine in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a tub 2 mounted inside of a cabinet 1, a drum 3 mounted inside of the tub 2, a shaft 4 connected to the drum mounted inside of the tub 3 for transmission of a driving force from the motor 5 to the drum, a front bearing 6a and a rear bearing 6b mounted on outer circumferences of the shaft 4 at both end portions thereof respectively, a bearing housing 7 built in a central portion of the rear wall 200 of the tub 3 for supporting the front bearing 6a, a rotor 13 coupled to the shaft 4, a stator 14 provided inward of the rotor 13 coupled to the tub rear wall 200, a connector 16 serration coupled to an outer circumference of the shaft 4 in front of the rear bearing 6b and fixed to the rotor 13 for transmission of a rotating force of the rotor 13 to the shaft 4, a supporter 17 fitted between the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 and the stator 14 for supporting the stator and maintaining a concentricity when the stator is mounted to the tub rear wall 200, and a bearing bracket 9 fixed to the tub rear wall 200 for covering outside of the rotor 13 and supporting the front end portion of the rear bearing 6b. The tub 2 is formed of plastic, and has an opened front and a closed rear wall 200 of which thickness is greater than a thickness of a sidewall, and the bearing housing 7 at the central portion of the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 is formed of a metal, wherein the bearing housing 7 is insert injection molded when the plastic tub 2 is injection molded, such that the bearing housing 7 is integrated with the tub rear wall 200. The bearing housing 7 is preferably formed of an aluminum alloy. In the meantime, there is a step 7a on an inner circumference of the metallic bearing housing 7 for supporting the front bearing 6a to prevent the front bearing 7 from being fallen off the bearing housing 7. The step 7a on the inner circumference of the bearing housing 7 has a form of “┐” for having a structure which supports a rear end portion of the front bearing 6a mounted on a front end portion of the shaft 4. The front end portion of the shaft 4 is fixed to a spider 10 in the rear wall 200 of the drum 3, a region of the shaft 4 from a portion exposed in rear of the spider 10 to the front bearing 6a has a bushing 11 of brass press fit thereon for prevention of rusting, and there is a sealing member 12 on an outer surface of the bushing 11 for preventing ingress of water toward the front bearing 6a. There connector 16 is serration coupled to the rear end portion of the shaft 4 for connection between the rotor 13 of the direct coupling type motor 5 and the shaft 4, the rotor 13 is fixed to the connector 16 with fastening members 15c, and the stator 14, forming the direct coupling type motor together with the rotor 13, is fixed to the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 inward of the rotor 13. As shown in FIGS. 3 ˜5, the rotor 13 of steel or steel alloy plate includes a bend part having a magnet setting surface 130 formed along a circumferential direction of a sidewall 13b extended forward from a periphery of the rear wall 13a of the rotor 13, for supporting magnets 13c fitted to a front portion of an inside surface of the rotor 13, and a hub 132 having a through hole 131 at a center of the rear wall 13a of the rotor 13 so that a fastening member 15a, such as a bolt or the like, can pass through for coupling the rotor 13 to the shaft 4. An overall form of the rotor 13 is preferably formed by pressing. There are a plurality of cooling fins 133 each formed to have a preset length in a radial direction around the hub 132 of the rotor 13 for blowing air toward the stator 14 during rotation of the rotor 13 for cooling heat generated at the stator 14. The cooling fins 133 are formed by lancing, to bend the cooling fins 133 at a right angle to the rear wall 13a toward the opening to leave through holes 134 for ventilation. There is an embossing 135 between adjacent cooling fins 133 with a drain hole 136 therein for draining water. There are fastening holes 137 for fastening a connector 16 to the rotor 13 and positioning holes 138 for positioning an assembly position of the connector 16 around the through hole 131 in the hub 132 of the rotor 13 at fixed intervals, which connector 16 is serration coupled to an outer circumference of a rear end portion of the shaft 4 exposed in rear of the rear bearing 6b. The connector 16 is formed of resin having a vibration mode different from the rotor 13 of steel or steel alloy plate. As shown in FIGS. 7 ˜9, the connector 16 has fastening holes 162 to correspond to the fastening holes 137 in the hub 132 of the rotor 13 around a circumferential direction of the a peripheral region and a dowel pin 160 between adjacent fastening holes 162 as a unit with the connector 16 for insertion in the positioning hole 138 in the rotor 13 for self alignment of the fastening holes 137 and 162 in the rotor 13 and the connector 16, respectively. The connector 16 has a serration in an inside circumference of the hub 163 matched to the serration in the rear end of the shaft 4, and reinforcing ribs 161 on outer circumference of the hub 163 for reinforcing the hub 163. There is a hub 201 on the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 having the bearing housing 7 inserted therein when the tub is injection molded, and fastening bosses 202 on an outer side of the hub 201 along a circumferential direction at fixed intervals for fastening the stator 14 to the rear wail 200 of the tub 2. There is a supporter 17 between the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 and the stator 14, of a form almost identical to an outline of the rear wall 200, fixed to the tub 2 rear wall 200 when the stator 14 is assembled for supporting the stator 14 and maintaining concentricity of the stator 14. Once the supporter 17 is fastened to the support fastening bosses 204, a fore end of the supporter 17 is brought into close contact with an inside of ribs 203 at one side of the tub rear wall 200, and a rear end thereof is brought into close contact with an outer circumference of a rear end of the bearing housing 7 which is not enclosed by the hub 132, but exposed, thereby the supporter 17 supporting the stator 14 and maintaining a concentricity of the stator. In the meantime, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the stator 14 includes a ring formed frame 140, a coil 142 wound around each of winding parts 141 on an outer circumference of the frame 140, and fastening ribs 143 on an inside of the frame 140 for fastening the stator 14 to the tub rear wall 200. In the meantime, referring to FIG. 9, there is an “└” formed step 900b at an inner end portion of the bearing bracket 9 fixed to the tub rear wall 200 to cover an outer side of the rotor 13. And, there is a rear bearing fixing member 15b at an rear end of the shaft 4 for supporting a rear surface of the shaft 4 to prevent the rear bearing from being fallen off the shaft 4. The operation of the driving unit in a drum type washing machine in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained. Upon causing rotation of the rotor 13 by making a current to flow to the coils 142 of the stator 14 in a sequence under the control of a motor driving controller (not shown) fitted on a panel, the shaft 4 serration coupled with the connector 16 fixed to the rotor is rotated, together with the drum 3 as the power is transmitted to the drum 3 through the shaft 4. In the meantime, the drum type washing machine in accordance with the second preferred embodiment of the present invention driven thus serves as follows. Alike the first embodiment of the present invention, since the tub 1 is formed of a plastic with an excellent heat resistance, the tub 1 is light and has a good formability as the tub 2 is injection molded. Since the bearing housing 7 is formed of a metal, such as an aluminum alloy and the like, the bearing housing 7 is applicable to a drum type washing machine having a drying cycle as the bearing housing shows no thermal deformation. And, since the metallic bearing housing 7 is formed integrated with the tub 2 by inserting the bearing housing 7 in the hub 201 on the tub rear wall 200 before the tub 2 of plastic is injection molded, a separate step for assembling the bearing housing 7 to the tub rear wall 200 can be omitted, which simplifies an assembly process, that reduces assembly man-hours. The step 7a in an inner circumference of a front portion of the bearing housing 7 in the second embodiment of the present invention supports a rear end of the front bearing 6a mounted on an outer circumference of the fore end portion of the shaft 4. That is, the “┐” formed step 7a in a front portion of an inner circumference of the metallic bearing housing 7 of the present invention permits to support the front bearing 6a without being fallen off the bearing housing 7. And, the “└” formed step 900b in an end portion of an inner circumference of the metallic bearing bracket 9 covering an outer side of the rotor 13 fixed to the tub rear wall 200 permits to support a front end of the rear bearing 6b mounted on the rear end portion of the shaft 4, and the rear bearing fixing member 15b on the rear end surface of the shaft 4 prevents the rear bearing 6b from being fallen off the shaft 4. In the meantime, in the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, since the front bearing 6a is mounted in the bearing housing 7 having insert injection molded in the tub 1, and the rear bearing 6b is mounted in an inside of a center portion of the bearing bracket 9, a distance between the front and rear bearings 6a and 6b on the shaft 4 becomes greater, between which the rotor is mounted. The greater distance between the front and rear bearings 6a and 6b permits to withstand a load caused by imbalance of laundry in the drum 1 during spinning better, and a supporting force to the rotor 13 is enhanced as the rotor 13 of the motor is mounted between the front and rear bearings 6a and 6b. Alike the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the brass bushing 11 press fit to the region from the exposed portion outside of the spider 10 of the shaft 4 to the front bearing 6a prevents rusting of the shaft 4. And, alikely, the sealing member 12 outside of the bushing 11 prevents ingress of water toward the bearing. Alike the first preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the bend part having the magnet setting surface 130 is formed along a circumferential direction of the sidewall 13b extended forward from a periphery of the rear wall 13a of the rotor 13, for supporting the magnets 13c when the magnets 13c are fitted to an inside surface of the rotor 13, to fabricate the rotor with easy. Alike the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of cooling fins 133 around the hub 132 of the rotor 13 in a radial direction with a length blow air toward the stator 14 during rotation of the rotor 13 for cooling down a heat generated at the stator 14. The cooling fins 133 are formed by lancing, to direct toward the opening of the rotor 13, and to leave through holes 134 for ventilation. Since the rotor 13 is formed of steel or steel alloy plate by pressing, which shortens a fabrication time period significantly, a productivity is improved. The embossing 135 between the adjacent cooling fins 133 of the rear wall 13a of the rotor 13 improves an overall strength of the rotor 13, and the drain hole 136 in the embossing 135 drains water. In the meantime, the fastening holes 137 for fastening the connector and the positioning holes 138 for fixing an assembly position of the connector 16 around the through hole 131 in the hub 132 of the rotor 13 permits an easy assembly of the connector 16 to the rotor, which connector 16 is serration coupled to the outer circumference of the rear end portion of the shaft 4. That is, once the dowel pins 160 on the connector 16 are inserted in the positioning holes 138 in the rotor 13, the fastening holes 137 and 162 in the rotor 13 and the connector 16 are matched automatically, and by fastening the fastening members 15c through the fastening holes 137 and 162, the connector 16 and the rotor 13 can be assembled with easy. The connector 16 serves to damp vibration from the rotor 13 to the shaft 4 as the connector 16 injection molded of a resin has a different vibration mode from the rotor 13 of steel or steel alloy plate. The serration 164 in the inner circumference of the hub 163 of the connector 16 is fit to the serration 400 in the rear end portion of the shaft 4, to transmit the rotating force of the rotor 13 to the shaft, directly. The reinforcing ribs 161 on an outer circumference of the hub 163 of the connector 16 reinforce the hub 163. In the meantime, the fastening bosses 202 along a circumference on an outer side of the hub 201 on the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 at fixed intervals permits to fix the stator 14 to the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 by using the fastening boss 202. The supporter 17 between the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 and the stator 14 having a form almost identical to the outline of the rear wall 200 for being fixed to the rear wall 200 of the tub 2 when the stator 14 is fastened permits the stator 14 being supported and maintained of concentricity. That is, the front end of the supporter 17 is brought into close contact with an inside surface of the ribs 203 at one side of the tub rear wall 200 and the rear end of the supporter 17 is brought into close contact with the outer circumference of the rear end portion of the bearing housing 7 at a central portion of the tub rear wall 200, which can not be enclosed, but exposed, by the hub 132, such that the supporter 17 supports the stator 14 as well as maintains a concentricity of the stator 14. The structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention has the following advantages. The motor direct coupling structure of the drum type washing machine of the present invention permits to reduce repair, noise and power loss. The bearing housing of metal in the drum type washing machine of the present invention shows no thermal deformation, that allows to apply to a product having a drying function. The rotor of steel or steel alloy plate formed by pressing in the drum type washing machine of the present invention requires a very short fabrication time period, with an improved productivity, because the steel or steel alloy plate pressing has an excellent formability. And, the magnet setting surface on the rotor of the present invention improves a workability in fitting the magnets, and the drain holes, the cooling fins, and the through holes provided to the rotor can prevent overheating of the motor, improve a reliability of the motor, and prolong a lifetime of the motor. And, the connector having a vibration mode different from the rotor in the drum type washing machine of the present invention can attenuate the vibration transmitted from the rotor to the shaft, and the supporter can support the stator and maintain a concentricity of the stator. Particularly, in the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the greater distance between the front and rear bearings permits to withstand a load caused by imbalance of laundry in the drum 1 during spinning better, and a supporting capability to the rotor is enhanced as the rotor of the motor is mounted between the front and rear bearings. Thus, by improving a structure of a driving unit of a drum type washing machine, the present invention can reduce noise, repair and power loss, by improving a washing capability, can improve a product reliability, and, by improving workability in fabrication of components of the driving unit, can improve a productivity. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drum type washing machine, and more particularly, to a structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine. 2. Background of the Invention In general, a drum type washing, making washing by using friction between a drum rotated by a motor and laundry in a state detergent, washing water, and the laundry are introduced into the drum, provides effects of beating and rubbing washing, but gives almost no damage to the laundry, and shows no entangling of the laundry. A structure of a related art drum washing machine will be explained with reference to FIG. 1 . FIG. 1 illustrates a longitudinal section of a related art drum type washing machine, provided with a tub 2 mounted inside of a cabinet 1 , a drum 3 rotatably mounted on a central portion of inside of the tub 2 . There is a motor 5 a under the tub 2 connected with a pulley 18 . There is a drum shaft connected to a rear of the drum 3 , to which a drum pulley 19 is coupled. And, the drum pulley 19 on the drum shaft and the motor pulley 18 connected to the motor 5 a are connected by a belt 20 for transmission of power. And, there is a door 21 in a front part of the cabinet 1 , with a gasket 22 between the door 21 and the tub 2 . There is a hanging spring between an inside of an upper portion of the cabinet 1 and an outside of an upper portion of the tub 2 , and a friction damper 24 between an inside of a lower portion of the cabinet 1 and a lower side of an outside of the tub 2 for damping vibration of the tub 2 generated during spinning. However, the related art washing machine has the following disadvantages since driving power of the motor 5 a is transmitted to the drum 3 through the motor pulley 18 , and the drum pulley 19 , and the belt 20 connecting the motor pulley 18 and the drum pulley 19 . First, there is a loss of energy in a course of driving power transmission because the driving power is transmitted from the motor 5 a to the drum 3 , not directly, but through the belt 20 wound around the motor pulley 18 and the drum pulley 19 . And, the driving power transmission from the motor 5 a to the drum 3 , not directly, but through many components, such as the belt 20 , the motor pulley 18 , and the drum pulley 19 , causes much noise in the course of power transmission. The lots of components required for transmission of driving power from the motor 5 a to the drum 3 , such as the motor pulley 18 , the drum pulley 19 and the belt 20 , require many assembly man-hours. And, the more the number of components required for transmission of driving power from the motor 5 a to the drum 3 , the more number of spots which require repair, and the more frequent at which repair required. In summary, the indirect driving power transmission from the motor 5 a to the drum 3 through the motor pulley, the drum pulley, and the belt requires many repair, has much noise, waste of energy, and results in a deterioration of a washing capability. Moreover, the tub 2 of stainless steel in general in the related art drum washing machine is expensive, has a poor formability, and is heavy. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. An object of the present invention is to provide a structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine, which can reduce noise, repair and waste of energy, and moreover, improve washing capability. Another object of the present invention is to provide a structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine, which has an improved supporting force. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine having a tub mounted in a cabinet, a drum mounted in the tub, a shaft fixed to the drum for transmission of driving power from the motor to the drum, and bearings mounted on an outer circumference of the shaft at opposite end portions thereof, includes a metallic bearing housing at a central portion of a rear wall of the tub for supporting the bearings mounted on the outer circumferences of opposite end portions of the shaft. In other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine including a tub mounted inside of a cabinet, a bearing housing built in a central portion of a rear wall of the tub for supporting a bearing therein, a shaft connected to a drum mounted inside of the tub for transmission of a driving force from a motor to the drum, bearings mounted on an outer circumference of the shaft at opposite end portions thereof respectively, a rotor coupled to a rear end of the shaft, a stator provided inward of the rotor fixed to the tub rear wall, a connector provided between the shaft and the rotor for transmission of a rotating force from the rotor to the shaft for rotating the shaft and the rotor together, and a supporter fitted between the rear wall of the tub and the stator for supporting the stator and maintaining a concentricity when the stator is mounted to the tub rear wall. In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine including a tub of plastic mounted inside of a cabinet, a metallic bearing housing inserted and built in a central portion of a rear wall of the tub having steps of “┐” and “└” forms on an inner circumference for supporting bearings therein, a shaft connected to a drum mounted inside of the tub for transmission of a driving power from a motor to the drum, having a front end portion fixed to a spider in the drum rear wall, a brass bushing press fit on a region of the shaft from a portion exposed in rear of the spider to the front bearing for prevention of rusting of the shaft, and steps on an outer circumference thereof for fixing mounting positions of the front bearing and the rear bearing on the shaft, bearings mounted on the outer circumference of the shaft at opposite end portions thereof respectively, a rotor of steel or steel alloy plate coupled to the rear end portion of the shaft, including a bent portion formed along a circumference thereof having a setting surface for supporting magnets fitted to an inside of a front portion of a sidewall extended forward from a periphery of a rear wall, and a hub at a center of the rear wall having a through hole for a fastening member, such as a bolt, for coupling the rotor to the shaft, a plurality of cooling fins formed around the hub in a radial direction each with a length for blowing air toward the stator when the rotor is rotated for cooling down a heat generated at the stator, an embossing between adjacent cooling fins on the rear wall of the rotor for reinforcing the rotor, and a drain hole in each of the embossings, for drain of water, a stator composing the motor together with the rotor, fixed to the tub rear wall inward of the rotor, a connector of plastic provided between the shaft and the rotor for transmission of a rotating force from the rotor to the shaft for rotating the shaft and the rotor together, and a supporter fitted between the rear wall of the tub and the stator for supporting the stator and maintaining a concentricity when the stator is mounted to the tub rear wall. In further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine including a tub mounted inside of a cabinet, a drum mounted inside of the tub, a shaft connected to the drum mounted inside of the tub for transmission of a driving force from a motor to the drum, a front bearing and a rear bearing mounted on an outer circumference of the shaft at opposite end portions thereof respectively, a bearing housing built in a central portion of a rear wall of the tub for supporting the front bearing, a rotor composing the motor together with the rotor, and coupled to the rear end portion of the shaft, a stator fixed to the tub rear wall inward of the rotor to compose the motor together with the rotor, a connector serration coupled to the outer circumference of the shaft in front of the rear bearing and fixed to the rotor, for transmission of a rotating power from the rotor to the shaft, and a bearing bracket fixed to the rear wall of the tub to cover an outside of the rotor and support the rear bearing. In a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine including a tub of plastic mounted inside of a cabinet, a metallic bearing housing inserted to built in a central portion of a rear wall of the tub having steps on an inner circumference for supporting bearings therein, a shaft connected to a drum mounted inside of the tub for transmission of a driving power from a motor to the drum, having a front end portion fixed to a spider in the drum rear wall, and a brass bushing press fit on a region of the shaft from a portion exposed in rear of the spider to the front bearing for prevention of rusting of the shaft, bearings mounted on the outer circumference of the shaft at opposite end portions thereof respectively, a rotor of steel or steel alloy plate coupled to the rear end portion of the shaft, including a bent portion formed along a circumference thereof having a setting surface for supporting magnets fitted to an inside of a front portion of a sidewall extended forward from a periphery of a rear wall, and a hub at a center of the rear wall having a through hole for a fastening member, such as a bolt, for coupling the rotor to the shaft, a plurality of cooling fins formed around the hub in a radial direction each with a length for blowing air toward the stator when the rotor is rotated for cooling down a heat generated at the stator, an embossing between adjacent cooling fins on the rear wall of the rotor for reinforcing the rotor, and a drain hole in each of the embossings, for drain of water, a stator composing the motor together with the rotor, fixed to the tub rear wall inward of the rotor, a connector of plastic provided between the shaft and the rotor for transmission of a rotating force from the rotor to the shaft for rotating the shaft and the rotor together, a supporter fitted between the rear wall of the tub and the stator for supporting the stator and maintaining a concentricity when the stator is mounted to the tub rear wall, and a bearing bracket fixed to the rear wall of the tub to cover an outside of the rotor and support the rear bearing. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. | 20040917 | 20050705 | 20050317 | 86435.0 | 1 | MULLINS, BURTON S | STRUCTURE OF DRIVING UNIT IN DRUM TYPE WASHING MACHINE | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,942,963 | ACCEPTED | Cold beverage server method and apparatus | A method and apparatus for serving a cold drink including a base with a rim, a cooling puck having at least an upper surface to conform to a lower surface of the base of a serving container and a flat base surface to fit within said rim of the base. The cooling puck is preferably composed of a plastic shell and contains a fluid that is liquid at room temperature but can be frozen in a conventional freezer compartment of a refrigerator. | 1. An apparatus for serving a beverage in a cold condition, said apparatus comprising: a base having a lower, generally flat, surface and an upper, generally flat surface, with a retaining rim; a cooling puck shell having a flat base and a side wall operable to fit within and generally conform with the interior of said retaining rim of said base, said puck shell having an arcuate upper surface operable to conform to a bottom concave surface of a beverage serving container; and a cooling fluid carried within said puck shell and being operable to be frozen for absorbing heat from fluid within a beverage container positioned upon said cooling puck within said base rim. 2. An apparatus for serving a beverage in a cold condition as defined in claim 1 wherein: said rim is circular and the side wall of said cooling puck is circular and dimensioned to generally conform with an interior surface of said rim. 3. An apparatus for serving a beverage in a cold condition as defined in claim 1 wherein: said rim is circular and extends upwardly in the shape of a cylinder to at least partially embrace a peripheral side wall of a container of beverage to be consumed. 4. An apparatus for serving a beverage in a cold condition as defined in claim 1 wherein: said upper surface of said cooling puck comprises a convex dome operable to conform to a concave dome of the bottom of a beverage can and further having an upwardly extending peripheral rim operable to conform with a peripheral recess in the periphery of the bottom of the beverage can. 5. An apparatus for serving a cold beverage as defined in claim 4 wherein: the height of the dome at its center point is greater than the height of the peripheral rim of said cooling puck. 6. An apparatus for serving a beverage in a cold condition as defined in claim 4 wherein: said cooling puck shell is composed with plastic shell and is filled with a non-toxic propylene-glycol gel which is generally a fluid at room temperature and can be frozen in a conventional freezer of a refrigerator; and the diameter of the internal surface of said rim is an interference fit with respect to the exterior diameter of said cooling puck. 7. An apparatus for serving a beverage in a cold condition as defined in claim 4 wherein: the diameter of the internal surface of said rim is a loose non-interference fit with respect to the exterior diameter of said cooling puck; and the height of said rim extends upward along the height of a can of beverage to be consumed. 8. An apparatus for serving a beverage in a cold condition as defined in claim 1 wherein: said base is composed of cellulose. 9. An apparatus for serving a beverage in a cold condition as defined in claim 1 wherein: said base is composed of polystyrene foam. 10. An apparatus for serving a beverage in a cold condition as defined in claim 1 wherein: said base is composed of a rubber foam composition. 11. An apparatus for serving a beverage in a cold condition, said apparatus comprising: a base having a lower, generally flat, surface and an upper, generally flat surface, with a retaining rim; a cooling puck shell having a flat base and a side wall operable to fit within and generally conform with the interior of said retaining rim of said base, said puck shell having a generally flat upper surface operable to conform to the bottom surface of a beverage serving container; and a cooling fluid carried within said puck shell and being operable to be frozen for absorbing heat from fluid within a beverage container positioned upon said cooling puck within said base rim. 12. An apparatus for serving a beverage in a cold condition as defined in claim 11 wherein: said rim is circular and extends upwardly in the shape of a cylinder to substantially embrace a peripheral side wall of a container of a can of beverage to be consumed and said rim being composed of an insulation material formed from foam rubber. 13. An apparatus for serving a beverage in a cold condition, said apparatus comprising: a cooling puck shell having a flat base and a side wall extending from the flat base the puck further having an arcuate upper surface operable to conform to a bottom concave surface of a beverage serving container; the diameter of said puck has a dimension greater than the interior diameter of a concave recess in the bottom of a beverage container; and a cooling fluid carried within said puck shell and being operable to be frozen for absorbing heat from fluid within the beverage container positioned upon said cooling puck. 14. An apparatus for serving a beverage in a cold condition as defined in claim 13 and further comprising: a rim extending outwardly and upwardly from said arcuate upper surface to substantially embrace a peripheral side wall of a beverage container of a beverage to be consumed. 15. An apparatus for serving a beverage in a cold condition as defined in claim 14 and further comprising: the height of the center of said dome being greater than the height of said rim extending outwardly and upwardly from said arcuate upper surface of said cooling puck. 16. An method for serving a cold beverage from a container, said method comprising the steps of: providing a base having a generally flat upper surface and a generally circular upstanding rim; positioning a cooling puck comprising a shell having a flat generally circular base, generally cylindrical side walls and an arcuate convex dome and being filled with a fluid at room temperature and further being operable to be frozen by a conventional freezer department of a refrigerator; and positioning a cold beverage container within said circular upstanding rim wherein a concave surface of the base of the container conforms to the convex dome of said cooling puck for maintaining the container of cold beverage cold during consumption of the beverage. 17. An method for serving a cold beverage from a container as defined in claim 16 wherein, said method further comprising the steps of: maintaining the cooling puck in a frozen state within a freezer and positioning the puck within the rim of said base just prior to serving a beverage with said base and cooling puck. 18. An method for serving a cold beverage from a container as defined in claim 16 wherein, said method further comprising the steps of: insulating said cooling puck and beverage container from a warm ambient environment while said beverage is being consumed. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the maintenance of a beverage in a cold or cool state during consumption. More specifically, this invention relates to an enhanced method and apparatus for keeping at least the bottom portion of a served beverage in a cooled condition while it is being consumed. Prior attempts to keep a beverage, such as beer, soda, juice, water, milk, etc. in a cold state after its removal from a refrigerator or ice filled cooler have included a variety of passive insulation holders or carriers. These devices often take the form of a closed end cylinder of closed cell rubber or expanded, closed cell plastic materials that are designed to slide around a conventional beverage can or bottle. Sleeves of this type are often descriptively referred to as “huggies.” Such holders operably reduce the rate of ambient heat absorption through the side walls of a typical aluminum beverage can or glass bottle. Huggies are inexpensive and quite functional, to a degree, but are limited to merely isolating the beverage container from a warm ambient environment and are not capable of providing any cooling function during consumption. If a can of beer or soda is consumed quickly—slam dunked—after being served such isolation sleeves tend to keep the beverage suitably cold. If, however, the beverage is consumed at a more leisurely rate the beverage will absorb ambient heat until the temperature of the environment is reached. The last third of a bottle or can of beer does not taste nearly as good in a warm condition as the refrigerated first sip. It would therefore be highly desirable to provide an inexpensive method and apparatus for serving bottles and cans of beverage that actually provide a degree of cooling during consumption. Ice can be added to sodas served in a glass, however, adding ice to beer entails a diluting aspect that is not desirable for most beer consumption. Moreover, some consumers even find watered down soda undesirable and, of course, ice can not be added to a beverage served in a bottle or can. Still further, adding ice into a consumable beverage adds the possibility of contamination of the beverage fluid. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for maintaining a beverage in a cold state for an extended period of time, during consumption, without relying on the addition of ice or any other object that must be placed within the beverage to be consumed. At a bar, beer that is drawn on tap is often served in a frosted glass. Soda fountains frequently serve frosted drinks in this manner as well. This is accomplished by washing the glass and then putting the glass in a freezer without drying. The glass then becomes enrobed in a sheen of ice in the freezer. Some suggest that beer or soda served in this manner tastes great. In any event, most would agree that the first cold sip just seems more appealing than the last third of the glass when the ice has melted and the beer or soda has warmed. It would therefore be desirable to devise a novel, inexpensive, serving method and apparatus for enhancing a consumer's satisfaction with the bottom third of a glass, bottle or can of a consumable beverage. The foregoing limitations and desires for serving a cold beverage are not intended to be exhaustive but rather are among many which may tend to reduce the enjoyment in consuming cold beverages in the past. Other noteworthy limitations may also exist; however, those presented above should be sufficient to demonstrate that methods and apparatus of serving cold beverages in the past will admit to worthwhile improvement. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, a general object of the invention to provide an efficient and inexpensive method and apparatus for serving a cold beverage for consumption. It is another general object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus that will aid in maintaining a cold temperature of a served beverage in a relative warm ambient environment during consumption. It is a further object of the invention to serve a consumable beverage that requires maintaining a cold temperature because of its perishable nature, such as for example, milk. It is a related object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for serving a cold beverage without using ice cubes or placing any other objects into direct contact with the beverage that might dilute or contaminate the beverage. It is still another object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for enhanced cooling the bottom portion of a beverage even as it is being consumed in a warm ambient environment. It is yet another object of the invention to provide an enhanced method and system for serving and maintaining beverages in a cold condition following serving. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve at least some of the foregoing objects, the subject invention comprises a base or holder that operably carries a frozen gel puck. The base can take the form of a generally square coaster made from cardboard or polystyrene foam or other plastic material with a central circular rim or upwardly extending side wall. A circular puck shell is operable to be positioned within the circular rim and is fashioned from a tough plastic outer shell having generally cylindrical side walls and an arcuate top or crown. In one embodiment the crown is supplemented with an annular rim to further maintain a can of beverage in a cold condition. The interior of the puck is filled with a nontoxic jell such as propylene-glycol that is fluid at room temperature of about 72° Fahrenheit but is capable of being frozen in a conventional freezer department of a refrigerator. In operation a consumer places the puck into a freezer until a beverage is ready to be served. The puck is designed to have a convex, arcuate dome that is dimensionally compatible with a concave, arcuate recess in the bottom of a glass bottle or can of beverage to be served. The frozen puck is then placed within the base with the flat circular bottom portion within the circular rim of the base with the dome shape extending upwardly. The side walls of the base can be variable but extend at least to a height sufficient to engage the side walls of the puck and preferably extend upwardly for at least a portion of the height a glass, bottle or can. The frozen puck, conforming with the base of the beverage container, keeps the container cold while the beverage is intermittently lifted out of the base. Alternatively, the base, puck and side walls of the base can be lifted with the can for consumption. Following consumption of the beverage the puck is placed back into a freezer for refreezing and reuse. The subject invention finds useful application at a bar where beer is sold on tap from a glass, at a picnic where beer and sodas are served in a bottle or can, at home while watching television or dining and generally anywhere where cold beverages are being consumed. THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: FIG. 1 is an axonometric view of a base and a can of beverage positioned on the cooling base in accordance with one embodiment of the subject invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken along section line 2-2 in FIG. 1, and discloses the positioning of a puck between the base a the can of beverage; FIG. 3 is an axonometric view of a cooling puck, per se, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention; FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a base and a cooling puck with a can of beverage; FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a base and a cooling puck with a can of beverage; and FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of yet another embodiment of the invention useful with a serving glass. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Turning now to the drawings where like numerals designate like parts, FIG. 1 discloses an axonometric view of a cooling device 10 in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention. The cooling system 10 includes a base 12 having a generally flat lower surface 14 and a parallel upper flat surface 16, note FIG. 2. The base comprises a generally square coaster with a central, peripheral rim 18. The shape of the rim can be any geometric configuration designed to conform to the outside surface of a container 20 to serve beverages. Generally, however, the rim will comprise a circular configuration in plan view to conform to a cylindrical aluminum can of beverage. The rim 18 includes side walls that extend upwardly from the upper surface 16 of the base and operably engage the outer surface of a beverage container 20. The height of the side wall of the rim 18 can vary and in one preferred embodiment extends upwardly only high enough to engage the cylindrical side wall of the container 20 such as shown in FIG. 2. In this embodiment the base is functionally a coaster as well as part of a beverage cooling system. A cooling disc or puck 30 is positioned within the rim 18. The puck 30 is formed with a plastic shell having a flat base 32, side walls 34 which generally conform to the interior surface of the rim 18 and an upper domed surface 36. The puck is filled with a liquid or gel that is a fluid at room temperature of 72 degrees or so but is capable of being frozen at 32 degrees Fahrenheit or so into a frozen solid. The specific material can vary and preferably the gel material will have a freezing point lower than 32 degrees provided that the interior fluid or gel is operable to be frozen by a conventional freezer department of a refrigerator and will also exhibit a high latent heat of absorption to transition from a frozen solid to a liquid state. Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4 it will be seen that in a preferred embodiment of a cooling puck, per se, is shown. In this embodiment a can of beverage is to be served, and maintained cold while being consumed, the puck 30 is fashioned with a circular outwardly sloping rim 40. The rim 40 is designed to conform to an inwardly sloping surface of an aluminum beverage can. The height of the dome 36, at its center, is greater than the height of the rim 40. In this manner the puck operably engages more of the surface of the aluminum can for direct, conduction, heat transfer. In addition, this rim 40 provides a lateral stabilizing function for the can when the cooling puck 30 is used to serve a can of beverage without using a base member 12. In order to facilitate retention of the puck 30 onto the bottom of a can of beverage the outer diameter of the dome 36, plus tolerance, is slightly greater than the inner diameter of the concave recess of a can of beverage to provide a mild interference fit. Accordingly, in operation a user will merely obtain a frozen puck 30 from a freezer and push it onto the bottom of a can of beverage. Because of the interference fit the puck 30 will self-adhere to the bottom of the can and consumption of the beverage may proceed in a usual manner with a consumer holding the side of the can and with the frozen puck 30 cooling the fluid within the can. The flat bottom surface 32 of the puck enables the beverage to be placed on a conventional flat coaster or other horizontal surface while the beverage is not being consumed. FIG. 4 is a modification of the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 2 and depicts an extension of the rim portion 42 upwardly from the base 12 along the lateral surface of the beverage container 20. This enables the base to even better retain and insulate a beverage container such a can of beverage 20. FIG. 5, note sheet 4 of the drawings, is yet another variation of the invention where a base 44 extends only outwardly to the periphery of a rim 46 and accommodates a cooling puck 48 with a configuration as discussed above. In this embodiment the rim 46 extends upwardly and may even extend along the height of a can of beverage for extra insulation. FIG. 6 is another embodiment of the invention and in this case a base 50 is provided is the form of a coaster. The rim 52 extends upwardly along a container side wall 54 which may be a glass with a flat bottom. A cooling puck 56 is positioned within the base, as shown, and comprised a circular disc shell that is filled with a fluid to be frozen as discussed above. In this embodiment however, the puck has a flat upper surface to accommodate the flat bottom surface of the glass. The frozen puck 56 is kept cold and frozen by the insulation provided by the surrounding base 50 and thus the puck serves to impart cooling to the beverage within the glass as it is being consumed. Several embodiment of the invention have been disclosed. In the various embodiments the base is preferably made from a cellulose material or foam rubber of polystyrene. All of these materials provide good insulation for the frozen puck and a lower portion of a container of beverage during consumption. In operation a server of a beverage secures a base and retrieves a frozen puck element from a freezer. The puck is placed in the bottom of the base and then a can of beverage is placed within the rim of the base. Because the puck is frozen it actually withdraws heat from the beverage as it is being consumed and as opposed to the beverage becoming warmer is becomes cooler. Following consumption the puck is retrieved and place back into the freezer to be reused at a later time in a refrozen condition. SUMMARY OF MAJOR ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION After reading and understanding the foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the invention, in conjunction with the illustrative drawings, it will be appreciated that there are several advantages to the present invention. One significant advantage is that a beverage can be consumed and actually get colder as it is being consumed. Another significant advantage is the ability to prevent the last third of a can of beverage from getting warm if consumption is at a leisurely pace. Another advantage is the ability to reuse the invention to serve a cold beverage a number of times very inexpensively. The cooling puck 30 can be used independently of the base 12 and fit snuggly onto the bottom of a can of beverage by a mild interference fit. Still further the subject will keep a beverage cold longer for consumption of beverages that might spoil if it become too warm—such as milk. The subject invention provides a dual function of being a coaster or beverage carrier and providing a cooling function during consumption as opposed to conventional warming. The subject invention provides its cooling function and can be reused and does not require anything to be added to the beverage being consumed. In describing the invention, reference has been made to preferred embodiments and illustrative advantages of the invention. Those skilled in the art, however, and familiar with the instant disclosure of the invention, may recognize additions, deletions, modifications, substitutions and other changes which fall within the purview of the subject invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>To achieve at least some of the foregoing objects, the subject invention comprises a base or holder that operably carries a frozen gel puck. The base can take the form of a generally square coaster made from cardboard or polystyrene foam or other plastic material with a central circular rim or upwardly extending side wall. A circular puck shell is operable to be positioned within the circular rim and is fashioned from a tough plastic outer shell having generally cylindrical side walls and an arcuate top or crown. In one embodiment the crown is supplemented with an annular rim to further maintain a can of beverage in a cold condition. The interior of the puck is filled with a nontoxic jell such as propylene-glycol that is fluid at room temperature of about 72° Fahrenheit but is capable of being frozen in a conventional freezer department of a refrigerator. In operation a consumer places the puck into a freezer until a beverage is ready to be served. The puck is designed to have a convex, arcuate dome that is dimensionally compatible with a concave, arcuate recess in the bottom of a glass bottle or can of beverage to be served. The frozen puck is then placed within the base with the flat circular bottom portion within the circular rim of the base with the dome shape extending upwardly. The side walls of the base can be variable but extend at least to a height sufficient to engage the side walls of the puck and preferably extend upwardly for at least a portion of the height a glass, bottle or can. The frozen puck, conforming with the base of the beverage container, keeps the container cold while the beverage is intermittently lifted out of the base. Alternatively, the base, puck and side walls of the base can be lifted with the can for consumption. Following consumption of the beverage the puck is placed back into a freezer for refreezing and reuse. The subject invention finds useful application at a bar where beer is sold on tap from a glass, at a picnic where beer and sodas are served in a bottle or can, at home while watching television or dining and generally anywhere where cold beverages are being consumed. | 20040917 | 20061024 | 20060323 | 98435.0 | F25D308 | 1 | JONES, MELVIN | COLD BEVERAGE SERVER METHOD AND APPARATUS | MICRO | 0 | ACCEPTED | F25D | 2,004 |
|
10,942,994 | ACCEPTED | Ice maker fill tube assembly | An ice maker assembly in a refrigerator freezer includes a fill tube for transporting liquid to a mold. The freezer includes an outer wall spaced apart from an inner wall, with a plenum formed therebetween. An opening is formed within the inner wall, through which the fill tube extends with a clearance. Warm air generated by a defrost cycle passes through the clearance in the inner wall and around the fill tube, thereby warming the fill tube. In addition, the fill tube includes vents formed therein to allow active ventilation of the fill tube and to prevent ice formation within the fill tube. | 1-4. (canceled) 5. An ice maker assembly comprising: a mold cavity for collecting liquid to be frozen; and a fill tube for transporting liquid to the mold cavity, said fill tube including at least one vent formed along its length, wherein the at least one vent includes a plurality of axially spaced vents for a ventilating flow of air. 6. The ice maker assembly of claim 5, wherein each of said vents takes the form of a slot. 7. The ice maker assembly of claim 6, wherein the fill tube includes an upper surface portion and a lower surface portion, said vents being formed in the upper surface portion. 8. A refrigerator freezer comprising: an outer wall spaced apart from an inner wall, said inner wall being formed with an opening; and an ice maker assembly including: a mold cavity for collecting liquid to be frozen; and a liquid fill tube for transporting liquid to the mold cavity, wherein the liquid fill tube extends through the opening in the inner wall, said fill tube being formed with a plurality of axially spaced vents for a ventilating flow of air. 9. The refrigerator freezer of claim 8, wherein the liquid fill tube is formed with a clearance between said inner wall and said liquid fill tube. 10. The refrigerator freezer of claim 8, wherein each of said vents takes the form of a slot. 11. The refrigerator freezer of claim 10, wherein the fill tube includes an upper surface portion and a lower surface portion, said vents being formed in the upper surface portion. 12. The refrigerator freezer of claim 8, wherein said inner wall constitutes an evaporator coil cover. 13. The refrigerator freezer of claim 8, wherein said outer wall constitutes an insulated wall of a freezer liner. 14. A method of preventing ice from forming in an ice maker fill tube of a refrigerator comprising the steps of: generating a flow of warm air in a plenum located between an inner wall, which is formed with an opening, and an outer wall of a refrigerator freezer compartment by running a defrost cycle in the refrigerator; and warming the fill tube, that extends through the plenum and the opening in the inner wall, by allowing the warm air to enter at least one hole formed within the fill tube. 15. (currently canceled) 16. The method of claim 14, further comprising: allowing the warm air to enter any one of a plurality of axially spaced holes formed along an upper surface portion of the fill tube. 17. The ice maker assembly of claim 5, further comprising: a plurality of cross ribs alternating with the plurality of vents axially along the fill tube. 18. The ice maker assembly of claim 5, wherein the fill tube has an upper portion and a bottom portion, said bottom portion being solid to allow water to flow through the fill tube, said vents being defined along the upper portion of the fill tube. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention pertains to the art of refrigerators, and, more particularly, to a fill tube arrangement for an ice maker assembly provided in a freezer of a refrigerator. 2. Discussion of the Prior Art Providing automatic ice makers in household refrigerators has become extremely commonplace. Ice makers typically include a tray that is filled by a water fill tube extending through a wall of a freezer compartment. Since the ice maker fill tube extends into the freezer compartment, a problem exists in that water can freeze within the tube and lead to clogging of the tube. Several attempts have been made to solve this problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,644 discloses a water supply line that is maintained in contact with the freezer compartment outer case over a pre-selected length of the fill tube sufficient to prevent freezing of water in the fill tube. In addition, the fill tube is insulated with foam material. In the arrangement of the '644 patent, there is still a possibility that the tube may freeze. More particularly, only a portion of the tube is in heat exchange relationship with the outer case. Therefore, any heat provided by the outer case may not be sufficient to prevent freezing of other portions of the fill tube. Further, the tube is surrounded by foam and may be difficult to remove if it is necessary to clear an ice blockage within the tube. Another attempt to solve the problem of ice formation in an ice maker fill tube is demonstrated by U.S. Pat. No. 6,157,777. In this arrangement, an ice maker fill tube includes a heater for maintaining a fluid within the tube at or above a predetermined temperature. The fill tube and heater are integrally formed so the heater is protected from physical damage. However, this arrangement adds significantly to the costs associated with manufacturing the fill tube and ice maker. Additionally, the heater arrangement will certainly affect installation and repair costs associated with the fill tube and ice maker. Based on the known prior art, there is a need in the art for an ice maker fill tube assembly that prevents ice from freezing within the fill tube. Further, there is a need for an assembly that is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to maintain, and provides reliable protection against ice build-up. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a fill tube arranged for an ice maker assembly in a freezer compartment of a refrigerator, wherein the fill tube functions to transport liquid from a reservoir to a mold. The freezer includes an outer wall spaced apart from an inner wall, and a plenum formed therebetween. An opening is formed within the inner wall, through which the fill tube extends with a desired clearance. Warm air generated by a defrost cycle passes through the clearance in the inner wall and around the fill tube, thereby warming the fill tube. In addition, the fill tube is formed with vents to allow active ventilation of the fill tube in order to prevent ice formation within the fill tube. Particularly, warm air generated by a defrost cycle is allowed to enter the vents formed within the fill tube to prevent freezing of the fill tube. The fill tube is also exposed to dehumidified freezer air from behind the inner wall. The dehumidified freezer air helps to prevent ice formation on the surface of the fill tube, as well as ice restrictions within the fill tube. Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a refrigerator having a freezer compartment incorporating the ice maker fill tube assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fill tube assembly of FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the fill tube assembly and a portion of the freezer compartment of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With initial reference to FIG. 1, a refrigerator 2 includes a cabinet 4 within which is defined a freezer compartment 8. Freezer compartment 8 can be selectively accessed through the pivoting of a freezer door 10. Also provided is a fresh food door 12 which enables access to a fresh food compartment (not shown). As shown, refrigerator 2 constitutes a top-mount model. However, as will become fully evident below, the present invention is equally applicable to various types of refrigerators, including side-by-side models. Arranged within freezer compartment 8 is an ice maker assembly 16. In a manner known in the art, ice maker assembly 16 includes an ice maker unit 18 and an ice storage bin 20. Ice maker unit 18 is shown to include a bale arm 26 which is pivotable upward and downward based on the amount of ice retained in storage bin 20. Bale arm 26 is actually pivotally connected to a switch arm 34. Ice maker unit 18 also includes an ice mold 37. In general, this construction, as well as the operation of ice maker unit 18, is known in the art. Basically, the flow of water is directed to ice mold 37 by a fill tube 40 to fill up various cavities (not separately labeled) of ice mold 37 in order to produce ice cubes which are deposited into storage bin 20. In a typical ice maker arrangement, when the storage bin 20 has collected a sufficient number of ice cubes, the stored ice cubes will act on bale arm 26 to cause bale arm 26 to be lifted which, in turn, operates on switch arm 34 to de-activate ice maker unit 18. Bale arm 26 is biased downward to an ice making position such that, when a sufficient number of ice cubes are removed from storage bin 20, ice maker unit 18 will be automatically reactivated. Since the operation of automatic ice makers are widely known in the art, further details thereof will not be discussed here. The present invention is particularly directed to aspects of fill tube 40 of overall ice maker assembly 16. As previously mentioned, ice maker assembly 16 is located within freezer compartment 8. Freezer compartment 8 includes an evaporator coil cover 45, which includes air flow openings (not shown), and an insulated rear wall 47 (also see FIGS. 2 and 3) which is defined by a freezer liner. As best shown in FIG. 3, within cabinet 4, evaporator coil cover 45 and insulated rear wall 47 have a plenum 50 formed therebetween. Fill tube 40 extends through insulated rear wall 47, plenum 50, and evaporator coil cover 45. More specifically, evaporator coil cover 45 includes an opening 51 through which fill tube 40 passes, with a clearance 52 therebetween. By positioning fill tube 40 so that it passes through plenum 50 and opening 51 in evaporator coil cover 45 with clearance 52, fill tube 40 is exposed to active ventilation with dehumidified freezer air. More particularly, air from plenum 50 is directed around fill tube 40 due to clearance 52 between fill tube 40 and evaporator coil cover 45. Ventilation with dehumidified freezer air sublimates ice from the surface of fill tube 40 and prevents ice restrictions within fill tube 40. In addition, fill tube 40 is exposed to heat which develops behind evaporator coil cover 45 during a freezer defrost cycle. This heat serves to melt any ice which may form within fill tube 40. In accordance with the most preferred form of the invention, fill tube 40 includes a top or upper portion 53 and a bottom or lower portion 54. The top portion 53 of fill tube 40 includes a plurality of axially spaced vents 55 formed therein. Preferably, vents 55 take the form of elongated slots and fill tube 40 is formed of a flexible PVC material. As shown in FIG. 2, vents 55 are alternated with cross ribs 57 to help maintain the structure of fill tube 40 while allowing active venting of fill tube 40. On the other hand, bottom portion 54 of fill tube 40 is solid to allow water to flow through fill tube 40 to an outlet 60. As indicated above, when refrigerator 2 performs a defrost cycle, warm air fills plenum 50. The warm air passes through opening 51 and surrounds fill tube 40. Warm air generated by a defrost cycle also enters vents 55 formed within fill tube 40 to prevent freezing of water within fill tube 40. Fill tube 40 is also exposed to dehumidified freezer air from behind inner wall 45 which helps to prevent ice formation on the surface of fill tube 40 and prevents ice restrictions within fill tube 40. Therefore, with this overall construction, an unobstructed supply of water to make ice cubes is available. Although described with reference to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be readily understood that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. In general, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention pertains to the art of refrigerators, and, more particularly, to a fill tube arrangement for an ice maker assembly provided in a freezer of a refrigerator. 2. Discussion of the Prior Art Providing automatic ice makers in household refrigerators has become extremely commonplace. Ice makers typically include a tray that is filled by a water fill tube extending through a wall of a freezer compartment. Since the ice maker fill tube extends into the freezer compartment, a problem exists in that water can freeze within the tube and lead to clogging of the tube. Several attempts have been made to solve this problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,644 discloses a water supply line that is maintained in contact with the freezer compartment outer case over a pre-selected length of the fill tube sufficient to prevent freezing of water in the fill tube. In addition, the fill tube is insulated with foam material. In the arrangement of the '644 patent, there is still a possibility that the tube may freeze. More particularly, only a portion of the tube is in heat exchange relationship with the outer case. Therefore, any heat provided by the outer case may not be sufficient to prevent freezing of other portions of the fill tube. Further, the tube is surrounded by foam and may be difficult to remove if it is necessary to clear an ice blockage within the tube. Another attempt to solve the problem of ice formation in an ice maker fill tube is demonstrated by U.S. Pat. No. 6,157,777. In this arrangement, an ice maker fill tube includes a heater for maintaining a fluid within the tube at or above a predetermined temperature. The fill tube and heater are integrally formed so the heater is protected from physical damage. However, this arrangement adds significantly to the costs associated with manufacturing the fill tube and ice maker. Additionally, the heater arrangement will certainly affect installation and repair costs associated with the fill tube and ice maker. Based on the known prior art, there is a need in the art for an ice maker fill tube assembly that prevents ice from freezing within the fill tube. Further, there is a need for an assembly that is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to maintain, and provides reliable protection against ice build-up. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention is directed to a fill tube arranged for an ice maker assembly in a freezer compartment of a refrigerator, wherein the fill tube functions to transport liquid from a reservoir to a mold. The freezer includes an outer wall spaced apart from an inner wall, and a plenum formed therebetween. An opening is formed within the inner wall, through which the fill tube extends with a desired clearance. Warm air generated by a defrost cycle passes through the clearance in the inner wall and around the fill tube, thereby warming the fill tube. In addition, the fill tube is formed with vents to allow active ventilation of the fill tube in order to prevent ice formation within the fill tube. Particularly, warm air generated by a defrost cycle is allowed to enter the vents formed within the fill tube to prevent freezing of the fill tube. The fill tube is also exposed to dehumidified freezer air from behind the inner wall. The dehumidified freezer air helps to prevent ice formation on the surface of the fill tube, as well as ice restrictions within the fill tube. Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views. | 20040917 | 20050712 | 20050210 | 59658.0 | 2 | ALI, MOHAMMAD M | ICE MAKER FILL TUBE ASSEMBLY | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,943,151 | ACCEPTED | Bonding tool with resistance | A resistive bonding tool tip comprising a resistive material with a resistance low enough to prevent a discharge of a charge to a device being bonded and high enough to avoid current flow large enough to damage the device being bonded is disclosed. | 1. A resistive bonding tool tip comprising resistive material for use in bonding machines for connecting leads on integrated circuit bonding pads, wherein the resistive material has a resistance low enough to discharge a small voltage in a device being bonded at a rate of less than 5 milliamps of current and high enough to avoid current flow large enough to damage the device being bonded. 2. The resistive bonding tool tip of claim 1, wherein the resistive material comprises a resistance in the range of 500 to 99,999 ohms. 3. The resistive bonding tool tip of claim 1, wherein the tip comprises a high enough stiffness to resist bending when hot. 4. The resistive bonding tool tip of claim 1, wherein the tip comprises a high enough abrasiveness to function for at least 30,000 uses. 5. The resistive bonding tool tip of claim 1, wherein the resistive material is an extrinsic semi-conducting material that has dopant atoms in an appropriate concentration and valence states to produce the resistance. 6. The resistive bonding tool tip of claim 5, wherein the resistive material further comprises a polycrystalline silicon carbide. 7. The resistive bonding tool tip of claim 6, wherein the polycrystalline silicon carbide is uniformly doped with boron. 8. The resistive bonding tool tip of claim 1, wherein the resistive material comprises a doped semi-conductor formed on an insulating core. 9. The resistive bonding tool tip of claim 8, wherein the insulating core is comprised of diamond. 10. The resistive bonding tool tip of claim 9, wherein the doped semi-conductor further comprises an outer surface of the diamond that is ion implanted with boron. 11. The resistive bonding tool tip of claim 1, wherein the resistive material comprises a doped semi-conductor formed on a conducting core. 12. The resistive bonding tool tip of claim 11, wherein the conducting core is comprised of a cobalt-bonded tungsten carbide. 13. The resistive bonding tool tip of claim 12, wherein the cobalt-bonded tungsten carbide is coated with titanium nitride carbide. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part and claims the priority benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/650,169 filed Aug. 27, 2003 entitled “Dissipative Ceramic Bonding Tool Tip” which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/036,579 filed Dec. 31, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,864, entitled “Dissipative Ceramic Bonding Tool Tip” which claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/288,203 filed May 1, 2001, and is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/514,454 filed Feb. 25, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,479 and entitled “Dissipative Ceramic Bonding Tool Tip” which claims the priority benefit of provisional patent application No. 60/121,694 filed Feb. 25, 1999; this application also claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/503,267 filed Sep. 15, 2003 entitled “Bonding Tool.” This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ filed Sep. 15, 2004 entitled “Flip Chip Bonding Tool Tip.” The contents of all of these applications are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to bonding tool tips with resistance and, more particularly, to bonding tool tips with 500 to 99,999 ohms of resistance for bonding electrical connections. 2. Description of the Prior Art Integrated circuits are typically attached to a lead frame and individual leads are connected to individual bond pads on the integrated circuit with wire. The wire is fed through a tubular bonding tool tip having a bonding pad at the output end. These tips are commonly called capillary tips. An electrical discharge at the bonding tool tip supplied by a separate EFO (electronic flame off) device melts a bit of the wire thereby forming a bonding ball. Other bonding tools do not have a center tube, but have a feedhole or other feature for feeding the wire as needed. Some bonding tips have no such wire arrangement as the wire is supplied at the location where the wire is insulated and bonded to a magnetic head and then to a flexible wire circuit. Such is the case in magnetic disk recording devices. When a bonding tip is on the integrated circuit die side of a wire connection, the wire will form a ball on the end of the wire, as above, before reaching the next die bonding pad. The ball then makes intimate contact with a film formed on the die pad on the integrated circuit. The bonding tip is then moved from the integrated circuit die pad, with gold wire being fed out as the tool is moved, onto the bond pad on the lead frame, and then scrubbed laterally by an ultrasonic transducer. Pressure from the bonding tool tip, the transducer, and capillary action, ‘flows’ the wire onto the bonding pad where molecular bonds produce a reliable electrical and mechanical connection. Bonding tool tips must be sufficiently hard to prevent deformation under pressure and mechanically durable so that many bonds can be made before replacement. Prior art bonding tool tips are made of aluminum oxide, which is an insulator, but provide the durability to form thousands of bonding connections. Bonding tool tips should also be electrically designed to produce a reliable electrical contact yet prevent electrostatic discharge damage to the part being bonded. Certain prior art devices have a one-or-more volt emission when the tip makes bonding contact. This could present a problem as a one-volt static discharge could generate a 20 milliamp current to flow, which, in certain instances, could cause the integrated circuit to fail due to this unwanted current. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Bonding tools with 500 to 99,999 ohms of resistance for bonding electrical connections to bonding pads on electrical devices are disclosed. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the range of resistance needs to be lower as the electro-static discharge (ESD) voltages get smaller to avoid damaging delicate electronic devices by any electrostatic discharge. A bonding tool tip must conduct electricity at a rate sufficient to prevent charge buildup and stop all transient currents, but not at so high a rate as to trap voltage in the device being bonded. In other words, it is desirable for the bonding tip to discharge as fast as possible, but have less than 5 milliamps of current. The tip should also discharge or block any sudden surges of current that could damage the part being bonded. In exemplary embodiments, a resistance in the tip assembly ranges from 500 to 99,999 ohms. The bonding tools also comprise specific mechanical properties to function satisfactorily. In the present invention, bonding tool tips with the desired electrical conduction can be made with three different configurations. In the first configuration, tools are made from a uniform extrinsic semi-conducting material that has dopant atoms in appropriate concentration and valence states to produce sufficient mobile charge carrier densities—unbound electrons or holes—that will result in electrical conduction in a desired range. Polycrystalline silicon carbide uniformly doped with boron is an example of such a uniform extrinsic semi-conducting material. In a second configuration, the tools are made by forming a thin layer of a highly doped semi-conductor on an insulating core. In this instance, the core provides mechanical stiffness, while the semi-conductor surface layer provides abrasion resistance and a charge carrier path from tip to mount that will permit dissipation of electrostatic charge at an acceptable rate. A diamond tip wedge that is ion implanted with boron is an example of such a thin layered tool. In a third configuration, the tools are made by forming a lightly doped semi-conductor layer on a conducting core. The conducting core provides mechanical stiffness, while the semi-conductor layer provides abrasion resistance and a charge carrier path from tip to conducting core, which is electrically connected to the mount. The doping level is chosen to produce conductivity through the layer which will permit dissipation of electrostatic charge at an acceptable rate. A cobalt-bonded tungsten carbide coated with titanium nitride carbide is an example of such a lightly doped tool. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a capillary bonding tool tip; FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the capillary-type construction of the operating end or tip of the bonding tool of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a bottle-neck capillary bonding tool tip; FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a wedge design bonding tool tip; FIGS. 5a and 5b are top and front views, respectively, of the wedge design bonding tool tip of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a typical commercial apparatus utilized in the wire bonding of a semi-conductor integrated circuit chip or other apparatus; FIG. 7 is a cross-section of an embodiment of FIG. 2 having two layers; FIG. 8 is a cross-section of an embodiment of FIG. 3 having two layers; FIG. 9 a cross-section of an embodiment of FIG. 5 having two layers; FIG. 10 is an exemplary method for manufacturing a bonding tool tip with resistance through the use of mixing, molding, and sintering reactive powders; FIG. 11 is an exemplary method for manufacturing a bonding tool tip with resistance through the use of hot pressing reactive powders; and FIG. 12 is an exemplary method for manufacturing a bonding tool tip with resistance through fusion casting. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary capillary bonding tool 10. In one embodiment, the bonding tool 10 is about one-half inch (e.g., 12-13 mm) long and about one-sixteenth inch (i.e., 1.6 mm) in diameter. A bonding tool tip 12 is, in exemplary embodiments, 3 to 10 mils (e.g., 0.08 to 0.25 mm) long. Running a length of the bonding tool 10, but not viewable in FIG. 1, is a tube hole, which will accommodate a continuously fed length of gold wire (not shown). FIG. 2 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the capillary bonding tool 10 of FIG. 1. Only that portion of the bonding tool 10 shown within the dotted circle in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2. Tool tip 12 has the tube hole 14 which may run the entire length of bonding tool 10. Exit hole 18 is where the wire (not shown) exits tool tip 12. If a ball is formed on the wire, the ball will be seen immediately adjacent the exit hole 18. A chamfer surface 16, at the exit hole 18, accommodates the ball that has been formed at the end of the gold wire. The chamfer surface 16 is provided to allow for smoother looping of the wire as the bonding tool 10 is moved from a bonding pad on an integrated circuit to a bonding pad (not shown) on a lead frame of an integrated circuit assembly. A wedge tool for disk drive bonding is used to capture the insulated wire, lay it on the head, and ultrasonically bond it there. FIG. 3 is an alternative embodiment of a bonding tool 10 showing similar features: tube hole 14, chamfer surface 16, and exit hole 18. This bonding tool tip 12, referred to as a bottle-neck capillary tip, is provided for narrower bond situations where the bonding pitch—the distance between the centers of the bonding pads—is smaller. This design is necessitated, in part, by the dimensions of an integrated circuit getting smaller or the number of circuits on a chip increasing, but the die area remaining more or less constant. FIG. 4 shows another type of bonding tool 10. The embodiment of FIG. 4 is used with an integrated circuit die mounted on a lead frame (not shown). In this instance, wires from an integrated circuit are not connected from a die to connections directly in an integrated circuit package, but from an integrated circuit die to a lead frame. As the composition of the lead frame is different than the composition of an integrated circuit package, the tip 12 of the bonding tool 10 must be different to accommodate the different physical attributes of the integrated circuit lead frame as seen in FIGS. 5a and 5b, which are magnified views of FIG. 4 offering more explicit tip detail. FIG. 6 illustrates a typical wire bonding machine 60 for use in bonding wire leads in magnetic disk drive units. Shown within the dotted circle is bonding tool 10. Bonding tool 10 is mounted to arm 66, which is moved in the desired directions by the apparatus of wire bonding machine 60. Such a machine is available as Model 7400 from West-Bond, Inc. of Anaheim, Calif. Typical bonding tips available on the market today are made of an insulator of alumina (Al2O3), sometimes termed aluminum oxide. Alumina is a hard compound successfully used on commercial machines to provide a reasonably long life in use as a wire bonding tool. To ensure insulation, no conductive binders are used in these bonding tips. As stated previously, however, the problem is that an electrostatic discharge from the bonding tool 10 making contact with the bonding pad of the desired circuit can damage the very circuit it is wiring. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, to avoid damaging delicate electronic devices by an electrostatic discharge, the bonding tool tip 12 must conduct electricity at a rate sufficient to prevent charge buildup and to dissipate the charge in the device, if any, but not at so high a rate as to overload a device being bonded. It has been determined that as voltages become lower during the manufacturing process, the resistance range can become lower too. The resistance should be low enough so that material can dissipate small voltages very quickly yet keep the current below 5 milliamps. The resistance should also be high enough so that if it is not a conductor, a transient current can flow through the tool to the device. In an exemplary embodiment, resistance in the tip assembly should range from 500 to 99,000 ohms of resistance. For example, for today's magnetic recording heads, 5 milliamps of current will result in damage. As such, it is preferred that no more than 2 to 3 milliamps of current be allowed to pass through the tip 12 of the bonding tool 10 to the recording head. The bonding tool 10 also has specific mechanical properties to function satisfactorily. High stiffness and high abrasion resistance requirements have limited possible materials, for example, to ceramics (electrical non-conductors) or metal, such as tungsten carbide (electrical conductor). The exemplary tool tip 12 should have a Rockwell hardness of about 85 or above, preferably of about 89 or above. Additionally, the tool tip 12 needs to be able to last for at least 30,000 bonding cycles. In the present invention, bonding tool tips with the desired electrical conduction can be made with three different configurations. First, the tools can be made from a uniform extrinsic semi-conducting material which has dopant atoms in appropriate concentration and valence states to produce sufficient mobile charge carrier densities—unbound electrons or holes—which will result in electrical conduction in a desired range. Polycrystalline silicon carbide uniformly doped with boron is an example of such a uniform extrinsic semi-conducting material. Second, the tools can be made by forming a thin layer of a highly doped semi-conductor on an insulating core. In this instance, the core provides mechanical stiffness while the semi-conductor surface layer provides abrasion resistance and a charge carrier path from tip to mount that will permit dissipation of electrostatic charge at an acceptable rate. A diamond tip wedge that is ion implanted with boron is an example of such a thin layered tool. Third, the tools can be made by forming a lightly doped semi-conductor layer on a conducting core. The conducting core provides mechanical stiffness while the semi-conductor layer provides abrasion resistance and a charge carrier path from tip to conducting core, which is electrically connected to the mount. A doping level is chosen to produce conductivity through the layer which will permit dissipation of electrostatic charge at an acceptable rate. A cobalt-bonded tungsten carbide coated with titanium nitride carbide is an example of such a lightly doped tool. FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate a two-layered structure of capillary, bottle-neck, and wedge designs. These structures are not intended to be specific to the type of tool tip 12, but for use in any bonding tool tip. Outer layers are labeled 71, 81, and 91, respectively, and cores are labeled 72, 82, and 92, respectively. In one two-layered configuration, layers 71, 81 and 91 are highly doped semi-conductors and cores—72, 82 and 92—are insulators. In another two-layered configuration, layers 71, 81 and 91 are lightly doped semi-conductors and cores—72, 82 and 92—are conductors. No significance should be given to the relative thickness or scale of the portions of the layers. Layers may or may not have a uniform thickness. Bonding tools with tip resistance can be manufactured through the use of mixing, molding, and sintering reactive powders as shown in FIG. 10; the use of hot pressing reactive powders as shown in FIG. 11; and through fusion casting as shown in FIG. 12. Referring now to FIG. 10, an exemplary flowchart 1000 for manufacturing bonding tools with tip resistance is shown. Through the use of mixing, molding, and sintering reactive powders—for example, alumina (Al2O3), zirconia (Zr2O3), iron oxide (FeO2), or titanium oxide (Ti2O3)—fine particles (e.g., a half of a micron in size) of a desired composition are mixed 1002 with organic and inorganic solvents, dispersants, binders, and sintering aids. The binder and/or the sintering aids could be any of, any combination of, or all of magnesia, yttria, boron, carbon colloidal silica, alumina solvents, ethyl silicate, any phosphate, any rare earth metal oxide, or yttrium. Solvents, too, could be any of the aforementioned elements, compounds, or combination in addition to H2O, for example. The mixture is then molded 1004 into oversized wedges. The wedges are carefully dried and slowly heated 1006 to remove the binders and dispersants. In one embodiment, the wedges are heated to a temperature between 500-2500 degrees Celsius. The wedges are then heated to a high enough temperature so that the individual particles sinter together 1008 into a solid structure with low porosity. In one embodiment, the wedges are heated to at least a temperature of 4000 degrees Celsius. The heat-treating atmosphere is chosen to facilitate the removal of the binder at a low temperature and to control the valence of the dopant atoms at the higher temperature and while cooling 1010. After cooling 1010, the wedges may be machined 1012 to achieve required tolerances. The wedges may then be treated 1014 to produce a desired surface layer (e.g., 100 to 1000 Angstroms thick) by ion implementation, vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, physical deposition, electroplating deposition, neutron bombardment, or combinations of the above. The pieces may be subsequently heat treated 1016 in a controlled atmosphere (e.g., 2000 to 2500 degrees Celsius for 3 to 5 minutes) to produce desired layer properties through diffusion, re-crystallization, dopant activation, or valence changes of metallic ions. Referring now to FIG. 11, an exemplary flowchart 1100 for manufacturing bonding tools with tip resistance using hot pressing reactive powders is shown. Through the use of hot pressing reactive powders—like those disclosed above—fine particles of a desired composition are mixed 1102 with binders and sintering aids, like those disclosed above. The mixture is then pressed 1104 in a mold at a high enough temperature (e.g., 1000 to 4000 degrees Celsius) to cause consolidation and binding of the individual particles into a solid structure with low porosity (e.g., having grain size of less than half a micron in size). In one embodiment, the temperature is between 1000 and 2500 degrees Celsius. The hot pressing atmosphere is chosen to control the valence of the dopant atoms. After cooling and removal 1106 from the hot press, the pieces may be machined 1108 to achieve required tolerances. The pieces may then be treated 1110 to produce a desired surface layer by ion implementation, vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, physical deposition, electo-plating deposition, neutron bombardment, or combinations of the above. The pieces may subsequently be heat treated 1112 in a controlled atmosphere to produce desired layer properties through diffusion, re-crystallization, dopant activation, or valence changes of metallic ions. Referring now to FIG. 12, an exemplary flowchart 1200 for manufacturing bonding tools with tip resistance using fusion casting is shown. Through fusion casting, metals of a desired composition are melted 1202 in a non-reactive crucible before being cast into an ingot. The ingot is then rolled 1204, extruded 1206, drawn 1208, pressed 1210, heat-treated 1212 (e.g., at 1000 degrees Celsius or 500 degrees Celsius to 2500 degrees Celsius for one to two hours) in a suitable atmosphere, and chemically treated 1214. The rolling 1204, extruding 1206, drawing 1208, and pressing 1210 steps shape the tip, while heat treatment 1212 and chemical treatment 1214 steps affect or impart mechanical and electrical properties such as hardness and resistivity. The pieces may then be machined 1216 to achieve required tolerances. The metallic pieces may also be treated to produce a desired surface layer 1218 by vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, physical deposition, electroplating deposition, or combinations of the above. The pieces may subsequently be heat-treated (e.g., 4000 degrees Celsius for three to four hours) in a controlled atmosphere to produce desired layer properties 1220 through diffusion, re-crystallization, dopant activation, or valence changes of metallic ions. The present invention further provides that the layer used in the bonding process may be the following composition of matter; for example, a formula for dissipated ceramic comprising alumina (aluminum oxide Al2O3) and zirconia (zirconium oxide ZrO2) and other elements. This mixture is both somewhat electrically conductive and mechanically durable. The tip of a bonding tool will be coated with this material or it could be made completely out of this material. The shape of the tip may be as shown and described in earlier FIGS. 1 to 5. One actual sample was constructed with silicon carbide. The bonding tip of the present invention can be used for any number of different types of bonding. Two examples are ultrasonic and thermal flip chip bonding. While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, modifications may be made without departing from the essential teachings of the present invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to bonding tool tips with resistance and, more particularly, to bonding tool tips with 500 to 99,999 ohms of resistance for bonding electrical connections. 2. Description of the Prior Art Integrated circuits are typically attached to a lead frame and individual leads are connected to individual bond pads on the integrated circuit with wire. The wire is fed through a tubular bonding tool tip having a bonding pad at the output end. These tips are commonly called capillary tips. An electrical discharge at the bonding tool tip supplied by a separate EFO (electronic flame off) device melts a bit of the wire thereby forming a bonding ball. Other bonding tools do not have a center tube, but have a feedhole or other feature for feeding the wire as needed. Some bonding tips have no such wire arrangement as the wire is supplied at the location where the wire is insulated and bonded to a magnetic head and then to a flexible wire circuit. Such is the case in magnetic disk recording devices. When a bonding tip is on the integrated circuit die side of a wire connection, the wire will form a ball on the end of the wire, as above, before reaching the next die bonding pad. The ball then makes intimate contact with a film formed on the die pad on the integrated circuit. The bonding tip is then moved from the integrated circuit die pad, with gold wire being fed out as the tool is moved, onto the bond pad on the lead frame, and then scrubbed laterally by an ultrasonic transducer. Pressure from the bonding tool tip, the transducer, and capillary action, ‘flows’ the wire onto the bonding pad where molecular bonds produce a reliable electrical and mechanical connection. Bonding tool tips must be sufficiently hard to prevent deformation under pressure and mechanically durable so that many bonds can be made before replacement. Prior art bonding tool tips are made of aluminum oxide, which is an insulator, but provide the durability to form thousands of bonding connections. Bonding tool tips should also be electrically designed to produce a reliable electrical contact yet prevent electrostatic discharge damage to the part being bonded. Certain prior art devices have a one-or-more volt emission when the tip makes bonding contact. This could present a problem as a one-volt static discharge could generate a 20 milliamp current to flow, which, in certain instances, could cause the integrated circuit to fail due to this unwanted current. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Bonding tools with 500 to 99,999 ohms of resistance for bonding electrical connections to bonding pads on electrical devices are disclosed. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the range of resistance needs to be lower as the electro-static discharge (ESD) voltages get smaller to avoid damaging delicate electronic devices by any electrostatic discharge. A bonding tool tip must conduct electricity at a rate sufficient to prevent charge buildup and stop all transient currents, but not at so high a rate as to trap voltage in the device being bonded. In other words, it is desirable for the bonding tip to discharge as fast as possible, but have less than 5 milliamps of current. The tip should also discharge or block any sudden surges of current that could damage the part being bonded. In exemplary embodiments, a resistance in the tip assembly ranges from 500 to 99,999 ohms. The bonding tools also comprise specific mechanical properties to function satisfactorily. In the present invention, bonding tool tips with the desired electrical conduction can be made with three different configurations. In the first configuration, tools are made from a uniform extrinsic semi-conducting material that has dopant atoms in appropriate concentration and valence states to produce sufficient mobile charge carrier densities—unbound electrons or holes—that will result in electrical conduction in a desired range. Polycrystalline silicon carbide uniformly doped with boron is an example of such a uniform extrinsic semi-conducting material. In a second configuration, the tools are made by forming a thin layer of a highly doped semi-conductor on an insulating core. In this instance, the core provides mechanical stiffness, while the semi-conductor surface layer provides abrasion resistance and a charge carrier path from tip to mount that will permit dissipation of electrostatic charge at an acceptable rate. A diamond tip wedge that is ion implanted with boron is an example of such a thin layered tool. In a third configuration, the tools are made by forming a lightly doped semi-conductor layer on a conducting core. The conducting core provides mechanical stiffness, while the semi-conductor layer provides abrasion resistance and a charge carrier path from tip to conducting core, which is electrically connected to the mount. The doping level is chosen to produce conductivity through the layer which will permit dissipation of electrostatic charge at an acceptable rate. A cobalt-bonded tungsten carbide coated with titanium nitride carbide is an example of such a lightly doped tool. | 20040915 | 20060425 | 20050526 | 59165.0 | 1 | EDMONDSON, LYNNE RENEE | BONDING TOOL WITH RESISTANCE | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,943,253 | ACCEPTED | Disposable brew basket for electric coffee maker | A method comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket, inserting the disposable brew basket into the electric coffee brewing machine; brewing a single cup of coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket after the single cup of coffee has been brewed. The electric coffee brewing machine has a cold water reservoir, an electric heating element for heating the water, and a basket receiving recess. The disposable brew basket has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. The bottom wall of the basket has at least one port located in a central portion thereof to permit brewed coffee to flow from the disposable brew basket. The disposable brew basket is inserted into the basket receiving recess of the electric coffee brewing machine before brewing. | 1. (canceled) 2. (canceled) 3. (canceled) 4. (canceled) 5. (canceled) 6. (canceled) 7. (canceled) 8. (canceled) 9. (canceled) 10. (canceled) 11. (canceled) 12. (canceled) 13. (canceled) 14. (canceled) 15. (canceled) 16. (canceled) 17. (canceled) 18. (canceled) 19. A method of supplying in-room coffee service to hotel guests comprising: (a) supplying coffee dispensers in rooms of the hotel for lodging hotel guests, each dispenser comprising a water reservoir, a location for a brew basket, and an electrical heating element for heating water for dispensing into a brewing reservoir within which coffee is brewed; (b) supplying the rooms with at least one disposable brew basket adapted for location in said dispenser, said brew basket defining said brewing reservoir for brewing coffee, the brewing reservoir open at the top and adapted to receive therein a disposable coffee filter pack, the disposable brew basket having at least one port for dispensing brewed coffee from the brew basket into a receiving vessel that may be positioned beneath the brew basket; and (c) supplying the rooms with at least one disposable coffee filter pack containing ground coffee and adapted to be positioned within the brewing reservoir of said brew basket; (d) at least one said disposable brew basket and at least one said disposable coffee filter pack packaged for one-time use for making coffee with said coffee dispenser. 20. The method of claim 19, said at least one disposable brew basket and said at least one disposable coffee filter pack packaged together in a single package for one-time use for making coffee with said coffee dispenser. 21. The method of claim 19, only one said disposable brew basket and at least one said disposable coffee filter pack packaged together in a single package for one-time use for making coffee with said coffee dispenser. 22. The method of claim 19, at least one said disposable brew basket and only one said disposable coffee filter pack packaged together in a single package for one-time use for making coffee with said coffee dispenser. 23. The method of claim 19, only one said disposable brew basket and only one said disposable coffee filter pack packaged together in a single package for one-time use for making coffee with said coffee dispenser. 24. The method of claim 23, said disposable brew basket and said disposable coffee filter pack packaged together in a single package with said filter pack positioned within the brewing reservoir of said brew basket. 25. The method of claim 19, wherein said disposable brew basket further comprises an outwardly extending flange. 26. The method of claim 19, wherein said brew basket is of a plastic molded, one-piece construction. 27. The method of claim 19, wherein said brew basket is of plastic molded, vacuum formed, one-piece construction. 28. The method of claim 19, wherein said brew basket further comprises a substantially flat bottom with substantially upstanding sides, and said disposable coffee filter pack is of a thickness substantially less than the depth of said brew basket, said filter pack adapted to be positioned within said brew basket and supported on the bottom of said brew basket. 29. The method of claim 27, wherein said brew basket is greater in a horizontal dimension than in the depth dimension. 30. The method of claim 19, said disposable brew basket further comprising an outwardly curved front wall. 31. The method of claim 19, wherein said disposable brew basket further comprising a handle for use in removing said disposable brew basket and disposable coffee filter pack from said dispenser after one-time use of said basket and filter pack. 32. The method of claim 19, said disposable brew basket further comprising generally smooth upstanding side walls. 33. The method of claim 19, said disposable coffee filter pack further comprising a liquid permeable paper pouch containing an amount of ground coffee. 34. The method of claim 33, wherein said amount of ground coffee makes approximately one cup of coffee. 35. A method of supplying in-room coffee service to hotel guests comprising: (a) supplying coffee dispensers in rooms of the hotel for lodging hotel guests, each dispenser comprising a water reservoir, a location for a brew basket, and an electrical heating element for heating water for dispensing into a brewing reservoir within which coffee is brewed; (b) supplying the rooms with at least one first package containing at least one disposable brew basket adapted for location in said dispenser, said brew basket defining said brewing reservoir for brewing coffee, the brewing reservoir open at the top and adapted to receive therein a disposable coffee filter pack, the disposable brew basket having at least one port for dispensing brewed coffee from the brew basket into a receiving vessel that may be positioned beneath the brew basket; and (c) supplying the rooms with at least one second package containing at least one disposable coffee filter pack containing ground coffee and adapted to be positioned within the brewing reservoir of said brew basket. 36. The method of claim 35, said at least one first package containing only one disposable brew basket. 37. The method of claim 35, said at least one second package containing only one disposable coffee filter pack. 38. The method of claim 35, said at least one first package containing only one disposable brew basket, and said at least one second package containing only one disposable coffee filter pack. | This is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 10/136,543, filed May 1, 2002, now pending. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to electric coffee brewing machines. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel single-use, disposable brew basket for an electric coffee maker. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For years, drip-type electric brewing machines have been used as an efficient means for making coffee. In general, these electric coffee brewing machine include a cold water reservoir, an electric resistance heating element for heating the water, and a reusable plastic brew basket for holding ground coffee in a paper coffee filter. To make coffee, cold water is poured into the water reservoir and ground coffee is placed in a coffee filter, which is in turn placed in the brew basket. The cold water is heated by the electric heating element, and the heated water then saturates the ground coffee. The brewed coffee then drips out into a receiving vessel, e.g., a coffee pot, which is positioned below the brew basket. After brewing is complete, the paper filter and used coffee grounds are taken out of the plastic brew basket and discarded. Then, the brew basket and coffee pot are cleaned for re-use. While such drip coffee makers are relatively fast and efficient, the process of cleaning the plastic brew basket and coffee pot after each use is time consuming. Moreover, if the brew basket and coffee pot are not cleaned regularly, the quality and taste of the brewed coffee is compromised. A related problem occurs when such drip coffee makers are used to brew flavored coffee. Unless the brew basket and coffee pot are cleaned thoroughly, the taste and strong scent of flavored coffee tends to linger in the brew basket and coffee pot and can be detected when these components are reused to brew coffee of a different flavor. While these concerns alone have not been significant enough to deter individuals from using drip-type electric coffee makers at home, these drawbacks are multiplied in the hotel industry, where such coffee makers are often provided by hotels for daily in-room use by their thousands of guests. The task of regularly cleaning the thousands of brew baskets and coffee pots is left to the housekeeping or other hotel staff. Thus, there is a need to simplify maintenance of drip-type electric coffee brewing machines, especially in the context of the hotel industry, where thousands of such machines are used daily by hotel guests. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to improve the efficiency of drip-type electric coffee brewing machines, and to reduce the time required for appropriately maintaining such machines. It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a single-use, disposable brew basket for use with a conventional drip-type electric coffee brewing machine. Another object of the invention is to provide a single-use, disposable brew basket that includes an integral single-use coffee filter pack. Still another object of the invention is to provide a single-use, disposable brew basket for a drip-type electric coffee brewing machine that is designed for brewing a single cup of coffee directly into a coffee cup. In general, a method of brewing a single cup of coffee comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket, inserting the disposable brew basket into the electric coffee brewing machine; brewing a single cup of coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket after the single cup of coffee has been brewed. The electric coffee brewing machine has a cold water reservoir and a basket receiving recess. The disposable brew basket has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. The bottom wall of the basket has a port located in a central portion thereof to permit brewed coffee to flow from the disposable brew basket. The disposable brew basket is inserted into the basket receiving recess of the electric coffee brewing machine before brewing. In another aspect of the present invention, a method of brewing coffee comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine having a cold water reservoir, an electric heating element for heating the water, and a reusable brew basket; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket; removing the reusable brew basket from the electric coffee brewing machine and replacing the same with the disposable brew basket; brewing coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket after the coffee has been brewed. The reusable brew basket of the electric coffee machine has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. The disposable brew basket has substantially the same dimensions as the reusable brew basket of the electric coffee brewing machine. The disposable brew basket has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. In still another aspect of the present invention, a method of brewing a single cup of coffee comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine having a reusable brew basket; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket of substantially the same dimensions as the reusable brew basket of the electric coffee brewing machine, providing a coffee filter pack comprising a liquid permeable pouch containing ground coffee within the brewing reservoir of the disposable brew basket; removing the reusable brew basket from the electric coffee brewing machine and replacing the same with the disposable brew basket and coffee filter pack; brewing a single cup of coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket and coffee filter pack after the single cup of coffee has been brewed. In yet another aspect of the invention, a disposable brew basket for use in an electric coffee brewing machine comprises a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls. The side walls extend generally upwardly from a perimeter of the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir. The bottom wall has a port located in a central portion of the bottom wall adapted to permit brewed coffee to flow from the brewing reservoir of the disposable brew basket. Each of the side walls of the basket extends upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall at an angle to facilitate nesting of the basket with adjacent, aligned baskets of like configuration. The bottom wall and side walls are of a monolithic piece of vacuum formed high-impact polystyrene. Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric coffee brewing machine used in the practice of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a disposable brew basket of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the disposable brew basket of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the disposable brew basket of FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the disposable brew basket of FIG. 2; FIG. 6 is a left side elevational view of the disposable brew basket of FIG. 2; FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the disposable brew basket of FIG. 2; FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the disposable brew basket of FIG. 2 with an integral coffee filter pack; and FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a nested stack of disposable brew baskets. Reference characters used in these drawings correspond with reference characters used throughout the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments, which follows. These drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate the preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A drip-type electric coffee brewing machine of the present invention is represented generally in FIG. 1 by the reference numeral 10. In general, the electric coffee machine 10 comprises an outer housing 12, preferably of molded plastic or another non-conductive material, a cold water reservoir 14, a basket-receiving recess 16, a brew basket 18, a receiving vessel platform 20 for supporting a coffee-receiving vessel, such as a coffee pot or coffee cup 22, and an electric power cord 24. In most respects, the electric coffee machine 10 is similar to other conventional drip-type electric coffee brewing machines. To make coffee, a lid 26 to the cold water reservoir 14 is lifted and cold water (not shown) is poured into the reservoir 26. An appropriate amount of ground coffee (not shown) is placed in a paper coffee filter (not shown), which is in turn placed in the brew basket 18. The cold water is heated by an electric heating element (not shown) housed in the machine 10, and the heated water then flows into the brew basket 18 and saturates the ground coffee contained therein. Brewed coffee then drips out into the receiving vessel 22, preferably a coffee cup, which is positioned immediately below the brew basket 18. The brew basket 18 shown in FIG. 1 is conventional and may be made of injection molded plastic or another suitable material that is durable and corrosion resistant. The brew basket 18 shown in FIG. 1 can be reused many times, as is well known in the art. After brewing is complete, the paper filter and used coffee grounds are taken out of the reusable brew basket 18 and discarded. Then, the brew basket 18 is cleaned for re-use. FIGS. 2 through 7 show a single-use, disposable brew basket 40 of the present invention. Preferably, the disposable brew basket 40 is shaped and dimensioned to fit within the basket-receiving recess 16 of the electric coffee machine 10, in lieu of the reusable brew basket 18. As shown in FIGS. 2 through 7, the disposable brew basket 40 has a bottom wall 42, a front wall 44, a rear wall 45, a left side wall 46 and a right side wall 48. The front, rear, left and right side walls extend generally upwardly from the bottom wall 42 to define a brewing reservoir 50 for holding coffee grounds and for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine 10. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, the bottom wall 42 of the basket 40 preferably has a single, central port 52 or “drip spout” to permit brewed coffee to flow from the brewing reservoir 50 of the disposable brew basket 40 and into the receiving vessel 22. Preferably, the bottom wall 42, front wall 44, rear wall 45, left side wall 46 and right side wall 48 are all of a monolithic construction. That is, these components are preferably formed as a single piece. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the disposable brew basket 40 is made of vacuum formed high-impact polystyrene. This material is preferred because it is relatively inexpensive, it is generally easy to work with in manufacturing, and it produces a sufficiently strong product with a minimum thickness of material. However, other disposable materials having similar qualities could be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, the disposable brew basket 40 may also include an integral coffee filter pack 60 comprising a liquid permeable pouch 62 (e.g., a paper filter pouch) containing an amount of ground coffee appropriate for brewing a single cup of brewed coffee. The coffee filter pack 60 is not unlike a tea bag, as it contains an amount of ground coffee that is appropriate for brewing a single cup of the beverage, and is designed to be used once and then discarded. Alternatively, a coffee filter pack containing enough ground coffee to brew more than a single cup in a single brewing operation could be used without departing from the scope of invention. Preferably, one coffee filter pack 60 and one disposable brew basket 40 are packaged together for use. The coffee filter pack 60 may or may not be adhered or otherwise connected to the bottom wall 42 of the basket 40. The coffee filter packs 60 and disposable brew baskets 40 may also be packaged and sold separately from one another without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, in use, the disposable brew basket 40 is inserted into the basket receiving recess 16 of the electric coffee brewing machine 10, in lieu of the reusable brew basket 18. Preferably, the coffee filter pack 60 is placed into the brewing reservoir 50 of the disposable brew basket 40, in lieu of a conventional paper filter and loose coffee grinds. In accordance with the present invention, both the disposable brew basket 40 and the coffee filter pack 60 are then discarded after use, i.e., after one brewing operation. More specifically, a method of brewing a single cup of coffee comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine such as machine 10; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket 40 having a brewing reservoir 50 for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine 10; providing a coffee filter pack 60 comprising a liquid-permeable pouch 62 containing ground coffee; placing the coffee filter pack 60 within the brewing reservoir 50 of the disposable brew basket 40; inserting the disposable brew basket 40 into the basket receiving recess 16 of the electric coffee brewing machine 10; brewing a single cup of coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine 10; and discarding the disposable brew basket 40 and coffee filter pack 60 after the single cup of coffee has been brewed. A related method of the present invention comprises the steps of providing an electric coffee brewing machine 10 including a reusable brew basket 18 with a brewing reservoir; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket 40 of substantially the same dimensions as the reusable brew basket 18 of the electric coffee brewing machine 10; providing a coffee filter pack 60 comprising a liquid permeable pouch 62 containing ground coffee; placing the coffee filter pack 60 within the brewing reservoir 50 of the disposable brew basket 40; removing the reusable brew basket 18 from the electric coffee brewing machine 10 and replacing it with the disposable brew basket 40; brewing coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine 10; and discarding the disposable brew basket 40 and coffee filter pack 60 after the coffee has been brewed. As shown in FIGS. 2 through 7, the front wall 44, rear wall 45, left side wall 46 and right side wall 48 of the disposable brew basket 40 are preferably tapered outwardly, i.e., they preferably extend generally upwardly and outwardly from the perimeter of the bottom wall 42, to facilitate nesting of the disposable brew basket 40 with adjacent, aligned baskets of like configuration (see FIG. 9). This permits multiple nested disposable brew baskets 40 to be packaged, stored and/or shipped together at minimal cost. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the disposable brew basket 40 also preferably includes at least one integral spacer 66 for limiting the extent of nesting of adjacent, aligned baskets 40. Preferably, the integral spacers 66 are located on the left and/or right side walls 46 and 48 of the disposable brew basket 40, though spacers could be used on the front and/or rear walls 44 and 45 of the basket 40 without departing from the scope of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the spacer is preferably located on an inner surface of its associated wall of the disposable brew basket 40. Preferably, the spacer 66 includes a projection that extends generally inwardly from its associated side wall. The projection is adapted to contact and abut against a lower surface of the bottom wall 42 of an adjacent, nesting basket in a manner to space the nested baskets 40 from one another. Thus, the spacers 66 permit a plurality of the disposable brew baskets 40 to be “controllably nested” (FIG. 9) by preventing overly tight nesting and thereby facilitating separation prior to repackaging or use. Preferably, in a stack of controllably nested, disposable brew baskets 40, the location of the spacers 66 alternates so that the location of the spacers 66 of adjacent baskets in the stack differ from one another to prevent overly tight nesting of the baskets 40 and of the spacers 66 themselves. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, each disposable brew basket 40 includes only one spacer 66. However, multiple spacers, in the same or alternating locations, could be used without departing from the scope of the invention. In any case, however, the bottom wall 42, side walls 44, 45, 46 and 48 and spacers 66 are all preferably formed as a single piece of vacuum formed high-impact polystyrene. It should be understood that, although at least one of the novel methods described above includes the steps of providing a reusable brew basket 18, and then removing it and replacing it with the disposable brew basket 40, there are reasons why it may be preferable to practice the invention without these steps (i.e., without providing a reusable brew basket 18 at all), especially in the context of the hotel industry where such coffee makers are provided by hotels for daily in-room use by thousands of hotel guests. Again, the process of cleaning a reusable plastic brew basket and glass coffee pot after each use is time consuming, and failure to do so properly can compromise the quality and taste of the brewed coffee. This is especially so when the coffee makers are used to brew flavored coffee, which have tastes and scents that tend to linger in the permanent brew basket and coffee pot. These are among the reasons why a single-use, disposable brew basket designed to brew directly into a coffee cup is preferred in the present invention. However, in the context of the hotel industry, there are additional reasons why this is preferred. For example, if the drip coffee maker 10 is provided without a permanent “reusable” brew basket 18 (either because the coffee maker is manufactured and sold without one or because the hotel management removes it before placing the coffee maker in the room), then hotel guests and staff are less likely to steal the coffee maker, which is virtually useless without a brew basket. In addition to theft deterrence, providing a “single cup” coffee maker 10 (designed to brew directly into a coffee cup as shown in FIG. 1) without a reusable brew basket 18 and without a glass coffee pot eliminates risk of injury associated with handling these components. Also, because the “single cup” coffee maker 10 is preferably designed to brew directly into a coffee cup, there is no need for a heating plate, which further reduces the risk of injury. In view of the foregoing, it can be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and attained. The embodiments disclosed herein were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. As various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended thereto and their equivalents. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>For years, drip-type electric brewing machines have been used as an efficient means for making coffee. In general, these electric coffee brewing machine include a cold water reservoir, an electric resistance heating element for heating the water, and a reusable plastic brew basket for holding ground coffee in a paper coffee filter. To make coffee, cold water is poured into the water reservoir and ground coffee is placed in a coffee filter, which is in turn placed in the brew basket. The cold water is heated by the electric heating element, and the heated water then saturates the ground coffee. The brewed coffee then drips out into a receiving vessel, e.g., a coffee pot, which is positioned below the brew basket. After brewing is complete, the paper filter and used coffee grounds are taken out of the plastic brew basket and discarded. Then, the brew basket and coffee pot are cleaned for re-use. While such drip coffee makers are relatively fast and efficient, the process of cleaning the plastic brew basket and coffee pot after each use is time consuming. Moreover, if the brew basket and coffee pot are not cleaned regularly, the quality and taste of the brewed coffee is compromised. A related problem occurs when such drip coffee makers are used to brew flavored coffee. Unless the brew basket and coffee pot are cleaned thoroughly, the taste and strong scent of flavored coffee tends to linger in the brew basket and coffee pot and can be detected when these components are reused to brew coffee of a different flavor. While these concerns alone have not been significant enough to deter individuals from using drip-type electric coffee makers at home, these drawbacks are multiplied in the hotel industry, where such coffee makers are often provided by hotels for daily in-room use by their thousands of guests. The task of regularly cleaning the thousands of brew baskets and coffee pots is left to the housekeeping or other hotel staff. Thus, there is a need to simplify maintenance of drip-type electric coffee brewing machines, especially in the context of the hotel industry, where thousands of such machines are used daily by hotel guests. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is an object of the present invention to improve the efficiency of drip-type electric coffee brewing machines, and to reduce the time required for appropriately maintaining such machines. It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a single-use, disposable brew basket for use with a conventional drip-type electric coffee brewing machine. Another object of the invention is to provide a single-use, disposable brew basket that includes an integral single-use coffee filter pack. Still another object of the invention is to provide a single-use, disposable brew basket for a drip-type electric coffee brewing machine that is designed for brewing a single cup of coffee directly into a coffee cup. In general, a method of brewing a single cup of coffee comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket, inserting the disposable brew basket into the electric coffee brewing machine; brewing a single cup of coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket after the single cup of coffee has been brewed. The electric coffee brewing machine has a cold water reservoir and a basket receiving recess. The disposable brew basket has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. The bottom wall of the basket has a port located in a central portion thereof to permit brewed coffee to flow from the disposable brew basket. The disposable brew basket is inserted into the basket receiving recess of the electric coffee brewing machine before brewing. In another aspect of the present invention, a method of brewing coffee comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine having a cold water reservoir, an electric heating element for heating the water, and a reusable brew basket; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket; removing the reusable brew basket from the electric coffee brewing machine and replacing the same with the disposable brew basket; brewing coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket after the coffee has been brewed. The reusable brew basket of the electric coffee machine has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. The disposable brew basket has substantially the same dimensions as the reusable brew basket of the electric coffee brewing machine. The disposable brew basket has a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir for receiving heated water from the electric coffee brewing machine. In still another aspect of the present invention, a method of brewing a single cup of coffee comprises the steps of: providing an electric coffee brewing machine having a reusable brew basket; providing a single-use, disposable brew basket of substantially the same dimensions as the reusable brew basket of the electric coffee brewing machine, providing a coffee filter pack comprising a liquid permeable pouch containing ground coffee within the brewing reservoir of the disposable brew basket; removing the reusable brew basket from the electric coffee brewing machine and replacing the same with the disposable brew basket and coffee filter pack; brewing a single cup of coffee with the electric coffee brewing machine; and discarding the disposable brew basket and coffee filter pack after the single cup of coffee has been brewed. In yet another aspect of the invention, a disposable brew basket for use in an electric coffee brewing machine comprises a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls. The side walls extend generally upwardly from a perimeter of the bottom wall to define a brewing reservoir. The bottom wall has a port located in a central portion of the bottom wall adapted to permit brewed coffee to flow from the brewing reservoir of the disposable brew basket. Each of the side walls of the basket extends upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall at an angle to facilitate nesting of the basket with adjacent, aligned baskets of like configuration. The bottom wall and side walls are of a monolithic piece of vacuum formed high-impact polystyrene. Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. | 20040916 | 20070821 | 20050804 | 59702.0 | 2 | WEIER, ANTHONY J | METHOD EMPLOYING A DISPOSABLE BREW BASKET FOR AN ELECTRIC COFFE MAKER | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,943,348 | ACCEPTED | Multiple lid closure with open lid retention feature | A dispensing closure system is provided with two or more dispensing apertures and two or more pivotable lids. Each lid can be selectively opened and retained in a fully opened orientation. In a preferred form of the invention, the lids are incorporated in a top that is snap-fitted into a closure body which defines the dispensing apertures. | 1. A dispensing closure system for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, said dispensing closure system comprising: (A) a body for accommodating communication with said container interior and including (1) a deck having (a) a deck first portion that includes a first dispensing region defining at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed, (b) a deck second portion that includes a second dispensing region defining at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed, and (c) a deck third portion that includes a third dispensing region defining at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed; (2) radially oriented, upwardly projecting, first, second, and third walls wherein said first wall is located between said deck first portion and said deck second portion, wherein said second wall is located between said deck second portion and said deck third portion, and wherein said third wall is located between said deck third portion and said deck first portion; each said wall having two inner end faces that diverge from each other; (3) a central raised platform that (A) is higher than said deck, first portion, second portion, and third portion, (B) extends radially inwardly from said inner end faces of each said wall, and (C) defines one anchor recess with a annular snap-fit retention bead; (4) a protuberance projecting laterally from one of said two inner end faces of said first wall over said raised platform; (5) a protuberance projecting laterally from the other one of said two inner end faces of said first wall over said raised platform; (6) a protuberance projecting laterally from one of said two inner end faces of said second wall over said raised platform; (7) a protuberance projecting laterally from the other one of said two inner end faces of said second wall over said raised platform; (8) a protuberance projecting laterally from one of said two inner end faces of said third wall over said raised platform; (9) a protuberance projecting laterally from the other one of said two inner end faces of said third wall over said raised platform; (B) a top that is mounted to said body and that includes (1) a stationery central panel, (2) an anchor post that (a) projects from beneath said central panel, and (b) has an annular bead for cooperating with said anchor post retention bead to mount said central panel to said platform with a snap-fit engagement when said anchor post is inserted into said anchor recess, (3) a first lid that (a) is associated with said first dispensing region, (b) is hingedly connected to said central panel, (c) is pivotable between (I) a closed position occluding said first dispensing region aperture, and (ii) a fully open position away from said closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through said first dispensing region aperture, and (d) defines two lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past one of said protuberances as said first lid is pivoted to said fully open position where said first lid is retained unless a sufficient closing force is applied to said first lid so as to move said first lid toward said closed position and force said first lid margins past said protuberances; (4) a second lid that (a) is associated with said second dispensing region, (b) is hingedly connected to said central panel, (c) is pivotable between (I) a closed position occluding said second dispensing region aperture, and (ii) a fully open position away from said closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through said second dispensing region aperture, and (d) defines first and second lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past said first and second protuberance, respectively, as said second lid is pivoted to said fully open position where said second lid is retained unless a sufficient closing force is applied to said second lid so as to move said second lid toward said closed position and force said second lid margins past said protuberance; (5) a third lid that (a) is associated with said third dispensing region, (b) is hingedly connected to said central panel, (c) is pivotable between (I) a closed position occluding said third dispensing region aperture, and (ii) a fully open position away from said closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through said third dispensing region aperture, and (d) defines two lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past one said protuberances as said third lid is pivoted to said fully open position where said third lid is retained unless a sufficient closing force is applied to said third lid so as to move said third lid toward said closed position and force said third lid margins past said protuberances. 2. The system in accordance with claim 1 which a first hinge connects said first lid to said central panel, a second hinge connects said second lid to said central panel, a third hinge connects said third lid to said central panel, said hinges each defines a pivot axis, said pivot axes of the hinges lie in, and define, a common plane, and each said protuberance has an elongate configuration oriented at an oblique angle with respect to said common plane. 3. The system in accordance with claim 1 in which each said protuberance (A) is elongate, and (B) has at least one end for initially engaging one of said lateral margins of one of said lids. 4. A dispensing closure system for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, said dispensing closure system comprising: (A) a body for accommodating communication with said container interior and including (1) a deck having at least (a) a first dispensing region defining at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed, and (b) a second dispensing region defining at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed, and (2) at least two protuberances that each (a) are located above the elevation of said deck, and (b) project laterally; (B) at least a first lid that (1) is associated with said first dispensing region, (2) is pivotable between (a) a closed position occluding said first dispensing region aperture, and (b) a fully open position away from said closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through said first dispensing region aperture, and (3) defines two lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past one said protuberances as said first lid is pivoted to said fully open position where said first lid is retained unless a sufficient closing force is applied to said first lid so as to move said first lid toward said closed position and force said first lid margins past said protuberances; (C) at least a second lid that (1) is associated with said second dispensing region, (2) is pivotable between (a) a closed position occluding said second dispensing region aperture, and (b) a fully open position away from said closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through said second dispensing region aperture, and (3) defines two lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past one said protuberances as said second lid is pivoted to said fully open position where said second lid is retained unless a sufficient closing force is applied to said second lid so as to move said second lid toward said closed position and force said second lid margins past said protuberances. 5. The system in accordance with claim 4 in which said system is a dispensing closure for a container that has an opening to the container interior, said closure being separate from, but releasably attachable to, said container around said opening. 6. The system in accordance with claim 5 in which said dispensing closure is a two-piece assembly that includes a body for mounting to said container, said body defining at least said first and second dispensing regions; and a top that is mounted to said body and that includes said first and second lids, said top including (A) a stationary central panel anchored to said body, (B) a first hinge connecting said first lid to said central panel, and (C) a second hinge connecting said second lid to said central panel. 7. The system in accordance with claim 6 in which said body deck has a third dispensing region defining at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed; said top includes (1) a third lid that is associated with said third dispensing region, and (2) a third hinge connecting said third lid to said central panel for pivotable movement between (a) a closed position occluding said third dispensing region aperture, and (b) a fully open position away from said closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through the third dispensing region aperture; said body includes said protuberances arranged in first, second, and third pairs associated with, and adapted to engage, said first, second, and third lids, respectively; said third lid defines two lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past one said protuberances of said third pair of protuberances as said third lid is pivoted to said fully open position where said third lid is retained unless a sufficient closing force is applied to said third lid so as to move said third lid toward said closed position and force said third lid margins past said protuberances. 8. The system in accordance with claim 4 in which said body has only two of said protuberances which are spaced-apart; and said first lid and said second lid are each adapted to be selectively moved between said closed position and said fully open position whereby each said lateral margin of each said lid can engage and move past one of said protuberances. 9. The system in accordance with claim 4 in which each said protuberance (A) is elongate, and (B) has two ends. 10. The system in accordance with claim 4 in which said body deck has at least (A) a deck first portion defining said first dispensing region, and (B) a deck second portion defining said second dispensing region; said body includes a raised platform that (A) is at an elevation higher than said deck first portion and said deck second portion, (B) extends between at least said deck first portion and said deck second portion, and (C) defines at least one anchor hole; said body includes at least two upwardly projecting walls that each (A) is located adjacent said deck first portion, said deck second portion, and said platform, and (B) extends to an elevation higher than said platform; one of said protuberances projects laterally from one of said two walls over said raised platform; another one of said protuberances projects laterally from another one of said two walls over said raised platform; said system includes a top that includes (A) said first lid, (B) said second lid, (C) a stationary central panel, (D) an anchor post that (1) projects from beneath said central panel, and (2) has an enlarged head which is temporarily elastically deformable for initially deforming to pass through said body raised platform anchor hole and for subsequently returning to its undeformed configuration beneath said platform to create a snap-fit engagement mounting of said central panel to said platform, (E) a first hinge connecting said central panel to said first lid, and (F) a second hinge connecting said central panel to said second lid. 11. The system in accordance with claim 4 in which said body deck has at least (A) a deck first portion defining said first dispensing region, and (B) a deck second portion defining said first dispensing region, and (C) a deck second portion defining said second dispensing region; said body includes a raised platform that (A) is at an elevation higher than said deck first portion and said deck second portion, (B) extends between at least said deck first portion and said deck second portion, and (C) defines one anchor recess with a annular snap-fit retention bead; said body includes at least two upwardly projecting walls that each (A) is located adjacent said platform, and (B) extends to an elevation higher than said platform; one of said protuberances projects laterally from one of said two walls over said raised platform; said system includes a top that includes (A) said first lid, (B) said second lid, (C) a stationary central panel, (D) an anchor post that (1) projects from beneath said central panel, and (2) has an annular bead for cooperating with said anchor post retention bead to create a snap-fit engagement mounting of said central panel to said platform when said anchor post is inserted into said anchor recess, (E) a first hinge connecting said central panel to said first lid, and (F) a second hinge connecting said central panel to said second lid. 12. The system in accordance with claim 11 in which said body deck defines a deck third portion defining a third dispensing region that defines at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed; said body includes three of said upwardly projecting walls such that (A) a first one of said upwardly projecting walls (1) is located adjacent said deck first portion, said deck second portion, and said platform, and (2) extends to an elevation higher than said platform; (B) a second one of said upwardly projecting walls (1) is located adjacent said deck second portion, said deck third portion, and said platform, and (2) extends to an elevation higher than said platform; (C) a third one of said upwardly projecting walls (1) is located adjacent said deck third portion, said deck first portion, and said platform, and (2) extends to an elevation higher than said platform; (D) each of said three upwardly projecting walls has two inner end faces that diverge from each other; one of said protuberances projects from one of said inner end faces over said body raised platform and over said top central panel; said top includes (A) a third lid that is associated with said third dispensing region; and (B) a third hinge connecting said third lid to said central panel so that said third lid is pivotable between a closed position occluding said first dispensing region aperture and a fully open position away from said closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through the third dispensing region aperture; and said third lid defines two lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past one of said protuberances as said third lid is pivoted to said fully open position where said third lid is retained unless a sufficient force is applied to said third lid so as to move said third lid toward said closed position and force said third lid margins past said protuberances. 13. A dispensing closure system for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, said dispensing closure system comprising: (A) a body for accommodating communication with said container interior and including (1) a deck having (a) a deck first portion that includes a first dispensing region defining at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed, and (b) a deck second portion that includes a second dispensing region defining at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed; (2) a raised platform that (A) is at an elevation higher than said deck first portion and said deck second portion, (B) extends between at least said deck first portion and said deck second portion, and (C) defines at least one anchor hole; (3) a pair of spaced-apart, upwardly projecting walls that each (a) is located adjacent said deck first portion, said deck second portion, and said platform, and (b) extends to an elevation higher than said platform; (4) a first protuberance projecting laterally from one of said pair of projecting walls over said raised platform; (5) a second protuberance projecting laterally from the other one of said pair of projecting walls over said raised platform; (B) a top that is mounted to said body and that includes (1) a stationary central panel; (2) an anchor post that (a) projects from beneath said central panel, and (b) has an enlarged head which is temporarily elastically deformable for initially deforming to pass through said body raised platform anchor hole and for subsequently returning to its undeformed configuration beneath said platform to create a snap-fit engagement mounting of said central panel to said platform; (3) a first lid that (a) is associated with said first dispensing region, (b) is hingedly connected to said central panel, (c) is pivotable between (I) a closed position occluding said first dispensing region aperture, and (ii) a fully open position away from said closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through said first dispensing region aperture, and (d) defines first and second lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past said first and second protuberances, respectively, as said first lid is pivoted to said fully open position where said first lid is retained unless a sufficient closing force is applied to said first lid so as to move said first lid toward said closed position and force said first lid margins past said protuberances; and (4) a second lid that (a) is associated with said second dispensing region, (b) is hingedly connected to said central panel, (c) is pivotable between (I) a closed position occluding said second dispensing region aperture, and (ii) a fully open position away from said closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through said second dispensing region aperture, and (d) defines first and second lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past said first and second protuberances, respectively, as said second lid is pivoted to said fully open position where said second lid is retained unless a sufficient closing force is applied to said second lid so as to move said second lid toward said closed position and force said second lid margins past said protuberances. 14. A dispensing closure system for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, said dispensing closure system comprising: (A) a body for accommodating communication with said container interior and including (1) a deck having (a) a deck first portion that includes a first dispensing region defining at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed, and (b) a deck second portion that includes a second dispensing region defining at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed: (2) a raised platform that (A) is at an elevation higher than said deck first portion and said deck second portion, (B) extends between at least said deck first portion and said deck second portion, and (C) defines one anchor recess with a annular snap-fit retention bead; (3) a pair of spaced-apart, upwardly projecting walls that each (a) is located adjacent said deck first portion, said deck second portion, and said platform, and (b) extends to an elevation higher than said platform; (4) a first protuberance projecting laterally from one of said pair of projecting walls over said raised platform; (5) a second protuberance projecting laterally from the other one of said pair of projecting walls over said raised platform; (B) a top that is mounted to said body and that includes (1) a stationary central panel; (2) an anchor post that (a) projects from beneath said central panel, and (b) has an annular bead for cooperating with said anchor post retention bead to mount said central panel to said platform with a snap-fit engagement when said anchor post is inserted into said anchor recess; (3) a first lid that (a) is associated with said first dispensing region, (b) is hingedly connected to said central panel, (c) is pivotable between (I) a closed position occluding said first dispensing region aperture, and (ii) a full open position away from said closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through said first dispensing region aperture, and (d) defines first and second lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past said first and second protuberances, respectively, as said first lid is pivoted to said fully open position where said first lid is retained unless a sufficient closing force is applied to said first lid so as to move said first lid toward said closed position and force said first lid margins past said protuberances; and (4) a second lid that (a) is associated with said second dispensing region, (b) is hingedly connected to said central panel, (c) is pivotable between (I) a closed position occluding said second dispensing region aperture, and (ii) a fully open position away from said closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through said second dispensing region aperture, and (d) defines first and second lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past said first and second protuberances, respectively, as said second lid is pivoted to said fully open position where said second lid is retained unless a sufficient closing force is applied to said second lid so as to move said second lid toward said closed position and force said second lid margins past said protuberances. 15. The system in accordance with claim 14 in which each said protuberance (A) is elongate, and (B) has two ends which each defines a camming surface for initially engaging and guiding one of said lateral margins of one of said lids. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) Not applicable. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not applicable. REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX Not applicable. TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a system for dispensing a material from a container. The invention is particularly suitable for incorporation in a dispensing closure for use with a squeezable container. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS POSED BY THE PRIOR ART There are a variety of types of conventional dispensing closures. One type of prior art dispensing closure system includes a body or base for being attached to the top of a container. The body defines a dispensing opening. The system further includes a lid which is hingedly mounted on the body and which can be lifted up to open the dispensing opening. Dispensing closures are typically used for dispensing a fluent product from a container. With some types of fluent products, and in some applications, it may be desirable to have the body dispensing opening be substantially unobstructed around most, if not all, of the periphery when the lid is open. It is desirable for the lid to be held as far open as possible so that the lid does not hang down and interfere with the fluent product dispensing process. For example, when dispensing mustard or other fluent condiments from a container through the dispensing opening of a dispensing closure, the user does not want the open lid to contact the discharging product or contact the target area, such as a plate or food item onto which the fluent product is being dispensed. It would be desirable to provide an improved system for maintaining a lid in an open position during the dispensing product. Further, in some applications, it may be desirable to provide a dispensing closure with multiple dispensing openings having different configurations for selectively dispensing discharge streams having different sizes or configurations. Preferably, if each separate dispensing opening has its own separate lid, a desired dispensing opening can be selected and opened by opening the associated lid while the remaining dispensing openings can remain closed with their own separate lids. It would be desirable to provide a dispensing closure with multiple dispensing openings and multiple lids that could each be selectively and easily operated between a closed condition and a substantially wide open condition wherein the opened lid is maintained in a substantially wide open condition until the user re-closes the opened lid. Such a multiple lid closure should accommodate ease of use. Preferably, such an improved multiple lid closure should also permit the area around the dispensing opening to be readily cleaned. It would also be desirable to provide an improved dispensing closure system which would have components that can be easily manufactured and assembled. It would also be beneficial if an improved dispensing closure system could readily accommodate its manufacture from a variety of different materials. It would also be advantageous if such an improved dispensing closure system could accommodate bottles, containers, or packages which have a variety of shapes and which are constructed from a variety of materials. Further, it would be desirable if such an improved system could accommodate efficient, high-quality, high-speed, large volume manufacturing techniques with a reduced product reject rate to produce products having consistent operating characteristics unit-to-unit with high reliability. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The dispensing closure system of the present invention can accommodate designs that include one or more of the above-discussed desired features. According to one aspect of the present invention, a dispensing closure system is provided for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored. The dispensing closure system has a body for accommodating communication with the container interior. The body includes (1) a deck having at least (a) a first dispensing region defining at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed, and (b) a second dispensing region defining at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed, and (2) at least two protuberances that each (a) are located above the elevation of the deck, and (b) project laterally. The closure system also includes at least a first lid that (1) is associated with the first dispensing region, (2) is pivotable between (a) a closed position occluding the first dispensing region aperture, and (b) a fully open position away from the closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through the first dispensing region aperture, and (3) defines two lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past one the protuberances as the first lid is pivoted to the fully open position where the first lid is retained unless a sufficient closing force is applied to the first lid so as to move the first lid toward the closed position and force the first lid margins past the protuberances. The closure system also includes at least a second lid that (1) is associated with the second dispensing region, (2) is pivotable between (a) a closed position occluding the second dispensing region aperture, and (b) a fully open position away from the closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through the second dispensing region aperture, and (3) defines two lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past one the protuberances as the second lid is pivoted to the fully open position where the second lid is retained unless a sufficient closing force is applied to the second lid so as to move the second lid toward the closed position and force the second lid margins past the protuberances. In one form of the invention, the system is a two-piece dispensing closure for a container that has an opening to the container interior, and the closure is separate from, but releasably attachable to, the container around the opening. The closure includes a body for mounting to the container, and the body defines at least the first and second dispensing regions. The closure also includes a top that is mounted to the body and that includes the first and second lids. The top also includes (1) a stationary central panel anchored to the body, (2) a first hinge connecting the first lid to the central panel, and (3) a second hinge connecting the second lid to the central panel. The closure may also include (1) a third dispensing region similar to the first and second dispensing regions, and (2) a pivotable third lid that is associated with the third dispensing region, and (3) protuberances for holding the third lid open. Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification, in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a dispensing closure system of the present invention as embodied in a dispensing closure for use on, or as part of, a container (not illustrated), and the dispensing closure is shown in a normally closed orientation; FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but FIG. 2 shows one of three lids on the dispensing closure top moved to a latched open position; FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the dispensing closure shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 4-4 in FIG. 3; FIG. 4A is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary view of the portion of the structure which is encircled in FIG. 4; FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the dispensing closure shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 shows the top separated from the body; FIG. 6 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary view of a portion of the structure which is encircled in FIG. 1; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the underside of the closure body shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the closure body shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 9-9 in FIG. 8; FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the underside of the closure top shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the closure top shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 12-12 in FIG. 11; FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a dispensing closure system of the present invention as embodied in a dispensing closure for use on, or as part of, a container (not illustrated), and the dispensing closure is shown in a normally closed orientation; FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13, but FIG. 14 shows one of two lids on the dispensing closure top moved to a latched open position; FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the second embodiment closure illustrated in FIG. 13; FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 16-16 in FIG. 15; FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of the second embodiment of the dispensing closure shown in FIG. 13, and FIG. 17 shows the top separated from the body; FIG. 18 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary view of a portion of the structure which is encircled in FIG. 13; FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the underside of the closure body shown in FIG. 17; FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the closure body shown in FIG. 17; FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 21-21 in FIG. 20; FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 22-22 in FIG. 20; FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the underside of the closure top shown in FIG. 17; FIG. 24 is a top plan view of the closure top shown in FIG. 17; FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 25-25 in FIG. 24; FIG. 26 is a perspective view of an alternate form of the closure body illustrated in FIG. 5; FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the underside of the alternate form of the closure body shown in FIG. 26; FIG. 28 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 28-28 in FIG. 26; FIG. 29 is a perspective view of an alternate form of the closure top shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 30 is a perspective view of the underside of the alternate form of the closure top shown in FIG. 29; and FIG. 31 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 31-31 in FIG. 29. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, this specification and the accompanying drawings disclose only some specific forms as examples of the invention. The invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments so described, however. The scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims. For ease of description, the dispensing system of this invention is described in a generally upright orientation that it could have at the upper end of a container when the container is stored upright on its base. It will be understood, however, that the dispensing system of this invention may be manufactured, stored, transported, used, and sold in orientations other than the position described. The dispensing system of this invention is suitable for use with a variety of conventional or special containers having various designs, the details of which, although not illustrated or described, would be apparent to those having skill in the art and an understanding of such containers. With respect to the illustrated embodiments of the invention described herein, the container, per se, forms no part of, and therefore is not intended to limit, the broadest aspects of the present invention. It will also be understood by those of ordinary skill that novel and non-obvious inventive aspects are embodied in the described exemplary dispensing system alone. One presently preferred first embodiment of a dispensing closure system of the present invention is in the form of a dispensing closure assembly illustrated in FIGS. 1-12 and is designated generally therein by reference number 30 in FIG. 1. The dispensing closure assembly 30, which is hereinafter sometimes referred to more simply as the “closure 30,” is provided as a separately manufactured unit or subassembly for mounting to the top of a container (not shown). It will be appreciated, however, that in some applications it may be desirable for the dispensing closure 30 to be formed as a unitary part, or extension, of the container wherein the unitary part or extension defines a dispensing end structure of the container, per se. The container (not shown) typically has a conventional mouth which provides access to the container interior and product contained therein. The product may be, for example, a fluid or spreadable comestible product, such as mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, etc. The product could also be any other fluent or spreadable material, including, but not limited to, powders, creams, lotions, slurries, pastes, etc. Such materials may be sold, for example, as a food product, a personal care product, an industrial or household product, or other composition (e.g., for internal or external use by humans or animals, or for use in activities involving medicine, manufacturing, commercial or household maintenance, construction, agriculture, etc.). The container typically may have a neck or other suitable structure defining the container mouth. The neck may have (but need not have) a circular cross-sectional configuration, and the body of the container may have another cross-sectional configuration, such as an oval cross-sectional shape, for example. The container may, on the other hand, have a substantially uniform shape along its entire length or height without any neck portion of reduced size or different cross-section. The container typically may be a squeezable container having a flexible wall or walls which can be grasped by the user and compressed to increase the internal pressure within the container so as to squeeze the product out of the container through the closure 30 when the closure 30 is open. Such a container wall typically has sufficient, inherent resiliency so that when the squeezing forces are removed, the container wall tends to return to its normal, unstressed shape, and tends to draw ambient atmosphere into the container through the closure to the extent that the closure is an open mode or in-venting mode. Such a squeezable container structure is preferred in many applications, but may not be necessary or preferred in other applications. Indeed, the container may be substantially rigid. A piston could be provided in such a rigid container to aid in dispensing a product, especially a relatively viscous product. On the other hand, a rigid container could be employed for inverted dispensing of the product under the influence of gravity acting on the mass of the discharging product and/or under the influence of a reduced ambient pressure at the exterior of the container (e.g., as created by sucking on the open closure 30). As shown in FIG. 5 for the first embodiment, the preferred multi-piece structure of the closure 30 comprises a base or body 32 and a top 34. In the preferred, first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-12, the closure body 32 and top 34 are preferably molded from a suitable thermoplastic material such as polypropylene or the like. Other materials may be employed instead. In other contemplated embodiments, the closure 30 need not be a multi-piece structure comprising the body 32, per se, and top 34, per se. Further, the closure 30 need not be a structure that is completely separate from the container. Instead, the container, per se, could be made with a dispensing end structure that incorporates the body 32 as a unitary part of the container, or that incorporates both the body 32 and top 34 together as a unitary part of the container. In all of these alternatives, the body 32 may be characterized as a structural feature that functions to accommodate communication with the container interior. In any of the above-discussed alternatives, the container may have a bottom end (i.e., the end opposite the dispensing end on which the closure 30 is located), and that container bottom end could be initially left open for accommodating the filling of the container with the product to be dispensed. After the container is filled with the product through the open bottom end of the container, the open bottom end of the container could be closed by suitable means, such as by a separate bottom end closure which could be attached to the container bottom end through a suitable threaded engagement, snap-fit engagement, adhesive engagement, thermal bonding engagement, etc. Alternatively, such an open bottom portion of the container could be deformed closed (e.g., with an appropriate process applying heat and force if the container bottom portion is made from a thermoplastic material or other material that would accommodate the use of such a process). The body 32 may have a skirt 36 (FIGS. 7 and 9) with a conventional internal thread 38 for engaging a mating container thread (not shown) to secure the closure body 32 to the container (not shown). The closure body 32 and container could also be releasably connected with a snap-fit bead and groove (not shown), or by other means. Alternatively, the closure body 32 may be permanently attached to the container by means of induction bonding, ultrasonic bonding, gluing, or the like, depending upon the materials employed for the container and closure body 32. The interior of the body 32 may include special or conventional seal features to provide an enhanced leak-tight seal between the closure body 32 and the container. The illustrated preferred, first form of the closure body 32 defines a radially inwardly extending deck 40 (FIG. 5). With reference to FIG. 8, the body deck 40 has a first deck portion 41, a second deck portion 42, and a third deck portion 43. The deck 40 also includes a radially oriented, upwardly projecting first wall 51 located between the deck first portion 41 and the deck second portion 42. The deck 40 also includes a radially oriented, upwardly projecting second wall 52 located between the deck second portion 42 and the deck third portion 43. The deck 40 also includes a radially oriented, upwardly projecting third wall 53 located between the deck third portion 43 and the deck first portion 41. As can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, each wall 51, 52, and 53 has two inner end faces 61 and 62 which diverge away from each other. The wall inner end faces 61 and 62 extend generally vertically upwardly adjacent a raised central platform 66 (FIG. 5) that is higher than the first deck portion 41, second deck portion 42, and third deck portion 43. The raised central platform 66 extends radially inwardly from the inner end faces 61 and 62 of each wall 51, 52, and 53. The raised central platform 66 defines at least one anchor hole, and preferably three such anchor holes 68 (FIGS. 8 and 9). As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 6, the inner end face 61 of each first wall 51, second wall 52, and third wall 53 supports a protuberance 71 which projects laterally over the raised central platform 66 (see FIGS. 5 and 9). The inner end face 62 of each first wall 51, second wall 52, and third wall 53 supports a protuberance 72 which projects laterally over the raised central platform 66. As can be seen in FIG. 6, each protuberance 71 and 72 is elongate and has two ends. As can be seen with respect to protuberance 71 in FIG. 9, each protuberance is preferably oriented at a slight angle oblique to the closure body deck 40 and to the common plane that contains the pivot axes of the three lid hinges. The deck first portion 41, deck second portion 42, and deck third portion 43, each have a dispensing region in the shape of a cylindrical protuberance or spout 81, 82, and 83, respectively (as can be seen in FIGS. 5 an 8). As can be seen in FIG. 8, the first dispensing region or spout 81 has five cylindrical dispensing apertures 85, the second dispensing region or spout 82 has a single cylindrical dispensing aperture 86, and the third dispensing region or spout 83 has a pair of dispensing apertures 87 which each has the shape of a square conduit opening. The central aperture 85 has a longitudinal axis parallel to the main longitudinal axis of the closure. The remaining four apertures 85 each have a longitudinal axis that is at an oblique angle relative to the axis of the central aperture 85 as can be seen in FIG. 8, and this gives a wider dispersion discharge pattern. Apertures 85, 86 and 87 may have other shapes where desired depending upon the particular application. As can be seen in FIG. 8, the exterior surface of the skirt 36 of the closure body 32 has three circumferentially spaced thumb access recesses 91, the shape of which is apparent from the perspective view of the closure body 32 in FIG. 5. The major portion of the remaining exterior surface of the closure body skirt 36 is preferably formed with a circumferential array of axially extending ribs or grooves to provide an enhanced gripping surface for the user. FIG. 4A and FIGS. 10-12 illustrate in more detail the structure of the top 34. With reference to the underside view of the top 34 in FIG. 9, the top 34 includes a stationary central panel 100. Three anchor posts 102 project from beneath the central panel 100. Each anchor post 102 has an enlarged head which is temporarily elastically deformable for initially deforming to pass through one of the closure body central platform anchor holes 68 and for subsequently returning to its undeformed configuration beneath the platform 66 to create a snap-fit engagement mounting of the top central panel 100 to the closure body platform 66 as can be seen in FIG. 4. As can be seen in FIG. 10, the lid 34 has a first lid 121, a second lid 122, and a third lid 123. As can be see in FIG. 5, the first lid 121 is associated with, and adapted to overlie, the deck first portion 41. The second lid 122 is associated with, and adapted to overlie, the deck second portion 42. The third lid 123 is associated with, and adapted to overlie, the deck third portion 43. As can be seen in FIG. 10, the first lid 121 is connected to the central panel 100 with a first film hinge 131. The second lid 122 is connected to the central panel 100 with a second film hinge 132. The third lid 123 is connected to the central panel 100 with a third film hinge 133. Each film hinge 131, 132, and 133 is defined by a generally V-shaped groove in the underside of the top 34 so as to define a reduced thickness portion of material which accommodates selective movement of the connected lid between a closed position (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4) and a full open position (as shown for the second lid 122 in FIG. 2). As can be seen in FIG. 10, the underside of the first lid 121 has a projecting cylindrical sealing collar 141. The underside of the second lid 122 has a projecting sealing collar 142. The underside of the third lid 123 has a projecting cylindrical sealing collar 143. Each sealing collar 141, 142, and 143 has an inwardly projecting annular seal bead 144 for sealingly engaging the exterior cylindrical surface of the associated closure body spout (e.g., spout 81, 82, or 83 visible in FIG. 5). FIG. 4A shows the second lid 122 closed with the sealing collar 142 surrounding the closure body spout 82 and with the annular bead 144 on the sealing collar 142 sealingly engaging the exterior cylindrical surface of the closure body spout 82. As can be seen in FIG. 10, the first lid 121 includes a front skirt 151, the second lid 122 includes a front skirt 152, and the third lid 123 includes a front skirt 153. The exterior of each skirt 151, 152, and 153 defines a recessed thumb lift 154. As can be seen in FIG. 10, each thumb lift 154 defines an undercut region of the lid against which a thumb or finger can be pushed to open the lid. The interior of each lid skirt 151, 152 and 153 includes a laterally or radially inwardly projecting latch bead, and FIG. 4A shows such a latch bead 162 on the second lid skirt 152. The deck second portion 42 includes a laterally or radially outwardly extending latch bead 164 for cooperating with the second lid latch bead 162. As can be seen in FIG. 4, when the second lid 122 is closed, the second lid latch bead 162 is spaced slightly below the closure body deck second portion latch bead 164. If the second lid 122 is subjected to an upwardly directed force (e.g., from an unintentional impact or from an intentional push by a user's finger or thumb), then the second lid 122 may move slightly upwardly until the latch beads 162 and 164 engage. At this point, substantially greater force is required to move the lid latch bead 162 past and over the closure body latch bead 164. This arrangement of the latch beads 162 and 164 functions to hold the lid in the closed position during normal handling of the closure 30 and associated package. However, the latch bead arrangement accommodates deliberate opening of the lid 122 when a sufficient opening force is applied. Further, when the lid is closed, the arrangement of the spaced-apart latch beads 162 and 164 accommodates slight variations in vertical dimensions owing to manufacturing tolerances. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the second lid 122 can be pushed upwardly and pivoted about its hinge to an open position. The second lid 122 can be retained or maintained in that open position by engagement with the closure body protuberances on the first wall 51 and second wall 52. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 4, the protuberance 71 on the inner end face 61 of the second wall 52 is adapted to engage a lateral portion of the second lid 122 as the second lid 122 is moved to the open position. Similarly, with reference to FIG. 3, the protuberance 72 on the inner end face 62 of the first wall 51 is adapted to engage the other lateral edge portion of the second lid 122. In particular, with reference to FIG. 11, it can be seen that the second lid 122 has a reduced width region defining a pair of lateral edges or margins 172 for engaging and being forced past one of the closure body protuberances (e.g., 71 or 72) as the second lid 122 is pivoted to the fully open position where the second lid 122 is retained. Also, some additional resistance to the pivoting of the lid is created by a slight interference between the lateral sides or margins 172 of the lid and the adjacent inner end faces 61 and 62 of the walls 52 and 51, respectively. The second lid 122 is retained in the fully open position (FIG. 2) unless a closing force is applied to the second lid 122 so as to move the second lid 122 toward the closed position and force the second lid margins 172 past the protuberances 71 and 72. When the second lid 122 is fully open, it is preferably retained at an angle of about 170 degrees or more from the closed position. This exposes the area around the dispensing aperture 82 and provides a clearance around the deck second portion 42. When the second lid 122 is held in the fully open position, the user can readily dispense the product without the second lid 122 significantly blocking the view of the discharging stream of the fluent product and without the second lid 122 hanging down in a way that might inadvertently touch the target area such as a plate of food or the like. When the second lid 122 is in the fully opened position as illustrated in FIG. 2, the underside edges of the lid lateral margins near the wall 51 or 52 are preferably located beneath the retention protuberances (protuberance 71 on one side of the lid 122 and protuberance 72 on the other side of the lid 122). The other two lids, the first lid 121 and the third lid 123, function in the same manner as the second lid 122 described above. Thus, the user may selectively open any one of the three lids, and that opened lid can be retained in the fully opened position during the dispensing process or during cleaning of the deck portion surrounding the dispensing aperture. When the second lid 122 is opened to dispense fluent product (such as mustard) through the dispensing aperture 86, a relatively small, generally cylindrical stream is discharged. During dispensing, the user can move the closure (with the attached container) so as to dispense and deposit the stream in a desired pattern, such as a spiral pattern. To that end, the exterior upper surface of the second lid 122 includes the design configuration of a spiral 183 as illustrated in FIG. 3. This serves as an example of one of various shapes in which the fluent product could be deposited by the user. The first lid 121 can be opened to expose the five dispensing apertures 85 (FIG. 5). The product discharging through the five apertures 85 may form an initial deposit in the shape of a cross or plus sign. To that end, a design of a cross or plus sign 184 is displayed on the exterior upper surface of the first lid 121. The two dispensing apertures 87 (FIG. 5) can dispense two parallel streams of fluent product simultaneously. If the user moves the package in a zig-zag manner during dispensing, then the fluent material will be deposited in two zig-zag configurations. To this end, the exterior upper surface of the third lid 123 is provided with the design of two zig-zag shapes 185 (FIG. 3). The closure 30 can be readily molded in two parts—the closure body 32 and the closure top 34. The two parts can then be easily assembled by snap-fitting the closure top 34 onto the closure body 32. The two parts can be made in different colors and/or from different materials. A presently preferred second embodiment of a dispensing system of the present invention, in the form of a dispensing closure assembly, is illustrated in FIGS. 13-25. As shown in FIG. 17 for the second embodiment, the preferred multi-piece structure of the closure 30A comprises a base or body 32A and a top 34A. The closure body 32A and top 34A are preferably molded from a suitable thermoplastic material such as polypropylene or the like. Other materials may be employed instead. As with the first embodiment closure 30 discussed above, the second embodiment closure 30A need not be a multi-piece structure and need not be a structure that is completely separate from the container. Instead, the container, per se, could be made with a dispensing end structure that incorporates the body 32A as a unitary part of the container, or that incorporates both the body 32A and top 34A together as a unitary part of the container. The body 32A may have a skirt 36A (FIGS. 19 and 22) with a conventional internal thread 38A for engaging a mating container thread (not shown) to secure the closure body 32A to the container (not shown). The closure body 32A and container could also be releasably connected with a snap-fit bead and groove (not shown), or by other means. Alternatively, the closure body 32A may be permanently attached to the container by means of induction bonding, ultrasonic bonding, gluing, or the like, depending upon the materials employed for the container and closure body 32A. The interior of the body 32A may include special or conventional seal features to provide an enhanced leak-tight seal between the closure body 32A and the container. The illustrated second form of the closure body 32A defines a radially inwardly extending deck 40A (FIG. 17). With reference to FIG. 17, the body deck 40A has a first deck portion 41A and a second deck portion 42A. The deck 40A also includes an upwardly projecting first wall 51A located along one side of the deck first portion 41A and the deck second portion 42A. The deck 40A also includes an upwardly projecting second wall 52A spaced from, and parallel to, the first wall 51A. The second wall 52A is located along one side of the deck second portion 42A and the deck first portion 41A. As can be seen in FIGS. 17 and 22, each wall 51A and 52A has a projecting inner face 61A and 62A, respectively. The wall inner faces 61A and 62A extend generally vertically upwardly adjacent a raised central platform 66A (FIGS. 17 and 22) that is higher than the first deck portion 41A and second deck portion 42A. The raised central platform 66A extends between the inner faces 61A and 62A. The raised central platform 66 defines at least one anchor hole, and preferably two such anchor holes 68A (FIGS. 17 and 22). As can be seen in FIGS. 17 and 22, the inner face 61A supports a protuberance 71A which projects laterally over the raised central platform 66A. The inner face 62A of the second wall 52A supports a protuberance 72A which projects laterally over the raised central platform 66A. As can be seen in FIG. 18, the protuberance 71A is elongate and has two ends 73A and 75A which are each rounded and define camming surfaces. The protuberance 72A has an identical shape. As can be seen with respect to protuberance 71A in FIGS. 18 and 21, each protuberance has a rounded lower edge that curves upwardly slightly toward each end 73A and 75A from a low point in the middle. The deck first portion 41A and deck second portion 42A each have a dispensing region in the shape of a cylindrical protuberance or spout 81A and 82A, respectively (as can be seen in FIGS. 17 an 20). As can be seen in FIG. 20, the first dispensing region or spout 81A has a pair of dispensing apertures 85A which each has the shape of a square conduit opening, and the second dispensing region or spout 82A has eight cylindrical dispensing apertures 88A. As can be seen in FIGS. 13 and 16, the exterior surface of the skirt 36A of the closure body 32A has two circumferentially spaced thumb access recesses 91A, the shape of which is apparent from the perspective view of the closure body 32A in FIG. 17. The major portion of the remaining exterior surface of the closure body skirt 36 is smooth, but may instead be formed with a circumferential array of axially extending ribs or grooves to provide an enhanced gripping surface for the user (as in the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1). FIG. 17 and FIGS. 23-25 illustrate in more detail the structure of the top 34A. With reference to the underside view of the top 34A in FIG. 23, the top 34A includes a stationary central panel 100A. Two anchor posts 102A project from beneath the central panel 100A. Each anchor post 102A has an enlarged head which is temporarily elastically deformable for initially deforming to pass through one of the closure body central platform anchor holes 68A and for subsequently returning to its undeformed configuration beneath the platform 66A to create a snap-fit engagement mounting of the top central panel 100A to the closure body platform 66A as can be seen in FIG. 16. As can be seen in FIG. 23, the lid 34A has a first lid 121A and a second lid 122A. As can be see in FIG. 17, the first lid 121A is associated with, and adapted to overlie, the deck first portion 41A. The second lid 122A is associated with, and adapted to overlie, the deck second portion 42A. As can be seen in FIG. 23, the first lid 121A is connected to the central panel 100A with a first film hinge 131A. The second lid 122A is connected to the central panel 100A with a second film hinge 132A. Each film hinge 131A and 132A is defined by a generally V-shaped groove in the underside of the top 34A so as to define a reduced thickness portion of material which accommodates selective movement of the connected lid between a closed position (as shown in FIGS. 13 and 16) and a full open position (as shown for the second lid 122A in FIG. 14). As can be seen in FIG. 23, the underside of the first lid 121A has a projecting cylindrical sealing collar 141A. The underside of the second lid 122A has a projecting sealing collar 142A. Each sealing collar 141A and 142A has an inwardly projecting annular seal bead 144A for sealingly engaging the exterior cylindrical surface of the associated closure body spout (e.g., spout 81A and spout 82A visible in FIG. 17). FIG. 16 shows the first lid 121A closed with the sealing collar 141A surrounding the closure body spout 81A and with the annular bead 144A on the inside of the sealing collar 142A sealingly engaging the exterior cylindrical surface of the closure body spout 81A. As can be seen in FIG. 23, the first lid 121A includes a front skirt 151A, and the second lid 122A includes a front skirt 152A. The exterior of each skirt 151A and 152A defines a recessed thumb lift 154A. As can be seen in FIG. 23, each thumb lift 154A defines an undercut region of the lid against which a thumb or finger can be pushed to open the lid. The interior of each lid skirt 151A and 152A includes a laterally or radially inwardly projecting latch bead 161A and 162A, respectively (FIG. 25). As can be seen in FIG. 21, the deck first portion 41A and deck second portion 42A each include a laterally or radially outwardly extending latch bead 164A and 165A, respectively, for cooperating with the first and second lid latch beads 161A and 162A, respectively. When either lid is closed, the lid latch bead is spaced slightly below the adjacent closure body deck portion latch bead in the same manner as described above in detail with respect to the first embodiment latch beads 162 and 164 illustrated in FIG. 4A. If the lid is subjected to an upwardly directed force (e.g., from an unintentional impact or from an intentional push by a user's finger or thumb), then the lid may move slightly upwardly until the lid and body latch beads engage. At this point, substantially greater force is required to move the lid latch bead past and over the closure body latch bead. This arrangement of the latch beads functions to hold the lid in the closed position during normal handling of the closure 30A and associated package. However, the latch bead arrangement accommodates deliberate opening of the lid when a sufficient opening force is applied. Further, when the lid is closed, the arrangement of the spaced-apart latch beads accommodates slight variations in vertical dimensions owing to manufacturing tolerances. As can be seen in FIG. 14, the first lid 121A can be pushed upwardly and pivoted about its hinge to an open position. The first lid 121A can be retained or maintained in that open position by engagement with the closure body protuberance 71A on the first wall 51A and the closure body protuberance 72A on the second wall 52A. With reference to FIGS. 13 and 16, the protuberance 71A on the inner face 61A of the first wall 51A is adapted to engage a lateral portion of the first lid 121A as the first lid 121A is moved to the open position. Similarly, with reference to FIG. 22, the protuberance 72A on the inner face 62A of the second wall 52A is adapted to engage the other lateral edge portion of the first lid 121A. The first lid 121 may thus be characterized as defining a pair of lateral edges or margins 171A (FIG. 23) for each engaging and being forced past one of the closure body protuberances (e.g., 71A or 72A) as the first lid 121A is pivoted to the fully open position where the first lid 121A is retained. The first lid 121A is retained in the fully open position (FIG. 14) unless a closing force is applied to the first lid 121A so as to move the first lid 121A toward the closed position and force the first lid margins 171A past the protuberances 71A and 72A. When the first lid 121A is fully open, it is preferably retained at an angle of about 170 degrees or more from the closed position. This exposes the area around the dispensing aperture 81A and provides a clearance around the deck second portion 41A. When the first lid 121A is held in the fully open position, the user can readily dispense the product without the first lid 121A significantly blocking the view of the discharging stream of the fluent product and without the first lid 121A hanging down in a way that might inadvertently touch the target area—such as a plate of food or the like. When the first lid 121A is in the fully opened position as illustrated in FIG. 14, the underside edges of the lid lateral margins 171A near the wall 51A or wall 52A are preferably located beneath the retention protuberances (protuberance 71A on one side of the lid 121A and protuberance 72A on the other side of the lid 121A). The second lid 122A functions in the same manner as the first lid 121A described above. Thus, the user may selectively open either one of the two lids, and that opened lid can be retained in the fully opened position during the dispensing process or during cleaning of the deck portion surrounding the dispensing aperture. The second lid 122A can be opened to expose the eight dispensing apertures 88A (FIG. 20). The product discharging through the eight apertures 88A may form an initial deposit in the shape of a cross or plus sign. To that end, a design of a cross or plus sign 184A (FIG. 13) is displayed on the exterior upper surface of the second lid 122A. The first lid 121A can be opened to expose the two dispensing apertures 85A. The two dispensing apertures 85A (FIGS. 14 and 20) can dispense two parallel streams of fluent product simultaneously. If the user moves the package in a zig-zag manner during dispensing, then the fluent material will be deposited in two zig-zag configurations. To this end, the exterior upper surface of the first lid 121A is provided with the design of two zig-zag shapes 185A (FIG. 13). The closure 30A can be readily molded in two parts—the closure body 32A and the closure top 34A. The two parts can then be easily assembled by snap-fitting the closure top 34A onto the closure body 32A. The two parts can be made in different colors and/or from different materials. In both the first embodiment of the dispensing system illustrated in FIGS. 1-12 and in the second embodiment of the dispensing system illustrated in FIGS. 13-25, the top structure is separate from the closure body. In some applications, it may be desirable to form the closure top and the closure body as a one-piece, unitary structure. However, in the illustrated embodiments, where the top is separate from the body, other forms or arrangements of attaching the top to the body may be employed. FIGS. 26-31 illustrate a presently preferred, alternative arrangement for attaching a separate closure top to the closure body. The alternative arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 26-31 is shown as incorporated in the three-lid structure of the kind described above with reference to the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-12. In the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-12, the top is mounted to the closure body with three anchor posts 102 which are received in anchor holes 68. However, in the alternative arrangement of anchoring the top to the body as illustrated in FIGS. 26-31, only one anchor post is employed as explained in detail hereinafter. It will be appreciated that such an alternate form of anchoring a separate top to a separate closure body with one anchor post may also be employed in the second embodiment of the closure illustrated in FIGS. 13-25. With reference to FIGS. 26-31, the alternate form of the closure body is designated by the reference number 32B, and the alternate form of the closure top is designated by the reference number 34B. Many of the basic features of the alternate form of the closure body 32B and closure top 34B are identical to features previously described for the first embodiment of the closure body 32 and closure top 34. The features of the alternate forms of the closure body 32B and top 34B which are identical to the first embodiment features need not be described herein again in detail. The alternate form of the closure body 32B as illustrated in FIGS. 26-28 includes a single anchor recess 68B in a raised, central platform 66B. The single anchor recess 68B is generally functionally analogous to the three anchor holes 68 employed in the first embodiment of the closure body 32 as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 7, and 9. However, unlike the anchor holes 68, the single recess 68B does not extend completely through the raised cental platform 66B. The lower end of the recess 68B terminates in a flat bottom floor 69B (FIGS. 26 and 28). The recess 68B has a generally cylindrical configuration, and near the upper, open end of the recess 68B is an annular snap-fit bead 70B (FIGS. 26-28) which projects radially inwardly a small amount. The alternate embodiment of the closure top 34B illustrated in FIGS. 29-31 includes a stationary central panel 100B (FIGS. 29-31) to which is hingedly connected a first lid 121B, a second lid 122B, and a third lid 123B. One anchor post 102B projects downwardly from beneath the central panel 100B (FIGS. 30 and 31). The anchor post 102B has a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration with an external, annular, snap-fit bead 103B (FIGS. 30 and 31). As can be seen in FIGS. 29-31, each lid 121B, 122B, and 123B includes an outwardly extending lift tab 105B which projects beyond a shallow thumb recess 91B. The top 34B is mounted to the upper end of the closure body 32B in the same orientation as the first embodiment closure top 34 is mounted on the first embodiment closure body 32 as shown for the first embodiment in FIGS. 1-3. However, in the alternate embodiment shown in FIGS. 26-31, there is only a single anchor post 102B for being received in a single anchor recess 68B in a snap-fit engagement. In such a snap-fit engagement, the single anchor post annular bead 103B (FIG. 31) moves past and below the snap-fit bead 70B in the anchor recess 68B. As the top 34B is pushed down onto the closure body 32B to force the closure top anchor post bead 103B past the closure body anchor recess bead 70B, some amount of temporary, elastic deformation occurs in the bead and adjacent structure of the closure body 32B, or closure top 34B, or both. After the closure top 34B has been properly mounted on the closure body 32B, the lids 121B, 122B, and 123B may be opened and closed (and may be retained in the opened and closed positions) in the same manner as described above with respect to the lids 121, 122, and 123 of the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-12. The single anchor post/anchor recess construction described above with respect to the alternate embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 26-31 for the three-lid arrangement may also be employed in the two-lid arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 13-25. The two-lid arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 13-25 can be modified by changing the two anchor posts 102A (FIG. 23) to a single anchor post with an annular snap-fit bead, and by modifying the raised central platform 66A to be thicker and to define a single anchor recess with a closed bottom and an inwardly projecting annular snap-fit bead. It will be readily apparent from the foregoing detailed description of the invention and from the illustrations thereof that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts or principles of this invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH> | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The dispensing closure system of the present invention can accommodate designs that include one or more of the above-discussed desired features. According to one aspect of the present invention, a dispensing closure system is provided for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored. The dispensing closure system has a body for accommodating communication with the container interior. The body includes (1) a deck having at least (a) a first dispensing region defining at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed, and (b) a second dispensing region defining at least one aperture from which product can be dispensed, and (2) at least two protuberances that each (a) are located above the elevation of the deck, and (b) project laterally. The closure system also includes at least a first lid that (1) is associated with the first dispensing region, (2) is pivotable between (a) a closed position occluding the first dispensing region aperture, and (b) a fully open position away from the closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through the first dispensing region aperture, and (3) defines two lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past one the protuberances as the first lid is pivoted to the fully open position where the first lid is retained unless a sufficient closing force is applied to the first lid so as to move the first lid toward the closed position and force the first lid margins past the protuberances. The closure system also includes at least a second lid that (1) is associated with the second dispensing region, (2) is pivotable between (a) a closed position occluding the second dispensing region aperture, and (b) a fully open position away from the closed position to permit dispensing of product from the container through the second dispensing region aperture, and (3) defines two lateral margins for each engaging and being forced past one the protuberances as the second lid is pivoted to the fully open position where the second lid is retained unless a sufficient closing force is applied to the second lid so as to move the second lid toward the closed position and force the second lid margins past the protuberances. In one form of the invention, the system is a two-piece dispensing closure for a container that has an opening to the container interior, and the closure is separate from, but releasably attachable to, the container around the opening. The closure includes a body for mounting to the container, and the body defines at least the first and second dispensing regions. The closure also includes a top that is mounted to the body and that includes the first and second lids. The top also includes (1) a stationary central panel anchored to the body, (2) a first hinge connecting the first lid to the central panel, and (3) a second hinge connecting the second lid to the central panel. The closure may also include (1) a third dispensing region similar to the first and second dispensing regions, and (2) a pivotable third lid that is associated with the third dispensing region, and (3) protuberances for holding the third lid open. Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings. | 20040917 | 20061017 | 20060323 | 60572.0 | A47G1924 | 0 | NGO, LIEN M | MULTIPLE LID CLOSURE WITH OPEN LID RETENTION FEATURE | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | A47G | 2,004 |
|
10,943,389 | ACCEPTED | Method and apparatus for ozination of grain | A method for treating grain comprising circulating concentrated ozone through an evenly distributed column of grain to maintain a concentration of between 50 and 100 ppm. | 1. A process for treating grain in-situ comprising the steps: a) pulling a gas stream from the top of a grain containment area to the bottom of the container; b) introducing ozone into the top of the container sufficient to maintain a concentration of between 35 and 200 ppm throughout the entire grain containment area; c) taking the gases from the bottom of the grain container and re-circulating those gases back to the top of the container so that they may be reused; and d) monitoring the concentration of the ozone at the bottom of the containment area to maintain the concentration in the grain at a level of at least 50 ppm. 2. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of removing a quantity of grain from the center of the column of grain. 3. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising injecting a quantity of ozone into the loading bin and auger of a grain elevator to drive insects from the grain prior to loading into the elevator. 4. A method set for in claim 1, further comprising injecting a quantity of ozone into the grain bin, vessel, or truck prior to the grain being loaded into said container in order to treat the grain for mold, bacteria, fungi, and biological load as the grain is loaded. 5. A method set forth in claim 1, further comprising repeating the step of re-circulating until all insects are destroyed. 6. A method set forth in claim 1, further comprising repeating the step of re-circulating until all mold is destroyed. 7. A method set forth in claim 1, further comprising repeating the step of re-circulating for between 12 and 72 hours. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/243,558, filed Sep. 13, 2002, which claims priority to provisional application No. 60/323,900, filed Sep. 21, 2001. BACKGROUND Field of the Invention Traditional methods for treating grain involve the fumigation of the grain with toxic chemicals such as phosphine and methyl bromide. Both of these fumigation techniques have been effective at killing insects, however, they do pose a danger to those who come in contact with the chemicals and they have not been effective in treating mold, fungus, and some bacteria that also infest the surface of grain. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 depicts a grain elevator incorporating the teachings of the present invention. SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a method for treating grain for fungus, mold, bacteria, dust, and insects by exposing the grain to a high concentration of ozone for an extended period of time. The present invention utilizes a powerful fan or fans placed at the bottom of the grain storage facility such as, for example, a silo or grain elevator to draw down through the grain a flow of gas containing ozone between 50 and 100 ppm. Ozone generators placed in the head space at the top of the elevator produce ozone in a concentration in excess of 100 ppm. Monitors placed in this head space assure that the ozone concentration remains at these levels. If the ozone generators are not capable of maintaining the concentration at 100 ppm in the head space, then the draw is reduced by slowing the fan speed. A duct takes drawn gases from the bottom of the elevator and re-circulates those gases into the head space to reduce the amount of ozone needed to be generated during a second pass. To assure that the gases come in contact with all of the grain in the elevator, a technique labeled “pulling the core” is utilized wherein a quantity of grain is removed from the bottom of the elevator at its center to remove a column of grain from the core of the column of grain thereby evenly distribute the grain within the elevator. The material which is pulled from the core is then sent back to the top of the column and evenly distributed across the top. It has been found that this pulling of the core technique greatly enhances the efficiency of the ozination process. It has been found that to assure the eradication of all insects, exposure for approximately seventy-two hours is required. Mold, bacteria and some insects will begin to die within the first twenty-four hours. Some fungal pores could require longer exposure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following discussion is directed towards grain stored within a vertical elevator 10. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the same techniques can be used for grains stored in other facilities. In one embodiment, grain is delivered to the elevator by truck and is dumped into a loading bin 11 which has placed near its bottom an auger 12 which transports the grain from the loading bin to the top of the elevator 13. In this embodiment, the loading bin is partially enclosed and has injected therein a sufficient quantity of ozone to create a concentration of approximately 100 ppm within the loading bin and the enclosed auger. Because ozone not only kills insects but also tends to drive insects away, the auger and loading bin are not completely sealed, but have sufficient spaces available for insects to flee the grain as it is loaded and transported to the top of the elevator. The purpose of this initial exposure is not necessarily to kill the insects, but to drive the insects out of the grain before it is treated. Once the grain is moved by the auger into elevator 10, a large fan 14 is activated at the bottom of the elevator is to draw gases from the top of the elevator out through the bottom of the elevator. These gases exit the elevator into a large duct 16 which takes the gases back to the top of the elevator before recycling. The ozination process, to achieve maximum efficiency, should occur every thirty days. As a result, this process will often occur when the elevator is full of grain. When the elevator is full it has been discovered that to be effective in uniformly treating the grain, the central core of grain must be pulled from the elevator, removed out through the bottom of the elevator and redistributed to the top of the column of grain to evenly distribute the grain and allow for uniformed permeation of gases. Ozone generators 18 provide sufficient ozone to create a concentration of at least 100 ppm in the head space 17 in the top of elevator 13. If the ozone generators do not have a sufficient capacity to create this concentration, then the speed of the fan at the bottom of the elevator must be reduced to maintain a 100 ppm concentration of zone in the head space. Because the ozone reacts with the biologic load on the outer surface of each grain, it takes a significant period of time before un-reacted ozone at a 50 ppm concentration passes from the head space out through the bottom of the elevator on its first pass. It has been found that this can take as many as seventy hours for the first pass. Subsequent passes take as few as two hours because of the significantly reduced biological load on the outer surface of the grain. It has been found that if the concentration is maintained for three days, that almost all insect, mold, bacteria, and fungus will be destroyed. Ozone monitors in the head space and bottom of the column verify the concentration of ozone so that the generators will create a sufficient quantity of ozone to maintain the concentration. Smell from mold and fungus disappears after 24 hours. Some insects are killed after 12 hours but complete insect eradication usually requires 72 hours. As mentioned before, if the generators are not capable of maintaining this high concentration, the fan speed must be reduced to maintain the over 100 ppm concentration at the head space and more importantly, the 50 ppm concentration at the bottom of the column. This concentration may be reduced to 35 ppm if only mold is to be treated. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this concentration can be increased; however, the inventors have found that any reduction below 100 ppm greatly reduce the efficiency of the process. It will also be appreciated that after the gases are recycled from the bottom of the elevator, during some of the later passes, a significant concentration of ozone still exists and the ozone generators will not be required to generate as much ozone. After the initial biological load has been destroyed, a greater concentration of ozone will remain after passing through the grain column. After completion of the processing of the grain, the ozone generators are removed and the gases are recycled through the grain column until the ozone levels are reduced to a level where it is safe for operators to work in the vicinity of the elevator. Because ozone is highly oxidative and reacts quickly, this usually does not require a great amount of time. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Field of the Invention Traditional methods for treating grain involve the fumigation of the grain with toxic chemicals such as phosphine and methyl bromide. Both of these fumigation techniques have been effective at killing insects, however, they do pose a danger to those who come in contact with the chemicals and they have not been effective in treating mold, fungus, and some bacteria that also infest the surface of grain. | <SOH> SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is an object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a method for treating grain for fungus, mold, bacteria, dust, and insects by exposing the grain to a high concentration of ozone for an extended period of time. The present invention utilizes a powerful fan or fans placed at the bottom of the grain storage facility such as, for example, a silo or grain elevator to draw down through the grain a flow of gas containing ozone between 50 and 100 ppm. Ozone generators placed in the head space at the top of the elevator produce ozone in a concentration in excess of 100 ppm. Monitors placed in this head space assure that the ozone concentration remains at these levels. If the ozone generators are not capable of maintaining the concentration at 100 ppm in the head space, then the draw is reduced by slowing the fan speed. A duct takes drawn gases from the bottom of the elevator and re-circulates those gases into the head space to reduce the amount of ozone needed to be generated during a second pass. To assure that the gases come in contact with all of the grain in the elevator, a technique labeled “pulling the core” is utilized wherein a quantity of grain is removed from the bottom of the elevator at its center to remove a column of grain from the core of the column of grain thereby evenly distribute the grain within the elevator. The material which is pulled from the core is then sent back to the top of the column and evenly distributed across the top. It has been found that this pulling of the core technique greatly enhances the efficiency of the ozination process. It has been found that to assure the eradication of all insects, exposure for approximately seventy-two hours is required. Mold, bacteria and some insects will begin to die within the first twenty-four hours. Some fungal pores could require longer exposure. | 20040917 | 20061121 | 20050526 | 61240.0 | 1 | CHOI, FRANK I | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OZINATION OF GRAIN | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,943,447 | ACCEPTED | DRIVE UNIT MOUNT FOR RECIPROCATING SLAT CONVEYOR | Transverse frame members (14, 16) extend across and are connected to longitudinal frame members (10, 12). Frame member (14) divides longitudinal frame members (10, 12) into major and minor parts (20, 22, 24, 26). The minor parts (24, 26) are braced by gussets (70, 72) which extend between the minor parts (24, 26) and a vertical web portion (68) of the transverse beam (14). The minor parts (24, 26) of the frame members (10, 12) and the central portion of the frame member (14) form a nook (76) in the cylinder components (80, 82, 84, 102, 104) are received. Piston rod portions (92, 94, 96) of the assembly of linear motors extend from the cylinder component portions to guide bearings (100) mounted in openings (56, 58, 60) formed in the vertical web (54) of the second transverse beam (16). Bolts are used to connect the inner corner portions of the assembly of linear hydraulic motors to mounting pads (34, 36). More bolts are used to connect the outer corner portion of the cylinder components to mounting lugs (38, 40). | 1. A mounting frame for an assembly of linear hydraulic motors, each having a cylinder component and a piston component, said cylinder component having a closed first end and an opposite second end, said piston component including a piston rod projecting out from the second end of its cylinder component, and said mounting frame comprising: a pair of longitudinal frame members laterally outwardly bounding the linear hydraulic motors; a transverse frame member extending perpendicular to the longitudinal frame members and dividing them into major and minor parts; said transverse frame member being connected to the longitudinal frame members, with the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members extending in one direction from the transverse frame member and the major parts of the longitudinal frame members extend in the opposite direction from the transverse frame member; said transverse frame member having a vertical portion that includes a downwardly opening recess in its extent between the longitudinal frame members; said vertical portion of the transverse frame member having mounting pads for the second ends of said cylinder components at the ends of the recess, where the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members meet the transverse frame member; said minor parts of the longitudinal frame members having outer ends and mounting lugs at the outer ends for the outer ends of the cylinder components; wherein the mounting frame is adapted to receive the cylinder components of the plurality of linear hydraulic motors laterally between the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members and longitudinally between the mounting pads on the transverse frame member and the mounting lugs at the outer ends of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members; wherein the mounting pads are adapted to be connected to the second ends of the cylinder components; and wherein the mounting lugs are adapted to be connected to the first ends of the cylinder components. 2. The mounting frame of claim 1, comprising horizontal gussets laterally outwardly of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members, extending between the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members and the vertical portion of the transverse frame member. 3. The mounting frame of claim 2, wherein the vertical portion of the transverse frame member and the gussets are formed from a single sheet metal member. 4. The mounting frame of claim 2, wherein the gussets are connected to lower edge portions of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members. 5. The mounting frame of claim 1, wherein the mounting pads and the mounting lugs include bolt receiving openings. 6. The mounting frame of claim 1, wherein the major parts of the longitudinal frame members have ends distal the transverse frame member, and a second transverse frame member extends perpendicular to the longitudinal frame members and is connected to the distal ends of the major parts of the longitudinal frame members, said second transverse frame member being adapted to receive and guide end portions of the piston rods. 7. The mounting frame of claim 1, wherein the transverse frame member has an upper portion connected to the vertical portion and extending horizontally from the vertical portion towards the side of the vertical portion on which the major parts of the longitudinal frame members are situated, and a lower portion connected to the vertical portion and extends from the vertical portion in the direction on which the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members are situated. 8. The mounting frame of claim 7, wherein the lower part of the transverse frame member includes gusset forming portions that extend between the vertical portion of the transverse frame member and the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members, laterally outwardly of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members. 9. The mounting frame of claim 8, wherein the lower portion of the transverse frame member is narrow in its extent laterally outwardly of the gussets. 10. The mounting frame of claim 7, wherein the gussets are connected to lower edge portions of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members. 11. The mounting frame of claim 7, wherein the mounting pads and the mounting lugs include bolt receiving openings. 12. The mounting frame of claim 7, wherein the major parts of the longitudinal frame members have ends distal the transverse frame member, and a second transverse frame member extends perpendicular to the longitudinal frame members and is connected to the distal ends of the major parts of the longitudinal frame members, said second transverse frame member being adapted to receive and guide end portions of the piston rods. 13. A drive unit for a reciprocating slat conveyor, comprising: an assembly of linear hydraulic motors, each having a cylinder component and a piston component, said cylinder component having a closed first end and an opposite second end, said piston component including a piston rod projecting out from the second end of its cylinder component; and a mounting frame comprising: a pair of longitudinal frame members laterally outwardly bounding the linear hydraulic motors; a transverse frame member extending perpendicular to the longitudinal frame members and dividing them into major and minor parts; said transverse frame member being connected to the longitudinal frame members, with the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members extending in one direction from the transverse frame member and the major parts of the longitudinal frame members projecting in the opposite direction from the transverse frame member; said transverse frame member having a vertical portion that includes a downwardly opening recess in its extent between the longitudinal frame members; said vertical portion of the transverse frame member having mounting pads for the second ends of said cylinder components at the ends of the recess, where the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members meet the transverse frame member; said minor parts of the longitudinal frame members having outer ends and mounting lugs at the outer ends for the outer ends of the cylinder components; wherein the mounting frame is adapted to receive the cylinder components of the plurality of linear hydraulic motors laterally between the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members and longitudinally between the mounting pads on the transverse frame member and the mounting lugs at the outer ends of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members; wherein the mounting lugs are connected to the first ends of the cylinder components; and wherein the mounting pads are connected to the second ends of the cylinder components. 14. The drive unit mounting frame of claim 1, comprising horizontal gussets laterally outwardly of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members, extending between the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members and the vertical portion of the transverse frame member. 15. The drive unit of claim 14, wherein the vertical portion of the transverse frame member and the gussets are formed from a single sheet member. 16. The drive unit of claim 14, wherein the gussets are connected to lower edge portions of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members. 17. The drive unit of claim 13, wherein the mounting pads and the mounting lugs include bolt receiving openings, and bolts extend through said opening and connect to the assembly of linear hydraulic motors. 18. The drive unit of claim 1, wherein the major parts of the longitudinal frame members have ends distal the transverse frame member, and a second transverse frame member extends perpendicular to the longitudinal frame members and is connected to the distal ends of the major parts of the longitudinal frame members, said second transverse frame member receiving and guiding end portions of the piston rods. 19. The drive unit of claim 13, wherein the transverse frame member has an upper portion connected to the vertical portion and extending horizontally from the vertical portion towards the side of the vertical portion on which the major parts of the longitudinal frame members are situated, and a lower portion connected to the vertical portion and projecting from the vertical portion in the direction on which the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members are situated. 20. The drive unit of claim 19, wherein the lower part of the transverse frame member includes gusset forming portions that extend between the vertical portion of the transverse frame member and the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members, laterally outwardly of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members. 21. The drive unit of claim 20, wherein the lower portion of the transverse frame member is narrow in its extent laterally outwardly of the gussets. 22. The drive unit of claim 19, wherein the gussets are connected to lower edge portions of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members. 23. The drive unit of claim 19, wherein the mounting pads and the mounting lugs include bolt receiving openings and bolts extend through said opening and connect to the assembly of linear hydraulic motors. 24. The drive unit of claim 19, wherein the major parts of the longitudinal frame members have ends distal the transverse frame member, and a second transverse frame member extends perpendicular to the longitudinal frame members and is connected to the distal ends of the major parts of the longitudinal frame members, said second transverse frame member receiving and guiding end portions of the piston rods. | TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to reciprocating slat conveyors. More particularly, it relates to the provision of a lightweight mounting frame for the hydraulic drive components of a reciprocating slat conveyor, and to the drive unit formed by the frame and hydraulic drive components. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Reciprocating slat conveyors in the patent literature are disclosed by my U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,285, granted Oct. 2, 1984, by my U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,469, granted Dec. 27, 1988, and by my U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,076, granted Nov. 16, 1999. A common denominator of the conveyors disclosed by these patents is that portions of their hydraulic cylinders are positioned in a vertical space defined top and bottom by the transverse floor frame beams. My U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,469 presents a good description of how a three slat reciprocating slat conveyor system is build and works. The contents of this patent are hereby incorporated by reference into this document. The following additional patents should also be considered by the purpose of putting the present invention into proper perspective relative to the prior art: U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,573, granted Nov. 23, 1993 to Olaf A. Hallstrom, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,267, granted Sep. 28, 1999 to Manfred W. Quaeck and Eric A. Marttila; and European Patent 0 721 901, filed Jan. 15, 1996, by Cargo Handling Systems B. V. There is a need for a mounting frame for the hydraulic drive components which is strong and at the same time is relatively small and is made of lightweight materials. The primary object of the present invention is to fill this need, particularly in connection with reciprocating slat conveyors having three sets of conveyor slats. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The mounting frame of the present invention is for an assembly of linear hydraulic motors, each of which has a cylinder component and a piston component. The cylinder component has a closed first end and an opposite second end. The piston component includes a piston rod that projects out from the second end of the cylinder component. The mounting frame is basically characterized by a pair of longitudinal frame members laterally outwardly bounding the assembly of linear hydraulic motors. A transverse frame member extends perpendicular to the longitudinal frame members and divides them into major and minor parts. The transverse frame member is connected to the longitudinal frame members. The minor parts of the longitudinal frame members extend in one direction from the transverse frame member and the major parts extend in the opposite direction from the transverse frame member. The transverse frame member has a vertical portion that includes a downwardly opening recessed in its extent between the longitudinal frame members. The vertical portion of the transverse frame member includes mounting pads for the ends of the cylinder components that are located at the ends of the recess. The pads are located where the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members meet the transverse frame member. The minor parts of the longitudinal frame members have outer ends and mounting lugs at their outer ends. The mounting frame is adapted to receive the cylinder components of the assembly of linear hydraulic motors laterally between the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members and longitudinally between the mounting pads on the transverse frame member and the mounting lugs at the outer ends of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members. The mounting lugs are adapted to be connected to the first ends of the cylinder components. The mounting pads are adapted to be connected to the second ends of the cylinder components. In preferred form, horizontal gussets extend laterally outwardly from the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members, between the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members and the vertical portion of the transverse frame member. Preferably, the vertical portion of the transverse frame member and the gussets are formed from a single sheet metal member. Preferably also, the gussets are connected to lower edge portions of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members. The mounting pads and the mounting lugs may include bolt receiving openings, for receiving bolts that connect them to the ends of the cylinder component portion of the assembly of linear hydraulic motors. The major parts of the longitudinal frame members may have ends distal the transverse frame member. A second transverse frame member may extend perpendicular to the longitudinal frame members and be connected to the distal ends of the major parts of the longitudinal frame members. The second transverse frame member is adapted to receive and guide end portions of the piston rods. In preferred form, the transverse frame member has an upper portion connected to the vertical portion and extending horizontally from the vertical portion towards the side of the vertical portion on which the major parts of the longitudinal frame members are situated. It also has a lower portion connected to the vertical portion that extends from the vertical portion in the direction in which the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members are situated. The lower part of the transverse frame member includes gusset forming portions that extend between the vertical portion of the transverse frame member and the minor parts of the longitudinal frame member, laterally outwardly of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members. In its extent outwardly of the gussets, the lower portion of the transverse frame member is relatively narrow. The cylinder components of the assembly of linear hydraulic motors may comprise two laterally extending manifold blocks, and cylindrical barrel portions interconnected between the manifold blocks. Corner portions of the manifold blocks are connected to the mounting pads and the mounting lugs. Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the description of the illustrated embodiment set forth below, from the drawings, from the claims and from the principles that are embodied in the specific structures that are illustrated and described. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS Like reference numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and: FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a mounting frame constituting the preferred embodiment of the invention, such view being taken from above and looking towards the top, a first side and a first end of the mounting frame; FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of the mounting frame of FIG. 1, such view being taken from above and looking towards the top, the second side and the second end of the mounting frame shown by FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is an enlarged scale fragmentary view of the end portion of the end portion of the mounting frame shown in the foreground portion of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the mounting frame shown by FIGS. 1 and 2; FIG. 5 is an enlarged scale fragmentary view of the end of the mounting frame that receives the cylinder components of the assembly of linear hydraulic motors. FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 1, taken from the same aspect of FIG. 1, but including the assembly of linear hydraulic motors shown spaced below the mounting frame; FIG. 7 is a top plan view like FIG. 4, but including the assembly of linear hydraulic motors connected to the mounting frame; FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along line 8-8 of FIG. 4; FIG. 9 is an end elevational view looking toward the upper end of the mounting frame as shown in FIG. 4; FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 10-10 of FIG. 7; FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along line 11-11 of FIG. 4; FIG. 12 is an enlarged scale fragmentary view of the upper end portion of the assembly shown in FIG. 7; FIG. 13 is a fragmentary view showing a manner of connecting the inner or rod end of the assembly of cylinders to the vertical portion of the adjacent transverse mounting member; FIG. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 14-14 of FIG. 5; and FIG. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along line 15-15 of FIG. 7. FIG. 16 is a view like FIG. 4 of a mounting frame for mounting a six cylinder assembly of linear hydraulic motors, such view being like FIG. 4 but showing the upper portion of FIG. 4 duplicated at the opposite end of the frame. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS As best shown by FIGS. 1-3, the preferred embodiment of the mounting frame of the present invention comprises a pair of longitudinal frame members 10, 12 and a pair of transverse frame members 14, 16. Transverse frame member 14 extends across and is connected to intermediate portions of the longitudinal frame members 10, 12. Frame member 14 has a vertical portion or web 68 that is notched in the vicinity of the longitudinal frame members 10, 12. As best shown by FIG. 14, the longitudinal frame members 10, 12 fit within the notch 18. Weld beads B extend vertically along the sides of the beams 10, 12 and at the tops of the beams 10, 12, for connecting the beams 10, 12 to the vertical portion 68 of the frame member 14. Referring back to FIGS. 1-3, the longitudinal frame members 10, 12 have major portions 20, 22 and minor portions 24, 26. The ends of the major portions 20, 22 distal the mounting frame member 14 are connected to the transverse frame member 16. They are welded at the distal ends to the vertical portion of frame member 16, at locations 28, 30 (FIG. 1). The frame member 16 may be of channel form in cross section. The vertical or web portion of the beam 16 may be notched to receive the distal ends 28, 30 of the major portions 20, 22 of the beams 10, 12. The vertical portion 68 of beam 14 preferably has a downwardly opening recess 18 in its extent between the minor parts 24, 26 of the longitudinal beams 10, 12. At the ends of the vertical portion 68 of beam 14, in its extent between the minor parts 24, 26 of the longitudinal beams 10, 12, the vertical wall 68 includes mounting pads 34, 36. These mounting pads 34, 36 may merely be areas on the vertical portion 68 to which corner portions of the cylinder components of the assembly of linear hydraulic motors can be connected. The outer ends of the minor parts 24, 26 of the longitudinal beams 10, 12 are preferably provided with mounting lugs 38, 40 for connection to outer corner portions of the assembly of linear hydraulic motors. The mounting pads 34, 36 may include bolt receiving holes 42, 44 and the mounting lugs 38, 40 may include bolt receiving holes 46, 48. As previously stated, the transverse frame member 16 may have a channel or U-shaped cross section or, it may be an I-beam. Such beam 16 is shown to comprise a top flange 50, a bottom flange 52 and a web 54 that extends vertically between the flanges 50, 52. In the region between the major parts 20, 22 of the longitudinal beams 10, 12, the web may be provided with openings 56, 58, 60. Bearing blocks 100 (FIG. 15) for the piston rods are preferably connected to the vertical wall portion 16. Bolt holes 62 are formed in the web 54 to receive bolts that connect bearing blocks to the web 54. These bearing blocks may be like the bearing blocks shown in FIG. 4 of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,076. Preferably, transverse frame member 14 is roll formed or stamped from a single sheet metal member. The member is shaped to include an upper flange 64, a lower flange 66, and a web 68. The upper flange 64 is shown extending towards the mounting frame 16. The lower flange 66 is shown extending in the opposite direction. As flange 66 extends inwardly along the member 14, it widens in regions 70, 72 to form gussets (hereinafter 70, 72) that extend between mounting frame member 14 and the minor parts 24, 26 of the longitudinal frame members 10, 12. As illustrated, the ends of the gussets 70, 72 that border the minor parts 24, 26 of the longitudinal frame members 10, 12 have a length substantially matching the length of the minor parts 24, 26. The gussets 70, 72 extend laterally outwardly from the minor parts 24, 26 of the longitudinal frame members 10, 12 a substantial distance, so that they provide substantial bracing of the minor parts 24, 26 of the longitudinal frame members 10, 12 from the vertical web 68 of the transverse frame member 14. Preferably, the gussets are shorter in length longitudinally of the frame member 14 than the outer end portions of the beam 14. In the outer end portions, the lower flange 66 has a width substantially equal to the width of the upper flange 64. The central portion of the transverse frame member 14, and the minor parts 24, 26 of the longitudinal frame members 10, 12 form a space, well or nook 76 in which the cylinder components of the assembly of linear hydraulic motors are situated. The nook 76 when empty is best shown in FIGS. 1-4. The nook 76 with the cylinder components in it is best shown in FIGS. 7 and 12. Referring to FIG. 12, the assembly of linear hydraulic motors comprises cylinder components 80, 82, 84 and piston components 86, 88, 90. The piston components 86, 88, 90 include piston heads that are inside of the cylinder components 80, 82, 84 and piston rods 92, 94, 96 that connect at their inner ends to the piston heads and then extend from the piston heads out through the inner ends of the cylinder components 80, 82, 84, and then extend through the open region 98 in the mounting frame that is bounded on its sides by members 20, 22 and at its ends by members 14, 16. As shown by FIG. 7, the outer end portions of the piston rods 92, 94, 96 extend through the bearing blocks 100 (FIG. 15) that are mounted on the central region of frame member 16. FIG. 15 shows the piston head 99 for the center drive unit and shows its piston rod 94 and its guide bearing 100. The other two linear motors have the same construction so they have not been separately illustrated. The cylinder portions 80, 82, 84 include inner and outer manifolds 102, 104 and tubular bodies 106, 108, 110 that extend between the manifolds 102, 104 in the manner shown by FIG. 15. Elongated tie bolts 112, 114, 116, 118 connect the manifolds 102, 104 together and clamp the tubular members 106, 108, 110 between the manifolds 102, 104. This construction of the cylinder components is per se old and, by way of example, is disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,573. The manifolds 102, 104 are three-dimensional rectangles. That is, they each have a length, width and a thickness. Their tops, bottoms, ends and sides are all rectangles. As a result, the assembly of the cylinder components 80, 82, 84 has rectangular proportions and it is received within the nook 76 that also has rectangular proportions. Corner bolts 120, 122, 124, 126 (FIG. 12) secure the corners of the manifolds 102, 104 to the mounting blocks 34, 36 and the mounting lugs 38, 40. As shown in FIG. 12, the corner bolts 120, 122 extend through openings in the manifold 104 and through the openings 44, 48 in the mounting lugs 38, 40 and connect to nuts that are outwardly of the manifold 104. The connector bolts 124, 126 extend through openings in the manifold 102 and through the openings 42, 44 in the mounting pads 34, 36 and then receive nuts in at their threaded ends, as shown in FIG. 13. The cylinder pack 80, 82, 84, 102, 104 can be easily and quickly connected to and disconnected from the mounting frame F. The extension of the longitudinal frame members 10, 12 outwardly of the transverse frame member 16, and the connection of the outer ends of the cylinder packs 80, 82, 84, 102, 104 to the outer ends of the extended portions 22, 26 of the longitudinal frame members 10, 12 adds considerable extra strength and rigidity to the assembly of linear hydraulic motors. When compared to the prior art devices that connect the cylinder packs only to the transverse frame member. The provision of the gussets 70, 72 adds additional strength and rigidity to the entire assembly. When the assembly is in place, the tie bolts 112, 114, 116, 118 play a different role in the assembly than they do in the prior art devices. Owing to the construction of the frame F, and the cooperation of the frame F and the assembly of linear hydraulic motors, it is possible to make the frame members 10, 12, 14, 16 from lightweight materials, e.g., aluminum alloys. It also makes it possible to minimize the construction and assembly steps involved in the making of the frame F. The members 14, 16 are formed from sheet metal members. The gussets 70, 72 are integral parts of the member 14, although there is still cutting and welding, the amount has been lessened substantially, contributing to an easy and economical manufacture of the frame F and the drive unit formed by the frame F and the assembly of linear hydraulic motors. As shown by FIG. 7, a plurality of transverse frame beams 120, 122, 124, one for each linear hydraulic drive unit, extends across the piston rods 92, 94, 96, perpendicular to the piston rods 92, 94, 96 and parallel to the frame members 14, 16. The transverse drive members 120, 122, 124 are suitably connected to the piston rods 92, 94, 96, such as by clamps. Each transverse drive member 120, 122, 124 carries connectors, some of which are designated 126 in FIG. 7, that are used to connect the floor slats to the transverse drive beams 120, 122, 124. See for example my aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,474,285 and 4,793,469. Referring to FIGS. 7 and 12, in some embodiments of the invention 9 switching value 32 and related other valves are mounted on the gusset 70. However, these components are constructed so that they can be rotated 180° and mounted on the gusset 72. The gussets 70, 72 are provided with mounting bolt openings and an access opening or slot 71, 73 for the plumbing (FIG. 3). In some installations, it is desirable to have the valve components on one side of the hydraulic drive assembly. In others it is desirable to have the valve components on the opposite side of the drive assembly. Preferably, a single frame F is constructed to receive more than one assembly of linear hydraulic motors. For example, one assembly of linear hydraulic motors may have cylinders measuring 2.5 inches in diameter. Another may have cylinders measuring 3 inches in diameter. Both embodiments would have the same size piston rods and the horizontal and vertical placement of the center lines of the piston rods would be the same. The manifolds would be constructed such that the pattern of mounting holes would be the same for both cylinder diameters. The cross-drives 120, 122, 124 are all identical and a single set of cross-drives can be used for both sizes of cylinders. As another variation, a slightly different frame could be used for cylinders measuring 3.5 and 4 inches in diameter. For these cylinder sizes, the same piston rods and the same cross-drives would be used. With the drive unit construction that is illustrated, the total depth of the assembly is relatively small. For the embodiments with 2.5 and 3 inch cylinders, the height of the assembly is about 5-½ inches. In summary of the above, the drive unit of the invention has a universal frame and universal cross-drives with plural of combinations of linear hydraulic drive motor assemblies. This feature of the invention allows for efficient manufacturing and reduces the inventory of different parts necessary for the different size models. The connectors 126 on the cross-drives 120, 122, 124 have one end near one boundary of their cross-members 120, 122, 124 and an opposite end portion that overhangs the adjacent cross-members 120, 122, 124. This construction makes it possible to keep the window in which the drive members 120, 122, 124 move relatively narrow. In the illustrated embodiments, the control rod for the switching valve 32 extends through an opening in the vertical wall 68 of the frame member 14. The hole required is small enough that the strength and load carrying capability of the frame member 14 is not severally compromised. Placement of the switching valve 24 on the gusset portion (70 or 72) of the frame member 12, and the extension of the control rod through the opening in the vertical wall 68, contribute in a big way to the ability to keep the total height of the drive unit within 5-½ inches, or thereabouts. As best shown by FIGS. 12 and 13, the assembly of hydraulic linear motors includes tie bolts 112, 114, 116, 118 that interconnect the two manifolds 102, 104. Manifold 102 is connected by bolts 124 to the mounting pads 34, 36. Manifold 104 is connected to the mounting lugs 38, 40 by bolts 120. When the assembly 80, 82, 84, 102, 104 is secured in place, the assembly of hydraulic cylinders, and the bolts, becomes a structural part of the system. They take the part of the mounting frame structure that has been removed between the frame members 24, 26. The illustrated embodiment shows hydraulic fluid conduits endwise outwardly of the manifold 104. These conduits may be replaced by passageways that are formed in manifold 104 and in the housing of the valve member which is endwise outwardly of the switching valve. FIG. 16 shows a drive unit mounting frame F′ constructed to mount an assembly of tandem linear hydraulic motors, each composed of a piston rod and a piston 99 and a cylinder component at each end of the rod. Example assemblies of this type are disclosed by my U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,949, granted Feb. 22, 2000. In column 2 of that patent there is reference to a type of tandem drive unit that is of a tie bolt construction, such as disclosed in FIGS. 6, 12 and 13 herein. In FIG. 16, the frame member 16 at the second end of the frame F′ is replaced by a frame member 14′. Frame member 14′ is identical to frame member 14 that has already been described. Because of the common construction of the drives, only the modified mounting frame F′ has been illustrated. A second set of cylinders and manifolds at the second ends of the piston rods are as illustrated at the top of FIG. 7 with respect to embodiment shown by that figure. In this embodiment, the three transverse drive beams 120, 122, 124 are identical as in the earlier embodiments. Also, the frame F′ may be used for mounting a plurality of sizes of cylinder diameters. The horizontal and vertical positioning of the center lines of the piston rods are the same in all sizes and the mounting holes are the same in size and placement in all embodiments. The illustrated embodiments are only examples of the present invention and, therefore, are non-limitive. It is to be understood that many changes in the particular structure, materials and features of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is my intention that my patent rights not be limited by the particular embodiments that are illustrated and described herein, but rather are to be determined by the following claims, interpreted according to accepted doctrines of claim interpretation, including use of the Doctrine of Equivalents. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Reciprocating slat conveyors in the patent literature are disclosed by my U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,285, granted Oct. 2, 1984, by my U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,469, granted Dec. 27, 1988, and by my U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,076, granted Nov. 16, 1999. A common denominator of the conveyors disclosed by these patents is that portions of their hydraulic cylinders are positioned in a vertical space defined top and bottom by the transverse floor frame beams. My U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,469 presents a good description of how a three slat reciprocating slat conveyor system is build and works. The contents of this patent are hereby incorporated by reference into this document. The following additional patents should also be considered by the purpose of putting the present invention into proper perspective relative to the prior art: U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,573, granted Nov. 23, 1993 to Olaf A. Hallstrom, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,267, granted Sep. 28, 1999 to Manfred W. Quaeck and Eric A. Marttila; and European Patent 0 721 901, filed Jan. 15, 1996, by Cargo Handling Systems B. V. There is a need for a mounting frame for the hydraulic drive components which is strong and at the same time is relatively small and is made of lightweight materials. The primary object of the present invention is to fill this need, particularly in connection with reciprocating slat conveyors having three sets of conveyor slats. | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The mounting frame of the present invention is for an assembly of linear hydraulic motors, each of which has a cylinder component and a piston component. The cylinder component has a closed first end and an opposite second end. The piston component includes a piston rod that projects out from the second end of the cylinder component. The mounting frame is basically characterized by a pair of longitudinal frame members laterally outwardly bounding the assembly of linear hydraulic motors. A transverse frame member extends perpendicular to the longitudinal frame members and divides them into major and minor parts. The transverse frame member is connected to the longitudinal frame members. The minor parts of the longitudinal frame members extend in one direction from the transverse frame member and the major parts extend in the opposite direction from the transverse frame member. The transverse frame member has a vertical portion that includes a downwardly opening recessed in its extent between the longitudinal frame members. The vertical portion of the transverse frame member includes mounting pads for the ends of the cylinder components that are located at the ends of the recess. The pads are located where the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members meet the transverse frame member. The minor parts of the longitudinal frame members have outer ends and mounting lugs at their outer ends. The mounting frame is adapted to receive the cylinder components of the assembly of linear hydraulic motors laterally between the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members and longitudinally between the mounting pads on the transverse frame member and the mounting lugs at the outer ends of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members. The mounting lugs are adapted to be connected to the first ends of the cylinder components. The mounting pads are adapted to be connected to the second ends of the cylinder components. In preferred form, horizontal gussets extend laterally outwardly from the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members, between the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members and the vertical portion of the transverse frame member. Preferably, the vertical portion of the transverse frame member and the gussets are formed from a single sheet metal member. Preferably also, the gussets are connected to lower edge portions of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members. The mounting pads and the mounting lugs may include bolt receiving openings, for receiving bolts that connect them to the ends of the cylinder component portion of the assembly of linear hydraulic motors. The major parts of the longitudinal frame members may have ends distal the transverse frame member. A second transverse frame member may extend perpendicular to the longitudinal frame members and be connected to the distal ends of the major parts of the longitudinal frame members. The second transverse frame member is adapted to receive and guide end portions of the piston rods. In preferred form, the transverse frame member has an upper portion connected to the vertical portion and extending horizontally from the vertical portion towards the side of the vertical portion on which the major parts of the longitudinal frame members are situated. It also has a lower portion connected to the vertical portion that extends from the vertical portion in the direction in which the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members are situated. The lower part of the transverse frame member includes gusset forming portions that extend between the vertical portion of the transverse frame member and the minor parts of the longitudinal frame member, laterally outwardly of the minor parts of the longitudinal frame members. In its extent outwardly of the gussets, the lower portion of the transverse frame member is relatively narrow. The cylinder components of the assembly of linear hydraulic motors may comprise two laterally extending manifold blocks, and cylindrical barrel portions interconnected between the manifold blocks. Corner portions of the manifold blocks are connected to the mounting pads and the mounting lugs. Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the description of the illustrated embodiment set forth below, from the drawings, from the claims and from the principles that are embodied in the specific structures that are illustrated and described. | 20040917 | 20060418 | 20060323 | 67679.0 | B65G2504 | 1 | BIDWELL, JAMES R | DRIVE UNIT MOUNT FOR RECIPROCATING SLAT CONVEYOR | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | B65G | 2,004 |
|
10,943,542 | ACCEPTED | Aerosol medication inhalation system | An apparatus for use in conjunction with a metered dose inhaler which includes a novel valve system to aid in the delivery of aerosolized medicament to a subject. The apparatus also includes a novel rotational flow generator to aid in the useable delivery of said medication and avoid its loss either in the apparatus or by non-useful delivery to said subject. | 1. An apparatus for aerosol medication delivery, comprising: a holding chamber having a first and second ends, the first end being adapted to accept a source of aerosol medicament; and a mouthpiece member provided at the second end of the holding chamber, for delivering aerosol medicament to a subject, the mouthpiece member comprising: a housing defining a passage through which aerosol medicament can be supplied to a subject and comprising a sidewall in which an opening is formed that opens to the outside of the housing; and a one-piece valve member comprising a first valve element in the passage that permits delivery of aerosol to a subject during inhalation and blocks the passage during exhalation and a second valve element that prevents air from reaching the subject through the opening in the sidewall of the housing during inhalation and permits the flow of air to the outside of the housing from the passage during exhalation, wherein the first valve element extends axially away from the housing when the apparatus is in a rest position. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing defining the passage comprises a delivery member and an adaptor member, the adaptor member is provided at the second end of the holding chamber, and the delivery member is releasably connected to the adaptor member. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the opening in the sidewall of the mouthpiece member is provided in the adaptor member. 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the opening in the sidewall of the mouthpiece member is provided in the delivery member. 5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the opening in the sidewall is defined by a notch defined in an edge of the adaptor member and a notch defined in an edge of the delivery member. 6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the delivery member is releasably connected to the adaptor member by a quick-release mechanism. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the quick-release mechanism comprises a flexible wall disposed on one of the adaptor member or the delivery member, the flexible wall comprising an engaging member that releasably engages the other of the adaptor member or the delivery member. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the flexible wall comprises a positioning element adapted for a human digit, placed to define a location for flexing the wall to release the engaging member. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece is sized and shaped to fit a human mouth. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the delivery member is provided with a ridge. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the ridge is adapted for attaching a mask. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing has a stop element that limits the range of motion of the second valve element in the direction of the passage. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the stop element is disposed on the delivery member. 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first valve element is a duck-bill valve. 15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve element member is composed of a flexible material. 16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second valve element is a hinged flap that seats adjacent the opening in the sidewall. 17. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first valve element and the second valve element are joined together at a valve base. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the valve base forms a substantially airtight seal between the delivery member and the adaptor member. 19. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the adaptor member and the delivery member define first and second opposed surfaces and the valve member is held between the first and second opposed surfaces. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein one of the delivery member and the adaptor member comprises a plurality of pins that extend from one of the first and second opposed surfaces and the other of the delivery member and the adaptor member comprises openings for accepting the pins. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the valve member is provided with openings through which the pins extend. 22. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the notch of the delivery member and the notch of the adaptor member are aligned radially when the mouthpiece is assembled. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the second valve element is disposed between the notches. 24. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein one of the delivery member or the adaptor member comprises a pair of radially spaced walls and the other of the delivery member or the adaptor member comprises a wall that extends into the space between the spaced walls. 25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece member has a first end adapted to the second end of the holding chamber and a second end for delivery of the aerosol medicament, which has an oval shape in lateral cross section. 26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing of the mouthpiece member has inner and outer walls disposed at and in contact with the holding chamber such that the second end of the holding chamber extends into a space between the inner and outer walls. 27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece member is connected to the holding chamber by an adhesive. 28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece is formed of a transparent material. 29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is formed from a transparent material. 30. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the adaptor member is substantially frustoconical in shape. 31. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the adaptor member is formed from a transparent material. 32. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the delivery member is formed from a transparent material. 33. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holding chamber is cylindrical. 34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the holding chamber is formed of metal. 35. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holding chamber is treated with an anti-electrostatic coating. 36. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a receptacle member at the first end of the holding chamber, having an opening adapted to receive an outlet of an aerosol generating device. 37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the opening in the receptacle member is capable of accepting outlets of different aerosol generating devices. 38. A mouthpiece member for aerosol medicament delivery, having first and second ends, the first end being adapted to accept a source of aerosol medicament and the second end being adapted for delivering aerosol medicament to a subject, the mouthpiece member comprising: a housing defining a passage through which aerosol medicament can be supplied to a subject and comprising a sidewall in which an opening is formed; and a one-piece valve member comprising a first valve element that permits delivery of aerosol to a subject during inhalation and blocks the passage during exhalation and a second valve element that blocks the opening in the sidewall of the housing during inhalation and is movable away from the opening to permit the flow of air to the outside of the housing from the passage during exhalation, wherein the first valve element extends axially away from the housing in a rest position. 39. The mouthpiece of claim 38, wherein the housing comprises a substantially frustoconical section. 40. An apparatus for aerosol medication delivery, comprising: a mouthpiece member for delivering aerosol medicament to a subject, a holding chamber having first and second ends, the mouthpiece member being disposed at the second end of the chamber and a receptacle member being disposed at the first end of the chamber, the receptacle member comprising: an opening adapted to accept a source of aerosol medicament, a vent permitting fluid communication for the entry of outside air into the holding chamber, and a means for imparting a rotational flow to the outside air entering the holding chamber. wherein at least a portion of the means for imparting rotation flow is spaced from the vent and at least partially obscuring the vent when the receptacle member is viewed from above. 41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the opening of the receptacle creates an airtight seal around the source of aerosol medicament. 42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the receptacle member is formed of a flexible material such that the receptacle member may be removed from and replaced on the holding chamber without loss of functionality. 43. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the receptacle member has a plurality of vents, disposed equidistantly around the receptacle member. 44. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the receptacle member directs outside air to the wall of the interior of the holding chamber, thus creating a flow of such air along the wall of the holding chamber and reducing particulate deposit from the aerosol medicament within the holding chamber. 45. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the means to impart rotational flow comprises at least one baffle disposed on the receptacle member to direct air entering the holding chamber through a vent into a rotational flow within the chamber. 46. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the receptacle member has a lip around the perimeter of the receptacle member, which enclosed the first end of the holding chamber. 47. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the mouthpiece member receptacle member comprises support ribs for supporting the source of aerosol medicament. 48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the opening of the receptacle member is defined by a collar that extends inward and may be pushed up against the support ribs for retaining the source of aerosol medicament. 49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the support ribs are oriented radially when viewed in lateral cross section. 50. The apparatus of clam 45, wherein the baffle is a cyclone baffle. 51. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second valve element extends in a substantially axial direction when the apparatus is not in use. | BACKGROUND The present invention is directed to apparatus for delivering aerosol medicament to a subject in need of the medicament. Delivery systems start with an aerosol-generating device. One common example of such devices is a pressurized metered dose inhaler (MDI). MDIs use pressurized gases to disperse medicament as tiny particles or droplets for delivery to the subject. By depressing the MDI, a known quantity of gas, and thereby of medicament, is ejected from the MDI. MDIs have been used with various types of diverse apparatus, in attempts to improve the delivery of this known quantity of medicament to the subject. Some problems associated with the delivery of medicament in an aerosol form include, but are not limited to, wastage of medicament in the delivery apparatus, delivery at too high speeds so that medicament sticks to the back of the subject's throat or is inhaled into the subject's sinuses rather than being received into the lungs, ejection of medicament out of the apparatus towards a subject without inhalation thereby, and ejection of medicament from the MDI upon exhalation by the subject into the apparatus prior to inhalation. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, the present invention provides a mouthpiece with a valve for controlling the delivery of aerosolized medicament to a subject. The mouthpiece includes a housing that defines a passage through which the medicament flows to the subject. The housing has a one-piece valve system that permits passage of medicament aerosol to the subject during inhalation, but does not permit the passage of the subject's breath in the upstream direction during exhalation, with the exhaled breath being expelled through an opening in the sidewall of the housing. Another aspect of the present invention combines this mouthpiece and valve system with a holding chamber, which is disposed between the mouthpiece and the source of aerosol. In a further feature of this aspect of the invention, the interior of the holding chamber has anti-electrostatic properties to reduce the amount of medicament adhering to the walls of the holding chamber and thereby increase the delivery efficiency of the system. In a further aspect of the present invention, a holding chamber is provided with a receptacle member adapted to accept a source of aerosol medicament. The receptacle member may aid in the efficient delivery of medicament to the subject, for example by being vented to allow outside air to be mixed with the medicament aerosol in the holding chamber. In addition, if a rotation is imparted to the outside air brought into the holding chamber, the adhesion of medicament to the walls of the holding chamber can be reduced and the effort necessary to inhale through an apparatus of this type may be reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an assembled view of an example of the aerosol medicament delivery apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the apparatus. FIG. 3 is a side view of the delivery member used in the apparatus. FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the delivery member. FIGS. 5a and 5b are top and bottom views of the valve element used in the apparatus. FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the delivery member. FIG. 7 is a sectional side view of the adaptor member used in the apparatus. FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of the adaptor member. FIG. 9a and 9b are top and bottom views of the receptacle member used in the apparatus. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the aerosol medicament delivery apparatus 10 of the present invention is composed of a holding chamber 200 with first and second ends. At the first end of the holding chamber is a receptacle 300 for connection to a source of aerosol medication. For the purposes of the present invention, aerosol medicament or aerosol medication is intended to include finely divided solid or liquid materials that are carried by a gas for delivery to a subject's respiratory tract, especially to the lungs. This includes nebulized materials. The medicament and carrier gas aerosol composition can be prepared prior to use if it exhibits sufficient physical and chemical stability, or it can be prepared in situ from sources of solid or liquid medicament materials (either in pure form or combined with a suitable solid or liquid solvent, excipient or diluent) and pressurized gas. At the second end is a mouthpiece member 100 for delivering aerosol medicament to a subject through a valve 150. The mouthpiece member includes a housing 101 that defines a passage 102 through which aerosol medicament can be supplied to a subject and has an opening 103 that opens to the outside of the housing. The valve, discussed below, is of one-piece construction. During inhalation the valve permits the flow of aerosol medicament from the holding chamber to the subject, while blocking the inflow of outside air to the passage 102 through the sidewall of the housing of the mouthpiece member. During exhalation, the valve blocks the flow of exhaled air upstream in the direction of the holding chamber, and permits the exhaled air to be exhausted through the sidewall of the housing. In an exemplary embodiment, the housing 101 is composed of a delivery member 110 and an adaptor member 170. The opening 103 may be defined, as it is in part in the exemplary embodiment, by a notch 186 in the adaptor member. The delivery member and adaptor member may be releasably connected by a quick release mechanism 182. In the exemplary embodiment, the quick release mechanism is a flexible wall, upon which a positioning element 175 may be located. Also, in the exemplary embodiment, the housing is transparent. This has the advantage that it allows for the subject to visually verify the operation of the valve, to ensure opening and closing during treatment. Referring to FIG. 3, the delivery member 110 may include a subject side section 120, a connecting ring 130, and an adaptor side section 140. In the exemplary embodiment, the subject side section of the delivery member of the mouthpiece is sized and shaped to fit a human mouth, e.g. having an oval shape. The subject end section is defined by a housing composed of a sidewall having a height 124, and upon which may be provided at least one ridge 125. Positioning pins 141 may be provided on the adaptor side section of the delivery member. Referring to FIG. 4, the adaptor side section 140 of the delivery member 110 in this exemplary embodiment has walls 142 arranged around an opening 145. One or more openings, for example the illustrated notches 147, is formed in the wall 142 and can define an exhaust opening from the delivery member for exhaled air. This opening is closed by the valve during inhalation, and the opening may be provided with an element to assist in seating a valve member, for example protrusion 146. The end face 144 of the wall can be used as a surface for holding the valve in place when the apparatus is assembled, in cooperation with an opposed surface on the adaptor member. Also, in this embodiment, the four positioning pins 141 extend from the end face of the wall 142. Referring to FIGS. 5a and 5b, the one-piece two-way valve system 150 allows for inhalation and exhalation with a single valve. The valve has a base 151, a first valve element 152, which has a duck-bill shape in this embodiment, and a second valve element 153, which is shaped like a hinged flap 153 in this embodiment. In the exemplary embodiment, the valve is composed of a flexible material and there are two hinged flaps 153. The two valve elements may be joined at or carried on a common base 151. The base has a thickness 154 that is less than the height of the positioning pins of the mouthpiece, so that the pins may pass therethrough. There is an opening 155 in the base, which may be defined as the perimeter of contact between the duck-bill and the base. The exemplary embodiment has four positioning holes 156 placed near the perimeter of the base, each being sized to admit the matching positioning pins. Thus, when the apparatus is assembled, the positioning pins of the mouthpiece penetrate the positioning holes of the valve base and the valve base forms a substantially airtight seal between the delivery member and the adaptor member. The duck-bill is a shape predominantly that of a wedge with a very narrow split across the apex of the wedge. The split is narrow enough that the two edges forming the ends of the duck-bill are substantially in contact when there is no external pressure on the duck-bill. The duck-bill has a span, a height, and a thickness. The height of the duck-bill is the vertical distance between the apex of the wedge where the split is located and the base. The span is the distance of the split across the thin edge of the wedge and the height. The span is sufficiently narrow that the apex of the duck bill will fit within the delivery member without contacting it. Thus, the dead zone within the delivery member is minimized by the valve extending therein. The valve may be as wide as possible to provide for easier inhalation, but just narrower than the passage so that the duck-bill sides do not receive pressure and the lips of the duck-bill are not parted except by inhalation. Dead space refers to the volume of the apparatus containing air which is rebreathed. Dead space is inherent in any valve-based system enclosed within a mouthpiece or mask; it is the space between the mouth of a subject and the valve. Any subject has a limited volume of air that may be inhaled, and which then is exhaled. This is the subject's tidal volume. The inhalation air will contain both oxygen and medicament. The exhalation air will contain carbon dioxide. In a sealed system, all inhalation air will come through the valve and will contain a preferable mixture of medicament laden air. However, this inhalation air will be combined with whatever gases remain sealed within the dead space on their way to being actually inhaled into the subject's respiratory tract. Similarly, when the subject exhales, all air must pass through this dead zone on the way out the exhaust portion of the valve system. Because the subject will be incapable of forcing a complete vacuum within this sealed system, the dead space will contain gases that then will be re-inhaled during the next breathing cycle. Given that the volume of the subject's lungs is fixed, the larger the volume of the system's dead space, the smaller the volume of medicament laden air the subject will receive with each breathing cycle. Thus, the larger the volume of dead space, the less efficient the system because increasing dead space causes a buildup of carbon dioxide and rebreathing. Rebreathing carbon dioxide can have an adverse effect on breathing rates and patterns, especially for small children who have very small tidal volumes. Duck-bill valves are more efficient than diaphragm valves because the volume encompassed by the duck-bill is subtracted from space that otherwise would be dead space in a diaphragm-based system. The duck-bill is thin enough that the sides of the wedge will flex when the atmospheric pressure on the opposite side of the base from the duck-bill is greater than that above the duck-bill. This causes the edges of the duck-bill to part, letting air flow through the duck-bill in the direction from the base to mouthpiece. Thus, in the present embodiment, air is permitted to flow through the mouthpiece to a subject during inhalation. The duck-bill closes automatically at the end of inhalation when the atmospheric pressure differential is removed. Thus, the flow of exhaled air upstream of the valve to the holding chamber is prevented during exhalation. The exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides two hinged flaps 153 extending from on or near the perimeter of the base. Each hinged flap 153 is sized so as to be able to cover a corresponding notch 147 when assembled. Each flap is placed on the base at such a position and at such an angle that when the base is placed onto the positioning pins of the mouthpiece, the flap covers one of the notches 147. The flap is hinged onto the base so that it may cover the notch 147 during inhalation, thereby preventing the flow of outside air into the interior of the housing through the opening in the sidewall of the housing. When the mouthpiece of the apparatus of the exemplary embodiment is assembled, the notch of the delivery member 147 and the aforementioned notch of the adaptor member 186 may be aligned radially, and the hinged outgas flap 153 is disposed between these notches. The flexible material forming each of the outgas flaps is sufficiently thin to allow an outgas flap to flex through at least a few degrees of flexibility when differences in relative atmospheric pressure caused by human breathing exert flexing pressure on said flap, thereby moving the flap away from the notch 147 during exhalation and allowing exhaled air to pass out of the mouthpiece through the notch 186. Referring to FIG. 6, the subject side section 120 of the delivery member may be formed by a sidewall 128 that is generally cylindrical in shape with an oval cross section. The exemplary embodiment has two side points 122, opposite each other on the sidewall, and two lip points 123, opposite each other on the sidewall. Each lip point is equidistant between the two side points. There is a contact end 126 where the sidewall is joined to the connecting ring and a lip end 127 opposite the contact end. The upper opening of the sidewall 121 at the lip end is oval. There is a lower opening of the sidewall at the contact end, through which the tip of the duck-bill valve passes. Ridges 125 may be provided for placement of the subject's lips, or to aid in the placement of an adaptor mask on the outside of the delivery member. Shaped correctly, a ridge 125 may be used to seal and mount such a mask with a tight pressure fit. These ridges are placed approximately halfway down the upper section, and are wedge shaped in the exemplary embodiment. Specifically, they are formed by the upper and lower thickness measurements being equal at the side points and the lower thickness being greater than the upper thickness at the lip points. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, the connecting ring 130 between the adaptor side and subject side sections of the delivery member has an interior opening 135, which may be equal in size to and substantially continuous with the opening of the sidewall of the subject side section. It has an exterior limit 131 that is greater than the interior opening, and a surface 132 where the connecting ring is joined to the subject side section. The surface 132 extends from the sidewall 128 outwards toward the exterior limit 131 where it joins with an exterior wall 133. The exterior wall 133 may be substantially parallel to the sidewall 128 and extends from the top surface in a direction away from the lip end of the subject side section. The exterior wall has an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface being closer to the interior opening of the connecting ring. In the exemplary embodiment, there are two contact openings 134 in the top surface, which are disposed approximately equidistantly around the circumference of the top surface. Each contact hole is adapted to accept a portion of the adaptor member, to help hold the two members of the mouthpiece securely together. On the interior surface of the exterior wall, there may be provided two engaging members 136, or catches, each being below a contact hole. They are wedge shaped and oriented with the thin end of the wedge towards the adaptor side for ease in connecting and resistance to disconnecting. In the exemplary embodiment, each has a width less than that of the corresponding contact opening above the catch, a length less than that of the distance between the top and bottom of the exterior wall of the connecting ring, and a height less than the length. Referring back to FIGS. 3 and 4, the width 143 of each section that makes up the wall 142 is approximately as wide as a contact opening in the top surface of the connecting ring. Each wall section is disposed along the interior opening substantially adjacent to a contact opening, thus providing a limit to the flexing of the walls of the adaptor member, which is discussed below. In the exemplary embodiment, each wall section has two positioning pins 141 placed along the end face of the wall, extending in the same direction. They are placed near the edge of the wall sections, and can be placed as far apart from each other as the width of a contact opening in the surface of the connecting ring. Due to their height, the sections of the wall 142 extend into the space of the adaptor member when the apparatus is assembled. Protrusions 146 may be disposed on the perimeter of the opening forming the passage for exhalation air flow (notches 147). These protrusions act as stop elements for the exhaust flap portions of the one-piece valve, limiting their travel in an inward direction. As will be seen in more detail below, when the subject inhales, these exhaust flaps are pressed by suction against the stop elements and form a seal so that the pressure of inhalation is fully directed towards drawing the medicament laden air from the holding chamber. Referring to FIG. 7, the adaptor member 170 may be generally frustoconical in shape, thereby providing for the smooth change in diameter from the holding chamber to the delivery member. In the exemplary embodiment, it is both frustoconical and transparent. A transparent embodiment of the present invention has the additional advantage of allowing the subject to visually verify the presence of the medicament during delivery to the patient. The adaptor member may have a base end 171, a conical midsection 172, four wall sections, and a delivery side end 173. The base end is adapted to cooperate with the edge of the holding chamber, for example forming an exterior wall extending from the end of the cone. The base end of the adaptor member also may have an inner wall 174 extending from the end of the cone. In the exemplary embodiment, each of these two walls having a height of at least 0.5 mm to define a groove for accepting the edge of the holding chamber. In this case, the walls are shaped and positioned such that, when the chamber is positioned between the inner and outer walls and a thin layer of adhesive is applied between the walls, a substantially airtight seal may be formed between the holder and the chamber. Other systems for joining the adaptor member and holding chamber may be used, including permanent bonding or releasable connections. The releasable connection may not be needed when the delivery member is made of two readily-separated components that allow for easy cleaning and for replacement of the valve when necessary, as in the illustrated embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the wall arising from the frustoconical midsection 172 of the adaptor member 170 may be divided into four sections, including two catch walls 176 and two vent walls 177 in the exemplary embodiment. These may be placed alternately around the delivery side end of the adaptor member. Each catch wall 176 may have a catch opening 178 sized to admit one of the catches 136 of the connecting ring 130 of the delivery member 110. A catch wall 176 is positioned on the adaptor member such that its opening 178 is adapted to fit a catch 136 when the two adaptor and delivery members are joined. The end 179 of the catch wall 176 may fit a contact opening 134 of the connecting ring 130 of the delivery member 110. The catch walls 176 may be flexible, so that they may be bent by the subject applying pressure at the positioning points 175 to release the catch 136 from the opening 178. This allows the two members of the exemplary housing 101 to be joined and separated in a quick-release fashion. Each valve wall 177 in the exemplary embodiment is U shaped. That is, it is a wall on the long side of the oval opening with a notch 186 in it. Other systems for connecting the adaptor member and delivery member can be used. In addition, the catch and opening could be reversed, i.e. the opening provided on the connecting ring and the catch provided on wall section of the adaptor member. The delivery side end of the conical adaptor member may have an opening 185 of substantially the same size as the opening 155. An airtight seal may be formed between the opposing surfaces of the adaptor member and the delivery member by the valve. That is, the valve base 151 may have opposing surfaces arranged to meet those of the adaptor member and the delivery member and form an airtight seal when the apparatus is assembled. The exemplary embodiment's adaptor member 170 has a rim 180 around the opening 185 with four positioning openings 181 in the rim, one for each pin 141. Thus, when the two members are joined, the four pins of the delivery member drop into these openings in the exemplary embodiment. Referring to back FIGS. 1, 2 and 7, the cylindrical holding chamber 200 may be defined by a length of cylindrical tube that extends between the mouthpiece 100 and a source of aerosol medicament and includes the receptacle 300 accepting an outlet from a source of aerosol medicament such as a metered dose inhaler or the like. The tube wall 201 may be sized to fit between the inner wall 174 and the outer wall 171 of the base of the mouthpiece. In the exemplary embodiment, the holding chamber is made of a lightweight metal or alloy, such as aluminum or an alloy thereof. The use of such material reduces the risk of resistance to medicament flow by static attraction between the particles of medicament and the holding chamber wall. Alternatively, the surface of a holding chamber of any material may be treated with an anti-electrostatic coating or process to achieve this advantage. In the exemplary embodiment using a metal tube, the tube is anodized which provides the advantage of sealing the micro-porosity of such a tube's surface and stabilizing it against oxidation. Referring to FIGS. 9a and 9b, the receptacle 300 may include a base with a lip 310, an opening 350 for accepting a source of aerosol medicament in the base with a collar 370 extending into the chamber 200, an air vent 320, and a supporting wall 340 that surrounds the opening arising from the base into the chamber. The exemplary embodiment has four vents. The receptacle base is sized to fit within the tube of the holding chamber. It may be formed of a resilient and flexible material such that it may be removed from the chamber tube (e.g., for cleaning) and replaced many times without loss of functionality, such as maintenance of structural integrity or the ability of the receptacle to form a substantially airtight seal with the tube, throughout the life of the apparatus. In the exemplary embodiment, the receptacle may be removed and replaced hundreds of times without ripping, tearing or otherwise harming the functionality of the apparatus. This removal resilience also applies to the removal and replacement of the source of aerosol medicament from the apparatus. The lip 310 of the receptacle fits around the perimeter of the base of the member so that the lip extends beyond the edge of the tube. The lip may be sized such that it forms a substantially airtight seal with the tube. Other systems can be used to join the receptacle to the tube if desired. The opening 350 of the receptacle of the exemplary embodiment may be sized to accept several different types of aerosol medicament sources such as MDIs. The collar 370 is sufficiently long and flexible to form a seal with the aerosol medicament source when one is admitted into the receptacle. The supporting wall 340 of the exemplary embodiment is provided with cyclone baffles 330 placed upon the outside of the wall (relative to the opening) and support ribs 360 radially placed upon the inside of the wall. The support ribs 360 extend from the wall towards the collar 370. They are sized so that there is space for the collar to be pressed up against the ribs when a typical MDI is inserted into the opening. Thus, an airtight seal may be formed around the source of the aerosol medicament. The support ribs of the exemplary embodiment provide support to the source of aerosol medicament by holding that source against the structure of the collar. The vents 320 allow outside air to be drawn into the holding chamber during inhalation. This helps to push the aerosol medicament to the subject during inhalation. Each cyclone baffle 330 extends towards the base and is aligned with a vent 320 so that the point where the baffle reaches the base is just beyond the vent. The baffle thus covers the vent. The baffle may have a width sufficient to form a seal between the supporting wall and the tube wall of the chamber. By using the baffle to direct airflow coming through the vents, a rotational flow is imparted to the air entering the chamber through the vents. In the exemplary embodiment, the placement of the cyclone baffles above the vents and next to the wall of the holding chamber wall directs outside air to and along the wall of the holding chamber. This reduces the tendency for medicament to adhere to the wall of the holding chamber. Although each of the four vents have been provided with a cyclone baffle in the present embodiment, this may not be necessary in all cases. The exemplary embodiment of the present invention is steam autoclavable either assembled or disassembled. This advantage arises from both the choice of materials used, as herein discussed, and the materials and methods of assembling the components of the invention, such as the quick release mechanism 182 and the use of high-temperature adhesive at the junction of adaptor member 170 and holding chamber 200. Further, the present invention is easily disassembled for cleaning and parts replacement by a non-technical person. While a detailed description of the present invention has been provided above, the invention is not limited thereto. Modifications that do not depart from the scope and spirit of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The invention is defined by the claims that follow. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The present invention is directed to apparatus for delivering aerosol medicament to a subject in need of the medicament. Delivery systems start with an aerosol-generating device. One common example of such devices is a pressurized metered dose inhaler (MDI). MDIs use pressurized gases to disperse medicament as tiny particles or droplets for delivery to the subject. By depressing the MDI, a known quantity of gas, and thereby of medicament, is ejected from the MDI. MDIs have been used with various types of diverse apparatus, in attempts to improve the delivery of this known quantity of medicament to the subject. Some problems associated with the delivery of medicament in an aerosol form include, but are not limited to, wastage of medicament in the delivery apparatus, delivery at too high speeds so that medicament sticks to the back of the subject's throat or is inhaled into the subject's sinuses rather than being received into the lungs, ejection of medicament out of the apparatus towards a subject without inhalation thereby, and ejection of medicament from the MDI upon exhalation by the subject into the apparatus prior to inhalation. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In one aspect, the present invention provides a mouthpiece with a valve for controlling the delivery of aerosolized medicament to a subject. The mouthpiece includes a housing that defines a passage through which the medicament flows to the subject. The housing has a one-piece valve system that permits passage of medicament aerosol to the subject during inhalation, but does not permit the passage of the subject's breath in the upstream direction during exhalation, with the exhaled breath being expelled through an opening in the sidewall of the housing. Another aspect of the present invention combines this mouthpiece and valve system with a holding chamber, which is disposed between the mouthpiece and the source of aerosol. In a further feature of this aspect of the invention, the interior of the holding chamber has anti-electrostatic properties to reduce the amount of medicament adhering to the walls of the holding chamber and thereby increase the delivery efficiency of the system. In a further aspect of the present invention, a holding chamber is provided with a receptacle member adapted to accept a source of aerosol medicament. The receptacle member may aid in the efficient delivery of medicament to the subject, for example by being vented to allow outside air to be mixed with the medicament aerosol in the holding chamber. In addition, if a rotation is imparted to the outside air brought into the holding chamber, the adhesion of medicament to the walls of the holding chamber can be reduced and the effort necessary to inhale through an apparatus of this type may be reduced. | 20040917 | 20090721 | 20050224 | 94629.0 | 1 | DOUGLAS, STEVEN O | AEROSOL MEDICATION INHALATION SYSTEM | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,943,692 | ACCEPTED | Selectively-extendable modular lighting fixture and method | A modular, linear-type lighting fixture may include an elongate housing having lengthwise ends, and a pair of endplates adapted for sealing attachment to either lengthwise end of the housing, each of the endplates having respective perimeter surfaces adapted for attachment to any one of a bridge adapted for angularly-directable extension of the housing, a bridge adapted for linear extension of the housing, and an endcap. A modular lighting fixture may include first and second elongate housings each having ends, pairs of endplates for being respectively mated with the first and second ends of the first and second elongate housings, the endplates each having a rim, and a bridge adapted for joining one of the endplates of the first elongate housing with one of the endplates of the second elongate housing by sealing cooperation with the respective rims thereof. A lighting fixture may have one or more isolated raceways therein. | 1. A modular lighting fixture comprising: first and second elongate housings each having ends; first and second pairs of endplates respectively mated with the ends of the first and second elongate housings, the endplates each having a peripheral rim; and a bridge adapted for joining one of the endplates of the first elongate housing with one of the endplates of the second elongate housing by sealing cooperation with the respective peripheral rims thereof. 2. The modular lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the bridge is one of an L, T, +, and X type. 3. The modular lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein: the first and second elongate housings each include a first raceway for routing distribution media; and the bridge includes a first wire pathway interconnecting the two first raceways. 4. The modular lighting fixture of claim 3 wherein the first and second elongate housings each include a second raceway and the bridge includes a second wire pathway interconnecting the two second raceways. 5. The modular lighting fixture of claim 4 wherein the first and second raceways are isolated from one another. 6. The modular lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein each of the endplates has a first side structured for attaching an additional structure and a second side structured for holding an arcuate lens, the second side having a face different from a face of the first side. 7. A modular lighting fixture comprising: first and second elongate linear housings each having ends; and a bridge adapted for sealingly connecting one of the ends of the first elongate housing to one of the ends of the second elongate linear housing, and for angularly disposing the second elongate linear housing. 8. The modular lighting fixture of claim 7 wherein the bridge is one of an L, T, and X type. 9. The modular lighting fixture of claim 7 wherein an isolated first raceway is defined within the first and second elongate housings and within the bridge. 10. The modular lighting fixture of claim 9 wherein an isolated second raceway is defined within the first and second elongate housings and within the bridge. 11. A modular lighting fixture comprising: a first elongate housing having ends; an endplate adapted for sealing connection to an end of the first elongate housing; and a bridge for sealingly connecting the endplate to at least one additional structure, the bridge being one of an L, T, +, and X type. 12. The modular lighting fixture of claim 11 wherein the at least one additional structure is a second elongate housing having ends. 13. The modular lighting fixture of claim 11 wherein the at least one additional structure is an endplate. 14. A modular lighting fixture comprising: first and second elongate housings each having ends; and a bridge structured for sealing connection of the first and second elongate housings to one another at respective ones of their ends, wherein the first and second elongate housings, when so connected, are non-colinear. 15. The modular lighting fixture of claim 14 wherein the bridge is one of an L, T, +, and X type. 16. The modular lighting fixture of claim 14 wherein the bridge includes a wire pathway. 17. The modular lighting fixture of claim 16 wherein the first and second elongate housings each include a raceway, and wherein the two raceways are connected to one another via the wire pathway of the bridge to form an isolated conduit within the lighting fixture. 18. The modular lighting fixture of claim 14 wherein the bridge includes a collar, and wherein the sealing structure for sealing connection of the two elongate housings to one another via the bridge includes snug engagement of peripheral portions of the respective ends of the housings with the collar of the bridge. 19. A modular, linear-type lighting fixture comprising: an elongate housing having lengthwise ends; and a pair of endplates adapted for sealing attachment to either lengthwise end of the housing, each of the endplates having respective perimeter surfaces adapted for attachment to any one of a bridge adapted for angularly-directable extension of the housing, a bridge adapted for linear extension of the housing, and an endcap. 20. The modular lighting fixture of claim 19 further comprising the angularly-directable extension type bridge. 21. The modular lighting fixture of claim 20 wherein the angularly-directable extension type bridge is one of an L, T, and X type. 22. The modular lighting fixture of claim 19 further comprising the linear extension type bridge. 23. The modular lighting fixture of claim 19 further comprising the endcap. 24. The modular lighting fixture of claim 23 wherein the end cap has an outwardly-projecting flange adapted for sealing engagement with an outwardly presented face of one of the end plates. 25. The modular lighting fixture of claim 19 further comprising an elongate lens adapted for being secured to the housing. 26. The modular lighting fixture of claim 25 further comprising a gasket for providing sealing between the housing and the lens. 27. The modular lighting fixture of claim 25 wherein the lens has end edge portions, and wherein each of the endplates has an arcuate groove adapted for slideably receiving one of the end edge portions of the lens to thereby seat the lens in sealing engagement within the groove. 28. The modular lighting fixture of claim 27 wherein the groove is defined by a groove-forming portion integrally formed in each of the endplates. 29. The modular lighting fixture of claim 27 wherein: the lens has flanges along two opposite elongate sides thereof; the housing has downwardly-opening grooves along elongate sides thereof adapted for receiving respective ones of the flanges of the lens; and when the endplates are attached to the housing, the grooves of the endplates are aligned with respective ones of the grooves of the housing. 30. The modular lighting fixture of claim 25 wherein the lens has a flange on each opposite longitudinal edge portion thereof, and each endplate has laterally extending grooves structured for receiving respective ones of the flanges. 31. The modular lighting fixture of claim 25 wherein: the lens has a flange on each opposite longitudinal edge portion thereof; the housing has opposite longitudinal outer portions; and each of the flanges overhangs a respective one of the longitudinal outer portions of the housing. 32. The modular lighting fixture of claim 25 wherein: the lens has a vertical flange adjacent each opposite longitudinal edge portion thereof; and the housing has opposite longitudinal outer portions each having downward-facing longitudinal grooves adapted for receiving respective ones of the vertical flanges. 33. The modular lighting fixture of claim 25 wherein the lens has lengthwise ends, and each endplate has an arcuate inwardly facing groove for receiving a respective one of the lengthwise ends of the lens. 34. The modular lighting fixture of claim 33 wherein each endplate further comprises a gasket for sealing joinder of the respective arcuate inwardly facing groove and the corresponding lengthwise end of the lens. 35. A lighting fixture comprising: an elongate housing having two ends; and at least one endplate engageable with one of the ends of the elongate housing, wherein, when the endplate is engaged with the elongate housing, at least two isolated raceways extend through the elongate housing and the endplate. 36. A lighting fixture comprising: first and second elongate housings; two endplates, each having two non-symmetrical end walls, disposed between the first and second elongate housings; an elongate lens attached to the first elongate housing; and a gasket disposed between the lens and the first elongate housing for providing fluid-impervious sealing between the lens and the first elongate housing. 37. The lighting fixture of claim 36 further comprising a bridge disposed between the two endplates. 38. The lighting fixture of claim 36 wherein the elongate lens has arcuate ends, and wherein one of the end walls of each of the two endplates is adapted for sealingly securing thereto a respective one of the arcuate ends of the elongate lens. 39. A lighting fixture comprising: a lighting fixture module having ends; and an end plate affixed at each of the ends of the lighting fixture module, the end plate including an arcuate, inwardly-directed groove adapted for sealingly receiving an end edge portion of a lens. 40. A lighting fixture comprising: an elongate lighting fixture housing having ends; a pair of end plates respectively affixed at each of the ends of the lighting fixture housing; and an elongate lens adapted for mating attachment to the lighting fixture housing and having flanges along elongate sides thereof that overlie the lighting fixture housing. 41. A lighting fixture comprising: a lens having a flange extending symmetrically along each of two longitudinal edges of the lens; and a linear-type lighting fixture housing having slot-like grooves extending along sidewalls of the housing, the grooves being adapted for receiving respective ones of the flanges therein, wherein attachment of the flanges in the grooves effects fluid-impervious sealing between the lens and the housing. 42. A method of modular lighting fixturing comprising: providing an elongate first housing having ends; and providing a pair of endplates with respective perimeter surfaces adapted for mating attachment to either end of the first housing, each of the endplates being attachable to any of an angularly-disposing bridge, a ring, and an endcap, wherein the bridge defines a structure adapted for angularly-directable extension of the first housing, and wherein the ring defines a structure adapted for linear extension of the first housing. 43. A method of lighting comprising providing a fluid-impervious lighting fixture adapted for being installed as any of an individual linear housing section, a continuous lighting fixture made up of individual linear housing sections, and a geometric linear lighting fixture made up of individual linear housing sections. 44. A method comprising: providing a selectable number of linear lighting modules each adapted for being joined at an end thereof to an end of another of the linear lighting modules, each of the linear lighting modules being of a selectable length; and joining the selected number of linear lighting modules together to form a lighting fixture having two isolated raceways therein. 45. The method of claim 44 further comprising sealing a joinder of two of the selected number of linear lighting modules for preventing foreign material from entering such joinder. 46. The method of claim 44 further comprising providing at least one sealing member structured for preventing intrusion of foreign matter into the lighting fixture. 47. The method of claim 44 further comprising joining two of the selected number of linear lighting modules together by sealingly affixing a bridge therebetween. 48. A method of providing a lighting fixture comprising: providing first and second housing sections each having opposite ends; mounting an endplate to the opposite ends of each of the first and second housings; and sealingly joining together one of the mounted endplates for each of the first and second housing sections, thereby sealingly connecting the first and second housing sections to one another. 49. The method of claim 48 further comprising affixing an endcap to each free endplate. | RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 10/156,423, filed May 28, 2002. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to a lighting fixture and, more particularly, to a modular lighting fixture adaptable for being implemented in various shapes and configurations. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many different types of lighting fixtures, including elongate fixtures for various applications and locations, are known in the art. Such fixtures have been installed for illuminating stores, offices, supermarkets, schools, hospitals, banks, and other interior and exterior areas. Appreciating the versatility of such lighting fixtures, including the many engineering designs and configurations, there remains a need for improving versatility and adaptability of a lighting fixture, in order to facilitate and enhance particular applications. Traditional lighting fixtures are not readily adaptable for adjusting length and changing physical configuration. In particular, conventional structures and lighting methods are not adapted for selectively implementing fixtures having different shapes. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide an improved system for implementing lighting fixtures overcoming some of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art, including those referred to above. Another object of the invention is to provide a modular lighting system easily adaptable for creating different shapes and configurations in linear lighting applications. Another object of the invention is to provide a lighting system that provides one or more isolated raceways for other distribution applications, for example low voltage wiring, fiber optics, and others. Still another object of the invention is to provide a system for sealingly connecting linear lighting modules to one another. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a modular lighting system that allows a designer to implement linear lighting using any number of modules having selectable lengths. How these and other objects are accomplished will become apparent from the following descriptions and drawing figures. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to an aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes first and second elongate housings each having ends, first and second pairs of end plates respectively mated with the ends of the first and second elongate housings, the end plates each having a peripheral rim, and a bridge adapted for joining one of the end plates of the first elongate housing with one of the end plates of the second elongate housing by sealing cooperation with the respective peripheral rims thereof. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes first and second elongate linear housings each having ends, and a bridge adapted for sealingly connecting one of the ends of the first elongate housing to one of the ends of the second elongate linear housing, and for angularly disposing the second elongate linear housing. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes a first elongate housing having ends, an end plate adapted for sealing connection to an end of the first elongate housing, and a bridge for sealingly connecting the end plate to at least one additional structure, the bridge being one of an L, T, +, and X type. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes first and second elongate housings each having ends, and a bridge structured for sealing connection of the first and second elongate housings to one another at respective ones of their ends; wherein the first and second elongate housings, when so connected, are non-colinear. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes an elongate housing having lengthwise ends, and a pair of endplates adapted for sealing attachment to either lengthwise end of the housing, each of the endplates having respective perimeter surfaces adapted for attachment to any one of a bridge adapted for angularly-directable extension of the housing, a bridge adapted for linear extension of the housing, and an endcap. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes an elongate housing having two ends, and at least one end plate engageable with one of the ends of the elongate housing, where, when the end plate is engaged with the elongate housing, at least two isolated raceways extend through the elongate housing and the end plate. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes first and second elongate housings, two endplates, each having two non-symmetrical end walls, disposed between the first and second elongate housings, an elongate lens attached to the first elongate housing, and a gasket disposed between the lens and the first elongate housing for providing fluid-impervious sealing between the lens and the first elongate housing. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes a lighting fixture module having ends, and an end plate affixed at each of the ends of the lighting fixture module, the end plate including an arcuate, inwardly-directed groove adapted for sealingly receiving an end edge portion of a lens. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes an elongate lighting fixture housing having ends, a pair of end plates respectively affixed at each of the ends of the lighting fixture housing, and an elongate lens adapted for mating attachment to the lighting fixture housing and having flanges along elongate sides thereof that overlie the lighting fixture housing. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes a lens having a flange extending symmetrically along each of two longitudinal edges of the lens, and a linear-type lighting fixture housing having slot-like grooves extending along sidewalls of the housing, the grooves being adapted for receiving respective ones of the flanges therein, where attachment of the flanges in the grooves effects fluid-impervious sealing between the lens and the housing. According to another aspect of the invention, a method of modular lighting fixturing includes providing an elongate first housing having ends, and providing a pair of endplates with respective perimeter surfaces adapted for mating attachment to either end of the first housing, each of the endplates being attachable to any of an angularly-disposing bridge, a ring, and an endcap, where the bridge defines a structure adapted for angularly-directable extension of the first housing, and where the ring defines a structure adapted for linear extension of the first housing. According to another aspect of the invention, a method of lighting includes providing a fluid-impervious lighting fixture adapted for being installed as any of an individual linear housing section, a continuous lighting fixture made up of individual linear housing sections, and a geometric linear lighting fixture made up of individual linear housing sections. According to another aspect of the invention, a method includes providing a selectable number of linear lighting modules each adapted for being joined at an end thereof to an end of another of the linear lighting modules, each of the linear lighting modules being of a selectable length, and joining the selected number of linear lighting modules together to form a lighting fixture having two isolated raceways therein. According to another aspect of the invention, a method of providing a lighting fixture includes providing first and second housing sections each having opposite ends, mounting an endplate to the opposite ends of each of the first and second housings, and sealingly joining together one of the mounted endplates for each of the first and second housing sections, thereby sealingly connecting the first and second housing sections to one another. As a result of implementing certain aspects of the invention, lighting fixtures may be characterized as providing “selectably extendable and angularly-directable linear lighting.” For example, by joining a number of modules, sections, or housing components to one another at end portions or segments thereof, a lineal array of selectable length or lineal expanse may be provided as required or desired. Alternatively, the fixture may consist of two linear arrays connected at ends thereof to define an angle, for example a 90 degree juncture or corner. In another example, lineal sectors or sections may be oriented with respect to one another to provide various different geometric configurations or shapes. Accordingly, a large variety of lighting design choices may be implemented efficiently. In addition, a structure according to the invention also provides fluid-impervious sealing. Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following further description considered with the drawing figures. The foregoing summary does not limit the invention, which is instead defined by the attached claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a luminaire-type linear lighting fixture module having an endcap, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 shows two modular lighting fixture sections joined endwise to one another through an interposed coupler ring, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a body section of a lighting fixture with an end plate affixed to the body section of the lighting fixture for attachment to an end cap, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 is a partially-exploded fragmentary perspective view showing an end of a body section of a lighting fixture module with an end plate secured in place for attachment to a ring-type coupling bridge, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 is an elevational view of an end plate for mounting on an end of the body of a housing section of a lighting fixture module, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a ring-type coupling bridge secured to the end plate of FIG. 5, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 7 is a fragmentary upward perspective view, with parts omitted for clarity, showing a housing section having an end plate with a coupler fastened thereto, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIG. 2, and illustrating a manner of securing one housing section or lighting fixture module to another, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 9A and 9B are fragmentary, cross-sectional views taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 2, with parts omitted for clarity, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of two modular sections joined to one another at right angles by means of an “L” type connecting adapter to form an L-node or corner mode assembly, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view showing three lighting fixture modules connected to a joinder adapter configured as a “T” node, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view of four lighting fixture modules joined to a rectangular, four-place coupler to form a “+” node type lighting fixture assembly in which the four modules arms extend at 90 degrees with respect to adjacent modules, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lighting fixture module 24 that may be configured in any of several different forms, in this case being configured as a single module fixture 20 by adding endcaps 52. Module 24 may also be referred-to herein as “housing section 24” that includes a body section 10 and a pair of end plates 34. Module 24 may also include a lens 80. FIG. 2 shows a dual-module lighting fixture 30 having two housing sections 24. The two housing sections 24 of fixture 30 are secured end-to-end to one another at respective facing end plates 34 thereof (e.g., FIGS. 3-5, 7, 8), by a coupler 40 interposed between the respective end plates 34. Either fixture 20, 30 may be securely mounted at respective generally planar bases 48 thereof to a ceiling or similar structure 50. Free ends of housing section 24 may be sealed at end plates 34 thereof with fitted end caps 52. End cap 52 abuts and is securely mounted to end plate 34, as shown by way of example in FIG. 3. Each housing section 24 includes opposed lineally-extending side walls 56, 58 extending co-extensively with base 48 at elongate upper edges 64 and 66 thereof. Housing sidewalls 56, 58 of elongate modular lineal section 24 are formed of an extruded high-strength metal alloy, such as aluminum alloys, as a body portion 10 of each modular sections 24. Sidewalls 56, 58 are formed at opposite elongate edge portions thereof with channel-like, downwardly-opening grooves 96, 98 that matingly receive therewithin the elongate free edge portions of lens 80. A gasket (not shown) may also be used for sealing the elongate sides of lens 80 with elongate grooves 96, 98 of housing 24. Lens 80 is preferably formed of a high strength plastics composition. Elongate, sheet-like, arcuate lens 80 extends generally along the bottom of housing section 24 and is secured at its lengthwise sides to longitudinally extending lower free edges 72, 74 of the opposed sidewalls 56 and 58 of housing section 24. In one embodiment, lens 80 has upwardly-directed flanges 86, 88 (e.g., FIGS. 9A-9B) that respectively seat within downwardly-opening elongate grooves or slots 204, 206 in endplate 34 and in channels 96 and 98 formed in lower free elongate opposed edge zones 104 and 106 of housing sidewalls 56 and 58. Each endplate 34 is formed at an inner face thereof with an arcuate, inwardly opening slot or groove 200 extending along a bounding peripheral edge zone thereof for slideably receiving, to seat in sealing engagement therewith, an end edge portion of lens 80, thereby providing sealing engagement of lens 80 with groove 200. The inner face of end plate 34 is also formed for accepting therewithin, in mating and sealing engagement, the extruded housing 24. For example, downwardly-projecting strips 110, 112 respectively extend longitudinally along a lineal expanse of sidewalls 56, 58. At their free end edges, strips 110, 112 respectively abut in sealing engagement with endplate 34. Channel 200, which opens outwardly, is contoured, configured and sized at its opposite lateral portions for receiving in close and sealing engagement therewithin the respective opposed edge portions 72 and 74 of the sidewalls 56 and 58. As shown in FIGS. 9A-B, a die cut gasket 120 may be interposed to sealingly engage the strips 110, 112 and lens 80. As shown in FIGS. 9A-9B, channel 200 of endplate 34 may be aligned with corresponding channels 96, 98 of housing 24. End plates 34 are structured in a skeletal, bridge-like manner for mating engagement and positive attachment to each end of housing section 24, thereby providing through-frame openings. Skeletal adapter ring 40 is attachable to either end plate 34 for facilitating attachment of an additional housing section or module 24 to provide a lighting fixture comprised of two or more modular housing sections 24. End plates 34 may be formed as high-strength castings having a metal composition, preferably being composed of a lightweight material such as an aluminum alloy. End plates 34 have an inner face perimeter contour corresponding to a perimeter contour of the combined end-wise edge of the housing section 24 including an attached lens 80. The outer face perimeter contour of end plate 34 corresponds to a perimeter contour of the ring 40, endcap 52, or other bridge being attached to end plate 34. For example, end plate 34 may have a perimeter shoulder 205 for sealingly engaging either an inner rim 226 of coupler ring 40 or an inner edge 160 of end cap 52 to be secured thereon. Ring 40 has a circumscribing top wall that is integrally formed with laterally extending ring-like flanges 220 dimensioned and configured to overlie in sealing engagement therewith a mating 152 wall of endplate 34 formed adjacent shoulder portion 205. As shown by way of example in FIGS. 3 and 4, an end plate 34 is securely engaged with body portion 10 at each end thereof, thereby forming a housing section 24. End plate 34 has a plate-like, skeletal body 142 having a plurality of through openings or passageways 134, 136, 138 and 140 formed therein. Such passageways 134, 136, 138, 140 provide wire routing structures that facilitate passage therethrough of electrical wires, illuminating sources, other electrical components, and related structures such as various cabling, adapters, etc. As described in more detail below, passageways 134, 136, 138, 140 may each be parts of individual isolated raceways extending the entire length of module 24 by including enclosed passages within body portion 10. Housing section 24 has a top flange 148 which extends continuously along a top end edge of the base 48 for sealing engagement with end cap 34. Integrally formed with and co-extensive with the top flange 48 and stepped downwardly with respect thereto is a second flange 152. End plate 34 is formed with opposed upper side sectors 190, 192 and a continuing lower arcuate section 196 thereof. As shown in the interior view of FIG. 7, the interior side of end plate 34 has an uninterrupted channel 200. Channel 200 is configured and sized for receiving in sealing engagement therewith the end portions 81 of lens 80. Channel 200 of endplate 34, as shown by example in FIGS. 9A-9B, has laterally-extending portions 202, 203 structured for respectively receiving outward-extending flanges 114, 116 of lens 80. Similarly, vertically-oriented flange portions 86, 88 of lens 80 respectively fit into channels 204, 206 of endplate 34. Die-cut gasket 120 may be formed in an appropriate manner for sealing of endplate 34, for example by being interposed for sealingly engaging strips 110, 112 and lens 80. Gaskets can include die-cut gaskets and the like. Lens 80 provides distribution of illuminating light emanating from the fixture, and is preferably composed of a high-impact, shock-resistant plastic composition, such as an acrylic plastic or a polycarbonate plastic. As shown in the example of FIGS. 9A-9B, lens 80 is formed to engage channel 200 End cap 52 is integrally formed with a flange 156 projecting outwardly along a top, free edge 158 thereof. When end cap 52 is positioned in place to mate with and close the end of housing section 24, the top flange 156 of end cap 52 is brought to overlie and to effect a sealing engagement with flange 152 of housing section 24. An arcuate lower flange 160 of end cap 52 engages and seals with a cooperating lower flange 164 of end plate 34. End plate 34 is positively secured to the end of body portion 10 of housing section 24 with screws (not shown). End cap 52 is integrally formed with connector posts 170 and 172 projecting from the interior of the end wall 176 at opposed upper corners thereof. A third connector post 180, also integrally formed with the end cap 52, projects inwardly from the interior of the end wall 176 at a central lower area thereof. When cap 52 is positioned in place, the free ends of posts 170, 172 and 180 penetrate to seat, respectively, in cooperating outwardly-presented bores 184, 188 and 186 formed in end plate 34. Housing sections 24, which may be of any practical selectable lengths, each have an end plate 34 at lengthwise ends thereof. Outer faces of end plates 34 of two linearly adjacent housing sections 24 are brought matingly to engage an interposed coupling ring 40, thus to effect a sealed joinder of the two adjacent housing modules 24. For example, lighting fixture 20 has a single module 24 of selectable length; alternatively, any number of modular sections 24 may be joined to one another endwise as a lineal or in-line array, such as two-module lighting fixture 30 shown in FIG. 2 with coupler ring 40 being used to lineally connect modules 24 as shown in FIG. 4. Such is effective to provide a lineal lighting fixture of any desired or required expanse. In the example where two or more housing sections 24 joined endwise as a continuous uninterrupted physical structure (e.g., FIG. 2) with a coupler ring 40 (e.g., FIG. 4), coupler ring 40 has generally a contour and form compatible with end plate 34 and is preferably formed as a metal casting of an aluminum alloy or similar material. Coupler ring 40 is formed with a plurality of through openings 210, 212, 216 and 218. Such openings essentially correspond with openings formed in the end plate 34 and are in through registry therewith when end plate 34 and coupler ring 40 are joined together in an assembled lighting fixture having a plurality of body sectors or modules 24. Coupler ring 40 has a transversely-extending generally planar top surface 220 and an arcuate bottom surface 228, the flange-like top wall 220 extending laterally of the body 224 at each of opposed sides thereof effectively to provide two opposed flanges straddling a center portion 22. Flange-like top wall 220 may be engaged with a downwardly displaced or stepped flange 152 of an end plate 34. End plate 34 is secured to body portion 10 of housing module 24 as previously described. A second lighting fixture module 24 may be fastened, at its secured end plate 34 at the opposite, co-extensive second part of the flange 220 thus to effect a coupling of two housing sections 24 to one another endwise. In the manner described, it becomes simple and quick to produce a row-mount lighting fixture having a selectable number of separate housing sections each being of a selectable length. Thus, one may readily assemble a lighting fixture of any final overall length, as may be required or desired. A lighting fixture may include either a single module 24 of selectable length or, alternatively, a plurality of modular sections, sectors, or housing sections 24. Such may be joined to one another endwise as a lineal or in-line array. The method is readily effective to provide a lineal lighting fixture of any desired or required expanse. Many other embodiments of the invention are possible. Modular sections 24 maybe coupled at joined ends thereof to extend normally to one another to define a right-angle corner. Others may be connected by means of a T-shaped coupler to form a “T”. Still other modular sections, of selectable lengths, may be connected to form an “X” or a cross “+”. Since each module 24 has end plates 34 attached thereto, the chosen coupler is adapted to be secured to the respective end plate 34. Referring now to FIGS. 10, 11, and 12, lighting fixture embodiments are not limited to extending along a straight line, but may include other geometric configurations. For example, referring first to FIG. 10, there is shown a fragmentary view of a lighting fixture having two modular sections 24 oriented to extend orthogonally with respect to one another. A generally rectangular connector 230 with an “L” shape has a pair of adjacent sides 232 and 234 to which ends 236 and 238 of the modular sections 24 are sealingly joined to form a corner assembly. The resulting fixture having an L shape is suited, for example, for accommodating sharp bends, and for corner installations. Various combinations may be implemented. For example, a use of four such L connectors 230 and four modular sections 24 may be assembled to provide a lighting fixture in the physical configuration of a closed rectangular “loop.” In another example of a non-linear embodiment, FIG. 11 shows a generally rectangular connector 240 having three sides 242, 244, 246 to which three corresponding separate modular sections 24 of the fixture are connected. The assembled fixture of FIG. 11 thus assumes a “T” configuration. Yet another embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 12. As shown, a four-sided rectangular connector 250 has four sides to which a corresponding end 252, 254, 256, 258 of a separate module or fixture section 24 is joined. There results a fixture having a cross (“+”) type configuration. Further, an “X” type configuration of a lighting fixture may be formed. It will be appreciated that, through the selection and use of appropriate connectors, various open and closed loop lighting fixtures may be provided. Individual and joined bridges and/or housing sections 24 of a given lighting fixture establish therein, and along an entire expanse thereof, uninterrupted passageways. Such passageways may include “raceways” for accommodating wires, cables and the like. Such may be effectively isolated from ballasts and lamp wires. By providing physical barriers establishing and effectively separating a number of isolated raceways, for example, a passageway for the ballast power feed wires of a fluorescent lighting fixture does not interfere with the isolated raceways. Such a physical structural arrangement is highly desirable and is considered novel. The structural arrangement and configuration of lighting fixtures in accordance with the present invention may be utilized for effecting important physical separation of high voltage and low voltage wiring. The utility and versatility of such lighting fixtures are thereby enhanced. The structures of end plate 34 and coaxial coupler ring 40 are skeletal in construction with a plurality of through openings or passageways or runs. Such may provide coupling elements of extended raceways between modules 24 For example, items that may be safely housed in an isolated raceway such as one contained in fixtures according to the present invention, include 24-volt alarm circuitry, such as wiring for a fire alarm, fibre optic network cables, thermostat wires, telephone wires, etc. Such capabilities provided by the present invention are believed to be capabilities unique in lighting fixtures of a general linear type. It may be especially advantageous and convenient to fabricate all of the modular body sections 24 of a lighting fixture to be a same length. However, such arbitrary uniformity is in no sense a requirement. Conveniently, for example, individual luminaires may be formed using sections 24 nominally 8″×24″, 8″×48″, 8″×60″, etc. Other embodiments may be formed using sections 24 nominally 12″×24″. 12″×48″, 12″×60″, etc. As a result of the present invention, an extendable modular lighting fixture may be structured to provide interconnections having physical and electrical continuity. Such a structure is effectively tolerant of and resistant to physical abuse as well as to environmental hazards. The lighting fixture may include a linear illumination source and a lighting track in the housing, the lighting track including a passageway structured for accommodating electrical conductors for connecting the lighting fixture to an independent electrical power supply. Wire-ways may be formed within the lighting fixture for accommodating conductive wires. The lighting fixture may further include a gasket seated and secured in the housing along an expanse thereof and in sealing engagement for sealing the housing against invasion by objectionable ambient and foreign substances. A lighting fixture may further include a gasket disposed between the body of the fixture and its lens for establishing a fluid-impervious seal between the body of the fixture and the lens. Various structures may be used to establish a fluid-impervious seal between the body of the fixture and the lens. A method of making and assembling a lighting fixture having any selectable length and finding utility in ceiling, wall and corner installations including suspended mounts may include utilizing modular components in selectable numbers, each component being of any desired length, the components being connectable to one another endwise as a sealed, operating assemblage constituting a lighting fixture. A method may include mounting an end plate 34 on the housing-like body section 24 coaxially therewith at each end thereof. A method may include fabricating any of the various components, such as by casting. A method may include forming the end plates 34 to define a parametric contour corresponding to a parametric contour of each end edge of housing section 24, including a surmounting lens 80 of housing section 24. A method may include casting end plates 34 to define a lattice-like wall configuration including a plurality of dividers and through openings demarking passageways in end walls of housing section 24. A method may include forming an end plate 34, at an inwardly-presented limit thereof, with a coupling structure for engaging end structures of functionally-united, inter-coupling and extending ends including extrusion and lens 80. A method may include forming a side or face of end plate 34, opposite the side of lens 80, with a circumscribing perimeter shoulder for selectively sealingly engaging either one of a coupler ring to be sleevedly attached thereto, or an end cap of another module 24. Further, a method may include forming a casting as a bilateral coupler to be secured to a free end of an end plate 34 mounted on an end of a body section 24. Such a casting may be formed as a ring 40 including at a circumscribing top wall thereof integrally-formed, laterally extending ring-like flanges each being dimensioned and configured to overlie in sealing engagement therewith a mating top wall of an end plate 34. Such may provide a positive endwise joinder of two housing sections 24 to one another in a lineal array. A method may include forming an end cap 52 of a unitary one-piece configuration having a base, an upstanding endwall, and a top, and defining an integrally-formed, uninterrupted, circumscribing free edge contoured to be congruently fittable over a corresponding circumscribing parametric shoulder of end plate 34 in sealing engagement therewith. A method may include forming plastics lens 80 to define along each extending edge thereof with an angled flange for overlying an edge of the coextensive extruded base of housing or body section 24. A method may include forming end plate 34 at an inner face thereof with an outwardly opening slot or groove extending along a bounding coextensive edge zone thereof for accepting therewithin, in mating and sealing engagement therewith, the extruded metallic base component of the housing and the plastics lens thereof. A method may include configuring end plate, at one of its faces, to define an end face contoured for mounting thereon and affixing thereto, selectively, either an end cap 52 for capping and closing housing 24 of the modular structure, or a ring 40 in the form of a band-like coupler. The method may include configuring such a coupler for sealingly mounting onto end plate 34 of housing 24 for joining the end of housing section 24 to an end plate 34 of a housing body of a second modular housing section 24 of the lighting fixture so that the sections are sealingly joined to one another endwise. A method may include forming an endcap 52 with an integral, circumambient, outwardly-projecting, flange-like edge portion configured to overlie, in sealing engagement therewith, a perimetric shoulder circumscribing an outwardly presented face of an end plate 34 attached to housing 24. While the principles of the invention have been described in connection with presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined in the claims. The disclosures and the description herein are intended to be illustrative and are not in any sense limiting of the invention, defined in scope by the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Many different types of lighting fixtures, including elongate fixtures for various applications and locations, are known in the art. Such fixtures have been installed for illuminating stores, offices, supermarkets, schools, hospitals, banks, and other interior and exterior areas. Appreciating the versatility of such lighting fixtures, including the many engineering designs and configurations, there remains a need for improving versatility and adaptability of a lighting fixture, in order to facilitate and enhance particular applications. Traditional lighting fixtures are not readily adaptable for adjusting length and changing physical configuration. In particular, conventional structures and lighting methods are not adapted for selectively implementing fixtures having different shapes. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>According to an aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes first and second elongate housings each having ends, first and second pairs of end plates respectively mated with the ends of the first and second elongate housings, the end plates each having a peripheral rim, and a bridge adapted for joining one of the end plates of the first elongate housing with one of the end plates of the second elongate housing by sealing cooperation with the respective peripheral rims thereof. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes first and second elongate linear housings each having ends, and a bridge adapted for sealingly connecting one of the ends of the first elongate housing to one of the ends of the second elongate linear housing, and for angularly disposing the second elongate linear housing. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes a first elongate housing having ends, an end plate adapted for sealing connection to an end of the first elongate housing, and a bridge for sealingly connecting the end plate to at least one additional structure, the bridge being one of an L, T, +, and X type. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes first and second elongate housings each having ends, and a bridge structured for sealing connection of the first and second elongate housings to one another at respective ones of their ends; wherein the first and second elongate housings, when so connected, are non-colinear. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes an elongate housing having lengthwise ends, and a pair of endplates adapted for sealing attachment to either lengthwise end of the housing, each of the endplates having respective perimeter surfaces adapted for attachment to any one of a bridge adapted for angularly-directable extension of the housing, a bridge adapted for linear extension of the housing, and an endcap. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes an elongate housing having two ends, and at least one end plate engageable with one of the ends of the elongate housing, where, when the end plate is engaged with the elongate housing, at least two isolated raceways extend through the elongate housing and the end plate. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes first and second elongate housings, two endplates, each having two non-symmetrical end walls, disposed between the first and second elongate housings, an elongate lens attached to the first elongate housing, and a gasket disposed between the lens and the first elongate housing for providing fluid-impervious sealing between the lens and the first elongate housing. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes a lighting fixture module having ends, and an end plate affixed at each of the ends of the lighting fixture module, the end plate including an arcuate, inwardly-directed groove adapted for sealingly receiving an end edge portion of a lens. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes an elongate lighting fixture housing having ends, a pair of end plates respectively affixed at each of the ends of the lighting fixture housing, and an elongate lens adapted for mating attachment to the lighting fixture housing and having flanges along elongate sides thereof that overlie the lighting fixture housing. According to another aspect of the invention, a modular lighting fixture includes a lens having a flange extending symmetrically along each of two longitudinal edges of the lens, and a linear-type lighting fixture housing having slot-like grooves extending along sidewalls of the housing, the grooves being adapted for receiving respective ones of the flanges therein, where attachment of the flanges in the grooves effects fluid-impervious sealing between the lens and the housing. According to another aspect of the invention, a method of modular lighting fixturing includes providing an elongate first housing having ends, and providing a pair of endplates with respective perimeter surfaces adapted for mating attachment to either end of the first housing, each of the endplates being attachable to any of an angularly-disposing bridge, a ring, and an endcap, where the bridge defines a structure adapted for angularly-directable extension of the first housing, and where the ring defines a structure adapted for linear extension of the first housing. According to another aspect of the invention, a method of lighting includes providing a fluid-impervious lighting fixture adapted for being installed as any of an individual linear housing section, a continuous lighting fixture made up of individual linear housing sections, and a geometric linear lighting fixture made up of individual linear housing sections. According to another aspect of the invention, a method includes providing a selectable number of linear lighting modules each adapted for being joined at an end thereof to an end of another of the linear lighting modules, each of the linear lighting modules being of a selectable length, and joining the selected number of linear lighting modules together to form a lighting fixture having two isolated raceways therein. According to another aspect of the invention, a method of providing a lighting fixture includes providing first and second housing sections each having opposite ends, mounting an endplate to the opposite ends of each of the first and second housings, and sealingly joining together one of the mounted endplates for each of the first and second housing sections, thereby sealingly connecting the first and second housing sections to one another. As a result of implementing certain aspects of the invention, lighting fixtures may be characterized as providing “selectably extendable and angularly-directable linear lighting.” For example, by joining a number of modules, sections, or housing components to one another at end portions or segments thereof, a lineal array of selectable length or lineal expanse may be provided as required or desired. Alternatively, the fixture may consist of two linear arrays connected at ends thereof to define an angle, for example a 90 degree juncture or corner. In another example, lineal sectors or sections may be oriented with respect to one another to provide various different geometric configurations or shapes. Accordingly, a large variety of lighting design choices may be implemented efficiently. In addition, a structure according to the invention also provides fluid-impervious sealing. Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following further description considered with the drawing figures. The foregoing summary does not limit the invention, which is instead defined by the attached claims. | 20040917 | 20060110 | 20050224 | 97337.0 | 5 | SAWHNEY, HARGOBIND S | SELECTIVELY-EXTENDABLE MODULAR LIGHTING FIXTURE AND METHOD | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,944,214 | ACCEPTED | Heat shield | The present invention relates to a heat shield for pipes and tubes that is flexible, has an interior insulating layer, and has an exterior reflective layer. A shield may include a flap extending from the shield body for covering a portion of the component not already covered by the shield body. The interior layer faces the exhaust pipe, is made of woven silica, and may include a conductive coating. The exterior layer is an aluminum finish. The heat shield may be secured with stainless steel clamps or a lace and installed on an installed pipe or tube. The heat shield may be installed with an air gap between the pipe and the heat shield. | 1. A heat shield for conduit comprising: a single, continuous shield body sheet comprising an interior layer and an exterior layer, first and second ends, and first and second side edges, the shield body sheet being flexible so to adapt to various conduit cross-sectional shapes and sizes and directional changes of the conduit longitudinal axis and not substantially adhering to the conduit, and the exterior layer being reflective; and a means for coupling the side edges of the shield body to each other about the conduit such that a substantially longitudinal gap exists between the first side edge and the second side edge of the shield body sheet, such that the shield body is attached to the conduit without removal of the conduit from its installation. 2. A heat shield as stated in claim 1, further comprising a shield flap extending from a shield body side edge and capable of extending into a gap between first and second side edges. 3. A heat shield as stated in claim 1, wherein the interior layer is woven silica. 4. A heat shield as stated in claim 1, wherein the interior layer has a conductive coating. 5. A heat shield as stated in claim 1, wherein the exterior layer is a reflective aluminum Mylar finish. 6. A heat shield as stated in claim 1, wherein the coupling means is a clamp. 7. A heat shield as stated in claim 1, wherein the coupling means includes at least one lace and at least one pair of eyelets, one eyelet located along the first side edge and the other located substantially opposite the other along the second side edge. 8. A heat shield as stated in claim 1, further comprising a pocket on the shield body for adding insulating or heat dissipating material. 9. A heat shield as stated in claim 1, wherein the shield body sheet has a length substantially similar to the length of the conduit to be protected. 10. A heat shield as stated in claim 1, wherein the shield body sheet circumscribes the conduit less than two revolutions. 11. A heat shield for conduit comprising: a single, continuous shield body sheet comprising an interior layer and an exterior layer, first and second ends, and first and second side edges, the shield body sheet being flexible so to adapt to various conduit cross-sectional shapes and sizes and directional changes of the conduit longitudinal axis and not substantially adhering to the conduit, and the exterior layer being reflective; and a means for securing the shield body to the conduit without removal of the conduit from its installation, such that a substantially longitudinal gap exists between the first side edge and the second side edge of the shield body sheet. 12. A heat shield as stated in claim 11, further comprising a shield flap extending from a shield body side edge and capable of extending into a gap between first and second side edges. 13. A heat shield as stated in claim 11, wherein the securing means is a clamp. 14. A heat shield as stated in claim 11, wherein the securing means includes at least one lace and at least one pair of eyelets, one eyelet located along the first side edge and the other located substantially opposite the other along the second side edge. 15. A heat shield as stated in claim 11, further comprising a pocket on the shield body for adding insulating or heat dissipating material. 16. A heat shield for conduit comprising: a shield body sheet having an interior layer and an exterior layer, first and second ends, and first and second side edges, the exterior layer being reflective; and a means for securing the shield body to the conduit; and one or more pairs of eyelets spaced along at least a portion of said first and second side edges, wherein one eyelet of a pair is located on the first side edge and the other eyelet of the pair is located on the second side edge, said securing means passing though at least one pair of said eyelets. 17. A method of insulating conduit from heat transfer comprising the step of securing a flexible heat shield around at least a portion of said conduit without removing said conduit from its installation, the heat shield comprising: a single, continuous shield body sheet having an interior layer and an exterior layer, first and second ends, and first and second side edges, wherein the shield body sheet is flexible so to adapt to various conduit cross-sectional shapes and sizes and directional changes of the conduit longitudinal axis and does not substantially adhere to the conduit, and wherein the exterior layer is reflective; and, a means for securing the shield body to the conduit without removal of the conduit from its installation, such that a substantially longitudinal gap exists between the first side edge and the second side edge of the shield body sheet. 18. A method of insulating conduit as stated in claim 17, wherein the step of securing provides an air gap between the conduit and the shield body sheet, the gap being between ¼ inch and ¾ inch. 19. A method of insulating conduit as stated in claim 17, wherein the conduit is an automotive exhaust pipe. 20. A method of insulating conduit as stated in claim 1, further comprising an air gap between the conduit and the shield body sheet, the gap being between ¼ inch and ¾ inch. | This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application no. 60/503,707 filed Sep. 17, 2003. Application Ser. No. 60/503,707 is hereby incorporated by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a heat shield for insulating pipes and tubes. More particularly, the invention relates to a heat shield for engine pipes and tubes that reduces heat transfer to and from such pipes and tubes for maintaining engine exhaust and intake temperatures. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is well known in the art that maintaining high exhaust temperatures and low intake temperatures for combustion engines increases the horsepower thereby produced. It is also well known in the art that pipe insulation reduces heat transfer, which both maintains internal pipe temperatures and protects the surrounding vehicle components from pipe temperatures. Many methods of preventing heat transfer exist in the art; however, many are expensive, require disassembly of the exhaust system, do not cover the entire component, are not adaptable to various end-user size requirements, are not adaptable to systems that have multiple, concurrent size requirements, are bulky, and/or do not provide adequate thermal protection or insulation. Ceramic coatings exist but are expensive, require the component to be disassembled from the vehicle, and are not as effective for insulating as the present invention. Insulating sleeves or wraps are also used but also require disassembly of the component from the vehicle since these wraps are designed to slide onto pipes or tubes. Also, many of these sleeves are not flexible as they are either rigid or require a rigid protective cover. Insulating tapes are also used to insulate pipes, but these are difficult to apply, are not durable, unwrap, and are not as effective for insulating as the present invention. Also, many of these sleeves do not allow for their use on systems having a variety of concurrent size requirements, such as on a pipe having multiple diameters, a pipe system where a portion thereof benefits by an air gap between the sleeve and the pipe, or a pipe system that includes a component therein that is larger than the diameter of the pipe. Finally, many of these means of insulating either do not attempt to reflect radiant heat or are not as effective for reflecting radiant heat as the present invention. As it is important to protect the pipes from conduction, convection and radiation heat transfer, it is important to provide a means of insulation that incorporates both insulating material and reflective material. Therefore, in light of the foregoing deficiencies in the prior art, the applicant's invention is herein presented. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a heat shield for pipes and related engine components comprising an adaptable shield body sheet having an interior layer and an exterior layer and a means of securing the shield body to a pipe or tube. In a second embodiment, the heat shield further comprises a shield flap extending from the shield body and covering a portion of the component not already covered by the shield body. In a third embodiment, a method of insulating a pipe from heat transfer comprises the steps of placing a heat shield to a pipe and securing the heat shield with an air gap between the pipe and the heat shield. These along with other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from a reading of the detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of a heat shield, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a heat shield, illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the heat shield. FIG. 4 is an end view of a the heat shield, illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a side view of a heat shield having a local pocket, in accordance with an alternative embodiment; FIG. 6 is a side view of a heat shield having a full-length pocket, in accordance with an alternative embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In FIGS. 1-2, the invention 10 is shown in a preferred embodiment. The heat shield 10 comprises a shield body 20, which is made from a sheet having an interior layer 22 and an exterior layer 24, and a means of attachment. It is contemplated that the shield body 20 may comprise two adjacent dual-layer sheets assembled to provide a shield body 20 composed of alternating interior 22 and exterior 24 layers. The aim of these layers and the invention are to reduce heat transfer (via conduction, convection, and radiation) to and from the component to which the shield 10 is attached. This benefits the specific component, adjacent or nearby vehicle components, and overall vehicle performance. More specifically, the primary use of the heat shield is to protect pipes, tubes, and other related components, collectively known as conduit. In an embodiment, the interior layer 22 is made of woven silica fiber or any flexible material able to withstand temperatures in excess of 1100° F., such as ZETEX™ or ZETEX PLUS™, made by New Tex Industries, Inc, fiberglass or other high silica ceramic textiles. It is contemplated that the material used for the interior layer 22 may be thicker or thinner than {fraction (1/16)}″ and/or may be rated for lower temperatures as dictated by the desired application. In an embodiment, the exterior layer 24 comprises a flexible aluminum Mylar® finish that aluminizes the exterior surface of the interior layer 22. Mylar® is a product of DuPont. It is contemplated that any other comparable finish may be used, such as Teflon, also a product of DuPont. By using materials that are flexible, the heat shield is able to readily adapt to a variety of cross-sectional sizes and shapes, in addition to changes in direction along the conduit length. It is contemplated that the shield body 20 may also include a pocket 34, which would allow additional material to be added—such as insulating material (i.e. the material used for the interior layer 22) or reflective material (i.e. the material used for the exterior layer 24). The pocket 34 may be located on the interior layer 22, the exterior layer 24, or between the layers. The pocket 34 may spatially run substantially the length of a layer (as seen in FIG. 6) or may be of a predetermined size and location (as seen in FIG. 5) so to provide additional insulation or heat dissipation capacity to a predetermined, local area in accordance with a particular application. Depending upon the intended use of the shield 10, the shield 10 may or may not fully encompass the conduit. If the entire conduit is to be insulated in order to maintain its temperature or to protect it from numerous adjacent components, the shield 10 should fully encompass the conduit. Although a tubular design is contemplated, a non-continuously annular design is required to allow for the installation of the heat shield 10 on an installed conduit. Such a design includes a shield body 20 that substantially circumscribes the conduit and a flap 23, which attaches to edge 26 of the shield body 20, as seen in FIG. 4, and completes the circumscription of the conduit. The flap 23 is especially useful when using eyelets 28 and laces 32 to tightly secure the shield 10 to the pipe or tube. Also, the flap 23 allows the shield 10 to fit a range of conduit cross-sectional shapes and sizes, cover any components attached to the conduit, and adapt to any change in conduit direction, each as may vary along the length of the conduit. This eliminates the need to provide custom shields, instead allowing for one shield 10 to fit a range of conduit diameters. The free, non-attached end of flap 23 may lie over or under edge 27 or may be laced to edge 27 via laces 32. Flap 23 is made from the same or similar material used for the shield body 20. To prevent fraying, the edges of the shield body 20 may be folded and secured into such position by any available means such as stitching. To secure the shield 10 to a component, various means may be used. In a preferred embodiment, eyelets 28 attach to the outer edge of the shield body 20 for use with commercially available clamps 30 or laces 32. In the alternative, the eyelets 28 may be located in the flap 23. It is contemplated that at least one eyelet 28 may exist, such as for use with clamps 30, or a series of eyelets may exist, such as for use with laces 32. It is further contemplated that eyelets 28 may not be used at all. In a preferred embodiment, eyelets 28, clamps 30, and laces 32 are made of any suitable material able to withstand temperatures in excess of 1100° F.; however, it is contemplated that material not able to withstand such temperatures may be used if a lower temperature application so dictates. In addition to the heat shield's ability to adapt to changes in the conduit's direction, these means of securing the heat shield to the conduit allow the shield, as a whole, to circumscribe a variety of conduit cross-sectional sizes and shapes, unlike the prior art. The method used in mounting the heat shield 10 to a component also affects heat transfer reduction. Heat transfer along clamps 30 and eyelets 28 can be reduced by allowing the clamps 30 and eyelets 28 to be insulated from the heat source, such as by placing a portion of the shield body 20 between the clamps 30 and the heat source. For the shield body 20 or the flap 23 to protect clamps 30 from a heat source adjacent to the pipe or tube, the shield body 20 or flap 23 must include at least one pair of eyelets 28. This provides a configuration that allows the clamp 30 to secure the shield 10 to the pipe or tube while a portion thereof is protected from an adjacent heat source by the shield body 20 or flap 23 as the pair of eyelets 28 allow the clamp 30 to pass in an out of the shield body 20 and/or the flap 23. It is also contemplated that the eyelets 28 may be covered by the shield body 20 or flap 23. Also, leaving an air gap, typically between ¼ to ¾ inch, between the shield 10 and the respective component provides additional insulation for reducing heat transfer. Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications can be made and alternatives utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is well known in the art that maintaining high exhaust temperatures and low intake temperatures for combustion engines increases the horsepower thereby produced. It is also well known in the art that pipe insulation reduces heat transfer, which both maintains internal pipe temperatures and protects the surrounding vehicle components from pipe temperatures. Many methods of preventing heat transfer exist in the art; however, many are expensive, require disassembly of the exhaust system, do not cover the entire component, are not adaptable to various end-user size requirements, are not adaptable to systems that have multiple, concurrent size requirements, are bulky, and/or do not provide adequate thermal protection or insulation. Ceramic coatings exist but are expensive, require the component to be disassembled from the vehicle, and are not as effective for insulating as the present invention. Insulating sleeves or wraps are also used but also require disassembly of the component from the vehicle since these wraps are designed to slide onto pipes or tubes. Also, many of these sleeves are not flexible as they are either rigid or require a rigid protective cover. Insulating tapes are also used to insulate pipes, but these are difficult to apply, are not durable, unwrap, and are not as effective for insulating as the present invention. Also, many of these sleeves do not allow for their use on systems having a variety of concurrent size requirements, such as on a pipe having multiple diameters, a pipe system where a portion thereof benefits by an air gap between the sleeve and the pipe, or a pipe system that includes a component therein that is larger than the diameter of the pipe. Finally, many of these means of insulating either do not attempt to reflect radiant heat or are not as effective for reflecting radiant heat as the present invention. As it is important to protect the pipes from conduction, convection and radiation heat transfer, it is important to provide a means of insulation that incorporates both insulating material and reflective material. Therefore, in light of the foregoing deficiencies in the prior art, the applicant's invention is herein presented. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention is a heat shield for pipes and related engine components comprising an adaptable shield body sheet having an interior layer and an exterior layer and a means of securing the shield body to a pipe or tube. In a second embodiment, the heat shield further comprises a shield flap extending from the shield body and covering a portion of the component not already covered by the shield body. In a third embodiment, a method of insulating a pipe from heat transfer comprises the steps of placing a heat shield to a pipe and securing the heat shield with an air gap between the pipe and the heat shield. These along with other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from a reading of the detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings. | 20040917 | 20061226 | 20050602 | 60095.0 | 1 | HOOK, JAMES F | HEAT SHIELD | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,944,232 | ACCEPTED | Universal jig/work holding fixture and method of use | A universal jig/work holding fixture for precision manual reaming of valve bores within a transmission valve body, or other work piece is disclosed. The universal jig/work holding fixture includes a tool holder (i.e. jig) having universal swiveling movement in all axes, which allows precise axial alignment of a reaming tool to the longitudinal axis of a valve bore. The universal jig is contained within a work holding fixture whereon the valve body or other work piece is clamped during the reaming operation. The work holding fixture is constructed to accommodate vertical and lateral adjustment of the tool holder relative to the work holding fixture to permit precise alignment of the reaming tool and provides mechanisms to lock the tool holder and work piece in a desired position. The universal jig/work holding fixture allows a service technician in a transmission shop environment to achieve a precision repair using only manual tools. | 1) A universal jig/work holding fixture for use in combination with a reaming tool, said universal jig/work holding fixture comprising: a bed plate having a flat surface for mounting a work piece thereon; a jig plate attached in perpendicular relation to said bed plate, said jig plate including height-adjusting means for positioning said reaming tool relative to said work piece; a tool holder assembly including universal swiveling means to permit coaxial alignment of said reaming tool to a bore in said work piece; and a clamping plate detachably secured to said jig plate such that said tool holder assembly is captured between said jig plate and said clamping plate to prevent movement of said tool holder assembly after setting alignment to said bore. 2) A universal jig/work holding fixture of claim 1 wherein said bed plate includes a cutout section extending from a first lateral edge thereof along its centerline to permit application of cutting fluid during use. 3) A universal jig/work holding fixture of claim 1 wherein said height adjusting means includes a pair of opposed adjustment slots formed in said jig plate and said clamping plate respectively, wherein said tool holder is movable within said adjustment slot relative to said bed plate to set alignment of said reaming tool to said bore. 4) A universal jig/work holding fixture of claim 1 wherein said height adjusting means includes a pivot bolt extending through said jig plate and engaging a threaded hole formed in said bed plate thereby imparting angular rotation of said jig plate about said pivot bolt to provide vertical adjustment of said tool holder in relation to said bed plate. 5) A universal jig/work holding fixture of claim 4 wherein said height adjusting means further includes a locking bolt extending through a curved slot formed in said jig plate, wherein said curved slot is located at a predetermined radial dimension from an axis of said pivot bolt, said locking bolt extending through said curved slot and engaging a threaded hole formed in said bed plate, said locking bolt being tightened to lock said bed plate at a desired angular orientation relative to said jig plate. 6) A universal jig/work holding fixture of claim 1 wherein said universal swiveling means comprises a spherical bearing wherein said reaming tool is disposed. 7) A universal jig/work holding fixture of claim 6 wherein said spherical bearing further includes an inner bearing element and an outer race, wherein said outer race is divided into half-sections along a mid-circumferential plane thereof. 8) A universal jig/work holding fixture of claim 7 wherein said tool holder further includes a reaming tool guide bushing disposed within said spherical bearing in concentric relation thereto. 9) A universal jig/work holding fixture of claim 1 wherein said clamping plate includes locking means for securing said tool holder assembly in position to prevent misalignment of said reaming tool once a desired set-up is obtained. 10) A universal jig/work holding fixture of claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises a plurality of wing nuts engaged on mating threaded studs projecting from said jig plate and extending through said clamping plate, wherein said wing nuts are manually tightened against said clamping plate to capture said tool holder assembly in position. 11) The universal jig/work holding fixture of claim 1 wherein said jig plate further includes work-holding means for securing said work piece to said bed plate. 12) The universal jig/work holding fixture of claim 11 wherein said work holding means comprises a mechanical clamping apparatus attached to said jig plate, wherein said clamping apparatus includes a lever arm that is manually operated to clamp said work piece to said bed plate. 13) A universal reaming device for an automotive transmission valve body, said reaming device comprising: a reaming apparatus; and a jig/work holding fixture further comprising a bed plate having a flat surface for mounting a work piece thereon, a jig plate attached to said bed plate in perpendicular relation thereto, wherein said jig plate includes height-adjusting means for positioning said reaming apparatus relative to said work piece, a tool holder assembly including universal swiveling means to permit coaxial alignment of said reaming apparatus to a bore in said work piece, and a clamping plate detachably secured to said jig plate such that said tool holder assembly is captured between said jig plate and said clamping plate to prevent movement of said tool holder assembly after alignment of said reaming apparatus to said bore is established. 14) The universal reaming device of claim 13 wherein said reaming apparatus includes at least one reamer guide bushing disposed within said tool holder assembly, said reaming apparatus further including a reaming tool disposed within said at least one reamer guide bushing. 15) The universal reaming device of claim 13 wherein said height adjusting means includes a pair of opposed adjustment slots formed in said jig plate and said clamping plate respectively, wherein said tool holder assembly is movable within said adjustment slots relative to said bed plate to establish alignment of said reaming apparatus to said bore. 16) The universal reaming device of claim 13 wherein said universal swiveling means comprises a spherical bearing wherein said reaming apparatus is disposed. 17) The universal reaming device of claim 13 wherein said clamping plate includes a locking means for securing said tool holder assembly in position to prevent misalignment of said reaming apparatus after alignment thereof is established. 18) The universal reaming device of claim 17 wherein said locking means comprises a plurality of wing nuts engaged on mating threaded studs projecting from said jig plate and extending through said clamping plate, wherein said wing nuts are manually tightened against said clamping plate to capture said tool holder assembly therebetween. 19) The universal reaming device of claim 13 wherein said jig plate further includes work-holding means for securing said work piece to said bed plate. 20) The universal reaming device of claim 19 wherein said work holding means comprises a mechanical clamping apparatus attached to said jig plate, wherein said clamping apparatus includes a lever arm that is manually operated to clamp said work piece to said bed plate. 21) A method of reaming a bore in a work piece utilizing a jig/work holding fixture including an adjusting means for positioning a reaming tool in concentric relation to said bore, said jig/work holding fixture further comprising a bed plate having a flat surface for mounting said work piece thereon, a jig plate attached to said bed plate in perpendicular relation thereto, a tool holder assembly including a universal swiveling means to provide concentric alignment of said reaming tool to said bore, and a clamping plate detachably secured to said jig plate to prevent movement of said tool holder assembly after alignment of said reaming tool to said bore, said method comprising the steps of: positioning said work piece on said universal jig/work holding fixture; capturing said tool holder assembly including said universal swiveling means between said jig plate and said clamping plate; aligning said reaming tool in concentric relation to said bore; and reaming said bore to a predetermined size. 22) The method of claim 21 wherein the step of positioning further includes the step of holding said work piece in position with a mechanical work-holding means. 23) The method of claim 21 wherein the step of aligning further includes the steps of: adjusting the position of said tool holder assembly to an interim position approximately concentric to said bore; inserting a guide pin of a predetermined size into said tool holder assembly such that said guide pin extends into said bore; swiveling said guide pin within said tool holder assembly until said guide pin rotates freely within said bore to confirm concentric alignment therebetween; and locking said tool holder assembly in concentric alignment. 24) The method of claim 21 wherein the step of reaming further includes the steps of: removing said guide pin from said tool holder assembly; and inserting said reaming tool into said tool holder assembly to carry out the reaming process. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/504,467 filed Sep. 17, 2003 entitled Universal Jig/Work Holding Fixture. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates to automatic transmissions for land vehicles and, more particularly, to a universal jig/work holding fixture and reaming method for the repair of worn valve bodies and pumps of FORD, GENERAL MOTORS, and other similar automatic transmissions. Automatic transmission systems of the prior art have a hydraulic circuit subsystem which includes at least a hydraulic pump, a valve body having fluid conducting passages or circuits, input and exhaust ports formed within the fluid circuits, and a plurality of spool valves so-called because of their resemblance to sewing-thread type spools. Such spool valves are comprised of generally cylindrical pistons having control diameters or lands formed thereon, which alternately open and close the ports to fluid circuits for regulating the flow and pressure of automatic transmission fluid (hereinafter “ATF”) within the transmission. Such spool valves must often be replaced or refurbished during service procedures due to mechanical wear. If wear is extreme the cylindrical bores in the valve body wherein such valves are located must be machined oversize to a close tolerance to accommodate an oversize valve or a replacement valve fitted with a mating sleeve, which is installed in the oversize bore. Providing a leak proof seal between the mating surfaces of the oversize valve and/or sleeve and the valve body to prevent cross-leakage between hydraulic passages which adjoin the replacement valve is critical to salvaging a worn original equipment (hereinafter “OE”) valve body. A significant problem is presented to the service technician in obtaining this close tolerance fit in a typical transmission repair shop using only manual tools. Thus, the present invention has been developed to resolve this problem and other shortcomings of the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a universal jig/work holding fixture for precision manual reaming of valve bores within an OE valve body or pump, which can be achieved by a service technician in a repair shop environment. This is accomplished with the present jig/holding fixture by axial alignment of a reaming tool, drill, or other cutting tool to the worn OE bore utilizing a tool holder having universal (i.e. swiveling) movement in all axes, which allows precise axial alignment of the tool to the OE valve bore or pump body. The universal jig is integrated within the work holding fixture whereon the valve body or pump is clamped during the reaming operation. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. Other features and technical advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a study of the following description and the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The novel features of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as other features and advantages thereof will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein: FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the universal jig/work holding fixture of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the bed plate of the present universal jig/work holding fixture; FIG. 3 a is top plan view of the mounting bracket of the present universal jig/work holding fixture; FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the jig plate of the universal jig/work holding fixture; FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the tool holder assembly of the universal jig/work holding fixture including a spherical bearing; FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the tool holder assembly of the universal jig/work holding fixture including a two-piece spherical washer; FIG. 6 is a plan view of the clamping plate of the present universal jig/work holding fixture; FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the universal jig/work holding fixture illustrating the reaming process being performed on a valve body attached thereto; and FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the present universal jig/work holding fixture. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With further reference to the drawings there is shown therein an embodiment of a universal jig/work holding fixture in accordance with the present invention, indicated generally at 10 and illustrated in FIG. 1. To relieve prolixity in this application, the present universal jig/holding fixture 10 will be described primarily for use in the reaming of valve bores within valve body 50 of an automatic transmission. However, it will be understood that the present jig/fixtures 10, 10′ disclosed herein may also be used for reaming of valves bores within a transmission pump (not shown) or other similar work piece wherein a valve resides. The jig/fixture 10 is an assembly of components, namely, a bed plate or bed, indicated generally at 15, a jig plate, indicated generally at 20, a clamping plate, indicated generally at 25, and a universal tool holder assembly, indicated generally at 30. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a mounting bracket 35 secures bed 15 and jig plate 20 in pivoting relation as explained hereinafter in further detail. As shown in FIG. 2, the bed 15 is a generally rectangular structure having a cutout section 16 formed along its centerline and extending inwardly from a first lateral edge 15b thereof. Cutout section 16 provides access for applying cutting fluid during a reaming process wherein the present invention is utilized. The bed 15 includes a flat, machined surface 15a whereon valve body 50, a transmission pump (not shown), or other work piece is secured during the reaming process. As seen in FIG. 3 mounting bracket 35 is an elongated support member, which extends transversely beneath the cutout 16 and along the first lateral edge 15b of the bed 15 (FIG. 2). In the embodiment shown, mounting bracket 35 is mechanically attached to bed 15 by fasteners such as machine screws 36 (FIG. 1), which are installed within through holes 40 (FIG. 3) formed in the bracket 35 and which extend into threaded holes 17 formed in the bed 15. In an alternative embodiment mounting bracket 35 and bed 15 may be formed as a unitary construction (not shown) from a casting or extrusion or bracket 35 may be omitted entirely as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 8. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, jig plate 20 is provided with structures comprising height-adjusting means including, but not limited to, the following structures. Referring to FIG. 4 jig plate 20 is disposed in perpendicular relation to bed 15 and being attached to mounting bracket 35 in pivoting relation about a pivot bolt 22, which extends through a hole (not shown) in the jig plate 20 and is engaged in a threaded hole 41 formed in the mounting bracket 35 (FIG. 3). Jig plate 20 is imparted with limited angular rotation about pivot bolt 22 as indicated by directional arrows 27 by means of a curved slot 25, which extends through the jig plate 20 at the location shown. Locking bolt 24 extends through slot 25 and is engaged in threaded hole 42 in the bracket 35 (FIG. 3) and tightened to secure the bed 15 at the desired angular orientation relative to jig plate 20. Adjustment of the angular orientation of bed 15 and jig plate 20 in this manner allows the position of a reaming tool 55 to be adjusted to the approximate vertical height of the bore 52 (FIG. 7) in the valve body 50, which is to be reamed oversize. Jig plate 20 is provided with flats 20a, 20b, which provide a clamping surface to permit the assembled jig/work holding fixture 10 to be held in a standard bench vise (not shown). The jig plate 20 also includes a central opening 23 wherein a universal (i.e. swiveling in all axes) tool holder 30 is mounted to receive a reaming tool 55 (FIG. 7). Referring to FIG. 5A, tool holder 30 is comprised of a so-called spherical bearing, indicated generally at 45, which includes an inner bearing element 46 and an outer race, indicated generally at 47, which is cut into half-sections 47a, 47b along the mid-circumferential plane thereof. Half-sections 47a, 47b are press fit into mounting rings 53, 54, which are seated in counterbores 56, 57 (FIGS. 4, 6) formed in clamping plate 25 and jig plate 20 respectively. Mounting rings 53, 54 prevent distortion of the half-sections 47a, 47b of the outer race 47. In a so-called spherical bearing of the type shown in FIG. 5A, there are no ball bearings or roller elements as are found in a conventional ball bearing or roller bearing assembly. Instead a convex, semi-spherical surface of the inner bearing element 46 engages a mating concave surface of outer race 47 wherein the bearing element 46 is captured. This configuration imparts universal rotation/angular deflection of the bearing element 46 relative to a fixed longitudinal axis -A- of the outer race 47. A spherical bearing manufactured by Torrington Company, Torrington, Conn., and identified by Part No. 15SF24 is suitable for this purpose. Still referring to FIG. 5A a cylindrical adapter 48 is fitted to the inside diameter of bearing element 46, which is fitted, in turn, with a reamer or drill guide bushing 49 wherein a reamer 55 or drill bit is received (FIG. 7). Thus, the longitudinal axis of reamer 55 may be rotated/deflected in relation to the axis -A- within the limits of travel of bearing element 46 to be positioned in alignment with a bore 52 for the reaming process. In another embodiment tool holder 30″ is comprised of a so-called spherical washer assembly, indicated generally at 60, comprising a concave half-section 62 and a mating convex half-section 64 as shown in FIG. 5B. In this embodiment the convex surface of half-section 64 engages the mating concave surface of half-section 62, which imparts universal rotation/angular deflection of the convex half-section 64 relative to a fixed longitudinal axis -B- of the concave half-section 62. A spherical washer manufactured by Reid Tool Supply, Muskegon, Mich. and identified by Part No. SPW-11 is suitable for this application. Still referring to FIG. 5B a reamer or drill guide bushing 49′ is fitted to the inside diameter of convex half-section 64 of the washer 30′, wherein a reamer 55 is received. Thus, the longitudinal axis of reamer 55 may be rotated/deflected in relation to axis -B-within the limits of travel of half-section 64 to be positioned in alignment with a bore 52 for the reaming process. Referring to FIG. 6 the clamping plate 25 is utilized to lock the bearing element 46 in position within the outer race 47 to prevent misalignment of reamer 55 to the bore 52 once the desired set-up is achieved. Alternatively, clamping plate 25 locks the convex half-section 64 in position against the concave half-section 62 of the washer assembly 30′ once set-up is complete (FIG. 5B). This is accomplished by mounting the clamping plate 25 on threaded studs 12 projecting from jig plate 20 (FIG. 1) via holes 26 in the clamping plate and capturing a tool holder assembly 30 or 30″ therebetween within the opposed counterbores 56, 57 formed in the clamping plate and the jig plate respectively. Wing nuts 14 or other suitable fasteners are used to tighten the clamping plate 25 against the respective tool holder assemblies 30, 30″. Once the clamping plate 25 is installed as shown in FIG. 1, the reamer guide bushing 49 is accessible through center opening 28 formed in the plate. Another embodiment of the present jig/fixture is illustrated in FIG. 8, indicated generally at 10′. In this embodiment the jig/fixture 10′ is also an assembly of components, namely, a bed, indicated generally at 15′, a jig plate, indicated generally at 20′, a clamping plate, indicated generally at 25′, and the universal tool holder assembly, indicated generally at 30′. In this embodiment it will be noted that the mounting bracket 35 (FIG. 3) has been omitted. As shown in FIG. 8, the bed 15′ is a generally rectangular structure having a cutout 16′ formed along its centerline and extending inwardly from a first lateral edge 15b′ thereof. Cutout 16′ provides access for applying cutting fluid during the reaming process. The bed 15′ includes a flat, machined surface 15a′ whereon the valve body 50, a transmission pump (not shown), or other work piece is secured during the reaming process. Jig plate 20′ is disposed in perpendicular relation to the bed 15′ and attached thereto in fixed relation by machine screws 21, which extend through holes in the jig plate 20′ and are engaged in threaded holes 43 formed in the bed 15′. Jig plate 20′ is also provided with flats 20a, 20b, which permit the assembled jig/work holding fixture 10′ to be held in a standard bench vise (not shown). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, jig plate 20′ is also provided with structures comprising height-adjusting means including, but not limited to, the following structures. The jig plate 20′ includes an elongated central opening 23′ formed between elongated adjustment slots 56′, 57′ wherein a universal tool holder 30′ is positioned to receive a reaming tool 55. This configuration allows sliding adjustment of the vertical height of the tool holder assembly 30′ in relation to the bed 15′ during set-up without the pivoting mechanism of the previous embodiment (FIG. 4) as hereinafter explained in further detail. Tool holder 30′ is also comprised of a spherical bearing (as shown and described hereinabove in FIG. 5A), which includes an inner bearing element 46′ and an outer race, which is divided into half-sections 47a′, 47b′ along the mid-circumferential plane thereof. In this embodiment the half-sections 47a′, 47b′ are machined from solid stock and the mounting rings 53, 54 of the previous embodiment (FIG. 5A) are effectively integrated into the outer race sections 47a′, 47b′. Half-sections 47a′, 47b′ are seated in the opposed, elongated adjustment slots 56′, 57′ formed in clamping plate 25′ and jig plate 20′ respectively. It will be appreciated that the elongated adjustment slots 56′, 57′ provide a wider range of vertical adjustment of tool holder 30′ in relation to the bed 15′ than in the previous embodiment (FIG. 1). Thus, the pivoting mechanism (i.e. pivot bolt 22 and curved slot 25) provided in the previous embodiment (FIG. 4) is omitted in this version. Still referring to tool holder 30′ shown in FIG. 8, a cylindrical adapter 48 as shown in FIG. 5A is fitted to the inside diameter of bearing element 46′, which is fitted, in turn, with a reamer or drill guide bushing 49 wherein a reamer 55 or drill bit is received. Thus, the longitudinal axis of reamer 55 disposed within tool holder 30′ may be rotated/deflected in relation to the axis -A- within the limits of travel of bearing element 46′ to be positioned in alignment with a bore 52 in a valve body 50 (FIG. 7) for the reaming process as described hereinabove. Clamping plate 25′ provides structures comprising locking means including, but not limited to, the following structures. Still referring to FIG. 8 the clamping plate 25′ functions to lock the bearing element 46′ in position within the outer race half-sections 47a′, 47b′ to prevent misalignment of reamer 55 to the bore 52 once the desired set-up is achieved. This is accomplished by mounting the clamping plate 25′ on threaded studs 12′ projecting from jig plate 20′ via holes 26′ in the clamping plate 25′ and capturing tool holder assembly 30′ therebetween within the opposed adjustment slots 56′, 57′ formed in the clamping plate and the jig plate respectively. Wing nuts 14 (FIG. 1) or other suitable fasteners are used to tighten the clamping plate 25′ against the tool holder assembly 30′. Once the clamping plate 25′ is installed, the reamer guide bushing 49 (FIG. 5A) is accessible through the elongated center opening 28′ formed in the plate 25′. The universal jig/holding fixtures 10, 10′ described hereinabove may be provided with structures comprising work-holding means including, but not limited to, the following structures. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the universal jig/fixture 10 is provided with a mechanical clamping apparatus, indicated generally at 70. Clamping apparatus 70 includes a mounting bracket 72, which is mechanically attached to either jig plate 20, 20′ as shown. The clamping apparatus 70 also includes an adjustable foot member 75, which engages a pivoting leg member 74 to hold the valve body 50 or other work piece in place during the reaming process. A pivoting lever arm 76 is drawn downwardly/upwardly as shown by directional arrow 77 to engage or, alternatively, release the clamping apparatus 70 by spring actuation or other similar mechanism. In the alternative, mechanical clamps such as C-clamps (not shown) may be used to secure the valve body 50 in the position shown in FIG. 7. The valve body 50 may also be secured at the desired position on the bed 15 by machine bolts 51 (FIG. 7), which extend through existing holes in the valve body 50 and engage threaded holes 59 formed in the bed 15 at predetermined locations. In practical use the jig/work holding fixture 10 or 10′ to be used is initially secured in a bench vise or otherwise clamped to a workbench or machine table. Next, the approximate vertical height corresponding to the bore 52 in the valve body (FIG. 7) to be reamed or drilled oversize is set. If using the jig/fixture 10 this is accomplished by adjusting the angular orientation of the bed plate 15 to the jig plate 20 to set the approximate vertical height between the bed plate 15 and the tool holder 30 as described hereinabove. If the jig/fixture 10′ is utilized the tool holder assembly 30′ is adjusted vertically within the elongated adjustment slots 56′, 57′ between the jig plate 20′ and the clamping plate 25′ to the approximate vertical height of the bore 52 to be reamed. Thereafter, a guide pin (not shown) having a terminal end conforming to the inside diameter of the OE bore 52 is inserted through a reamer guide bushing 49, 49′ in the tool holder assemblies 30, 30′ and into the bore 52. Next, the clamping plate 25 or 25′ to be used is mounted on the threaded studs 12, 12′ and engaged loosely by advancing wing nuts 14 to capture the tool holder assembly 30 or 30′ in the desired position. Thereafter, the position of the tool holder assembly 30 or 30′ is fine adjusted by the technician until the guide pin rotates freely in the reamer guide bushing 49, 49′ indicating that the bore 52 and the reamer guide bushing are in concentric alignment. It will be appreciated that the tool holder assemblies 30, 30′ can be moved either vertically or horizontally relative to bed plates 20, 20′ within their respective counterbores 56, 57 or adjustment slots 56′, 57′ to position the tool holder assembly on the same axial centerline as the bore 52 to be reamed. A common white lithium grease may be applied to the abutting surfaces of the half-sections 47a, 47b or 47a′, 47b′ of the outer race and the adjustment slots 56′, 57′ in the case of tool holders 30, 30′ or, in the alternative, to the abutting surfaces of the half-sections 62, 64 and the counterbores 56, 57 in the case of tool holder 30″. The tool holder assemblies 30, 30′, or 30″ float in this position within the adjustment slots 56′, 57′ or counterbores 56, 57 respectively until clamped tight. Next, the guide pin is withdrawn from the reamer guide bushing 49, 49′ and replaced by reamer 55 or drill bit to carry out the reaming process. Although not specifically illustrated in the drawings, it should be understood that additional equipment and structural components will be provided as necessary and that all of the components described above are arranged and supported in an appropriate fashion to form a complete and operative Universal Jig/Work Holding Fixture incorporating features of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the purposes of the present invention. For example, the present Universal Jig/Work Holding Fixture 10 can be adapted to repair hydraulic valve bores in a transmission case, which may require service. Further, with the bed plate 15 removed, the present jig/holding fixture 10 can be fastened directly to a transmission case or to any other bore that requires precision alignment/centering. In addition, the present universal jig/work holding fixture may be adapted for use with a powered reaming apparatus to control the speed and feed rates of the reamer. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Moreover, although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described, a latitude of modification, change, and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in certain instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF INVENTION <EOH>The present invention relates to automatic transmissions for land vehicles and, more particularly, to a universal jig/work holding fixture and reaming method for the repair of worn valve bodies and pumps of FORD, GENERAL MOTORS, and other similar automatic transmissions. Automatic transmission systems of the prior art have a hydraulic circuit subsystem which includes at least a hydraulic pump, a valve body having fluid conducting passages or circuits, input and exhaust ports formed within the fluid circuits, and a plurality of spool valves so-called because of their resemblance to sewing-thread type spools. Such spool valves are comprised of generally cylindrical pistons having control diameters or lands formed thereon, which alternately open and close the ports to fluid circuits for regulating the flow and pressure of automatic transmission fluid (hereinafter “ATF”) within the transmission. Such spool valves must often be replaced or refurbished during service procedures due to mechanical wear. If wear is extreme the cylindrical bores in the valve body wherein such valves are located must be machined oversize to a close tolerance to accommodate an oversize valve or a replacement valve fitted with a mating sleeve, which is installed in the oversize bore. Providing a leak proof seal between the mating surfaces of the oversize valve and/or sleeve and the valve body to prevent cross-leakage between hydraulic passages which adjoin the replacement valve is critical to salvaging a worn original equipment (hereinafter “OE”) valve body. A significant problem is presented to the service technician in obtaining this close tolerance fit in a typical transmission repair shop using only manual tools. Thus, the present invention has been developed to resolve this problem and other shortcomings of the prior art. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Accordingly, the present invention provides a universal jig/work holding fixture for precision manual reaming of valve bores within an OE valve body or pump, which can be achieved by a service technician in a repair shop environment. This is accomplished with the present jig/holding fixture by axial alignment of a reaming tool, drill, or other cutting tool to the worn OE bore utilizing a tool holder having universal (i.e. swiveling) movement in all axes, which allows precise axial alignment of the tool to the OE valve bore or pump body. The universal jig is integrated within the work holding fixture whereon the valve body or pump is clamped during the reaming operation. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. Other features and technical advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a study of the following description and the accompanying drawings. | 20040917 | 20070522 | 20060518 | 66168.0 | B23B3500 | 1 | HOWELL, DANIEL W | UNIVERSAL JIG/WORK HOLDING FIXTURE AND METHOD OF USE | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | B23B | 2,004 |
|
10,944,254 | ACCEPTED | Acetone solvate of dimethoxy docetaxel and its process of preparation | This invention discloses and claims an acetone solvate of dimethoxydocetaxel or 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate and its preparation by crystallization from an aqueous/acetone solution. | 1. An acetone solvate of 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate. 2. An acetone solvate of 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate comprising from about 5 to about 7 percent by weight of acetone. 3. A process for the preparation of the acetone solvate of 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate, which comprises: crystallizing 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate from a mixture of water and acetone, which comprises seeding the solution with a suspension of said product in an acetone/water mixture and then subsequently treating with water, and which comprises drying the product obtained under reduced pressure. 4. The process as set forth in claim 3, wherein the seeding is carried out at a concentration of from about 60 to about 80 g per liter of a mixture comprising an acetone/water ratio by volume of from about 65/35 to about 75/25. 5. The process as set forth in claim 4, wherein the seeding is carried out in a mixture comprising an acetone/water ratio by volume of about 68/32. 6. The process as set forth in claim 3, wherein the acetone/water mixture by volume at the end of precipitation is from about 70/30 to about 30/70. 7. The process as set forth in claim 6, wherein the acetone/water mixture by volume at the end of precipitation is about 45/55. 8. The process as set forth in claim 3, wherein the crystallization process takes place at about 20±5° C. 9. The process as set forth in claim 4, wherein the crystallization process takes place at about 20±5° C. 10. The process as set forth in claim 5, wherein the crystallization process takes place at about 20±5° C. 11. The process as set forth in claim 6, wherein the crystallization process takes place at about 20±5° C. 12. The process as set forth in claim 7, wherein the crystallization process takes place at about 20±5° C. 13. The process as set forth in claim 3, wherein drying is carried out at a temperature in the range of from about 30 and about 60° C. 14. The process as set forth in claim 13, wherein drying is further carried out under a pressure in the region of 0.7 kPa. 15. The process as set forth in claim 3, wherein drying is carried out at a temperature of about 40° C. under a pressure in the region of 0.7 kPa. 16. The process as set forth in claim 3, wherein the preparation is carried out directly starting from the acetone solution of 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate obtained by deprotection in an acid medium of the ester 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,4S,5R)-3-tert-butoxycarbonyl-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-phenyloxazolidine-5-carboxylate. | This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/519,895, filed Nov. 14, 2003 and benefit of priority of French Patent Application No. 03/11,016, filed Sep. 19, 2003, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the acetone solvate of dimethoxydocetaxel or 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate and to its process of preparation. 2. Description of the Art 4-Acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate exhibits noteworthy anticancer and antileukemic properties. 4-Acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate is prepared according to the process which is disclosed more particularly in international application PCT WO 96/30355 or international application PCT WO 99/25704; according to the process disclosed in these applications, the product is not crystallized and is not characterized. All of the references described herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been found that the acetone solvate of 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate is fully characterized from a chemical viewpoint. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD) diagram of the acetone solvate form of the product of Example 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, the acetone solvate of 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate can be obtained by crystallization of 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate from a mixture of water and of acetone, followed by drying the isolated product under reduced pressure. For the implementation of the process according to the invention, it can be particularly advantageous to dissolve 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate in acetone, to treat the solution with water, to seed the solution with a suspension of said product in an acetone/water mixture and then to again treat with water, to separate the crystals obtained, then to dry them under reduced pressure. Generally, 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate is dissolved in acetone. Preferably, the amount of acetone is between 5 and 20 parts by volume (ml) with respect to the weight (in grams) of 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate employed (ideally 10). The preferred seeding is carried out at a concentration of 60 to 80 g (ideally 68 g) per liter of mixture comprising an acetone/water ratio by volume of from about 65/35 to about 75/25 and preferably of approximately about 68/32. The acetone/water mixture by volume at the end of precipitation is between 70/30 minimum and 30/70 maximum (ideally 45/55). The entire crystallization process takes place, according to a better way of implementing the invention, at 20±5° C. (ideally 20° C.). The acetone solvate of 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate which crystallizes is separated, preferably by filtration or centrifuging. Drying is carried out under a reduced pressure generally of between 0.5 and 30 kPa, preferably in the region of 0.7 kPa, at a temperature of between 30 and 60° C., preferably in the region of 40° C. The drying of the product was studied. Thus, samples of acetone solvate of 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate deliberately treated at a temperature above 70° C. (70 to 100° C.) shows an increasing loss in the content of acetone with the increase in the temperature. For the drying, the preferred temperature is thus between 30 and 60° C. and more preferably still is in the region of 40° C. A mean value of the content of acetone is 7%, which represents approximately the acetone stoichiometry, which is 6.5%, for a solvate comprising one molecule of acetone. The present invention will be more fully described using the following examples, which should not be regarded as limiting the invention. EXAMPLE 1 940 ml of purified water are added at 20±5° C. ambient temperature to a solution of 207 g of approximately 92% by weight 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl in approximately 2 liters of acetone and then seeding is carried out with a suspension of 2 g of 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate, isolated from acetone/water, in a mixture of 20 ml of water and 20 ml of acetone. The mixture is left stirring for approximately 10 to 22 hours and 1.5 liters of purified water are added over 4 to 5 hours. The mixture is left stirring for 60 to 90 minutes and then the suspension is filtered under reduced pressure. The cake is washed on the filter with a solution prepared from 450 ml of acetone and 550 ml of purified water and is then dried in an oven at 55° C. under reduced pressure (0.7 kPa) for 4 hours. 197 g of 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate•acetone, comprising 0.1% of water and 7.2% of acetone (theoretically 6.5% for a stoichiometric solvate), are obtained. Drying Study The product is again placed in an oven and successively dried for 18 hours at 60° C. under a reduced pressure of 0.7 kPa, for 3 hours at 60° C. under a relative humidity of approximately 80% (reduced pressure of 160 mmHg) and for 18 hours at 70° C. under a relative humidity of approximately 80% (reduced pressure of 200 mmHg). At this stage, the content of water is 0.2% and the content of acetone is 4.7% (194 g). At this same stage, 1 aliquot of 1 g of the batch is dried under a reduced pressure of 5 mmHg successively for 18 hours at 80° C. (residual acetone content of 0.5%) and then for 21 hours at 100° C. (residual acetone content of 0.02%). The remainder is dried at 80° C. under a reduced pressure of 5 mmHg for 31 hours (acetone 1.7%, water 0.3%, assay with regard to such of 96.5%, purity of greater than 99%). Operating Conditions Used for the Acquisition of the PXRD Diagram (FIG. 1) The analyses are carried out on the Bruker D5000 diffractometer equipped with an Anton Paar TTK temperature chamber. The set-up in reflection possesses focusing geometry of Bragg-Brentano type (θ-θ). The powder is deposited on a hollow aluminum sample holder. A cobalt anticathode tube (40 kV/30 mA) supplies iron-filtered incident radiation. Radiation is emitted at two wavelengths: Co Kα1 (λ=1.7890 Å) and Co Kα2 (λ=1.7929 Å). Filtering by iron does not completely remove the Kβ radiation (λ=1.6208 Å for cobalt), which still participates in the incident radiation at a level of 1% (manufacturer's data) of the intensity of the Kα doublet. Soller slits improve the parallelism of the beam. Variable front slits make it possible to retain a constant illumination area of the sample. A 1 mm collimator limits the scattering between the tube and the measuring chamber. A Braun 50 M multichannel linear detector is used. It exhibits a detection window with a width of 10° of 2θ angle. The conditions for recording the diagrams are as follows: scanning from 1.5 to 50° in 2θ, counting time of 30 seconds per degree in 2θ, under ambient conditions of temperature, pressure and relative humidity. FIG. 1 represents the reference PXRD diagram of the solvate form comprising acetone (form A) of the product of example 1. NMR Spectrum of the Product of Example 1 1H NMR spectrum (400 MHz, CDCl3, δ in ppm): 1.20 (s, 3H), 1.22 (s, 3H), 1.37 (s, 9H), 1.67 (s, 1H), 1.72 (s, 3H), 1.80 (mt, 1H), 1.88 (s, 3H), 2.17 (s, 6H), from 2.20 to 2.40 (mt, 2H), 2.36 (s, 3H), 2.70 (mt, 1H), 3.30 (s, 3H), 3.46 (s, 3H), 3.47 (mt, 1H), 3.82 (d, J=7.5 Hz, 1H), 3.86 (dd, J=11 and 6.5 Hz, 1H), 4.17 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 1H), 4.30 (d,J=8.5 Hz, 1H), 4.63 (mt, 1H), 4.80 (s, 1H), 4.97 (broad d, J=10 Hz, 1H), 5.27 (broad d, J=10 Hz, 1H), 5.44 (d, J=10 Hz, 1H), 5.64 (d, J=7.5 Hz, 1H), 6.21 (t, J=9 Hz, 1H), from 7.25 to 7.45 (mt, 5H), 7.49 (t, J=7.5 Hz, 2H), 7.60 (broad t, J=7.5 Hz, 1H), 8.09 (d, J=7.5 Hz, 2H). | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the acetone solvate of dimethoxydocetaxel or 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate and to its process of preparation. 2. Description of the Art 4-Acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate exhibits noteworthy anticancer and antileukemic properties. 4-Acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate is prepared according to the process which is disclosed more particularly in international application PCT WO 96/30355 or international application PCT WO 99/25704; according to the process disclosed in these applications, the product is not crystallized and is not characterized. All of the references described herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It has been found that the acetone solvate of 4-acetoxy-2α-benzoyloxy-5β,20-epoxy-1-hydroxy-7β,10β-dimethoxy-9-oxotax-11-en-13α-yl (2R,3S)-3-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate is fully characterized from a chemical viewpoint. | 20040917 | 20070710 | 20050324 | 63770.0 | 11 | RAHMANI, NILOOFAR | ACETONE SOLVATE OF DIMETHOXY DOCETAXEL AND ITS PROCESS OF PREPARATION | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,944,337 | ACCEPTED | Pneumatic assembly for a paintball gun | A pneumatic assembly preferably includes a compressed gas storage area, a firing valve, and a bolt arranged along substantially the same horizontal axis. A valve retainer, a compressed gas storage area housing, and a bolt assembly are preferably arranged to form a substantially contiguous assembly housing. The firing valve is preferably configured to open when gas pressure is applied to a surface area thereof through a control valve. The bolt is preferably configured to move to a closed position before the firing valve is actuated. The control valve is preferably an electro-pneumatic valve configured to actuate the firing valve in response to a trigger pull of a paintball gun. | 1. An in-line pneumatic assembly for a paintball gun, comprising: a gas storage area configured to receive compressed gas from a regulated gas supply; a valve comprising a first surface area and a second surface area, wherein the first surface area is smaller than the second surface area, wherein the first surface area is configured to receive a substantially constant supply of compressed gas, and wherein the second surface area is configured to selectively receive compressed gas of the same pressure to actuate the valve; and a bolt configured to slide between a forward and a rearward position and to transmit compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area when the valve is actuated. 2. An in-line pneumatic assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bolt is configured to be arranged in the forward position before the valve is actuated. 3. An in-line pneumatic assembly according to claim 1, wherein the in-line pneumatic assembly is configured to be arranged in a single longitudinally disposed chamber of a paintball gun. 4. An in-line pneumatic assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bolt and the valve are arranged along substantially the same longitudinal axis. 5. An in-line pneumatic assembly according to claim 1, wherein the gas storage area is arranged in a gas storage area housing, wherein the valve is slidably retained in a valve retainer, wherein the bolt is slidably mounted in a bolt cylinder, and wherein the valve retainer, the gas storage area housing, and the bolt cylinder are connected together end to end to form a substantially contiguous assembly housing. | This application is a continuation of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/114,915, filed Apr. 1, 2002, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/302,821, filed Jul. 3, 2001, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to pneumatic launching devices. More specifically, however, this invention relates primarily to pneumatic paintball guns (or “markers”) for use in the sport of paintball. In the sport of paintball, it is generally desirable to have a gun that is as light and maneuverable as possible. Players need increased mobility to move from bunker to bunker quickly to avoid being hit. Furthermore, in the sport of paintball, the marker is treated as an extension of the body such that a hit to the marker counts as a hit to the player. It is desirable, therefore, to have a paintball gun with as small a profile as possible. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one embodiment, an in-line pneumatic assembly for a pneumatic launching device (such as a paintball gun) preferably includes a gas storage area, a valve, and a bolt. The gas storage area can be configured to receive compressed gas from a regulated gas supply through a port in the valve. The valve can include two surfaces of different cross-sectional areas. A first surface, having a smaller cross-sectional area, receives a substantially constant supply of compressed gas. A second surface, having a larger cross-sectional area, selectively receives compressed gas to actuate the valve. The bolt can be configured to slide back and forth between a forward and a rearward position. The bolt is preferably arranged in a forward (closed) position before the valve is actuated to fire the gun. When the valve is actuated, compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area is directed through the bolt to launch a paintball. According to another embodiment, a paintball gun preferably includes a body having a breech. An in-line assembly preferably includes a compressed gas storage area, a valve, and a bolt. The valve is preferably configured to close using a force differential between opposing surfaces of the valve. The bolt is preferably configured to move to a closed position in the breech before the valve is actuated. The paintball gun also preferably includes a control valve configured to control actuation of the valve in response to a trigger pull. Other benefits can be achieved by providing electro-pneumatic control of the paintball gun. A control valve, for instance, can be an electro-pneumatic valve (such as a solenoid valve) configured to be operated based on electronic signals from a circuit board. The circuit board can be configured to initiate a firing sequence based on a trigger pull. Still further benefits can be achieved by having a closed-bolt gun that seats the paintball within the breech before releasing the compressed gas to launch the paintball. According to a further embodiment, a pneumatic paintball gun preferably includes a bolt configured to operate as at least a portion of the firing valve. Most preferably, the bolt includes gas entry ports formed through a lateral bolt wall at a predetermined position along the bolt. The entry ports are preferably configured such that when the bolt reaches a forward position, the entry ports expose an internal bolt chamber to compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area, permitting the compressed gas from the storage area to flow through the bolt and out a forward exit port to launch a paintball. In one specific embodiment, the bolt is slidably mounted on a valve stem. The valve stem preferably includes a sealing member (such as an O-ring, plug, or any other sealing structure) arranged at its forward end. The sealing member preferably prevents compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area from entering the bolt until the bolt reaches a predetermined forward position. As the bolt approaches the predetermined forward position, the entry ports preferably slide past the sealing member and expose an interior bolt chamber to compressed gas from the storage chamber. Compressed gas therefore passes from the compressed gas storage chamber through the bolt to launch a paintball. In one of many possible alternative embodiments, a sealing member is arranged in communication with an external surface of the bolt. The sealing member prevents compressed gas from a compressed gas source from entering the bolt until the bolt reaches a predetermined forward position. As the bolt approaches the predetermined forward position, the gas entry ports preferably slide past the sealing member and permit compressed gas to enter the bolt and flow into communication with a paintball, thereby launching the paintball from the marker. In a most preferred embodiment, the bolt is moved between a rearward and forward position using an electronic solenoid valve. In one configuration, the bolt preferably includes two, oppositely arranged surface areas. The solenoid valve is preferably configured to alternately supply compressed gas to and vent compressed gas from the two surface areas. More particularly, compressed gas is preferably supplied from the solenoid valve to a forward surface area and vented from a rearward surface area to move the bolt to a rearward position. The compressed gas is preferably supplied to the rearward surface area and vented from the forward surface area to move the bolt to a forward position. Various types, numbers, and configurations of solenoid valves can be used to shuttle the bolt between a forward and rearward position. In one alternative embodiment, for instance, a constant supply of compressed gas can be directed to one end of the bolt, with compressed gas being selectively supplied through the solenoid valve to an opposite end of the bolt (having a larger surface area) to operate the bolt. Various other embodiments and configurations are also possible without departing from the principles of the invention disclosed with reference to the foregoing aspects and embodiments. This invention is not limited to any particular embodiment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, made with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of an in-line pneumatic assembly according to one aspect of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the in-line pneumatic assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a paintball gun constructed according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the paintball gun of FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The accompanying drawings illustrate the construction of a preferred embodiment of this invention. Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, an in-line pneumatic assembly 8 for a paintball gun preferably includes an end cap 12, a valve retainer 14, a firing valve (or valve piston) 16, a compressed gas storage area 20, and a bolt 24 and bolt cylinder 22. The end cap 12, valve retainer 14, compressed gas storage area 20, and bolt cylinder 24 preferably consist of separately molded components that are fitted together end to end to form a contiguous in-line assembly housing. The firing valve 16 is preferably disposed within the end cap 12, valve retainer 14, and compressed gas storage area 20 portions of the in-line assembly housing. The end cap 12 includes a receiving port 12a arranged to receive a regulated supply of compressed gas. A first end 16a of the valve piston 16 is located within the end cap 12. The valve piston 16 includes a passageway 16b for directing compressed gas from the end cap 12 into the compressed gas storage area 20. An opposite end of the valve piston 16 forms a plug 16c that seats within a releasing port 21a of the compressed gas storage area 20. When seated, the plug 16c prevents the release of compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area 20. The valve piston 16 also includes a first surface area that includes the surface area of the first end 16a of the valve 16 and the surface area at the base of the passageway 16b. A force created by the pressure of the compressed gas on the first surface area tends to keep the valve piston 16 in a closed position, with the plug 16c securely seated in the releasing port. A valve actuator 18 is located within the valve retainer 14. The valve actuator 18 includes a forward surface 18a having a second surface area that is larger than the first surface area of the valve 16. The second surface area is selectively subjected to compressed gas from a control valve through a port in the valve retainer 14 to actuate the valve 16. The compressed gas supplied to the second surface area preferably has the same pressure as the gas supplied to the first surface area. Because of the difference in cross-sectional areas, however, the force exerted on the second surface area is greater than the force exerted on the first surface area, thereby actuating the valve 16. When actuated, the valve 16 is forced rearward, causing the plug 16c to become unseated from the releasing port 21a of the compressed gas storage area 20. The gas stored in the compressed gas storage area 20 is thereby released into and through the bolt 24. The bolt 24 is slidably mounted within the bolt cylinder 22 and is capable of movement between a forward and a rearward position. A port 21b in the forward end of the compressed gas storage chamber 20 communicates compressed gas with a rearward surface 24a of the bolt, causing the bolt 24 to rest in the forward position while the gas storage chamber 20 is pressurized. A forward surface 24b of the bolt 24 is preferably configured to selectively receive compressed gas of this same pressure at the time the valve 16 is actuated. When the valve 16 is actuated, the compressed gas is released from the compressed gas storage area 20, thereby relieving the pressure on the rearward surface 24a of the bolt 24. At this same time, pressure is applied to the front end 24b of the bolt 24. The pressure on the forward end 24b of the bolt 24 therefore causes the bolt 24 to shift to its rearward position. When the valve 16 is deactuated, the plug 16c is again seated in the releasing port 21a of the gas storage chamber 20, and the pressure therein is allowed to rebuild. The gas applied to the front 24b of the bolt 24 is vented at the same time. The pressure applied to the rearward end 24a of the bolt 24 therefore causes the bolt 24 to shift forward. Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a paintball gun 7 constructed according to another aspect of this invention includes a housing (or body) 9 having a chamber 10 preferably formed longitudinally there through. An in-line assembly 8, such as that described previously, is arranged within the chamber 10 and preferably includes an end cap 12, a valve piston 16, a valve retainer 14, a compressed gas storage area 20, a bolt cylinder 22, and a bolt 24. A receiving port 12a in the end cap 12 is arranged near a rearward end 10a of the bore 10 to receive a regulated supply of compressed gas from a compressed gas source. The end cap 12 further includes a port arranged to supply a portion of this gas to a control valve 30 though a corresponding port 13 in the gun body 9. In this particular embodiment, the control valve 30 is an electro-pneumatic four-way solenoid valve (such as that available from the Parker Hannifin Corporation) with one of the output ports plugged. The other output port 34 is selectively pressurized or vented, as desired. When pressurized, the output port 34 receives compressed gas from the input port 32. A three-way solenoid valve or other control valve could also be used. A rearward end 16a of the valve piston 16 is located within the end cap 12 and receives compressed gas there from. The valve piston 16 contains a passageway 16b that selectively directs compressed gas from the end cap 12 into the compressed gas storage area 20 through ports 17 in the valve piston 16. A valve actuator 18 of the valve piston 16 is moveably retained in a valve retainer 14. The valve piston 16 is capable of longitudinal sliding movement between a forward and a rearward position. In the forward position, the forward end (the plug) 16c of the valve piston 16 is seated within a releasing port 21a of the compressed gas storage area 20. The gas storage area 20 receives compressed gas through the valve piston 16 when the plug 16c is in its seated position. When the valve is actuated, however, the ports 17 of the valve 16 are withdrawn into the valve retainer 14 and the flow of compressed gas from the end cap 12 to the storage area 20 is substantially cut off. Furthermore, when the valve is actuated, the plug 16c releases the compressed gas from the storage area 20 through the gas release port 21a. Ports 14a, 14b are arranged through the valve retainer 14 on each side of the valve actuator 18. The port 14a on the rearward end of the actuator 18 vents gas to ambient pressure. The port 14b on the forward side of the actuator 18, on the other hand, communicates with the output port 34 of the control valve 30 to selectively receive or vent pressurized gas. Compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area 20 is directed into a bolt cylinder 22 through a port 21b formed through a forward end 20a of the gas storage area 20. A bolt 24 is retained within the bolt cylinder 22 and is capable of movement between an open position, in which loading of a paintball is permitted, and a closed position, in which loading is prevented. A port 25 arranged near the forward end of the bolt cylinder 22 communicates with an output port 34 of the electro-pneumatic valve 30 to receive or vent pressurized gas. The operation of this embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. When compressed gas is supplied to the gun 7 through the end cap 12, it contacts the first surface of the valve piston 16 and drives the valve piston 16 into a closed position. The valve plug 16c is thereby seated within the gas releasing port 21a of the compressed gas storage area 20. A portion of the compressed gas supplied to the end cap 12 is directed through port 13 to an input port 32 of the electro-pneumatic valve 30. Compressed gas is also directed through the passageway 16b in the center of the valve piston 16 to the compressed gas storage area 20. Compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area 20 then travels through the port 21b at the forward end 20a of the storage area 20 into the rearward portion of the bolt cylinder 22. The compressed gas in the rearward portion of the bolt cylinder 22 contacts the rearward surface 24a of the bolt 24 and drives the bolt 24 forward into its closed position. A paintball is thus loaded into the breech 10b and the paintball gun 7 is ready to be fired. When the trigger 42 is pulled, it contacts and actuates a microswitch 52 that transmits an electronic signal to a circuit board 50. The circuit board 50 then sends a pulse (or a series of pulses, depending on the firing mode) to actuate the electro-pneumatic valve 30. When actuated, the electro-pneumatic valve 30 directs compressed gas to the forward end 18a of the valve actuator 18. Because the second surface area of the valve actuator 18 is greater than the first surface area of the valve piston 16, the valve opens, unseating the plug 16c from the gas releasing port 21a of the compressed gas storage area 20. At the same time, the ports 17 through the valve piston 16 are pulled into the valve retainer 14 to preferably reduce or substantially cut off the flow of compressed gas into the compressed gas storage area 20. The compressed gas within the gas storage area 20 is released through the gas releasing port 21a, through the bolt 24, into the breech 10b and into contact with the paintball, thereby launching the paintball. The forward end of the bolt cylinder 22 also receives compressed gas from the electro-pneumatic valve 30 when actuated. When the electro-pneumatic valve 30 is actuated, the compressed gas in the storage chamber 20 is released, relieving the pressure from the back surface 24a of the bolt 24. At the same time, pressure is applied to the front surface 24b of the bolt 24, driving the bolt 24 rearwards into its open position. In this position, another paintball is permitted to load into the breech 10b of the gun. At the end of the electronic pulse, the electro-pneumatic valve 30 is de-actuated, causing the port 14b in front of the valve actuator 18 and the port 25 in front of the bolt 24 to vent the pressurized gas from their respective areas to ambient. As this happens, the force on the valve actuator 18 decreases below that applied to the first surface area of the valve piston 16, causing the valve to close. The gas storage area 20 therefore repressurizes, further directing pressurized gas to the rearward portion 24a of the bolt 24, and causing the bolt 24 to close. In an alternative construction, the forward end 24b of the bolt 24 could be configured having a surface area smaller than that of the rearward end 24a thereof. In this arrangement, gas of a selected pressure could be constantly supplied to the forward end 24b of the bolt. Gas applied to the rearward end 24a of the bolt 24 from the compressed gas storage area would also be at the selected pressure. In this configuration, as the compressed gas storage area 20 releases gas, the pressure in the storage area 20 and, hence, in the rearward portion of the bolt cylinder 22 drops. The constant pressure applied to the front end of the bolt cylinder 22 thereby forces the bolt 24 rearward, allowing a paintball to seat within the breech 10b of the marker. At the end of the electronic pulse, the electro-pneumatic valve 30 is de-actuated, causing the port 14b in front of the valve actuator 18 to vent the pressurized gas to ambient. As this happens, the force on the rearward surface areas of the valve piston 16 increases above that on the forward surface 18a of the valve actuator 18, causing the valve 16 to close and the compressed gas storage area 20 to repressurize. When the gas storage area 20 repressurizes, gas is again communicated to the rearward portion 24a of the bolt 24. Because of the area differential between the rearward and forward bolt surfaces, the force of the compressed gas on the rearward portion 24a of the bolt 24 is greater than the force of compressed gas on the forward portion 24b of the bolt 24, causing the bolt 24 to return to its closed position. The marker 7 is then ready for a subsequent firing sequence. As an additional benefit to the foregoing design, the ram and the bolt of this embodiment can be formed in the same longitudinal assembly. Conventional electronic guns have had separate ram and bolt assemblies, requiring substantially more space in the paintball gun. This design provides the ability to reduce the overall gun size to about half the size, or less, of conventional electro-pneumatic markers. Having described and illustrated the principles of the invention through the descriptions of various preferred embodiments thereof, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. The claims should be interpreted to cover all such variations and modifications. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>This invention relates generally to pneumatic launching devices. More specifically, however, this invention relates primarily to pneumatic paintball guns (or “markers”) for use in the sport of paintball. In the sport of paintball, it is generally desirable to have a gun that is as light and maneuverable as possible. Players need increased mobility to move from bunker to bunker quickly to avoid being hit. Furthermore, in the sport of paintball, the marker is treated as an extension of the body such that a hit to the marker counts as a hit to the player. It is desirable, therefore, to have a paintball gun with as small a profile as possible. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In one embodiment, an in-line pneumatic assembly for a pneumatic launching device (such as a paintball gun) preferably includes a gas storage area, a valve, and a bolt. The gas storage area can be configured to receive compressed gas from a regulated gas supply through a port in the valve. The valve can include two surfaces of different cross-sectional areas. A first surface, having a smaller cross-sectional area, receives a substantially constant supply of compressed gas. A second surface, having a larger cross-sectional area, selectively receives compressed gas to actuate the valve. The bolt can be configured to slide back and forth between a forward and a rearward position. The bolt is preferably arranged in a forward (closed) position before the valve is actuated to fire the gun. When the valve is actuated, compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area is directed through the bolt to launch a paintball. According to another embodiment, a paintball gun preferably includes a body having a breech. An in-line assembly preferably includes a compressed gas storage area, a valve, and a bolt. The valve is preferably configured to close using a force differential between opposing surfaces of the valve. The bolt is preferably configured to move to a closed position in the breech before the valve is actuated. The paintball gun also preferably includes a control valve configured to control actuation of the valve in response to a trigger pull. Other benefits can be achieved by providing electro-pneumatic control of the paintball gun. A control valve, for instance, can be an electro-pneumatic valve (such as a solenoid valve) configured to be operated based on electronic signals from a circuit board. The circuit board can be configured to initiate a firing sequence based on a trigger pull. Still further benefits can be achieved by having a closed-bolt gun that seats the paintball within the breech before releasing the compressed gas to launch the paintball. According to a further embodiment, a pneumatic paintball gun preferably includes a bolt configured to operate as at least a portion of the firing valve. Most preferably, the bolt includes gas entry ports formed through a lateral bolt wall at a predetermined position along the bolt. The entry ports are preferably configured such that when the bolt reaches a forward position, the entry ports expose an internal bolt chamber to compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area, permitting the compressed gas from the storage area to flow through the bolt and out a forward exit port to launch a paintball. In one specific embodiment, the bolt is slidably mounted on a valve stem. The valve stem preferably includes a sealing member (such as an O-ring, plug, or any other sealing structure) arranged at its forward end. The sealing member preferably prevents compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area from entering the bolt until the bolt reaches a predetermined forward position. As the bolt approaches the predetermined forward position, the entry ports preferably slide past the sealing member and expose an interior bolt chamber to compressed gas from the storage chamber. Compressed gas therefore passes from the compressed gas storage chamber through the bolt to launch a paintball. In one of many possible alternative embodiments, a sealing member is arranged in communication with an external surface of the bolt. The sealing member prevents compressed gas from a compressed gas source from entering the bolt until the bolt reaches a predetermined forward position. As the bolt approaches the predetermined forward position, the gas entry ports preferably slide past the sealing member and permit compressed gas to enter the bolt and flow into communication with a paintball, thereby launching the paintball from the marker. In a most preferred embodiment, the bolt is moved between a rearward and forward position using an electronic solenoid valve. In one configuration, the bolt preferably includes two, oppositely arranged surface areas. The solenoid valve is preferably configured to alternately supply compressed gas to and vent compressed gas from the two surface areas. More particularly, compressed gas is preferably supplied from the solenoid valve to a forward surface area and vented from a rearward surface area to move the bolt to a rearward position. The compressed gas is preferably supplied to the rearward surface area and vented from the forward surface area to move the bolt to a forward position. Various types, numbers, and configurations of solenoid valves can be used to shuttle the bolt between a forward and rearward position. In one alternative embodiment, for instance, a constant supply of compressed gas can be directed to one end of the bolt, with compressed gas being selectively supplied through the solenoid valve to an opposite end of the bolt (having a larger surface area) to operate the bolt. Various other embodiments and configurations are also possible without departing from the principles of the invention disclosed with reference to the foregoing aspects and embodiments. This invention is not limited to any particular embodiment. | 20040916 | 20050607 | 20050210 | 80369.0 | 3 | CHAMBERS, TROY | PNEUMATIC ASSEMBLY FOR A PAINTBALL GUN | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,944,371 | ACCEPTED | Food oven | An improved food oven apparatus and related methods for preparing food utilizing digitally controlled heating elements and a smoker unit. User-operable controls in communication with a digital controller allow for independent control of the heating elements and the smoker unit. One or more electric fans can be provided for reducing condensation from forming within a control unit of the food oven. A heating element connection assembly can also be provided for reducing stress exerted on the heating elements caused by the repeated expansion and contraction of the compartment. The food oven can also be provided with an air cleaning apparatus configured to perform a multi-stage cleaning process, thereby eliminating the need for a separate fixed hood system. | 1. A food oven apparatus comprising: a housing having a first oven compartment therein; a first support member positionable within the first compartment for holding food to be prepared within the first compartment; a first heating element disposed within the first compartment for heating the first compartment, the first heating element is positioned on a first side of the first support member; a second heating element disposed within the first compartment for heating the first compartment, the second heating element is positioned on a second side of the support member; a first smoker unit disposed within the first compartment for generating smoke within the first compartment; a first digital controller in communication with the first and second heating elements and the first smoker unit; and a first set of user-operable controls in communication with the first digital controller for independently controlling each of the first and second heating elements and the first smoker unit in response to user operation of the first set of controls. 2. The food oven apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a control unit positioned on a top surface of the housing, the digital controller is disposed within the control unit, the user-operable controls are accessible from a front panel of the control unit. 3. The food oven apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: a vent positioned on an exterior surface of the control unit; an electric fan disposed within the control unit for passing air out of the control unit through the vent. 4. The food oven apparatus of claim 1, the first digital controller providing functionality for recording a cooking cycle. 5. The food oven apparatus of claim 1, the first digital controller is compatible with a NAFEM protocol. 6. The food oven apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a probe in communication with the first digital controller for monitoring cooking temperatures of the food to be prepared within the first compartment. 7. The food oven apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a probe in communication with the first digital controller for monitoring cooking times of the food to be prepared within the first compartment. 8. The food oven apparatus of claim 1, the housing is formed of a stainless steel material. 9. The food oven apparatus of claim 1, the housing is a double wall housing, the apparatus further comprising: an aperture in an interior wall of the housing, at least one of the heating elements passing through the aperture; a spacer engaging the at least one of the heating elements and the interior wall of the housing; a washer engaging the at least one of the heating elements and an exterior wall of the housing; and a spring engaging the spacer and washer, the spring is configured to compress and decompress in response to expansion and contraction of the first compartment. 10. The food oven apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a vent shroud mounted on a top surface of the housing; a cavity defined by the top surface of the housing and the vent shroud; an exhaust vent in the top surface of the housing; a convection aperture in the first compartment for receiving exhaust air from the first compartment; a chimney disposed between the convection aperture and the exhaust vent, the chimney configured to receive the exhaust air from the convection aperture and pass the exhaust air to the exhaust vent; an air cleaning apparatus disposed within the cavity, the air cleaning apparatus comprising: a mesh filter for receiving the exhaust air from the exhaust vent, an electrostatic precipitator for receiving the exhaust air from the mesh filter, and a charcoal filter for receiving the exhaust air from the electrostatic precipitator; and an exhaust aperture in a top surface of the vent shroud for receiving the exhaust air from the charcoal filter and passing the exhaust air to an exterior of the food oven apparatus. 11. The food oven apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a second oven compartment within the housing; a second support member positionable within the second compartment for holding food to be prepared within the second compartment; a third heating element disposed within the second compartment for heating the second compartment, the third heating element is positioned on a first side of the second support member; a fourth heating element disposed within the second compartment for heating the second compartment, the fourth heating element is positioned on a second side of the second support member; a smoker unit disposed within the second compartment for generating smoke within the second compartment; a second digital controller in communication with the third and fourth heating elements and the second smoker unit; and a second set of user-operable controls in communication with the second digital controller for independently controlling each of the third and fourth heating elements and the second smoker unit in response to user operation of the second set of controls. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,107 is incorporated by reference herein. STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY. SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With the rise of the number of prepared meals being served to the general public through food service establishments including restaurants, supermarkets, and convenience stores, there is a need for food service establishments to be able to prepare food in a convenient, efficient manner. Unfortunately, many of the existing ovens utilized by food service establishments fail to meet these needs. Many existing ovens employ analog control circuitry which often. provides only limited amounts of control over the various cooking operations that a user of the oven may desire to perform. In addition, the repeated expansion and contraction of oven compartments in conventional ovens can cause undue stress on the various heating elements employed therein. Moreover, many existing ovens require the use of expensive permanent exhaust hoods, fire suppression systems, or both. Such requirements can substantially increase the installation costs as well as the operation costs of existing ovens. The mobility of existing ovens can also be severely limited by their attachment to permanent fixtures. Such ovens can limit the number and types of properties that prospective entrepreneurs may consider when choosing to establish a restaurant or other food preparation enterprise. As the cost of commercial real estate increases, retail food sites that are designed to facilitate permanent oven installations can be increasingly difficult to afford. Thus, there exists a substantial need in the art for an improved food oven apparatus which can be utilized to prepare food while avoiding one or more of the drawbacks associated with existing ovens. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, roughly described, relates to an improved oven apparatus and related methods for preparing food utilizing digitally controlled heating elements and a smoker unit. In one embodiment, a food oven apparatus is provided comprising a housing having one or more oven compartments therein. A support member is positionable within the compartment for holding food to be prepared. First and second heating elements for heating the compartment can be disposed within the compartment on first and second sides of the support member. A smoker unit can also be disposed within the compartment for generating smoke within the compartment. A digital controller can be provided which is in communication with the first and second heating elements and the smoker unit. User-operable controls in communication with the digital controller can also be provided for independently controlling each of the first and second heating elements and the smoker unit in response to user operation of the controls. In various embodiments, the digital controller can be disposed within a control unit positioned on a top surface of the housing. The user-operable controls can be positioned so as to be accessible from a front panel of the control unit. One or more electric fans can also be disposed within the control unit for passing air out of the control unit through one or more vents positioned on exterior surfaces of the control unit. In another embodiment, one or more of the heating elements can be implemented with a heating element connection assembly in order to reduce stress exerted on the heating elements caused by the repeated expansion and contraction of the compartment during cooking cycles. In yet another embodiment, the food oven can be provided with an air cleaning apparatus configured to perform a multi-stage cleaning process. For example, the air cleaning apparatus can be implemented to include a mesh filter, an electrostatic precipitator, and a charcoal filter. Exhaust air that is processed by the air cleaning apparatus can be released to the exterior of the food oven, thereby eliminating the need for a separate fixed hood system. These as well as other embodiments contemplated by the present invention will be more fully set forth in the detailed description below and the figures submitted herewith. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a food oven apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of a food oven apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side view of a food oven apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram representation of a multi-stage process for cleaning air provided by an air cleaning apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a heating element connection assembly of a food oven apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of an electrical control circuit of an electronic control unit of a food oven apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the front, rear, and side views of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, respectively, there is shown an improved food oven apparatus 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, apparatus 10 comprises a housing 60 mounted on casters 70 for facilitating convenient transport of the apparatus 10. A vent shroud 15 with an exhaust aperture 62 can be mounted on an upper surface of the housing 60. In various embodiments, the housing 60 can be formed of double wall stainless steel, with the space existing between the double wall construction of the housing 60 being filled with suitable thermal insulation (not shown) to reduce heat loss from the interior of the housing 60 to the environment. In one, embodiment, the thermal insulation is implemented with Insulfrax Thermal Insulation compliant with UL732 (ASTM E-84) and (Directive 97/69EC), permitting operating temperatures up to approximately 1832 degrees Fahrenheit. In various embodiments, housing 60, vent shroud 15, compartments 30 and 35, and/or other internal and external components of apparatus 10 can be formed of stainless steel. As illustrated, housing 60 can be segregated into separate upper and lower oven compartments 30 and 35, respectively, which may be independently controlled to effectuate differing cooking applications within the apparatus 10. The oven compartments 30 and 35 can be provided with front access door(s) (not shown) which may be mounted in accordance with various installation methods known in the art. Support members such as slidable grates 55 are provided for each of the compartments 30 and 35 for receiving and holding food products to be prepared using the apparatus 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the grates 55 can be positioned at a plurality of levels within each of the compartments 30 and 35. The lower portion of each of the compartments 30 and 35 can include one or more slide out trays (not shown) that serve as a pan or reservoir for grease and juices released from food disposed within the compartments 30 and 35 during operation. Each of the oven compartments 30 and 35 is provided with upper and lower arrays 40 and 45 of heating elements. As illustrated in FIG. 1, arrays 40 and 45 are disposed on opposite sides of the grates 55 of each oven compartment. In one embodiment, each of the arrays 40 and 45 comprise a plurality of infrared stainless steel heating rods which extend transversely across the width of the compartments 30 and 35. Such infrared heating rods can be obtained from a variety of manufacturers and are advantageous due to their ability to rapidly reach high operating temperatures and subsequently sustain the operating temperature at relatively low input power requirements. Due to the orientation of the upper and lower heating element arrays 40 and 45 in relation to the grates 55, the upper arrays 40 can serve a broiling function while the lower arrays 45 can serve a baking function. In addition, with both the upper and lower arrays 40 and 45 of an oven compartment being operated concurrently, food positioned upon the grates 55 can be in effect barbecued within the oven compartment. The lowermost portion of each of the compartments 30 and 35 is further provided with a smoker unit 50. In various embodiments, the smoker unit 50 can comprise a generally U-shaped infrared heating element (not shown) which is rigidly mounted to the sidewall of the housing 60 by an insulator block (not shown). The lateral distance between the elongate members of the U-shaped heating element is preferably sized to be slightly less than the dimensions of a hickory wood block (not shown) such that the block may be cradled within the U-shaped heating element. A generally L-shaped shroud (not shown) can be removably mounted to the insulator block to prevent grease and other juices released from the food being prepared from contacting and vaporizing upon the heating element. As will be recognized, in operation, as the heating element of the smoker unit 50 reaches operating temperatures, the hickory wood block will slowly burn, releasing natural hickory smoke which travels through each of the compartments 30 and 35. An electronic control unit 20 can be positioned/mounted on top of the housing 60 and below vent shroud 15. The front panel 25 of the electronic control unit 20 provides convenient access to digital controls for operating the apparatus 10. Electric fans can be incorporated within control unit 20 to provide ventilation of the control unit 20 and to prevent condensation from forming within control unit 20. Air passed by the electric fans can be blown out of the control unit 20 through vents 65 positioned on opposite sides of the exterior side surfaces of the control unit 20. The operation of the heating arrays 40 and 45 and smoker units 50 within each of the compartments 30 and 35 can be monitored and/or independently controlled by the electronic control unit 20, thereby permitting independent baking, broiling, barbecuing, smoking, and/or hold-warming of foods disposed within each of the compartments 30 and 35. In operation, a food product desired to be prepared, can be inserted upon one or both of the grates 55 and disposed within the oven compartments 30 and/or 35. Access doors (not shown) are then closed, and the desired food preparation process for each of the compartments 30 and 35 can be selected using controls provided on front panel 25. It will be appreciated that apparatus 10 can be implemented to provide convectional air flow in compartments 30 and 35. Air can be drawn into the compartments 30 and 35 through apertures (not shown) below the access doors and/or other appropriate portions of apparatus 10. Such air can be drawn through natural convection without the use of fans. As air within compartments 30 and 35 is heated, natural convection can occur within the compartments. Exhaust air can be drawn up through a plurality of convection apertures 77 in the top of each of the compartments 30 and 35, and drawn through chimney 72 where it is exhausted out of exhaust vent 75 (see FIG. 3). In various embodiments, the convection apertures 77, chimney 72, and exhaust vent 75 can be implemented to provide independent exhaustion of exhaust air from each of compartments 30 and 35. It will be appreciated that a conventional fixed exhaust hood can be connected to exhaust vent 75. However, in another aspect of the present invention, the exhaust air can be cleaned prior to exhaustion in accordance with a multi-stage cleaning process provided by an air cleaning apparatus disposed within a cavity 74 formed between housing 60 and vent shroud 15. As a result, the apparatus 10 can be installed in any convenient location without the need for a separate fixed hood system. FIG. 4 is a block diagram representation of a multi-stage process for cleaning air provided by an air cleaning apparatus of the food oven apparatus 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Exhaust air received from exhaust vent 75 can be passed through a stainless steel mesh filter 90 designed to remove grease particles. After passing through the mesh filter 90, the air can be passed through an electrostatic precipitator 95 that electronically charges the passing air, thereby attracting grease and smoke particles to further clean the air. Thereafter, the air can be passed through a charcoal filter 97 for removing odors from the air. The exhaust air can then be passed through the exhaust aperture 62 in vent shroud 15 to the exterior of the apparatus 10. In one embodiment, the air cleaning process displaces approximately 300 cubic feet of air per minute and therefore does not require make-up air. It will be appreciated that as the temperature within oven compartments 30 and 35 rises and falls during cooking cycles, the compartments can expand and contract. In another aspect of the present invention, one or more of the heating elements of arrays 40, 45, and/or smoker unit 50 can be implemented to compensate for expansion and contraction of the oven compartments 30 and 35 during cooking cycles. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a heating element connection assembly of a food oven apparatus 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 5, a heating element of one of the arrays 40, 45, and/or smoker unit 50 can comprise a rod 42 substantially encapsulated by a steel sheath 44. A spacer 80, spring 82, washer 84, and hex nuts 86 can engage the end portion of the heating element, and can be mounted within the double wall housing 60 of the apparatus, with the heating element extending through the housing 60 into the oven compartment 30 and/or 35 through an aperture in the oven compartment (i.e., the interior wall of the double wall housing 60). Electric wires (not shown) for powering the heating element can be passed through conduit 88 to control unit 20. Spacer 80 can be constructed of ceramic material and mounted so as to engage the interior wall of the double wall housing 60 (the wall of the oven compartment). Washer 82 can be mounted so as to engage the outside wall of the double wall housing 60. Spring 82 can be mounted so as to springably engage the spacer 80 and washer 82. As the compartment expands during a cooking cycle, spacer 80 can move with the compartment, causing the spring 82 to compress. Similarly, as the compartment contracts, the spacer 80 can continue to move with the compartment, causing the spring 82 to decompress. It will be appreciated that by installing the heating elements of arrays 40 and 45 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5, the stress exerted on the heating elements can be reduced during cooking cycles. As a result, the likelihood of electrical failure of one or more of the heating elements due to electrical shorts stemming from repeated expansion and contraction can be reduced and/or eliminated. FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of an electrical control circuit 100 of the electronic control unit 20 of apparatus 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As will be recognized, the circuit 100 is composed of two branches 190 and 195 (indicated by phantom lines) which serve to control the operation of the upper and lower oven compartments 30 and 35, respectively. Because the two branches can be implemented in the same manner, only branch 190 will be described. However, it will be appreciated that the description provided in relation to branch 190 can be applied to branch 195 as well. Electrical power is provided to the circuit 100 by a source 180 of approximately 240-volt triple phase AC current. However, it will be appreciated that other voltages are contemplated, including but not limited to approximately 220 volts, approximately 230 volts, and others. As illustrated, the electrical power is distributed to the various components of branch 190 through circuit breakers 192. A digital controller 110 operating at 24-volts is powered through transformer 135 and fuse 130. A user-operable power switch 125 is provided for switching the digital controller 110 on and off, thereby switching the apparatus 10 on and off as well. User-operable controls located on the front panel 25 of the electronic control unit 20 (see FIG. 1) can be implemented to interface with digital controller 110, thereby allowing users to control the operation of apparatus 10. In one embodiment, the digital controller 110 can be implemented as a MiniChef™ 2000 controller or a Series N7 cooking computer (part no. N7MF-1060-03XX), both available from Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company. Digital controller 110 is in communication with an oven thermocouple 115 for detecting the temperature of compartment 30, and is also in communication with a heat probe thermocouple 120 for detecting the temperature measured by an optional heat probe. It is contemplated that these and/or other probes can also be used to monitor/measure cooking times of the apparatus 10. In various embodiments, digital controller 110 can also provide functionality for recording data pertaining to a cooking cycle (for example, time, temperature, etc.). In various embodiments, digital controller 110 can also provide functionality for maintaining compatibility with a protocol of the National Association of Foodservice Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) and/or the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) food safety program for recording cook times and temperatures for food safety purposes. As illustrated, digital controller 110 is further in communication with heating arrays 40 and 45 through solid state power controllers 140 and 145 that operate the heating arrays. Digital controller 110 is also in communication with smoker unit 50 through solid state relay 150 that operates the heating element of the smoker unit 50. A fan 160 mounted at one end of control box 20 (behind vents 65) is also powered by source 180. A high temperature limit controller 165 and thermocouple 167 are also provided in branch 190 of circuit 100. In one embodiment, thermocouple 167 is disposed within chimney 72. In operation, if thermocouple 167 indicates that a high temperature limit has been reached (for example, approximately 600 degrees Fahrenheit), then contactor 170 can be caused to open, thereby interrupting electrical power through contacts 155. As a result, electrical power supplied to smoker unit 50 as well as heating arrays 40 and 45 will be disrupted. In one embodiment, the limit controller 165 can be implemented as a Series LF limit controller available from Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company. It will be appreciated from the schematic representation 100 of FIG. 6 that the smoker unit 50 as well as heating arrays 40 and 45 of oven compartment 30 can be independently controlled by way of the communication between digital controller 110 and components 140, 145, and 150. By operating the controls accessible on front panel 25 of the control unit 20, a user can instruct the digital controller 110 to cause the apparatus 10 to independently perform any number of functions desirable for food preparation in upper compartment 30. As discussed, such functions can include baking, broiling, barbecuing, smoking, and/or hold-warming of foods disposed within compartment 30. It will be appreciated that the same operations and functionality can be provided in relation to the lower compartment 35 through appropriate components of apparatus 10. It will be appreciated that the scope of the present invention is not limited by the particular embodiments set forth herein. Other appropriate variations, whether explicitly provided for or implied, are contemplated by the present disclosure. It is contemplated that any of the various components described herein can be combined and/or separated into other configurations where appropriate. It is further contemplated that the ordering of various steps described herein can be changed where appropriate to achieve the functionality provided by the present invention. Similarly, individual steps can be combined and/or dissected into fewer or greater numbers of steps where appropriate to provide the functionality described herein. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>With the rise of the number of prepared meals being served to the general public through food service establishments including restaurants, supermarkets, and convenience stores, there is a need for food service establishments to be able to prepare food in a convenient, efficient manner. Unfortunately, many of the existing ovens utilized by food service establishments fail to meet these needs. Many existing ovens employ analog control circuitry which often. provides only limited amounts of control over the various cooking operations that a user of the oven may desire to perform. In addition, the repeated expansion and contraction of oven compartments in conventional ovens can cause undue stress on the various heating elements employed therein. Moreover, many existing ovens require the use of expensive permanent exhaust hoods, fire suppression systems, or both. Such requirements can substantially increase the installation costs as well as the operation costs of existing ovens. The mobility of existing ovens can also be severely limited by their attachment to permanent fixtures. Such ovens can limit the number and types of properties that prospective entrepreneurs may consider when choosing to establish a restaurant or other food preparation enterprise. As the cost of commercial real estate increases, retail food sites that are designed to facilitate permanent oven installations can be increasingly difficult to afford. Thus, there exists a substantial need in the art for an improved food oven apparatus which can be utilized to prepare food while avoiding one or more of the drawbacks associated with existing ovens. | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention, roughly described, relates to an improved oven apparatus and related methods for preparing food utilizing digitally controlled heating elements and a smoker unit. In one embodiment, a food oven apparatus is provided comprising a housing having one or more oven compartments therein. A support member is positionable within the compartment for holding food to be prepared. First and second heating elements for heating the compartment can be disposed within the compartment on first and second sides of the support member. A smoker unit can also be disposed within the compartment for generating smoke within the compartment. A digital controller can be provided which is in communication with the first and second heating elements and the smoker unit. User-operable controls in communication with the digital controller can also be provided for independently controlling each of the first and second heating elements and the smoker unit in response to user operation of the controls. In various embodiments, the digital controller can be disposed within a control unit positioned on a top surface of the housing. The user-operable controls can be positioned so as to be accessible from a front panel of the control unit. One or more electric fans can also be disposed within the control unit for passing air out of the control unit through one or more vents positioned on exterior surfaces of the control unit. In another embodiment, one or more of the heating elements can be implemented with a heating element connection assembly in order to reduce stress exerted on the heating elements caused by the repeated expansion and contraction of the compartment during cooking cycles. In yet another embodiment, the food oven can be provided with an air cleaning apparatus configured to perform a multi-stage cleaning process. For example, the air cleaning apparatus can be implemented to include a mesh filter, an electrostatic precipitator, and a charcoal filter. Exhaust air that is processed by the air cleaning apparatus can be released to the exterior of the food oven, thereby eliminating the need for a separate fixed hood system. These as well as other embodiments contemplated by the present invention will be more fully set forth in the detailed description below and the figures submitted herewith. | 20040917 | 20070327 | 20060323 | 71421.0 | F24C1532 | 1 | PELHAM, JOSEPH MOORE | FOOD OVEN | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | F24C | 2,004 |
|
10,944,993 | ACCEPTED | System and software of enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities and related methods | A system, software and related methods of enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long term care facilities are provided. An embodiment of a system includes a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, long-term care facility pharmacy management software associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to manage pharmacological operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities, a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts each positioned in a long-term care facility remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication therewith, a remote pharmacy group server in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, and a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors each positioned in a long-term care facility and in communication with the remote pharmacy group server or the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server. | 1. A system of enhanced pharmaceutical operation services for a plurality of long-term care facilities, the system comprising: a first data processing and management computer including a first memory to store data therein to thereby define a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server; long-term care facility pharmacy management software stored in the first memory of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to manage pharmaceutical operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities; a communications network in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server; a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts each positioned in a separate long-term care facility remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server through the communication network to store pharmaceuticals therein and to dispense the pharmaceuticals to authorized health care personnel located at the long-term care facility; a second remote pharmacy group computer positioned remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts through the communication network, and including a second memory to store data therein to define a remote pharmacy group server; and a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors each positioned in a long-term care facility remote separate from and in communication with the remote pharmacy server to process a pharmaceutical prescription order from the long-term care facility to be delivered to the long-term care facility. 2. A system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of video input devices each separately positioned adjacent a respective one of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts remote from and in communication with at least one of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and the remote pharmacy group server, each video input device positionable to produce a video image of facility health care personnel and visually accessible functional components of the adjacent pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart, to thereby provide visual feedback to pharmacy personnel to train facility health-care personnel and for troubleshooting the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart. 3. A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a pharmaceutical storage facility associated with the remote pharmacy group server and having a plurality of pharmaceuticals stored therein, and at least one vehicle to facilitate delivery of the pharmaceuticals at the storage facility to each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts at the plurality of long-term care facilities responsive to the pharmaceutical prescription order. 4. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts store a plurality of different pharmaceuticals, package a plurality of individual doses of pharmaceuticals, and dispense the plurality of individual doses of pharmaceuticals to authorized healthcare personnel at the plurality of long-term care facilities. 5. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the long-term care facility pharmacy management software is particularly adapted to accept prescriptions from a physician, patient identification information from the long-term care facility, insurance information from the patient's insurance company, and pharmaceutical inventory from each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts to control inventory in each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and to order delivery of pharmaceuticals to restock the dispensing carts or for individually tailored prescription delivery for those prescriptions not stocked in the dispensing carts. 6. A system as defined in claim 5, wherein the long-term care facility pharmacy management software includes automated inventory replenishment of the dispensing carts, dispensing cart dispensing control, claim processing, prescribed drug conflict analysis based on patient medication profile, allergies, diagnosis, prescribed drug conflict analysis based on prescribed drug interaction, and prescribed drug analysis based on patient insurance coverage. 7. A system of enhanced pharmaceutical operation services for a long-term care facility, the system comprising: a pharmacy group management computer defining a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server; long-term care facility pharmacy management software associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to manage pharmaceutical operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities; a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts each positioned in a separate long-term care facility remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to store pharmaceuticals therein and to dispense the pharmaceuticals to authorized health care personnel located at the long-term care facility; and a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors each positioned in a long-term care facility remote separate from and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to process a pharmaceutical prescription order from the long-term care facility to be delivered to the long-term care facility. 8. A system as defined in claim 7, further comprising a pharmaceutical storage facility having a plurality of pharmaceuticals stored therein and at least one vehicle to facilitate delivery of the pharmaceuticals at the pharmaceutical storage facility to each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts at the plurality of long-term care facilities responsive to the pharmaceutical prescription order. 9. A system as defined in claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts store a plurality of different pharmaceuticals, package a plurality of individual doses of pharmaceuticals, and dispense the plurality of individual doses of pharmaceuticals to authorized healthcare personnel at the long-term care facilities. 10. A system as defined in claim 7, wherein the long-term care facility pharmacy management software is particularly adapted to accept prescriptions from a physician, patient identification information from the long-term care facility, insurance information from the patient's insurance company, and pharmaceutical inventory from the medication dispensing apparatus to control inventory in each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and to order delivery of pharmaceuticals to restock the dispensing carts or for individually tailored prescription delivery for those prescriptions not stocked in the dispensing carts. 11. A system as defined in claim 7, wherein the long-term care facility pharmacy management software includes automated inventory replenishment of the dispensing carts, dispensing cart dispensing control, claim processing, prescribed drug conflict analysis based on patient medication profile, allergies, diagnosis, prescribed drug conflict analysis based on prescribed drug interaction, and prescribed drug analysis based on patient insurance coverage. 12. A system of enhanced pharmaceutical operation services for a long-term care facility, the system comprising: a first pharmacy group management computer defining a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server; long-term care facility pharmacy management software associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to manage pharmaceutical operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities; a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts each positioned in one of the plurality of long-term care facilities remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to store a plurality of different pharmaceuticals, package a plurality of individual doses of pharmaceuticals, and dispense the plurality of individual doses of pharmaceuticals to authorized facility medical personnel located at one of the plurality of long-term care facilities; and a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility positioned remote from the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and associated with a second remote pharmacy group computer defining a remote pharmacy group server in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts through the communication network, having a plurality of pharmaceuticals stored therein, and having at least one vehicle positioned to deliver selected pharmaceuticals at the storage facility to each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts, responsive to a combination of individual facility patient pharmaceutical dispensing instructions and medication inventory for each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts. 13. A system as defined in claim 12, further comprising a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors each positioned in a separate one of the plurality of long-term care facilities adjacent a respective one of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to process a pharmaceutical prescription order from the respective one of the plurality of long-term care facilities to be delivered to such long-term care facility. 14. A system as defined in claim 12, further comprising a plurality of video input devices each positioned adjacent a respective one of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts remote from and in communication with at least one of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and the remote pharmacy group server, each video input device positionable to display over a virtual private network a video image of facility medical personnel and visually accessible functional components of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart, to thereby provide visual feedback to pharmacy personnel to train the facility medical personnel and for troubleshooting the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart. 15. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the long-term care facility pharmacy management software is particularly adapted to accept prescriptions from a physician, patient identification information from the plurality of long-term care facilities, insurance information from the patient's insurance company, and pharmaceutical inventory from the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts to control inventory in each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and to order delivery of pharmaceuticals to restock the dispensing carts or for individually tailored prescription delivery for those prescriptions not stocked in the dispensing carts. 16. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the long-term care facility pharmacy management software includes a medication dispensing apparatus administrator responsive to an input from pharmacy personnel and positioned to selectively remotely control functions available to facility medical personnel from a terminal of one of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts over a virtual private network to thereby provide training to the facility medical personnel. 17. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the long-term care facility pharmacy management software includes a medication dispensing apparatus imager responsive to video signals from the video input device to display a video image of facility medical personnel and functional components of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart over a virtual private network to thereby provide remote training to the facility medical personnel and for remotely troubleshooting the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart. 18. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the long-term care facility pharmacy management software includes: a patient prescription order transferor stored in memory of each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts, and responsive to a release initiated by at least one of a pharmacy staff member and a facility staff member, positioned to transmit to the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server over a virtual private network a digitized image of a patient medication prescription order received from an associated pharmaceutical prescription document processor, to thereby provide the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server with patient medication requirements; a patient prescription receiver responsive to receipt of the digital image of the patient medication prescription from the patient prescription order transferor to store the digital image in a memory of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and to queue the digital image of the patient medication prescription for processing; a queue positioned to receive the digital image and positioned to hold the digital image for prescription order requirements entry and release verification by a remote pharmacy pharmacist; and a dispensing initiator positioned to receive the medication inventory for each of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and responsive to the release verification performed by the remote pharmacy pharmacist to transmit individual facility patient pharmaceutical dispensing instructions to the respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart over the virtual private network to thereby initiate patient medication dispensing. 19. A system as defined in claim 18, wherein the long-term care facility pharmacy management software includes: a patient record transferor responsive to a release initiated by at least one of a pharmacy staff member and a facility staff member and positioned to transmit over the virtual private network at least portions of a patient record having fields including a patient medication profile, a patient allergy profile, a patient diagnosis profile, and a patient insurance profile from an associated one of the plurality of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts to the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to thereby store the at least portions of the patient record in the memory of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server; and a drug conflict analyzer responsive to the prescription order requirements and the patient record to analyze the prescription order requirements against the patient medication profile, the patient allergy profile, the patient diagnosis profile, and patient insurance profile, and a drug interaction profile, to determine if a conflict exists. 20. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the long-term care facility pharmacy management software includes: an inventory tracker positioned to maintain the medication inventory for each of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts; and an inventory replenisher, positioned to receive the medication inventory from the inventory tracker, and responsive to the medication inventory decreasing below a minimum threshold level, to notify pharmacy personnel associated with the remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility of a replenishment requirement for at least one of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts. 21. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the long-term care facility pharmacy management software includes: a patient billing tracker, responsive to patient medication dispensing from the respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart to provide separate billing records for each of a plurality of patients at the plurality of long-term care facilities; and a claims processor positioned to receive the billing records from the patient billing tracker to submit medication claims to at least one of a reimbursement provider and a patient representative, for each patient. 22. Long-term care facility pharmacy management software adapted to be stored on a storage media associated with a pharmacy group management computer defining a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server for managing pharmaceutical operations in a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility and a plurality of remotely positioned long-term care facilities each having at least one remote medication dispensing apparatus, the software comprising: a patient prescription receiver responsive to receipt of a digital image of a patient medication prescription order from a pharmaceutical prescription document processor associated with a remote medication dispensing apparatus to store the digital image of the patient medication prescription and to queue the digital image for prescription order processing; a queue, positioned to receive the digital image of the patient medication prescription order, to hold the digital image of the patient medication prescription for processing and release by a remote pharmacy pharmacist associated with the remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility; and a dispensing initiator, responsive to a medication inventory for the remote medication dispensing apparatus and the release performed by the remote pharmacy pharmacist, to transmit individual facility patient pharmaceutical dispensing instructions to the respective remote medication dispensing apparatus over a network to thereby initiate patient medication dispensing. 23. Software as defined in claim 22, further comprising a drug conflict analyzer, responsive to patient medication requirements extracted from the digital image of the patient medication prescription order to analyze the patient medication requirements against a patient medication profile, a patient allergy profile, a patient diagnosis profile, a patient insurance profile, and a drug interaction profile, to analyze a medication conflict, when so existing. 24. Software as defined in claim 22, further comprising: an inventory tracker adapted to maintain the medication inventory for each remote medication dispensing apparatus; and an inventory replenisher, responsive to each respective medication inventory from the inventory tracker to notify pharmacy personnel associated with the remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility of a replenishment requirement for each respective remote medication dispensing apparatus. 25. Software as defined in claim 22, further comprising: a patient billing tracker, responsive to patient medication dispensing, to provide separate billing records for a plurality of patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities; and a claims processor, responsive to the billing records from the patient billing tracker and a date reference signal, to consolidate billing data for each long-term care patient, indexed by reimbursement provider, and to submit medication claims to a reimbursement provider. 26. Software as defined in claim 22, further comprising a medication dispensing apparatus administrator adapted to respond to an input from a pharmacy staff member to selectively remotely control functions available to a facility staff member from a terminal of the remote medication dispensing apparatus over the virtual private network to provide training to the facility staff member. 27. Software as defined in claim 22, further comprising a medication dispensing apparatus imager responsive to video signals from a video input device associated with a remote medication dispensing apparatus to display a video image of a facility staff member and functional components of the remote medication dispensing apparatus over the virtual private network to provide training to the facility staff member and for troubleshooting the remote medication dispensing apparatus. 28. Long-term care facility pharmacy management software adapted to be stored on a storage media associated with a pharmacy group management computer to manage pharmaceutical operations in a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility and a plurality of remotely positioned long-term care facilities each having a medication dispensing apparatus, and adapted to accept prescriptions from a physician, patient identification information and pharmaceutical inventory from the medication dispensing apparatus, and insurance information from the patient's insurance company to control dispensing medication from the medication dispensing apparatus to an authorized health-care personnel in each of the long-term care facilities, to control inventory in the medication dispensing apparatus, to order delivery of pharmaceuticals from the remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility to restock the medication dispensing apparatus or for individually tailored prescription delivery for those prescriptions not stocked in the medication dispensing apparatus, and to electronically process medication claims with a reimbursement provider. 29. A computer readable medium that is readable by a computer to manage pharmaceutical operations in a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility defining a remote pharmacy and in a plurality of remotely positioned long-term care facilities each having at least one remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storing apparatus in communication with the computer and having a memory and a plurality of medication dispensing cartridges associated therewith, the computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operations: establishing remote communications between each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus and the remote pharmacy; registering at least one patient for each of the plurality of long-term care facilities in a database of residents for the long-term care facility associated with a pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at that long-term care facility; storing in memory of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus at least one medication type and an amount to be dispensed; storing in memory of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus a medication dispensing time; dispensing medication responsive to patient prescription requirements for each patient registered to the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at each respective long-term care facility; and maintaining a record of medication dispensed and an inventory of medication remaining in each cartridge of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus. 30. A computer readable medium according to claim 29, further comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operation: submitting medication claims to a reimbursement provider for each patient. 31. The computer readable medium according to claim 29, further comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operations: providing separate billing records for each registered patient at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities; and consolidating billing data for each registered patient at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities, the billing data indexed by reimbursement provider 32. The computer readable medium according to claim 29, further comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operations: receiving a digital image of an actual pharmaceutical prescription order, the order containing patient prescription requirements; queuing the pharmaceutical prescription order for examination by a remote pharmacy pharmacist associated with the remote pharmacy; analyzing the patient prescription requirements against a patient medication profile, a patient allergy profile, a patient diagnosis profile, a patient insurance profile, and a drug interaction profile, to determine if a conflict exists; and transmitting the patient prescription requirements to the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart. 33. A computer readable medium according to claim 29, wherein one of the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus in each of the plurality of remotely positioned long-term care facilities has a separate removable medicine cartridge for each medication type. 34. A method of providing pharmaceutical services to a plurality of long-term care facilities, the method comprising the steps of: providing a pharmacy remote from a plurality of long-term care facilities to define a long-term care facility remote pharmacy; restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures for communication between long-term care facility staff and the long-term care facility remote pharmacy; restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures within the plurality of long-term care facilities; installing a pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities to be used by the long-term care facility staff; and visiting each of the plurality of long-term care facilities on a preselected frequency from the long-term care facility remote pharmacy to assess performance and enhance communication. 35. A method as defined in claim 34, wherein the step of restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures, further comprises the step of: transmitting a digital image of an actual pharmaceutical prescription order from a prescription document processor associated with one of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts over a virtual private network to the long-term care facility remote pharmacy, providing an exact image of the physician prescription order to a long-term care facility remote pharmacy pharmacist, to allow the remote pharmacist to separately interpret the prescription order interpreted by the facility staff member to thereby reduce errors due to miscommunication and misinterpretation of the pharmaceutical prescription order. 36. A method as defined in claim 35, wherein the step of restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures, further comprises the steps of: entering patient prescription requirements obtained from the digital image of the actual pharmaceutical prescription order into a memory of a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server positioned remote from the plurality of long-term care facilities; queuing the pharmaceutical prescription order for examination by a remote pharmacy pharmacist associated with the long-term care facility remote pharmacy; examining the pharmaceutical prescription order for correctness and conflicts; and transmitting the patient prescription requirements extracted from the pharmaceutical prescription order to the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart, if so correct. 37. A method as defined in claim 36, wherein the step of restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures further comprises the step of: analyzing patient prescription requirements against a patient medication profile, a patient allergy profile, a patient diagnosis profile, a patient insurance profile, and a drug interaction profile, to determine if a conflict exists. 38. A method as defined in claim 34, wherein the step of restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures further comprises the steps of: maintaining a medication inventory for each pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart; notifying the long-term care facility pharmacy over the virtual private network of a replenishment requirement, if so existing, for each respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart; and delivering pharmaceuticals by long-term care facility remote pharmacy vehicle both to replenish a plurality of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and to provide those pharmaceuticals according to the patient prescription requirements not stored by the respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart. 39. A method as defined in claim 34, wherein the step of restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures for communication between the long-term care facility staff and the long-term care facility remote pharmacy, further comprises the steps of: selectively remotely controlling functions available to a facility staff member from a terminal of one of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts over a virtual private network to provide training to the facility staff member; providing visual feedback to pharmacy personnel with a video input device positioned adjacent a plurality of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and positionable to display over a virtual private network a video image of the facility staff member to further enhance training of the facility staff member; and troubleshooting visually accessible functional components of the pharmaceutical storage electronic dispensing cart by manipulating the video input device adjacent a functional component requiring troubleshooting the video input device. 40. A method as defined in claim 34, wherein the step of restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures for communication between the long-term care facility staff and the long-term care facility pharmacy, further comprises the step of providing a medication pass list and a new or changed order report to synchronize pharmacy and long-term care facility documentation to thereby reduce errors due to miscommunication and misinterpretation of pharmaceutical prescription orders. 41. A method as defined in claim 34, wherein the step of restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures, further comprises the step of consolidating medication intervals into four medication pass time blocks, each block having specific medication administration times within the respective block. 42. A method as defined in claim 36, further comprising the steps of: dispensing medication according to patient prescription requirements for each of a plurality of patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities; providing separate billing records for the plurality of patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities; and submitting medication claims to a reimbursement provider and a patient representative for each of the plurality of patients. 43. A method as defined in claim 42, further comprising the step of consolidating billing data for each of the plurality of long-term care patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities. 44. A method of generating revenue from a plurality of long-term care facilities each devoid of an on-location pharmacy, the method comprising the steps of: reducing management overhead costs by: assigning each of the plurality of long-term care facilities at least one automated pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart, assigning a plurality of the long-term care facilities to each of at least one long-term care facility remote pharmacy, and assigning the at least one long-term care facility remote pharmacy to a single long-term care facility pharmacy group manager, to thereby continuously monitor multiple long-term care facilities; and reducing pharmaceutical delivery costs by: delivering pharmaceuticals by long-term care facility remote pharmacy vehicle to replenish, in a single delivery iteration, each of a plurality of the automated pharmaceutical storage and dispensing carts and to provide those pharmaceuticals according to the patient prescription requirements and not provided by each respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart. 45. A method as defined in claim 44, further comprising the step of reducing pharmaceutical error costs and liabilities due to miscommunication and misinterpretation of a pharmaceutical prescription order by: transmitting an exact image of each physician's pharmaceutical prescription order from a pharmaceutical document processor associated with a pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart over a virtual private network to the at least one long-term care facility remote pharmacy; and establishing a quality assurance check including having both a facility staff member review the physician's pharmaceutical prescription order and a remote pharmacy pharmacist separately review the exact image of each physician's pharmaceutical prescription order. 46. A method as defined in claim 44, further comprising the step of maintaining automated pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart operational status by: assigning a pharmacy staff member a primary responsibility to monitor usage, restocking, and maintenance of the automated pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart; and remotely troubleshooting a visually accessible functional component of the automated pharmaceutical storage electronic dispensing cart with a video input device positioned adjacent the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart and positionable to display over a virtual private network a video image of the visually accessible functional component of the pharmaceutical storage electronic dispensing cart. 47. A method as defined in claim 45, wherein the step of reducing pharmaceutical error costs and liabilities further includes the step of: analyzing patient prescription requirements against a patient medication profile, a patient allergy profile, a patient diagnosis profile, a patient insurance profile, and a drug interaction profile, to determine if a conflict exists. 48. A method as defined in claim 44, wherein the step of reducing pharmaceutical error costs and liabilities further includes the step of: providing a Medication Pass List and a New or Changed Order Report to synchronize pharmacy and long-term care facility documentation. 49. A method as defined in claim 44, wherein the step of reducing management overhead costs further includes the steps of: selectively remotely controlling functions available to a facility staff member from a terminal of a pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart over a virtual private network to provide training to the facility staff member; and providing visual feedback to pharmacy personnel with a video input device positioned adjacent the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart and positionable to display over a virtual private network a video image of the facility staff member to further enhance training of the facility staff member. 50. A method as defined in claim 44, further comprising the step of streamlining long-term care facility medication dispensing procedures by consolidating medication intervals into four medication pass time blocks, each block having specific medication administration times within the respective block. 51. A method as defined in claim 44, wherein the step of reducing overhead management costs further includes the steps of: providing separate billing records for a plurality of patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities; and submitting medication claims electronically to a reimbursement provider for each of the plurality of patients. 52. A method as defined in claim 44, wherein the step of reducing overhead management costs further includes the step of generating reimbursements from a reimbursement provider electronically by consolidating billing data for a plurality of patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities for submission to a respective same reimbursement provider. 53. A method as defined in claim 44, further comprising the step of preventing prescription backlogs due to prescription order entry difficulties of a single entry to accommodate massive numbers of incoming prescription orders by instituting a maximum individual order entry time protocol. 54. A method of increasing sales to and generating revenue from a plurality of long-term care facilities being devoid of an on-location pharmacy, the method comprising the steps of: providing a pharmacy remote from a plurality of long-term care facilities to define a long-term care facility remote pharmacy; positioning at least one pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus in each of the plurality of long-term care facilities to store and dispense pharmaceuticals to a patient living therein; establishing remote communications between each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus and the remote pharmacy; registering patients for each of the plurality of long-term care facilities in a database of residents for the long-term care facility associated with a respective pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at that long-term care facility, the database stored in memory of a data processing and management computer; remotely programming at least one medication type and amount to be dispensed into each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus; remotely programming a medication dispensing time into each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus; dispensing medication according to patient prescription requirements for each associated registered patient; and maintaining an inventory of medication dispensed and medication remaining in the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus. 55. A method as defined in claim 54, wherein the each long-term care facility has a plurality of patients, the method further comprising the step of: submitting medication claims to a reimbursement provider for each registered patient. 56. A method as defined in claim 54, wherein the each long-term care facility has a plurality of patients, the method further comprising the steps of: providing separate billing records for each plurality of patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities; and consolidating billing data for each of the plurality of patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities. 57. A method as defined in claim 54, wherein each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus has at least one removable medicine cartridge. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of and priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/516,678, filed on Nov. 3, 2003, titled “System and Software of Enhanced Pharmaceutical Operations in Long-Term Care Facilities and Related Methods,” incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the nursing home, retirement home, assisted living facility, and other long-term care industries in general and, more particularly, to pharmaceutical operations within nursing homes, retirement homes, assisted living facilities, and other long-term care facilities. 3. Description of Related Art Over the years, pharmacies have been a backbone in providing prescription drugs and other medications to people and have been a convenience as retail pharmacies have expanded to locating close to most residential areas in our country. Recently, pharmacies also have been placed inside of facilities such as hospitals, physician offices, malls, nursing homes, retirement homes, assisted living facilities, and other locations to make it easier for people to get access to medications and to facilitate interaction with medical personnel. Because of the numerous types of medications stored and dispensed by pharmacies, automation within the pharmacy industry has been desirable. Accordingly, numerous developments have been made to automate the pharmacy ordering, dispensing, and storage capabilities. For example, machines have been developed to store and dispense medication responsive to security codes or other identification from medical personnel or users. Also, electronic storage and dispensing carts have been developed which are often stored on each floor of a hospital to allow the carts to electronically receive dispensing instructions from a hospital pharmacy computer. Additionally, machines have been developed to store several hundred different types of medications and to dispense the medications to medical personnel for distribution to patients. Nevertheless, little has been done to enhance storage and distribution of medications in nursing homes, retirement homes, Alzheimer's living facilities, senior communities, assisted living facilities, and other types of long term care facilities (hereinafter collectively “long-term care facilities”) which are significantly different in operation, personnel structure, and physical structure than hospitals, physician offices, and home care. This is increasingly important as the baby boom generation ages and more and more people enter these long-term care facilities. Also, because more and more people are and will be entering these long-term care facilities and because medication costs have been rising over the years, attempting to help make pharmacies, providing services to these long term facilities, profitable can often be important in successfully operating a long-term care facility. Further, error can arise when dispensing medication, and a need still exists to reduce the risk of error in dispensing medication, especially in long-term care facilities. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing, embodiments of the present invention advantageously provide a system, software and methods for enhancing pharmaceutical operations in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, retirement homes, and other long-term care facilities. Embodiments of the present invention also advantageously provide a system, software, and methods for enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities that substantially reduces medication shortages, reduces medication preparation time, reduces medication passing or dispensing time, reduces medication waste, enhances documentation, and enhances regulatory acceptance. Embodiments of the present invention additionally provide a system, software, and methods for enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities, which substantially reduce the risk of error associated with dispensing medications to patients in the homes or facilities. Embodiments of the present invention further provide a system, software, and methods for enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities, which enhance profitability of pharmacy business associated with the homes or facilities. Embodiments of the present invention still further provide a system, software, and methods for enhanced pharmaceutical operations, which streamline the medication dispensing procedures for medical personnel working with the long-term care facilities to help make the procedures more efficient and easier. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide a system of enhanced pharmaceutical operation services for long-term care facilities. For example, in an embodiment of the present invention, a system includes a first data processing and management computer including a first memory to store data therein to thereby define a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server. Long-term care facility pharmacy management software stored in the first memory of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server manages pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities. A plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts are each positioned in a separate long-term care facility remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and are in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server though a communication network to store pharmaceuticals therein and to dispense the pharmaceuticals to authorized healthcare personnel located at the long-term care facility. A second remote pharmacy group computer is positioned remote from and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, and is positioned remote from and in communication with the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts. The second remote pharmacy group computer includes a second memory to store data therein to define a remote pharmacy group server. A plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors are each positioned in the long-term care facility where at least one of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts is located and are in communication with the remote pharmacy group server or the pharmacy group management server to process a pharmaceutical prescription order from the long-term care facility to be delivered to the long-term care facility for storage and dispensing through the at least one of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts. The system can also include a plurality of video input devices each separately positioned adjacent a respective one of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts remote from and in communication with at least one of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and the remote pharmacy group server. Each video input device is positionable to produce a video image of facility health care personnel and preferably is positionable to view visually accessible functional components of the adjacent pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart. This allows for the provision of visual feedback to pharmacy personnel to allow for enhanced training facility health-care personnel and for troubleshooting the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart. The system also can include a pharmaceutical storage facility associated with the remote pharmacy group server and having a plurality of pharmaceuticals stored therein. The pharmaceutical storage facility has at least one vehicle to facilitate delivery of the pharmaceuticals at the storage facility to each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts at the plurality of long-term care facilities responsive to the pharmaceutical prescription order. Also, for example, in an embodiment of the present invention, a system can include a pharmacy group management computer defining a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, and long-term care facility pharmacy management software associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to manage pharmaceutical operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities. A plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts are each positioned in a long-term care facility separate and remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to store pharmaceuticals therein and to dispense the pharmaceuticals to authorized health care personnel located at the long-term care facility. The plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors are each positioned in a long-term care facility remote separate from and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server or a remote pharmacy group computer or server to process a pharmaceutical prescription order from the long-term care facility and to be delivered to the long-term care facility. Additionally, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a system can include a first pharmacy group management computer defining a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and long-term care facility pharmacy management software associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to manage pharmaceutical operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities. A plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts are each positioned in one of the plurality of long-term care facilities remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to store a plurality of different pharmaceuticals, package a plurality of individual doses of pharmaceuticals, and dispense the plurality of individual doses of pharmaceuticals to authorized facility medical personnel located at one of the plurality of long-term care facilities. A remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility is positioned remote from the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and is associated with a second remote pharmacy group computer defining a remote pharmacy group server which is also in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts through the communication network. The remote pharmaceutical dispensing storage facility has a plurality of pharmaceuticals stored therein and has at least one vehicle positioned to deliver selected pharmaceuticals at the storage facility to each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts. Delivery, preferably along a preplanned or preselected delivery route, is accomplished in response to a combination of individual facility patient pharmaceutical dispensing instructions and medication inventory for each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts. Embodiments of the present invention provide long-term care facility pharmacy management software adapted to be stored on the storage media. For example, in an embodiment of the present invention, the software includes a patient prescription receiver which receives a digital image of a patient medication prescription order from a pharmaceutical prescription document processor associated with a remote medication dispensing apparatus, such as the above described pharmaceutical storage and dispensing device, to store the digital image of the patient medication prescription and to queue the digital image for prescription order processing. A queue receives the digital image and holds the digital image for prescription order requirements entry and release verification by a remote pharmacy pharmacist. A drug conflict analyzer, responsive to the prescription order requirements and data contained within the patient record, can analyze the prescription order requirements against a patient medication profile, a patient allergy profile, a patient diagnosis profile, a patient insurance profile, and a drug interaction profile, to determine if a conflict exists. If no conflict is found, a dispensing initiator positioned to receive the medication inventory for each of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and responsive to the release verification performed by the remote pharmacy pharmacist, can transmit individual facility patient pharmaceutical dispensing instructions to the respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart over the communication network to thereby initiate patient medication dispensing. Also, for example, in an embodiment of the present invention, the software is adapted to be stored on a storage media associated with a pharmacy group management computer to manage pharmaceutical operations in a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility and a plurality of remotely positioned long-term care facilities each having a medication dispensing apparatus. The software is further adapted to accept prescriptions from a physician, patient identification information and pharmaceutical inventory from the medication dispensing apparatus, and insurance information from the patient's insurance company. This allows the software to control dispensing medication from the medication dispensing apparatus to an authorized health-care personnel in each of the long-term care facilities, to control inventory in the medication dispensing apparatus, to order delivery of pharmaceuticals from the remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility to restock the medication dispensing apparatus or for individually tailored prescription delivery for those prescriptions not stocked in the medication dispensing apparatus, and to electronically process medication claims with a reimbursement provider. Further, embodiments of the present invention also can include a computer readable medium that is readable by a computer to manage pharmaceutical operations in a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility defining a remote pharmacy and in a plurality of remotely positioned long-term care facilities each having at least one remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storing apparatus in communication with the computer and having a memory and a plurality of medication dispensing cartridges associated therewith. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the computer readable medium includes a set of instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operations: establishing remote communications between each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus and the remote pharmacy, registering at least one patient for each of the plurality of long-term care facilities in a database of residents for the long-term care facility associated with a pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at that long-term care facility, storing in memory of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus at least one medication type, an amount of medication to be dispensed, and a medication dispensing time, dispensing medication responsive to patient prescription requirements for each patient registered to the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at each respective long-term care facility, and maintaining a record of medication dispensed and an inventory of medication remaining in each cartridge of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus. Embodiments of the present invention also include methods of providing pharmaceutical services to long-term care facilities. A method includes providing a pharmacy remote from a plurality of long-term care facilities to define an long-term care facility pharmacy, restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures for communication between long-term care facility staff and the long-term care facility pharmacy, restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures within the plurality of long-term care facilities, installing a pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart at each of the plurality of the long-term care facilities to be used by the long-term care facility staff, and visiting each of the plurality of long-term care facilities on a preselected frequency by pharmacy staff from the remote pharmacy to assess performance and enhance communication. By restructuring long-term care facility staff communication procedures and medication procurement and patient distribution procedures, embodiments of the present invention advantageously enhance pharmaceutical operations by allowing an individual long-term care facility to participate in a broader network of a plurality of long-term care facilities to thereby participate in costing and delivery benefits of the plurality or group of long-term care facilities. Such group participation streamlines operational procedures and communication and enhances profitability of the individual long-term care facilities. Embodiments of the present invention also include methods for generating revenue from a plurality of long-term care facilities each devoid of an on-location pharmacy. For example, in an embodiment of the present invention, a method includes reducing management overhead costs and reducing pharmaceutical delivery costs. Management overhead costs can be reduced by assigning each of the plurality of long-term care facilities at least one automated pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart to reduce workload of facility staff members, assigning a plurality of the long-term care facilities to each of at least one long-term care facility remote pharmacy, and assigning the at least one long-term care facility remote pharmacy to a single long-term care facility pharmacy group manager, to thereby continuously monitor multiple long-term care facilities. Pharmaceutical delivery costs can be reduced by delivering pharmaceuticals by long-term care facility remote pharmacy vehicle to replenish, in a single delivery iteration, each of a plurality of the automated pharmaceutical storage and dispensing carts and to provide those pharmaceuticals according to the patient prescription requirements and not provided by each respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart. Still further, in an embodiment of the present invention, a method includes providing a pharmacy remote from a plurality of long-term care facilities to define a long-term care facility remote pharmacy, positioning at least one pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus having at least one removable medicine cartridge in each of the plurality of long-term care facilities to store and dispense pharmaceuticals to a patient living therein, and establishing remote communications between each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus and the remote pharmacy. This results in a generation of revenue due to cost savings for both the pharmacy and the long-term care facilities and secures a stable level of sales. Patients for each of the plurality of long-term care facilities are then registered in a database of residents for the long-term care facility associated with a respective pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at that long-term care facility, the database stored in memory of a data processing and management computer. At least one medication type, amount to be dispensed, and a medication dispensing time is then remotely programmed into each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus, and medication is dispensed according to patient prescription requirements for each associated registered patient. An inventory of medication dispensed and medication remaining can be maintained in the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus and transmitted directly or indirectly to the remote pharmacy to allow for just-in-time type resupply of the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus. Further, separate billing records along with consolidated billing data can be supplied for each plurality of registered patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities. The methodology allows for the consolidated billing data to be organized by patient, facility, remote pharmacy, and reimbursement provider. This again reduces overhead to the pharmacy and the facility and can allow for batch-type processing by a reimbursement provider. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS So that the manner in which the features and bemefits of the invention, as well as others which will become apparent, may be understood in more detail, a more particular description of the invention briefly summarized above may be had by reference to the embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings, which form a part of this specification. It is to be noted, however, that the drawings illustrate only various embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the invention's scope as it may include other effective embodiments as well. FIG. 1A is a schematic block diagram of a plurality of remote pharmacy group computers networked to a remote pharmacy group management server of a system and software for enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1B is a schematic block diagram of a remote pharmacy group computer networked to a plurality of long-term care facilities of a system and software for enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an environmental perspective view of a medication storage and dispensing apparatus and a long-term care facility operational diagram of a system, software, and method for enhanced pharmaceutical operations in a long-term care facility according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is an environmental perspective view of medical personnel using a medication storage and dispensing apparatus of a system, software, and method of enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a medication dispensing tray/caddie of a medication storage and dispensing apparatus of a system for enhanced pharmaceutical operations according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4B is a perspective view of one of the medication dispensing envelopes in the medication dispensing tray/caddie of FIG. 4A according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a long-term care facility of a system and method of enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a schematic flow diagram of a method of enhanced pharmaceutical operations in a long-term care facility according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of a system and software for enhanced pharmaceutical operations of long-term care facilities according to the present invention; FIG. 8A is a partial schematic flow diagram of software and methods for enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8B is a partial schematic flow diagram of software and methods for enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8C is a schematic block diagram of database software of a system for enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a system for enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a partial schematic diagram of software to enhance pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a schematic flow diagram of a method of generating revenue from a plurality of long-term care facilities devoid of an on-location pharmacy according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIGS. 12A-C are schematic flow diagrams of a method of increasing sales to and generating revenue from a plurality of long-term care facilities being devoid of an on-location pharmacy according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. Prime notation, if used, indicates similar elements in alternative embodiments. FIG. 1A-1B illustrate a system 10 of enhanced pharmaceutical operation services for long-term care facilities 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention that includes a data processing and management computer including a memory 21 to store data therein thereby to define a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server 15, long-term care facility pharmacy management software 20 stored in the memory 21 of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server 15 to manage pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities 12, and a communications network 18 in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server 15. An alternative embodiment of such a system 10′ is illustrated in FIG. 9 as well. As perhaps best shown in FIGS. 2-5, the system 10 also includes a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines or carts 30 each positioned in a separate long-term care facility 12 remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server 15 and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server 15 through the communication network 18 to store pharmaceuticals therein and to dispense the pharmaceuticals to authorized health care personnel located at the long-term care facility 12. Each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines or carts 30 store a plurality of different pharmaceuticals, e.g., 176 oral solid medications as well as additional bulk storage capabilities, package a plurality of individual doses of pharmaceuticals, dispense the plurality of individual doses of pharmaceuticals to authorized healthcare personnel at the long-term care facilities, and are well understood by those skilled in the art. An example of such a pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machine or cart 30, as understood by those skilled in the art, is the PyxisEnvoy™ by Pyxis Corporation of San Diego, Calif. The PyxisEnvoy, for example, is a dispensing machine capable of securely storing bulk medication for automated patient-specific dispensing. The PyxisEnvoy is capable of packaging medications in individual patient-specific envelopes, both on-demand or at a predetermined time interval, and can organize the patient's envelopes into medication carriers. The envelopes can be further organized whereby “first dose” medications and PRN medications are positioned into separate medication carriers. Further, each envelope can be labeled by the machine with the patient's name, room number, medication, and strength. The PyxisEnvoy can store bulk medications in refill cartridges and containers providing an on-site reserve supply of medications. The PyxisEnvoy, for example, advantageously has the necessary hardware to be remotely controllable from an off-site location and the ability to receive or interface with additional software. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, other types of dispensing carts can be used as well according to the present invention. Each of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines or carts 30 has associated software which interfaces with and communicates with the pharmacy group management software 20 so that once preselected block times and other system parameters of the embodiments of the present invention are implemented, data entry can be performed by a pharmacy remote from the long-term care facility 12. Also, once preselected block times are established, the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines or carts 30 can automatically, i.e. responsive to predetermined commands in memory, package all scheduled medications and perform a regularly scheduled catch-up run to process new or changed medication orders. As understood by those skilled in the art, these machines or carts 30 package medication in patient specific envelopes sorted in a preselected order, e.g., an order specified by the long-term care facility 12. Advantageously, there is no need to punch medications out of a blister pack into a cup or to search an entire medication cart for a vial of medication, e.g., that someone forgot to reorder. Because these pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines or carts 30 can store large amounts, e.g., 176, of different medications and can dispense these medications, long-term care facilities 12 do not have to constantly reorder medications. The system 10 and methods maintain an inventory of the number of medications dispensed and number available for dispensing. Each container of the 176 working inventory containers includes a memory chip (not shown), as understood by those skilled in the art, for such inventory control and lot tracking of the medication. Each machine or cart 30 can have a separate removable medicine cartridge (not shown) for each medication type. The system 10 and methods fill these machines or carts 30 at preselected intervals, e.g., once a week, or as needed based on current inventory and usage rate. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the system 10 additionally can include a remote pharmacy group computer. The remote pharmacy group computer is positioned remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server 15, in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server 15 and the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts 30 through the communication network 18, and has a memory to store data therein, to define a remote pharmacy group server 40. The remote pharmacy group server 40 is preferably located in a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility defining a remote pharmacy 41. The system 10 can also include a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors 14, e.g., facsimile machines, scanners, or other document processing machines, computers, or equipment as understood by those skilled in the art, each positioned in a long-term care facility 12 remote from and in communication with the remote pharmacy group server 40 to process a pharmaceutical prescription order from the long-term care facility 12 to be delivered to the long-term care facility 12. Each of a plurality of preferably non-stationary video input devices 31 (FIG. 2), such as a digital, analog, or other type of camera, charge coupled device, digital imaging source, or other device to capture images, as understood by those skilled in the art, can be positioned in one of the long-term care facilities 12 adjacent and preferably interfaced with a respective one of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts 30 remote from and in communication with at least one of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server 15 and the remote pharmacy group server 40. The video input devices 31 are positionable to produce for display over the communications network 18 a video image of facility medical personnel and visually accessible functional components of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30, including e.g. the prescription document processor 14. This functionality advantageously provides visual feedback to pharmacy personnel to train the facility medical personnel and for troubleshooting the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30. The system 10 can also include a pharmaceutical storage facility 16 associated with the remote pharmacy group server 40 and having a plurality of pharmaceuticals stored therein and at least one vehicle V to facilitate delivery of the pharmaceuticals at the storage facility to each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts 30 at the plurality of long-term care facilities 12, responsive to the pharmaceutical prescription order. As perhaps best shown in FIGS. 7, 8C, and 10, the long-term care facility pharmacy management software 20 is particularly adapted to accept prescriptions from a physician, patient identification information from the long-term care facility, facility information, insurance information from the patient's insurance company, claim information, drug utilization review, and pharmaceutical inventory from the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing machines or carts 30 (FIG. 2) to control inventory in each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machines or carts 30 and to order delivery of pharmaceuticals to restock the dispensing carts 30 or for individually tailored prescription delivery by the vehicles V (FIG. 1B) for those prescriptions not stocked in the dispensing carts 30. The long-term care facility pharmacy management software 20, for example, also can include automated inventory replenishment of the dispensing carts 30, dispensing cart dispensing control, claim processing, prescribed drug conflict analysis based on patient medication profile, allergies, diagnosis, prescribed drug conflict analysis based on prescribed drug interaction, and prescribed drug analysis based on patient insurance coverage. Note, the software 20 can be in the form of microcode, programs, routines, and symbolic languages that provide a specific set for sets of ordered operations that control the functioning of the hardware and direct its operation, as known and understood by those skilled in the art. As shown in FIGS. 1-12C, embodiments of the system 10 include pharmacy management software 20 and methods designed to deliver pharmaceutical operation services to a plurality of long-term care facilities 12, e.g., staff and residents, positioned remotely from a pharmacy and utilizing a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and dispensing carts 30 in the long-term care facility 12, in a manner that significantly enhances the synergistic relationships of healthcare providers involved in the daily care of residents. The system 10 advantageously uses hardware, software, and robotics to converge previously disparate healthcare providers at the resident's side. The financial, social, and medical impact of long-term care facility providers communicating in real-time or near real time with near real-time medication delivery provides significant cost reduction for healthcare payors. It is thought that millions, or even billions, of dollars of medication are wasted each year due to a combination of poor communication between long-term care providers and prior art medication delivery systems. As shown in FIG. 10, much of the above identified software 20 can be implemented utilizing various components or modules. Note, though shown positioned together, various parts of the software 20, once loaded via a computer readable medium, can be functionally distributed at various locations within the system 10. In an embodiment of the present invention, the software 20 includes a patient prescription receiver 51 which receives a digital image of a patient medication prescription order from a pharmaceutical prescription document processor 14 associated with a remote medication dispensing apparatus, such as pharmaceutical storage and dispensing device 30, to store the digital image of the patient medication prescription and to queue the digital image for prescription order processing. A patient prescription order transferor 53, preferably stored in memory of the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing device 30 transmits over the communication network 18 the digitized image of the patient medication prescription order received from an associated pharmaceutical prescription processor 14 to the pharmacy group management server 15 or remote pharmacy group server 40, in response to a release initiated by either a pharmacy staff member or a facility staff member. This provides the pharmacy group management server 15 or remote pharmacy group server 40 with patient medication requirements which can be stored in database 22. Correspondingly, a patient record transferor 55 also preferably stored in the memory of the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing device 30 can transmit either a patient record or select portions thereof. The patient record generally has fields which can include patient identification, patient medication profile, patient allergy profile, patient diagnosis profile, and patient insurance profile. Upon receipt of either the entire patient record or select portions thereof, the entire patient record or the select portions can be stored in the memory 21 (database 22) of the pharmacy group management server 15. A queue 57 receives the digital image and holds the digital image for prescription order requirements entry and release verification by a remote pharmacy pharmacist. A drug conflict analyzer 59, responsive to the prescription order requirements and data contained within the patient record, can analyze the prescription order requirements against the patient medication profile, the patient allergy profile, the patient diagnosis profile, and patient insurance profile, and a drug interaction profile, to determine if a conflict exists. If no conflict is found, a dispensing initiator 61 positioned to receive the medication inventory for each of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts 30 and responsive to the release verification performed by the remote pharmacy pharmacist, can transmit individual facility patient pharmaceutical dispensing instructions to the respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30 over the communication network 18 to thereby initiate patient medication dispensing. A patient billing tracker 63, responsive to patient medication dispensing from the respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30, can provide separate billing records for each of a plurality of patients at the plurality of long-term care facilities 12. A claims processor 65, responsive to billing records from the patient billing tracker 63 and a date reference signal, can submit medication claims for each patient to either a reimbursement provider or a patient representative, or both. The claims processor 65 can also consolidate billing data for each long-term care patient, indexed by reimbursement provider, and submit the medication claims to each respective reimbursement provider. An inventory tracker 67 can maintain the medication inventory for each of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts 30. An inventory replenisher 69 is positioned to receive the medication inventory from the inventory tracker 67, and responsive to the medication inventory decreasing below a minimum threshold level, to notify pharmacy personnel associated with the remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility 40 of a replenishment requirement for at least one of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts 30. A medication dispensing apparatus administrator 71, responsive to an input from pharmacy personnel, can selectively remotely control functions available to facility medical personnel from the terminal of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30, over the communications network, to thereby remotely provide training to the facility medical personnel. A medication dispensing apparatus imager 73, responsive to video signals from the video input device 31, can display a video image of facility medical personnel and functional components of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30 over the communications network 18, to also remotely provide training to the facility medical personnel and for remote, real-time, troubleshooting the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30. It is important to note that although embodiments of the present invention have been described in the context of a fully fluctional system, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanism of the present invention and/or aspects thereof are capable of being distributed in the form of a computer readable medium of instructions in a variety of forms for execution on a processor, processors, or the like, and that the present invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of signal bearing media used to actually carry out the distribution. Examples of computer readable media include: nonvolatile, hard-coded type media such as read only memories (ROMs) or erasable, electrically programmable read only memories (EEPROMs), recordable type media such as floppy disks, hard disk drives and CD-ROMs, and transmission type media such as digital and analog communication links. For example, in an embodiment of the present invention, the system 10 includes a computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by a computer, such as, for example, group management server 15, remote pharmacy group server 40, or a combination of the both, cause the computer to establish remote communications between a remote pharmacy 16 and between each of a plurality of pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus 30 having a memory associated therewith and a plurality of medication dispensing cartridges, to perform instructions to manage pharmaceutical operations. The instructions can include those for registering at least one patient for each of a plurality of long-term care facilities 12 in a database of residents for the long-term care facility 12 associated with a pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus 30 located at that long-term care facility 12. The instructions include those for receiving a digital image of an actual pharmaceutical prescription order containing patient prescription requirements, queuing the pharmaceutical prescription order for examination by a remote pharmacy pharmacist associated with the remote pharmacy 41, analyzing the patient prescription requirements against parameters such as a patient medication profile, a patient allergy profile, a patient diagnosis profile, a patient insurance profile, and a drug interaction profile, to determine if a conflict exists. The instructions can include those for storing in memory of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus 30 at least one medication type, an amount to be dispensed, and a medication dispensing time, and those for maintaining a record of medication dispensed and an inventory of medication remaining in each cartridge of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus 30. The instructions can also include those for transmitting the patient prescription requirements to the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30, and dispensing medication in response to the patient prescription requirements for each patient registered to the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus 30. The instructions can further include those for submitting medication claims to a reimbursement provider for each patient, providing separate billing records for each registered patient at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities 12, and consolidating billing data for each registered patient at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities 12, the billing data preferably indexed by reimbursement provider. FIG. 8C illustrates the typography of database software according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system user 51 is identified by a user ID related to the pharmacy group 53 by a pharmacy group ID. A facility 55 identified by a facility ID is also related to the pharmacy group 53 by the pharmacy group ID. A facility drug/medication dispensing cart 57 is related to the facility 55 by the facility ID and to an individual drug cart 59 (identified by cart ID) by such cart ID. A drug cart inventory 61 identified by ndc (National Drug Counsel) and having pharmaceuticals identified by medication ID is related to the drug cart 59 by the cart ID. A facility formulary 63 is related to the pharmacy group 53 through the preferred drug 65 by the group ID, is related to the preferred drug 65 by a medication ID, and is related to the facility 55 by the facility ID. A pharmacy 67 identified by nabp (National Association of Boards of Pharmacy identification) is related to the pharmacy group 53 by the group ID. A patient facility residency 69 identified by start date is related to a patient 71 identified by patient ID by such patient ID and is related to a facility room 73 (identified by room number) by such room number. The patient 71 can be related to the pharmacy group 53 by the group ID. The facility room 73 is related to the facility 55 by the facility ID. A patient insurance 75 identified by coverage date is related to insurance 77 (identified by insurer ID) by such insurer ID, and is related to the patient 71 by the patient ID. Patient allergy 79 identified by allergy ID, patient diagnosis 81 identified by icd9 cd (diagnosis profile), and patient medication profile 83 identified by ndc are each related to patient 71 by the patient ID. A prescription 85 identified by script ID is related to the pharmacy 67 by the nabp, is related to prescriber 89 (identified by prescriber ID) by such prescriber ID, and can be related to the patient 71 by the patient ID. Prescription detail 91 identified by script fill number is related to the prescription 85 by the script ID. Claim 93 identified by claim number is related to the prescription detail 91 by the script fill number and to the pharmacy group 53 by the group ID, is indirectly related to the patient prescription 85 by the script ID and the pharmacy 67 by the nabp, and can be related to the patient 71 by the patient ID. A drug utilization review (DUR) 95 is related to the prescription 85 by the script ID, the patient 71 by the patient ID, and is indirectly related to the pharmacy 67 by the nabp. DUR dose check 96, DUR drug allergy 97, DUR dup therapy 98, and DUR drug interaction 99 are identified by drug index number and related indirectly through the DUR 95 to the pharmacy 67 by the nabp, prescription 85 by the script ID and patient 71 by the patient ID. Database items (not shown) not having a primary relationship include wholesale drug price identified by ndc, price code, icd9 cd, medication roa, medication dose form, and medication frequency. FIG. 9 illustrates a system 10′ of enhanced pharmaceutical operation services for a long-term care facility 12′ according to an embodiment of the present invention that includes an array of incoming data servers, a database server, and automated dispensing system servers each having a memory therein to store and process data therein to thereby define a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server 15′. The long-term care facility pharmacy group management server 15′ can manage pharmaceutical operations in various managed care facilities and/or correctional facilities, such as, for example, long-term care facility 12.′ The long-term care facility 12′ includes at least one, but preferably a plurality of automated dispensing systems or machines 30′ to remotely dispense medications, and a preferably centrally located image capturing device or devices, such as, for example, fax machine 14′ and scanner 14“connected to a workstation computer, to provide an image of a patient prescription order. The system 10′ additionally can include at least one but preferably a plurality of remote pharmacy group computers 40′ positioned remote from the long-term care facility 12.′ The remote pharmacy group computers 40′ are in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server 15′ and the plurality of automated dispensing systems or machines 30,′ through a communication network, to process the patient prescription orders and to provide dispensing instructions to the automated dispensing systems or machines 30′. The remote pharmacy group computers 40′ are preferably located in a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility at a location remote from both the long-term care facility 12′ and the pharmacy group management server 15.′ Long-term care facility pharmacy management software 20 can be stored in the memory of the servers defining the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server 15′ to manage pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facility 12.′ Further, at least portions of the software 20 can be stored in the remote pharmacy group computers 40′ and in the automated dispensing systems or machines 30.′ As perhaps best shown in FIG. 6, generally methods of delivering pharmaceutical operation services have three main components for implementation, namely restructuring communication methods and intervals, automating medication procurement and distribution, and evaluation of routine, e.g., weekly, visits to assess system performance and maintenance. When a long-term care facility 12 desires to implement an embodiment of a system 10 (FIGS. 1A-1B) to enhance pharmaceutical operations, a transition team from the remote pharmacy staff, for example, or from a combination of remote pharmacy staff and long-term care facility staff, for example, can be used to assist in changing the existing procedures of using pharmaceutical services and dispensing medications for the long-term care facility 12 and in implementing the new system 10, software 20, and methods of embodiments of the present invention. Restructuring communication methods and intervals, for example, can include installing (block 101) facsimile, scanning, or other document processing equipment 14 (FIG. 3) to scan physician prescription orders and to transmit them to the remote pharmacy group server 40 or the pharmacy group management server 15 via a virtual private network (“VPN”) 18 (see FIGS. 7). Medication errors can be reduced when the pharmacy staff at the remote pharmacy view exact images of orders (see also FIGS. 8A-8B). Voice communication over telephone lines can be error prone due to language barriers and transcription errors. Direct imaging allows the pharmacist to interpret the medication orders in the same way as the facility staff. Should an error be made, then one of the healthcare professionals is more likely to discover the error if direct imaging is in place. For example, allowing the pharmacist to read a copy of the original document insures that at least two healthcare professionals have reviewed the order, namely the nurse and the pharmacist. These separate order reviews lead to separate documentation by the nurse and the pharmacist. If these two document sources do not match, then the nurse and pharmacist can discuss the order and clarify with the proscriber, if necessary. The methods also supply long-term care facility staff with the training and tools (block 103) to allow the remote pharmacy to communicate with the facility 12 at the end of each medication administration interval for administration of medication to the residents of the long-term care facility 12. Because the communication is built into or included with the medication distribution procedures, the tools, for example, allow this communication to occur frequently and without requiring additional facility staff time. More frequent communications allow the system 10, software 20, and methods to reduce errors due to miscommunication and misinterpretation of medication orders, and tools such as medication pass lists (not shown) and new or changed order reports (not shown), as understood by those skilled in the art, result in better synchronization between the pharmacy and the facility documentation. Medication pass lists are generally utilized to document delivery of medication to a patient and include the time, quantity, method of dispensing, and health professional dispensing the medication. By supplying or communicating such medication pass lists to the pharmacist, the pharmacist is provided a unique methodology to determine if the medication was dispensed according to instructions provided to the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus 30 and if the medication distribution procedures are being adhered too. New or changed order reports are generally used to document changes in a patient medication order and include changes in the time, quantity, or method of dispensing medication. By supplying or communicating such changed order report to the pharmacist, the pharmacist is provided yet another methodology of determining if the medication dispensing instructions provided to the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus 30 coincide with that which the facility medical personnel believe to be the instructions provided by the patient prescription order. Any discrepancy can be discussed between pharmacy member and facility medical personnel, enhancing quality control. Advantageously, use of standardized medication pass lists and new or changed order reports provided or approved by the pharmacy allows enhanced communication between pharmacy and facility medical personnel, not otherwise available if the pharmacy had to review medication pass lists and new or changed order reports having a different format for each long-term care facility 12. Further, remote pharmacy personnel, through the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server 15 or a remote pharmacy group server 40, can dial-up or otherwise remotely access the dispensing cart 30 through the communication network 18 and perform virtual “face-to-face” training of facility medical personnel along with other tasks such as, troubleshooting, packaging medications, and all other functions that can be performed by the dispensing cart 30, itself. In an embodiment of the present invention having video input device 31 (FIG. 2), this virtual “face-to-face” can further be in the form of a videoconference, including audio communications, whereby pharmacy personnel can monitor instantaneously the actions of the facility medical personnel to provide real-time feedback and to verify results of actions taken by the facility medical personnel or functions performed by the dispensing cart 30. These features provide the facility medical personnel real-time help in learning and operating the dispenser cart 30 which advantageously provides for an acceptance level not attainable where such real-time support 24/7 is not available. Note, the video input device 31 can be mounted either to the dispensing cart 30 or adjacent the dispensing cart 30 such that pharmacy personnel can readily view, and thus help instruct, actions by facility medical personnel. In an embodiment of the present invention, the video input device 31 can include hardware such as, for example, servo motors, that will allow the device 31 to be remotely controlled to change viewing angle, to change focus, or to zoom in or out to better view the facility medical personnel or components of the dispensing cart 30. Likewise, within the remote pharmacy facility, the pharmacy management software 20 can be networked to communicate with both the long-term care facility document processor 14, e.g., fax machine, scanner, or image capture device, and the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing machines or cart 30, and the optional video input device 31, at the long-term care facility 12 (block 105). The software 20 and methods can be configured (block 107) to manage information flow on the VPN 18 between the long-term care facility document processor 14, long-term care facility pharmaceutical storage and dispensing machines or cart 30, and one or more pharmacy database 22 associated with the software 20. The software 20 and methods, thus, allow the remote pharmacy and the long-term care facility 12 to communicate in real time or near real time and provide near real time medication fulfillment for the long-term care facility residents. The software 20 and methods also can manage an unlimited number of long-term care facilities 12 (for example, via a plurality of remote pharmacy groups (see FIG. 1A-1B)) within embodiments of the system 10 of the present invention and can be assessed/managed by remote pharmacy staff by use of the VPN. For automating medication procurement and distribution, for example, the transition team can aid in restructuring the medication administration intervals (block 109) to accommodate more of a just-in-time medication procurement system to significantly reduce waste and risk of errors (see also FIG. 5). The medication intervals can be combined into a preselected number of medication pass time blocks (block 111), e.g., four pass times (breakfast 2400-0600, AM 0600-1030, Noon 1030-1430, and HS 1830-2400). Each block of time has specific medication administration times within the block (see also FIG. 5). Once time blocks are established, these time blocks are programmed (blocks 113 and 115) into the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing machines or carts 30 so that pharmaceuticals or medications (FIG. 4B) are packaged by physical location within the long-term care facility 12 and by time block and loaded into caddies or trays 35 (FIG. 4A) associated with the dispensing carts 30. This procurement method significantly reduces long-term care facility staff time spent on medication procurement, e.g., by up to 50%, and reduces medication errors. Long-term care facility staff can be taught (block 117) how to produce medication lists for each time block. The medication list is used as a road map for the medication administration interval and can be transmitted via the VPN 18 to the remote pharmacy. This method enhances communication by requiring or insuring communication between the remote pharmacy staff and the long-term care facility staff at least four times per day with little added time commitment by either party. Additionally, the transition team can meet with facility physicians to establish a type of automated therapeutic exchange protocol (block 119). This protocol can be managed by the remote pharmacy management software 20 and allows the long-term care facility and remote pharmacy to manage formulary management programs through the VPN 18 in a real time or near real time manner. The therapeutic exchange protocol streamlines the inventory of each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts 30, reduces wasted medication, and reduces costs for payors. Further, periodic or preselected visits (block 121) to each long-term care facility within the system 10 to assess system performance and maintenance can be conducted by the remote pharmacy staff. This can enhance communication and enhance performance assessments within the system 10. Dispensing carts 30, document processors 14, software 20, medication inventory, and other elements of the system 10 also can be maintained during these visits as well. For example, medications that cannot be packaged by a pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30 can be reviewed and reordered, if needed. As perhaps best shown in FIGS. 7-8B, in operation, to start new medications nurses can have first dose privileges. If a medication is for a new resident in the long-term care facility 12, then the remote pharmacy or an on-call pharmacist can be notified so the resident can be added to a database 22 of residents for the particular long-term care facility 12 associated with the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart 30 located at that facility. A pharmacist at the remote pharmacy can enter prescription information from a faxed or scanned physician's order into the pharmacy group management software 20. More specifically, the pharmacist receives the digital faxed/scanned image (block 131) of the prescription for a patient. Based upon the information provided with the prescription, the pharmacist then enters into the software 20 the location of a remote pharmacy (block 133), the name of or identification for the facility (block 135), the patient information (block 137), and the preferred drug (block 139). The pharmacist further enters (block 141) details of dosage, route of administration, frequency and duration of the prescription. The pharmacist further enters (block 143) the quantity to be dispensed and prescribing physician information. The software 20 can then perform (block 145) a drug utilization review (see also FIG. 7). The above described information is then sent to a checking queue (block 147) whereby the pharmacist checks (block 149) the physical prescription for correctness. The software 20 then can determine if the drug to be dispensed is in stock in the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart 30. If the software 20 determines that the medication is stocked in the dispensing cart 30, then it can send the prescription information to the dispensing cart 30 (block 151) instead of printing a traditional prescription label. The cart 30 can then dispense the medication during the scheduled administration time. If the medication is not stocked in the dispensing cart 30, then a prescription label can be produced. The prescription can then be filled and delivered in a traditional way to the long-term care facility 12, e.g., by the vehicle V. The traditional way, for example, can also be used for non-oral solid medication such as liquids, creams, inhalers, and injectables as well, e.g., daily deliveries, as the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts 30 often do not dispense these items. Advantageously, embodiments of the present invention also include methods of increasing or generating revenue from a plurality of long-term care facilities 12 being devoid of an on-location pharmacy. For example, as perhaps best shown in FIG. 11, a method includes the steps of providing a pharmacy remote from a plurality of long-term care facilities (block 161) to define a long-term care facility remote pharmacy 41, positioning at least one pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus 30 in each of the plurality of long-term care facilities 12 (block 163) to store and dispense pharmaceuticals to a patient living therein, each apparatus 30 preferably having at least one removable medicine cartridge. Remote communications are established (block 165) between each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus 30 and the remote pharmacy 41. Patients can then be registered (block 167) for each of the plurality of long-term care facilities 12 in a database of residents of the long-term care facility 12 associated with a respective pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus 30, the database preferably stored in memory 21 of a data processing and management computer, such as, for example group management server 15. At least one medication type and amount to be dispensed (block 169) and a medication dispensing time (block 171) can be remotely programmed into each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus 30. Medication is then dispensed (block 173) according to patient prescription requirements for each associated registered patient. An inventory is maintained (block 175) of the medication dispensed and medication remaining in the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus. Advantageously, the method can include providing separate billing records (block 177) for each of the patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities 12. Billing data can then be consolidated for each of the patients (block 179) at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities. Medication claims can then be submitted to a reimbursement provider (block 181) organized by patient, grouped into categories, supplied in a batch form for each registered patient. Also for example, as perhaps best shown in FIGS. 12A-C, a method of generating revenue from a plurality of long-term care facilities each devoid of an on-location pharmacy generally includes the steps of reducing management overhead costs (block 200), reducing pharmaceutical delivery costs (block 220), reducing pharmaceutical error costs and liabilities due to miscommunication and misinterpretation of a pharmaceutical prescription order (block 230), maintaining automated pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart operational status (block 240), streamlining long-term care facility medication dispensing procedures (block 250), and preventing prescription backlogs (block 260). Management overhead costs can be reduced by assigning each of the plurality of long-term care facilities 12 at least one automated pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart 30 (block 201), assigning a plurality of the long-term care facilities 12 to each of at least one long-term care facility remote pharmacy 41 (block 203), and assigning the at least one long-term care facility remote pharmacy 41 to a single long-term care facility pharmacy group manager (block 205). This hierarchal management and supply structure allows pharmacy group management to continuously monitor multiple long-term care facilities 12 for a preselected region and to provide real-time management of pharmaceutical distribution and resupply. Further, costs can be reduced by remotely providing training (block 207) by selectively remotely controlling functions available to a facility staff member from a terminal of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30 over a communications network 18. This allows for the provision of a virtual on-site face-to-face training session to help a facility staff member having difficulties interfacing with the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart 30, thus preventing the need for an actual on-site visit and allowing provision of such service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, generally not otherwise available. Training of facility staff members can be enhanced (block 209) by providing pharmacy personnel with audio and with visual feedback through a video input device 31 (FIG. 2) positioned adjacent to and preferably interfaced with the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30 and positionable to display over the network 18 a video image of the facility staff member. Costs can further be reduced through the use of software 20 that can interface with the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30 to both providing separate billing records for a plurality of patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities (block 211), and generate reimbursements from a reimbursement provider electronically (block 213). The reimbursements can be generated by consolidating billing data for a plurality of patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities 12 (block 215) for submission to a respective same reimbursement provider, followed by submitting medication claims electronically (block 217) to each respective reimbursement provider for each of the plurality of patients. This allows for efficient batch-type processing of patient claims by each reimbursement provider. Pharmaceutical delivery costs can be reduced through the use of a dedicated remote pharmacy vehicle V for delivering pharmaceuticals to multiple long-term care facilities 12 to resupply each facilities pharmaceutical storage and dispensing carts 30 and to provide those pharmaceuticals according to the patient prescription requirements and not provided by each respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30, preferably all in a single delivery iteration. This allows for establishing regular delivery routes resulting in efficient use of the vehicular asset and pharmacy personnel. Pharmaceutical error costs and liabilities due to miscommunication and misinterpretation of a pharmaceutical prescription order can be reduced through use of a procedure whereby instead of having facility staff members review a physician's prescription order and transmit extracted information, facility staff members can transmit an exact image of each physician's pharmaceutical prescription order (block 231) from a pharmaceutical document processor 14 associated with a pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30 over the network 18 to a respective long-term care facility remote pharmacy 41. This procedure allows for establishment of a quality assurance check (block 233) whereby both the facility staff member and the remote pharmacist can both review the original or an exact image of the original physician's pharmaceutical prescription order. This redundancy reduces errors in interpretation of the physician's prescription order. Patient prescription requirements can then be analyzed (block 235) against a patient medication profile, a patient allergy profile, a patient diagnosis profile, a patient insurance profile, and a drug interaction profile, to determine if a conflict exists. Further, a standardized Medication Pass List (not shown) and a New or Changed Order Report (not shown) can be provided (block 237) to synchronize pharmacy and long-term care facility documentation. This synchronization prevents waste and helps ensure accountability. Maintaining operational status of an automated pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart 30 can be an extremely significant issue in an automated pharmaceutical dispensing operation. In the preferred embodiment of the present intention, pharmacy staff members rather than facility staff members are assigned a primary responsibility to monitor usage, restocking, and maintenance of the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart 30 (block 241). Establishing accountability for the carts 30 with pharmacy personnel has led to significant improvements in operational status. Further, implementing a procedure whereby pharmacy personnel can remotely troubleshoot over the communication network 18 (block 243) a visually accessible functional component of the pharmaceutical storage electronic dispensing cart 30 with use of a video input device 31 (FIG. 2) positioned adjacent to and preferably interfaced with the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30. In an embodiment of the present invention, the video input device 31 can be connected to or adjacent the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30 via a flexible and/or snake mount or other suitable connection known to those skilled in the art, such as, for example, a USB cable, telephone cable, coaxial cable, optical cable, or wireless transceiver. The video input device 31 can thus be positionable by facility staff members or other personnel to display a real-time video image of the visually accessible functional component of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart 30, allowing for real-time troubleshooting of the cart 30. Further, the video input device 31, can be remotely controlled to change viewing angle, to change focus, or to zoom in or out to better view the component or components of interest and to monitor actions of the facility medical personnel or other on-station pharmacy personnel requested to move a panel or component or to perform the repair. This allows pharmacy personnel to maintain supervision and thus control, over any non-standard mechanical manipulation or repair of the cart 30. Streamlining long-term care facility medication dispensing procedures can be accomplished by consolidating medication intervals (block 251). In the preferred embodiment of the present intention, medication intervals are consolidated into four medication pass time blocks, each block having specific medication administration times within the respective block. This has resulted in improved medication dispensing efficiency, reduced facility staff member workload and potentially significantly reduced costs for the long-term care facility 12, and thus, an increase in acceptance of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts 30. An inherent problem with having to receive electronic images of the physician's prescription order is the potential for a backlog due to prescription order entry difficulties. Due to the reduced number of medication pass time blocks, receiving and processing prescription orders can be time critical. In a just-in-time type system, a prescription order entry difficulty caused by as little as a single entry problem could potentially cause a late arrival of the prescription order resulting in a late delivery of patient medication. Institution of a maximum individual order entry time protocol (block 261) prevents such prescription backlogs due to prescription order entry difficulties. This protocol allows the remote pharmacy 41 to accommodate massive numbers of incoming prescription orders. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-12C, and as described above, embodiments of the present invention includes a method of providing pharmaceutical services to long-term care facilities 12 including providing a pharmacy remote from a plurality of long-term care facilities 12 to define a long-term care facility remote pharmacy, restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures for communication between the long-term care facility staff and the long-term care facility remote pharmacy, restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures within a plurality of long-term care facilities, installing a pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing machine or cart 30 at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities 12 to be used by the long-term care facility staff, and visiting each of the plurality of long-term care facilities 12 on a preselected frequency, e.g., from the remote pharmacy, to assess performance and enhance communication. By implementing these methods, a system 10, and software 20 of embodiments of the present invention, shift-change medication counts can be eliminated or significantly reduced, medication preparation and pass times can be reduced, and drug/medication destruction can be significantly reduced. Also, long-term care facility staff can have more free time due to the planning and implementation of a structure procedure of embodiments of the present invention. In turn, care of the residents can be enhanced by allowing staff to have more time for care of residents instead of on medication preparation and passing time, documentation can be improved, risk of liabilities can be reduced, risk of errors and stolen medications can be reduced, and communication between long-term care facility staff and pharmacy staff can be enhanced. Additionally, embodiments of a system 10, software 20, and methods allow a long-term care facility 12 to reduce operational costs and staffing, if desired. In turn, residents and payors can save money, and residents can have better care. Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the illustrated embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the nursing home, retirement home, assisted living facility, and other long-term care industries in general and, more particularly, to pharmaceutical operations within nursing homes, retirement homes, assisted living facilities, and other long-term care facilities. 3. Description of Related Art Over the years, pharmacies have been a backbone in providing prescription drugs and other medications to people and have been a convenience as retail pharmacies have expanded to locating close to most residential areas in our country. Recently, pharmacies also have been placed inside of facilities such as hospitals, physician offices, malls, nursing homes, retirement homes, assisted living facilities, and other locations to make it easier for people to get access to medications and to facilitate interaction with medical personnel. Because of the numerous types of medications stored and dispensed by pharmacies, automation within the pharmacy industry has been desirable. Accordingly, numerous developments have been made to automate the pharmacy ordering, dispensing, and storage capabilities. For example, machines have been developed to store and dispense medication responsive to security codes or other identification from medical personnel or users. Also, electronic storage and dispensing carts have been developed which are often stored on each floor of a hospital to allow the carts to electronically receive dispensing instructions from a hospital pharmacy computer. Additionally, machines have been developed to store several hundred different types of medications and to dispense the medications to medical personnel for distribution to patients. Nevertheless, little has been done to enhance storage and distribution of medications in nursing homes, retirement homes, Alzheimer's living facilities, senior communities, assisted living facilities, and other types of long term care facilities (hereinafter collectively “long-term care facilities”) which are significantly different in operation, personnel structure, and physical structure than hospitals, physician offices, and home care. This is increasingly important as the baby boom generation ages and more and more people enter these long-term care facilities. Also, because more and more people are and will be entering these long-term care facilities and because medication costs have been rising over the years, attempting to help make pharmacies, providing services to these long term facilities, profitable can often be important in successfully operating a long-term care facility. Further, error can arise when dispensing medication, and a need still exists to reduce the risk of error in dispensing medication, especially in long-term care facilities. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In view of the foregoing, embodiments of the present invention advantageously provide a system, software and methods for enhancing pharmaceutical operations in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, retirement homes, and other long-term care facilities. Embodiments of the present invention also advantageously provide a system, software, and methods for enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities that substantially reduces medication shortages, reduces medication preparation time, reduces medication passing or dispensing time, reduces medication waste, enhances documentation, and enhances regulatory acceptance. Embodiments of the present invention additionally provide a system, software, and methods for enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities, which substantially reduce the risk of error associated with dispensing medications to patients in the homes or facilities. Embodiments of the present invention further provide a system, software, and methods for enhanced pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities, which enhance profitability of pharmacy business associated with the homes or facilities. Embodiments of the present invention still further provide a system, software, and methods for enhanced pharmaceutical operations, which streamline the medication dispensing procedures for medical personnel working with the long-term care facilities to help make the procedures more efficient and easier. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide a system of enhanced pharmaceutical operation services for long-term care facilities. For example, in an embodiment of the present invention, a system includes a first data processing and management computer including a first memory to store data therein to thereby define a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server. Long-term care facility pharmacy management software stored in the first memory of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server manages pharmaceutical operations in long-term care facilities. A plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts are each positioned in a separate long-term care facility remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and are in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server though a communication network to store pharmaceuticals therein and to dispense the pharmaceuticals to authorized healthcare personnel located at the long-term care facility. A second remote pharmacy group computer is positioned remote from and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, and is positioned remote from and in communication with the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts. The second remote pharmacy group computer includes a second memory to store data therein to define a remote pharmacy group server. A plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors are each positioned in the long-term care facility where at least one of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts is located and are in communication with the remote pharmacy group server or the pharmacy group management server to process a pharmaceutical prescription order from the long-term care facility to be delivered to the long-term care facility for storage and dispensing through the at least one of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts. The system can also include a plurality of video input devices each separately positioned adjacent a respective one of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts remote from and in communication with at least one of the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and the remote pharmacy group server. Each video input device is positionable to produce a video image of facility health care personnel and preferably is positionable to view visually accessible functional components of the adjacent pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart. This allows for the provision of visual feedback to pharmacy personnel to allow for enhanced training facility health-care personnel and for troubleshooting the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart. The system also can include a pharmaceutical storage facility associated with the remote pharmacy group server and having a plurality of pharmaceuticals stored therein. The pharmaceutical storage facility has at least one vehicle to facilitate delivery of the pharmaceuticals at the storage facility to each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts at the plurality of long-term care facilities responsive to the pharmaceutical prescription order. Also, for example, in an embodiment of the present invention, a system can include a pharmacy group management computer defining a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server, and long-term care facility pharmacy management software associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to manage pharmaceutical operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities. A plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts are each positioned in a long-term care facility separate and remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to store pharmaceuticals therein and to dispense the pharmaceuticals to authorized health care personnel located at the long-term care facility. The plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and a plurality of pharmaceutical prescription document processors are each positioned in a long-term care facility remote separate from and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server or a remote pharmacy group computer or server to process a pharmaceutical prescription order from the long-term care facility and to be delivered to the long-term care facility. Additionally, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a system can include a first pharmacy group management computer defining a long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and long-term care facility pharmacy management software associated with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to manage pharmaceutical operations in a plurality of long-term care facilities. A plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts are each positioned in one of the plurality of long-term care facilities remote from the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server to store a plurality of different pharmaceuticals, package a plurality of individual doses of pharmaceuticals, and dispense the plurality of individual doses of pharmaceuticals to authorized facility medical personnel located at one of the plurality of long-term care facilities. A remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility is positioned remote from the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and is associated with a second remote pharmacy group computer defining a remote pharmacy group server which is also in communication with the long-term care facility pharmacy group management server and each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts through the communication network. The remote pharmaceutical dispensing storage facility has a plurality of pharmaceuticals stored therein and has at least one vehicle positioned to deliver selected pharmaceuticals at the storage facility to each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts. Delivery, preferably along a preplanned or preselected delivery route, is accomplished in response to a combination of individual facility patient pharmaceutical dispensing instructions and medication inventory for each of the plurality of pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts. Embodiments of the present invention provide long-term care facility pharmacy management software adapted to be stored on the storage media. For example, in an embodiment of the present invention, the software includes a patient prescription receiver which receives a digital image of a patient medication prescription order from a pharmaceutical prescription document processor associated with a remote medication dispensing apparatus, such as the above described pharmaceutical storage and dispensing device, to store the digital image of the patient medication prescription and to queue the digital image for prescription order processing. A queue receives the digital image and holds the digital image for prescription order requirements entry and release verification by a remote pharmacy pharmacist. A drug conflict analyzer, responsive to the prescription order requirements and data contained within the patient record, can analyze the prescription order requirements against a patient medication profile, a patient allergy profile, a patient diagnosis profile, a patient insurance profile, and a drug interaction profile, to determine if a conflict exists. If no conflict is found, a dispensing initiator positioned to receive the medication inventory for each of the pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing carts and responsive to the release verification performed by the remote pharmacy pharmacist, can transmit individual facility patient pharmaceutical dispensing instructions to the respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart over the communication network to thereby initiate patient medication dispensing. Also, for example, in an embodiment of the present invention, the software is adapted to be stored on a storage media associated with a pharmacy group management computer to manage pharmaceutical operations in a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility and a plurality of remotely positioned long-term care facilities each having a medication dispensing apparatus. The software is further adapted to accept prescriptions from a physician, patient identification information and pharmaceutical inventory from the medication dispensing apparatus, and insurance information from the patient's insurance company. This allows the software to control dispensing medication from the medication dispensing apparatus to an authorized health-care personnel in each of the long-term care facilities, to control inventory in the medication dispensing apparatus, to order delivery of pharmaceuticals from the remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility to restock the medication dispensing apparatus or for individually tailored prescription delivery for those prescriptions not stocked in the medication dispensing apparatus, and to electronically process medication claims with a reimbursement provider. Further, embodiments of the present invention also can include a computer readable medium that is readable by a computer to manage pharmaceutical operations in a remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storage facility defining a remote pharmacy and in a plurality of remotely positioned long-term care facilities each having at least one remote pharmaceutical dispensing and storing apparatus in communication with the computer and having a memory and a plurality of medication dispensing cartridges associated therewith. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the computer readable medium includes a set of instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operations: establishing remote communications between each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus and the remote pharmacy, registering at least one patient for each of the plurality of long-term care facilities in a database of residents for the long-term care facility associated with a pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at that long-term care facility, storing in memory of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus at least one medication type, an amount of medication to be dispensed, and a medication dispensing time, dispensing medication responsive to patient prescription requirements for each patient registered to the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at each respective long-term care facility, and maintaining a record of medication dispensed and an inventory of medication remaining in each cartridge of each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus. Embodiments of the present invention also include methods of providing pharmaceutical services to long-term care facilities. A method includes providing a pharmacy remote from a plurality of long-term care facilities to define an long-term care facility pharmacy, restructuring long-term care facility staff procedures for communication between long-term care facility staff and the long-term care facility pharmacy, restructuring medication procurement and resident medication distribution procedures within the plurality of long-term care facilities, installing a pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart at each of the plurality of the long-term care facilities to be used by the long-term care facility staff, and visiting each of the plurality of long-term care facilities on a preselected frequency by pharmacy staff from the remote pharmacy to assess performance and enhance communication. By restructuring long-term care facility staff communication procedures and medication procurement and patient distribution procedures, embodiments of the present invention advantageously enhance pharmaceutical operations by allowing an individual long-term care facility to participate in a broader network of a plurality of long-term care facilities to thereby participate in costing and delivery benefits of the plurality or group of long-term care facilities. Such group participation streamlines operational procedures and communication and enhances profitability of the individual long-term care facilities. Embodiments of the present invention also include methods for generating revenue from a plurality of long-term care facilities each devoid of an on-location pharmacy. For example, in an embodiment of the present invention, a method includes reducing management overhead costs and reducing pharmaceutical delivery costs. Management overhead costs can be reduced by assigning each of the plurality of long-term care facilities at least one automated pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cart to reduce workload of facility staff members, assigning a plurality of the long-term care facilities to each of at least one long-term care facility remote pharmacy, and assigning the at least one long-term care facility remote pharmacy to a single long-term care facility pharmacy group manager, to thereby continuously monitor multiple long-term care facilities. Pharmaceutical delivery costs can be reduced by delivering pharmaceuticals by long-term care facility remote pharmacy vehicle to replenish, in a single delivery iteration, each of a plurality of the automated pharmaceutical storage and dispensing carts and to provide those pharmaceuticals according to the patient prescription requirements and not provided by each respective pharmaceutical storage and electronic dispensing cart. Still further, in an embodiment of the present invention, a method includes providing a pharmacy remote from a plurality of long-term care facilities to define a long-term care facility remote pharmacy, positioning at least one pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus having at least one removable medicine cartridge in each of the plurality of long-term care facilities to store and dispense pharmaceuticals to a patient living therein, and establishing remote communications between each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus and the remote pharmacy. This results in a generation of revenue due to cost savings for both the pharmacy and the long-term care facilities and secures a stable level of sales. Patients for each of the plurality of long-term care facilities are then registered in a database of residents for the long-term care facility associated with a respective pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus located at that long-term care facility, the database stored in memory of a data processing and management computer. At least one medication type, amount to be dispensed, and a medication dispensing time is then remotely programmed into each pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus, and medication is dispensed according to patient prescription requirements for each associated registered patient. An inventory of medication dispensed and medication remaining can be maintained in the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus and transmitted directly or indirectly to the remote pharmacy to allow for just-in-time type resupply of the pharmaceutical storage and dispensing apparatus. Further, separate billing records along with consolidated billing data can be supplied for each plurality of registered patients at each of the plurality of long-term care facilities. The methodology allows for the consolidated billing data to be organized by patient, facility, remote pharmacy, and reimbursement provider. This again reduces overhead to the pharmacy and the facility and can allow for batch-type processing by a reimbursement provider. | 20040920 | 20100413 | 20050505 | 66297.0 | 3 | COLLINS, MICHAEL | SYSTEM AND SOFTWARE OF ENHANCED PHARMACEUTICAL OPERATIONS IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES AND RELATED METHODS | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,945,017 | ACCEPTED | Cargo tie-down system | A cargo restraint system comprising, a network of restraining tie-down arms having interconnected common proximal extremities and a plurality of distal extremities, said network arranged to form an angle between each arm, the vertex of said angle being congruent with the common proximal extremities, with a first fastener secured to the arms at the vertex of the angle and a second fastener secured to each of the distal extremities of the arms. Preferably, each of the arms carries a third fastener or connecting eye intermediate the first and second fasteners. | 1. A method of restraining cargo on a surface having at least two spaced apart anchoring points, including the steps of, attaching the vertex of a first angularly bifurcated restraining strap having two distal extremities to one of the surface anchor points, attaching the first ends of each of two first tie-down straps to each of the two distal extremities of the first angularly bifurcated restraining strap, placing the two first tie-down straps over a first cargo disposed on the surface, attaching the second ends of the two first tie-down straps to each of the two distal extremities of a second angularly bifurcated restraining strap, and attaching the vertex of the second angularly bifurcated restraining strap to the other of the surface anchor points. 2. The method of claim 1 and further including, superimposing a second cargo over the first cargo, placing at least one second tie-down strap having first and second ends over the second cargo, attaching the first end of the second tie-down strap to a point on one of the first bifurcated restraining straps, attaching the second end of the second tie-down strap to a point on one of the second bifurcated restraining straps. 3. A method of multiplying the anchor points for tying down cargo on a surface having at least one anchor point, including, attaching the single common point of a first multi-armed strap network to the anchor point on the surface, attaching tie down means to each of the arms of the first strap network. 4. The method of claim 3 where the tie down means includes at least one second multi-armed strap network having its common point attached to at least one of the arms of the first strap network. 5. A system for restraining a unit of cargo onto a surface that has at least one anchoring point on each side of the cargo unit, comprising, on each side of the cargo unit, at least one first network, each of which includes a plurality of angularly related restraining straps having a vertex and being interconnected at the vertex, where each of said straps includes first distally disposed fastening means and where each vertex includes fastening means for attachment to one of the at least one anchoring points on the surface, on each side of the cargo unit, at least two second networks, each of which includes a plurality of angularly related restraining straps having a vertex and being interconnected at the vortex, where each of said straps includes second distally disposed fastening means and where each vertex includes fastening means for attachment to one of the first distally disposed fastening means of the at least one first network, and at least one first cargo tie-down strap, each having fastening means on each end thereof for attachment to the second distally disposed fastening means of the at least two second networks on the respective opposing sides of the cargo unit. 6. The system of claim 5 and further including, intermediate fastening means carried by at least one of the restraining straps of the at least two second networks of angularly related restraining straps, disposed intermediate the vertex and the second distally disposed fastening means. 7. The system of claim 6 and further including, at least one second cargo tie down strap, each having fastening means on each end thereof for attachment to the intermediate fastening means on the respective opposing sides of the cargo unit. 8. A system for restraining a unit of cargo onto a surface that has at least one anchoring point on each side of the cargo unit, comprising, on each side of the cargo unit, at least one first network, each of which includes a plurality of angularly related restraining straps having a vertex and being interconnected at the vertex, where each of said straps includes first distally disposed fastening means and where each vertex includes fastening means for attachment to one of the at least one anchoring points on the surface, and at least one first cargo tie-down strap, each having fastening means on each end thereof for attachment to the first distally disposed fastening means of the at least one first network on the respective opposing sides of the cargo unit. 9. The system of claim 8 and further including, intermediate fastening means carried by at least one of the restraining straps of the at least one first network of angularly related restraining straps, disposed intermediate the vertex and the first distally disposed fastening means. 10. The system of claim 9 and further including, at least one second cargo tie down strap, each having fastening means on each end thereof for attachment to the intermediate fastening means on the respective opposing sides of the cargo unit. | This application is a Divisional Application of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/318,505 filed on Dec. 14, 2002. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for restraining cargo that is being transported on a truck, a railroad flat car or in an aircraft. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Increasing concern about the safety and efficiency of state-of-the-art methods of restraining in-transit cargo has led to increased government regulation and changing industry practice. It is recognized that continued reliance on past practices and currently available equipment will lead inevitably to the continuation of shifting loads, damaged goods and accidents resulting from freight falling onto a highway from a transporting vehicle. The majority of current cargo restraint systems comprise one or more belts that cover the load and are attached at each of their ends to anchoring attachments along the edge of or embedded in the surface of the bed of the transport device, whether rail, air or highway vehicle. Using more belts or straps to better secure the load is impractical because the number of anchor points on existing transports limits the number of belts and their effective spacing. In addition, as the height of the cargo increases, so does the instability and ineffectiveness of the restraining system. Furthermore, while presently available straps or belts may be suitable for securing containerized or non-containerized cargo, they do not allow for proper retention of stacked cargo, that is, cargo that is piled onto cargo that is already secured with all of the means that are available. Instances of multiple load packages that are of divergent shapes, sizes and character that must be stacked one on top of the other occur frequently in military applications. For example, a rigid container may be secured to the bed of a truck with available straps and a soft load of tents may be placed on top of the container. In such a case the surface anchoring attachments for restraining belts or straps to secure the superimposed load are either not available or are too widely spaced laterally from the soft load to obtain an effective purchase between the load and the securing straps or restraining network. Accordingly, it is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a tie-down system for in-transit cargo that prevents articles from shifting on or within, or falling from the transporting device which can be a road vehicle, all terrain vehicle, ship, railroad car or aircraft. A second object of the invention is to provide a cargo tie-down apparatus that multiplies the number of anchoring points for attachment of cargo restraints. Another object of the invention is to provide a tie-down system that places the additional anchoring points closer to the higher load elements of stacked cargo for an improved wrap of the load-restraining straps around the top and sides of the stacked load to prevent shifting and movement of the load. A further object of the invention is to provide a load securement system that will allow upper and lower elements of a total load to be separately secured but with common anchoring points, permitting, among other things, the upper load to be off-loaded without disturbing the securement of the lower portion of the load. Another object of the invention is to increase the securement and stability of loads that are placed on vehicles that are required to traverse rough terrain. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel method of tying down cargo on a transport device that prevents articles from shifting on or within, or falling from the transporting device. Other and further objects, features and advantages of the tie-down system of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following description of a preferred form of the invention. SUMMARY OF INVENTION The apparatus of the present invention includes a multi-armed tie-down strap, where the arms angularly converge to a common vertex that is equipped with a single fastener for attachment to one of the anchoring points located on or in the bed of the transport device, such as a flat bed truck, ship, railroad car or aircraft. The free or distal ends of the tie-down strap arms are each provided with a connector that is adapted to connect to one end of a load-restraining strap, belt, rope, cable, net or similar means. Preferably, each of the tie-down strap arms carries a secondary connector for fastening to the end of a second or supplementary load-restraining strap. With the use of the multi-armed tie-down straps each of the anchoring points of the transport device may be multiplied by two, four, six or more. Interconnecting or stacking two of the multi-arm tie-down straps between the transport anchoring point and the load-restraining straps may multiply the single anchoring point even further. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of the multi-arm tie-down strap of the preferred form of the present invention having two arms that form a V. FIG. 2 is a cross section of the tie-down strap taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a side view of a representative stacked load secured to the bed of a truck with multiple load-restraining straps that are attached to respective arms of the tie-down strap of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a rear end view of the load illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a side view of a multiple character stacked load showing the use of stacked tie-down straps to further multiply the available anchoring points for attachment of load-restraining straps. FIG. 6a is a rear view of a multiple character stacked load showing the use of the tie down straps of the present invention applied to the lower portion of the load and with the top portion secured with a traditional long tie-down strap. FIG. 6b is a rear view of a multiple character stacked load showing the use of the tie down straps of the present invention applied to both the lower and upper portions of the load. FIG. 7 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the multi-arm tie-down strap where three arms are provided with a common vertex. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The preferred form of the multi-armed tie-down strap 2 of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This embodiment of the invention contemplates two arms comprising straps 4 and 6 of equal length arranged in a “V” shape with their common ends forming the vertex 7 of the “V” angle. The common ends of the straps 4 and 6 are sewn or otherwise fastened together at the vertex 7 and a hook fastener 10 is attached to the common ends by a familiar slot connection. Although the description of the invention and the accompanying claims will describe the multi-armed tie-down as a “strap” or having “straps” forming the arms of the apparatus, any tension strength device or material will work. Such other arm material may include webbing, rope, cable, chain or belting to cite a few. The common interconnected ends of the arm straps that form the vertex 7 of the “V” shape may be referred to as the proximal end of the tie-down device 2. The “free” ends 12 and 14 of the respective arm straps 4 and 6 may be referred to as the distal ends of the straps. Clasps or eye connectors 16 and 18 are attached to the distal ends of the arm straps 4 and 6. The arm straps 4 and 6 slidably carry a second pair of clasps or buckle frames 20 and 22. While shown in the preferred form of the invention as being slidably connected to the straps 4 and 6, the second pair of clasps 20 and 22 can be secured to a fixed location on the straps 4 and 6. The slidable connection is preferred because there may be circumstances where one of the secondary connectors is not used and if it is slidable on the arm strap it can be gotten out of the way so that it will not interfere with other connections. However, if fixed, the location would preferably be at or near the distal end of the strap that carries the connector. Although the preferred form of the invention contemplates a two arm tie-down strap, as shown in FIGS. 2-5 of the accompanying drawings, three or four angularly interrelated arms whose proximal ends are interconnected at a common point with a fastener are possible alternative embodiments. FIG. 7 shows such an alternative embodiment having three angularly interrelated arms 11, 13 and 15. When more than two arm straps are provided each arm has similar characteristics and similar connectors as described for the “V” embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. Such arrangements would multiply the number of anchor points beyond the doubling provided by the preferred two-arm “V” assembly. To illustrate and explain possible uses of the multi-arm tie-down 2, reference is made to FIGS. 3-5. FIG. 3 illustrates a multi-character palletized load situated on the bed 30 of a truck (not shown). The truck bed is assumed to have four anchoring points 31, 32, 33 and 34 on each of its sides. The cargo consists of two tall palletized containers 36 and 37 on top of which is stacked a soft package 38. To the rear of the tall containers is a single shorter palletized container 39 on top of which is stacked another similar container 41 on top of which is stacked a third type of load 42. Four tie-down straps 2 are employed on each side of the truck bed with the vertex fasteners 10 being connected to the anchoring points. A plurality of load-restraining straps 45 with ratchet end attachments 47 are shown in their securing positions over the containers 36, 37 and 41. Two ratchet load-restraining straps 45 embrace the top of the front container 36 with the ratchet ends of those load-restraining straps interconnected to the distal end connectors 16 and 18 of the tie-down strap 2a. Similarly, two load-restraining straps 45 secure the load element 37 by being attached to the distal end connectors 16 and 18 of the tie-down strap 2b. Ratchet ended load-restraining straps 48 enfold the stacked soft load 38. The ends of the straps 48 are attached to the secondary fasteners 22 and 20 respectively of the tie-down straps 2a and 2b. The rear load elements 39, 41 and 42 are similarly secured with three load-restraining straps 45 embracing the top of the upper container 41 and being connected to the distal end connectors 16 and 18 of tie-down strap 2c and distal end connectors 16 and 18 of the fourth tie-down strap 2d. The upper stacked load element 42 is secured by three load restraining straps 49 that are respectively connected to the secondary connectors 20 and 22 of tie-down strap 2c and to the secondary connector 22 of tie-down strap 2d. The side of the truck bed not shown is similarly arranged and connected. If the load requires securement with significantly more load-restraining straps than there are available anchor points on the transport device, it is possible to stack, or connect in series, two levels of the multi-arm tie-down straps, as shown in FIG. 5. Thus, instead of multiplying the anchoring point by two with the use of one of the inventive tie-down straps, the use of three tie-down straps on two levels provides four anchoring points. As seen in FIG. 5, connecting the vertex fasteners 10 of two tie-down straps 2g and 2h to the distal end connectors 16 and 18 of a single tie-down strap 2f accomplishes the “stacking” of tie-down straps in two levels. The vertex fastener 10 of the single tie-down strap 2f is connected to an anchoring point on the transport device. The stacking of tie-down straps has another important feature, as illustrated in FIG. 6b. Where narrow load elements 52 are piled on top of wider cargo, the load-restraining straps 55a only make tangential contact with the top load element 52, as seen in FIG. 6a. This limited engagement may provide the required downward force on the top load element, but very little lateral support, permitting the top load 52 to shift sideways with undesirable results. By stacking the tie-downs as shown in FIG. 6b, the anchoring points 22 for the top load element 52 are brought in closer to the load so that the load-restraining strap 55b that covers the top load can closely wrap around the sides of the load, providing lateral support and improved securement of the top load element 52. Reference is made to FIG. 6b where the bottom tie-down strap 2j is shown secured to the anchoring point 34 on the transport device. A second tie-down strap 2k is attached to the first tie-down strap in the manner already discussed in connection with FIG. 5. The second tie-down strap 2k wraps around a portion of the bottom load element 51. A load-restraining strap 54 interconnects the right and left tie down straps 2k and is tightened by the ratchet ends on the load-restraining strap 54. The secondary connectors 22 on the tie-down straps 2k provide anchoring points for the load-restraining strap 55b that covers the sides and top of the top load element 52. While several uses of the tie-down strap of the present invention have been illustrated and discussed, a variety of other configurations and arrangements may be employed to more safely and effectively secure in-transit cargo and thus satisfy the object of the invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Increasing concern about the safety and efficiency of state-of-the-art methods of restraining in-transit cargo has led to increased government regulation and changing industry practice. It is recognized that continued reliance on past practices and currently available equipment will lead inevitably to the continuation of shifting loads, damaged goods and accidents resulting from freight falling onto a highway from a transporting vehicle. The majority of current cargo restraint systems comprise one or more belts that cover the load and are attached at each of their ends to anchoring attachments along the edge of or embedded in the surface of the bed of the transport device, whether rail, air or highway vehicle. Using more belts or straps to better secure the load is impractical because the number of anchor points on existing transports limits the number of belts and their effective spacing. In addition, as the height of the cargo increases, so does the instability and ineffectiveness of the restraining system. Furthermore, while presently available straps or belts may be suitable for securing containerized or non-containerized cargo, they do not allow for proper retention of stacked cargo, that is, cargo that is piled onto cargo that is already secured with all of the means that are available. Instances of multiple load packages that are of divergent shapes, sizes and character that must be stacked one on top of the other occur frequently in military applications. For example, a rigid container may be secured to the bed of a truck with available straps and a soft load of tents may be placed on top of the container. In such a case the surface anchoring attachments for restraining belts or straps to secure the superimposed load are either not available or are too widely spaced laterally from the soft load to obtain an effective purchase between the load and the securing straps or restraining network. Accordingly, it is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a tie-down system for in-transit cargo that prevents articles from shifting on or within, or falling from the transporting device which can be a road vehicle, all terrain vehicle, ship, railroad car or aircraft. A second object of the invention is to provide a cargo tie-down apparatus that multiplies the number of anchoring points for attachment of cargo restraints. Another object of the invention is to provide a tie-down system that places the additional anchoring points closer to the higher load elements of stacked cargo for an improved wrap of the load-restraining straps around the top and sides of the stacked load to prevent shifting and movement of the load. A further object of the invention is to provide a load securement system that will allow upper and lower elements of a total load to be separately secured but with common anchoring points, permitting, among other things, the upper load to be off-loaded without disturbing the securement of the lower portion of the load. Another object of the invention is to increase the securement and stability of loads that are placed on vehicles that are required to traverse rough terrain. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel method of tying down cargo on a transport device that prevents articles from shifting on or within, or falling from the transporting device. Other and further objects, features and advantages of the tie-down system of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following description of a preferred form of the invention. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF INVENTION <EOH>The apparatus of the present invention includes a multi-armed tie-down strap, where the arms angularly converge to a common vertex that is equipped with a single fastener for attachment to one of the anchoring points located on or in the bed of the transport device, such as a flat bed truck, ship, railroad car or aircraft. The free or distal ends of the tie-down strap arms are each provided with a connector that is adapted to connect to one end of a load-restraining strap, belt, rope, cable, net or similar means. Preferably, each of the tie-down strap arms carries a secondary connector for fastening to the end of a second or supplementary load-restraining strap. With the use of the multi-armed tie-down straps each of the anchoring points of the transport device may be multiplied by two, four, six or more. Interconnecting or stacking two of the multi-arm tie-down straps between the transport anchoring point and the load-restraining straps may multiply the single anchoring point even further. | 20040921 | 20070508 | 20050210 | 94390.0 | 1 | GORDON, STEPHEN T | CARGO TIE-DOWN SYSTEM | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,945,150 | ACCEPTED | Method and system for the automatic generation of speech features for scoring high entropy speech | A method and system for automatically generating a scoring model for scoring a speech sample are disclosed. One or more training speech samples are received in response to a prompt. One or more speech features are determined for each of the training speech samples. A scoring model is then generated based on the speech features. At least one of the training speech samples may be a high entropy speech sample. An evaluation speech sample is received and a score is assigned to the evaluation speech sample using the scoring model. The evaluation speech sample may be a high entropy speech sample. | 1. A method of automatically generating a scoring model for scoring a speech sample, the method comprising: receiving one or more training speech samples in response to a prompt; determining one or more speech features for each of the training speech samples; and generating a scoring model based on the speech features, wherein the scoring model is effective for scoring high entropy evaluation speech responses. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the training speech samples comprises a high entropy speech sample. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more speech features comprise one or more of the following for each training speech sample: a previously assigned score; a lexical count; a fluency measure; a rate of speech measure; a lexical similarity measure; and a speech sample utterance duration. 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the previously assigned score comprises a score assigned by a human rater characterizing a speaking proficiency of the training speech sample. 5. The method of claim 3 wherein the lexical count comprises one or more of the following: a number of utterances in response to a prompt for the training speech sample; a number of words used in the training speech sample; a number of disfluencies used in the training speech sample; a number of tokens used in the training speech sample, wherein the number of tokens comprises a sum of the number of words and the number of disfluencies; a number of unique word forms used in the training speech sample; and a ratio equal to the number of unique word forms used in the training speech sample divided by the number of tokens used in the training speech sample. 6. The method of claim 3 wherein the fluency measure comprises one or more of the following: a number of silent periods during the training speech sample, wherein each silent period comprises a duration; a ratio equal to the number of silent periods during the training speech sample divided by a number of words used in the training speech sample; a mean of the durations for all silent periods during the training speech sample; and a standard deviation of the durations of all silent periods during the training speech sample. 7. The method of claim 3 wherein the rate of speech measure comprises one or more of the following: a number of words per time unit in the training speech sample; a number of disfluencies per time unit in the training speech sample; a number of unique word forms per time unit in the training speech sample; and a number of silent periods per time unit in the training speech sample. 8. The method of claim 3 wherein the lexical similarity measure comprises one or more of the following: an inner product of word frequencies for the training speech sample and a content vector, wherein the content vector comprises raw frequencies of word forms based on a corpus related to the prompt; and a ratio equal to the inner product divided by a number of words in the training speech sample. 9. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a scoring model comprises: generating a classification tree based on a regression, for each training speech sample, between a score assigned to the training speech sample and the one or more speech features determined for the training speech sample. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a scoring model comprises: generating a scoring model based on weighting factors for the one or more speech features assigned by one or more expert judges. 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving an evaluation speech response; and assigning a score to the evaluation speech response using the scoring model. 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the evaluation speech response comprises a high entropy speech sample. 13. A method for scoring a high entropy speech sample, the method comprising: retrieving a scoring model based on one or more speech features; and assigning a score to a high entropy speech sample using the scoring model. 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the one or more speech features comprise one or more of the following for each high entropy speech sample: a previously assigned score; a lexical count; a fluency measure; a rate of speech measure; a lexical similarity measure; and a speech sample utterance duration. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the previously assigned score comprises a score assigned by a human rater characterizing a speaking proficiency of the high entropy speech sample. 16. The method of claim 14 wherein the lexical count comprises one or more of the following: a number of utterances in response to a prompt for the high entropy speech sample; a number of words used in the high entropy speech sample; a number of disfluencies used in the high entropy speech sample; a number of tokens used in the high entropy speech sample, wherein the number of tokens comprises a sum of the number of words and the number of disfluencies; a number of words used in the high entropy speech sample; and a ratio equal to the number of unique word forms used in the high entropy speech sample divided by the number of tokens used in the high entropy speech sample. 17. The method of claim 14 wherein the fluency measure comprises one or more of the following: a number of silent periods during the high entropy speech sample, wherein each silent period comprises a duration; a ratio equal to the number of silent periods during the high entropy speech sample divided by a number of words used in the high entropy speech sample; a mean of the durations for all silent periods during the high entropy speech sample; and a standard deviation of the durations of all silent periods during the high entropy speech sample. 18. The method of claim 14 wherein the rate of speech measure comprises one or more of the following: a number of words per time unit in the high entropy speech sample; a number of disfluencies per time unit in the high entropy speech sample; a number of unique word forms per time unit in the high entropy speech sample; and a number of silent periods per time unit in the high entropy speech sample. 19. The method of claim 14 wherein the lexical similarity measure comprises one or more of the following: an inner product of word frequencies for the high entropy speech sample and a content vector, wherein the content vector comprises raw frequencies of word forms based on a corpus related to the prompt; and a ratio equal to the inner product divided by a number of words in the high entropy speech sample. 20. A system for automatically generating a scoring model for scoring a high entropy speech sample, the system comprising: a processor; and a processor-readable storage medium, wherein the processor-readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions for performing a method for automatically generating a scoring model for scoring a high entropy speech sample, the method comprising: receiving one or more high entropy training speech samples in response to a prompt, determining one or more speech features for each of the high entropy training speech samples, and generating a scoring model based on the speech features. 21. The system of claim 20 wherein the processor-readable storage medium further contains one or more programming instructions for performing the following: receiving a high entropy evaluation speech sample; and assigning a score to the high entropy evaluation speech sample using the scoring model. 22. A system for scoring a high entropy speech sample, the system comprising: a processor; and a processor-readable storage medium, wherein the processor-readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions for performing a method for scoring a high entropy speech sample, the method comprising: retrieving a scoring model based on one or more speech features, and assigning a score to a high entropy speech sample using the scoring model. | TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates generally to the field of speech recognition and assessment. Specifically, the invention relates to scoring and assigning a score to speaking performances in an automated fashion by computing features characterizing non-native speech based on the output of a speech recognition engine. The method and system improve the evaluation of speech samples of non-native speakers, although they are applicable to any speech sample. The method further permits the assessment of responses comprising spontaneous (high entropy) speech as well as responses that can be anticipated. BACKGROUND The increasing availability and performance of computer-based testing has greatly increased the feasibility of assessing language proficiency. However, doubts regarding the feasibility of assessing speaking proficiency remain. Recognizing the speech of language learners is particularly difficult because language learners may struggle to articulate their thoughts and can exhibit highly accented speech. Moreover, speech recognition alone is insufficient to characterize speaking proficiency of language learners from a communicative prospective. In other words, the characterization of speaking proficiency requires more than adequate comprehensibility of the speech. The content and qualitative aspects of the speech can be important in the evaluation of speaking proficiency from a communicative perspective. Available computerized speaking assessment systems have not adequately elicited the full range of individual and interactive speaking performances in which language educators are interested. In addition, such technologies have not captured the complexities of such performances and the inferences that human evaluators make about them. Accordingly, in order to fully characterize speaking proficiency, task design (the nature of the test question), evidence identification (scoring) and evidence aggregation (psychometric modeling) need to be closely coordinated. Collectively, these three processes and related principles constitute the elements of assessment design. Task design typically occurs during a test development phase. For example, in an evidence centered design context items are explicitly designed to elicit the evidence called for by the goals of the assessment, such as assessing speaking proficiency from a communicative perspective. Importantly, the process does not occur until the evidentiary implications of the goals of the assessment are well understood. Computer-based delivery of speaking proficiency has been criticized as a hindrance to eliciting such evidence because of limitations in the types of questions that are presented and responses that are elicited. Assuming that the design of computer-deliverable tasks that appropriately elicit evidence called for in an assessment of speaking proficiency is possible, the appropriate scoring of such tasks is still required. Current systems have not adequately developed automated procedures for identifying evidence of speaking proficiency in cases where the content of responses cannot be reasonably anticipated (i.e., spontaneous or high entropy speech). Finally, psychometric models are needed to aggregate responses to several prompts and update the current estimate of speaking proficiency. In recent years, significant advances in automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems have occurred. In particular, speaking proficiency systems exist that can automatically score tasks in which response patterns can be anticipated. For example, such tasks include responding orally to questions that have a single anticipated response. While a novice level of proficiency (such as pronunciation evaluation and training) can be measured using tasks that elicit the limited range of speech required by calling for anticipated responses, higher levels of proficiency can only be tested by tasks that measure responses requiring spontaneity and adaptability to unique situations. For example, in addition to pronunciation evaluation, higher levels of proficiency can require determinations of speech content and qualitative characteristics of speech, such as intonation or other prosodic features. Moreover, automated recognition of speech from language learners is particularly challenging because such individuals are generally less proficient with the language and can have highly accented speech. A further complexity is that merely recognizing speech is not sufficient to characterize speaking proficiency. For example, prosodic characterizations of speech samples, such as intonation, are also required. Current systems for assessing speaking proficiency do not include the ability to perform such measurements while being able to recognize spontaneous speech. What is needed is a system and method for analyzing and scoring spontaneous (high entropy) speech. A need exists for an automatic system and method for determining the speaking proficiency of language learners. A further need exists for applying assessment design principles to develop an automated system for scoring speaking proficiency based on tasks that are not limited to anticipated responses. The present disclosure is directed to solving one or more of the above-listed problems. SUMMARY Before the present methods, systems and materials are described, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular methodologies, systems and materials described, as these may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing the particular versions or embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention which will be limited only by the appended claims. It must also be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to a “speech sample” is a reference to one or more speech samples and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Although any methods, materials, and devices similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the invention, the preferred methods, materials, and devices are now described. All publications mentioned herein are incorporated by reference. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the invention is not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention. A method of automatically generating a scoring model for scoring a speech sample includes receiving one or more training speech samples in response to a prompt, determining one or more speech features for each of the training speech samples, and generating a scoring model based on the speech features. The scoring model is effective for scoring high entropy evaluation speech responses. At least one of the training speech samples may include a high entropy speech sample. The one or more speech features may include one or more of the following for each training speech sample: a previously assigned score, a lexical count, a fluency measure, a rate of speech measure, a lexical similarity measure, and a speech sample utterance duration. The previously assigned score may include a score assigned by a human rater characterizing a speaking proficiency of the training speech sample. The lexical count may include one or more of the following: a number of utterances in response to a prompt for the training speech sample, a number of words used in the training speech sample, a number of disfluencies used in the training speech sample, a number of tokens used in the training speech sample, where the number of tokens includes a sum of the number of words and the number of disfluencies, a number of unique word forms used in the training speech sample, and a ratio equal to the number of unique word forms used in the training speech sample divided by the number of tokens used in the training speech sample. The fluency measure comprises one or more of the following: a number of silent periods, each having a duration, during the training speech sample, a ratio equal to the number of silent periods during the training speech sample divided by a number of words used in the training speech sample, a mean of the durations for all silent periods during the training speech sample, and a standard deviation of the durations of all silent periods during the training speech sample. The rate of speech measure may include one or more of the following: a number of words per time unit in the training speech sample, a number of disfluencies per time unit in the training speech sample, a number of unique word forms per time unit in the training speech sample, and a number of silent periods per time unit in the training speech sample. The lexical similarity measure may include one or more of the following: an inner product of word frequencies for the training speech sample and a content vector, where the content vector includes raw frequencies of word forms based on a corpus related to the prompt, and a ratio equal to the inner product divided by a number of words in the training speech sample. In an embodiment, generating a scoring model includes generating a classification tree based on a regression, for each training speech sample, between a score assigned to the training speech sample and the one or more speech features determined for the training speech sample. In an alternate embodiment, generating a scoring model includes generating a scoring model based on weighting factors for the one or more speech features assigned by one or more expert judges. In an embodiment, the method further includes receiving an evaluation speech response, and assigning a score to the evaluation speech response using the scoring model. The evaluation speech response may include a high entropy speech sample. In an embodiment, a method for scoring a high entropy speech sample includes retrieving a scoring model based on one or more speech features, and assigning a score to a high entropy speech sample using the scoring model. The one or more speech features may include one or more of the following for each high entropy speech sample: a previously assigned score, a lexical count, a fluency measure, a rate of speech measure, a lexical similarity measure, and a speech sample utterance duration. The previously assigned score may include a score assigned by a human rater characterizing a speaking proficiency of the high entropy speech sample. The lexical count may include one or more of the following: a number of utterances in response to a prompt for the high entropy speech sample, a number of words used in the high entropy speech sample, a number of disfluencies used in the high entropy speech sample, a number of tokens used in the high entropy speech sample, where the number of tokens comprises a sum of the number of words and the number of disfluencies; a number of words used in the high entropy speech sample, and a ratio equal to the number of unique word forms used in the high entropy speech sample divided by the number of tokens used in the high entropy speech sample. The fluency measure may include one or more of the following: a number of silent periods during the high entropy speech sample, wherein each silent period comprises a duration, a ratio equal to the number of silent periods during the high entropy speech sample divided by a number of words used in the high entropy speech sample, a mean of the durations for all silent periods during the high entropy speech sample, and a standard deviation of the durations of all silent periods during the high entropy speech sample. The rate of speech measure may include one or more of the following: a number of words per time unit in the high entropy speech sample, a number of disfluencies per time unit in the high entropy speech sample, a number of unique word forms per time unit in the high entropy speech sample, and a number of silent periods per time unit in the high entropy speech sample. The lexical similarity measure may include one or more of the following: an inner product of word frequencies for the high entropy speech sample and a content vector, where the content vector includes raw frequencies of word forms based on a corpus related to the prompt, and a ratio equal to the inner product divided by a number of words in the high entropy speech sample. In an embodiment, a system for automatically generating a scoring model for scoring a high entropy speech sample includes a processor, and a processor-readable storage medium. The processor-readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions for performing a method for automatically generating a scoring model for scoring a high entropy speech sample including receiving one or more high entropy training speech samples in response to a prompt, determining one or more speech features for each of the high entropy training speech samples, and generating a scoring model based on the speech features. The processor-readable storage medium may further contain one or more programming instructions for performing the following: receiving a high entropy evaluation speech sample, and assigning a score to the high entropy evaluation speech sample using the scoring model. In an embodiment, a system for scoring a high entropy speech sample includes a processor, and a processor-readable storage medium. The processor-readable storage medium may contain one or more programming instructions for performing a method for scoring a high entropy speech sample including retrieving a scoring model based on one or more speech features, and assigning a score to a high entropy speech sample using the scoring model. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the various embodiments. FIG. 1 depicts a flowchart of an exemplary method of generating speech features for use in a scoring model according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of exemplary internal hardware that may be used to contain or implement the program instructions of a system embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A speech recognition and grading system may include an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system and an automatic speech grading system according to an embodiment. The ASR system may receive acoustic signals in digital form and output the most likely sequence of words corresponds to the acoustic input signals. The ASR system may include an acoustic model for associating probabilities with “speech units” (or “phones”) that represent a given phoneme. Initially, the acoustic input signals are subdivided into, for example, 10 ms intervals. Spectral features, a vector of the most essential acoustic characteristics of a frame of speech, are extracted for each interval (or “frame”). The features are transmitted to a statistical model to associate probabilities (“phone likelihoods”) of each possible phone for that frame. In an embodiment, Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) may be used to represent each phone (or a set of phone sequences, such as triphones or quinphones). Thus, each entry in a lexicon containing words recognized by the ASR system is represented by a sequence of HMMs for phones pertaining to that entry. Pronunciation variations (i.e., different sequences of phones) for a particular entry may result in multiple entries for a word in the acoustic model. The ASR system may further include a language model, which encodes prior information for the words that are received by the acoustic model. The language model may take the form of frequency distributions for single words, pairs of words (bigrams) and triples of words (trigrams). The language model, the acoustic model and the lexicon, which contains the normative information on the pronunciation of words in the language model, are used jointly to decode the acoustic input signal. The process then searches alternative transcriptions of the signal to locate the most likely transcription. Determining the most likely transcription is computationally intensive because the beginning and end of words are difficult to determine. Accordingly, alternative possibilities are examined to provide a ranked list of possible transcriptions of the acoustic input signals. Symbolically, a fundamental equation of speech recognition is an application of Bayes' theorem: argmax W P ( W | S ) = P ( S | W ) P ( W ) P ( S ) , which simplifies to arg max W P ( W S ) = P ( S W ) P ( W ) since P(S), the probability of the signal, is constant within the recognition task. P(S|W) is the “acoustic model” and computes the likelihood of the signal, S. P(W) is the “language model” and encodes the prior probability of observing the sequence of words. P(W|S) is the posterior distribution of the transcription. The transcription for a given signal having the highest posterior probability is selected as the transcription of the signal. In other words, the most likely transcription of the signal is the sequence of words, W*, among the several possible such sequences, that maximizes the product of the likelihood that the signal was produced by a sequence of words and the probability of that sequence of words. Under this statistical approach, speech recognition is reduced to designing and estimating appropriate acoustic and language models, and finding an acceptable decoding strategy for determining W*. Before an ASR system can recognize speech, the language model and acoustic model may be estimated and trained to provide the required information for the above-listed equations. For the acoustic model, this may include transcribing a speech sample and pairing the acoustic and textual representations. The size of the sample and the conditions under which the sample was collected may affect the training process. For the language model, the training process may include estimating the probability of observing a particular n-gram. The language model may estimate the probability by tabulating the frequency of n-grams in a relevant corpus. Once an ASR system has been adapted for the recognition of speech by language learners or other speakers, recognition accuracy can be quantified. Recognition error rates may include word error rate and mean word accuracy (Wacmn). Each of these error rates may measure recognition performance in order to characterize the accuracy of the speech engine with respect to the speech samples. Each error rate computation may require the alignment of a transcribed speech sample (a human transcript) and the output of the ASR system (a hypothesize transcript). An optimization algorithm may be used to resolve the differences between the two transcripts in terms of insertions (I), deletions (D), and substitutions (S). Word error rate may be defined as (S+D+I)/(1+S+D+I). Mean word accuracy attempts to characterize the recognition performance by equally weighing the human and hypothesized transcripts. Wacmn may be defined as 0.5*[(C/C+D+S)+C/(C+I+S)]. The output of the ASR system may include a digitized representation of a word and a time stamp for each word recognized from the acoustic input signals. The output of the ASR system may be transmitted to the automatic speech grading system. As shown in FIG. 1, training speech samples may first be received 102 by the automatic speech grading system. A training speech sample may have known characteristics that are used to tune the automatic speech grading system. The automatic speech grading system may grade the received digitized representation by determining 104 a plurality of speech features related to speaking proficiency. Such factors may include phonological factors, such as intonation, rate of speech and fluidity of speech; syntactic features; vocabulary; oral genres and/or knowledge of how to use oral genres appropriately; and speech acts. A distinction is made between feature extraction and feature aggregation. Feature extraction refers to the computation of low-level characterizations of speech based on a specific speech recognition engine as applied to each spoken response. At a minimum, the engine produces an ordered list of words for each spoken response with its time stamp. Additional data may also enable computation of prosodic features, stress, etc., that, in turn, allow the computation of higher order features, such as speech acts. Features may then be aggregated, for example, to generate 106 a scoring model. Feature aggregation may be performed on a speech sample basis or a corpus basis. The scoring model may then receive 108 evaluation speech responses and to assign 110 a score to the evaluation speech response. In an embodiment, the scoring model determines scores by using classification or regression techniques where scores that have been independently obtained from trained raters serve as the basis for calibrating and validating the classification or regression process. Specifically, the scores provided by trained raters serve as the dependent variable and the features extracted for each training speech sample are the independent variables. Once the regression or classification system has been calibrated and validated, it may be used to assign scores 110 to evaluation speech responses based only on the features. Once the classification tree has been trained, speech samples that were not used in training may be scored in order to determine the efficacy of the classification tree. The performance of the classification tree may be rated based on its scoring of evaluation speech responses as compared to human rater scores for the same responses. In an alternate embodiment, an assessment designer defines a score as a combination of features in order to weigh aspects of performance that are more or less valued for a specific assessment in a suitable fashion. Here, the grading system need not be “trained.” Rather, scores assigned 110 to evaluation speech responses may be validated as is customary for any assessment, including perhaps, comparing the automated scores with scores provided by trained experts. The scores from the trained experts may provide external validation criteria rather than the means for defining the automated score. Several features may be identified to assist in determining a score for a spontaneous speech sample. Such features may include, without limitation, lexical counts, fluency measures, rate of speech measures, lexical similarity measures and/or the duration of all utterances in a speech sample (Segdur). The lexical counts may include the number of utterances (Numutt), the number of word forms (Numwrd), the number of disfluencies (Numdff), the number of tokens (Numtok), the number of unique word forms (Types), and the average number of times a word form is repeated (Ttratio). An utterance is an uninterrupted segment of speech. In other words, it is uninterrupted speech preceded and followed by silence. A word form includes all word forms (e.g., “house” and “houses” are different word forms) found in a pronunciation dictionary or database. A disfluency is an interruption of speech by a class of paralinguistic phenomena (such as “uh,” “um,” etc.). Numtok equals the sum of Numwrd and Numdff. Ttratio equals Types divided by Numtok. Fluency measures may characterize the fluency of speech for speech samples. Such measures include the number of silences (Numsil), the number of silences per word (Silpwd), the average duration of silences (Silmean), and the standard deviation of silence durations (Silstddv). A silence is an acoustic event that has no discernible phonetic content and can be of variable length. Numsil may include the number of such events in a speech sample excluding silences between utterances. Silpwd equals Numsil divided by Numwrd. Silmean may be measured in seconds. Rate measures may characterize the rate of speech for speech samples. Such measures may include the number of words per second (Wpsec), which is equal to Numwrd divided by Segdur; the number of disfluencies per second (Dpsec), which is equal to Numdff divided by Segdur; the number of unique word forms per second (Tpsec), which is equal to Types divided by Segdur; and the number of silences per second (Silpsec), which is equal to Numsil divided by Segdur. Lexical similarity measures may characterize the lexical similarity of a transcript to a corpus. The frequency of word forms in the corpus is obtained. The resulting word frequencies may be called reference content vectors. The similarity of a speech sample may be determined by obtaining a corresponding sample content vector from the speech sample. The sample content vector may be obtained by tabulating the frequencies of word forms from the speech sample. Lexical similarity measures may include an inner product of a speech sample and reference content vectors (Cvfull). A reference content vector may include the raw frequency of word forms across a speech sample for a given prompt in the corpus. The speech sample content vector may include the raw frequency of word forms for a given speech sample. A second lexical similarity measure may be the ratio of Cvfull divided by Numwrd. In an embodiment, prosodic information may be used in generating a scoring model. Basic prosodic features, such as duration, power and pitch, may be extracted from a speech sample. Duration is the time (in seconds) of a speech or linguistic phenomenon, such as a word, a syllable or a phone. Duration may be determined from the ASR output. Power is the spectral energy for a time period, such as a time period including a word or a phone. Pitch is the fundamental frequency in a given time period. Pitch may only be determinable for vowels and voiced consonants. Power and pitch may be computed by examining the spectrum for a period of time. The basic prosodic features may be combined to produce higher-level prosodic features, such as stress and intonation. Additional features may also be used to determine the higher-level prosodic features. Stress may include a speaker's emphasis on a particular syllable or word. Intonation may include falling, rising, steady high or neutral values. While each of stress and intonation may be determined using all basic prosodic features, pitch is the most influential feature for intonation. The higher-level prosodic features may be further used to compute even more complex features such as rhythm or phrasal intonation. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of exemplary internal hardware that may be used to contain or implement the program instructions of a system embodiment. Referring to FIG. 2, a bus 228 serves as the main information highway interconnecting the other illustrated components of the hardware. CPU 202 is the central processing unit of the system, performing calculations and logic operations required to execute a program. Read only memory (ROM) 218 and random access memory (RAM) 220 constitute exemplary memory devices. A disk controller 204 interfaces with one or more optional disk drives to the system bus 228. These disk drives may be external or internal floppy disk drives such as 210, CD ROM drives 206, or external or internal hard drives 208. As indicated previously, these various disk drives and disk controllers are optional devices. Program instructions may be stored in the ROM 218 and/or the RAM 220. Optionally, program instructions may be stored on a computer readable medium such as a floppy disk or a digital disk or other recording medium, a communications signal or a carrier wave. An optional display interface 222 may permit information from the bus 228 to be displayed on the display 224 in audio, graphic or alphanumeric format. Communication with external devices may optionally occur using various communication ports 226. An exemplary communication port 226 may be attached to a communications network, such as the Internet or an intranet. In addition to the standard computer-type components, the hardware may also include an interface 212 which allows for receipt of data from input devices such as a keyboard 214 or other input device 216 such as a remote control, pointer and/or joystick. An embedded system may optionally be used to perform one, some or all of the operations of the present invention. Likewise, a multiprocessor system may optionally be used to perform one, some or all of the operations of the present invention. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in this description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Hence, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The increasing availability and performance of computer-based testing has greatly increased the feasibility of assessing language proficiency. However, doubts regarding the feasibility of assessing speaking proficiency remain. Recognizing the speech of language learners is particularly difficult because language learners may struggle to articulate their thoughts and can exhibit highly accented speech. Moreover, speech recognition alone is insufficient to characterize speaking proficiency of language learners from a communicative prospective. In other words, the characterization of speaking proficiency requires more than adequate comprehensibility of the speech. The content and qualitative aspects of the speech can be important in the evaluation of speaking proficiency from a communicative perspective. Available computerized speaking assessment systems have not adequately elicited the full range of individual and interactive speaking performances in which language educators are interested. In addition, such technologies have not captured the complexities of such performances and the inferences that human evaluators make about them. Accordingly, in order to fully characterize speaking proficiency, task design (the nature of the test question), evidence identification (scoring) and evidence aggregation (psychometric modeling) need to be closely coordinated. Collectively, these three processes and related principles constitute the elements of assessment design. Task design typically occurs during a test development phase. For example, in an evidence centered design context items are explicitly designed to elicit the evidence called for by the goals of the assessment, such as assessing speaking proficiency from a communicative perspective. Importantly, the process does not occur until the evidentiary implications of the goals of the assessment are well understood. Computer-based delivery of speaking proficiency has been criticized as a hindrance to eliciting such evidence because of limitations in the types of questions that are presented and responses that are elicited. Assuming that the design of computer-deliverable tasks that appropriately elicit evidence called for in an assessment of speaking proficiency is possible, the appropriate scoring of such tasks is still required. Current systems have not adequately developed automated procedures for identifying evidence of speaking proficiency in cases where the content of responses cannot be reasonably anticipated (i.e., spontaneous or high entropy speech). Finally, psychometric models are needed to aggregate responses to several prompts and update the current estimate of speaking proficiency. In recent years, significant advances in automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems have occurred. In particular, speaking proficiency systems exist that can automatically score tasks in which response patterns can be anticipated. For example, such tasks include responding orally to questions that have a single anticipated response. While a novice level of proficiency (such as pronunciation evaluation and training) can be measured using tasks that elicit the limited range of speech required by calling for anticipated responses, higher levels of proficiency can only be tested by tasks that measure responses requiring spontaneity and adaptability to unique situations. For example, in addition to pronunciation evaluation, higher levels of proficiency can require determinations of speech content and qualitative characteristics of speech, such as intonation or other prosodic features. Moreover, automated recognition of speech from language learners is particularly challenging because such individuals are generally less proficient with the language and can have highly accented speech. A further complexity is that merely recognizing speech is not sufficient to characterize speaking proficiency. For example, prosodic characterizations of speech samples, such as intonation, are also required. Current systems for assessing speaking proficiency do not include the ability to perform such measurements while being able to recognize spontaneous speech. What is needed is a system and method for analyzing and scoring spontaneous (high entropy) speech. A need exists for an automatic system and method for determining the speaking proficiency of language learners. A further need exists for applying assessment design principles to develop an automated system for scoring speaking proficiency based on tasks that are not limited to anticipated responses. The present disclosure is directed to solving one or more of the above-listed problems. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>Before the present methods, systems and materials are described, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular methodologies, systems and materials described, as these may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing the particular versions or embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention which will be limited only by the appended claims. It must also be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to a “speech sample” is a reference to one or more speech samples and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Although any methods, materials, and devices similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the invention, the preferred methods, materials, and devices are now described. All publications mentioned herein are incorporated by reference. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the invention is not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention. A method of automatically generating a scoring model for scoring a speech sample includes receiving one or more training speech samples in response to a prompt, determining one or more speech features for each of the training speech samples, and generating a scoring model based on the speech features. The scoring model is effective for scoring high entropy evaluation speech responses. At least one of the training speech samples may include a high entropy speech sample. The one or more speech features may include one or more of the following for each training speech sample: a previously assigned score, a lexical count, a fluency measure, a rate of speech measure, a lexical similarity measure, and a speech sample utterance duration. The previously assigned score may include a score assigned by a human rater characterizing a speaking proficiency of the training speech sample. The lexical count may include one or more of the following: a number of utterances in response to a prompt for the training speech sample, a number of words used in the training speech sample, a number of disfluencies used in the training speech sample, a number of tokens used in the training speech sample, where the number of tokens includes a sum of the number of words and the number of disfluencies, a number of unique word forms used in the training speech sample, and a ratio equal to the number of unique word forms used in the training speech sample divided by the number of tokens used in the training speech sample. The fluency measure comprises one or more of the following: a number of silent periods, each having a duration, during the training speech sample, a ratio equal to the number of silent periods during the training speech sample divided by a number of words used in the training speech sample, a mean of the durations for all silent periods during the training speech sample, and a standard deviation of the durations of all silent periods during the training speech sample. The rate of speech measure may include one or more of the following: a number of words per time unit in the training speech sample, a number of disfluencies per time unit in the training speech sample, a number of unique word forms per time unit in the training speech sample, and a number of silent periods per time unit in the training speech sample. The lexical similarity measure may include one or more of the following: an inner product of word frequencies for the training speech sample and a content vector, where the content vector includes raw frequencies of word forms based on a corpus related to the prompt, and a ratio equal to the inner product divided by a number of words in the training speech sample. In an embodiment, generating a scoring model includes generating a classification tree based on a regression, for each training speech sample, between a score assigned to the training speech sample and the one or more speech features determined for the training speech sample. In an alternate embodiment, generating a scoring model includes generating a scoring model based on weighting factors for the one or more speech features assigned by one or more expert judges. In an embodiment, the method further includes receiving an evaluation speech response, and assigning a score to the evaluation speech response using the scoring model. The evaluation speech response may include a high entropy speech sample. In an embodiment, a method for scoring a high entropy speech sample includes retrieving a scoring model based on one or more speech features, and assigning a score to a high entropy speech sample using the scoring model. The one or more speech features may include one or more of the following for each high entropy speech sample: a previously assigned score, a lexical count, a fluency measure, a rate of speech measure, a lexical similarity measure, and a speech sample utterance duration. The previously assigned score may include a score assigned by a human rater characterizing a speaking proficiency of the high entropy speech sample. The lexical count may include one or more of the following: a number of utterances in response to a prompt for the high entropy speech sample, a number of words used in the high entropy speech sample, a number of disfluencies used in the high entropy speech sample, a number of tokens used in the high entropy speech sample, where the number of tokens comprises a sum of the number of words and the number of disfluencies; a number of words used in the high entropy speech sample, and a ratio equal to the number of unique word forms used in the high entropy speech sample divided by the number of tokens used in the high entropy speech sample. The fluency measure may include one or more of the following: a number of silent periods during the high entropy speech sample, wherein each silent period comprises a duration, a ratio equal to the number of silent periods during the high entropy speech sample divided by a number of words used in the high entropy speech sample, a mean of the durations for all silent periods during the high entropy speech sample, and a standard deviation of the durations of all silent periods during the high entropy speech sample. The rate of speech measure may include one or more of the following: a number of words per time unit in the high entropy speech sample, a number of disfluencies per time unit in the high entropy speech sample, a number of unique word forms per time unit in the high entropy speech sample, and a number of silent periods per time unit in the high entropy speech sample. The lexical similarity measure may include one or more of the following: an inner product of word frequencies for the high entropy speech sample and a content vector, where the content vector includes raw frequencies of word forms based on a corpus related to the prompt, and a ratio equal to the inner product divided by a number of words in the high entropy speech sample. In an embodiment, a system for automatically generating a scoring model for scoring a high entropy speech sample includes a processor, and a processor-readable storage medium. The processor-readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions for performing a method for automatically generating a scoring model for scoring a high entropy speech sample including receiving one or more high entropy training speech samples in response to a prompt, determining one or more speech features for each of the high entropy training speech samples, and generating a scoring model based on the speech features. The processor-readable storage medium may further contain one or more programming instructions for performing the following: receiving a high entropy evaluation speech sample, and assigning a score to the high entropy evaluation speech sample using the scoring model. In an embodiment, a system for scoring a high entropy speech sample includes a processor, and a processor-readable storage medium. The processor-readable storage medium may contain one or more programming instructions for performing a method for scoring a high entropy speech sample including retrieving a scoring model based on one or more speech features, and assigning a score to a high entropy speech sample using the scoring model. | 20040920 | 20080624 | 20060406 | 99908.0 | G10L1506 | 0 | HERNANDEZ, JOSIAH J | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR THE AUTOMATIC GENERATION OF SPEECH FEATURES FOR SCORING HIGH ENTROPY SPEECH | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | G10L | 2,004 |
|
10,945,182 | ACCEPTED | Image sensor and method for manufacturing the same | The present invention discloses an image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same which is capable of increasing the light-collection efficiency of a photodiode. The image sensor comprises: at least one photodiode formed on a semiconductor substrate; multilayer interlayer insulating films formed on the photodiode and stacked in at least two layers so that the density of the upper interlayer insulating film becomes lower than that of the lower interlayer insulating film as the multilayer interlayer insulating films proceed upward; a light shield layer and an element-protecting film sequentially stacked on the multilayer interlayer insulating film; color filter arrays and a flattening layer sequentially stacked on the element-protecting film; and microlenses arranged on the positions corresponding to the color filters on the flattening layer. Therefore, the light-collection efficiency of the photodiode can be increased with an increased transmittance of a vertical light reaching to the photodiode by making the multilayer interlayer insulating films have a lower density as they proceed upward to decrease the refraction angle of the incident light penetrated through the microlenses and color filters. | 1. An image sensor, comprising: at least one photodiode formed on a semiconductor substrate; multi-layer interlayer insulating films formed on the photodiode and stacked in at least two layers so that the density of the upper interlayer insulating film becomes lower than that of the lower interlayer insulating film as the multi-layer interlayer insulating films proceed upward; a light shield layer and an element-protecting film sequentially stacked on the multi-layer interlayer insulating film; color filter arrays and a flattening layer sequentially stacked on the element-protecting film; and microlenses arranged on the positions corresponding to the color filters on the flattening layer. 2. The image sensor of claim 1, further comprising a photosensitivity adjusting film formed below the multi-layer interlayer insulating films. 3. The image sensor of claim 1, further comprising a buffer insulating film formed below the photosensitivity adjusting film. 4. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the multi-layer interlayer insulating films are formed of oxides, the density of an oxide film becomes higher in the order of PE-CVD<HDP-CVD<LP-CVD<thermal oxidation, the density of an oxide film becomes lower as the deposition temperature is lowered, and the density of the upper interlayer insulating film is lower to below that of the lower interlayer insulating film by adjusting the deposition process and the deposition temperature. 5. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the multi-layer interlayer insulating films are formed of oxides and the density is lowered by making the concentration of impurities to be doped higher in the upper interlayer insulating film that in the lower interlayer insulating film. 6. The image sensor of claim 4, wherein the density of the upper interlayer insulating film becomes lower than that of the lower interlayer insulating film by adjusting the deposition process, the deposition temperature and the concentration of impurities doped on the interlayer insulating films. 7. The image sensor of claim 1, multi-layer wiring is vertically formed on the multi-layer interlayer insulating films, the element-protecting film and the flattening layer. 8. A method for manufacturing an image sensor, comprising the steps of: making at least one photodiode on a semiconductor substrate; forming on the photodiode multi-layer interlayer insulating films stacked in at least two layers so that the density of the upper interlayer insulating film becomes lower than that of the lower interlayer insulating film as the multi-layer interlayer insulating films proceed upward; forming a light shield layer and an element-protecting film sequentially stacked on the multi-layer interlayer insulating film; forming color filter arrays and a flattening layer sequentially stacked on the element-protecting film; and forming microlenses arranged on the positions corresponding to the color filters on the flattening layer. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of forming a photosensitivity adjusting film below the multi-layer interlayer insulating films. 10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of forming a buffer insulating film below the photosensitivity adjusting film. 11. The method of claim 8, wherein the multi-layer interlayer insulating films are formed of oxides, the density of an oxide film becomes higher in the order of PE-CVD<HDP-CVD<LP-CVD<thermal oxidation, the density of an oxide film becomes lower as the deposition temperature is lowered, and the density of the upper interlayer insulating film is made lower than that of the lower interlayer insulating film by adjusting the deposition process and the deposition temperature. 12. The method of claim 8, wherein the multi-layer interlayer insulating films are formed of oxides and the density is lowered by making the concentration of impurities to be doped higher in the upper interlayer insulating film than in the lower interlayer insulating film. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the density of the upper interlayer insulating film becomes lower than that of the lower interlayer insulating film by adjusting the deposition process, the deposition temperature and the concentration of impurities doped on the interlayer insulating films. 14. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of forming multi-layer wiring in the step of forming the multi-layer interlayer insulating films, the element-protecting film and the flattening layer. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to an image sensor, which is capable of increasing the light-collection efficiency of a photodiode, and a method for manufacturing the same. 2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an image sensor is a semiconductor device that converts an optical image into an electric signal. Among the image sensors, a charge coupled device (CCD) is a device wherein each metal-oxide-silicon (hereinafter referred as to MOS) capacitor is closely located and charge carriers are stored into the MOS capacitor and transferred. A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (hereinafter referred as to CMOS) image sensor employs CMOS technology that uses a control circuit and a signal processing circuit as peripheral circuits to form as many arrays of MOS transistors as the number of pixels, and adopts a switching mode that detects outputs sequentially. MOS transistors formed in the peripheral circuit as the same number of pixels. In manufacturing such a variety of image sensors, there have been many endeavors to increase the photosensitivity of the image sensor. Among those endeavors to increase the photosensitivity, a light-collecting technique is the most important technique. The image sensor generally includes photosensitive circuit parts sensing light and CMOS logic circuit parts transforming the light into electric signals and generating data. Recently, there have been many studies of light-collecting techniques by which the pathways of the incident lights injecting to the regions other than the photosensitive circuit parts are changed and collected in photodiodes that are photosensitive elements. FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view showing an image sensor in accordance with a prior art, in which the main components of a conventional CMOS image sensor are directly related to light-collection are illustrated. Referring to FIG. 1, the prior art image sensor includes a plurality of field insulating films 10 formed on a semiconductor substrate (not shown), at least one photodiode 12 which is an optical active region formed between these field insulating films 10, multilayer interlayer insulating films 14 and 18 insulating between layers of the top parts of the field insulating films 10 and photodiode 12 and a light shield layer 16 formed of metal or the like in the interlayer insulating film 18 in order to prevent incident light from being focused onto the field insulating films 10. An element-protecting film 20 is formed on the interlayer insulating film 18, and an interlayer insulating film 24 is formed on the element-protecting film 20. The color filter arrays 22a, 22b and 22c of red, green and blue are formed in the interlayer insulating film 24. A flattening layer 26 is formed over these color filter arrays 22a, 22b and 22c. Microlenses 28 are formed at the positions corresponding to the color filters 22a, 22b and 22c. As the materials of the color filters 22a, 22b and 22c of red, green and blue, mainly used are photoresists dyed in colors capable of absorbing only the light of a specific wavelength. As the materials of the microlenses 28, mainly used are polymer type resins. The interlayer insulating films 14, 18 and 24 and the element-protecting film 20 are typically made by using silicon oxide films that are transparent insulating materials. The flattening layer 26 is made by using a photoresist in order to compensate for the roughness of the color filters. In the constructed conventional CMOS image sensor, the incident light received via the microlenses 28 is separated into corresponding red, green and blue light through the red color filter 22a, green color filter 22b and blue color filter 22c. The separated red, green and blue lights are focused on the photodiode 12 at the positions corresponding to the color filters through the element-protecting film 20 and the interlayer insulating films 14 and 18, respectively. The light shield layer 16 arranged between the interlayer insulating films 14 and 18 plays the role of shielding the incident light so as not to deviate to other light pathways. However, if the incident light on the photodiode through the microlenses 28 and the color filters 22a, 22b and 22c is not focused in parallel but focused to other light pathways, the photodiode 12 in the corresponding light pathway will be unable to sense the light or interference will occur with other adjacent photodiode 12. Such a phenomenon acts as noise in embodying a high performance image in a CMOS image sensor. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is designed in consideration of the problems of the prior art, and therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide an image sensor which can improve the light-collection efficiency of the photodiode with an increased transmittance of vertical light reaching the photodiode by making the multi-layer interlayer insulating films have a lower density as they proceed upward to decrease the refraction angle of the incident light penetrated through the microlenses and color filters, and a method for manufacturing the same. To achieve the above object, there is provided an image sensor in accordance with the present invention, comprising: at least one photodiode formed on a semiconductor substrate; multi-layer interlayer insulating films formed on the photodiode and stacked in at least two layers so that the density of the upper interlayer insulating film becomes lower than that of the lower interlayer insulating film as the multi-layer interlayer insulating films proceed upward; a light shield layer and an element-protecting film sequentially stacked on the multi-layer interlayer insulating film; color filter arrays and a flattening layer sequentially stacked on the element-protecting film; and microlenses arranged on the positions corresponding to the color filters on the flattening layer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view showing an image sensor in accordance with a prior art; FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view showing the structure of an image sensor in accordance with the present invention; FIGS. 3a to 3g are process views showing a process for manufacturing multi-layer wiring in multi-interlayer insulating films of the image sensor in accordance with the present invention; and FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the difference of the index of refraction caused by a density difference in the multi-layer interlayer insulating film of the image sensor in accordance with the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail referring to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view showing the structure of an image sensor in accordance with the present invention, in which the main components of the CMOS image sensor of this invention directly related to light-collection are illustrated. Referring to FIG. 2, the CMOS image sensor of this invention includes a plurality of field insulating films 100 formed on a semiconductor substrate (not shown), at least one photodiode 102 which is an optical active region formed between these field insulating films 100, multi-layer interlayer insulating films 104 and 108 insulating between layers of the top parts of the field insulating films 100 and photodiode 102 and being stacked in at least two layers so that the density is lower in upper parts than lower parts and a light shield layer 106 formed of metal or the like in the interlayer insulating film 108 in order to prevent an incident light from being focused onto the field insulating films 100. An element-protecting film 120 is formed on the interlayer insulating film 108, and an interlayer insulating film 124 is formed on the element-protecting film 120. The color filter arrays 122a, 122b and 122c of red, green and blue are formed in the interlayer insulating film 124. A flattening layer 116 is formed over these color filter arrays 122a, 122b and 122c. Microlenses 128 are formed on the positions corresponding to the color filters 122a, 122b and 122c. As the materials of the color filters 122a, 122b and 122c of red, green and blue, mainly used are photoresists dyed in colors capable of absorbing only the light of a specific wavelength. As the materials of the microlenses 128, mainly used are polymer type resins. At this time, the interlayer insulating films 104 and 108 below the color filter arrays 122a, 122b and 122c are made so that the density of the interlayer insulating film in the upper side is lower than that of the interlayer insulating film in the lower side. For this, in the present invention, the density of an oxide film becomes higher in the order of PE-CVD<HDP-CVD<LP-CVD<thermal oxidation. Further, if the deposition temperature is lowered, the density of the oxide film is lowered. Accordingly, it is possible to carry out a density adjustment by this deposition process and by the adjustment of the deposition temperature. For example, in the manufacture of the interlayer insulating film 108 in the upper side, an oxide film is deposited by PE-CVD or HDP-CDP and in a low temperature range. On the contrary, in the manufacture of the interlayer insulating film 104 in the lower side, an oxide film is deposited by LP-CVD or a thermal oxidization process and deposited in the range of a higher temperature in comparison with the interlayer insulating film in the upper side. Also, it is possible to adjust the density of the upper interlayer insulating film 108 to be lower than that of the lower interlayer insulating film 104 by adjusting the deposition temperature while carrying out the same deposition process to all of the upper and lower interlayer insulating films 108 and 104. In the present invention, the interlayer insulating films 104 and 108 are transparent insulating materials and typically formed of silicon oxide films. At this time, the density can be lowered by increasing the concentration of impurities to be doped in the upper interlayer insulating film than in the lower interlayer insulating film. For example, if the interlayer insulating film 104 in the lower position is deposited with FSG, BPSG, PSG and BSG and the interlayer insulating film 108 in the upper position is deposited with USG, the density of the interlayer insulating film in the upper position becomes lower than that of the interlayer insulating film in the lower position. The element-protecting film 120 is typically formed of a silicon oxide film that is a transparent insulating material, and the flattening layer 116 is formed of a photoresist in order to compensate for the roughness of the color filters. In the CMOS image sensor of the above-described structure of the present invention, the incident light received via the microlenses 128 are separated into the corresponding red light, green light and blue light through the red color filter 122a, green color filter 122b and blue color filter 122c. The separated red, green and blue lights are focused on the photodiode 102 at the positions corresponding to the color filters through the element-protecting film 120 and the interlayer insulating films 108 and 104. The light shield layer 106 arranged between the interlayer insulating films 104 and 108 plays a role of shielding the incident light so as not to deviate to other light pathways. Further, according to the present invention, in the multi-layer interlayer insulating films 104 and 108 included in the CMOS image sensor, the density of the interlayer insulating film 108 in the upper position is lower than that of the interlayer insulating film 104 in the lower position. Due to this, the red, green and blue lights penetrated through the microlenses 128 and the color filters 122a, 122b and 122c are focused on the photodiode 102 in vertical light pathways without a light loss as the refraction angle on those interlayer insulating films 108 and 104 decreases until the incident lights are focused on the photodiode 102. The light shield layer 106 arranged between the interlayer insulating films 108 and 104 plays a role of shielding the incident lights so as not to deviate to other light pathways. Although not shown, in the present invention, a borderless contact or a photosensitivity adjusting film is also formed of a silicon oxide film or the like below the multi-layer interlayer insulating films 104 and 108. Also, a buffer insulating film may be additionally formed of a silicon oxide film below the photosensitivity adjusting film. Next, the process for manufacturing the thus constructed CMOS image sensor in accordance with the present invention will be described. First, in order to insulate elements of the CMOS image sensor electrically, a field insulating film 100 is formed on a silicon substrate (not shown) and at least one photodiode 102 is formed in the gaps of the field insulating film 100. Next, an upper interlayer insulating film 104 having a large density is deposited on the entire surface of the field insulating film 100 and photodiode 102, and a light shield layer 106 of metal or the like is formed thereon. Continually, an upper interlayer insulating film 108 flattened and having a low density is formed over the entire surface of the lower interlayer insulating film 104 on which the light shield layer 106 is formed. Here, the adjusting processes of the deposition temperature and the impurity concentration in the deposition process for adjusting the density difference between the lower interlayer insulating film 104 and the upper interlayer insulating film 108 have been described above, the description thereof will be omitted. Next, in order to protect the elements from moisture or scratching, a flattened element-protecting film 120 is formed on the entire surface of the upper interlayer insulating film 108. Then, a photoresist dyed in red, green and blue is applied onto the flattened element-protecting film 120 and developed, to form arrays of color filters 122a, 122b and 122c of red, green and blue, and then form a flattened interlayer insulating film 124 on the sides of the color filter arrays 122a, 122b and 122c. On the entire surface of the resultant material, a flattening layer 116 for flattening and adjusting the focal distance is formed. Next, microlenses 128 are formed on the flattening layer 116 at the positions corresponding to the red, green and blue color filters 122a, 122b and 122c. FIGS. 3a to 3g are views showing a process for manufacturing multi-layer wiring in multi-layer interlayer insulating films of the image sensor in accordance with the present invention. First, as shown in FIG. 3a, a field insulating film 200 for electrically insulating elements of a CMOS image sensor formed on a semiconductor substrate (not shown), and at least one photodiode 202 is formed in the gaps of the interlayer insulating film 200. Next, a BPSG having a high rate of flow is deposited at 2000 to 15000 Å on the field insulating film 200 and photodiode 202, and its surfaces are polished by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) to thus forming a first interlayer insulating film 204 of 2000 to 9000 Å and then flatten it. Next, as shown in FIG. 3b, HDP-USG is deposited at 300 to 9000 Å to form a second interlayer insulating film 206 having a high density. Then, the second and first interlayer insulating films 206 and 204 are etched to form contact holes 208. Continually, glue layer/barrier metal layer (not shown) such as Ti/TiN are deposited on the contact holes 208. As shown in FIG. 3c, metal such as tungsten, etc. is buried and patterned to form first contacts 210 and metal wires 212. Next, HDP-FSG is deposited at 9000 to 40000 Å to form a third interlayer insulating film 214 having a lower density than the second interlayer insulating film 206 and flatten the surface thereof by CMP. Next, as shown in FIG. 3d, via holes are formed on the third interlayer insulating film 214 and tungsten plugs 216 and second metal wires 218 connected to the first metal wires 212 in the lower position are formed in the via holes. Continually, as shown in FIG. 3e, PE-USG is deposited at 3000 to 8000 Å to form a fourth interlayer insulating film 220 having a lower density than the third interlayer insulating film 214 and flatten the surface thereof by CMP. Continually, as shown in FIG. 3f, via holes are formed on the fourth interlayer insulating film 220 and tungsten plugs 222 and second metal wires 224 connected to the second metal wires 218 in the lower position are formed in the via holes. Next, as shown in FIG. 3g, PE-FSG is deposited at 500 to 20000 Å to form a fifth interlayer insulating film 226 having a lower density than the fourth interlayer insulating film 220 and flatten the surface thereof by CMP. Afterwards, tungsten plugs 228 and fourth metal wires 230 connected to the third metal wires 224 in the upper position are formed in the fifth interlayer insulating film 226. As seen above, in the multi-layer interlayer insulating films of the CMOS image sensor of FIG. 2 and in the multi-layer interlayer insulating films having multi-layer metal wirings of FIGS. 3a to 3g, the density of the interlayer insulating film is lower in the upper position than in the lower position, thus making it possible to lower the refraction angle of an incident light. FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the difference of the index of refraction caused by a density difference in the multi-layer interlayer insulating film of the image sensor in accordance with the present invention. In this drawing, the density is n1<n2 and has a size of Φ1(incident angle)>Φ2(refraction angle). Herein, the incident light injected to a medium n2 having a high density from a medium n1 having a low density has a refraction angle Φ2 smaller than the incident angle Φ1. Subsequently, in the multi-layer interlayer insulating film of the present invention, the density of the interlayer insulating film in the upper position is lower than that of the interlayer insulating film in the lower position. Resultantly, since the density of the interlayer insulating film in the upper position becomes lower than that of the interlayer insulating film in the lower position as the multi-layer interlayer insulating films proceed upward, the refraction angle of the incident light becomes smaller and smaller. Due to this, while the light penetrated through the microlenses and color filters reaches the photodiode in a lower position, the refraction angle becomes smaller and smaller by the multi-layer interlayer insulating film whose density difference gradually increases, and thereby the light is not refracted to other light pathways but reaches the photodiode at a right angle. As described above, the present invention can improve the light-collection efficiency of the photodiode with an increased transmittance of a vertical light reaching to the photodiode by making the multi-layer interlayer insulating films have a lower density as they proceed upward to decrease the refraction angle of the incident light penetrated through the microlenses and color filters. Accordingly, the optical properties of the image sensor can be enhanced because the loss of the light as being refracted to other light pathways can be minimized. While the present invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiment only, other modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to an image sensor, which is capable of increasing the light-collection efficiency of a photodiode, and a method for manufacturing the same. 2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an image sensor is a semiconductor device that converts an optical image into an electric signal. Among the image sensors, a charge coupled device (CCD) is a device wherein each metal-oxide-silicon (hereinafter referred as to MOS) capacitor is closely located and charge carriers are stored into the MOS capacitor and transferred. A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (hereinafter referred as to CMOS) image sensor employs CMOS technology that uses a control circuit and a signal processing circuit as peripheral circuits to form as many arrays of MOS transistors as the number of pixels, and adopts a switching mode that detects outputs sequentially. MOS transistors formed in the peripheral circuit as the same number of pixels. In manufacturing such a variety of image sensors, there have been many endeavors to increase the photosensitivity of the image sensor. Among those endeavors to increase the photosensitivity, a light-collecting technique is the most important technique. The image sensor generally includes photosensitive circuit parts sensing light and CMOS logic circuit parts transforming the light into electric signals and generating data. Recently, there have been many studies of light-collecting techniques by which the pathways of the incident lights injecting to the regions other than the photosensitive circuit parts are changed and collected in photodiodes that are photosensitive elements. FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view showing an image sensor in accordance with a prior art, in which the main components of a conventional CMOS image sensor are directly related to light-collection are illustrated. Referring to FIG. 1 , the prior art image sensor includes a plurality of field insulating films 10 formed on a semiconductor substrate (not shown), at least one photodiode 12 which is an optical active region formed between these field insulating films 10 , multilayer interlayer insulating films 14 and 18 insulating between layers of the top parts of the field insulating films 10 and photodiode 12 and a light shield layer 16 formed of metal or the like in the interlayer insulating film 18 in order to prevent incident light from being focused onto the field insulating films 10 . An element-protecting film 20 is formed on the interlayer insulating film 18 , and an interlayer insulating film 24 is formed on the element-protecting film 20 . The color filter arrays 22 a , 22 b and 22 c of red, green and blue are formed in the interlayer insulating film 24 . A flattening layer 26 is formed over these color filter arrays 22 a , 22 b and 22 c . Microlenses 28 are formed at the positions corresponding to the color filters 22 a , 22 b and 22 c. As the materials of the color filters 22 a , 22 b and 22 c of red, green and blue, mainly used are photoresists dyed in colors capable of absorbing only the light of a specific wavelength. As the materials of the microlenses 28 , mainly used are polymer type resins. The interlayer insulating films 14 , 18 and 24 and the element-protecting film 20 are typically made by using silicon oxide films that are transparent insulating materials. The flattening layer 26 is made by using a photoresist in order to compensate for the roughness of the color filters. In the constructed conventional CMOS image sensor, the incident light received via the microlenses 28 is separated into corresponding red, green and blue light through the red color filter 22 a , green color filter 22 b and blue color filter 22 c . The separated red, green and blue lights are focused on the photodiode 12 at the positions corresponding to the color filters through the element-protecting film 20 and the interlayer insulating films 14 and 18 , respectively. The light shield layer 16 arranged between the interlayer insulating films 14 and 18 plays the role of shielding the incident light so as not to deviate to other light pathways. However, if the incident light on the photodiode through the microlenses 28 and the color filters 22 a , 22 b and 22 c is not focused in parallel but focused to other light pathways, the photodiode 12 in the corresponding light pathway will be unable to sense the light or interference will occur with other adjacent photodiode 12 . Such a phenomenon acts as noise in embodying a high performance image in a CMOS image sensor. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention is designed in consideration of the problems of the prior art, and therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide an image sensor which can improve the light-collection efficiency of the photodiode with an increased transmittance of vertical light reaching the photodiode by making the multi-layer interlayer insulating films have a lower density as they proceed upward to decrease the refraction angle of the incident light penetrated through the microlenses and color filters, and a method for manufacturing the same. To achieve the above object, there is provided an image sensor in accordance with the present invention, comprising: at least one photodiode formed on a semiconductor substrate; multi-layer interlayer insulating films formed on the photodiode and stacked in at least two layers so that the density of the upper interlayer insulating film becomes lower than that of the lower interlayer insulating film as the multi-layer interlayer insulating films proceed upward; a light shield layer and an element-protecting film sequentially stacked on the multi-layer interlayer insulating film; color filter arrays and a flattening layer sequentially stacked on the element-protecting film; and microlenses arranged on the positions corresponding to the color filters on the flattening layer. | 20040920 | 20080429 | 20050331 | 82628.0 | 2 | KO, TONY | IMAGE SENSOR AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,945,189 | ACCEPTED | Industrial controller automation interface | An automation interface is provided for interacting with industrial controllers. The automation interface provides for programming, editing, monitoring and maintenance of industrial controllers programmatically from a local or remote location. The automation interface component is adapted to communicate with industrial controllers by integrating a computer process interface library into the automation interface component. The computer process interface library exposes the automation interface component to client application processes, so that the client application processes can communicate with the at least one industrial controller programmatically. The automation interface is provided with functionality for downloading, uploading and programming of control programs to the processors of the industrial controllers. | 1. A system that facilitates interaction with an industrial controller, comprising: an automation interface component that facilitates communications with an industrial controller to facilitate uploading to and downloading from the industrial controller a control program, and editing of the control program while in the industrial controller; and a computer process interface library that comprises object-oriented based objects and classes that are associated with the automation interface component, the computer process interface library exposes the automation interface component to a client application process to facilitate programmatical communications with the industrial controller. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the library is accessed via at least one of a local procedure call (LPC) and a remote procedure call (RPC). 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the objects and classes form a tree of objects and classes that are accessible through a top-level application object. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein a call to the application object creates an instance of an associated class in memory of the industrial controller. 5. The system of claim 3, wherein the objects and classes include a project object that is accessible via the application object via one or more methods. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the objects and classes include a processor object that is associated with a current project object. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the objects and classes include a program files collection object that represents all program files in a project. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the objects and classes include a data files collection object that represents data files associated with a project. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the automation interface component facilitates editing of data table values stored in the industrial controller. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer process interface library is compiled as an executable file that is processed in the automation interface component. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the objects and classes include an applications object, a project object, and a processor object, each of the objects viewable via a user interface. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the objects and classes are processed using a macro. 13. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of interacting programmatically with an industrial controller, the method comprising: providing an automation interface component that facilitates communications with the industrial controller; and providing a computer process interface library of object-oriented based objects and classes in association with the automation interface component that facilitates programmatical communications with the industrial controller, which library facilitates exposing the automation interface component to a client application process to facilitate program management in the industrial controller by at least one of the acts of: uploading a new control program to the industrial controller; downloading an existing control program from the industrial controller; and editing the existing control program while resident in the industrial controller. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a user interface that facilitates accessing at least one of an applications object, a project object, a processor object, a program file, and a ladder logic program. 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising at least one of the acts of: instantiating an automation interface object in memory of the industrial controller from a remote location; and removing the automation interface object from the memory. 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising retrieving a program file from the industrial controller and converting the program file to a ladder logic file. 17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the acts of: uploading a first active object from a remote location to a memory of the industrial controller; and retrieving a second active object from the memory. 18. The method of claim 13, further comprising accessing the objects and classes using macros. 19. The method of claim 13, further comprising manually controlling functions of the industrial controller via the automation interface component. 20. The method of claim 13, further comprising accessing the industrial controller via a web service. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/928,623 entitled “INDUSTRIAL CONTROLLER AUTOMATION INTERFACE” and filed Aug. 13, 2001, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention generally relates to industrial control systems and in particular to an automation interface for industrial controllers. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Industrial controllers are special purpose computers used for controlling factory automation devices. Under the direction of a stored program, a processor of the industrial controller examines a series of inputs reflecting the status of a controlled process or device and changes outputs affecting control of the controlled process or device. Generally industrial controllers are constructed in modular fashion to accommodate different application requiring different numbers and types of input/output (I/O) circuits as is determined by the particular device or process being controlled. The stored control program runs in real-time to provide outputs to the controlled process as electrical signals to outputs such as actuators and the like. The outputs are based on the logic of the control program and inputs received from sensors of the controlled process. The industrial controller or programmable logic controller (PLC) executes a series of operations that are performed sequentially and repeatedly. In general, the series of operations includes an input scan, a program scan, and an output scan. During the input scan the PLC examines the on or off state of the external inputs and saves these states temporarily in memory (e.g., a file). During the program scan the PLC scans the instruction of the program and uses the input status to determine if an output will be energized. The output results are then saved to memory (e.g., a file). During the output scan the controller will energize or de-energize the outputs based on the output results stored in memory to control the external devices. A conventional language for programming the stored program is relay ladder logic. Each ladder logic program comprises one or more ladder logic statements, referred to as rungs or instructions. The ladder logic statements define relationships between an output variable and one or more input variables. Input variables are variables that correspond to signals at input terminals and output variables are variables that correspond to signals at output terminals. In relay ladder logic, the input and output signals may be represented graphically as contact symbols and coil symbols arranged in a series of rungs spanning a pair of vertical power rails. A typical ladder logic statement may indicate that a specific output variable is “on” if and only if a first and a second input is “on”. The ladder logic program not only manipulates single-bit input and output data representing the state of the sensing and operating devices, but also performs arithmetic operations, timing and counting functions, and more complex processing operations. A ladder program can be created by connecting a special input module to a PLC that includes a small keyboard and entering ladder logic statements directly into the memory of the PLC. Another method of creating a ladder logic program involves, utilizing a ladder logic program development/editor tool residing on a separate device, such as a personal computer. An operator or programmer of the personal computer draws a series of ladder logic graphs representing each rung or instruction directly on the computer display screen. Once the ladder logic program is complete, the PC software converts the graphs into the corresponding ladder logic commands. The ladder logic command are then transferred to the PLC and stored in the PLC memory. A PLC and/or a personal computer device can store one or more ladder logic programs and versions. However, a user must manually upload, download, edit and develop ladder logic programs at a work station or personal computer running a developer/editor application program. Furthermore, data backup and storage must be manually invoked by an operator through the application program or be conducted through another system separate from the application program. Accordingly there is an unmet need in the art to provide an improved system and method for developing, editing, replacing and monitoring industrial control programs and/or data associated with a controlled process involving the industrial controller. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the invention nor delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. The present invention provides a system and method for providing an automation interface for interacting with industrial controllers. The automation interface provides for programming, editing, monitoring and maintenance of industrial controllers programmatically from a local or remote location. The automation interface component is adapted to communicate with industrial controllers by integrating a computer process interface library into the automation interface component. The computer process interface library exposes the automation interface component to client application processes, so that the client application processes can communicate with the at least one industrial controller programmatically. The automation interface is provided with functionality for downloading, uploading and programming of control programs to the processors of the industrial controllers. The automation interface also allows for data associated with one or more control processes to be accessible programmatically. The data can be used to determine status information of the one or more control processes or logged for later analysis. The automation interface can be exposed to a web service, such that industrial controllers can be accessed via the Internet. Data associated with one or more control processes can be logged at a third party data store, so that system backup can be outsourced. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative aspects of the invention. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a block schematic diagram of a system employing an automation interface in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a tree structure of components associated with the automation interface in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. FIG. 3 illustrates a block schematic diagram of a remote computer interacting with the automation interface residing on a local server in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. FIG. 4 illustrates a block schematic diagram of a client application accessing the automation interface via the Internet in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. FIG. 5 illustrates a code module for downloading a control program to a processor of an industrial controller through the automation interface in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. FIG. 6 illustrates a code module for uploading a control program from a processor of an industrial controller through the automation interface in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. FIG. 7 illustrates a code module for inserting a rung into a control program and downloading the control program to a processor of an industrial controller through the automation interface in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. FIG. 8 illustrates a Visual Basic form that provides a variety of functionality for interacting with an industrial controller through the automation interface in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. FIG. 9 illustrates a flow diagram of a methodology for providing an automation interface in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. FIG. 10 illustrates a block diagram of a computer system in accordance with an environment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention will be described with reference to a system and method for providing an automation interface for interacting with industrial controllers. The automation interface provides for programming, editing, monitoring and maintenance of industrial controllers programmatically. For example, one or more control programs associated with an industrial controller or programmable logic controller (PLC) can be created and/or edited locally or remotely via the automation interface. The automation interface also allows for monitoring and maintenance to be provided by exposing the automation interface to local and remote applications. For example, data associated with one or more control processes can be accessed programmatically. The data can be used to determine status information of the one or more control processes or logged for later analysis. Furthermore, process parameters and/or control programs can be changed programmatically such that operator intervention is eliminated. The present system and method may be implemented utilizing hardware, software or a combination of both hardware and software. The present invention may be implemented via object oriented programming techniques. In this case each component of the system, could be an object in a software routine or a component within an object. Object oriented programming shifts the emphasis of software development away from function decomposition and towards the recognition of units of software called “objects” which encapsulate both data and functions. Object Oriented Programming (OOP) objects are software entities comprising data structures and operations on data. Together, these elements enable objects to model virtually any real-world entity in terms of its characteristics, represented by its data elements, and its behavior represented by its data manipulation functions. In this way, objects can model concrete things like people and computers, and they can model abstract concepts like numbers or geometrical concepts. The benefit of object technology arises out of three basic principles: encapsulation, polymorphism and inheritance. Objects hide or encapsulate the internal structure of their data and the algorithms by which their functions work. Instead of exposing these implementation details, objects present interfaces that represent their abstractions cleanly with no extraneous information. Polymorphism takes encapsulation one step further—the idea being many shapes, one interface. A software component can make a request of another component without knowing exactly what that component is. The component that receives the request interprets it and figures out according to its variables and data how to execute the request. The third principle is inheritance, which allows developers to reuse pre-existing design and code. This capability allows developers to avoid creating software from scratch. Rather, through inheritance, developers derive subclasses that inherit behaviors which the developer then customizes to meet particular needs. In particular, an object includes, and is characterized by, a set of data (e.g., attributes) and a set of operations (e.g., methods), that can operate on the data. Generally, an object's data is ideally changed only through the operation of the object's methods. Methods in an object are invoked by passing a message to the object (e.g., message passing). The message specifies a method name and an argument list. When the object receives the message, code associated with the named method is executed with the formal parameters of the method bound to the corresponding values in the argument list. Methods and message passing in OOP are analogous to procedures and procedure calls in procedure-oriented software environments. However, while procedures operate to modify and return passed parameters, methods operate to modify the internal state of the associated objects (by modifying the data contained therein). The combination of data and methods in objects is called encapsulation. Encapsulation provides for the state of an object to only be changed by well-defined methods associated with the object. When the behavior of an object is confined to such well-defined locations and interfaces, changes (e.g., code modifications) in the object will have minimal impact on the other objects and elements in the system. Each object is an instance of some class. A class includes a set of data attributes plus a set of allowable operations (e.g., methods) on the data attributes. As mentioned above, OOP supports inheritance—a class (called a subclass) may be derived from another class (called a base class, parent class, etc.), where the subclass inherits the data attributes and methods of the base class. The subclass may specialize the base class by adding code which overrides the data and/or methods of the base class, or which adds new data attributes and methods. Thus, inheritance represents a mechanism by which abstractions are made increasingly concrete as subclasses are created for greater levels of specialization. The present invention can employ abstract classes, which are designs of sets of objects that collaborate to carry out a set of responsibilities. Frameworks are essentially groups of interconnected objects and classes that provide a prefabricated structure for a working application. It should also be appreciated that the PCM and the shared memory components could be implemented utilizing hardware and/or software, and all such variations are intended to fall within the appended claims included herein. The present examples will be illustrated with respect to providing an automation interface having a set of objects conforming to the Component Object Model (COM) developed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. COM is an object-oriented programming model that provides a standard as to how objects within a single application or between applications (e.g., client/server applications) interact and communicate. COM defines a set of standard interfaces, which are groupings of semantically related functions through which a client application accesses the services of, for example, a server application. The present example is provided with respect to integrating a COM interface, such as IDispatch, into an executable program (.exe) to provide for remote automation across a network. It is appreciated that a variety of other mechanisms (e.g., interfaces) can be employed to provide both remote and local access to the automation interface of the present invention. For example, communications through computer processes can occur through Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE), named pipes and shared memory to name a few. Other mechanisms of providing communications between processes would be apparent to those skilled in the art of computer programming. FIG. 1 illustrates a system 10 for interacting programmatically to one or more industrial controllers or industrial controllers 18 through an automation interface 14. Each of the industrial controllers are coupled to one or input/output (IO) modules 17 through a common backplane. A client application 16 can communicate to the one or more industrial controllers 18 through the automation interface 14. The automation interface 14 and the client application 16 operate as separate computer processes. The automation interface 14 is a stand alone executable file provided with one or more components having one or more computer process interfaces compiled therein. The one or more computer process interfaces allow the client application to access the one or more components either locally or remotely. The automation interface has a visible mode provided with a user interface and an invisible mode where no user interface is provided. For example, if the automation interface 14 includes compiled COM libraries, the client application 16 can access the automation interface 14 through a local procedure call (LPC) or a remote procedure call (RPC). A set of proxies and stubs (DLLs) are provided to marshall and unmarshall parameters associated with local and remote calls. The automation interface 14 is provided with a set of classes (e.g., C++, JAVA, C#) or functions having functionality for communicating with one or more industrial controllers residing in a work environment (e.g., a factory floor). The set of classes include functionality for uploading, downloading, editing and creating of control programs of one or more industrial controllers. Additionally, the set of classes include functionality for accessing control process data for monitoring and storage of the control process data. Data table values in controller memory can be accessed and edited programmatically through the automation interface 14. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of an object or class tree 20 associated with the automation interface 14. Each of the objects can have one or more properties, methods and events associated with the object. The object or class tree 20 includes a top level application object 22 from which all other objects within the object tree can be accessed. The application object 22 is the main object interface for client applications. The application object 22 represents the topmost object used to access other objects and perform top level operations. A call to an application object creates an instance of that class in memory and represents the automation interface to the client application. A project object 24 is associated with each industrial controller. The project object 24 can be obtained from the application object 22 through one or more methods. The application object 22 can have one more project objects 24 meaning that an application object 22 can access and/or edit control programs of one or more industrial controllers. A processor object 26 is provided, which represents the processor being used with a current project. A program files collection object 30 is provided which represents all of the program files in a project. The program files collection object 30 can be a property of the project object 24. The program file object 34 represents the basic functionality of a program file and can be contained from the program files collection object 30. One or more program files 34 can be associated with the program files collections object 30. A data files collection object 28 is provided, which represents a collection of data files associated with the project. The data files collections object 28 can be a property of the project object 24. A data file object 32 represents a data file in the project or processor and can be obtained from the data files collections object 30. One or more data files can be associated with the data files collections object 28. A ladder file object 36 represents a ladder file in the project/processor. The ladder file object 36 can be obtained from the program files collections 30. A rung object 38 is provided, which represents a rung of ladder logic that can be inserted, deleted or retrieved and edited in a ladder file object 36. A revision notes object 40 if provided that represents the revision notes associated with any project. A reports option object 42 represents the report settings associated with a project. It is to be appreciated that the object tree 20 is but one example of a possible implementation to carry out the functionality associated with the automation interface in accordance with the present invention. Of course, many variations and modifications could be construed by those skilled in the art. FIG. 3 illustrates a system 50 for interacting programmatically to one or more industrial controllers 74 via a remote computer 58 in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. An automation interface 54 resides on a local server 52. The automation interface 54 is a binary executable program having at least one COM library 56 compiled therein. The COM library 56 provides the automation interface 54 with one or more computer process interfaces to allow communication to occur between the automation interface 54 and one or more computer processes located locally or remotely. The local server 52 is coupled to one or more industrial controllers 74 through a network 72 (e.g., local network, factory network). The network 72 allows communication to occur between the automation interface 54 and the one or more industrial controllers 74. The remote computer 58 is coupled to the local server 52 through a network 68 (e.g., company intranet, Internet). The remote computer 58 includes one or more application programs for communicating to the industrial controllers 74 at one or more factory locations. The remote computer 58 includes a developer application 60 for developing industrial control programs (e.g., ladder logic programs) and downloading those programs to the industrial controllers 74. The remote computer 58 also includes a monitor application 62, which monitors data conditions of controlled processes associated with the industrial controllers 74. An editor application 64 is provided that uploads control programs from one or more or the industrial controllers, edits or allows editing of the control programs in addition to saving and downloading the control programs back to the respective industrial controller. A maintenance application 66 is provided which operates to automatically determine when different control programs are to be invoked and/or replaced with other control programs based on a particular process and/or time period. The maintenance application 66 can also determine periodic intervals for calibrating controlled processes. The developer application 60, the monitor application 62, the editor application 64 and the maintenance application 66 are but a few examples of implementations that can be employed as a result of exposing the automation interface 54 to remote applications, and provide functionality to the automation interface 54 for uploading, downloading, editing, monitoring, data storing and other functions associated with industrial controller programs, data and processes. Although, the developer application, monitor application, editor application and maintenance application are illustrated as separate applications, the functionality associated with each can be integrated into a single application program. A user interface can be provided to the applications program to allow users to manually control functions, or functions can be controlled programmatically without any user intervention. FIG. 4 illustrates another example of a possible implementation employing the automation interface of the present invention. An automation interface 94 is exposed to a web service 92, which allows communication to the automation interface 94 over the Internet 88. The automation interface 94 is coupled to one or more industrial controllers 96. A client application 84 is coupled to the Internet 88 via a web service and web browser 82, so that the client application can communicate to the automation interface 94 over the Internet. The automation interface 94 includes functionality for uploading, downloading, editing and creating of control programs of the one or more industrial controllers 96. Additionally, the automation interface 94 includes functionality for accessing control process data for monitoring and storage of the control process data. The client application 84 can call the automation interface 94 through the Internet 88, for example, using TCP/IP protocol and invoke any or all of the services associated with the automation interface 94 and the industrial controller(s) 96 anywhere in the world via an Internet connection. In the example of FIG. 4, the client application 84 periodically downloads backup data to a third party data warehouse 90 at another location different from the client application 84 and the automation interface 94. The data backup can then be stored and analyzed off-site, such that third party auditing and/or outsourcing can be provided. Other functions such as editing, development, monitoring and maintenance can be performed by the client application 84 through an Internet connection. Additionally, event-driven HTML reports can be generated by the client application either at the client locations and/or at the location of the industrial controllers. Furthermore, the application data and functionality can be shared with developers within a common environment. Developers can also build their own individualized interfaces that execute functionality within the automation interface through a client application. Since the automation interface 84 is provided with computer process interfaces for communicating between computer processes in executable form, any programming language can be employed to interact and communicate with the automation interface using similar type interfaces on the client application end. FIGS. 5-7 illustrate the use of Visual Basic code for carrying out the functionality of downloading of control programs, uploading of control programs and the insertions of rungs within control programs. The present invention allows for functionality to be grouped into macros, so that individual code instructions can be eliminated for repetitive tasks. A variety of other functionality and computer programming languages can be employed to carry out the present invention. FIG. 5 illustrates a sample application module 100 or subroutine written in Visual Basic for implementing downloading to a processor programmatically in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. In line 07, a new application project is created or instantiated, which is opened from a project residing on a disk in line 22. The communication routing to the actual processor that the project represents is set up in the application when the project is opened. This information is saved for later uploading in lines 27-28. The project is then downloaded to the processor in lines 31-32. FIG. 6 illustrates a sample application module 110 or subroutine written in Visual Basic for implementing uploading from a processor programmatically in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. In line 09, a new application project is created, which initializes routing data in line 15. The project is then told which processor to communicate with in line 18. The function to perform the upload is called in line 37 and the uploaded program is saved to a file on a disk at lines 41-43. FIG. 7 illustrates a sample application module 120 or subroutine written in Visual Basic for inserting ladder logic programmatically in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. In line 09, a new application is created, which instantiates a new instance of the automation interface. A project is then opened from disk for modification at line 25 and a program file is selected for uploading at line 29. The selected program is cast to a ladder file at line 30. A sample rung is then built in lines 33-34 and inserted into the selected program at line 37. It is to be appreciated that the examples of FIGS. 5-7 are for illustrated purposes, and most error detection/correction code was omitted for the sake of clarity. A user interface can be provided to interact with the automation interface by utilizing Visual Basic forms. As illustrated in FIG. 8, a Visual Basic form 130 is provided that includes a plurality of buttons and insert spaces for providing data. A button is provided for instantiating an automation interface object, uploading and retrieving an active project and removing the automation interface object from memory. A project object can be saved and downloaded using buttons and a name provided in spaces for saving projects. A processor node can be selected and program files added, removed or retrieved. A program file can be retrieved and converted to a ladder file. The ladder file can then be edited by inserting rungs or deleting rungs to the ladder file. A variety of other functions can be provided utilizing Visual Basic forms. In view of the foregoing structural and functional features described above, a methodology in accordance with various aspects of the present invention will be better appreciated with reference to FIG. 9. While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the methodology of FIG. 9 is shown and described as executing serially, it is to be understood and appreciated that the present invention is not limited by the illustrated order, as some aspects could, in accordance with the present invention, occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other aspects from that shown and described herein. Moreover, not all illustrated features may be required to implement a methodology in accordance with an aspect the present invention. It is further to be appreciated that the following methodology may be implemented as computer-executable instructions, such as software stored in a computer-readable medium. Alternatively, the methodology may be implemented as hardware or a combination of hardware and software. FIG. 9 illustrates one particular methodology for providing an automation interface in accordance with one particular aspect of the present invention. The methodology begins at 150 with the development of a model for communicating with a plurality of industrial controllers or PLCs. The model is then converted to an object or class tree to form an automation interface at 160. For example, the classes can be developed to form COM components or the like (e.g., DCOM, CORBA). At 170, computer process interfaces are integrated into the automation interface (e.g., COM libraries). The automation interface is then compiled into an executable file so that the executable can be accessed by other processes. At 190, the executable file is exposed to local and remote applications by invoking the executable file with the exposed computer process interfaces. With reference to FIG. 10, an exemplary system for implementing the invention includes a conventional personal or server computer 220, including a processing unit 221, a system memory 222, and a system bus 223 that couples various system components including the system memory to the processing unit 221. The processing unit may be any of various commercially available processors, including Intel x86, Pentium and compatible microprocessors from Intel and others, including Cyrix, AMD and Nexgen; Alpha from Digital; MIPS from MIPS Technology, NEC, IDT, Siemens, and others; and the PowerPC from IBM and Motorola. Dual microprocessors and other multi-processor architectures also can be used as the processing unit 221. The system bus may be any of several types of bus structure including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of conventional bus architectures such as PCI, VESA, Microchannel, ISA and EISA, to name a few. The system memory includes read only memory (ROM) 224 and random access memory (RAM) 225. A basic input/output system (BIOS), containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer 220, such as during start-up, is stored in ROM 224. The computer 220 further includes a hard disk drive 227, a magnetic disk drive 228, e.g., to read from or write to a removable disk 229, and an optical disk drive 230, e.g., for reading a CD-ROM disk 231 or to read from or write to other optical media. The hard disk drive 227, magnetic disk drive 228, and optical disk drive 230 are connected to the system bus 223 by a hard disk drive interface 232, a magnetic disk drive interface 233, and an optical drive interface 234, respectively. The drives and their associated computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, etc., for the server computer 220. Although the description of computer-readable media above refers to a hard disk, a removable magnetic disk and a CD, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other types of media which are readable by a computer, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks, Bernoulli cartridges, and the like, may also be used in the exemplary operating environment. A number of program modules may be stored in the drives and RAM 225, including an operating system 235, one or more application programs 236, other program modules 237, and program data 238. A user may enter commands and information into the computer 220 through a keyboard 240 and pointing device, such as a mouse 242. Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 221 through a serial port interface 246 that is coupled to the system bus, but may be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, game port or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor 247 or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus 223 via an interface, such as a video adapter 248. In addition to the monitor, computers typically include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers and printers. The computer 220 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote PLCs, such as a remote PLC 249. Alternatively, the remove PLC 249 may be coupled to a workstation, a server computer, a router, a peer device or other common network node remote device. This remote device can include many or all of the elements described relative to the computer 220, although only a memory storage device 250 has been illustrated in FIG. 10. The logical connections depicted in FIG. 10 include a local area network (LAN) 251 and a wide area network (WAN) 252. Such networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet. When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 220 is connected to the local network 251 through a network interface or adapter 253. When used in a WAN networking environment, the server computer 220 typically includes a modem 254, or is connected to a communications server on the LAN, or has other means for establishing communications over the wide area network 252, such as the Internet. The modem 254, which may be internal or external, is connected to the system bus 223 via the serial port interface 246. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer 220, or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used. In accordance with practices of persons skilled in the art of computer programming, the present invention is described below with reference to acts and symbolic representations of operations that are performed by the computer 220, unless indicated otherwise. Such acts and operations are sometimes referred to as being computer-executed. It will be appreciated that the acts and symbolically represented operations include the manipulation by the processing unit 221 of electrical signals representing data bits which causes a resulting transformation or reduction of the electrical signal representation, and the maintenance of data bits at memory locations in the memory system (including the system memory 222, hard drive 227, floppy disks 229, and CD-ROM 231) to thereby reconfigure or otherwise alter the computer system's operation, as well as other processing of signals. The memory locations where data bits are maintained are physical locations that have particular electrical, magnetic, or optical properties corresponding to the data bits. The present invention has been illustrated with respect to a programming methodology and/or computer architecture and a particular example, however, it is to be appreciated that various programming methodology and/or computer architecture suitable for carrying out the present invention may be employed and are intended to fall within the scope of the hereto appended claims. The invention has been described with reference to various aspects of the present invention. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the foregone detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications alterations, and equivalents thereof. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Industrial controllers are special purpose computers used for controlling factory automation devices. Under the direction of a stored program, a processor of the industrial controller examines a series of inputs reflecting the status of a controlled process or device and changes outputs affecting control of the controlled process or device. Generally industrial controllers are constructed in modular fashion to accommodate different application requiring different numbers and types of input/output (I/O) circuits as is determined by the particular device or process being controlled. The stored control program runs in real-time to provide outputs to the controlled process as electrical signals to outputs such as actuators and the like. The outputs are based on the logic of the control program and inputs received from sensors of the controlled process. The industrial controller or programmable logic controller (PLC) executes a series of operations that are performed sequentially and repeatedly. In general, the series of operations includes an input scan, a program scan, and an output scan. During the input scan the PLC examines the on or off state of the external inputs and saves these states temporarily in memory (e.g., a file). During the program scan the PLC scans the instruction of the program and uses the input status to determine if an output will be energized. The output results are then saved to memory (e.g., a file). During the output scan the controller will energize or de-energize the outputs based on the output results stored in memory to control the external devices. A conventional language for programming the stored program is relay ladder logic. Each ladder logic program comprises one or more ladder logic statements, referred to as rungs or instructions. The ladder logic statements define relationships between an output variable and one or more input variables. Input variables are variables that correspond to signals at input terminals and output variables are variables that correspond to signals at output terminals. In relay ladder logic, the input and output signals may be represented graphically as contact symbols and coil symbols arranged in a series of rungs spanning a pair of vertical power rails. A typical ladder logic statement may indicate that a specific output variable is “on” if and only if a first and a second input is “on”. The ladder logic program not only manipulates single-bit input and output data representing the state of the sensing and operating devices, but also performs arithmetic operations, timing and counting functions, and more complex processing operations. A ladder program can be created by connecting a special input module to a PLC that includes a small keyboard and entering ladder logic statements directly into the memory of the PLC. Another method of creating a ladder logic program involves, utilizing a ladder logic program development/editor tool residing on a separate device, such as a personal computer. An operator or programmer of the personal computer draws a series of ladder logic graphs representing each rung or instruction directly on the computer display screen. Once the ladder logic program is complete, the PC software converts the graphs into the corresponding ladder logic commands. The ladder logic command are then transferred to the PLC and stored in the PLC memory. A PLC and/or a personal computer device can store one or more ladder logic programs and versions. However, a user must manually upload, download, edit and develop ladder logic programs at a work station or personal computer running a developer/editor application program. Furthermore, data backup and storage must be manually invoked by an operator through the application program or be conducted through another system separate from the application program. Accordingly there is an unmet need in the art to provide an improved system and method for developing, editing, replacing and monitoring industrial control programs and/or data associated with a controlled process involving the industrial controller. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the invention nor delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. The present invention provides a system and method for providing an automation interface for interacting with industrial controllers. The automation interface provides for programming, editing, monitoring and maintenance of industrial controllers programmatically from a local or remote location. The automation interface component is adapted to communicate with industrial controllers by integrating a computer process interface library into the automation interface component. The computer process interface library exposes the automation interface component to client application processes, so that the client application processes can communicate with the at least one industrial controller programmatically. The automation interface is provided with functionality for downloading, uploading and programming of control programs to the processors of the industrial controllers. The automation interface also allows for data associated with one or more control processes to be accessible programmatically. The data can be used to determine status information of the one or more control processes or logged for later analysis. The automation interface can be exposed to a web service, such that industrial controllers can be accessed via the Internet. Data associated with one or more control processes can be logged at a third party data store, so that system backup can be outsourced. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative aspects of the invention. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings. | 20040920 | 20061031 | 20050217 | 93224.0 | 1 | PATEL, RAMESH B | INDUSTRIAL CONTROLLER AUTOMATION INTERFACE | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,945,386 | ACCEPTED | Vehicle-carried rack for bicycles | A rack is disclosed for supporting at least one bicycle in position. The rack includes a base, two beams pivotally connected with the base, at least one supporting device attached to each of the beams in order to support one wheel of the bicycle, a post pivotally connected with the base and a hooking device attached to the post in order to hook the bicycle. | 1. A rack for holding at least one bicycle in position, the rack comprising a base, two beams pivotally connected with the base, at least one supporting device attached to each of the beams in order to support one wheel of the bicycle, a post pivotally connected with the base and a hooking device attached to the post in order to hook the bicycle. 2. The rack according to claim 1 comprising a socket secured to a vehicle, an insert for insertion in the socket and a collar for receiving the insert, wherein the collar is secured to the base. 3. The rack according to claim 2 wherein the collar comprises two wings extending from two sides thereof for firmly supporting the base. 4. The rack according to claim 1 wherein the base comprises a bottom and two walls extending from the bottom, wherein an internal end of each of the beams is located between the walls, wherein a lower end of the post is located between the walls. 5. The rack according to claim 4 wherein each of the walls comprises a plurality of apertures for receiving pins for keeping the beams and the post in position. 6. The rack according to claim 1 wherein the supporting device comprises a collar put around each of the beams and an oval ring secured to the collar in order to support the wheel. 7. The rack according to claim 6 comprising a screw for locking the collar in position on each of the beams. 8. The rack according to claim 1 wherein the hooking device comprises a collar put around the post and a hook secured to the collar in order to hook the bicycle. 9. The rack according to claim 8 comprising a locking device for locking the hooking device in position on the post. 10. The rack according to claim 9 wherein the locking device comprises a detent installed on the collar for engagement with the post. 11. The rack according to claim 10 wherein the post comprises a plurality of teeth formed thereon, wherein the detent comprises a plurality of teeth for engagement with the teeth of the post. 12. The rack according to claim 11 wherein the detent is pivotally connected with the collar. 13. The rack according to claim 12 wherein the locking device comprises a spring for biasing the detent. 14. The rack according to claim 12 wherein the locking device comprises a housing formed on the collar, wherein the detent is put in the housing. 15. The rack according to claim 14 wherein the housing comprises a window defined therein, wherein the detent is accessed to through the window. 16. The rack according to claim 1 comprising two supporting devices attached to each of the beams and two hooking devices attached to the post. 17. A rack for holding at least one bicycle in position on a vehicle, the rack comprising a base for attachment to the vehicle, two beams pivotally connected with the base, at least one supporting device attached to each of the beams in order to support a wheel of the bicycle, a post pivotally connected with the base and a hooking device attached to the post in order to hook the bicycle. | FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a vehicle-carried rack for bicycles. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Referring to FIG. 11, a conventional rack includes a first frame 100 and a second frame 200. The first frame 100 includes a U-shaped element 110 and two rectilinear elements 120. The U-shaped element 110 includes two ends each for receiving an end of one rectilinear element 120. A spring-biased detent 300 is provided in order to lock each rectilinear element 120 to one end of the U-shaped element 110. The second frame 200 includes two U-shaped elements 210 and 220. The U-shaped element 210 includes two ends each for receiving one end of the rectilinear elements 220. A spring-biased detent 400 is provided in order to lock each end of the U-shaped element 220 to one end of the U-shaped element 210. Each end of the U-shaped element 220 defines an aperture 224. Each end of the U-shaped element 210 defines four apertures 213, 217, 218 and 219. The spring-biased detent 400 can be inserted in the aperture 213, 217, 218 or 219 through the aperture 224. Thus, the length of the second frame 200 is adjustable. To connect the first frame 100 with the second frame 200, each rectilinear element 120 is connected with one end of the U-shaped element 220. In use, referring to FIG. 12, the U-shaped element 110 is put on the trunk or boot of a vehicle. The U-shaped element 210 is put on the rear bumper of the vehicle. Two belts 500 are wound around the trunk or boot. Each belt 500 includes an end tied to an end of the U-shaped element 110 and another end tied to an end of the U-shaped element 210. The upper tube of a bicycle can be supported on the rectilinear elements 120. However, the bicycle tends to slide on the rectilinear elements 120. The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art. SUMMARY OF INVENTION According to the present invention, a rack is provided for holding at least one bicycle in position. The rack comprising a base, two beams pivotally connected with the base, at least one supporting device attached to each of the beams in order to support one wheel of the bicycle, a post pivotally connected with the base, a hooking device attached to the post in order to hook a portion of the bicycle. The primary advantage of the rack is the ability of holding the bicycle in position. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of embodiments referring to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bicycle carried on a vehicle by means of a rack according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle and the rack shown in FIG. 1 but shows the rack detached from the vehicle. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the rack shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the rack shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial view of the rack shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the rack shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6 but shows the rack in a different position. FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the bicycle and the rack shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 3 but shows the rack in a different position. FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 9 but shows the rack in a different position. FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a conventional rack for bicycles. FIG. 12 is a side view of a bicycle carried on a vehicle by means of the conventional rack shown in FIG. 11. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, a bicycle 14 is carried on a vehicle 10 by means of a rack 20 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 2, the rack 20 is detached from the vehicle 10. A socket 12 is secured to the vehicle 10. An insert 30 of the rack 20 can be inserted in the socket 12. A pin 13 can be driven in the insert 30 through the socket 12. Therefore, the rack 20 can be attached to the vehicle 10 as shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 3, the rack 20 includes a collar 40 that can be put around the insert 30, a base 50 secured to the collar 40, two beams 70 pivotally connected with the base 50, two supporting devices 73 movably installed on each beam 70, a post 60 pivotally connected with the base 50 and two hooking devices 63 movably installed on the post 60. A wheel 16 (FIG. 2) of the bicycle 14 can be supported on each supporting device 73. The upper tube 15 of the bicycle 14 can be hooked by means of each hooking device 63. Referring to FIG. 4, the collar 40 includes two wings 41 secured thereto and a nut 42 secured thereto. A screw 43 is engaged with the nut 42. In assembly, the collar 40 is put around the insert 30. The screw 43 is driven in the collar 40. Thus, the insert 30 is abutted by means of the screw 43. Therefore, the collar 40 is secured to the insert 30. The base 50 includes a bottom 51 and two walls 52 extending from the bottom 51. A plurality of apertures 53 is defined in each wall 52. The bottom 51 is secured to the collar 40 including the wings 41. A screw 71 is driven in each beam 70 through one aperture 53 of each wall 51. Thus, the beams 70 are pivotally connected with the base 50. Each screw 71 is engaged with a nut 76. A pin 72 can be inserted in each beam 70 through one aperture 53 of each wall 51 so as to keep each beam 70 in a horizontal position or vertical position (FIG. 10). Each supporting device 73 includes a collar 74 and an oval ring 73 secured to the collar 74. The collar 74 is put movably on one beam 70. The collar 74 can be secured to one beam 70 by means of a screw 77. The oval ring 73 can support one wheel 16 of the bicycle 14. A screw 61 is driven in the post 60 through one aperture 53 of each wall 51. Thus, the post 60 is pivotally connected with the base 50. The screw 61 is engaged with a nut (not shown). A pin 62 can be inserted in the post 60 through one aperture 53 of each wall 51 so as to keep the post 60 in a horizontal position (FIG. 9) or vertical position. Each hooking device 63 includes a collar 64 and a hook 65 secured to the collar 64. The collar 64 is put movably on the post 60. The hook 65 can hook the upper tube 15 of the bicycle 14. Now, each collar 64 can be locked in position on the post 60 by means of a locking device 66. Referring to FIG. 5, two series of teeth 67 are formed on the post 60. A shell 68 is formed on each collar 64. A window 69 is defined in each shell 68. Each locking device 66 includes a detent 78 pivotally put in one shell 68 and a spring 79 for biasing the detent 78 towards the post 60. The detent 78 is formed with teeth 80 for engagement with the teeth 67. A screw 81 is driven in each detent 78 through one shell 68. Thus, each detent 78 is pivotally put in one shell 68. Each screw 81 is engaged with a nut 82. Referring to FIG. 6, the teeth 80 are engaged with the teeth 67 so that each hooking device 63 is locked in position on the post 60. Referring to FIG. 7, through the window 69, the detent 78 can be pivoted in order to disengage the teeth 80 from the teeth 67. Thus, each hooking device 63 is allowed to slide on the post 60. Referring to FIG. 8, each wheel 16 is held by means of one oval ring 75. The upper tube 15 is hooked by means of one hook 65. The present invention has been described via detailed illustration of some embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF INVENTION <EOH>Referring to FIG. 11 , a conventional rack includes a first frame 100 and a second frame 200 . The first frame 100 includes a U-shaped element 110 and two rectilinear elements 120 . The U-shaped element 110 includes two ends each for receiving an end of one rectilinear element 120 . A spring-biased detent 300 is provided in order to lock each rectilinear element 120 to one end of the U-shaped element 110 . The second frame 200 includes two U-shaped elements 210 and 220 . The U-shaped element 210 includes two ends each for receiving one end of the rectilinear elements 220 . A spring-biased detent 400 is provided in order to lock each end of the U-shaped element 220 to one end of the U-shaped element 210 . Each end of the U-shaped element 220 defines an aperture 224 . Each end of the U-shaped element 210 defines four apertures 213 , 217 , 218 and 219 . The spring-biased detent 400 can be inserted in the aperture 213 , 217 , 218 or 219 through the aperture 224 . Thus, the length of the second frame 200 is adjustable. To connect the first frame 100 with the second frame 200 , each rectilinear element 120 is connected with one end of the U-shaped element 220 . In use, referring to FIG. 12 , the U-shaped element 110 is put on the trunk or boot of a vehicle. The U-shaped element 210 is put on the rear bumper of the vehicle. Two belts 500 are wound around the trunk or boot. Each belt 500 includes an end tied to an end of the U-shaped element 110 and another end tied to an end of the U-shaped element 210 . The upper tube of a bicycle can be supported on the rectilinear elements 120 . However, the bicycle tends to slide on the rectilinear elements 120 . The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF INVENTION <EOH>According to the present invention, a rack is provided for holding at least one bicycle in position. The rack comprising a base, two beams pivotally connected with the base, at least one supporting device attached to each of the beams in order to support one wheel of the bicycle, a post pivotally connected with the base, a hooking device attached to the post in order to hook a portion of the bicycle. The primary advantage of the rack is the ability of holding the bicycle in position. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the attached drawings. | 20040920 | 20070710 | 20050324 | 86120.0 | 5 | SKURDAL, COREY NELSON | VEHICLE-CARRIED RACK FOR BICYCLES | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,945,511 | ACCEPTED | Method and apparatus for computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data | The invention comprises a method and apparatus for computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data of at least one virtual concatenation group. Specifically, the method comprises determining at least one elementary path of which at least one virtual concatenation group is composed, determining elementary path data associated with the at least one elementary path and computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data using the elementary path data. | 1. A method, comprising: determining at least one elementary path of which at least one virtual concatenation group is composed; determining elementary path data associated with said at least one elementary path; and computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data using said elementary path data. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determination of at least one elementary path comprises: identifying said at least one virtual concatenation group; and accessing said at least one virtual concatenation group to identify said at least one elementary path. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein said identification of said at least one concatenation group is performed on at least one of a virtual concatenation group originating node and a virtual concatenation group terminating node. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein said at least one elementary path comprises at least one active elementary path. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said determination of elementary path data associated with said at least one elementary path comprises: identifying an elementary path type associated with said at least one elementary path; and using said elementary path type to determine said elementary path data. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one elementary path substantially conforms to at least one of a VT-1.5, VT-2, VT-3, VT-6, STS1, STS3, TU-11, TU-12, TU-2, TU-3, AU-3, and AU-4. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said elementary path data comprises at least one elementary path bandwidth value. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said computation of said virtual concatenation group bandwidth data is performed at least once each minute. 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: integrating at least a portion of said virtual concatenation group bandwidth data for computing at least one total virtual concatenation group bandwidth value. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: accumulating at least a portion of said virtual concatenation group bandwidth data in at least one virtual concatenation group bandwidth data bin. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said at least one virtual concatenation group bandwidth data bin comprises virtual concatenation group bandwidth data collected within at least one of a fifteen minute period and a twenty-four hour period. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein said at least one virtual concatenation group bandwidth data bin is stored locally. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of said at least one virtual concatenation group bandwidth data bin is transmitted towards at least one external system. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein said at least one external system is at least one of an element management system, a network management system, a service management system, and a billing system. 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising: receiving, by said at least one external system, at least a portion of said at least one virtual concatenation group bandwidth data bin; and computing at least one bill using said at least a portion of said at least one virtual concatenation group bandwidth data bin. 16. An apparatus, comprising: means for determining at least one elementary path of which at least one virtual concatenation group is composed; means for determining elementary path data associated with said at least one elementary path; and means for computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data using said elementary path data. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for determining at least one elementary path comprises: means for identifying said at least one virtual concatenation group; and means for accessing said at least one virtual concatenation group to identify said at least one elementary path. 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for determining elementary path data associated with said at least one elementary path comprises: means for identifying an elementary path type associated with said at least one elementary path; and means for using said elementary path type to determine said elementary path data. 19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: means for accumulating at least a portion of said virtual concatenation group bandwidth data in at least one virtual concatenation group bandwidth data bin. 20. A computer readable medium storing a software program, that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method comprising: determining at least one elementary path of which at least one virtual concatenation group is composed; determining elementary path data associated with said at least one elementary path; and computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data using said elementary path data. | FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the field of network performance monitoring and, more specifically, to the computation of bandwidth data in networks supporting dynamic bandwidth changes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The optical networks of today typically use static paths which may take from minutes to days to provision, and which often remain unchanged for days to months. The paths, which are typically set up by a service provider using central management systems, are often contiguously concatenated. In such traditional synchronous optical networks (SONET) and synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) networks, failure of a constituent path will cause the entire contiguously concatenated path to fail as well. The service providers charge their customers for the availability and transmission quality of these static paths, where availability and transmission quality are measured using SONET/SDH performance monitoring capabilities. The next generation of optical networks have recently introduced virtually concatenated paths which allow an arbitrary number of SONET and SDH elementary paths (such as VT-1.5s, STS1s and the like) to be logically grouped in virtual concatenation groups (VCGs). The VCG members are transported as synchronous payload envelopes across the SONET/SDH network and recombined at the VCG termination sink. Furthermore, next generation optical networks have recently begun offering a capability to dynamically create and delete paths, and to increase or decrease bandwidth of existing paths, without the intervention of a central management system. The VCGs are further enriched by the link capacity adjustment scheme (LCAS), which allows dynamic reconfiguration of VCGs, including dynamic changes in the bandwidth of VCGs. This capability is used to maintain part of the transmission capacity of a VCG even if several constituent elementary paths experience failures. Using the link capacity adjustment scheme, failed channels are automatically removed from the VCG without loss of data, and in the absence of network errors. In such dynamically switched networks, a paradigm of fixed bandwidth per path is no longer required. As a result, service providers are beginning to charge customers not only for availability and transmission quality of a provided path, but for the bandwidth made available to those customers in a provided path. Since these dynamic bandwidth changes are out of the control of the service provider (i.e., occurring in a decentralized manner without using service provider management systems), bandwidth monitoring performance parameters associated with dynamic bandwidth allocation are not currently supported by SONET/SDH networks. The SONET/SDH performance monitoring is currently implemented using various combinations of element and network management systems that are used to measure the availability and transmission quality of a path; however, monitoring of path bandwidth variability is not currently supported. Thus, any autonomous changes in a switched network (such as new path setup, existing path failure, bandwidth adaptations and the like) currently result in notifications such as alarms and log file entries. The service provider management systems use these notifications received from the network elements in order to charge customers for bandwidth made available to the customers over time. Using this notification information, management systems can estimate the available bandwidth over time; however, this approach has some serious drawbacks. First, the bandwidth estimate is inaccurate since it is not directly measured by the network elements, but rather is derived from events that occur in the network. Furthermore, the bandwidth estimate is unreliable as it depends on a permanent management connection between network elements and the management systems. If this connection is temporarily unavailable, or the management system itself is temporarily unavailable, the data required to estimate the bandwidth provided to a customer is lost, and the required billing data cannot be calculated. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Various deficiencies of the prior art are addressed by the present invention comprising methods and apparatus for computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data of at least one virtual concatenation group. Specifically, a method according to one embodiment comprises determining at least one elementary path of which at least one virtual concatenation group is composed, determining elementary path data associated with the at least one elementary path and computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data using the elementary path data. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 depicts a high level block diagram of a communication network architecture; FIG. 2 depicts a high level block diagram of a network element including a virtual concatenation group bandwidth computation unit; FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of a method according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 depicts a detailed flow diagram of the method depicted in FIG. 3; and FIG. 5 depicts a high level block diagram of a general purpose computer suitable for use in performing the functions described herein. To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention is discussed in the context of a communication architecture using numerous access technologies and SONET/SDH transport technology; however, the methodology and apparatus of the invention can readily be applied to other networks (and network topologies) in which bandwidth is computed. The present invention enables more accurate and reliable computation of virtual concatenation group bandwidth data in an environment in which the bandwidth may be continuously adjusted (either automatically in response to network changes or manually in response to user commands). Furthermore, the present invention enables the accumulation of the virtual concatenation group bandwidth data over time in order to integrate virtual concatenation group bandwidth data over specific periods of time. FIG. 1 depicts a high level block diagram of a communication network architecture. Specifically, communication network architecture 100 of FIG. 1 comprises a SONET/SDH core network 110, a SONET/SDH edge network 120 and a plurality of access networks 130A-130C (collectively, access networks 130). The SONET/SDH core network 110 and the SONET/SDH edge network 120 communicate via core communication link 112. Although one core communication link 112 is depicted, more core communication links may be used. The SONET/SDH edge network 120 and access networks 130 communicate via the plurality of edge communication links 132. Although not depicted, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the SONET/SDH core network 110 comprises a plurality of interconnected network elements (such as switches, wavelength division multiplexing units, optical cross-connect systems and the like) and associated communication links. Although one SONET/SDH core network 110 is depicted, additional SONET/SDH core networks may be utilized for transporting traffic between associated SONET/SDH edge networks. As depicted in FIG. 1, SONET/SDH edge network 120 comprises a plurality of SONET/SDH edge nodes 122. Although three SONET/SDH edge nodes are depicted, fewer or more SONET/SDH edge nodes, as well as other edge network equipment (such as switches, optical cross-connect systems and the like), and associated communication links, may be deployed within a SONET/SDH edge network. Although one SONET/SDH edge network 120 is depicted, additional SONET/SDH edge networks may be deployed in order to groom traffic from the plurality of access networks 130 for transmission over the SONET/SDH core network 110. As depicted in FIG. 1, the plurality of access networks 130 comprise a time division multiplexing (TDM) access network 130A, an Ethernet access network 130B and a frame relay (FR)/asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) access network 130C. Although not depicted, those skilled in the art will appreciate that each of the access networks 130 comprises a plurality of interconnected network elements (such as routers, switches, digital cross-connect systems and the like) depending on the type of the access network. The access networks 130 access the SONET/SDH edge network 120 via a plurality of SONET/SDH edge nodes 122 and an associated plurality of edge communication links 132. Although three access networks 130 are depicted, fewer or more access networks may be deployed. An access network may support any access technology as known in the art (such as wireless, Internet Protocol (IP) networks, cable networks, and like access technologies and networks). The SONET/SDH edge nodes 122 comprise a plurality of line cards (on the access network facing side), each of which is designed to receive data (from access networks 130) and transmit data (towards access networks 130) using the technology of the access network to which the respective line card is connected. Similarly, each of the SONET/SDH edge nodes 122 comprise a plurality of line cards (on the SONET/SDH network facing side), each of which is designed to receive data (from SONET/SDH core network 110) and transmit data (towards SONET/SDH core network 110) using SONET/SDH systems. Furthermore, the SONET/SDH edge nodes typically include additional power cards, control cards, backup interface cards and the like modules that support the data receiver cards and data transmitter cards. In general, each of the SONET/SDH edge nodes 122 operates as a SONET/SDH path terminating equipment (PTE). As such, for data received from the access networks 130, each of the SONET/SDH edge nodes 122 operates as a VCG-originating node (VCG transmitter). Thus, for data received from the access networks 130, the SONET/SDH edge nodes 122 generate VCGs for transport across SONET/SDH edge network 120 and SONET/SDH core network 110. Similarly, for data received from SONET/SDH core network 110, each of the SONET/SDH edge nodes 122 operates a VCG-terminating node (VCG receiver). Thus, for data received from SONET/SDH edge network 120, the SONET/SDH edge nodes 122 terminate VCGs in order to extract the elementary paths for transmission towards the respective access networks 130. As depicted in FIG. 1, management system 140 communicates with network elements (not shown) of SONET/SDH core network 110 via at least one of a plurality of management communication links 142. Similarly, the management system 140 communicates with network elements of the SONET/SDH edge network 120 (illustratively, SONET/SDH edge nodes 122) via at least one of the plurality of management communication links 142. In one embodiment, management system 140 may communicate with at least one of SONET/SDH core network 110 and SONET/SDH edge network 120 via at least one element management system (not shown). In one embodiment, the management system 140 is at least one of an element management system, a network management system, a service management system, a billing system and the like. FIG. 2 depicts a high level block diagram of a network element including a VCG bandwidth computation unit. Specifically, network element 200 of FIG. 2 comprises an access-side line interface 210, a mapping-framing unit 220, a network-side line interface 230, a VCG bandwidth computation unit 240, a processor 250, a memory 260 and a communication module 270. In one embodiment, network element 200 of FIG. 2 is implemented as at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of SONET/SDH edge nodes 122 depicted in FIG. 1 and described herein. In another embodiment, the network element 200 of FIG. 2 is deployed within SONET/SDH core network 110. As depicted in FIG. 2, the access-side line interface 210 is coupled to the mapping-framing unit 220. Similarly, network-side line interface 230 is coupled to the mapping-framing unit 220. The mapping-framing unit 220 is coupled to the processor 250. The VCG bandwidth computation unit 240 is coupled to the network-side line interface 230 and the processor 250. The memory 260 and communication module 270 are coupled to processor 250. In one embodiment, the VCG bandwidth computation unit 240 is optionally coupled to mapping-framing unit 220. As depicted in FIG. 2, the coupling described above is implemented using a plurality of internal communication link 290. The access-side line interface 210 comprises a plurality of receive ports 212 for receiving network data from at least one of the plurality of access networks 130. The access network data is received via a respective plurality of access network receive-links 214. The receive ports 212 transmit the received access network data towards the mapping-framing unit 220 for processing for transmission towards at least one SONET/SDH edge network. Similarly, the access-side line interface 210 comprises a plurality of transmit ports 216 for transmitting network data towards at least one of the plurality of access networks 130. The access network data is transmitted via a respective plurality of access network transmit-links 218. The transmit ports 216 receive the access network data from the mapping-framing unit 220. For example, an access-side line interface may be a network interface card (NIC), such as a T-carrier 1 (T1) card designed to receive and transmit TDM traffic at a rate of approximately 1.544 megabits-per-second (Mbps), a 10 Mbps Ethernet card designed to receive and transmit Ethernet traffic at approximately 10 Mbps, an unchannelized FR Digital Signal Level 3 (DS3) card designed to receive and transmit FR traffic at approximately 45 Mbps, a DS3 ATM card designed to receive and transmit ATM traffic at approximately 45 Mbps and like interfaces for receiving and transmitting access network data. Such access-side line interfaces typically include at least one receive port and at least one transmit port. The network-side line interface 230 comprises a transmit port 232 for transmitting network data received from at least one of the plurality of access networks 130 towards other network elements within the SONET/SDH edge network 120 and SONET/SDH core network 110. The network data is transmitted via a respective transport network transmit-link 234. The transmit port 232 receives the network data from mapping-framing unit 220. Similarly, network-side line interface 230 comprises a receive port 236 for receiving SONET/SDH network data from network elements within SONET/SDH access network 120. The network data is received via a respective transport network receive-link 238. The receive port 236 transmits the SONET/SDH network data towards the mapping-framing unit 220 for processing to convert the data from SONET/SDH format into a format corresponding to the access network towards which the network data is transmitted. Although only one access-side line interface and one network-side line interface are depicted, a network element may contain additional access-side line interfaces and/or network-side line interfaces. Although three receive ports and three transmit ports are depicted with respect to the access-side line interface 210, an access-side line interface may include fewer or more receive ports and transmit ports. Similarly, although one receive port and one transmit port are depicted with respect to the network-side line interface 230, a network-side line interface may include more receive ports and transmit ports. As described above, mapping-framing unit 220 is coupled to access-side line interface 210, network-side line interface 230, processor 250, and, optionally, to VCG bandwidth computation unit 240. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the functionality implemented in the mapping-framing unit 220 may be implemented in at least one of the access-side line interface 210 and the network-side line interface 230. For example, at least one of the access-side line interface 210 and the network-side line interface 230 may include at least one of a SONET/SDH mapping unit, a SONET/SDH framer, a virtual tributary (VT)/tributary unit (TU) pointer processor, clock data recovery unit and like modules. The mapping-framing unit 220, in combination with access-side line interface 210, network-side line interface 230, processor 250 and memory 260, supports numerous features required to originate and terminate VCGs. For SONET/SDH network data transmitted from transmit port 232 on the network-side line interface 230 towards at least one SONET/SDH network, network-side line interface 230 operates as a VCG-originating node. For SONET/SDH network data received by receive port 234 on the network-side line interface 230 from at least SONET/SDH network, the network-side line interface 230 operates as a VCG-terminating node. In support of the creation of VCGs, virtual concatenation (VC), link capacity adjustment scheme (LCAS), generic framing procedure (GFP) framing, media access control (MAC), packet scheduler and like modules and services are implemented in the mapping-framing unit 220. Using various combinations of these modules and services, the mapping-framing unit 220 supports the processing of data streams of different access technologies for inclusion in corresponding SONET/SDH elementary paths. Furthermore, the mapping-framing unit 220 performs the processing required in order to map SONET/SDH elementary paths into VCGs transported across SONET/SDH networks. In general, VC is an inverse multiplexing procedure whereby contiguous bandwidth is broken into individual synchronous payload envelopes (SPEs) at the source transmitter. Typically, virtual concatenation is defined at two levels: high-order and low-order. A high-order VC module groups the payload of different Synchronous Transport Signals (STS1, STS3 and the like, for SONET) and Administrative Units (AU-3, AU-4 and the like, for SDH) at higher rates (such as 51.840 Mbps for STS1, 155.52 Mbps for STS3 and other rates as known in the art). A low-order VC module groups the payload of different VTs (VT-1.5, VT-6 and the like, for SONET) and TUs (TU-11, TU-12 and the like, for SDH) at lower rates such as 1.544 Mbps, 2.048 Mbps and other rates as known in the art. In order to utilize virtual concatenation groups, the concept of virtual concatenation is extended such that SPEs generated as a result of virtual concatenation methods are logically represented in at least one VCG. The virtual concatenation group members (elementary paths of which the VCGs are composed) are transported across the SONET/SDH network as individual SPEs and recombined at the far end VCG-terminating equipment. In other words, access network data streams received by access-side line interface 210 are mapped into elementary paths. The elementary paths are logically concatenated into VCGs for transmission over SONET/SDH networks with greater bandwidth efficiency. Similarly, in support of the termination of VCGs, de-mapping, GFP de-framing, delay compensation, VCG elementary path extraction and like modules and services are implemented in the mapping-framing unit 220. Using various combinations of these modules and services, the mapping-framing unit 220 supports the processing required for extraction of SONET/SDH elementary paths from VCGs. Furthermore, the mapping-framing unit 220 performs the processing required to convert the SONET/SDH elementary paths into data streams corresponding to the different access technologies supported by the access networks 130. In other words, network-side line interface 230 receives a SONET/SDH signal from a SONET/SDH network and transmits the SONET/SDH signal to the mapping-framing unit 220. The mapping-framing unit 220 processes the SONET/SDH signal to extract the SONET/SDH elementary paths from the VCG. The elementary paths are then processed to extract the data streams for transmission towards the respective access networks for which the data streams are intended, via access-side line interface 210. For example, if an STST1 elementary path is extracted from a VCG upon termination of the VCG, that STS1 elementary path is processed to extract the corresponding data streams of which it is composed (e.g., an Ethernet signal intended for Ethernet access network 130B). In one embodiment, the VCG bandwidth computation unit 240 performs the methodology of the present invention as described herein with respect to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. In one embodiment, the methodology of the present invention is implemented by the VCG bandwidth computation unit 240 by accessing the elementary paths of at least one VCG transmitted via transmit port 232. In another embodiment, the methodology of the present invention is implemented by VCG bandwidth computation unit 240 by accessing the elementary paths of at least one VCG received via receive port 236. In another embodiment, the methodology of the present invention is implemented by the VCG bandwidth computation unit 240 by accessing the elementary paths of at least one VCG transmitted via transmit port 232 and accessing the elementary paths of at least one VCG received via receive port 236. In another embodiment, in which the VCG bandwidth computation unit 240 accesses the elementary paths of a VCG via mapping-framing unit 220, the methodology of the present invention is implemented by the VCG bandwidth computation unit 240 using the mapping-framing unit 220. As depicted in FIG. 2, processor 250 facilitates communication between the functional elements of network element 200. In one embodiment, processor 250 receives VCG bandwidth data from VCG bandwidth computation unit 240, and processes the VCG bandwidth data for storage in at least one of a memory (illustratively, memory 260), a local database (not shown), a remote database (not shown), and like components for storing information as known in the art. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the VCG bandwidth data associated with a VCG is accumulated in at least one VCG bandwidth data bin. In one such embodiment, the VCG bandwidth data is collected and organized in at least one of a fifteen minute VCG bandwidth data bin and a twenty-four hour VCG bandwidth data bin. Furthermore, in one embodiment, accumulated VCG bandwidth data is integrated over time to determine at least one total VCG bandwidth value. In one embodiment, processor 250 retrieves at least a portion of the VCG bandwidth data in at least one VCG bandwidth data bin from memory 260. In one embodiment, the processor 250 adapts at least a portion of the retrieved VCG bandwidth information for display to an interface. In one embodiment, processor 250 passes the retrieved VCG bandwidth information to communication module 270 for transmission towards at least one external system (such as an element management system, a network management system, a service management system, a billing system and like systems) via at least one communication link (illustratively, communication link 280). FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of a method according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of a method 300 for computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data of at least one virtual concatenation group. The method 300 is entered at step 302 and proceeds to step 304. At step 304, at least one elementary path of which the at least one virtual concatenation group is composed is determined. In one embodiment, determination of at least one elementary path of which the at least one virtual concatenation group is composed comprises identifying the at least one virtual concatenation group and accessing the at least one virtual concatenation group to identify the at least one elementary path. At step 306, elementary path data associated with the at least one elementary path is determined. In one embodiment, the determination of elementary path data associated with at least one elementary path comprises identifying an elementary path type associated with the at least one elementary path and using the elementary path type to determine the elementary path data. In one embodiment, the elementary path data determined for an elementary path comprises at least one elementary path bandwidth value. In one further embodiment, the at least one elementary path bandwidth value associated with an elementary path type may be retrieved from at least one mapping table stored in a memory (illustratively, memory 260), database, and like components for storing mapping tables as known in the art. At step 308, VCG bandwidth data using the elementary path data is computed. In one embodiment, the VCG bandwidth data is a VCG bandwidth value. In one such embodiment, the VCG bandwidth value is computed by adding the elementary path bandwidths of each of the elementary paths of which the at least one VCG is composed. In another such embodiment, the VCG bandwidth is computed by multiplying each elementary path bandwidth by the number of elementary paths having that elementary path bandwidth (elementary path type), and then adding the resulting products. Since elementary paths of a VCG may fail, a VCG may be composed of a combination of active elementary paths and failed elementary paths. In one such embodiment, in which at least one elementary path of a VCG has failed, the VCG bandwidth value is computed by adding the elementary path bandwidths of each of the respective active elementary paths of which the at least one VCG is composed. In this embodiment, elementary path bandwidth associated with the at least one failed elementary path is not used in order to compute the VCG bandwidth data. FIG. 4 depicts a detailed flow diagram of the method depicted in FIG. 3 and described above. Specifically, FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of a method 400 for computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data of at least one virtual concatenation group. Although depicted as being performed serially, those skilled in the art will appreciate that at least a portion of the steps of the method 400 may be performed contemporaneously. The method 400 is entered at step 402 and proceeds to step 404. At step 404, at least one virtual concatenation group is identified. In one embodiment, the at least one virtual concatenation group is identified on the VCG-originating end of the at least one virtual concatenation group. In another embodiment, the at least one virtual concatenation group is identified on the VCG-terminating end of the at least one virtual concatenation group. In one embodiment, the at least one virtual concatenation group is identified via a network-side line interface. In another embodiment, the at least one virtual concatenation group is identified via a mapping-framing unit (or via a plurality of modules and components performing substantially the same functions as the mapping-framing unit 220 described herein). At step 406, the at least one virtual concatenation group is accessed to identify at least one elementary path (constituent SONET/SDH path) of which the VCG is composed. An elementary path is any SONET/SDH data stream capable of being mapped into a VCG. In one embodiment, each elementary path included in the accessed VCG is identified. In one embodiment, the at least one virtual concatenation group is accessed via a network-side line interface. In another embodiment, the at least one virtual concatenation group is accessed via a mapping-framing unit (or via a plurality of modules and components performing substantially the same functions as the mapping-framing unit 220 described herein). Since one or more elementary paths of a VCG may fail, a VCG may be composed of a combination of active elementary paths and failed elementary paths. As such, in one embodiment, identification of at least one elementary path of which the VCG is composed comprises identification of at least one active elementary path of which the VCG is composed. In this embodiment, failed elementary paths associated with a VCG are ignored for purposes of computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data using elementary path data (active elementary path data). At step 408, an elementary path type associated with the at least one elementary path is identified. In one embodiment, an elementary path type is determined for each elementary path of a VCG. With respect to SONET networks, elementary path types include VT-1.5, VT-2, VT-3, VT-6, STS1, STS3 and like elementary paths types supported by SONET networks. With respect to SDH, elementary path types include TU-11, TU-12, TU-2, TU-3, AU-3, AU-4 and like elementary path types supported by SDH networks. At step 410, elementary path data is determined using the elementary path type associated with at least one elementary path. In one embodiment, in which an elementary path type is determined for each elementary path of a VCG, corresponding elementary path data is determined for each elementary path of the VCG. In one embodiment, elementary path data comprises at least one elementary path bandwidth value. In one embodiment, the elementary path bandwidth is determined using an elementary path bandwidth mapping from each elementary path type to corresponding elementary path bandwidth values. In this embodiment, the elementary path bandwidth mapping may be retrieved from at least one of a memory, a database and like components for storing mappings as known in the art. At step 412, virtual concatenation group bandwidth data is computed using the elementary path data. In one embodiment, in which the elementary path data is an elementary path bandwidth value associated with each of the elementary paths of the VCG, the virtual concatenation group bandwidth data is computed using the elementary path bandwidth value associated with each of the at least one elementary paths. In one embodiment, VCG bandwidth data is computed once per second. In another embodiment, VCG bandwidth data is computed at least once each minute. At step 414, at least a portion of the virtual concatenation group bandwidth data is accumulated in at least one VCG bandwidth data bin. In one embodiment, the at least one VCG bandwidth data bin comprises virtual concatenation group bandwidth data collected within a fifteen minute period. In another embodiment, the at least one VCG bandwidth data bin comprises virtual concatenation group bandwidth data collected within a twenty-four hour period. In one embodiment, the at least one VCG bandwidth data bin is stored locally. In another embodiment, at least a portion of the at least one VCG bandwidth data bin is stored remotely in a remote database. At step 416, at least a portion of the at least one VCG bandwidth data bin is transmitted towards at least one external system. The transmission of at least a portion of the at least one VCG bandwidth data bin is performed in response to at least one of an automated request, a user-initiated request and like methods of initiating data transfers. The transmission of at least a portion of the at least one VCG bandwidth data bin is performed using any method of performing data transfers as known in the art. In one embodiment, the at least one VCG bandwidth data bin is transmitted towards at least one of an element management system, a network management system, a service management system, a billing system and like systems. In one further embodiment, the at least one external system receives the at least a portion of the at least one virtual concatenation group bandwidth data bin and uses the at least a portion of the at least one virtual concatenation group bandwidth data bin to compute at least one bill. At step 418, determine whether the calculation of VCG bandwidth data will continue or stop. If the calculation of VCG bandwidth data stops, method 400 optionally proceeds to step 420 where method 400 ends. If the calculation of VCG bandwidth data continues, method 400 optionally proceeds to step 404 where method 400 continues. Regardless of a determination that calculation of VCG bandwidth data stops or continues, method 400 optionally proceeds to step 416, at which point at least a portion of the at least one VCG bandwidth data bin may be transmitted towards at least one external system. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the VCG bandwidth data accumulated in the at least one VCG bandwidth data bin is integrated over time. The integration of VCG bandwidth data over time is used to compute at least one total VCG bandwidth value. The at least one total VCG bandwidth value may be computed for at least one of a specific length of time and a specific period of time. The at least one total VCG bandwidth value may be stored locally or, optionally, transmitted towards at least one external system. FIG. 5 depicts a high level block diagram of a general purpose computer suitable for use in performing the functions described herein. As depicted in FIG. 5, the system 500 comprises a processor element 502 (e.g., a CPU), a memory 504, e.g., random access memory (RAM) and/or read only memory (ROM), a VCG bandwidth calculation module 505, and various input/output devices 506 (e.g., storage devices, including but not limited to, a tape drive, a floppy drive, a hard disk drive or a compact disk drive, a receiver, a transmitter, a speaker, a display, an output port, and a user input device (such as a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, and the like)). It should be noted that the present invention can be implemented in software and/or in a combination of software and hardware, e.g., using application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), a general purpose computer or any other hardware equivalents. In one embodiment, the present VCG bandwidth calculation module or process 505 can be loaded into memory 504 and executed by processor 502 to implement the functions as discussed above. As such, the present VCG bandwidth calculation process 505 (including associated data structures) of the present invention can be stored on a computer readable medium or carrier, e.g., RAM memory, magnetic or optical drive or diskette and the like. In one embodiment, the methodologies of the present invention are performed on a VCG-originating node (a node that concatenates elementary paths in order to form a VCG). In another embodiment, the methodologies of the present invention are implemented on VCG-terminating node (a node that de-concatenates VCGs in order to extract and route the constituent elementary paths). In one embodiment, asymmetric bandwidth allocation is implemented between the VCG-originating node and the VCG-terminating nods. In this embodiment, the methodologies of the present invention may be implemented on both the VCG-originating and VCG-terminating nodes. In this embodiment, calculation of accurate VCG bandwidth data for billing purposes is determined by at least one of a network management system, an element management system, a service management system, and a billing system (either singly or in combination) using the combination of the VCG bandwidth data obtained from the VCG-originating and VCG-terminating nodes. Although various embodiments which incorporate the teachings of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The optical networks of today typically use static paths which may take from minutes to days to provision, and which often remain unchanged for days to months. The paths, which are typically set up by a service provider using central management systems, are often contiguously concatenated. In such traditional synchronous optical networks (SONET) and synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) networks, failure of a constituent path will cause the entire contiguously concatenated path to fail as well. The service providers charge their customers for the availability and transmission quality of these static paths, where availability and transmission quality are measured using SONET/SDH performance monitoring capabilities. The next generation of optical networks have recently introduced virtually concatenated paths which allow an arbitrary number of SONET and SDH elementary paths (such as VT-1.5s, STS1s and the like) to be logically grouped in virtual concatenation groups (VCGs). The VCG members are transported as synchronous payload envelopes across the SONET/SDH network and recombined at the VCG termination sink. Furthermore, next generation optical networks have recently begun offering a capability to dynamically create and delete paths, and to increase or decrease bandwidth of existing paths, without the intervention of a central management system. The VCGs are further enriched by the link capacity adjustment scheme (LCAS), which allows dynamic reconfiguration of VCGs, including dynamic changes in the bandwidth of VCGs. This capability is used to maintain part of the transmission capacity of a VCG even if several constituent elementary paths experience failures. Using the link capacity adjustment scheme, failed channels are automatically removed from the VCG without loss of data, and in the absence of network errors. In such dynamically switched networks, a paradigm of fixed bandwidth per path is no longer required. As a result, service providers are beginning to charge customers not only for availability and transmission quality of a provided path, but for the bandwidth made available to those customers in a provided path. Since these dynamic bandwidth changes are out of the control of the service provider (i.e., occurring in a decentralized manner without using service provider management systems), bandwidth monitoring performance parameters associated with dynamic bandwidth allocation are not currently supported by SONET/SDH networks. The SONET/SDH performance monitoring is currently implemented using various combinations of element and network management systems that are used to measure the availability and transmission quality of a path; however, monitoring of path bandwidth variability is not currently supported. Thus, any autonomous changes in a switched network (such as new path setup, existing path failure, bandwidth adaptations and the like) currently result in notifications such as alarms and log file entries. The service provider management systems use these notifications received from the network elements in order to charge customers for bandwidth made available to the customers over time. Using this notification information, management systems can estimate the available bandwidth over time; however, this approach has some serious drawbacks. First, the bandwidth estimate is inaccurate since it is not directly measured by the network elements, but rather is derived from events that occur in the network. Furthermore, the bandwidth estimate is unreliable as it depends on a permanent management connection between network elements and the management systems. If this connection is temporarily unavailable, or the management system itself is temporarily unavailable, the data required to estimate the bandwidth provided to a customer is lost, and the required billing data cannot be calculated. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Various deficiencies of the prior art are addressed by the present invention comprising methods and apparatus for computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data of at least one virtual concatenation group. Specifically, a method according to one embodiment comprises determining at least one elementary path of which at least one virtual concatenation group is composed, determining elementary path data associated with the at least one elementary path and computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data using the elementary path data. | 20040920 | 20100427 | 20060323 | 63250.0 | H04L1256 | 0 | PARK, JUNG H | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMPUTING VIRTUAL CONCATENATION GROUP BANDWIDTH DATA | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H04L | 2,004 |
|
10,946,396 | ACCEPTED | Operator warning system and method for improving locomotive operator vigilance | Disclosed is an operator warning system for use in connection with a locomotive having a horn system with a horn activation actuator and a horn device for producing a noise. The operator warning system includes an onboard computer system with a database having grade crossing data and locomotive data thereon. The onboard computer system is in communication with the horn system. The operator warning system also includes a warning device for providing an audio, visual and/or tactile indicator to an operator of the locomotive based upon the grade crossing data, locomotive data and/or actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. A method for improving locomotive operator vigilance is also disclosed. | 1. An operator warning system for use in connection with a locomotive having a horn system with a horn activation actuator and a horn device configured to produce a noise, the operator warning system comprising: an onboard computer system including a database including grade crossing data and locomotive data, the onboard computer system in communication with the horn system; and a warning device configured to provide at least one of an audio, visual and tactile indicator to an operator of the locomotive based upon at least one of grade crossing data, locomotive data and actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the grade crossing data includes data reflective of at least one of grade crossing location, grade crossing identity, grade crossing regulation, grade crossing condition and grade crossing horn activation requirement data. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the locomotive data includes data reflective of at least one of locomotive position, locomotive speed, locomotive position in a consist, locomotive direction of travel and locomotive operation parameter. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer system is in communication with a central database including track data. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the track data includes data reflective of at least one of grade crossing information, parallel track condition and switch information. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the warning device is at least partially embodied as a visual display device configured to provide a visual indicator to the operator. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the visual display device provides at least one of locomotive schematic data, track schematic data, track curvature data, grade data and grade crossing data. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the grade crossing data includes horn activation requirement data indicative of whether horn device activation is required in connection with a specified grade crossing. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein a visual indication is provided to the operator indicating whether horn device activation is required in connection with a specified grade crossing. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the visual indication is at least one of a shape, a color and a shade. 11. The system of claim 9, wherein the visual indication is modified when the activation requirement data changes. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the grade crossing data includes horn activation requirement data, and wherein the warning device provides the indicator based upon at least one of horn activation requirement data and the actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer system sends a signal to the horn system to activate the horn device based upon at least one of the horn activation requirement data and the actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the onboard computer system terminates the signal based upon the actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer system sends a signal to the horn system to activate the horn device during at least a portion of the time that the locomotive traverses a grade crossing. 16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a navigation system in communication with the onboard computer system and configured to provide locomotive location data to the onboard computer system. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the navigation system comprises a speed sensing device and a global positioning system. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the speed sensing device is an axle-mounted speed sensor. 19. The system of claim 17, wherein the global positioning system includes a global positioning receiver that provides periodic locomotive position data to the database on the onboard computer system. 20. The system of claim 16, wherein the navigation system comprises at least one of a transponder circuit, an inertial navigation system, a magnetic compass and computer vision. 21. The system of claim 1, further comprising an interface circuit in communication with the horn system and configured to determine whether the horn device has been activated by a signal initiated by the horn activation actuator or the onboard computer system. 22. The system of claim 1, wherein the indicator is at least one of an alarm, a light, a visual warning on a visual display and vibration of an operator's seat. 23. A method of improving locomotive operator vigilance for use in connection with a locomotive having a horn system with a horn activation actuator and a horn device configured to produce a noise, the method comprising the steps of: determining grade crossing data including at least one of grade crossing location, grade crossing identity, grade crossing regulation and grade crossing condition; determining horn activation requirement data for the grade crossing; determining locomotive data including at least one of locomotive position on a track, locomotive position within a consist, locomotive speed, locomotive direction of travel and locomotive operation parameter; and providing at least one of an audio, visual and tactile indicator to an operator of the locomotive based upon at least one of grade crossing data, locomotive data, horn activation requirement data and actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of communicating data between an onboard computer system and a central database including track data. 25. The method claim 24, wherein the track data includes data reflective of at least one of grade crossing information, parallel track condition and switch information. 26. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of activating a warning device. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the warning device is a visual display device, the method further comprising the step of displaying a visual indicator to the operator. 28. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of providing a visual indicator to the operator indicating whether horn device activation is required in connection with a specified grade crossing. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the visual indicator is at least one of a shape, a color and a shade. 30. The method of claim 28, wherein the visual indicator is modified when activation requirement data changes. 31. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of providing the indicator based upon at least one of horn activation requirement data and the actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. 32. The method of claim 23, wherein the horn device is automatically activated based upon at least one of the horn activation requirement data and the actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of terminating the activation of the horn device based upon the actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. 34. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of activating the horn device during at least a portion of the time that the locomotive traverses a grade crossing. 35. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of monitoring actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. 36. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of periodically updating locomotive position data. 37. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of determining whether the horn device has been activated by a signal initiated by the horn activation actuator or automatically by an onboard computer system. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/437,514, filed May 14, 2003, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to locomotive horn systems and other similar warning systems that ensure safety as a locomotive traverses a track and, in particular, to an operator warning system and method that improves the vigilance of the locomotive operator at various portions and positions on the track, such as at grade crossings and the like. 2. Description of Related Art In order to operate a locomotive or train, an operator must interact with a train control system. These train control systems, in turn, bear directly on a locomotive operator's ability to control the locomotive horn. Further, the locomotive operator, typically referred to as an engineer, is required to sound the horn at an intersection of a road in the railroad track, and such intersections are known as grade crossings. A locomotive operator is required to manage his or her train within the operating limits of the railroad, and must also strive to control the train, such that stresses within the train consist are limited, and the train effectively arrives at the destination within a scheduled timeframe. Accordingly, the responsibility of managing a train, coupled with the distractions within the locomotive cab, can lead to decreased vigilance in the repetitive task of sounding the locomotive horn at grade crossings. To add to this problem, an operator must also be aware of the crossings that do not require horn activation, and crossings that require horn activation only within certain hours of the day or direction of approach to the grade crossing. According to the prior art, certain systems have been developed to increase crew vigilance with the introduction of crew alerter devices in the locomotive cab. These devices monitor operator actions, such as changes in brake settings, throttle settings or manual horn activation. In the event that no operator activity is detected within a particular interval of time, the alerter device attempts to gain the attention of the crew through a visual or audible indication. Further, if after a longer interval of time passes and no action has been taken by the crew, or if the system cannot determine whether the train is still in the control of the operator, the alerter device may time out and automatically apply the locomotive brakes. Computer-based train control systems have taken crew vigilance to an even greater level by providing an onboard computer system that monitors train speeds, limits of authority and other restrictions and enforces these parameters. The integration of a track database with an onboard navigation system provides for the ability to warn an operator of potential speed or authority violations, thereby increasing vigilance. However, neither the crew alerter systems nor current train control systems provide vigilance for the express purpose of reminding the operator to sound the locomotive horn at a grade crossing. Therefore, there remains a need in the art to provide such a system. Further prior art systems include methods that automatically sequence the locomotive horn according to regulations at required grade crossings. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,049 to Kane et al. In particular, the system of this patent discusses the incorporation of an onboard database that includes grade crossings, a navigation system, a predictor that determines when to sound the horn according to the regulations and an interface to the locomotive horn. Although this system minimizes the potential for missed horn activations, it does not allow the operator to intervene or preempt the horn activation, as would be required during switching operations around grade crossings or other situations where the operator has greater situational awareness than the onboard computer. Therefore, there remains a need for a system that improves locomotive operator vigilance around grade crossings, but still provides the operational flexibility for an operator to perform his or her duty with respect to activation of the horn. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an operator warning system and method for improving locomotive operator vigilance that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art. It is another object of the present invention to provide an operator warning system and method for improving locomotive operator vigilance that provides alarms or indicators for the express purpose of reminding the operator to sound the locomotive horn at various positions on the track, such as at grade crossings. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an operator warning system and method for improving locomotive operator vigilance that improves the operator's vigilance around grade crossings. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an operator warning system and method for improving locomotive operator vigilance that provides for the flexibility for an operator to perform his or her duty with respect to the activation of the horn, but still provide a locomotive horn overlay system for safety purposes. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an operator warning system for use in connection with a locomotive. The locomotive includes a horn system with a horn activation actuator and a horn device that produces a noise. The operator warning system includes an onboard computer system, which has a database thereon including grade crossing data and locomotive data. The onboard computer system is in communication with the horn system. The operator warning system also includes a warning device that provides an audio, visual and/or tactile indicator to an operator of the locomotive based upon grade crossing data, locomotive data and/or actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. The present invention is also directed to a method of improving locomotive operator vigilance for use in connection with a locomotive described above. This method includes the steps of: determining grade crossing data including grade crossing location, grade crossing identity, grade crossing regulation and/or grade crossing conditions; determining horn activation requirement data for the grade crossing; determining locomotive data including locomotive position on a track, locomotive position within the consist, locomotive speed, locomotive direction of travel and/or locomotive operation parameters; and providing an audio, visual and/or tactile indicator to an operator of the locomotive based upon the grade crossing data, locomotive data, horn activation requirement data and/or actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. The present invention, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with the additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of exemplary embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an operator warning system in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of an operator warning system according to the present invention; FIG. 3 is a screenshot of an operator warning system according to the present invention in one preferred embodiment; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a locomotive horn circuit for use in connection with an operator warning system according to the present invention; and FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a state diagram of an operator warning system according to the present invention indicating operating modes of the system. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention is directed to an operator warning system 10 as illustrated in schematic form in various embodiments in FIGS. 1 and 2. The operator warning system 10 is for use in connection with a locomotive 100, which is also referred to as a “train” and a group of locomotives and/or cars is referred to as a “train consist”. As is known in the art, the locomotive 100 includes a horn system 102 with a horn activation actuator 104 and a horn device 106. The horn activation actuator 104, typically in the form of a button, is depressible by an operator 108, and the horn activation actuator 104 would send a signal to the horn device 106 to activate the horn device 106 and produce a noise, such as a warning sound. The horn device 106 may be in the form of an electro pneumatic horn valve, as is known in the art. The operator warning system 10 includes an onboard computer system 12 which includes the necessary processing algorithms and/or software for determining if and when to sound the horn device 106 and provide other information or data to the operator 108. In addition, a database 14 is resident within or stored on the onboard computer system 12, and this database 14 includes grade crossing data 16 and locomotive data 18. The onboard computer system 12 is in communication with the horn system 102 of the locomotive 100. The operator warning system 10 also includes a warning device 20 which provides an audio, visual and/or tactile indicator 22 to the operator 108 of the locomotive 100. Further, this indicator 22 is based upon the grade crossing data 16, the locomotive data 18 or an actuation condition of the horn activation actuator 104, such as whether the actuator 104 is activated, idle, etc. The database receives, stores and transmits data that is particularly useful in connection with the operating warning system 10. Specifically, the grade crossing data 16 may include data reflective of grade crossing location, grade crossing identity, grade crossing regulation, grade crossing condition, grade crossing horn activation requirement data, etc. In addition, the locomotive data 18 may include data reflective of locomotive position, locomotive speed, locomotive position in a train consist, locomotive operation parameter, etc. Also included in the database 14 is information regarding the railroad subdivision upon which the locomotive 100 is operating. In this regard, the onboard computer system 12 may be in communication with a central database 24 which includes track data. For example, the entire worldwide network database may be maintained in this central database 24 in an office server, where pertinent portions are distributed to the locomotives 100 in order to support navigation functions. The track data may include data reflective of grade crossing information, parallel track condition, switch information, etc. In one preferred and non-limiting embodiment, the warning device 20 may be in the form of a visual display device 26, such as a computer screen, a monitor or other screen device as is known in the art. The visual display device 26 provides a visual indicator 22 to the operator 108. As seen in FIG. 3, the visual indicator 22 may be in the form of a graphic positioned on a screen, which, for example, informs the operator 108 to “ACTIVATE HORN NOW” or in another example “ACTIVATION OF HORN NOT REQUIRED.” In another preferred and non-limiting embodiment, the visual display device 26 may also provide other pertinent data, in a visual form, to the operator 108. For example, the visual display device 26 may provide locomotive schematic data 28, track curvature data 30, grade data 32, grade crossing data 34 and/or track schematic data 36. In this embodiment, grade crossings are indicated by either a bright blue or pale blue line, which is perpendicular to the track in the track schematic data 36 portion of the screen. Bright blue lines indicate crossings at which the horn device 106 should be activated, whereas pale blue lines indicate the presence of a crossing that does not require horn device 106 activation. Accordingly, the grade crossing data 34 also includes horn activation requirement data indicative of whether the horn device 106 is required to be activated in connection with a specified grade crossing. Therefore, the colored or shaded lines provide a further visual indication to the operator 108 indicating whether the horn device 106 should be activated, or whether the operator 108 does not need to activate the horn device 106. Examples of track portions that may not require horn device 106 activation could be private crossings or public crossings with temporal horn device 106 activation restrictions. While discussed above in connection with the previous embodiment, where the colored lines are perpendicular to the track, any such indicator of crossings is envisioned, such as varying shapes, colors or shades. Further, based upon local time and the temporal restrictions of a given crossing, the display of that crossing could change from a bright blue to a pale blue line or vice versa. Therefore, the indication is modified when the activation requirement data changes. In operation, the operator 108 could study the visual display device 26 and locate the position of the locomotive 100 in connection with the next grade crossing. Further, the grade crossing data 34 would include an indication of whether the horn device 106 should be activated at that particular crossing. In the event that the operator 108 has -lost vigilance, the indicator 22, such as the text message illustrated in FIG. 3, would be activated to alert the operator 108 to the requirement of activating the horn device 106 for an upcoming crossing. In another preferred embodiment, the grade crossing data 16 includes horn activation requirement data, and the warning device 20 provides the indicator 22 based upon the horn activation requirement data and the actuator condition of the horn activation actuator 104. In particular, the onboard computer system 12 sends a signal to the horn system 102 and directly to the horn device 106 based upon the horn activation requirement data and the actuation condition of the horn activation actuator 104. Therefore, the onboard computer system 12 can automatically activate the horn device 106 in the event the operator 108 has lost vigilance. However, if the operator 108 regains this vigilance and activates the horn device 106 via the horn activation actuator 104, the onboard computer system 12 would terminate its automatic signal based upon this condition. Further, the onboard computer system 12 would send a signal to the horn system 102 to activate the horn device 106 during at least a portion of the time that the locomotive 100 traverses a particular grade crossing. Referring now to FIG. 2, the operator warning system 10 may also include a navigation system 38. In a preferred and non-limiting embodiment, the navigation system 38 would include a combination of a global positioning system (GPS) 42 and a speed-sensing device 40. For example, the speed-sensing device 40 may be an axle-mounted speed sensor. The global positioning system 42 would include a global positioning receiver 44 that provides periodic locomotive 100 position data to the database 14 on the onboard computer system 12. Therefore, the global positioning receiver 44 provides for periodic positioning against the onboard track database 14, and after an exact location has been determined in the track database 14, a positioning algorithm relies upon dead reckoning along the track by considering time and velocity as derived from the speed sensing device 40, in this case an axle-mounted speed sensor. Since navigation is along a predetermined linear path, the dead reckoning approach provides for a simple, et accurate means of navigating. After a period of time, however, the uncertainty of the dead reckoning system will have grown to the point where another “fix” of the global positioning system 42 is required to obtain an accurate navigation solution. This approach would allow for periodic outages of the global positioning system 42, such as may be the case while traversing through a tunnel, however, even during these outages, a navigational solution is provided until a limit of uncertainty is reached. It is further envisioned that the navigation system 38 may be in the form of a transponder circuit, an inertial navigation system, a magnetic compass, computer vision, etc. The operator warning system 10 may also include an interface circuit 46, which is in communication with the horn system 102. The interface circuit 46 can determine whether the horn device 106 has been activated by a signal initiated by the horn activation actuator 104 or the onboard computer system 12. In one preferred and non-limiting embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the interface circuit 46 is provided to both sense operator 108 activation of the horn device 106 and computer-controlled activation of the horn device 106 if a loss of vigilance is detected. A preferred embodiment is a fully electric horn system where voltage is controlled through the operator horn activation actuator 104 for the purpose of driving an electro pneumatic valve that allows air to expel through the horn device 106. It is envisioned that a pneumatic pressure switch could also be used to detect operator activation of the pneumatically-controlled horn. In the case of the electro pneumatic implementation, and in the case of a loss of operator 108 vigilance, the onboard computer system 12 sends a horn drive signal 48 to close a horn activation relay 50, which activates the horn device 106. This is referred to as the “automatic” activation of the horn device 106. However, as seen in FIG. 4, if the operator 108 presses the horn activation actuator 104, the horn device 106 is activated as well. Therefore, an additional diode 52 is placed in series between the existing operator horn activation actuator 104 and the horn device 106, such as the coil of the electro pneumatic horn valve. This additional diode 52 provides for a means of distinguishing between an operator's activation of the horn device 106 and a computer-controlled activation of the horn device 106. This is useful in that, while the onboard computer system 12 may be driving the activation of the horn device 106, it still has the ability to detect activation of the operator's horn activation actuator 104. As discussed above, the warning device 20 may be in various forms. For example, the warning device 20 may use a variety of operator interface mechanisms, such as verbal or tone audible warnings, simple visual warnings, such as a warning lamp or simple text display and/or tactile warnings, such as a seat vibrator. In addition, the onboard computer system 12 may have many functions well known in the art. For example, the onboard computer system 12 may use the airbrake and throttle settings to determine if the locomotive 100 is operating in lead or trail, and would then only activate the horn device 106 in the lead position. Referring now to FIG. 5, and in one preferred and non-limiting embodiment of the operator warning system 10, the onboard computer system 12 operation includes three basic states. The WAITING state and the CUT-OUT state produce no outputs from the system, but the WARNING state engages the engineer vigilance process and operating warning system 10 discussed above. In operation, the system 12 boots up in the CUT-OUT state and remains there until a self test is executed and passed, an explicit system 12 initialization has been commanded by the operator 108, the navigation system 38 has a valid track location and the locomotive 100 is determined to be the lead unit in the train consist. The position of the locomotive 100 may be determined by monitoring the airbrake settings. Further, by detecting that the airbrake system is “cut-in” and also set to “lead”, the onboard computer system 12 can conclude that this is the lead locomotive 100 in a train consist. Of course, an exception to this case would be a locomotive 100 operating in either distributive power mode or as a pusher, where the locomotive 100 would not be a lead unit, but the airbrake settings would be both “cut-in” and “lead”. Under this exception condition, the system 12 would not leave the CUT-OUT state since the operator would not go through an explicit initialization process. After the system 12 leaves the CUT-OUT state, it proceeds to the WAITING state where it monitors operator horn activation actuator 104 operations. With knowledge of the appropriate place to activate the horn device 106, based upon the grade crossing data 16 and the locomotive data 18, the onboard computer system 12 determines if the operator 108 has missed an opportunity. If the horn device 106 has not been sounded prior to a fixed distance to the crossing, the system 12 transitions to the WARNING state. That fixed distance is established by each railroad's requirements, but generally would be a short distance past the point where the horn device 106 would normally be activated. If the operator 108 sounds the horn device 106 as required, the system 12 will remain in the WAITING state, since there is no lack of vigilance by the operator 108. In the WARNING state, the system 12 displays an icon to the operator 108 to remind him or her of the requirement to activate (or perhaps refrain from activating) the locomotive horn device 106. At the same time, the system 12 activates a single long blast again to alert the operator 108, and also to provide a backup to a potentially failed operator horn activation actuator 104. If the operator 108 regains vigilance at this point and activates his or her horn activation actuator 104, the system 12 will return to the WAITING state until the next grade crossing or horn device 106 activation is expected. If the operator 108 fails to regain vigilance, the system 12 will provide a second long horn blast as the locomotive 100 nears and traverses the grade crossing, since it can be assumed that the operator 108 is not capable of providing warnings to those on the ground. In order to improve locomotive operator 108 vigilance, a method is provided and includes the steps of determining the grade crossing data 16, which includes grade crossing location, grade crossing identity, grade crossing regulation and grade crossing condition; determining horn activation requirement data for the grade crossing; determining locomotive data 18 including locomotive position on a track, locomotive position within a consist, locomotive speed and locomotive operation parameters; and providing an audio, visual and/or tactile indicator 22 to the operator 108 of the locomotive 100 based upon the grade crossing data 16, the locomotive data 18, horn activation requirement data and/or actuation condition of the horn activation actuator 104. In this manner, an operator warning system 10 and method for improving operator 108 vigilance is provided. This system 10 and method not only provides for improved vigilance by an operator 108, but also tolerates system faults with less impact on safety than the prior art. In the event of a system 12 failure, an automatic horn activation system that has no interaction with the locomotive operator 108 would not provide any warning to individuals along the track. The present invention provides a system 10 and a method that improves upon this problem by providing primary control to the horn to the operator 108. This invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obvious modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to locomotive horn systems and other similar warning systems that ensure safety as a locomotive traverses a track and, in particular, to an operator warning system and method that improves the vigilance of the locomotive operator at various portions and positions on the track, such as at grade crossings and the like. 2. Description of Related Art In order to operate a locomotive or train, an operator must interact with a train control system. These train control systems, in turn, bear directly on a locomotive operator's ability to control the locomotive horn. Further, the locomotive operator, typically referred to as an engineer, is required to sound the horn at an intersection of a road in the railroad track, and such intersections are known as grade crossings. A locomotive operator is required to manage his or her train within the operating limits of the railroad, and must also strive to control the train, such that stresses within the train consist are limited, and the train effectively arrives at the destination within a scheduled timeframe. Accordingly, the responsibility of managing a train, coupled with the distractions within the locomotive cab, can lead to decreased vigilance in the repetitive task of sounding the locomotive horn at grade crossings. To add to this problem, an operator must also be aware of the crossings that do not require horn activation, and crossings that require horn activation only within certain hours of the day or direction of approach to the grade crossing. According to the prior art, certain systems have been developed to increase crew vigilance with the introduction of crew alerter devices in the locomotive cab. These devices monitor operator actions, such as changes in brake settings, throttle settings or manual horn activation. In the event that no operator activity is detected within a particular interval of time, the alerter device attempts to gain the attention of the crew through a visual or audible indication. Further, if after a longer interval of time passes and no action has been taken by the crew, or if the system cannot determine whether the train is still in the control of the operator, the alerter device may time out and automatically apply the locomotive brakes. Computer-based train control systems have taken crew vigilance to an even greater level by providing an onboard computer system that monitors train speeds, limits of authority and other restrictions and enforces these parameters. The integration of a track database with an onboard navigation system provides for the ability to warn an operator of potential speed or authority violations, thereby increasing vigilance. However, neither the crew alerter systems nor current train control systems provide vigilance for the express purpose of reminding the operator to sound the locomotive horn at a grade crossing. Therefore, there remains a need in the art to provide such a system. Further prior art systems include methods that automatically sequence the locomotive horn according to regulations at required grade crossings. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,049 to Kane et al. In particular, the system of this patent discusses the incorporation of an onboard database that includes grade crossings, a navigation system, a predictor that determines when to sound the horn according to the regulations and an interface to the locomotive horn. Although this system minimizes the potential for missed horn activations, it does not allow the operator to intervene or preempt the horn activation, as would be required during switching operations around grade crossings or other situations where the operator has greater situational awareness than the onboard computer. Therefore, there remains a need for a system that improves locomotive operator vigilance around grade crossings, but still provides the operational flexibility for an operator to perform his or her duty with respect to activation of the horn. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an operator warning system and method for improving locomotive operator vigilance that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art. It is another object of the present invention to provide an operator warning system and method for improving locomotive operator vigilance that provides alarms or indicators for the express purpose of reminding the operator to sound the locomotive horn at various positions on the track, such as at grade crossings. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an operator warning system and method for improving locomotive operator vigilance that improves the operator's vigilance around grade crossings. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an operator warning system and method for improving locomotive operator vigilance that provides for the flexibility for an operator to perform his or her duty with respect to the activation of the horn, but still provide a locomotive horn overlay system for safety purposes. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an operator warning system for use in connection with a locomotive. The locomotive includes a horn system with a horn activation actuator and a horn device that produces a noise. The operator warning system includes an onboard computer system, which has a database thereon including grade crossing data and locomotive data. The onboard computer system is in communication with the horn system. The operator warning system also includes a warning device that provides an audio, visual and/or tactile indicator to an operator of the locomotive based upon grade crossing data, locomotive data and/or actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. The present invention is also directed to a method of improving locomotive operator vigilance for use in connection with a locomotive described above. This method includes the steps of: determining grade crossing data including grade crossing location, grade crossing identity, grade crossing regulation and/or grade crossing conditions; determining horn activation requirement data for the grade crossing; determining locomotive data including locomotive position on a track, locomotive position within the consist, locomotive speed, locomotive direction of travel and/or locomotive operation parameters; and providing an audio, visual and/or tactile indicator to an operator of the locomotive based upon the grade crossing data, locomotive data, horn activation requirement data and/or actuation condition of the horn activation actuator. The present invention, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with the additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of exemplary embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. | 20040921 | 20080708 | 20050526 | 95321.0 | 3 | ARTHUR JEANGLAUD, GERTRUDE | OPERATOR WARNING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING LOCOMOTIVE OPERATOR VIGILANCE | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,946,548 | ACCEPTED | Telecommunications network for remote patient monitoring | A communications network for providing continuous patient monitoring to provide critical care services from a remote location. A plurality of patient monitoring stations with associated patient monitoring instrumentation is connected over a communications network to a command center to which data flows continuously for analysis. A standardized series of guideline algorithms for treating a variety of critical care conditions are prompted to provide critical care by caregivers who monitor the progress of individual patients at remote patient monitoring stations. A smart alert system that can be flexibly set from the command center provides for patient-specific rules to be established to alert the caregivers to potential patient problems so that intervention can occur in a timely fashion. A data storage/data warehouse function analyzes individual patient information from a plurality of command centers and provides updated algorithms and critical care support to the remote command centers. | 1. A hospitalized patient care system comprising: a telecommunication network; monitoring stations comprising monitoring equipment adapted to monitor data elements from geographically dispersed hospitalized patients and to send the monitored data elements to a remote command center via the telecommunications network, wherein the remote command center is adapted to: receive the monitored data elements from the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients; access patient data elements indicative of a medical condition associated with each of the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients; establish patient-specific rules associated with each of the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients; and apply the patient-specific rules continuously and simultaneously using a rules engine adapted to: select data elements from the monitored data elements and the patient data elements associated with a hospitalized patient; apply a patient-specific rule associated with the hospitalized patient to the selected data elements; determine whether the patient-specific rule for the hospitalized patient has been contravened; and in the event the patient-specific rule for the hospitalized patient has been contravened, issue an alert from the remote command center. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient specific rule for the hospitalized patient comprises an algorithm. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a medication data element of the hospitalized patient. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected data elements comprise a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and another physiological data element of the hospitalized patient. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected data elements comprise at least two data elements of the hospitalized patient selected from the group consisting of a physiological data element, a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient, a medication data element of the hospitalized patient, and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises a patient intervention protocol and order. 10. The system of claim 1 wherein the rules engine is further adapted to: determine whether the hospitalized patient requires monitoring by the monitoring station; and in the event the hospitalized patient does not require monitoring by the monitoring station, issue a release protocol and order. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein monitoring equipment further comprises physiological sensors and monitored data elements comprise physiological data elements. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein monitoring equipment further comprises: a video imaging system and wherein monitored data elements comprises video image data elements, and a voice communication system and wherein monitored data further comprises audio data elements. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the hospitalized patient care system further comprises an audio/video teleconferencing server, and wherein the audio/video teleconferencing server is adapted to: bridge a local visitation terminal and a remote visitation terminal; send audio and video signals generated by the local visitation terminal to the remote visitation terminal; send audio and video signals generated by the remote visitation terminal to the local visitation terminal; and provide the audio data elements and video image data elements to both the remote visitation terminal and the local visitation terminal. 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the hospitalized patient care system further comprises a patient support system adapted to: access a decision support algorithm; apply the decision support algorithm to selected data elements of a hospitalized patient; apply the decision support algorithm to user input; and provide patient care advice to the user. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the patient care advice is a diagnosis. 16. The system of claim 14, wherein the patient care advice is a method of treatment. 17. The system of claim 14, wherein the patient care advice is a laboratory protocol. 18. The system of claim 14, wherein the patient support system is further adapted to: access an order writing module; and issue an order. 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the order comprises authorization to administer medication to the hospitalized patient. 20. The system of claim 18, wherein the order comprises authorization to subject the hospitalized patient to a laboratory protocol. 21. The system of claim 18, wherein the order comprises authorization to subject the hospitalized patient to a surgical procedure. 22. A method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients: receiving at a remote command center monitored data elements from geographically dispersed hospitalized patients via a telecommunications network; accessing patient data elements indicative of a medical condition associated with each of the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients; establishing patient-specific rules associated with each of the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients; selecting data elements from the monitored data elements associated with the hospitalized patient and the patient data elements associated with a hospitalized patient; applying a patient-specific rule associated with the hospitalized patient to the selected data elements; making a determination whether the patient-specific rule for the hospitalized patient has been contravened; and in the event the patient-specific rule for the hospitalized patient has been contravened, issuing an alert from the remote command center. 23. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein selecting data elements from the monitored data elements associated with a hospitalized patient and the patient data elements associated with a hospitalized patient comprises selecting a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and to a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient. 24. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein selecting data elements from the monitored data elements associated with a hospitalized patient and the patient data elements associated with a hospitalized patient comprises selecting a physiological data element and to a medication data element of the hospitalized patient. 25. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein selecting data elements from the monitored data elements associated with a hospitalized patient and the patient data elements associated with a hospitalized patient comprises selecting a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and to a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. 26. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein selecting data elements from the monitored data elements associated with a hospitalized patient and the patient data elements associated with a hospitalized patient comprises selecting a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient and to a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. 27. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein selecting data elements from the monitored data elements associated with a hospitalized patient and the patient data elements associated with a hospitalized patient comprises selecting a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and to another physiological data element of the hospitalized patient. 28. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein selecting data elements from the monitored data elements associated with a hospitalized patient and the patient data elements associated with a hospitalized patient comprises selecting at least two data elements of the hospitalized patient selected from the group consisting of a physiological data element, a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient, a medication data element of the hospitalized patient, and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. 29. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein issuing an alert comprises issuing a patient intervention protocol and order. 30. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, the method further comprising: making a determination whether the hospitalized patient requires monitoring by the monitoring station; and in the event the hospitalized patient does not require monitoring by the monitoring station, issuing a release protocol and order. 31. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein receiving at a remote command center monitored data elements from geographically dispersed hospitalized patients comprises receiving physiological data elements. 32. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein receiving at a remote command center monitored data elements from geographically dispersed hospitalized patients comprises receiving video image data elements and audio data elements. 33. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 32, wherein the method further comprises: bridging a local visitation terminal and a remote visitation terminal; sending audio and video signals generated by the local visitation terminal to the remote visitation terminal; sending audio and video signals generated by the remote visitation terminal to the local visitation terminal; and providing the audio data elements and video image data elements to both the remote visitation terminal and the local visitation terminal. 34. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the method further comprises: accessing a decision support algorithm; applying the decision support algorithm to selected data elements of a hospitalized patient; applying the decision support algorithm to user input; and providing patient care advice to the user. 35. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein providing patient care advice to the user comprises providing the user a diagnosis. 36. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein providing patient care advice to the user comprises providing the user a method of treatment. 37. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein providing patient care advice to the user comprises providing the user a laboratory protocol. 38. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the method further comprises: accessing an order writing module; and issuing an order. 39. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 38, wherein issuing an order comprises issuing an authorization to administer medication to the hospitalized patient. 40. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 38, wherein issuing an order comprises issuing an authorization to subject the hospitalized patient to a laboratory protocol. 41. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 38, wherein issuing an order comprises issuing an authorization to subject the hospitalized patient to a surgical procedure. 42. The system of claim 1, wherein a monitoring station is a transportable monitoring station comprising the monitoring equipment. 43. The system of claim 42, wherein the transportable monitoring station comprises a cart. 44. The system of claim 43, wherein the transportable monitoring station further comprises a video camera, a microphone, a speaker, patient monitoring devices, a printer, a network interface, and a data entry device. 45. The system of claim 42, wherein the transportable monitoring station is wearable by the patient. 46. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring equipment is integrated into a patient support device. 47. The system of claim 46, wherein the patient support device is selected from the group consisting of a bed, a chair, a recliner, and a wheelchair. 48. The system of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications network comprises a wireless sub-network and wherein a monitoring station is adapted to send the monitored data elements to the remote command center via the telecommunications network using the wireless subnetwork. 49. The system of claim 48, wherein the monitoring station is a transportable monitoring station comprising the monitoring equipment. 50. The system of claim 49, wherein the transportable monitoring station comprises a cart. 51. The system of claim 50, wherein the transportable monitoring station further comprises a video camera, a microphone, a speaker, patient monitoring devices, a printer, a network interface, and a data entry device. 52. The system of claim 49, the transportable monitoring station is wearable by the patient. 53. The system of claim 48, wherein the monitoring equipment is integrated into a patient support device. 54. The system of claim 53, wherein the patient support device is selected from the group consisting of a bed, a chair, a recliner, and a wheelchair. 55. The system of claim 1, wherein the hospitalized patient is located in a hospital. 56. The system of claim 1, wherein the hospitalized patient is located in a nursing home. 57. The system of claim 1, wherein the hospitalized patient is located in a mobile health care facility. 58. The system of claim 57, wherein the mobile health care facility is selected from the group consisting of a ship, a helicopter, and an ambulance. 59. The system of claim 1, wherein the hospitalized patient is located in a space-based health care facility. 60. The system of claim 1, wherein the hospitalized patient is located in a field health care facility. 61. The system of claim 1, wherein the hospitalized patient is located in a residence. 62. The system of claim 1, wherein the wherein the hospitalized patient is located in an emergency room. 63. The system of claim 1, wherein the wherein the hospitalized patient is located in an intensive care unit. 64. The system of claim 1, wherein the wherein the hospitalized patient is located in an operating room. 65. The system of claim 1, wherein the wherein the hospitalized patient is located in a step down unit. 66. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the monitored data elements are acquired using a transportable monitoring station. 67. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 66, wherein the transportable monitoring station comprises a cart. 68. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 67, wherein the transportable monitoring station further comprises a video camera, a microphone, a speaker, patient monitoring devices, a printer, a network interface, and a data entry device. 69. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 67, wherein the transportable monitoring station is wearable by the patient. 70. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the monitored data elements are acquired using monitoring equipment integrated into a patient support device. 71. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 70, wherein the patient support device is selected from the group consisting of a bed, a chair, a recliner, and a wheelchair. 72. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the telecommunications network comprises a wireless sub-network and wherein receiving at a remote command center monitored data elements from geographically dispersed hospitalized patients via a telecommunications network comprises receiving at the remote command center monitored data elements from the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients via the wireless subnetwork. 73. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 72, wherein the monitored data elements are acquired using a transportable monitoring station comprising monitoring equipment. 74. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 73, wherein the transportable monitoring station comprises a cart. 75. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 74, wherein the transportable monitoring station further comprises a video camera, a microphone, a speaker, patient monitoring devices, a printer, a network interface, and a data entry device. 76. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 73, wherein the transportable monitoring station is wearable by the patient. 77. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 72, wherein the monitored data elements are acquired using monitoring equipment integrated into a patient support device. 78. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 77, wherein the patient support device is selected from the group consisting of a bed, a chair, a recliner, a wheelchair, a stretcher and a gurney. 79. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the hospitalized patient is located in a hospital. 80. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the hospitalized patient is located in a nursing home. 81. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the hospitalized patient is located in mobile health care facility. 82. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 81, wherein the mobile health care facility is selected from the group consisting of a ship, a helicopter, and an ambulance. 83. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the hospitalized patient is located in a space-based health care facility. 84. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the hospitalized patient is located in a field health care facility. 85. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the hospitalized patient is located in a residence. 86. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the wherein the hospitalized patient is located in an emergency room. 87. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the wherein the hospitalized patient is located in an intensive care unit. 88. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the wherein the hospitalized patient is located in an operating room. 89. The method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients as in claim 22, wherein the wherein the hospitalized patient is located in a step down unit. | BACKGROUND This invention relates generally to a communication system for medical applications and monitoring of equipment used in the care of hospitalized patients. More particularly this invention uses a telecommunications network to provide a real-time, continuous data transfer from patient monitoring equipment into a computer system that continuously assesses such monitored data for medical assessment, tracking of progress of treatment, and other applications for hospitalized patients in geographically dispersed locations. While the severity of illness of hospitalized patients over the past 15 years has increased dramatically, the level of and type of care of those patients has remained constant. Most hospitalized patients receive brief minutes of attention during morning rounds from physicians with limited critical care experience. During the remainder of the day and night, nurses are the primary caregivers, with specialists called only after patient conditions have started to deteriorate. The result of this mismatch between severity of illness and physician coverage is an unacceptably high mortality rate. In ICUs, where patients are assumed to get the best care, the mortality rate is 10% nationwide, and marked by a high prevalence of avoidable errors that result in clinical complications. In 1998, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) determined that avoidable patient complications were responsible for 98,000 deaths per year and was the single largest problem in medical care delivery. A 2003 study estimated that 18 patient safety indicators attributed $9.3 billion in excess charges per year and a more recent study (Health Grades Quality Study—July 2004) estimated that the IOM study had grossly underestimated the avoidable deaths and that the figure was closer to 190,000 deaths per year. Numerous studies have shown that increasing the involvement of skilled care providers with patients can markedly improve patient outcomes. While providing additional skilled care providers would seem an obvious solution, current trends suggest that the demand for skilled care providers will continue to exceed the supply. Attempts to automate various aspects of patient care have been the subject of various inventions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,669 to Iliff was issued for “Computerized Medical Diagnostic and Treatment Advice System.” The disclosed invention is for a system and method for providing computerized knowledge based medical diagnostic and treatment advice to the general public over a telephone network. U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,948 to Ross, Jr. et al was issued for “Medical Records Documentation, Tracking and Order Entry System”. The disclosed invention is for a system and method that computerizes medical records, documentation, tracking and order entries. A teleconferencing system is employed to allow patient and medical personnel to communicate with each other. A video system can be employed to videotape a patient's consent. U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,175 to Norden-Paul et al. was issued for A Method for Generating Patient-Specific Flowsheets By Adding/Deleting Parameters.” The disclosed invention is for an automated clinical records system for automated entry of bedside equipment results, such as an EKG monitor, respirator, etc. The system allows for information to be entered at the bedside using a terminal having input means and a video display. U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,649 to David et al. was issued for Ambulatory Patient Health Monitoring Techniques Utilizing Interactive Visual Communications.” The disclosed invention is for an interactive visual system, which allows monitoring of patients at remote sites, such as the patient's home. Electronic equipment and sensors are used at the remote site to obtain data from the patient, which is sent to the monitoring site. The monitoring site can display and save the video, audio and patients data. U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,821 to Ballantyne et al. was issued for “Method and Apparatus for Electronically Accessing and Distributing Personal Health Care Information and Services in Hospitals and Homes.” The disclosed invention is for an automated system and method for distribution and administration of medical services, entertainment services, and electronic health records for health care facilities. U.S. Patent No. 5,832,450 to Myers et al. issued for “Electronic Medical Record Using Text Database.” The disclosed invention is for an electronic medical record system, which stores data about patient encounters arising from a content generator in freeform text. U.S. Pat. No. 5,812,983 to Kumagai was issued for “Computer Medical File and Chart System.” The disclosed invention is for a system and method which integrates and displays medical data in which a computer program links a flow sheet of a medical record to medical charts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,387 to Lamb et al. was issued for “Method and Apparatus for Coordinating Medical Procedures.” The disclosed invention is for a method and apparatus that coordinates two or more medical teams to evaluate and treat a patient at the same time without repeating the same steps. U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,725 to Suto et al. issued for “Data Processing System which Suggests a Pattern of Medical Tests to Reduce the Number of Tests Necessary to Confirm or Deny a Diagnosis.” The disclosed invention is for a data processing system that uses decision trees for diagnosing a patient's symptoms to confirm or deny the patient's ailment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,187 to Sorensen issued for “Computer Aided Medical Diagnostic Method and Apparatus.” The disclosed invention is for an interactive computerized diagnostic system which relies on color codes which signify the presence or absence of the possibility of a disease based on the symptoms a physician provides the system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,438 to Chen et al. issued for “Intelligent Remote Visual Monitoring System for Home Health Care Service.” The disclosed invention is for a computer-based remote visual monitoring system, which provides in-home patient health care from a remote location via ordinary telephone lines. U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,978 to Levy was issued for “Supplemental Audio Visual Emergency Reviewing Apparatus and Method.” The disclosed invention is for a system which videotapes a patient and superimposes the patient's vital statistics onto the videotape. U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,834 issued to Reuss, et al. was issued for a “Method and System for Remotely Monitoring Multiple Medical Parameters in an Integrated Medical Monitoring System.” The disclosed invention is for an integrated medical monitoring system having a patient monitor, a central monitor, and a remote access device. Each of these devices is tied together through an integrated communications link. The communications between various components of the system are bi-directional, an attribute described as affording the opportunity to change data sampling rates and select which parameters to monitor from the remote location The thrust of the Reuss Patent is the collection of data from monitors so that the data are available to a caregiver. The caregiver may view the data on a display or request the data for viewing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,275 issued to Lee for a “Home Medical Surveillance System,” describes an apparatus for use in a patient's home that includes special furniture on which the patient lies and sits. Embedded in this special furniture are devices that automatically sense multiple parameters related to the patient's health. The disclosed invention is directed to monitoring individual ambulatory patients in a home environment. However, this monitoring is not stated to be continuous. U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,606 issued to Buxton et al. for a “Physiological Monitoring System,” describes an apparatus for measuring physiological parameters indicative of the condition of a patient and sending those parameters to a central monitoring station. The central monitoring station would display the parameters in analog and digital form issue an alert signal in the event certain parameter values are detected. Viewing patient data is accomplished by selecting a patient using a switch (FIG. 3, callout 122). Thus, not all patients are monitored at all times. The described invention is directed to a data gathering system combined with a single event driven process to manage “emergencies.” Data is presented to a single operator and, except for certain alert conditions, the evaluation of that data is charged to the single operator. While these inventions provide useful records management and diagnostic tools, none of them provides a comprehensive communications system that incorporates for monitoring and providing real time continuous assessment and intervention of monitored hospitalized patients at disparate patient monitoring stations. What would be useful would be a communication network for automated monitoring of multiple hospitalized patients, capable of using diverse data sources to provide a continuous assessment of a patient's condition. Such a network would support computerized diagnostic tools to aid caregivers in identifying and treating hospitalized patients who would benefit from monitoring and assessment. Such a network would further comprise the ability to flexibly and individually establish and/or revise alerts for patients from a central location based on individualized patient parameters and to utilize computer based algorithms to a communications network optimized for intervening appropriately. SUMMARY An embodiment of the present invention uses a telecommunications network to facilitate real-time, continuous assessment of hospitalized patients in geographically dispersed locations. For the purpose of this and other embodiments of the present invention, a “hospitalized patient” refers to a person admitted to a treatment facility capable of providing twenty-four hour care. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, a treatment facility may be a hospital, a nursing home, or other long-term institution that is capable of providing twenty-four hour care. A patient may be selected for monitoring based on criteria established by the treatment facility. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, a ‘monitored patient” comprises a critically ill patient, an acutely ill patient, a patient with a specific illness, an emergency room patient, an operating room patient, and a patient with an uncertain diagnosis. Patient monitoring equipment acquires monitored data elements from a hospitalized patient which can come from a patient monitoring station and transmits the monitoring data over a network to a remote command center. Monitored data comprises physiological data elements, video data elements, and audio data elements. The remote command center receives the monitoring data from all of the patient monitoring stations. The remote command center also accesses other data relating to the condition of a patient. By way of illustration and not as limitation, the remote command center has access to data relating to personal information about the patient (name, address, marital status, age, gender, ethnicity, next of kin), medical history (illnesses, injuries, surgeries, allergies, medications), admissions information (symptoms, physiological data, time of admission, observations of admitting caregiver), treatment, lab data, test reports (radiology reports and microbiology reports for example), physician's notes, a patient's diagnosis, prescriptions, history, condition, laboratory results and other health-relevant data (collectively “patient data”). The data available to the remote command center over the network, that is, the monitoring data and the patient data, is collectively referred to as “assessment data.” A rules engine continuously applies a patient-specific rule or rule set to the data elements selected from the assessment data from each monitored hospitalized patient to determine whether the patient-specific rule for that site has been contravened. In the event the patient-specific rule has been contravened, an alert at the remote command center is triggered. Patient-specific rules for each monitored hospitalized patient may be established and changed at the remote command center for each as the patients' conditions warrant. In one embodiment of the present invention, a patient-specific rule is established to determine whether a patient's condition is deteriorating. In another embodiment, a patient specific rule is established to determine whether a patient's condition is improving. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, an alert that a patient-specific rule has been contravened comprises advice on treatment of the patient. Another embodiment of the present invention provides continued care software that uses elements of the assessment data to provide decision support and that prompts a user for input to provide decision support to caregivers. A decision support algorithm responds to elements of assessment data to produce textural material describing a medical condition, scientific treatments and possible complications. This information is available in real time to assist in all types of clinical decisions from diagnosis to treatment to triage. In still another embodiment of the present invention, order writing software facilitates the ordering of procedures and medications using patient-specific data. The order writing software and the continued care software are interactive allowing a caregiver to access features of both applications simultaneously, so that patient orders are given that are consistent and not conflicting with a patient's status and condition (i.e., allergies to medications or medications that may conflict with the order in question). In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a video visitation system allows remote visitation participants (RVPs) at remote terminals to participate in a video/audio conferencing session with a local visitation participant (LVP) (e.g., the patient or the patient's caregivers) at a patient site. It is therefore an aspect of the present invention to receive at a remote command center monitoring data from a monitored hospitalized patient over a communications network. It is another aspect of the present invention to make available other data relating to the condition of a patient to the remote command center. It is yet another aspect of the present invention to establish and/or revise patient specific rules at the remote command center and to apply a rules engine to “assessment data” to determine whether a patient-specific rule is contravened. It is another aspect of the present invention to determine based on assessment data whether the condition of a monitored hospitalized patient warrants revising a patient-specific rule at the remote command center. It is still another aspect of the present invention to issue an alert from the remote command center in the event a patient-specific rule is contravened. It is an aspect of the present invention to provide treatment information in an order for an intervention issued by the remote command center to a treatment facility where a monitored hospitalized patient is receiving care. It is a further aspect of the present invention to apply decision support algorithms to data relating to the condition of a patient to provide decision support to caregivers. It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a video visitation system that allows a remote visitation participant to participate in a video/audio conferencing session with a patient and/or a local visitation participant. In an embodiment of the present invention, a hospitalized patient care system comprises a telecommunication network and monitoring stations. The monitoring stations comprise monitoring equipment adapted to monitor data elements from geographically dispersed hospitalized patients and to send the monitored data elements to a remote command center via the telecommunications network. In an embodiment of the present invention, monitoring equipment comprises physiological sensors and monitored data elements comprise physiological data elements. In still another embodiment of the present invention, monitoring equipment comprises a video imaging system that sends video image data elements to the remote command center and a voice communication system that sends audio data elements to remote command center. The remote command center receives the monitored data elements from the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients, accesses patient data elements indicative of a medical condition associated with each of the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients, establishes patient-specific rules associated with each of the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients, and applies the patient-specific rules continuously and simultaneously using a rules engine. In an embodiment of the present invention, a patient specific rule comprises an algorithm. The rules engine selects data elements from the monitored data elements and the patient data elements associated with a hospitalized patient, applies a patient-specific rule associated with the hospitalized patient to the selected data elements, determines whether the patient-specific rule for the hospitalized patient has been contravened; and in the event the patient-specific rule for the hospitalized patient has been contravened, issues an alert from the remote command center. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, the alert comprises a patient intervention protocol and order. In an embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a medication data element of the hospitalized patient. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. In still another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. In another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and another physiological data element of the hospitalized patient. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise at least two data elements of the hospitalized patient selected from the group consisting of a physiological data element, a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient, a medication data element of the hospitalized patient, and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. Additionally, the rules engine determines whether the hospitalized patient requires monitoring by the monitoring station. In the event the hospitalized patient does not require monitoring by the monitoring station, the rules engine issues a release protocol and order. In another embodiment of the present invention, the hospitalized patient care system further comprises an audio/video teleconferencing server. The audio/video teleconferencing server bridges a local visitation terminal and a remote visitation terminal, sends audio and video signals generated by the local visitation terminal to the remote visitation terminal, sends audio and video signals generated by the remote visitation terminal to the local visitation terminal, and provides the audio data elements and video image data elements to both the remote visitation terminal and the local visitation terminal. Additionally, the hospitalized patient care system accesses a decision support algorithm and applies the decision support algorithm to selected data elements of a hospitalized patient and user input to provide patient care advice to the user. Patient care advice may be a diagnosis, a method of treatment, and a laboratory procedure. As will be appreciated by those skilled the art, patient care advice may take other forms without departing from the scope of the present invention. The patient support system may also access an order writing module that issues orders. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, the order writing module may authorize administering medication to a hospitalized patient, authorize subjecting the hospitalized patient to a laboratory protocol, and subjecting the hospitalized patient to a surgical procedure. An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients. Monitored data elements from geographically dispersed hospitalized patients are received at a remote command center. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, monitored data elements comprise physiological data elements, video image data elements and audio data elements. In an embodiment of the present invention, patient data elements indicative of a medical condition associated with each of the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients are accessed. Patient-specific rules associated with each of the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients are established. Data elements from the monitored data elements associated with the hospitalized patient and the patient data elements associated with a hospitalized patient are selected and a patient-specific rule associated with the hospitalized patient is applied to the selected data elements. A determination is made whether the patient-specific rule for the hospitalized patient has been contravened. In the event the patient-specific rule for the hospitalized patient has been contravened, an alert is issued from the remote command center. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, an alert comprises a patient intervention protocol and order. Additionally, a determination is made whether the hospitalized patient requires monitoring by the monitoring station. In the event the hospitalized patient does not require monitoring by the monitoring station, the rules engine issues a release protocol and order. In an embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a medication data element of the hospitalized patient. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. In still another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. In another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and another physiological data element of the hospitalized patient. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise at least two data elements of the hospitalized patient selected from the group consisting of a physiological data element, a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient, a medication data element of the hospitalized patient, and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. In an embodiment of the present invention, a local visitation terminal and a remote visitation terminal are bridged. Audio and video signals generated by the local visitation terminal are sent to the remote visitation terminal and audio and video signals generated by the remote visitation terminal are sent to the local visitation terminal. The audio data elements and video image data elements are provided to both the remote visitation terminal and the local visitation terminal. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method wherein a decision support algorithm is accessed. The decision support algorithm is applied to selected data elements of a hospitalized patient and to user input to provide patient care advice to the user. Patient care advice may be in the form of a diagnosis, a method of treatment, and a laboratory procedure. As will be appreciated by those skilled the art, patient care advice may take other forms without departing from the scope of the present invention. The patient support system may also access an order writing module that issues orders. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, the order writing module may authorize administering medication to a hospitalized patient, authorize subjecting the hospitalized patient to a laboratory protocol, and subjecting the hospitalized patient to a surgical procedure. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of the components of a hospitalized patient care system (HPCS) according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a patient monitoring station according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 illustrates a display and control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 illustrates a patient support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 illustrates an order writing data flow according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 6A, B, C, and 6D illustrate the flow of a decision support algorithm for acalculous cholecsystitis according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 illustrates the components of a transportable patient care unit according to embodiments of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following terms used in the description that follows. The definitions are provided for clarity of understanding: assessment data—assessment data is all data relevant to the health of a patient. caregiver—an individual providing care to a patient. Examples include a nurse, a doctor, medical specialist (for example and without limitation an intensivist, cardiologist or other similar medical specialist). clinical data—data relating to the observed symptoms of a medical condition. hospitalized patient—a person admitted to a treatment facility capable of providing twenty-four hour care. monitored data—data received from monitoring devices connected to a monitored hospitalized patient. monitored hospitalized patient—a hospitalized patient from whom monitored data is collected and whose condition is subject to continuous real-time assessment from a remote command center. patient data—data relating to a patient's diagnosis, prescriptions, history, condition, laboratory results and other health-relevant data. physiological data—any data relating to the functions of the human body and its processes. symptom—any sign or indication of a health condition that can be identified from patient reports and/or assessment data. An embodiment of the present invention uses a telecommunications network to facilitate real-time, continuous assessment of hospitalized patients in geographically dispersed locations. Patient monitoring equipment acquires monitoring data from a hospitalized patient associated with a patient monitoring station and transmits the monitoring data over a network to a remote command center. The remote command center receives the monitoring data from all of the patient monitoring stations. The remote command center also accesses other data relating to the condition of a patient such as the “patient data” as defined above. The data available to the remote command center over the network, that is, the monitoring data and the patient data, is collectively referred to as “assessment data.” A rules engine continuously applies a patient-specific rule (or series of rules) to the selected data elements of the assessment data from each monitored hospitalized patients to determine whether the patient-specific rule for a hospitalized patient has been contravened. In the event the patient-specific rule has been contravened, an alert at the remote command center is issued. Patient-specific rules for each monitored hospitalized patient may be established and changed at the remote command center for each as the patients' conditions warrant. In one embodiment of the present invention, a patient-specific rule is established to determine whether a patient's condition is deteriorating. In another embodiment, a patient specific rule is established to determine whether a patient's condition is improving. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, an alert that a patient-specific rule has been contravened comprises advice on treatment of the patient. Another embodiment of the present invention applies continued care software to selected data elements of the assessment data and user input to provide decision support to caregivers. A decision support algorithm responds to data relating to the condition of a patient to produce prompts for additional input or textural material describing a medical condition, scientific treatments and possible complications. This information is available in real time to assist in all types of clinical decisions from diagnosis to treatment to triage. FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of the components of a hospitalized patient care system (HPCS) according to embodiments of the present invention. A HPCS 100 comprises a plurality of patient monitoring stations. Patient monitoring station “A” 105 and patient monitoring station “N” 110 are illustrated, but the invention is not so limited. For the sake of clarity, the description that follows will refer to patient monitoring station “A” 105. However, the description applies to all patient monitoring stations within the HPCS 100. Patient monitoring station “A” 105 is connected to network 120 via network interface 155. Network 120 is preferably a broadband network and may be wired, optical, wireless or a combination of wired, optical or wireless. Also connected to network 120 is remote command center 125. Remote command center 125 comprises a patient rules generator 130, a rules engine 135, patient support system 140, display and control system 145, and audio/video (A/V) conferencing server 190. A network interface 175 provides connectivity between network 120 and the other elements of the remote command center. Network 120 is configured to permit access to external networks 195, such as the Internet. FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a patient monitoring station according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, patient monitoring station “A” 105 comprises a patient bed 200. A data entry means such as a keyboard, touchpad or similar data entry means known in the art 212 allows on site care givers to provide additional data that may be germane to the care of the patient. Video camera 205 is movable both horizontally and vertically and zoomable through remote commands from the display and control system 145 of remote command center 125 so that specific views of the patient may be obtained both up close and generally. A microphone 210 and a speaker 215 permit both one-way audio monitoring of the patient and two-way communication with the patient or others located in patient monitoring station “A” 105. Patient monitoring devices 220A-220D acquire physiological data from a patient in real-time. A printer 230 receives and prints orders from an authorized remote caregiver. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, an order comprises a lab order, a medication, and a procedure. A network interface 155 provides access to network 120 for transmission of the monitored data, video signal, and audio signals to the remote command center 125 and the receipt of the audio signals and printer signals at the monitoring station. Patient monitoring station “A” 105 may be implemented in an intensive care unit, an operating room, a post-operation recovery unit, an emergency room, or any site where a hospitalized patient receives care in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention. Patient monitoring station “A” 105 may be a dedicated site or may be a site that has been equipped to perform the functions of a patient monitoring station on a temporary basis. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, FIG. 7 illustrates the components of a transportable patient care unit according to embodiments of the present invention. A transportable patient care unit 700 comprises the components illustrated in FIG. 2 mounted on a cart 750. Video camera 205 is movable both horizontally and vertically and zoomable through remote commands from the display and control system 145 of remote command center 125 so that specific views of the patient may be obtained both up close and generally. A microphone 210 and a speaker 215 permit both one-way audio monitoring of the patient and two-way communication with the patient or others located in proximity to patient monitoring station “A” 105. Patient monitoring devices 220A-220D acquire physiological data from a patient in real-time. A printer 230 receives and print orders from an authorized caregiver. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, an order comprises a lab order, a medication, and a procedure. A network interface 155 provides access to network 120 for transmission of the monitored data, video signal, and audio signals to the remote command center 125 and the receipt of the audio signals and printer signals at the monitoring station. A data entry means such as a keyboard, touchpad or similar data entry means known in the art 212 allows on site care givers to provide additional data that may be germane to the care of the patient. The remote command center 125 receives monitored data from patient monitoring station “A” 105 and patient condition data 115 via network 125 through network interface 175. Monitored data comprises real-time data received from monitoring equipment at patient monitoring station “A” 125 that is configured to receive physiological data from a patient requiring critical care and associated with patient monitoring station “A.” The remote command center also receives “patient condition data” 115 applicable to the patient associated with patient monitoring station “A” 105. Patient condition data comprises data relating to a patient's diagnosis, prescriptions, history, condition, laboratory results and other health-relevant data. The rules generator 130 and the rules engine 135 facilitate detection of impending problems and automate problem detection thereby allowing for intervention before a patient condition reaches a crisis state. The rules engine 135 continuously applies a patient-specific rule to selected data elements of the assessment data 115 to determine whether the patient-specific rule for a hospitalized patient has been contravened. In the event the patient-specific rule has been contravened, the remote command center issues an alert. In one embodiment of the present invention, a patient-specific rule is established to determine whether a patient's condition is deteriorating and an alert comprises an intervention order and protocol. In another embodiment of the present invention, the rules engine is further adapted to determine whether a monitored hospitalized patient requires monitoring by a monitoring station. If not, a release protocol and order are issued. Patient-specific rules may be established and revised at the remote command center for the hospitalized patient associated with each patient monitoring station. Thus, rules engine generator 130 establishes one or more rules for the hospitalized patient associated with patient monitoring station “A” 105. By way of illustration, a patient-specific rule dictates threshold limits for changes over time of specific vital sign data. Thresholds that are patient-specific disease-specific are established. The rules engine then evaluates the monitored data for the specific vital sign data to determine if a change threshold has been exceeded. For example, a patient with coronary artery disease can develop myocardial ischemia with relatively minor increases in heart rate. Heart rate thresholds for patients with active ischemia (e.g. those with unstable angina in a coronary care unit) are set to detect an absolute heart rate of 75 beats per minute. In contrast, patients with a history of coronary artery disease in a surgical ICU have thresholds set to detect either an absolute heart rate of 95 beats per minute or a 20% increase in heart rate over the baseline. For this threshold, current heart rate, calculated each minute based on the median value over the preceding 5 minutes, is compared each minute to the baseline value (the median value over the preceding 4 hours). In another embodiment of the present invention, a patient-specific rule is based on multiple variables. By way of illustration, a patient-specific rule is contravened if the rules engine determines that monitored data reflects both a simultaneous increase in heart rate of 25% and a decrease in blood pressure of 20%, occurring over a time interval of 2 hours. For multi-variable patient-specific rules, thresholds rely on known or learned associations between changes in multiple variables, which variables may comprise diverse data types. Thus, a patient-specific rule may associate monitored physiological data with patient clinical data. The association may change depending on the diagnosis of the patient, the medication given the patient, and the results of laboratory data. For example, a patient-specific rule may associate central venous pressure and urine output, because simultaneous decreases in these two variables can indicate that a patient is developing hypovolemia. Another patient-specific rule may cause the rules engine to evaluate laboratory data (e.g. looking for need to exclude active bleeding and possibly to administer blood). In an embodiment of the present invention, a patient-specific rule established for a hospitalized patient and the hospitalized patient is associated with a particular monitoring station. In this embodiment, if the patient were associated with a different monitoring station, the remote command center would associate the patient-specific rule with the different monitoring station at the time that the association between the hospitalized patient and the different monitoring station is made. In this way, patient specific rules “move” with the patient without manual intervention. Referring to FIG. 1, the display and control system 145 provides the human interface for the remote command center. FIG. 3 illustrates a display and control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. A display and control system 145 comprises a video display unit 305, a computer terminal 310, a camera control 315, and an audio control 320. The video display unit 305 displays real-time monitoring data and video images from patient monitoring station “A” 105. The computer terminal 310 allows selecting the layout and content displayed on the video display unit 305, provides access to the record of the patient associated with patient monitoring station “A” 105, and permits entry of data into that record. The camera control 315 permits control from the remote command center 125 of the video camera 205 (see FIG. 2) at the patient monitoring station “A” 105. The audio control permits control from the remote command center 125 of a microphone 210 and a speaker 215 within patient monitoring station “A” 105. Connectivity between the components of the display and control systems 145 and patient monitoring station “A” 105 is provided by network interface 175, network 120, and network interface 155. Referring again to FIG. 1, the remote command center 125 comprises patient support system 140. FIG. 4 illustrates a patient support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4, patient support system 140 comprises a computer 405. Computer 405 operates continued care software 420 and order writing software 415. Diagnostic software 410 and order writing software 415 make calls to datastore 425 to access the assessment data related to a particular hospitalized patient associated with patient monitoring station “A” 105 (see, FIG. 1). Continued care software 420 comprises decision support algorithms that operate on elements of assessment data and/or input from a caregiver to facilitate decisions relating to diagnosis, treatment and triage. Continued care software may be applied at the time the patient is admitted and throughout the patient's stay within a treatment facility. Thus, a diagnosis may be made based on the initial data acquired during admission, following the completion of laboratory procedures, or after other pertinent information is acquired. In an embodiment of the present invention, continued care software 420 evaluates continuously, selected data elements of assessment data and provides an alert if those data are indicative of a different diagnosis. The alert may take the form of suggested diagnoses that are vetted by a series of questions posed by the continued care software 420 to a caregiver. Based on the responses to the questions, a suggested diagnosis may be eliminated. The alert may also comprise instructions for specific tests to be run on the monitored hospitalized patient to help formulate a new diagnosis. Once a diagnosis is confirmed, the continued care software 420 continues to monitor changes in patient data and issues an alert if the current diagnosis should be reevaluated by a caregiver. In still another embodiment of the present invention, continued care software 420 operates on a diagnosis to “triage” a patient. For example and without limitation a caregiver requests an Apache II score based on the diagnosis. Continued care software 420 calls selected data elements from datastore 425 appropriate to the diagnosis. The values of the selected data elements are weighted according to an algorithm and a patient severity score is determined. This patient severity score is used to determine whether the patient is treated in a patient monitoring station. For example, if one embodiment of the present invention, if the severity score is greater than or equal to a particular threshold, the patient is identified as requiring observation via a patient monitoring station. If the severity score is less than that threshold, the patient is triaged to a facility other than a patient monitoring station, thereby assigning patient monitoring stations to patients who are most likely to benefit from monitoring and continued assessment. In another embodiment of the present invention, computer 405 operates order writing software 415, either independently or in conjunction with the operation of continued care software 420 to order tests to complete the data required for a potential diagnosis. FIG. 5 illustrates an order writing data flow according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, order entry user interface 500 allows the caregiver to order procedures and medication to assist the patients at a patient monitoring station. For example, the caregiver can order an ECG 504. Thereafter the order is reviewed and a digital signature relating to the caregiver is supplied 506. Once reviewed and signed off, the order is approved 507 and sent to the data output system 510. Thereafter the data output system prints the order to the printer at a patient monitoring station 516. For record keeping purposes the order is exported in the HL7 language to the hospital data system 518. In addition the data output system adds an item to the database that will subsequently cause a caregiver to check the ECG results. This notification to the task list is provided to the database 514. In addition, as part of the database an orders file relating to the specific patient is also kept. The fact that an ECG has been ordered is entered in the orders file for that patient. In a similar fashion using the order entry user interface 500 the caregiver can order medications 502 for a patient. The medication order then is provided to an order checking system 508. The order checking system retrieves information from the database 514 relating to allergies of the patient and medication list that comprises medications that are already being administered to the patient. This allows for the order checking system to check for drug allergies and drug interactions. Further laboratory data is extracted from the database 514 and the order checking system checks to insure that there will be no adverse impact of the recommended dosage upon the renal function of the patient. Once the order checking system 508 is completed, the order is approved and provided to the order review and signature module 506. In this module the digital signature of a caregiver is affixed to the order electronically and the order is approved 507. Thereafter it is provided to the data output system 510 where again the orders are printed or transmitted via HL7 for the patient monitoring station 516, for the pharmacy 517 and for the treatment facility data system 518. In this case, any medications that are ordered are then provided to the medications list file in the database 514 so that the complete list of all medications that are being administered to the patient is current. As noted, the order writing software 415 may also interact with continued care software 410. Referring again to FIG. 4, a caregiver selects a suggested diagnosis from the continued care software 420 and enters the order writing software 415. The order writing software identifies the appropriate test or tests and issues the actual order or orders for the identified tests. Each order is then sent to the appropriate testing facility. The tests are conducted, and the completion of the order is reported to the data store 425 and the completion information is received by the order writing software 415. Additionally, continued care software 420 acquires the test results from the datastore 425 and updates the list of suggested diagnoses. Continued care software 420 provides reference material directed to the standardized treatment of the hospitalized patient. In order to standardize treatment provided to monitored hospitalized patients at the highest possible level, decision support algorithms are used in the present invention. These include textural material describing the topic, scientific treatments and possible complications. This information is available in real time to assist in all types of clinical decisions from diagnosis to treatment to triage. As noted earlier, an aspect of the present invention is to standardize care and treatment across patient monitoring stations. This is effective in the present invention by providing decision support to caregivers as well as information concerning the latest care and practice standards for any given condition. Table 1 below is an exemplary list of a wide variety of conditions within the general categories of cardiovascular, endocrinology, general, gastrointestinal, hematology, infectious diseases, neurology, pharmacology, pulmonary, renal, surgery, toxicology, for which algorithms of care have been developed. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the list in Table 1 is not exhaustive and other decision support algorithms may be developed for other conditions without departing from the scope of the present invention. TABLE 1 Bradyarrhythmias diagnosis & treatment Cardiogenic shock treatment Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation treatment Congestive heart failure diagnosis & treatment Emergency cardiac pacing indications Fluid resuscitation indications & treatment Hypertensive crisis treatment Implantable cardio-defibrillators indications Intra-aortic balloon devices indications Magnesium treatment Treatment of hypotension Myocardial infarction diagnosis & treatment MI with left bundle branch block diagnosis Pulmonary artery catheter indications Permanent pacemakers indications Pulmonary embolism diagnosis Pulmonary embolism treatment Supra-ventricular tachyarrhythmias diagnosis & treatments Unstable angina diagnosis & treatment Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis treatment Venous thrombosis: diagnosis & treatment Ventricular arrhythmias diagnosis & treatment Adrenal insufficiency diagnosis and treatment Diabetic ketoacidosis diagnosis and treatment Hypercalcemia: diagnosis & treatment Hyperglycemia: insulin treatment Steroid replacement treatment Thyroid disease diagnosis and treatment End of life treatment decisions Pressure ulcers treatment Organ procurement indications Antibiotic associated colitis diagnosis and treatment Hepatic encephalopathy diagnosis and treatment Hepatic failure diagnosis and treatment Treatment of patients with ascites Nutritional management Acute pancreatitis diagnosis and treatment Upper gastro-intestinal bleeding: stress prophylaxis treatment Upper gastro-intestinal bleeding: non-variceal treatment Upper gastro-intestinal bleeding: variceal treatment Heparin treatment Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia diagnosis and treatment The bleeding patient diagnosis and treatment Thrombocytopenia diagnosis and treatment Thrombolytic treatment Transfusion indications Hematopoetic growth factor indications Warfarin treatment Acalculus cholecystitis diagnosis and treatment Bloodstream infections diagnosis and treatment Candiduria diagnosis and treatment Catheter related septicemia diagnosis and treatment Catheter replacement strategies Endocarditis prophylaxis Endocarditis diagnosis and treatment Febrile neutropenia diagnosis and treatment Fever of Unknown Origin diagnosis HIV+ patient infections diagnosis and treatment Meningitis diagnosis and treatment Necrotizing soft tissue infections diagnosis and treatment Non-infectious causes of fever diagnosis Ophthalmic infections diagnosis and treatment Pneumonia, community acquired diagnosis and treatment Pneumonia, hospital acquired diagnosis and treatment Septic shock diagnosis and treatment Sinusitis diagnosis and treatment Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome diagnosis and treatment Transplant infection prophylaxis Transplant-related infections diagnosis and treatment Agitation, anxiety, depression & withdrawal treatment Brain death diagnosis Guillain-barre syndrome diagnosis and treatment Intracerebral hemorrhage diagnosis and treatment Myasthenia gravis diagnosis and treatment Neuromuscular complications of critical illness diagnosis and treatment Non-traumatic coma diagnosis Sedation treatment Status epilepticus diagnosis and treatment Stroke diagnosis and treatment Sub-arachnoid hemorrhage diagnosis and treatment Aminoglycoside dosing and therapeutic monitoring Amphotericin-b treatment Analgesia treatment Drug changes with renal dysfunction Penicillin allergy diagnosis and treatment Neuromuscular blocker treatment Vancomycin treatment Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome: hemodynamic treatment Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome: steroid treatment Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome: ventilator treatment Asthma diagnosis & treatment Bronchodilator use in ventilator patients Bronchoscopy & thoracentesis indications Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease treatment Chest X-ray indications Noninvasive modes of ventilation indications Endotracheal tubes & tracheotomy indications Treatment of airway obstruction Ventilator weaning Acute renal failure: diagnosis and treatment Dialysis indications Diuretic treatment Hyperkalemia: diagnosis & treatment Hypernatremia: diagnosis & treatment Hypokalemia: diagnosis & treatment Hyponatremia: diagnosis & treatment Oliguria diagnosis and treatment Obstetrical complications and treatment Dissecting aortic aneurysm diagnosis and treatment Post-operative hypertension treatment Post-operative myocardial ischemia (non-cardiac surgery) treatment Diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias after cardiac surgery Diagnosis and treatment of post-operative bleeding Post-operative management of abdominal Post-operative management of open heart Post-operative management of thoracotomy Post-operative management of carotid Wound healing treatment Diagnosis and treatment of acetaminophen overdose Diagnosis and treatment of anaphylaxis Diagnosis and treatment of cocaine toxicity Diagnosis and treatment of alcohol withdrawal Diagnosis and treatment of hyperthermia Diagnosis and treatment of latex allergy Diagnosis and treatment of unknown poisoning Diagnosis and treatment of abdominal compartment syndrome Diagnosis and treatment of blunt abdominal injury Diagnosis and treatment of blunt aortic injury Diagnosis and treatment of blunt cardiac injury Deep Venous Thrombosis prophylaxis treatments Acid-base disturbance diagnosis and treatment Electrolyte disturbance diagnosis and treatment Severity adjustment calculation and outcome prediction Ventilator treatment Continuous renal replacement treatment Infusion pump administration treatment Fungal infection diagnosis and treatment Viral infection diagnosis and treatment Diagnosis and treatment of extremity compartment syndrome Diagnosis and treatment of head injury Diagnosis and treatment of hypothermia Diagnosis and treatment of identification of cervical cord injury Diagnosis and treatment of spinal cord injury Diagnosis and treatment of open fractures Diagnosis and treatment of penetrating abdominal injury Diagnosis and treatment of penetrating chest injury Admission criteria Discharge criteria Patient triage Discharge planning FIGS. 6A, B, C and 6D illustrate an application of a decision support algorithm for the diagnosis and treatment of acalculous cholecystitis to patient data according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 6A through 6D are exemplary only and are not limiting. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, decision support algorithms (DSAs) for other conditions may be implemented in the continued patient care software without departing from the scope of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6A, a datastore comprising patient data is accessed by the DSA 600 for data indicative of clinical infection. A determination is made whether the data is sufficient to determine whether the patient is clinically infected 602. If the data necessary to make the decision are not available, the system continues its monitoring 604 until data in the datastore indicates otherwise. Alternatively, an alert may be issued on a monitor at the command center although this is not a requirement for further tests to be ordered. Test that are ordered by the DSA are then performed on the patient to obtain the data required for the decision. If the data are sufficient, a determination is made whether the patient meets criteria for a clinical infection as measured by elevated temperature and leukocystosis 606. In an embodiment of the present invention, the criteria are temperature great than 102 F, or a white blood cell count greater than 12,000. If the criteria for clinical infection are not met the system of the present invention goes back into its continuous monitoring mode 608. The process is then complete and the continuous monitoring of the present invention continues. If the patient is clinically infected 606, the DSA accesses the patient data datastore and acquires data indicative of whether the patient has had a previous cholecystectomy 610. A determination is then made whether the data is sufficient to determine whether the patient has had a previous cholecsystectomy 612. If the data necessary to make the decision are not available, the DSA prompts the caregiver to find out this information 613. When the information is obtained it is put into the datastore. Notations of “incomplete data” are kept by the system so that treatment records and need for tests can be audited. This is accomplished by storing an “incomplete data” record 614. If the data are sufficient, a determination is made whether the patient has had a previous cholecystectomy 616. If the patient has had a previous cholecystectomy, it is very unlikely that the patient has acalculous cholecystitis. Therefore the DSA has completed its analysis for acalculous cholecytitis and the continuous monitoring of the present invention continues for other possible etiologies of infection 618. Referring to FIG. 6B, if the patient has not had a previous cholecystectomy, the DSA accesses the patient datastore and acquires data indicative of whether the patient has any of a set of risk factors 620. In another embodiment of the present invention, the risk factors comprise: 1) Prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay (defined as greater than six (6) days); 2) recent surgery within the last two weeks (particularly aortic cross clamp procedures); 3) hypotension (BP less than 90 mmHg); 4) positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) greater than ten (10) centimeters (cm); 5) transfusion greater than six (6) units of blood; 6) inability to use the gastrointestinal (GI) tract for nutrition; or 7) immunosuppresssion (AIDS, transplantation, or leukemia). If the data are sufficient, a determination is made whether the patient has any of the risk factors 626. If the patient does not have any of the risk factors, the diagnostic process is then complete and the continuous monitoring of the present invention continues 628. If the patient has any of the seven risk factors, the DSA accesses the patient data datastore and acquires data indicative of whether the patient has any of a set of symptoms 630 or abnormal laboratory values. A determination is made whether the data is sufficient to determine whether the patient has any of the symptoms 632 or abnormal laboratory values. If the data necessary to make the decision are not available, the DSA directs the order writing software 415 (see FIG. 4) to order the tests 633. Results are sent to the datastore. Notations of “incomplete data” are kept by the system so that treatment records and need for tests can be audited. This is accomplished by storing an “incomplete data” record 634. Alternatively, an alert may be issued on a monitor at the command center to check for right upper quadrant tenderness although this is not a requirement for further tests to be ordered. In another embodiment of the present invention, the symptoms comprise: right upper quadrant (RUQ) tenderness and the abnormal laboratory results comprising elevated alkaline phosphatase; elevated bilirubin; or elevated liver transaminases. If the data are sufficient, a determination is made whether the patient has any of the symptoms 636 or abnormal laboratory values. If the patient does not have any of the symptoms or abnormal laboratory values, the DSA concludes that it is very unlikely that the patient has acalculous cholecystitis. The process is then complete and the continuous monitoring of the present invention continues 638. Referring to FIG. 6C, if the patient has any of the symptoms or abnormal laboratory values, the DSA accesses the patient data datastore and acquires data indicative of whether alternative intra-abdominal infectious sources are more likely 640. A determination is made whether the data is sufficient to determine whether the other infectious sources are more likely 642. If the data necessary to make the decision are not available, the DSA prompts the user for a response as to whether other infectious causes are present and considered more likely 644. The user can then provide the requested information that can be considered by the system 646 for further analysis. If the data are sufficient, a determination is made whether other sources of infection are more likely 646. Regardless of the outcome of this determination, the DSA accesses the patient datastore and acquires data indicative of whether the patient is sufficiently stable to be subjected to testing outside of the critical care environment 650. A determination is made whether the data are sufficient to determine whether the patient is stable to go outside of the critical care environment 652. If the data necessary to make the decision are not available, the DSA prompts the user for a response 654 and may direct the order writing software 415 (see FIG. 4) to order tests or procedures 653 that will assist in such a determination. An “incomplete data” record is also created 651. Test results are sent to the datastore. Notations of “incomplete data” are kept by the system so that treatment records and need for tests can be audited. This is accomplished by storing an “incomplete data” record 654. Alternatively, an alert may be issued on a monitor at the command center although this is not a requirement for further tests to be ordered. Referring to FIG. 6D, if the data are sufficient, a determination is made whether the patient is sufficiently stable to be subjected to testing outside of the critical care environment 656. If the patient is not sufficiently stable to be subjected to testing outside of the critical care environment (regardless of whether other sources of infection are indicated), the DSA issues a message comprising a recommendation that empiric antibiotic be considered and a bedside ultrasound be performed and the results communicated to the patient datastore 658. In still another embodiment of the present invention, the DSA directs the order writing software (see FIG. 4) to order the bedside ultrasound. The DSA accesses the test results and other patient data 662. If no other infectious etiologies are identified, no abnormalities of the gall-bladder are noted, and the patient is not improving, the DSA issues a message comprising a “provisional diagnosis of acalculous cholecystitis” and recommends an empiric cholecystectomy and systemic antibiotics 664. If no other infectious etiologies are identified, no abnormalities of the gall bladder are noted, and the patient is improving, the DSA issues a message comprising a recommendation to observe the patient 666. If the patient is sufficiently stable to go outside of the critical care environment for a test and a determination was made that no other sources of infection were indicated (see FIG. 6C, 646), the DSA issues an order that empiric antibiotics be considered and a morphine sulfate Cholescintigraphy test be performed 668 and the results communicated to the datastore. In still another embodiment of the present invention, the DSA directs the order writing software 415 (see FIG. 4) to order the test. A determination is made whether the results of the tests are normal 670. If the test indicates an abnormality, the DSA issues a message comprising a recommendation to consider a diagnosis of acalculous cholecystitis, administer systemic antibiotics and perform either a cholecystectomy or a percutaneous drainage 672. If the results are normal, acalculous cholecystitis is excluded 674. The process is then complete and the continuous monitoring of the present invention continues. If the patient is sufficiently stable to go outside of the critical care environment for a test and a determination was made that other sources of infection were indicated (see FIG. 6C, 646), the DSA issues an order to consider empiric antibiotics and for an abdominal CT scan to be performed 680 and the results communicated to the datastore. In still another embodiment of the present invention, the DSA directs the order writing software 415 (see FIG. 4) to order the test. The test results and other data are analyzed 682 and a determination is made whether other infection sources are indicated and whether the gall bladder is normal or if abnormalities are present that are not diagnostic 684. If other infectious etiologies are not apparent and the test: a) demonstrates abnormalities of the gall bladder but not diagnostic; or b) no gall-bladder abnormalities are noted, the DSA issues a report comprising a recommendation to maintain continued observation of the patient 686. The process is then complete and the continuous monitoring of the present invention continues. Alternatively, if other infectious etiologies are apparent, the DSA will make recommendations as to further diagnostics and treatments. Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the remote command center comprises an AN conferencing server 190. In an embodiment of the present invention, A/V conferencing server 190 acquires audio and video signals from patient monitoring station “A” and provides a terminal (not shown) access to these signals via external network access 195. In yet another embodiment of the present invention addition, a local terminal (not shown) operated by a “local visitation participant” or “LVP” and a remote terminal (not shown) operated by a “remote visitation participant” or “RVP” are bridged by AN conferencing server 190 to provide audio and video signals from the patient monitoring station, the local terminal and the remote terminal available simultaneously to LVP and RVP. Additionally, a terminal user may control the position of camera 205. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, RVPs may be family members or other concerned parties while LVPs may be patients, nurses, doctors, family members or other concerned parties. This embodiment thus permits family members the capability to “virtually visit” other sick family members when a physical visit to a patient's location is not possible and/or desirable. The “virtual visit” further allows the possibility to see and speak with a care provider regarding a patient's care or related subjects without having to be physically located at the health care provider's location. The present invention also provides a means for the floor staff (i.e. those caregivers in the hospital at or near the patient's bedside) to instantly alert the command center of the conditions of patients who destabilize thereby allowing for more rapid response by those manning the command center. When each command center person logs onto the system of the present invention, a background service is started. This service subscribes to an emergency alert server that is connected to a video server. As noted earlier, the video server provides video feed from each beside to the command center as needed. Emergency message are passed from the bedside through the video server to the command center. As the emergency alert server receives a message from a video server, it sends a message to all of the subscribed services in the command center. This notification alerts the command center users by means of a “pop-up” alert window at the users' workstation that an emergency condition exists at the bed calling for the alert, and that the floor caregiver has requested immediate backup. To facilitate the emergency call capability of the present invention, in addition to the various network connections of a more automated type, an emergency “call button” is provided at each critical care location. This could by or near each bed, at a nurse's station, at a mobile care bed or any location where the patient may be located. When pressed, the call button causes a message to be sent to the emergency alert server at the command center that a patient emergency has occurred. The present invention comprises a video/audio server (Axis 2401) dedicated to each critical care location. A button activation mechanism and associated wiring is provided to allow the call button to be positioned in the room at a location convenient to the caregiver calling for command center backup. Currently each video server can support up to 16 call buttons by using combinations of the four inputs to signify one alarm in a 4-bit binary pattern although this is not meant as a limitation. A typical installation would use one button or perhaps two (e.g. two beds per room) per video server. A software interrupt event handler is configured on the video server to respond to activation of the emergency call button. The emergency alert server comprises a web service called for sending emergency alert signals that is placed in service at system startup. When called, emergency alert web service responds with an acknowledgement message (e.g. “Alert Received”). The emergency alert web service identifies the ward and bed directly from the IP address (unique to each video server) and input number it was passed. It then sends a message to all subscribing clients identifying the emergency condition, the ward, and bed. When a user logs into a workstation at the command center a user alert service subscribes to the emergency alert server and waits for any emergency message in the background. Upon receiving an emergency message, the service will popup a window with the message on top of the desktop and stay there until the user dismisses or acknowledges the alert. The user alert service the loads video assessment module to allow the command center to view the bed with the emergency. In another embodiment of the present invention, a critical care hospital bed comprises monitoring instruments linked to a wireless network. This serves the needs of those patients who are transported from one location to another (either internal to a hospital or to other hospitals or diagnostic centers) for testing, procedures or other reasons. In this embodiment, monitoring continues using typical monitoring means that have been described above which include, without limitation, physiological monitoring equipment, video monitoring equipment and an emergency call button, all of which transmit their signals in a wireless fashion so that movement of the patient bed does not interrupt the transmission of information. A telecommunications network for remote patient monitoring has now been illustrated. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other variations of the present invention are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as disclosed. For example, one can envision different ratios of remote command center to patient monitoring stations. Certain types of decision support algorithms would be used by intensivists, other types of remote monitoring of not only patient monitoring stations but other types of hospital functions as well as industrial functions where critical expertise is in limited supply but where that expertise must be applied to ongoing processes. In such cases a system such as that described can be employed to monitor processes and to provide standardized interventions across a number of geographically dispersed locations and operations. Further, any reference to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” or “the” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>This invention relates generally to a communication system for medical applications and monitoring of equipment used in the care of hospitalized patients. More particularly this invention uses a telecommunications network to provide a real-time, continuous data transfer from patient monitoring equipment into a computer system that continuously assesses such monitored data for medical assessment, tracking of progress of treatment, and other applications for hospitalized patients in geographically dispersed locations. While the severity of illness of hospitalized patients over the past 15 years has increased dramatically, the level of and type of care of those patients has remained constant. Most hospitalized patients receive brief minutes of attention during morning rounds from physicians with limited critical care experience. During the remainder of the day and night, nurses are the primary caregivers, with specialists called only after patient conditions have started to deteriorate. The result of this mismatch between severity of illness and physician coverage is an unacceptably high mortality rate. In ICUs, where patients are assumed to get the best care, the mortality rate is 10% nationwide, and marked by a high prevalence of avoidable errors that result in clinical complications. In 1998, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) determined that avoidable patient complications were responsible for 98,000 deaths per year and was the single largest problem in medical care delivery. A 2003 study estimated that 18 patient safety indicators attributed $9.3 billion in excess charges per year and a more recent study (Health Grades Quality Study—July 2004) estimated that the IOM study had grossly underestimated the avoidable deaths and that the figure was closer to 190,000 deaths per year. Numerous studies have shown that increasing the involvement of skilled care providers with patients can markedly improve patient outcomes. While providing additional skilled care providers would seem an obvious solution, current trends suggest that the demand for skilled care providers will continue to exceed the supply. Attempts to automate various aspects of patient care have been the subject of various inventions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,669 to Iliff was issued for “Computerized Medical Diagnostic and Treatment Advice System.” The disclosed invention is for a system and method for providing computerized knowledge based medical diagnostic and treatment advice to the general public over a telephone network. U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,948 to Ross, Jr. et al was issued for “Medical Records Documentation, Tracking and Order Entry System”. The disclosed invention is for a system and method that computerizes medical records, documentation, tracking and order entries. A teleconferencing system is employed to allow patient and medical personnel to communicate with each other. A video system can be employed to videotape a patient's consent. U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,175 to Norden-Paul et al. was issued for A Method for Generating Patient-Specific Flowsheets By Adding/Deleting Parameters.” The disclosed invention is for an automated clinical records system for automated entry of bedside equipment results, such as an EKG monitor, respirator, etc. The system allows for information to be entered at the bedside using a terminal having input means and a video display. U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,649 to David et al. was issued for Ambulatory Patient Health Monitoring Techniques Utilizing Interactive Visual Communications.” The disclosed invention is for an interactive visual system, which allows monitoring of patients at remote sites, such as the patient's home. Electronic equipment and sensors are used at the remote site to obtain data from the patient, which is sent to the monitoring site. The monitoring site can display and save the video, audio and patients data. U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,821 to Ballantyne et al. was issued for “Method and Apparatus for Electronically Accessing and Distributing Personal Health Care Information and Services in Hospitals and Homes.” The disclosed invention is for an automated system and method for distribution and administration of medical services, entertainment services, and electronic health records for health care facilities. U.S. Patent No. 5,832,450 to Myers et al. issued for “Electronic Medical Record Using Text Database.” The disclosed invention is for an electronic medical record system, which stores data about patient encounters arising from a content generator in freeform text. U.S. Pat. No. 5,812,983 to Kumagai was issued for “Computer Medical File and Chart System.” The disclosed invention is for a system and method which integrates and displays medical data in which a computer program links a flow sheet of a medical record to medical charts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,387 to Lamb et al. was issued for “Method and Apparatus for Coordinating Medical Procedures.” The disclosed invention is for a method and apparatus that coordinates two or more medical teams to evaluate and treat a patient at the same time without repeating the same steps. U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,725 to Suto et al. issued for “Data Processing System which Suggests a Pattern of Medical Tests to Reduce the Number of Tests Necessary to Confirm or Deny a Diagnosis.” The disclosed invention is for a data processing system that uses decision trees for diagnosing a patient's symptoms to confirm or deny the patient's ailment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,187 to Sorensen issued for “Computer Aided Medical Diagnostic Method and Apparatus.” The disclosed invention is for an interactive computerized diagnostic system which relies on color codes which signify the presence or absence of the possibility of a disease based on the symptoms a physician provides the system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,438 to Chen et al. issued for “Intelligent Remote Visual Monitoring System for Home Health Care Service.” The disclosed invention is for a computer-based remote visual monitoring system, which provides in-home patient health care from a remote location via ordinary telephone lines. U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,978 to Levy was issued for “Supplemental Audio Visual Emergency Reviewing Apparatus and Method.” The disclosed invention is for a system which videotapes a patient and superimposes the patient's vital statistics onto the videotape. U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,834 issued to Reuss, et al. was issued for a “Method and System for Remotely Monitoring Multiple Medical Parameters in an Integrated Medical Monitoring System.” The disclosed invention is for an integrated medical monitoring system having a patient monitor, a central monitor, and a remote access device. Each of these devices is tied together through an integrated communications link. The communications between various components of the system are bi-directional, an attribute described as affording the opportunity to change data sampling rates and select which parameters to monitor from the remote location The thrust of the Reuss Patent is the collection of data from monitors so that the data are available to a caregiver. The caregiver may view the data on a display or request the data for viewing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,275 issued to Lee for a “Home Medical Surveillance System,” describes an apparatus for use in a patient's home that includes special furniture on which the patient lies and sits. Embedded in this special furniture are devices that automatically sense multiple parameters related to the patient's health. The disclosed invention is directed to monitoring individual ambulatory patients in a home environment. However, this monitoring is not stated to be continuous. U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,606 issued to Buxton et al. for a “Physiological Monitoring System,” describes an apparatus for measuring physiological parameters indicative of the condition of a patient and sending those parameters to a central monitoring station. The central monitoring station would display the parameters in analog and digital form issue an alert signal in the event certain parameter values are detected. Viewing patient data is accomplished by selecting a patient using a switch ( FIG. 3 , callout 122 ). Thus, not all patients are monitored at all times. The described invention is directed to a data gathering system combined with a single event driven process to manage “emergencies.” Data is presented to a single operator and, except for certain alert conditions, the evaluation of that data is charged to the single operator. While these inventions provide useful records management and diagnostic tools, none of them provides a comprehensive communications system that incorporates for monitoring and providing real time continuous assessment and intervention of monitored hospitalized patients at disparate patient monitoring stations. What would be useful would be a communication network for automated monitoring of multiple hospitalized patients, capable of using diverse data sources to provide a continuous assessment of a patient's condition. Such a network would support computerized diagnostic tools to aid caregivers in identifying and treating hospitalized patients who would benefit from monitoring and assessment. Such a network would further comprise the ability to flexibly and individually establish and/or revise alerts for patients from a central location based on individualized patient parameters and to utilize computer based algorithms to a communications network optimized for intervening appropriately. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>An embodiment of the present invention uses a telecommunications network to facilitate real-time, continuous assessment of hospitalized patients in geographically dispersed locations. For the purpose of this and other embodiments of the present invention, a “hospitalized patient” refers to a person admitted to a treatment facility capable of providing twenty-four hour care. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, a treatment facility may be a hospital, a nursing home, or other long-term institution that is capable of providing twenty-four hour care. A patient may be selected for monitoring based on criteria established by the treatment facility. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, a ‘monitored patient” comprises a critically ill patient, an acutely ill patient, a patient with a specific illness, an emergency room patient, an operating room patient, and a patient with an uncertain diagnosis. Patient monitoring equipment acquires monitored data elements from a hospitalized patient which can come from a patient monitoring station and transmits the monitoring data over a network to a remote command center. Monitored data comprises physiological data elements, video data elements, and audio data elements. The remote command center receives the monitoring data from all of the patient monitoring stations. The remote command center also accesses other data relating to the condition of a patient. By way of illustration and not as limitation, the remote command center has access to data relating to personal information about the patient (name, address, marital status, age, gender, ethnicity, next of kin), medical history (illnesses, injuries, surgeries, allergies, medications), admissions information (symptoms, physiological data, time of admission, observations of admitting caregiver), treatment, lab data, test reports (radiology reports and microbiology reports for example), physician's notes, a patient's diagnosis, prescriptions, history, condition, laboratory results and other health-relevant data (collectively “patient data”). The data available to the remote command center over the network, that is, the monitoring data and the patient data, is collectively referred to as “assessment data.” A rules engine continuously applies a patient-specific rule or rule set to the data elements selected from the assessment data from each monitored hospitalized patient to determine whether the patient-specific rule for that site has been contravened. In the event the patient-specific rule has been contravened, an alert at the remote command center is triggered. Patient-specific rules for each monitored hospitalized patient may be established and changed at the remote command center for each as the patients' conditions warrant. In one embodiment of the present invention, a patient-specific rule is established to determine whether a patient's condition is deteriorating. In another embodiment, a patient specific rule is established to determine whether a patient's condition is improving. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, an alert that a patient-specific rule has been contravened comprises advice on treatment of the patient. Another embodiment of the present invention provides continued care software that uses elements of the assessment data to provide decision support and that prompts a user for input to provide decision support to caregivers. A decision support algorithm responds to elements of assessment data to produce textural material describing a medical condition, scientific treatments and possible complications. This information is available in real time to assist in all types of clinical decisions from diagnosis to treatment to triage. In still another embodiment of the present invention, order writing software facilitates the ordering of procedures and medications using patient-specific data. The order writing software and the continued care software are interactive allowing a caregiver to access features of both applications simultaneously, so that patient orders are given that are consistent and not conflicting with a patient's status and condition (i.e., allergies to medications or medications that may conflict with the order in question). In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a video visitation system allows remote visitation participants (RVPs) at remote terminals to participate in a video/audio conferencing session with a local visitation participant (LVP) (e.g., the patient or the patient's caregivers) at a patient site. It is therefore an aspect of the present invention to receive at a remote command center monitoring data from a monitored hospitalized patient over a communications network. It is another aspect of the present invention to make available other data relating to the condition of a patient to the remote command center. It is yet another aspect of the present invention to establish and/or revise patient specific rules at the remote command center and to apply a rules engine to “assessment data” to determine whether a patient-specific rule is contravened. It is another aspect of the present invention to determine based on assessment data whether the condition of a monitored hospitalized patient warrants revising a patient-specific rule at the remote command center. It is still another aspect of the present invention to issue an alert from the remote command center in the event a patient-specific rule is contravened. It is an aspect of the present invention to provide treatment information in an order for an intervention issued by the remote command center to a treatment facility where a monitored hospitalized patient is receiving care. It is a further aspect of the present invention to apply decision support algorithms to data relating to the condition of a patient to provide decision support to caregivers. It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a video visitation system that allows a remote visitation participant to participate in a video/audio conferencing session with a patient and/or a local visitation participant. In an embodiment of the present invention, a hospitalized patient care system comprises a telecommunication network and monitoring stations. The monitoring stations comprise monitoring equipment adapted to monitor data elements from geographically dispersed hospitalized patients and to send the monitored data elements to a remote command center via the telecommunications network. In an embodiment of the present invention, monitoring equipment comprises physiological sensors and monitored data elements comprise physiological data elements. In still another embodiment of the present invention, monitoring equipment comprises a video imaging system that sends video image data elements to the remote command center and a voice communication system that sends audio data elements to remote command center. The remote command center receives the monitored data elements from the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients, accesses patient data elements indicative of a medical condition associated with each of the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients, establishes patient-specific rules associated with each of the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients, and applies the patient-specific rules continuously and simultaneously using a rules engine. In an embodiment of the present invention, a patient specific rule comprises an algorithm. The rules engine selects data elements from the monitored data elements and the patient data elements associated with a hospitalized patient, applies a patient-specific rule associated with the hospitalized patient to the selected data elements, determines whether the patient-specific rule for the hospitalized patient has been contravened; and in the event the patient-specific rule for the hospitalized patient has been contravened, issues an alert from the remote command center. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, the alert comprises a patient intervention protocol and order. In an embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a medication data element of the hospitalized patient. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. In still another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. In another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and another physiological data element of the hospitalized patient. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise at least two data elements of the hospitalized patient selected from the group consisting of a physiological data element, a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient, a medication data element of the hospitalized patient, and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. Additionally, the rules engine determines whether the hospitalized patient requires monitoring by the monitoring station. In the event the hospitalized patient does not require monitoring by the monitoring station, the rules engine issues a release protocol and order. In another embodiment of the present invention, the hospitalized patient care system further comprises an audio/video teleconferencing server. The audio/video teleconferencing server bridges a local visitation terminal and a remote visitation terminal, sends audio and video signals generated by the local visitation terminal to the remote visitation terminal, sends audio and video signals generated by the remote visitation terminal to the local visitation terminal, and provides the audio data elements and video image data elements to both the remote visitation terminal and the local visitation terminal. Additionally, the hospitalized patient care system accesses a decision support algorithm and applies the decision support algorithm to selected data elements of a hospitalized patient and user input to provide patient care advice to the user. Patient care advice may be a diagnosis, a method of treatment, and a laboratory procedure. As will be appreciated by those skilled the art, patient care advice may take other forms without departing from the scope of the present invention. The patient support system may also access an order writing module that issues orders. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, the order writing module may authorize administering medication to a hospitalized patient, authorize subjecting the hospitalized patient to a laboratory protocol, and subjecting the hospitalized patient to a surgical procedure. An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for continuous assessment of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients. Monitored data elements from geographically dispersed hospitalized patients are received at a remote command center. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, monitored data elements comprise physiological data elements, video image data elements and audio data elements. In an embodiment of the present invention, patient data elements indicative of a medical condition associated with each of the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients are accessed. Patient-specific rules associated with each of the geographically dispersed hospitalized patients are established. Data elements from the monitored data elements associated with the hospitalized patient and the patient data elements associated with a hospitalized patient are selected and a patient-specific rule associated with the hospitalized patient is applied to the selected data elements. A determination is made whether the patient-specific rule for the hospitalized patient has been contravened. In the event the patient-specific rule for the hospitalized patient has been contravened, an alert is issued from the remote command center. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, an alert comprises a patient intervention protocol and order. Additionally, a determination is made whether the hospitalized patient requires monitoring by the monitoring station. In the event the hospitalized patient does not require monitoring by the monitoring station, the rules engine issues a release protocol and order. In an embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a medication data element of the hospitalized patient. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. In still another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. In another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise a physiological data element of the hospitalized patient and another physiological data element of the hospitalized patient. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the selected data elements comprise at least two data elements of the hospitalized patient selected from the group consisting of a physiological data element, a clinical data element of the hospitalized patient, a medication data element of the hospitalized patient, and a laboratory data element of the hospitalized patient. In an embodiment of the present invention, a local visitation terminal and a remote visitation terminal are bridged. Audio and video signals generated by the local visitation terminal are sent to the remote visitation terminal and audio and video signals generated by the remote visitation terminal are sent to the local visitation terminal. The audio data elements and video image data elements are provided to both the remote visitation terminal and the local visitation terminal. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method wherein a decision support algorithm is accessed. The decision support algorithm is applied to selected data elements of a hospitalized patient and to user input to provide patient care advice to the user. Patient care advice may be in the form of a diagnosis, a method of treatment, and a laboratory procedure. As will be appreciated by those skilled the art, patient care advice may take other forms without departing from the scope of the present invention. The patient support system may also access an order writing module that issues orders. By way of illustration and not as a limitation, the order writing module may authorize administering medication to a hospitalized patient, authorize subjecting the hospitalized patient to a laboratory protocol, and subjecting the hospitalized patient to a surgical procedure. | 20040921 | 20070814 | 20060406 | 76871.0 | G08B2300 | 2 | BLOUNT, ERIC | TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK FOR REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G08B | 2,004 |
|
10,946,557 | ACCEPTED | Automated process for isolating and amplifying a target nucleic acid sequence | An automated analyzer for performing multiple diagnostic assays simultaneously includes multiple stations, or modules, in which discrete aspects of the assay are performed on fluid samples contained in reaction receptacles. The analyzer includes stations for automatically preparing a specimen sample, incubating the sample at prescribed temperatures for prescribed periods, preforming an analyte isolation procedure, and ascertaining the presence of a target analyte. An automated receptacle transporting system moves the reaction receptacles from one station to the next. The analyzer further includes devices for carrying a plurality of specimen tubes and disposable pipette tips in a machine-accessible manner, a device for agitating containers of target capture reagents comprising suspensions of solid support material and for presenting the containers for machine access thereto, and a device for holding containers of reagents in a temperature controlled environment and presenting the containers for machine access thereto. A method for performing an automated diagnostic assay includes an automated process for isolating and amplifying a target analyte. The process is performed by automatically moving each of a plurality of reaction receptacles containing a solid support material and a fluid sample between stations for incubating the contents of the reaction receptacle and for separating the target analyte bound to the solid support from the fluid sample. An amplification reagent is added to the separated analyte after the analyte separation step and before a final incubation step. | 1. A method for processing and amplifying a target nucleic acid sequence present in a fluid sample, wherein the method comprises the steps of: a) combining together in an open-mouthed receptacle vessel a solid support material and a fluid sample for a period of time and under conditions sufficient to permit a target nucleic acid to be immobilized on the solid support material; b) isolating the solid support material from other material present in the fluid sample in a separation station; c) removing the fluid sample from the receptacle vessel and washing the remaining solid support material one or more times with a wash buffer; d) transporting fluid contents of the receptacle vessel, after step c), from the separation station to an amplification incubation station comprising one or more temperature-controlled incubators; and e) incubating the fluid contents, together with one or more amplification reagents, for a period of time and under conditions sufficient to permit a target sequence contained within the target nucleic acid to be amplified, wherein the separation and amplification incubation stations are contained within a housing, and wherein each of steps a)-e) is automated. 2. The process of claim 1 further comprising contacting a probe with the fluid contents for a period of time and under conditions sufficient to permit the probe to hybridize to the target sequence or an amplicon thereof. 3. The process of claim 2, wherein the probe includes a detectable label. 4. The process of claim 3, wherein the label is a fluorescent dye or a chemiluminescent compound. 5. The process of claim 2 further comprising detecting the presence or absence of the probe hybridized to the target sequence, or an amplicon thereof, as an indication of the presence or absence of members of a target group of organisms or viruses in the fluid sample, wherein the target group consists of at least one organism or virus. 6. The process of claim 5 further comprising determining the amount of members of the target group of organisms or viruses in the fluid sample. 7. The process of claim 1, wherein the solid support material comprises a magnetically responsive particle. 8. The process of claim 7, wherein the fluid sample is subjected to a magnetic field during the isolating step. 9. The process of claim 1, wherein the fluid contents include the target nucleic acid. 10. The process of claim 1, wherein the other material present in the fluid sample includes nucleic acid other than the target nucleic acid. 11. The process of claim 1, wherein the receptacle vessel is a member of a reaction receptacle comprising an integrally formed linear array of multiple receptacle vessels. 12. The process of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a self-contained, stand alone analyzer unit. | This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/985,064 filed Nov. 1, 2001, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/303,030 filed Apr. 30, 1999 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,166), which in turn claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/083,927 filed May 1, 1998, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automated analyzer for performing multiple diagnostic assays simultaneously. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION None of the references described or referred to herein are admitted to be prior art to the claimed invention. Diagnostic assays are widely used in clinical diagnosis and health science research to detect or quantify the presence or amount of biological antigens, cell abnormalities, disease states, and disease-associated pathogens, including parasites, fungi, bacteria and viruses present in a host organism or sample. Where a diagnostic assay permits quantification, practitioners may be better able to calculate the extent of infection or disease and to determine the state of a disease over time. In general, diagnostic assays are based either on the detection of antigens (immunoassays) or nucleic acids (nucleic acid-based assays) belonging to an organism or virus of interest. Nucleic acid-based assays generally include several steps leading to the detection or quantification of one or more target nucleic acid sequences in a sample which are specific to the organism or virus of interest. The targeted nucleic acid sequences can also be specific to an identifiable group of organisms or viruses, where the group is defined by at least one shared sequence of nucleic acid that is common to all members of the group and is specific to that group in the sample being assayed. The detection of individual and groups of organisms and viruses using nucleic acid-based methods is fully described by Kohne, U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,330, and Hogan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,308. The first step in a nucleic acid-based assay is designing a probe which exhibits specificity, under stringent hybridization conditions, for a nucleic acid sequence belonging to the organism or virus of interest. While nucleic acid-based assays can be designed to detect either deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA), ribosomal RNA (rRNA), or the gene encoding rRNA (rDNA), is typically the preferred nucleic acid for detection of a prokaryotic or eukaryotic organism in a sample. Ribosomal RNA target sequences are preferred because of their relative abundance in cells, and because rRNA contains regions of sequence variability that can be exploited to design probes capable of distinguishing between even closely related organisms. (Ribosomal RNA is the major structural component of the ribosome, which is the situs of protein synthesis in a cell.) Viruses, which do not contain rRNA, and cellular changes are often best detected by targeting DNA, RNA, or a messenger RNA (mRNA) sequence, which is a nucleic acid intermediate used to synthesize a protein. When the focus of a nucleic acid-based assay is the detection of a genetic abnormality, then the probes are usually designed to detect identifiable changes in the genetic code, such as the abnormal Philadelphia chromosome associated with chronic myelocytic leukemia. See, e.g., Stephenson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,840. When performing a nucleic acid-based assay, preparation of the sample is necessary to release and stabilize target nucleic acids which may be present in the sample. Sample preparation can also serve to eliminate nuclease activity and remove or inactivate potential inhibitors of nucleic acid amplification (discussed below) or detection of the target nucleic acids. See, e.g., Ryder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,599, which discloses methods for preparing nucleic acid for amplification, including the use of complexing agents able to complex with ferric ions contributed by lysed red blood cells. The method of sample preparation can vary and will depend in part on the nature of the sample being processed (e.g., blood, urine, stool, pus or sputum). When target nucleic acids are being extracted from a white blood cell population present in a diluted or undiluted whole blood sample, a differential lysis procedure is generally followed. See, e.g., Ryder et al., European Patent Application No. 93304542.9 and European Patent Publication No. 0547267. Differential lysis procedures are well known in the art and are designed to specifically isolate nucleic acids from white blood cells, while limiting or eliminating the presence or activity of red blood cell products, such as heme, which can interfere with nucleic acid amplification or detection. Before or after exposing the extracted nucleic acid to a probe, the target nucleic acid can be immobilized by target-capture means, either directly or indirectly, using a “capture probe” bound to a substrate, such as a magnetic bead. Examples of target-capture methodologies are described by Ranki et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,539, and Stabinsky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,177. Target capture probes are generally short sequences of nucleic acid (i.e., oligonucleotide) capable of hybridizing, under stringent hybridization conditions, with a sequence of nucleic acid which also contains the target sequence. Magnets in close proximity to the reaction vessel are used to draw and hold the magnetic beads to the side of the vessel. Once the target nucleic acid is thus immobilized, the hybridized nucleic acid can be separated from non-hybridized nucleic acid by aspirating fluid from the reaction vessel and optionally performing one or more wash steps. In most instances, it is desirable to amplify the target sequence using any of several nucleic acid amplification procedures which are well known in the art. Specifically, nucleic acid amplification is the enzymatic synthesis of nucleic acid amplicons (copies) which contain a sequence that is complementary to a nucleic acid sequence being amplified. Examples of nucleic acid amplification procedures practiced in the art include the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), strand displacement amplification (SDA), ligase chain reaction (LCR), and transcription-associated amplification (TAA). Nucleic acid amplification is especially beneficial when the amount of target sequence present in a sample is very low. By amplifying the target sequences and detecting the amplicon synthesized, the sensitivity of an assay can be vastly improved, since fewer target sequences are needed at the beginning of the assay to better ensure detection of nucleic acid in the sample belonging to the organism or virus of interest. Methods of nucleic acid amplification are thoroughly described in the literature. PCR amplification, for instance, is described by Mullis et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195, 4,683,202 and 4,800,159, and in Methods in Enzymology, 155:335-350 (1987). Examples of SDA can be found in Walker, PCR Methods and Applications, 3:25-30 (1993), Walker et al. in Nucleic Acids Res., 20:1691-1996 (1992) and Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 89:392-396 (1991). LCR is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,427,930 and 5,686,272. And different TAA formats are provided in publications such as Burg et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,990; Kacian et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,399,491 and 5,554,516; and Gingeras et al. in International Application No. PCT/US87/01966 and International Publication No. WO 88/01302, and International Application No. PCT/US88/02108 and International Publication No. WO 88/10315. Detection of a targeted nucleic acid sequence requires the use of a probe having a nucleotide base sequence which is substantially complementary to the targeted sequence or, alternatively, its amplicon. Under selective assay conditions, the probe will hybridize to the targeted sequence or its amplicon in a manner permitting a practitioner to detect the presence of the targeted sequence in a sample. Effective probes are designed to prevent non-specific hybridization with any nucleic acid sequence which will interfere with detecting the presence of the targeted sequence. Probes may include a label capable of detection, where the label is, for example, a radiolabel, fluorescent dye, biotin, enzyme or chemiluminescent compound. Chemiluminescent compounds include acridinium esters which can be used in a hybridization protection assay (HPA) and then detected with a luminometer. Examples of chemiluminescent compounds and methods of labeling probes with chemiluminescent compounds can be found in Arnold et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,950,613, 5,185,439 and 5,585,481; and Campbell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,958. HPA is a detection method based on differential hydrolysis which permits specific detection of the acridinium ester-labeled probe hybridized to the target sequence or amplicon thereof. HPA is described in detail by Arnold et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,283,174 and 5,639,604. This detection format permits hybridized probe to be distinguished from non-hybridized probe in solution and includes both a hybridization step and a selection step. In the hybridization step, an excess of acridinium ester-labeled probe is added to the reaction vessel and permitted to anneal to the target sequence or its amplicon. Following the hybridization step, label associated with unhybridized probe is rendered non-chemiluminescent in the selection step by the addition of an alkaline reagent. The alkaline reagent specifically hydrolyzes only that acridinium ester label associated with unhybridized probe, leaving the acridinium ester of the probe:target hybrid intact and detectable. Chemiluminescence from the acridinium ester of the hybridized probe can then be measured using a luminometer and signal is expressed in relative light units (RLU). After the nucleic acid-based assay is run, and to avoid possible contamination of subsequent amplification reactions, the reaction mixture can be treated with a deactivating reagent which destroys nucleic acids and related amplification products in the reaction vessel. Such reagents can include oxidants, reductants and reactive chemicals which modify the primary chemical structure of a nucleic acid. These reagents operate by rendering nucleic acids inert towards an amplification reaction, whether the nucleic acid is RNA or DNA. Examples of such chemical agents include solutions of sodium hypochlorite (bleach), solutions of potassium permanganate, formic acid, hydrazine, dimethyl sulfate and similar compounds. More details of a deactivation protocol can be found in Dattagupta et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,612,200. When performed manually, the complexity and shear number of processing steps associated with a nucleic acid-based assay introduce opportunities for practitioner-error, exposure to pathogens, and cross-contamination between assays. Following a manual format, the practitioner must safely and conveniently juxtapose the test samples, reagents, waste containers, assay receptacles, pipette tips, aspirator device, dispenser device, and magnetic rack for performing target-capture, while being especially careful not to confuse racks, test samples, assay receptacles, and associated tips, or to knock over any tubes, tips, containers, or instruments. In addition, the practitioner must carefully perform aspirating and dispensing steps with hand-held, non-fixed instruments in a manner requiring precise execution to avoid undesirable contact between assay receptacles, aerosol formation, or aspiration of magnetic particles or other substrates used in a target-capture assay. As a further precaution, the magnetic field in a manually performed target-capture assay is often applied to only one side of the assay receptacle so that fluids can be aspirated through a pipette tip inserted along the opposite side of the assay receptacle. Although applying a magnetic field to only one side of the assay receptacle is a less efficient means for performing a target capture assay, it is designed to prevent magnetic particles from being unnecessarily aspirated as a result of practitioner inaccuracies. A need exists for an automated diagnostic analyzer which addresses many of the concerns associated with manual approaches to performing nucleic acid-based assays. In particular, significant advantages can be realized by automating the various process steps of a nucleic acid-based assay, including greatly reducing the risk of user-error, pathogen exposure, contamination, and spillage, while significantly increasing through-put volume. Automating the steps of a nucleic acid-based assay will also reduce the amount training required for practitioners and virtually eliminate sources of physical injury attributable to high-volume manual applications. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above-described needs are addressed by an automated clinical analyzer constructed and operated in accordance with aspects of the present invention. In general, the automated clinical analyzer integrates and coordinates the operation of various automated stations, or modules, involved in performing one or more assays on a plurality of reaction mixtures contained in reaction receptacles. The analyzer is preferably a self-contained, stand alone unit. Assay specimen materials and reaction receptacles, as well as the various solutions, reagents, and other materials used in performing the assays are preferably stored within the analyzer, as are the waste products generated when assays are performed. The analyzer includes a computer controller which runs analyzer-controlling and assay-scheduling software to coordinate operation of the stations of the analyzer and movement of each reaction receptacle through the analyzer. Reaction receptacles can be loaded in an input queue which sequentially presents each receptacle at a pick-up position to be retrieved by a transport mechanism, which automatically transports the reaction receptacles between the stations of the analyzer. Specimen containers are carried on a first ring assembly, and disposable pipette tips are carried on a second ring assembly. Containers of target capture reagent, including a suspension of solid support material, are carried on an inner rotatable assembly constructed and ranged to selectively agitate the containers or present the containers for access by the probe of an automatic robotic pipette system. Reaction mixtures, including fluid specimen material and target capture reagent, are prepared by the pipette system within each reaction receptacle. The analyzer further includes receptacle mixers for mixing the contents of a receptacle placed therein. The mixer may be in fluid communication with fluid containers and may include dispensers for dispensing one or more fluids into the receptacle. One or more incubators carry multiple receptacles in a temperature-controlled chamber and permit individual receptacles to be automatically placed into and removed from the chamber. Magnetic separation wash stations automatically perform a magnetic separation wash procedure on the contents of a receptacle placed in the station. In the preferred method of operation, assay results may be ascertained by the amount of light emitted from a receptacle at the conclusion of the appropriate preparation steps. Accordingly, the analyzer includes a luminometer for detecting and/or quantifying the amount of light emitted by the contents of the reaction receptacle. A deactivation queue may be provided to deactivate the contents of a reaction receptacle placed therein at the conclusion of the assay. Reaction receptacles can be independently transported between stations by the transport mechanism, and the stations can be operated in parallel to perform different assay procedures simultaneously on different reaction receptacles, thereby facilitating efficient, high through-put operation of the analyzer. Moreover, the present invention facilitates arranging the various stations associated with a nucleic acid-based assay onto a single, contained platform, thereby achieving efficient space utilization. Other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention, including the methods of operation and the function and interrelation of the elements of structure, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims, with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this disclosure, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automated nucleic acid-based diagnostic analyzer according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the structural frame of the analyzer of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the assay processing deck of the analyzer of the present invention; FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the assay processing deck; FIG. 5 is a plan view of a specimen ring and a pipette tip wheel of the assay processing deck of the analyzer of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the specimen ring and the pipette tip wheel; FIG. 6A is a partial cross-sectional view along the line 6A-6A in FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a multi-axis mixer of the processing deck of the analyzer of the present invention; FIG. 8 is a plan view of the multi-axis mixer; FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the multi-axis mixer; FIG. 10 is a plan view of the multi-axis mixer with container holders and a turntable cover removed therefrom; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the multi-axis mixer taken in the direction 11-11 in FIG. 10; FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a drive assembly of the multi-axis mixer; FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a transport mechanism of the processing deck of the analyzer of the present invention; FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a manipulating hook mounting plate and a manipulating hook actuating mechanism of the transport mechanism, with the manipulating hook member engaged with a reaction receptacle and in a retracted position; FIG. 15 is the same as FIG. 14, except with the manipulating hook member in the extended position; FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of the transport mechanism; FIG. 17 is a side-elevation of a temperature ramping station of the processing deck of the analyzer of the present invention; FIG. 18 is a front-elevation of the temperature ramping station; FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a rotary incubator of the processing deck of the analyzer of the present invention; FIG. 20 is an exploded view of a portion of a housing and access opening closure mechanisms according to a first embodiment of the rotary incubator; FIG. 21 is a partial view of a skewed disk linear mixer of the rotary incubator, shown engaged with a reaction receptacle employed in a preferred mode of operation of the analyzer of the present invention; FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment of the rotary incubator; FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the rotary incubator according to a second embodiment thereof; FIG. 23A is an exploded perspective view of the second embodiment of the rotary incubator; FIG. 23B is a partial exploded perspective view of an access opening closure mechanism of the second embodiment of the rotary incubator; FIG. 23C is an exploded view of a receptacle carrier carousel of the second embodiment of the rotary incubator; FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a magnetic separation wash station of the processing deck of the present invention with a side plate thereof removed; FIG. 25 is a partial transverse cross-section of the magnetic separation wash station; FIG. 25A is a partial transverse cross-section of a tip of an aspirating tube of the magnetic separation wash station with a contamination-limiting tiplet carried on the end thereof; FIG. 26 is an exploded perspective view of a receptacle carrier unit, an orbital mixer assembly, and a divider plate of the magnetic separation wash station; FIG. 27 is a partial cross-sectional view of a wash buffer dispenser nozzle, an aspirator tube with a contamination-limiting tiplet engaged with an end thereof, and a receptacle carrier unit of the magnetic separation wash station, showing a multi-tube unit reaction receptacle employed in a preferred mode of operation of the analyzer carried in the receptacle carrier unit and the aspirator tube and contamination-limiting tiplet inserted into a receptacle vessel of the multi-tube unit; FIG. 28 is a partial cross-sectional view of the wash buffer dispenser nozzle, the aspirator tube, and the receptacle carrier unit of the magnetic separation wash station, showing the multi-tube unit carried in the receptacle carrier unit and the aspirator tube engaging the contamination-limiting tiplet held in a contamination-limiting element holding structure of the multi-tube unit; FIGS. 29A-29D show a partial cross-section of a first embodiment of a tiplet stripping hole of a tiplet stripping plate of the magnetic separation wash station and a tiplet stripping operation using the tiplet stripping hole; FIGS. 30A-30D show a partial cross-section of a second embodiment of a tiplet stripping hole and a tiplet stripping operation using the tiplet stripping hole; FIG. 31A is a plan view of a third embodiment of a tiplet stripping hole of a tiplet stripping plate of the magnetic separation wash station; FIGS. 31B-31C show a partial cross-section of the third embodiment of the tiplet stripping hole and a tiplet stripping operation using the tiplet; FIG. 32 is a perspective view of an orbital mixer with a front plate thereof removed; FIG. 33 is an exploded view of the orbital mixer of the processing deck of the analyzer of the present invention; FIG. 34 is a top-plan view of the orbital mixer; FIG. 35 is a top perspective view of a reagent cooling bay of the processing deck of the analyzer of the present invention; FIG. 36 is a top perspective view of a reagent cooling bay with the container tray removed therefrom; FIG. 37 is a bottom plan view of the reagent cooling bay; FIG. 38 is an exploded view of the reagent cooling bay; FIG. 39 is a top perspective view of a modular container tray of the reagent cooling bay; FIG. 40 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a luminometer of the processing deck of the analyzer of the present invention; FIG. 41 is a partial exploded perspective view of the luminometer of the first embodiment; FIG. 42A is a partial perspective view of a receptacle transport mechanism of the first embodiment of the luminometer; FIG. 42B is an end view of the receptacle transport mechanism of the first embodiment of the luminometer; FIG. 42C is a top view of the receptacle transport mechanism of the first embodiment of the luminometer; FIG. 43 is a break away perspective view of a second embodiment of the luminometer of the present invention; FIG. 44 is an exploded perspective view of a multi-tube unit door assembly for the luminometer of the second embodiment; FIG. 45 is an exploded perspective view of a shutter assembly for a photosensor aperture for the luminometer of the second embodiment; FIG. 45A is a perspective view of an aperture plate of the shutter assembly of the luminometer of the second embodiment; FIG. 46 is a perspective view of a receptacle vessel positioner assembly of the luminometer of the second embodiment, including a receptacle vessel positioner disposed within a receptacle vessel positioner frame; FIG. 47 is a perspective view of the receptacle vessel positioner; FIG. 48 is a side elevation of the receptacle vessel positioner assembly; FIG. 49 is a perspective view showing the receptacle vessel positioner of the receptacle vessel positioner assembly operatively engaging a multi-tube unit employed in a preferred mode of operation of the analyzer; FIG. 50 is a perspective view of a multi-tube unit transport mechanism of the luminometer of the second embodiment; FIG. 51 is a partial perspective view showing a multi-tube unit transport and drive screw of the multi-tube unit transport mechanism of the luminometer; FIG. 52 is a perspective view of a lower chassis of the analyzer of the present invention; FIG. 53 is a perspective view of a right-side drawer of the lower chassis; FIG. 54 is a perspective view of a left-side drawer of the lower chassis; FIG. 55 is a perspective view of a specimen tube tray employed in a preferred mode of operation of the analyzer of the present invention; FIG. 56 is a top plan view of the specimen tube tray; FIG. 57 is a partial cross-section of the specimen tube tray through line “57-57” in FIG. 55; FIG. 58 is a perspective view of a multi-tube unit employed in a preferred mode of operation of the analyzer of the present invention; FIG. 59 is a side elevation of a contact-limiting pipette tiplet employed in a preferred mode of operation of the analyzer of the present invention and carried on the multi-tube unit shown in FIG. 58; and FIG. 60 is an enlarged bottom view of a portion of the multi-tube unit, viewed in the direction of arrow “60” in FIG. 58. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Analyzer Overview An automated diagnostic analyzer according to the present invention is designated generally by reference number 50 in FIGS. 1 and 2. Analyzer 50 includes a housing 60 built over an internal frame structure 62, preferably made of steel. The analyzer 50 is preferably supported on caster wheels 64 structurally mounted to the frame structure 62 so as to make the analyzer movable. The various stations involved in performing an automated assay and the assay specimens are housed within housing 60. In addition, the various solutions, reagents, and other materials used in performing the assays are preferably stored within the housing 60, as are the waste products generated when assays are performed with the analyzer 50. Housing 60 includes a test receptacle loading opening 68, which is shown in FIG. 1 to be disposed in a forwardly facing panel of the housing 60, but could as well be located in other panels of the housing 60. A pipette door 70 having a view window 72 and a carousel door 74 having a view window 76 are disposed above a generally horizontal work surface 66. A forwardly protruding arcuate panel 78 accommodates a specimen carousel, which will be described below. A flip-up arcuate specimen door 80 is pivotally attached to the housing so as to be vertically pivotal with respect to arcuate panel 78 so as to provide access to a forward portion of the specimen carousel behind the panel 78. Sensors indicate when the doors are closed, and the specimen door 80, the carousel door 74, and the pipette door 70 are locked during analyzer operation. The locking mechanism for each door preferably consists of a hook attached to a DC rotary solenoid (rated for continuous duty) with a spring return. Preferred rotary solenoids are available from Lucas Control Systems, of Vandalia, Ohio, model numbers L-2670-034 and L-1094-034. An extension portion 102, preferably made of a transparent or translucent material, extends above the top portion of housing 60 so as to provide vertical clearance for moving components within the housing 60. The assays are performed primarily on a processing deck 200, which is the general location of the various assay stations of the analyzer 50 described below. For simplicity of the illustration, the processing deck 200 is shown in FIG. 2 without any of the assay stations mounted thereon. The processing deck 200 comprises a datum plate 82 to which the various stations are directly or indirectly mounted. Datum plate 82 preferably comprises a machined aluminum plate. The processing deck 200, also known as the chemistry deck, separates the interior of the housing into the chemistry area, or upper chassis, above the datum plate 82 and the storage areas, or lower chassis 1100, located below the datum plate 82. A number of fans and louvers are preferably provided in the upper chassis portion of the housing 60 to create air circulation throughout the upper chassis to avoid excessive temperatures in the upper chassis. As the analyzer 50 of the present invention is computer controlled, the analyzer 50 includes a computer controller, schematically represented as box 1000 in FIG. 2, which runs high-level analyzer-controlling software known as the “assay manager program”. The assay manager program includes a scheduler routine which monitors and controls test specimen movement through the chemistry deck 200. The computer controller 1000 which controls the analyzer 50 may include a stand-alone computer system including a CPU, keyboard, monitor, and may optionally include a printer device. A portable cart may also be provided for storing and supporting the various computer components. Alternately, the computer hardware for running the analyzer-controlling software may be integrally housed within the housing 60 of the analyzer 50. Low level analyzer control, such as control of electric motors and heaters used throughout the analyzer 50 and monitoring of fluid levels within bulk fluid and waste fluid containers, is performed by an embedded controller, preferably comprising a Motorola 68332 microprocessor. Stepper motors used throughout the analyzer are also preferably controlled by preprogrammed, off-the-shelf, microprocessor chips available from E-M Technologies, Bala Cynwyd, Pa. The processing deck 200 is shown schematically in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 represents a schematic plan view of a portion of the processing deck 200, and FIG. 4 represents a schematic perspective view of the processing deck. The datum plate 82 forms the foundation of the processing deck 200 on which all stations are directly or indirectly attached. Processing deck 200 includes a reaction receptacle input queue 150 which extends from opening 68 in front of housing 60. A plurality of reaction receptacles are loaded in a stacked fashion in the input queue 150. The purpose of the input queue is to hold a prescribed number of reaction receptacles and to sequentially present them at a pick-up position to be retrieved by a transport mechanism (described below). A reflective sensor at the pick-up position verifies the presence of a receptacle at that position. The input queue also includes a device for counting the number of receptacles resident therein at any given time. A reaction receptacle shuttle assembly (not shown) within the queue moves the receptacles along a receptacle advance path toward the pick-up position. Optical sensors indicate when the shuttle assembly is in its home and fully extended positions. The queue includes a drawer which may be pulled out for loading the receptacles therein. Before the drawer is opened, however, it must be unlocked and the shuttle must disengage from the receptacle advance path. When the drawer is again closed, it is locked and the shuttle engages the receptacles and moves them toward the pick-up position. Optical sensors indicate when the drawer is closed and when the shuttle has engaged a receptacle. As each receptacle is removed from the pick-up position by the transport mechanism, the receptacle shuttle advances the receptacles one receptacle-width, so that the next receptacle is in the pick-up position. The reaction receptacles are preferably integrally formed linear arrays of test tubes and known as multi-tube units, or MTUs. The preferred reaction receptacles (MTUs) will be described in more detail below. A first ring assembly, which in the preferred embodiment comprises a specimen ring 250, is mounted on a pivoting jig plate 130 at a distance above the datum plate 82. Specimen ring 250 is generally circular and preferably holds up to nine specimen trays 300 in an annular fluid container carrier portion thereof, and each of the specimen trays preferably holds 20 specimen-containing containers, or test tubes 320. The specimen ring 250 is constructed and arranged to be rotatable about a first generally vertical axis of rotation and delivers the specimen tubes 320 to a specimen pipette assembly 450, preferably an automated robotic pipette system. The forward portion of specimen ring 250 is accessible through the flip-up carousel door 80 provided in housing 60 so that trays 300 of test tubes 320 can be easily loaded onto the specimen ring 250 and unloaded from the specimen ring. Specimen ring 250 is driven by a motor, as will be described in more detail below. A second ring assembly, which in the preferred embodiment comprises a pipette tip wheel 350, is located in an interior portion of the specimen ring 250, so that at least a portion of the outer perimeter of the pipette tip wheel 350 is disposed radially inwardly of the inner periphery of the ring 250. Pipette tip wheel 350 carries thereon a plurality of commercially available packages of pipette tips. Pipette tip wheel 350 is motor driven to rotate independently of specimen ring 250 about a second axis of rotation that is generally parallel to the first axis of rotation of the specimen ring 250. An inner rotatable assembly constructed and arranged to carry a plurality of fluid containers is provided at an interior portion of the pipette tip wheel 350. In the preferred embodiment, the inner rotatable assembly comprises a multi-axis mixer 400 located radially inside the pipette tip wheel 350 (i.e., the second ring assembly) and specimen ring 250 (i.e., the first ring assembly). The multi-axis mixer 400 includes a rotating turntable 414 that is rotatable about a third axis of rotation that is generally parallel to the first and second axes of rotation and on which are mounted four independently and eccentrically rotating container holders 406. Each of the container holders 406 receives a container, preferably in the form of a plastic bottle, containing a fluid suspension of magnetic particles with immobilized polynucleotides and polynucleotide capture probes. Each container holder 406 is generally cylindrical in shape and includes an axis of symmetry, or axis of rotation. The multi-axis mixer 400 rotates each of the containers eccentrically with respect to the center of the holder 406, while simultaneously rotating the turntable 414 about its center so as to provide substantially constant agitation of the containers to maintain the magnetic particles in suspension within the fluid. The specimen pipette assembly, or robot, 450 is mounted to the frame structure 62 (see FIG. 2) in a position above the specimen ring 250 and pipette tip wheel 350. The specimen pipette assembly 450 includes a pipette unit 456 having a tubular probe 457 mounted on a gantry assembly to provide X, Y, Z motion. Specifically, the pipette unit 456 is linearly movable in the Y-direction along a track 458 formed in a lateral rail 454, and the lateral rail 454 is longitudinally movable in the X-direction along a longitudinal track 452. The pipette unit 456 provides vertical, or Z-axis motion of the probe 457. Drive mechanisms within the specimen pipette assembly 450 position the pipette unit 456 to the correct X, Y, Z coordinates within the analyzer 50 to pipette fluids, to wash the probe 457 of the pipette unit 456, to discard a protective tip from an end of the probe 457 of the pipette unit 456, or to stow the pipette unit 456 during periods of nonuse, e.g., in a “home” position. Each axis of the specimen pipette assembly 450 is driven by a stepper motor in a known and conventional manner. The pipette assembly is preferably an off-the-shelf product. Presently preferred is the Robotic Sample Processor, model number RSP9000, available from Cavro Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. This model includes a single gantry arm. The specimen pipette assembly 450 is preferably coupled to a syringe pump (not shown) (the Cavro XP 3000 has been used) and a DC driven diaphragm system fluid wash pump (not shown). The syringe pump of the specimen pipette assembly 450 is preferably mounted to the internal frame structure 62 within the housing 60 of the analyzer 50 at a position above the left-hand side of the chemistry deck 200 and is connected to pipette unit 456 by suitable tubing (not shown) or other conduit structures. A specimen preparation opening 252 is provided in the jig plate 130, so that the specimen pipette assembly 450 can access a reaction receptacle 160 in the input queue 150 located below the jig plate 130. The specimen pipette assembly 450 of the analyzer 50 engages specimen tubes 320 carried on the specimen ring 250 through openings 140, 142 of an elevated cover plate 138 and engages pipette tips carried on the pipette tip wheel 350 near the back portions of the specimen ring 250 and pipette tip wheel 350, respectively. Accordingly, an operator can have access to the forward portions of specimen ring 250 and pipette tip wheel 350 through the carousel door opening 80 during operation of the analyzer without interfering with pipetting procedures. A tip wash/disposal station 340 is disposed adjacent to the specimen ring 250 on the jig plate 130. Station 340 includes a tip disposal tube 342 and a wash station basin 346. During specimen preparation, the pipette unit 456 of the specimen pipette assembly 450 can move into position above the wash station basin 346 where the tubular probe 457 can be washed by pumping distilled water through the probe 457, the basin of the wash station 346 being connected, preferably by a flexible hose (not shown), to a liquid waste container in the lower chassis 1100. The tip disposal tube 342 comprises an upstanding tubular member. During specimen transfer from a specimen tube 320 to a reaction receptacle 160, an elongated pipette tip is frictionally secured onto the end of the tubular probe 457 of the pipette unit 456, so that specimen material does not come into contact with the tubular probe 457 of the pipette unit 456 when material is drawn from a specimen tube 320 and into the elongated pipette tip. After a specimen has been transferred from a specimen tube 320, it is critical that the pipette tip used in transferring that specimen not be used again for another unrelated specimen. Therefore, after specimen transfer, the pipette unit 456 moves to a position above the tip disposal tube 342 and ejects the used, disposable pipette tip into the tip disposal tube 342 which is connected to one of the solid waste containers carried in the lower chassis 1100. An elongated pipette tip is preferably also frictionally secured to the probe 457 for transferring target capture reagent from containers carried on the multi-axis mixer 400 to a reaction receptacle 160. Following reagent transfer, the pipette tip is discarded. As noted, the specimen ring 250, the pipette tip wheel 350, and the multi-axis mixer 400 are preferably mounted on a hinged jig plate 130 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) supported above the datum plate 82. The jig plate 130 is hinged at a back end 132 thereof (see FIG. 6) so that the plate, and the ring 250, the wheel 350, and the mixer 400 mounted thereon, can be pivoted upwardly to permit access to the area of the chemistry deck below the jig plate. A first, or right-side, transport mechanism 500 is mounted on the datum plate 82 below the jig plate 130 and specimen ring 250 on generally the same plane as the input queue 150. Transport mechanism 500 includes a rotating main body portion 504 defining a receptacle carrier assembly and an extendible manipulating hook 506 mounted within the main body 504 and extendible and retractable with respect thereto by means of a powered hook member drive assembly. Each of the reaction receptacles 160 preferably includes manipulating structure that can be engaged by the extendible manipulating hook 506, so that the transport mechanism 500 can engage and manipulate a reaction receptacle 160 and move it from one location on the processing deck 200 to another as the reaction receptacle is sequentially moved from one station to another during the performance of an assay within the reaction receptacle 160. A second, or left-side, transport mechanism 502, of substantially identical construction as first transport mechanism 500, is also included on the processing deck 200. A plurality of receptacle parking stations 210 are also located below the jig plate 130. The parking stations 210, as their name implies, are structures for holding specimen-containing reaction receptacles until the assay performing stations of the processing deck 200 of the analyzer 50 are ready to accept the reaction receptacles. The reaction receptacles are retrieved from and inserted into the parking stations 210 as necessary by the transport mechanism 500. A right-side orbital mixer 550 is attached to the datum plate 82 and receives reaction receptacles 160 inserted therein by the right-side transport mechanism 500. The orbital mixer is provided to mix the contents of the reaction receptacle 160. After mixing is complete, the right-side transport mechanism 500 removes the reaction receptacle from the right-side orbital mixer 550 and moves it to another location in the processing deck. A number of incubators 600, 602, 604, 606, of substantially identical construction are provided. Incubators 600, 602, 604, and 606 are preferably rotary incubators. Although the particular assay to be performed and the desired throughput will determine the desired number of necessary incubators, four incubators are preferably provided in the analyzer 50. As will be described in more detail below, each incubator (600, 602, 604, 606) has a first, and may also have a second, receptacle access opening through which a transport mechanism 500 or 502 can insert a reaction receptacle 160 into the incubator or retrieve a reaction receptacle 160 from the incubator. Within each incubator (600, 602, 604, 606) is a rotating receptacle carrier carousel which holds a plurality of reaction receptacles 160 within individual receptacle stations while the receptacles are being incubated. For the nucleic acid-based diagnostic assay preferably performed on the analyzer 50 of the present invention, first rotary incubator 600 is a target capture and annealing incubator, second rotary incubator 602 is an active temperature and pre-read cool-down incubator (also known as an “AT incubator”), third rotary incubator 604 is an amplification incubator, and fourth rotary incubator 606 is a hybridization protection assay incubator. The construction, function, and role of the incubators in the overall performance of the assay will be described in more detail below. The processing deck 200 preferably also includes a plurality of temperature ramping stations 700. Two such stations 700 are shown attached to the datum plate 82 between incubators 602 and 604 in FIG. 3. Additional ramping stations may be disposed at other locations on the processing deck 200 where they will be accessible by one of the transport mechanisms 500, 502. A reaction receptacle 160 may be placed into or removed from a temperature ramping station 700 by either transport mechanism 500 or 502. Each ramping station 700 either raises or lowers the temperature of the reaction receptacle and its contents to a desired temperature before the receptacle is placed into an incubator or another temperature sensitive station. By bringing the reaction receptacle and its contents to a desired temperature before inserting it into one of the incubators (600, 602, 604, 606), temperature fluctuations within the incubator are minimized. The processing deck 200 also includes magnetic separation wash stations 800 for performing a magnetic separation wash procedure. Each magnetic separation wash station 800 can accommodate and perform a wash procedure on one reaction receptacle 160 at a time. Therefore, to achieve the desired throughput, five magnetic separation wash stations 800 working in parallel are preferred. Receptacles 160 are inserted into and removed from the magnetic separation wash stations 800 by the left-side transport mechanism 502. A reagent cooling bay 900 is attached to the datum plate 82 roughly between the incubators 604 and 606. Reagent cooling bay 900 comprises a carousel structure having a plurality of container receptacles for holding bottles of temperature sensitive reagents. The carousel resides within a cooled housing structure having a lid with pipette-access holes formed therein. A second, or left-side, orbital mixer 552, substantially identical to right-side orbital mixer 550, is disposed between incubators 606 and 604. The left-side orbital mixer 552 includes dispenser nozzles and lines for dispensing fluids into the reaction receptacle resident within the left-side orbital mixer 552. A reagent pipette assembly, or robot, 470 includes a double gantry structure attached to the frame structure 62 (see FIG. 2) and is disposed generally above the incubators 604 and 606 on the left-hand side of the processing deck 200. Specifically, reagent pipette assembly 470 includes pipette units 480 and 482. Pipette unit 480 includes a tubular probe 481 and is mounted for linear movement, generally in the X-direction, along track 474 of lateral rail 476, and pipette unit 482, including a tubular probe 483, is also mounted for linear motion, generally in the X-direction, along track 484 of lateral rail 478. Lateral rails 476 and 478 can translate, generally in a Y-direction, along the longitudinal track 472. Each pipette unit 480, 482 provides independent vertical, or Z-axis, motion of the respective probe 481, 483. Drive mechanisms within the assembly 470 position the pipette units 480, 482 to the correct X, Y, Z coordinates within the analyzer 50 to pipette fluids, to wash the tubular probes 481, 483 of the respective pipette units 480, 482, or to stow the pipette units 480, 482 during periods of nonuse, e.g., in “home” positions. Each axis of the pipette assembly 470 is driven by a stepper motor. The reagent pipette assembly 470 is preferably an off-the-shelf product. The presently preferred unit is the Cavro Robotic Sample Processor, model RSP9000, with two gantry arms. The pipette units 480, 482 of the reagent pipette assembly 470 are each preferably coupled to a respective syringe pump (not shown) (the Cavro XP 3000 has been used) and a DC driven diaphragm system fluid wash pump. The syringe pumps of the reagent pipette assembly 470 are preferably mounted to the internal frame structure 62 within the housing 60 of the analyzer 50 at a position above the left-hand side of the chemistry deck 200 and are connected to the respective pipette units 480, 482 by suitable tubing (not shown) or other conduit structures. Each pipette unit 480, 482 preferably includes capacitive level sensing capability. Capacitive level sensing, which is generally known in the medical instrumentation arts, employs capacitance changes when the dielectric of a capacitor, formed by the pipette unit as one plate of the capacitor and the structure and hardware surrounding a container engaged by the pipette unit as the opposite plate, changes from air to fluid to sense when the probe of the pipette unit has penetrated fluid within a container. By ascertaining the vertical position of the probe of the pipette unit, which may be known by monitoring the stepper motor which drives vertical movement of the pipette unit, the level of the fluid within the container engaged by the pipette unit may be determined. Pipette unit 480 transfers reagents from the reagent cooling bay 900 into reaction receptacles disposed within the incubator 606 or the orbital mixer 552, and pipette unit 482 transfers reagent materials from the reagent cooling bay 900 into reaction receptacles disposed within the amplification incubator 604 or the orbital mixer 552. The pipette units 480, 482 use capacitive level sensing to ascertain fluid level within a container and submerge only a small portion of the end of the probe of the pipette unit to pipette fluid from the container. Pipette units 480, 482 preferably descend as fluid is pipetted into the respective tubular probes 481, 483 to keep the end of the probes submerged to a constant depth. After drawing reagent into the tubular probe of the pipette unit 480 or 482, the pipette units create a minimum travel air gap of 10 μl in the end of the respective probe 481 or 483 to ensure no drips from the end of the probe as the pipette unit is moved to another location above the chemistry deck 200. The results of the assay preferably performed in the analyzer 50 of the present invention are ascertained by the amount of chemiluminescence, or light, emitted from a receptacle vessel 162 at the conclusion of the appropriate preparation steps. Specifically, the results of the assay are determined from the amount of light emitted by label associated with hybridized polynucleotide probe at the conclusion of the assay. Accordingly, the processing deck 200 includes a luminometer 950 for detecting and/or quantifying the amount of light emitted by the contents of the reaction receptacle. Briefly, the luminometer 950 comprises a housing through which a reaction receptacle travels under the influence of a transport mechanism, a photomultiplier tube, and associated electronics. Various luminometer embodiments will be described in detail below. The processing deck 200 also preferably includes a deactivation queue 750. The assay performed in the analyzer 50 involves the isolation and amplification of nucleic acids belonging to at least one organism or cell of interest. Therefore, it is desirable to deactivate the contents of the reaction receptacle 160, typically by dispensing a bleach-based reagent into the reaction receptacle 160 at the conclusion of the assay. This deactivation occurs within the deactivation queue 750. Following deactivation, the deactivated contents of the reaction receptacle 160 are stored in one of the liquid waste containers of the lower chassis 1100 and the used reaction receptacle is discarded into a dedicated solid waste container within the lower chassis 1100. The reaction receptacle is preferably not reused. Analyzer Operation The operation of the analyzer 50, and the construction, cooperation, and interaction of the stations, components, and modules described above will be explained by describing the operation of the analyzer 50 on a single test specimen in the performance of one type of assay which may be performed with analyzer 50. Other diagnostic assays, which require the use of one or more of the stations, components, and modules described herein, may also be performed with the analyzer 50. The description herein of a particular assay procedure is merely for the purpose of illustrating the operation and interaction of the various stations, components, and modules of the analyzer 50 and is not intended to be limiting. Those skilled in the art of diagnostic testing will appreciate that a variety of chemical and biological assays can be performed in an automated fashion with the analyzer 50 of the present invention. The analyzer 50 is initially configured for an assay run by loading bulk fluids into the bulk fluid storage bay of the lower chassis 1100 and connecting the bulk fluid containers to the appropriate hoses (not shown). The analyzer is preferably powered up in a sequential process, initially powering the stations, or modules, that will be needed early in the process, and subsequently powering the stations that will not be needed until later in the process. This serves to conserve energy and also avoids large power surges that would accompany full analyzer power-up and which could trip circuit breakers. The analyzer also employs a “sleep” mode during periods of nonuse. During sleep mode, a minimal amount of power is supplied to the analyzer, again to avoid large surges necessary to power-up an analyzer from complete shut-down. A number of reaction receptacles 160, preferably in the form of plastic, integrally formed multiple-tube units (MTUs), which are described in more detail below, are loaded through opening 68 into the input queue 150. Henceforth, the reaction receptacles 160 will be referred to as MTUs, consistent with the preferred manner of using the analyzer 50. The reaction receptacle shuttle assembly (not shown) within the input queue 150 moves the MTUs 160 from the loading opening 68 to the pick-up position at the end of the queue 150. The right-side transport mechanism 500 takes an MTU 160 from the end of the queue 150 and moves to a bar code reader (not shown) to read the unique bar code label on that MTU which identifies that MTU. From the bar code reader, the MTU is moved to an available specimen transfer station 255 below opening 252. Multiple Tube Units As shown in FIG. 58, an MTU 160 comprises a plurality of individual receptacle vessels 162, preferably five. The receptacle vessels 162, preferably in the form of cylindrical tubes with open top ends and closed bottom ends, are connected to one another by a connecting rib structure 164 which defines a downwardly facing shoulder extending longitudinally along either side of the MTU 160. The MTU 160 is preferably formed from injection molded polypropylene. The most preferred polypropylene is sold by Montell Polyolefins, of Wilmington, Del., product number PD701NW. The Montell material is used because it is readily moldable, chemically compatible with the preferred mode of operation of the analyzer 50, and has a limited number of static discharge events which can interfere with accurate detection or quantification of chemiluminescence. An arcuate shield structure 169 is provided at one end of the MTU 160. An MTU manipulating structure 166 to be engaged by one of the transport mechanisms 500, 502 extends from the shield structure 169. MTU manipulating structure 166 comprises a laterally extending plate 168 extending from shield structure 169 with a vertically extending piece 167 on the opposite end of the plate 168. A gusset wall 165 extends downwardly from lateral plate 168 between shield structure 169 and vertical piece 167. As shown in FIG. 60 the shield structure 169 and vertical piece 167 have mutually facing convex surfaces. The MTU 160 is engaged by the transport mechanisms 500, 502 and other components, as will be described below, by moving an engaging member laterally (in the direction “A”) into the space between the shield structure 169 and the vertical piece 167. The convex surfaces of the shield structure 169 and vertical piece 167 provide for wider points of entry for an engaging member undergoing a lateral relative motion into the space. The convex surfaces of the vertical piece 167 and shield structure 169 include raised portions 171, 172, respectively, formed at central portions thereof. The purpose of portions 171, 172 will be described below. A label-receiving structure 174 having a flat label-receiving surface 175 is provided on an end of the MTU 160 opposite the shield structure 169 and MTU manipulating structure 166. Labels, such as scannable bar codes, can be placed on the surface 175 to provide identifying and instructional information on the MTU 160. The MTU 160 preferably includes tiplet holding structures 176 adjacent the open mouth of each respective receptacle vessel 162. Each tiplet holding structure 176 provides a cylindrical orifice within which is received a contact-limiting tiplet 170. The construction and function of the tiplet 170 will be described below. Each holding structure 176 is constructed and arranged to frictionally receive a tiplet 170 in a manner that prevents the tiplet 170 from falling out of the holding structure 176 when the MTU 160 is inverted, but permits the tiplet 170 to be removed from the holding structure 176 when engaged by a pipette. As shown in FIG. 59, the tiplet 170 comprises a generally cylindrical structure having a peripheral rim flange 177 and an upper collar 178 of generally larger diameter than a lower portion 179 of the tiplet 170. The tiplet 170 is preferably formed from conductive polypropylene. When the tiplet 170 is inserted into an orifice of a holding structure 176, the flange 177 contacts the top of structure 176 and the collar 178 provides a snug but releasable interference fit between the tiplet 170 and the holding structure 176. An axially extending through-hole 180 passes through the tiplet. Hole 180 includes an outwardly flared end 181 at the top of the tiplet 170 which facilitates insertion of a pipette tubular probe (not shown) into the tiplet 170. Two annular ridges 183 line the inner wall of hole 180. Ridges 183 provide an interference friction fit between the tiplet 170 and a tubular probe inserted into the tiplet 170. The bottom end of the tiplet 170 preferably includes a beveled portion 182. When tiplet 170 is used on the end of an aspirator that is inserted to the bottom of a reaction receptacle, such as a receptacle vessel 162 of an MTU 160, the beveled portion 182 prevents a vacuum from forming between the end of the tiplet 170 and the bottom of the reaction receptacle vessel. Lower Chassis An embodiment of the lower chassis of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 52-54. The lower chassis 1100 includes a steel frame 1101 with a black polyurethane powder coat, a pull-out drip tray 1102 disposed below the chassis, a right-side drawer 1104, and a left-side drawer 1106. The left-side drawer 1106 is actually centrally disposed within the lower chassis 1100. The far left-side of the lower chassis 1100 houses various power supply system components and other analyzer mechanisms such as, for example, seven syringe pumps 1152 mounted on a mounting platform 1154, a vacuum pump 1162 preferably mounted on the floor of the lower chassis 1100 on vibration isolators (not shown), a power supply unit 1156, a power filter 1158, and fans 1160. A different syringe pump 1152 is designated for each of the five magnetic separation wash stations 800, one is designated for the left-side orbital mixer 552, and one is designated for the deactivation queue 750. Although syringe pumps are preferred, peristaltic pumps may be used as an alternative. The vacuum pump 1162 services each of the magnetic separation wash stations 800 and the deactivation queue 750. The preferred rating of the vacuum pump is 5.3-6.5 cfm at 0″ Hg and 4.2-5.2 cfm at 5″ Hg. A preferred vacuum pump is available from Thomas Industries, Inc. of Sheboygan, Wis., as model number 2750CGH160. A capacitor 1172 is sold in conjunction with the pump 1162. The power supply unit 1156 is preferably an ASTEC, model number VS1-B5-B7-03, available from ASTEC America, Inc., of Carlsbad, Calif. Power supply unit 1156 accepts 220 volts ranging from 50-60 Hz, i.e., power from a typical 220 volt wall outlet. Power filter 1158 is preferably a Corcom model 20MV1 filter, available from Corcom, Inc. of Libertyville, Ill. Fans 1160 are preferably Whisper XLDC fans available from Comair Rotron, of San Ysidro, Calif. Each fan is powered by a 24VDC motor and has a 75 cfm output. As shown in FIG. 52, the fans 1160 are preferably disposed proximate a left-side outer wall of the lower chassis 1100. The fans 1160 are preferably directed outwardly to draw air through the lower chassis from the right-side thereof to the left-side thereof, and thus, to draw excess heat out of the lower chassis. Other power supply system components are housed in the back left-hand side of the lower chassis 1100, including a power switch 1174, preferably an Eaton circuit breaker switch 2-pole, series JA/S, available from the Cutler-Hammer Division of Eaton Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio, and a power inlet module 1176 at which a power cord (not shown) for connecting the analyzer 50 to an external power source is connected. The power supply system of the analyzer 50 also includes a terminal block (not shown), for attaching thereto a plurality of electrical terminals, a solid state switch (not shown), which is preferably a Crydom Series 1, model number D2425, available from Cal Switch, Carson City, Calif., for switching between different circuits, and an RS232 9-pin connector port for connecting the analyzer 50 to the external computer controller 1000. The right-side drawer and left-side drawer bays are preferably closed behind one or two doors (not shown) in front of the analyzer, which is/are preferably locked by the assay manager program during operation of the analyzer. Microswitches are preferably provided to verify door-closed status. The far left bay is covered by a front panel. End panels are provided on opposite ends of the lower chassis to enclose the chassis. Four leveler feet 1180 extend down from the four corners of the chassis 1100. The leveler feet 1180 include threaded shafts with pads at the lower ends thereof. When the analyzer is in a desired location, the feet 1180 can be lowered until the pads engage the floor to level and stabilize the analyzer. The feet can also be raised to permit the analyzer to be moved on its casters. Bulk fluids typically contained in the containers of the lower chassis 1100 may include wash buffer (for washing immobilized target), distilled water (for washing fixed pipette tips), diagnostic testing reagents, silicon oil (used as a floating fluid for layering over test reagents and specimen), and a bleach-based reagent (used for sample deactivation). The right-side drawer 1104 is shown in detail in FIG. 53. The right-side drawer 1104 includes a box-like drawer structure with a front drawer handle 1105. Although drawer handle 1105 is shown as a conventional pull-type drawer handle, in the preferred embodiment of the analyzer 50, handle 1105 is a T-handle latch, such as those available from Southco, Inc. of Concordville, Pa. The drawer 1104 is mounted in the lower chassis on slide brackets (not shown) so that the drawer 1104 can be pulled into and out of the lower chassis. A sensor (not shown) is preferably provided for verifying that the drawer 1104 is closed. The front portion of the drawer includes bottle receptacles 1122 for holding bottle 1128 (shown in FIG. 52), which is a dedicated pipette wash waste-containing bottle, and bottle 1130 (also shown in FIG. 52), which is a dedicated waste bottle for containing waste from a magnetic wash, target-capture procedure. Bottle 1130 is preferably evacuated. The analyzer 50 will not begin processing assays if any of the bottles required in the lower chassis 1100 are missing. Bottle receptacles 1122 preferably include bottle-present sensors (not shown) to verify the presence of a bottle in each receptacle 1122. The bottle-present sensors are preferably diffuse reflective type optical sensors available from SUNX/Ramco Electric, Inc., of West Des Moines, Iowa, model EX-14A. Right-side drawer 1104 further includes a waste bin 1108 for holding therein spent MTUs and specimen tips. Waste bin 1108 is an open box structure with a sensor mount 1112 at a top portion thereof for mounting thereon a sensor, preferably a 24VDC Opto-diffuse reflector switch (not shown), for detecting whether the waste bin 1108 is full. Another diffuse reflector type optical sensor (not shown) is positioned within right-side drawer 1104 to verify that the waste bin 1108 is in place. Again, diffuse reflective type optical sensors available from SUNX/Ramco Electric, Inc., of West Des Moines, Iowa, model EX-14A, are preferred. A deflector 1110 extends obliquely from a side of the waste bin 1108. Deflector 1110 is disposed directly below a chute through which spent MTUs are dropped into the waste bin 1108 and deflects the dropped MTUs toward the middle of the waste bin 1108 to avoid MTU pile-ups in a corner of the waste bin 1108. Deflector 1110 is preferably pivotally mounted so that it can pivot upwardly to a substantially vertical position so that when a waste bag, which lines the waste bin 1108 and covers the deflector 1110, is removed from the waste bin 1108, the deflector 1110 will pivot upwardly with the bag as it is pulled out and therefore will not rip the bag. A printed circuit board (not shown) and cover 1114 can be mounted to the front of the waste bin 1108. Sensor mounts 1116 and 1117 are also mounted to the front of waste bin 1108. Sensors 1118 and 1119 are mounted on sensor mount 1116, and sensors 1120 and 1121 mounted on sensor mount 1117. Sensors 1118, 1119, 1120, and 1121 are preferably DC capacitive proximity sensors. The upper sensors 1118, 1119 indicate when the bottles 1128 and 1130 are full, and the bottom sensors 1120, 1121 indicate when the bottles are empty. Sensors 1118-1121 are preferably those available from Stedham Electronics Corporation of Reno, Nev., model number C2D45AN1-P, which were chosen because their relatively flat physical profile requires less space within the tight confines of the lower chassis 1100 and because the Stedham sensors provide the desired sensing distance range of 3-20 mm. The analyzer 50 will preferably not begin performing any assays if the assay manager program detects that any of the waste fluid containers in the right-side drawer 1104 are not initially empty. The capacitive proximity sensors 1118-1121 and the bottle-present, waste-bin-present, and waste-bin-full optical sensors of the right-side drawer 1104 are connected to the printed circuit board (not shown) behind cover 1114, and the printed circuit board is connected to the embedded controller of the analyzer 50. Because the right-side drawer 1104 cannot be pulled completely out of the lower chassis 1100, it is necessary to be able to pull the waste bin 1108 forward so as to permit access to the waste bin for installing and removing a waste bag liner. For this purpose, a handle 1126 is mounted to the front of the waste bin 1108 and teflon strips 1124 are disposed on the bottom floor of the right-side drawer 1104 to facilitate forward and backward sliding of the waste bin 1108 in the drawer 1104 when bottles 1128 and 1130 are removed. Details of the left-side drawer 1106 are shown in FIG. 54. Left-side drawer 1106 includes a box-like structure with a front mounted handle 1107 and is mounted within the lower chassis 1100 on slide brackets (not shown). Although handle 1107 is shown as a conventional pull-type drawer handle, in the preferred embodiment of the analyzer 50, handle 1107 is a T-handle latch, such as those available from Southco, Inc. of Concordville, Pa. A sensor is provided for verifying that the left-side drawer 1106 is closed. Left-side drawer 1106 includes a tiplet waste bin 1134 with a mounting structure 1135 for mounting thereon a tiplet-waste-bin-full sensor (not shown). A tiplet-waste-bin-present sensor is preferably provided in the left-side drawer 1106 to verify that the tiplet waste bin 1134 is properly installed. Diffuse reflective type optical sensors available from SUNX/Ramco Electric, Inc., of West Des Moines, Iowa, model EX-14A, are preferred for both the tiplet-waste-bin-full sensor and the tiplet-waste-bin-present sensor. Bundling structures 1132 are provided for securing and bundling various tubing and/or wires (not shown) within the lower chassis 1100. The bundling structures preferably used are Energy Chain Systems manufactured and sold by Igus, Inc. of East Providence, R.I. A printed circuit board 1182 is mounted behind a panel 1184 which is located behind the tiplet waste bin 1134. A solenoid valve mounting panel 1186 is located below the tiplet waste bin 1134. Left-side drawer 1106 includes a forward container-holding structure for holding therein six similarly sized bottles. The container structure includes divider walls 1153, 1155, 1157, and 1159 and container blocks 1151 having a curved bottle-conforming front edge, which together define six container-holding areas. Lower sensors 1148 and upper sensors 1150 (six of each) are mounted on the divider walls 1155, 1157, and 1159. The upper and lower sensors 1148, 1150 are preferably DC capacitive proximity sensors (preferably sensors available from Stedham Electronics Corporation of Reno, Nev., model number C2D45AN1-P; chosen for their flat profile and sensing range). The upper sensors 1150 indicate when the bottles held in the container structure are full, and the lower sensors 1148 indicate when the bottles are empty. In the preferred arrangement, the left two bottles 1146 contain a detecting agent (“Detect I”), the middle two bottles 1168 contain silicon oil, and the right two bottles 1170 contain another detecting agent (“Detect II”). Bottle-present sensors (not shown) are preferably provided in each of the container-holding areas defined by the container blocks 1151 and the dividing walls 1153, 1155, 1157, and 1159 to verify the presence of bottles in each container-holding area. The bottle-present sensors are preferably diffuse reflective type optical sensors available from SUNX/Ramco Electric, Inc., of West Des Moines, Iowa, model EX-14A. A large centrally located container receptacle 1164 holds a bottle 1140 (shown in FIG. 52), preferably containing deionized water. Container receptacles 1166 (only one is visible in FIG. 54) hold bottles 1142 and 1144 (also shown in FIG. 52) preferably containing a wash buffer solution. A dividing wall 1143 between the receptacle 1164 and 1166 has mounted thereon sensors, such as sensor 1141, for monitoring the fluid level in the bottles 1140, 1142, and 1144. The sensors, such as sensor 1141, are preferably DC capacitive proximity sensors (preferably sensors available from Stedham Electronics Corporation of Reno, Nev., model number C2D45AN1-P). Container receptacles 1164 and 1166 preferably include bottle-present sensors (not shown) for verifying that bottles are properly positioned in their respective receptacles. The bottle-present sensors are preferably diffuse reflective type optical sensors available from SUNX/Ramco Electric, Inc., of West Des Moines, Iowa, model EX-14A. The analyzer 50 will not begin performing any assays if the assay manager program determines that any of the bulk-fluid containers in the left-side drawer 1106 are initially empty. The capacitive proximity fluid level sensors, the various bottle-present sensors, the tiplet-waste-bin-full sensor, and the tiplet-waste-bin-present sensors are all connected to the printed circuit board 1182, and the printed circuit board 1182 is connected to the embedded controller of the analyzer 50. Four solenoid valves (not shown) are mounted below the solenoid valve mounting panel 1186. The solenoid valves connect bulk fluid bottles where fluids are stored in pairs of bottles, i.e., the bottles 1140, 1142 containing wash buffer solution, the two bottles 1146 containing the “Detect I” agent, the two bottles 1168 containing oil, and the two bottles 1170 containing the “Detect II” agent. The solenoid valves, in response to signals from the respective capacitive proximity sensors, switch bottles from which fluid is being drawing when one of the two bottles containing the same fluid is empty. In addition, the solenoid valves may switch bottles after a prescribed number of tests are performed. The preferred solenoid valves are teflon solenoid valves available from Beco Manufacturing Co., Inc. of Laguna Hills, Calif., model numbers S313W2DFRT and M223W2DFRLT. The two different model numbers correspond to solenoid valves adapted for use with two different tube sizes. Teflon solenoid valves are preferred because they are less likely to contaminate fluids flowing through the valves and the valves are not damaged by corrosive fluids flowing through them. Bottle 1136 (see FIG. 52) is a vacuum trap held in a vacuum trap bracket 1137, and bottle 1138 contains a deactivating agent, such as bleach-containing reagent. Again, bottle-present sensors are preferably provided to verify the presence of bottles 1136 and 1138. A hand-held bar code scanner 1190 may be provided in the lower chassis 1100 for scanning information provided on scannable container labels into the assay manager program. Scanner 1190 is connected by a cord to printed circuit board 1182 of the left-side drawer 1106 and is preferably stowed on a bracket (not show) mounted on dividing wall 1143. Scanners available from Symbol Technologies, Inc., of Holtsville, N.Y., series LS2100, are preferred. Specimen ring and Specimen Tube Trays Specimens are contained in the specimen tubes 320, and the tubes 320 are loaded into the tube trays 300 outside the analyzer 50. The trays 300 carrying the specimen tubes 320 are placed onto the specimen ring 250 through the access opening provided by opening the flip-up carousel door 80. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the first ring assembly, or specimen ring, 250 is formed of milled, unhardened aluminum and includes a raised ring structure defining an annular trough 251 about the outer periphery of ring 250 with a plurality of raised, radially extending dividers 254 extending through trough 251. Preferably, nine dividers 254 divide the trough 251 into nine arcuate specimen tube tray-receiving wells 256. The trough 251 and wells 256 define an annular fluid container carrier portion constructed and arranged to carry a plurality of containers as will be described below. Specimen ring 250 is preferably rotationally supported by three 120°-spaced V-groove rollers 257, 258, 260 which engage a continuous V-ridge 262 formed on the inner periphery of ring 250, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 6A so that the ring 250 is rotatable about a first central axis of rotation. The rollers are preferably made by Bishop-Wisecarver Corp. of Pittsburg, Calif., model number W1SSX. Rollers 257 and 260 are rotationally mounted on fixed shafts, and roller 258 is mounted on a bracket which pivots about a vertical axis and is spring biased so as to urge roller 258 radially outward against the inner periphery of ring 250. Having two fixed rollers and one radially movable roller allows the three rollers to accommodate an out-of-round inner periphery of the ring 250. Specimen ring 250 is driven by stepper motor 264 (VEXTA stepper motors available from Oriental Motor Co., Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan as model number PK266-01A are preferred) via continuous belt 270 (preferably available from SDP/SI of New Hyde Park, N.Y., as model number A6R3M444080) which extends over guide rollers 266, 268 and around the outer periphery of ring 250. A home sensor and a sector sensor (not shown), preferably slotted optical sensors, are provided adjacent the ring 250 at a rotational home position and at a position corresponding to one of the specimen tube tray receiving wells 256. The ring 250 includes a home flag (not shown) located at a home position on the wheel and nine equally-spaced sector flags (not shown) corresponding to the positions of each of the nine specimen tube tray receiving wells 256. The home flag and sector flags cooperate with the home sensor and sector sensors to provide ring position information to the assay manager program and to control the ring 250 to stop at nine discrete positions corresponding to established coordinates for user re-load and access by pipette unit 450. Preferred sensors for the home sensor and sector sensor are Optek slotted optical sensors, model number OPB857, available from Optek of Carrollton, Tex. A specimen cover is disposed over a portion of the annular fluid container carrier portion, or trough 251, and comprises an arcuate cover plate 138 fixed in an elevated position with respect to the wheel 250 on three mounting posts 136. Plate 138 has an arcuate shape generally conforming to the curve of the trough 251. A first opening 142 is formed in the plate 138, and a second opening 140 is formed in the plate 138 at a greater radial distance from the axis of rotation of ring 250 than opening 142 and at a circumferentially-spaced position from opening 142. Referring to FIGS. 55-57, each specimen tube tray 300 comprises a test tube rack structure that is curved to conform to the curvature of the ring 250. Each tray 300 comprises a central wall structure 304 with lateral end walls 303 and 305 disposed on either end of wall 304. A floor 312 extends across the bottom of the tray 300. The principle purposes of specimen tube tray 300 are to hold specimen tubes on the specimen ring 250 for access by the specimen pipette assembly 450 and to facilitate loading and unloading of multiple specimen tubes into and from the analyzer. A plurality of Y-shaped dividers 302 are equidistantly spaced along opposite edges of the tray 300. Each two adjacent dividers 302 define a test-tube receiving area 330. End wall 303 includes inwardly bent flanges 316 and 318, and end wall 305 includes inwardly bent flanges 326 and 328. The respective inwardly bent flanges of end walls 303 and 305 along with the end-most of the dividers 302 define the end-most tube receiving areas 332. The receiving areas 330, 332 are arcuately aligned along two arcuate rows on opposite sides of central wall structure 304 Referring to FIG. 57, within each tube receiving area 330,332, a leaf spring element 310 is attached to central wall 304. Leaf spring element 310, preferably formed of stainless spring steel, elastically deflects when a test tube 320 is inserted into the tube-receiving area 330 or 332 and urges the tube 320 outwardly against the dividers 302. Thus, the tube 320 is secured in an upright orientation. The shape of the dividers 302 and the elasticity of the leaf spring elements 310 allow the tray 300 to accommodate specimen tubes of various shapes and sizes, such as tubes 320 and 324. Each tray 300 preferably includes nine dividers 302 along each edge to form, along with end walls 303 and 305, ten tube-receiving areas 330, 332 on each side of central wall structure 304 for a total of twenty tube-receiving areas per tray. Indicia for designating tube-receiving areas 330 and 332, such as raised numerals 306, may be provided on the tray, such as on central wall 304. Each tray 300 may also include boss structures 308, shown in the illustrated embodiment to be integrally formed with the end-most dividers 302. An upright inverted U-shaped handle (not shown) may be attached to the tray at boss structures 308 or some other suitable location. Upright handles can facilitate handling of the tray 300 when loading and unloading the tray 300 through the arcuate carousel door 80, but are not necessarily preferred. A gap is provided between adjacent dividers 302 so that bar-code labels 334, or other readable or scannable information, on the tubes 320 is accessible when the tube is placed in the tray 300. When a tray 300 carried on wheel 250 passes beneath the plate 138 of the specimen cover, one tube 320 in a curved row at a radially-inward position with respect to wall structure 304 will be aligned with first opening 142 and another tube 320 in a curved row at a radially-outward position with respect to wall 304 will be aligned with second opening 140. The ring 250 is indexed to sequentially move each tube 320 beneath the openings 140, 142 to permit access to the tubes. Referring again to FIG. 5, bar code scanners 272 and 274 are disposed adjacent the ring 250. Opticon, Inc. scanners, model number LHA2126RR1S-032, available from Opticon, Inc. of Orangeburg, N.Y., are preferred. Scanner 272 is located outside ring 250, and scanner 274 is disposed inside ring 250. Scanners 272 and 274 are positioned to scan bar code data labels on each specimen tube 320 carried in the specimen tube tray 300 as the ring 250 rotates a tray 300 of specimen tubes 320 past the scanners 272, 274. In addition, the scanners 272, 274 scan the bar code label 337 (see FIG. 55) on the outer portion of bent flanges 316 and 318 of end wall 303 of each tray 300 as the tray 300 is brought into the specimen preparation area. Various information, such as specimen and assay identification, can be placed on the tubes and/or each tray 300, and this information can be scanned by the scanners 272, 274 and stored in the central processing computer. If no specimen tube is present, the tray 300 presents a special code 335 (see FIG. 55) to be read by the scanners 272, 274. Pipette Tip Wheel As shown primarily in FIGS. 5 and 6, a second ring assembly of the preferred embodiment is a pipette tip wheel 350 and comprises a circular ring 352 at a bottom portion thereof, a top panel 374 defining a circular inner periphery and five circumferentially-spaced, radially-protruding sections 370, and a plurality of generally rectangular risers 354 separating the top panel 374 from the ring 352 and preferably held in place by mechanical fasteners 356 extending through the top panel 374 and ring 352 into the risers 354. Five rectangular openings 358 are formed in the top panel 374 proximate each of the sections 370, and a rectangular box 376 is disposed beneath panel 374, one at each opening 358. Top panel 374, ring 352, and risers 354 are preferably made from machined aluminum, and boxes 376 are preferably formed from stainless steel sheet stock. The openings 358 and associated boxes 376 are constructed and arranged to receive trays 372 holding a plurality of disposable pipette tips. The pipette tip trays 372 are preferably those manufactured and sold by TECAN (TECAN U.S. Inc., Research Triangle Park, N.C.) under the trade name “Disposable Tips for GENESIS Series”. Each tip has a 1000 μl capacity and is conductive. Each tray holds ninety-six elongated disposable tips. Lateral slots 378 and longitudinal slots 380 are formed in the top panel 374 along the lateral and longitudinal edges, respectively, of each opening 358. The slots 378, 380 receive downwardly-extending flanges (not shown) disposed along the lateral and longitudinal edges of the trays 372. The slots 378, 380 and associated flanges of the trays 372 serve to properly register the trays 372 with respect to openings 358 and to hold the trays 372 in place on the panel 374. Pipette tip wheel 350 is preferably rotationally supported by three 120°-spaced V-groove rollers 357, 360, 361 which engage a continuous V-ridge 362 formed on the inner periphery of ring 352, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 6A, so that the pipette tip wheel 350 is rotatable about a second central axis of rotation that is generally parallel to the first axis of rotation of the specimen ring 250. The rollers are preferably made by Bishop-Wisecarver Corp. of Pittsburg, Calif., model number W1SSX. Rollers 357 and 360 are rotationally mounted on fixed shafts, and roller 361 is mounted on a bracket which pivots about a vertical axis and is spring biased so as to urge roller 361 radially outwardly against the inner periphery of ring 352. Having two fixed rollers and one radially movable roller allows the three rollers to accommodate an out-of-round inner periphery of ring 352. In addition, the wheel 350 can be easily installed and removed by merely pushing pivoting roller 361 radially inwardly to allow the ring 352 to move laterally to disengage continuous V-ridge 362 from the fixed V-groove rollers 357, 360. Pipette tip wheel 350 is driven by a motor 364 having a shaft-mounted spur gear which meshes with mating gear teeth formed on an outer perimeter of ring 352. Motor 364 is preferably a VEXTA gear head stepper motor, model number PK243-A1-SG7.2, having a 7.2:1 gear reduction and available from Oriental Motor Co., Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan. A gear head stepper motor with a 7.2:1 gear reduction is preferred because it provides smooth motion of the pipette tip wheel 350, where the spur gear of the motor 364 is directly engaged with the ring 352. A home sensor and a sector sensor (not shown), preferably slotted optical sensors, are provided adjacent the pipette tip wheel 350 at a rotational home position and at a position of one of the boxes 376. The pipette tip wheel 350 includes a home flag (not shown) located at a home position on the wheel and five equally-spaced sector flags (not shown) corresponding to the positions of each of the five boxes 376. The home flag and sector flags cooperate with the home sensor and sector sensors to provide wheel position information to the assay manager program and to control the pipette tip wheel 350 to stop at five discrete positions corresponding to established coordinates for user re-load and access by pipette unit 450. Preferred sensors for the home sensor and sector sensor are Optek Technology, Inc. slotted optical sensors, model number OPB980, available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex. Multi-Axis Mixer Referring to FIGS. 7-12, the multi-axis mixer 400 includes a rotating turntable structure 414 (see FIG. 10) rotatably mounted on a center shaft 428 supported in center bearings 430 to a fixed base 402 mounted to the jig plate 130 by means of mechanical fasteners (not shown) extending through apertures 419 formed about the outer periphery of the fixed base 402. A cover member 404 is attached to and rotates with turntable 414. Turntable 414 is preferably in the form of a right angle cross comprising three 90°-spaced rectangular arms 444 of equal length extending radially outwardly from the center of the turntable 414 and a fourth arm 445 having an extension 417 making arm 445 slightly longer than arms 444. As shown in FIGS. 10-12, the center portion of turntable 414 is connected to center shaft 428 by a screw 429. Four container holders 406 are disposed on the ends of the arms 444 and 445 of turntable frame 414. Each container holder 406 is attached to one of four vertical shafts 423, which are rotatably supported in container holder bearings 415. Container holder bearings 415 are pressed into the arms 444, 445 of the turntable 414 and are disposed at equal radial distances from shaft 428. The cover member 404 includes four circular openings with upwardly-turned peripheral flanges 401 through which shafts 423 extend. Upward flanges 401 can advantageously prevent spilled liquids from flowing into the openings. The container holders 406 comprise generally cylindrical members having an open bottom and an open top for receiving and holding a container 440, preferably a plastic bottle, of target capture reagent. The target capture reagent used with the preferred assay includes magnetically responsive particles with immobilized polynucleotides, polynucleotide capture probes, and reagents sufficient to lyse cells containing the targeted nucleic acids. After cell lysis, targeted nucleic acids are available for hybridization under a first set of predetermined hybridization conditions with one or more capture probes, with each capture probe having a nucleotide base sequence region which is capable of hybridizing to a nucleotide base sequence region contained on at least one of the targeted nucleic acids. Under a second set of predetermined hybridization conditions, a homopolymer tail (e.g., oligo(dT)) of the immobilized polynucleotides is capable of hybridizing with a complementary homopolymer tail (e.g., oligo(dA)) contained on the capture probe, thereby immobilizing targeted nucleic acids. Target-capture methods and lysing procedures are well known in the art and are described more fully in the background section supra. A container retainer spring 408 spans a lateral slot formed in the wall of each container holder 406 and helps to hold the container 440 within the container holder 406 by urging the container 440 toward a portion of the inner peripheral wall of the holder 406 opposite the spring 408. Each container holder 406 is secured to an associated vertical shaft 423 by a shaft block structure 432. Shaft block structure 432 includes curved end portions which conform to the inside of the cylindrical container holder 406, and the container holder 406 is secured to the block 432 by fasteners 434. A generally circular aperture 449 receives the shaft 423. A slot 438 extends from aperture 449 to an end of the block 432 which does not extend all the way to the inside of the container holder 406, and a second slot 436 extends from an edge of the block 432 generally perpendicularly to slot 438 so as to define a cantilevered arm 435. A machine screw 437 extends through a through-hole 441 formed laterally through block 432 and into a threaded hole 447 formed laterally through arm 435. As screw 437 is tightened, arm 435 deflects, thus tightening aperture 449 around shaft 423. The shaft block structure 432, the shaft 423, and the container holder bearings 415 associated with each container holder 406 define a preferred container holder mounting structure associated with each container holder 406 that is constructed and arranged to mount the container holder 406 to the turntable 414 and permit the container holder 406 to rotate about an axis of rotation 412 of the shaft 423. Container holder planetary gears 422 are attached to the opposite ends of shafts 423. The planetary gears 422 operatively engage a stationary sun gear 416. A drive pulley 418 is attached to center shaft 428 and is coupled to a drive motor 420 by a drive belt (not shown). Drive motor 420 is preferably mounted so as to extend through an opening (not shown) in the jig plate 130 below the base 402. Drive motor 420 is preferably a stepper motor, and most preferably a VEXTA stepper motor, model number PK264-01A, available from Oriental Motor Co., Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan. The drive motor 420, via the drive belt and drive pulley 418, rotates the center shaft 428 and the turntable 414 attached thereto. As the turntable frame 414 rotates about the center line of center shaft 428, the planetary gears 422 engaged with sun gear 416 cause the shafts 423 and container holders 406 attached thereto to rotate at the ends of the arms 444 of the turntable frame 414. Each container holder 406 is preferably mounted such that the axis of rotation 410 thereof is offset from the axis of rotation 412 of the associated shaft 423. Thus, each container holder 406 rotates eccentrically about axis 412 of the associated shaft 423. Accordingly, the planetary gears 422 and the sun gear 416 constitute rotational motion coupling elements constructed and arranged to cause the container holders 406 to rotate about the respective axes of rotation of the shafts 423 as the turntable 414 rotates about the axis of rotation of the shaft 428. A bar code scanner device 405 is preferably mounted on a bracket 403 and reads bar code information of the containers 440 through a scanner slot 407 formed in each container holder 406. The preferred scanner is a model number NFT1125/002RL scanner, available from Opticon, Inc. of Orangeburg, N.Y. The multi-axis mixer 400 usually rotates during operation of the analyzer 50 to agitate the fluid contents of the containers 440 to thereby keep the target capture reagent in suspension, stopping only briefly to permit pipette unit 456 to withdraw an amount of mixture from one of the containers. Pipette unit 456 draws mixture from a bottle at the same location each time. Therefore, it is desirable to monitor the positions of the bottles so that the bottle from which mixture is withdrawn each time can be specified. Four optical slotted sensors 426, each comprising an optical emitter and detector, are stationed around the periphery of fixed base 402, spaced at 90° intervals. Optical sensors available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex., model number OPB490P11, are preferred. A sensor tab 424 extends down from extension 417 at the end of arm 445 of the turntable 414. When sensor tab 424 passes through a sensor 426, the communication between the emitter and detector is broken thus giving a “container present” signal. The tab 424 is only provided at one location, e.g., the first container location. By knowing the position of the first container, the positions of the remaining containers, which are fixed relative to the first container, are also known. Power and control signals are provided to the multi-axis mixer 400 via a power and data connector. While the multi-axis mixer 400 provides mixing by rotation and eccentric revolution, other mixing techniques, such as vibration, inversion, etc. may be used. Specimen Preparation Procedure To begin specimen preparation, the pipette unit 456 moves to transfer target capture reagent, preferably mag-oligo reagent, from a container 440 carried on the multi-axis mixer 400 into each of the receptacle vessels 162 of the MTU 160. The target capture reagent includes a support material able to bind to and immobilize a target analyte. The support material preferably comprises magnetically responsive particles. At the beginning of the specimen preparation procedure, the pipette unit 456 of the right-side pipette assembly 450 moves laterally and longitudinally to a position in which the probe 457 is operatively positioned over a pipette tip in one of the trays 372. The tip trays 372 are carried on the pipette tip wheel 350 so as to be precisely positioned to achieve proper registration between the pipette tips and the tubular probe 457 of the pipette unit 456. The pipette unit 456 moves down to insert the free end of the tubular probe 457 into the open end of a pipette tip and frictionally engage the pipette tip. The Cavro processors preferably used for pipette unit 456 includes a collar (not shown), which is unique to Cavro processors. This collar is moved slightly upwardly when a pipette tip is frictionally engaged onto the end of the tubular probe 457, and the displaced collar trips an electrical switch on the pipette unit 456 to verify that a pipette tip is present. If tip pick-up is not successful (e.g., due to missing tips in the trays 372 or a misalignment), a missing tip signal is generated and the pipette unit 456 can move to re-try tip engagement at a different tip location. The assay manager program causes the multi-axis mixer 400 to briefly stop rotating so that the pipette unit 456 can be moved to a position with the tubular probe 457 and attached pipette tip of the pipette unit 456 aligned over one of the stationary containers 440. The pipette unit 456 lowers the pipette tip attached to the tubular probe 457 into the container 440 and draws a desired amount of target capture reagent into the pipette tip. The pipette unit 456 then moves the probe 457 out of the container 440, the multi-axis mixer 400 resumes rotating, and the pipette unit 456 moves to a position above opening 252 and the specimen transfer station 255. Next, the pipette unit 456 descends, moving the pipette tip and the tubular probe 457 through the opening 252, and dispenses a required amount of target capture (typically 100-500 μl) into one or more of the receptacle vessels 162 of the MTU 160. It is preferred that the target capture reagent is drawn only into the pipette tip and not into the probe 457 itself. Furthermore, it is preferred that the pipette tip be of sufficient volumetric capacity to hold enough reagent for all five vessels 162 of the MTU 160. After target capture reagent transfer, the pipette unit 456 then moves to a “tip discard” position above tip disposal tube 342, where the disposable pipette tip is pushed or ejected off of the end of the tubular probe 457 of the pipette unit 456, and falls through tube 342 toward a solid waste container. An optical sensor (not shown) is disposed adjacent to tube 342, and before tip discard, the specimen pipette assembly 450 moves the pipette unit 456 into a sensing position of the sensor. The sensor detects whether a tip is engaged with the end of the tubular probe 457 to verify that the tip is still held on the tubular probe 457 of the pipette unit 456, thereby confirming that the tip was on the tubular probe 457 throughout specimen preparation. A preferred sensor is a wide-gap slotted optic sensor, model OPB900W, available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex. Preferably, the pipette tip is ejected by the collar (not shown) on the tubular probe 457 of pipette unit 456. The collar engages a hard stop when the tubular probe 457 is raised, so that as the probe 457 continues to ascend, the collar remains fixed and engages an upper end of the pipette tip, thereby forcing it off the tubular probe 457. After pipetting the target capture and discarding the pipette tip, the probe 457 of the pipette unit 456 can be washed by running distilled water through the tubular probe 457 at the tip wash station basin 346. The tip wash water is collected and drains down into a liquid waste container. Following the reagent dispensing procedure, the pipette unit 456 on the right pipette assembly 450 moves laterally and longitudinally to a position in which the tubular probe 457 of the pipette unit 456 is centered over a new pipette tip on one of the tip trays 372. After successful tip engagement, the pipette unit 456 moves back over the specimen ring 250, adjacent to the specimen preparation opening 252 and withdraws a test specimen (about 25-900 μl) from a specimen tube 320 that is aligned with one of the openings 140, 142 of the cover plate 138. Note that both openings 140, 142 include upwardly extending peripheral flanges to prevent any fluids spilled onto the plate 138 from running into the openings 140, 142. The pipette unit 456 then moves over the MTU 160 in the specimen transfer station 255, moves down through opening 252, and dispenses test specimen into one of the receptacle vessels 162 of the MTU 160 containing target capture reagent. Pipette unit 456 then moves to the “tip discard” position above the tip disposal tube 342, and the disposable pipette tip is ejected into the tube 342. Pipette unit 456 then picks up a new disposable pipette tip from the pipette tip wheel 350, the specimen ring 250 indexes so that a new specimen tube is accessible by the pipette unit 456, unit 456 moves to and draws specimen fluid from the specimen tube into the disposable pipette tip, the pipette unit 456 then moves to a position above the specimen transfer station 255, and dispenses specimen fluid into a different receptacle vessel 162 containing target capture reagent. This process is preferably repeated until all five receptacle vessels 162 contain a combination of fluid specimen sample and target capture reagent. Alternatively, depending on the assay protocol or protocols to be run by the analyzer 50, the pipette unit 456 may dispense the same test specimen material into two or more of the receptacle vessels 162 and the analyzer can perform the same or different assays on each of those aliquots. As described above with respect to pipette units 480, 482, pipette unit 456 also includes capacitive level sensing capability. The pipette tips used on the end of the tubular probe 457 are preferably made from a conductive material, so that capacitive level sensing can be performed with the pipette unit 456, even when a tip is carried on the end of the tubular probe 457. After the pipette unit has completed a test specimen dispensing procedure, the pipette unit 456 moves the tubular probe 457 back down into the receptacle vessel 162 until the top of the fluid level is detected by the change in capacitance. The vertical position of the tubular probe 457 is noted to determine whether the proper amount of fluid material is contained in the receptacle vessel 162. Lack of sufficient material in a receptacle vessel 162 can be caused by clotting in the test specimen, which can clot the tip at the end of the tubular probe 457 and prevent proper aspiration of test specimen material into the tip and/or can prevent proper dispensing of test specimen from the tip. After specimen transfer, the pipette tip is discarded into the tip disposal tube 342 as described above. Again, the tubular probe 457 of the pipette of unit can be washed with distilled water if desired, but washing of the probe is typically not necessary because, in the preferred method of operation, specimen material only comes into contact with the disposable pipette tip. The assay manager program includes pipette unit control logic which controls movements of the pipette units 456, 480, 482, and preferably causes pipette unit 456 to move in such a manner that it never passes over a specimen tube 320 on the specimen ring 250, except when the pipette unit 456 positions the tubular probe 457 over a specimen tube 320 to withdraw a test specimen or when the specimen tube 320 is below the plate 138 of the specimen cover. In this way, inadvertent fluid drips from the tubular probe 457 of the pipette unit 450 into another specimen tube, which might result in cross-contamination, are avoided. Following specimen preparation, the MTU 160 is moved by the right-side transport mechanism 500 from the specimen transfer station to the right orbital mixer 550 in which the specimen/reagent mixtures are mixed. The structure and operation of the orbital mixers 550, 552 will be described in further detail below. After the MTU 160 is withdrawn from the specimen transfer station by the right-side transport mechanism 500, the reaction receptacle shuttle assembly within the input queue 150 advances the next MTU into a position to be retrieved by the right-side transport mechanism 500 which moves the next MTU to the specimen transfer station. Specimen preparation procedures are then repeated for this next MTU. Transport Mechanisms The right-side and left-side transport mechanisms 500, 502 will now be described in detail. Referring to FIGS. 13-16, the right-side transport mechanism 500 (as well as the left-side transport mechanism 502) has a manipulating hook member that, in the illustrated embodiment, includes an extendible distributor hook 506 extending from a hook mounting structure 508 that is radially and slidably displaceable in a slot 510 on a plate 512. A housing 504 on top of the plate 512 has an opening 505 configured to receive the upper portion of an MTU 160. A stepper motor 514 mounted on the plate 512 turns a threaded shaft 516, which, in cooperation with a lead screw mechanism, moves the distributor hook 506 from the extended position shown in FIGS. 13 and 15, to the retracted position shown in FIG. 14, the motor 514 and threaded shaft 516 constituting elements of a preferred hook member drive assembly. Stepper motor 514 is preferably a modified HSI, series 46000. HSI stepper motors are available from Haydon Switch and Instrument, Inc. of Waterbury, Conn. The HSI motor is modified by machining the threads off one end of the threaded shaft 516, so that the shaft 516 can receive the hook mounting structure 508. The housing 504, motor 514, and the plate 512 are preferably covered by a conforming shroud 507. As shown in FIG. 16, a stepper motor 518 turns a pulley 520 via a belt 519. (VEXTA stepper motors, model number PK264-01A, available from Oriental Motor Co., Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan, and SDP timing belts, model number A6R51M200060, available from SDP/SI of New Hyde Park, N.Y., are preferred). Pulley 520 is preferably a custom-made pulley with one hundred sixty-two (162) axial grooves disposed around its perimeter. A main shaft 522 fixedly attached to the plate 512, by means of a uniquely-shaped mounting block 523, extends down through a base 524 and is fixed to the pulley 520. Base 524 is mounted to the datum plate 82 by means of mechanical fasteners extending through apertures 525 formed about the outer periphery of the base 524. A flex circuit 526 provides power and control signals to the hook mounting structure 508 and motor 514, while allowing the plate 512 (and the components carried on the plate) to pivot sufficiently so as to rotate as much as 340° with respect to the base 524. The transport mechanism 500, 502, assembly preferably includes hard stops (not shown) at either end of the unit's rotational path of travel. An arm position encoder 531 is preferably mounted on an end of the main shaft 522. The arm position encoder is preferably an absolute encoder. A2 series encoders from U.S. Digital in Seattle, Wash., model number A2-S-K-315-H, are preferred. The assay manager program provides control signals to the motors 518 and 514, and to the hook mounting structure 508, to command the distributor hook 506 to engage the MTU manipulating structure 166 on MTU 160. With the hook 506 engaged, the motor 514 can be energized to rotate the shaft 516 and thereby withdraw the hook 506, and the MTU 160, back into the housing 504. The MTU 160 is securely held by the transport mechanism 500, 502 via the sliding engagement of the connecting rib structure 164 of the MTU 160 with opposed edges 511 of plate 512 adjacent slot 510. The plate 512 thereby constitutes an element of a preferred receptacle carrier assembly that is constructed and arranged to be rotatable about an axis of rotation (e.g., the axis of shaft 522) and to receive and carry a reaction receptacle (e.g., MTU 160). The motor 518 can rotate the pulley 520 and shaft 522 via the belt 519 to thereby rotate the plate 512 and housing 504 with respect to the base 524. Rotation of the housing 504 thus changes the orientation of the engaged MTU, thereby bringing that MTU into alignment with a different station on the processing deck. Sensors 528, 532 are provided in opposite sides of the housing 504 to indicate the position of the distributor hook 506 within the housing 504. Sensor 528 is an end-of-travel sensor, and sensor 532 is a home sensor. Sensors 528, 532 are preferably optical slotted sensors available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex., model number OPB980T11. For the home sensor 532, the sensor beam is broken by a home flag 536 extending from the hook mounting structure 508 when the hook 506 is in its fully retracted position. The beam of the end-of-travel sensor 528 is broken by an end-of-travel flag 534 extending from the opposite side of the hook mounting structure 508 when the hook 506 is fully extended. An MTU-present sensor 530 mounted in the side of the housing 504 senses the presence of an MTU 160 in the housing 504. Sensor 530 is preferably a SUNX, infra-red sensor, available from SUNX/Ramco Electric, Inc., of West Des Moines, Iowa. Temperature Ramping Stations One or more temperature ramping stations 700 are preferably disposed below the jig plate 130 and specimen ring 250 (no temperature ramping stations located below the specimen ring 250 are shown in the figures). After mixing the contents of the MTU 160 within the orbital mixer 550, the right-side transport mechanism 500 may move the MTU 160 from the right orbital mixer 550 to a temperature ramping station 700, depending on the assay protocol. The purpose of each ramping station 700 is to adjust the temperature of an MTU 160 and its contents up or down as desired. The temperature of the MTU and its contents may be adjusted to approximate an incubator temperature before inserting the MTU into the incubator to avoid large temperature fluctuations within the incubator. As shown in FIGS. 17-18, a temperature ramping station 700 includes a housing 702 in which an MTU 160 can be inserted. The housing 702 includes mounting flanges 712, 714 for mounting the ramping station 700 to the datum plate 82. A thermoelectric module 704 (also known as a Peltier device) in thermal contact with a-heat sink structure 706 is attached to the housing 702, preferably at the bottom 710. Preferred thermoelectric modules are those available from Melcor, Inc. of Trenton, N.J., model number CP1.4-127-06L. Although one thermoelectric module 704 is shown in FIG. 17, the ramping station 700 preferably includes two such thermoelectric modules. Alternatively, the outer surface of the housing 702 could be covered with a mylar film resistive heating foil material (not shown) for heating the ramping station. Suitable mylar film heating foils are etched foils available from Minco Products, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minn. and from Heatron, Inc. of Leavenworth, Kans. For ramp-up stations (i.e., heaters), resistive heating elements are preferably used, and for ramp-down stations (i.e., chillers), thermoelectric modules 704 are preferably used. The housing 702 is preferably covered with a thermal insulating jacket structure (not shown). The heat sink structure used in conjunction with the thermoelectric module 704 preferably comprises an aluminum block with heat dissipating fins 708 extending therefrom. Two thermal sensors (not shown) (preferably thermistors rated 10 KOhm at 25° C.) are preferably provided at a location on or within the housing 702 to monitor the temperature. YSI 44036 series thermistors available from YSI, Inc. of Yellow Springs, Ohio are preferred. YSI thermistors are preferred because of their high accuracy and the ±0.1° C. interchangeability provided by YSI thermistors from one thermistor to another. One of the thermal sensors is for primary temperature control, that is, it sends signals to the embedded controller for controlling temperature within the ramping station, and the other thermal sensor is for monitoring ramping station temperature as a back-up check of the primary temperature control thermal sensor. The embedded controller monitors the thermal sensors and controls the heating foils or the thermoelectric module of the ramping station to maintain a generally uniform, desired temperature within the ramping station 700. An MTU 160 can be inserted into the housing, supported on the MTU support flanges 718 which engage the connecting rib structure 164 of the MTU 160. A cut-out 720 is formed in a front edge of a side panel of the housing 702. The cut-out 720 permits a distributor hook 506 of a transport mechanism 500 or 502 to engage or disengage the MTU manipulating structure 166 of an MTU 160 inserted all the way into a temperature ramping station 700 by lateral movement with respect thereto. Rotary Incubators Continuing with the general description of the assay procedure, following sufficient temperature ramp-up in a ramping station 700, the right-side transport mechanism 500 retrieves the MTU from the ramping station 700 and places the MTU 160 into the target capture and annealing incubator 600. In a preferred mode of operation of the analyzer 50, the target capture and annealing incubator 600 incubates the contents of the MTU 160 at about 60° C. For certain tests, it is important that the annealing incubation temperature not vary more than ±0.5° C. and that amplification incubation (described below) temperature not vary more than ±0.1° C. Consequently, the incubators are designed to provide a consistent uniform temperature. The details of the structure and operation of the two embodiments of the rotary incubators 600, 602, 604 and 606 will now be described. Referring to FIGS. 19-23C, each of the incubators has housing with a generally cylindrical portion 610, suitably mounted to the datum plate 82, within an insulating jacket 612 and an insulated cover 611. The cylindrical portion 610 is preferably constructed of nickel-plated cast aluminum and the metal portion of the cover 611 is preferably machined aluminum. The cylindrical portion 610 is preferably mounted to the datum plate 82 atop three or more resin “feet” 609. The feet 609 are preferably formed of Ultem®-1000 supplied by General Electric Plastics. The material is a poor thermal conductor, and therefore the feet 609 function to thermally isolate the incubator from the datum plate. The insulation 612 and the insulation for the cover 611 are preferably comprised of ½ inch thick polyethylene supplied by the Boyd Corporation of Pleasantown, Calif. Receptacle access openings 614, 616 are formed in the cylindrical portion 610, and cooperaing receptacle access openings 618, 620 are formed in the jacket 612. For incubators 600 and 602, one of the access openings is positioned to be accessible by the right-side transport mechanism 500 and the other access opening is positioned to be accessible by the left-side transport mechanism 502. Incubators 604 and 606 need to be accessible only by the left-side transport mechanism 502 and therefore only have a single receptacle access opening. Closure mechanisms comprising revolving doors 622, 624 are rotatably positioned within the openings 614 and 616. Each revolving door 622, 624 has a MTU slot 626 extending through a solid cylindrical body. The MTU slot 626 is configured to closely match the profile of the MTU 160, having a wider upper portion compared to the lower portion. A door roller 628, 630 is attached on top of each of the doors 622, 624, respectively. The revolving doors 622, 624 are actuated by solenoids (not shown) which are controlled by commands from the assay manager program to open and close the doors 622, 624 at the proper times. A door 622 or 624 is opened by turning the door 622, 624 so that the MTU slot 626 thereof is aligned with the respective receptacle access opening 614, 616 and is closed by turning the door 622, 624 so that the MTU slot 626 thereof extends transversely to the respective access opening 614, 616. The cylindrical portion 610, cover 611, doors 622, 624, and a floor panel (not shown) constitute an enclosure which defines the incubation chamber. The doors 622, 624 are opened to permit insertion or retrieval of an MTU into or from an incubator and are closed at all other times to minimize heat loss from the incubator through the access openings 614, 616. A centrally positioned radial fan 632 is driven by an internal fan motor (not shown). A Papst, model number RER 100-25/14 centrifugal fan, available from ebm/Papst of Farmington, Conn., having a 24VDC motor and rated at 32 cfm is preferred because its shape is well-suited to application within the incubator. Referring now to FIG. 22, an MTU carousel assembly 671 is a preferred receptacle carrier which carries a plurality of radially oriented, circumferentially-arranged MTUs 160 within the incubator. The MTU carousel assembly 671 is carried by a top plate 642, which is supported by the cylindrical portion 610 of the housing, and is preferably actuated by a rotation motor 640, preferably a stepper motor, supported at a peripheral edge of on the top plate 642. Rotation motor 640 is preferably a VEXTA stepper motor, model number PK246-01A, available from Oriental Motor Co., Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan. The MTU carousel 671 includes a hub 646 disposed below the top plate 642 and coupled, via a shaft 649 extending through the top plate 642, to a pulley 644. Pulley 644 is preferably a custom-made pulley with one hundred sixty-two (162) axial grooves disposed around its perimeter and is coupled to motor 640 through a belt 643, so that motor 640 can rotate the hub 646. Belt 643 is preferably a GT® series timing belt available from SDP/SI of New Hyde Park, N.Y. A 9:1 ratio is preferably provided between the pulley 644 and the motor 640. The hub 646 has a plurality of equally spaced-apart internal air flow slots 645 optionally separated by radially-oriented, circumferentially arranged divider walls 647. In the illustration, only three divider walls 647 are shown, although it will be understood that divider walls may be provided about the entire circumference of the hub 646. In the preferred embodiment, divider walls 647 are omitted. A support disk 670 is attached to hub 646 and disposed below top plate 642 in generally parallel relation therewith. A plurality of radially extending, circumferentially-arranged MTU holding members 672 are attached to the bottom of the support disk 670 (only three MTU holding members 672 are shown for clarity). The MTU holding members 672 have support ridges 674 extending along opposite sides thereof. Radially oriented MTUs are carried on the MTU carousel assembly 671 within stations 676 defined by circumferentially adjacent MTU holding members 672, with the support ridges 674 supporting the connecting rib structures 164 of each MTU 160 carried by the MTU carousel assembly 671. The MTU carousel assembly rotates on a carousel drive shaft to which the drive pulley (644 in the illustrated embodiment) is attached. A carousel position encoder is preferably mounted on an exterior end of the carousel drive shaft. The carousel position encoder preferably comprises a slotted wheel and an optical slot switch combination (not shown). The slotted wheel can be coupled to the carousel assembly 671 to rotate therewith, and the optical slot switch can be fixed to the cylindrical portion 610 of the housing or top plate 642 so as to be stationary. The slotted wheel/slot switch combination can be employed to indicate a rotational position of the carousel assembly 671 and can indicate a “home” position (e.g., a position in which an MTU station 676 designated the #1 station is in front of the access opening 614). A2 series encoders from U.S. Digital in Seattle, Wash., model number A2-S-K-315-H, are preferred. A heat source is provided in thermal communication with the incubator chamber defined within the incubator housing comprising the cylindrical portion 610 and cover 611. In the preferred embodiment, Mylar film-encased electrically-resistive heating foils 660 surround the housing 610 and may be attached to the cover 611 as well. Preferred mylar film heating foils are etched foils available from Minco Products, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minn. and Heatron, Inc. of Leavenworth, Kans. Alternative heat sources may include internally mounted resistive heating elements, thermal-electric heating chips (Peltiers), or a remote heat-generating mechanism thermally connected to the housing by a conduit or the like. As shown in FIGS. 19 and 22, a pipette slot 662 extends through the incubator cover 611, radially-aligned pipette holes 663 extend through the top plate 642, and pipettes slots 664 are formed in the support disk 670 over each MTU station 676, to allow pipetting of reagents into MTUs disposed within the incubators. In the preferred embodiment of the analyzer 50 for the preferred mode of operation, only two of the incubators, the amplification incubator 604 and the hybridization protection assay incubator 606, include the pipette holes 663 and pipette slots 662 and 664, because, in the preferred mode of operation, it is only in these two incubators where fluids are dispensed into MTUs 160 while they are in the incubator. Two temperature sensors 666, preferably thermistors (10 KOhm at 25° C.), are positioned in the top plate 642. YSI 44036 series thermistors available from YSI, Inc. of Yellow Springs, Ohio are preferred. YSI thermistors are preferred because of their high accuracy and the ±0.1° C. interchangeability provided by YSI thermistors from one thermistor to another. One of the sensors 666 is for primary temperature control, that is, it sends singles to the embedded controller for controlling temperature within the incubator, and the other sensor is for monitoring temperature of the incubator as a back-up check of the primary temperature control sensor. The embedded controller monitors the sensors 666 and controls the heating foils 660 and fan 632 to maintain a uniform, desired temperature within the incubator housing 610. As a transport mechanism 500, 502 prepares to load an MTU 160 into an incubator 600, 602, 604, or 606, the motor 640 turns the hub 646 to bring an empty MTU station 676 into alignment with the receptacle access opening 614 (or 616). As this occurs, the door-actuating solenoid correspondingly turns the revolving door 622 (or 624) one-quarter turn to align the MTU slot 626 of the door with the MTU station 676. The access opening 614 is thus exposed to allow placement or removal of an MTU 160. The transport mechanism 500 or 502 then advances the distributor hook 506 from the retracted position to the extended position, pushing the MTU 160 out of the housing 504, through the access opening 614, and into an MTU station 676 in the incubator. After the distributor hook 506 is withdrawn, the motor 640 turns the hub 646, shifting the previously inserted MTU 160 away from the access opening 614, and the revolving door 622 closes once again. This sequence is repeated for subsequent MTUs inserted into the rotary incubator. Incubation of each loaded MTU continues as that MTU advances around the incubator (counter-clockwise) towards the exit slot 618. An MTU sensor (preferably an infrared optical reflective sensor) in each of the MTU stations 676 detects the presence of an MTU 160 within the station. Optek Technology, Inc. sensors, model number OPB770T, available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex. are preferred because of the ability of these sensors to withstand the high temperature environment of the incubators and because of the ability of these sensors to read bar code data fixed to the label-receiving surfaces 175 of the label-receiving structures 174 of the MTUs 160. In addition, each door assembly (revolving doors 622, 624) preferably includes slotted optical sensors (not shown) to indicate door open and door closed positions. Sensors available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex., model number OPB980T11, are preferred because of the relatively fine resolution provided thereby to permit accurate monitoring of door position. A skewed disk linear mixer (also known as a wobbler plate) 634 is provided within housing 610 adjacent MTU carousel assembly 671 and operates as a receptacle mixing mechanism. The mixer 634 comprises a disk mounted in a skewed manner to the shaft of a motor 636 which extends through opening 635 into the housing 610. The motor is preferably a VEXTA stepper motor, model number PK264-01A, available from Oriental Motors Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan, which is the same motor preferably used for the MTU carousel assembly 671. A viscous harmonic damper 638 is preferably attached to motor 636 to damp out harmonic frequencies of the motor which can cause the motor to stall. Preferred harmonic dampers are VEXTA harmonic dampers, available from Oriental Motors Ltd. The operation of the skewed disk linear mixer 634 will be described below. Only two of the incubators, the amplification incubator 604 and the hybridization protection assay incubator 606, include a skewed disk linear mixer 634, because, in the preferred mode of operation, it is only in these two incubators where fluids are dispensed into the MTUs 160 while they are in the incubator. Thus, it is only necessary to provide linear mixing of the MTU 160 by the skewed disk linear mixer 634 in the amplification incubator 604 and the hybridization protection assay incubator 606. To effect linear mixing of an MTU 160 in the incubator by linear mixer 634, the MTU carousel assembly 671 moves the MTU 160 into alignment with the skewed disk linear mixer 634, and the skewed disk of the skewed disk linear mixer 634 engages the MTU manipulating structure 166 of the MTU 160. As the motor 636 spins the skewed disk of the skewed disk linear mixer 634, the portion of the skewed disk structure engaged with the MTU 160 moves radially in and out with respect to the wall of the housing 610, thus alternately engaging the vertical piece 167 of the MTU manipulating structure 166 and the shield structure 169. Accordingly, the MTU 160 engaged with the skewed disk linear mixer 634 is moved radially in and out, preferably at high frequency, providing linear mixing of the contents of the MTU 160. For the amplification incubation step of the preferred mode of operation, which occurs within the amplification incubator 604, a mixing frequency of 10 Hz is preferred. For the probe incubation step of the preferred mode of operation, which occurs within the hybridization protection assay incubator 606, a mixing frequency of 14 Hz is preferred. Finally, for the select incubation step of the preferred mode of operation, which also occurs within the hybridization protection assay incubator 606, a mixing frequency of 13 Hz is preferred. The raised arcuate portions 171, 172 may be provided in the middle of the convex surfaces of the vertical piece 167 and the shield structure 169 of the MTU 160, respectively, (see FIG. 60) to minimize the surface contact between the skewed disk linear mixer 634 and the MTU 160 so as to minimize friction between the MTU 160 and the skewed disk linear mixer 634. In the preferred embodiment, a sensor is provided at the skewed disk linear mixer 634 to ensure that the skewed disk linear mixer 634 stops rotating in the “home” position shown in FIG. 21, so that MTU manipulating structure 166 can engage and disengage from the skewed disk linear mixer 634 as the MTU carousel assembly 671 rotates. The preferred “home” sensor is a pin extending laterally from the skewed disk linear mixer structure and a slotted optical switch which verifies orientation of the skewed disk linear mixer assembly when the pin interrupts the optical switch beam. Hall effect sensors based on magnetism may also be used. An alternate MTU carousel assembly and carousel drive mechanism are shown in FIGS. 23A and 23C. As shown in FIG. 23A, the alternate incubator includes a housing assembly 1650 generally comprising a cylindrical portion 1610 constructed of nickel-plated cast aluminum, a cover 1676 preferably formed of machined aluminum, insulation 1678 for the cover 1676, and an insulation jacket 1651 surrounding the cylindrical portion 1610. As with the previously described incubator embodiment, the incubator may include a linear mixer mechanism including a linear mixer motor 636 with a harmonic damper 638. A closure mechanism 1600 (described below) operates to close off or permit access through a receptacle access opening 1614. As with the previously described embodiment, the incubator may include one or two access openings 1614 depending on the location of the incubator and its function within the analyzer 50. A centrifugal fan 632 is mounted at a bottom portion of the housing 1650 and is driven by a motor (not shown). A fan cover 1652 is disposed over the fan and includes sufficient openings to permit air flow generated by the fan 632. A carousel support shaft 1654 includes a lower shaft 1692 and an upper shaft 1690 divided by a support disk 1694. The support shaft 1654 is supported by means of the lower shaft 1692 extending down into the fan cover 1652 where it is rotatably supported and secured by bearings (not shown). An MTU carousel 1656 includes an upper disk 1658 having a central portion 1696. A top surface of the support disk 1694 engages and is attached to a bottom surface of the central portion 1696 of the upper disk 1658 so that the weight of the carousel 1656 is supported from below. As shown in FIG. 23C, a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced station dividers 1660 are attached beneath the upper disk 1658. A lower disk 1662 includes a plurality of radial flanges 1682 emanating from an annular inner portion 1688. The radial flanges 1682 correspond in number and spacing to the carousel station dividers 1660, and the lower disk 1662 is secured to the bottom surfaces of the carousel station dividers 1660, with each flange 1682 being secured to an associated one of the dividers 1660. The radial flanges 1682 define a plurality of radial slots 1680 between adjacent pairs of flanges 1682. As can be appreciated from FIG. 23C, the width in the circumferential direction of each flange 1682 at an inner end 1686 thereof is less than the width in the circumferential direction of the flange 1682 at the outer end 1684 thereof. The tapered shape of the flanges 1682 ensures that the opposite sides of the slots 1680 are generally parallel to one another. When the lower disk 1662 is attached beneath the carousel station dividers 1660, the widths of the flanges along at least a portion of their respective lengths are greater than the widths of the respective dividers 1660, which may also be tapered from an outer end thereof toward an inner end thereof. The flanges 1684 define lateral shelves along the sides of adjacent pairs of dividers 1660 for supporting the connecting rib structure 164 of an MTU 160 inserted into each MTU station 1663 defined between adjacent pairs of dividers 1660. A pulley 1664 is secured to the top of the central portion 1696 of the upper disk 1658 and a motor 1672 is carried by a mounting bracket 1670 which spans the diameter of the housing 1650 and is secured to the cylindrical portion 1610 of the housing at opposite ends thereof. The motor is preferably a Vexta PK264-01A stepper motor, and it is coupled to the pulley (having a 9:1 ratio with respect to the motor) by a belt 1666, preferably one supplied by the Gates Rubber Company. A position encoder 1674 is secured to a top central portion of the mounting bracket 1672 and is coupled with the upper shaft 1690 of the carousel support shaft 1654. The encoder 1674 (preferably an absolute encoder of the A2 series by U.S. Digital Corporation of Vancouver, Wash.) indicates the rotational position of the carousel 1656. An incubator cover is defined by an incubator plate 1676, preferably formed of machined aluminum, and a conforming cover insulation element 1678. Cover plate 1676 and insulation element 1678 include appropriate openings to accommodate the encoder 1674 and the motor 1672 and may also include radial slots formed therein for dispensing fluids into MTUs carried within the incubator as described with regard to the above embodiment. An alternate, and preferred, closure mechanism 1600 is shown in FIG. 23B. The cylindrical portion 1610 of the incubator housing includes at least one receptacle access opening 1614 with outwardly projecting wall portions 1616, 1618 extending integrally from the cylindrical portion 1610 along opposite sides of the access opening 1614. A rotating door 1620 is operatively mounted with respect to the access opening 1614 by means of a door mounting bracket 1636 attached to the cylindrical portion 1610 of the housing above the access opening 1614. Door 1620 includes an arcuate closure panel 1622 and a transversely extending hinge plate portion 1628 having a hole 1634 for receiving a mounting post (not shown) of the door mounting bracket 1636. The door 1622 is rotatable about the opening 1634 with respect to the access opening 1614 between a first position in which the arcuate closure panel 1622 cooperates with the projecting wall portions 1616, 1618 to close off the access opening 1614 and a second position rotated outwardly with respect to the access opening 1614 to permit movement of a receptacle through the access opening 1614. An inner arcuate surface of the arcuate panel 1622 conforms with an arcuate surface 1638 of the door mounting bracket 1636 and an arcuate surface 1619 disposed below the receptacle access opening 1614 to permit movement of the arcuate panel 1622 with respect to the surfaces 1638 and 1619 while providing a minimum gap between the respective surfaces so as to minimize heat loss therethrough. The door 1620 is actuated by a motor 1642 mounted to the incubator housing by means of a motor mounting bracket 1640 secured to the cylindrical portion 1610 of the housing beneath the receptacle access opening 1614. A motor shaft 1644 is coupled to a lower actuating plate 1626 of the rotating door 1620 so that rotation of the shaft 1644 is transmitted into rotation of the rotating door 1620. Motor 1642 is most preferably an HSI 7.5° per step motor available from Haydon Switch and Instrument, Inc. of Waterbury, Conn. The HSI motor is chosen because of its relatively low cost and because the closure assembly 1600 does not require a high torque, robust motor. Door position sensors 1646 and 1648 (preferably slotted optical sensors) are operatively mounted on opposite sides of the door mounting bracket 1636. The sensor 1646 and 1648 cooperate with sensor tabs 1632 and 1630 on the hinge plate 1628 of the door 1620 for indicating the relative position of the rotating door 1620 and can be configured so as to indicate, for example, a door open and a door closed status. A door cover element 1612 is secured to the outside of the cylindrical portion 1610 of the housing so as to cover the door mounting bracket 1636 and a portion of the rotating door 1620. The cover element 1612 includes an access opening 1613 aligned with the access opening 1614 of the incubator housing and further includes a receptacle bridge 1615 extending laterally from a bottom edge of the access opening 1613. The receptacle bridge 1615 facilitates the insertion of a receptacle (e.g., an MTU 160) into and withdrawal of the receptacle from the incubator. While in the target capture and annealing incubator 600, the MTU 160 and test specimens are preferably kept at a temperature of about 60° C.±0.5° C. for a period of time sufficient to permit hybridization between capture probes and target nucleic acids. Under these conditions, the capture probes will preferably not hybridize with those polynucleotides directly immobilized by the magnetic particles. Following target capture incubation in the target capture and annealing incubator 600, the MTU 160 is rotated by the incubator carousel to the entrance door 622, also known as the right-side or number one distributor door. The MTU 160 is retrieved from its MTU station 676 within incubator 600 and is then transferred by the right-side transport mechanism 500 to a temperature ramp-down station (not shown) below the specimen ring 250. In the ramp-down station, the MTU temperature is brought down to the level of the next incubator. This ramp-down station that precedes the active temperature and pre-read cool-down incubator 602 is technically a heater, as opposed to a chiller, because the temperature to which the MTU is decreased, about 40° C., is still greater than the ambient analyzer temperature, about 30° C. Accordingly, this ramp-down station preferably uses resistive heating elements, as opposed to a thermoelectric module. From the ramp-down station, the MTU 160 is transferred by the right-side transfer mechanism 500 into the active temperature and pre-read cool-down incubator 602. The design and operation of the active temperature and pre-read cool-down 602 is similar to that of the target capture and annealing incubator 600, as described above, except that the active temperature and pre-read cool-down incubator 602 incubates at 40±1.0° C. In the AT incubator 602, the hybridization conditions are such that the polythymidine tail of the immobilized polynucleotide can hybridize to the polyadenine tail of the capture probe. Provided target nucleic acid has hybridized with the capture probe in the annealing incubator 600, a hybridization complex can be formed between the immobilized polynucleotide, the capture probe and the target nucleic acid in the AT incubator 602, thus immobilizing the target nucleic acid. In the AT incubator 602, the hybridization conditions are such that the polythymidine tail of the immobilized polynucleotide can hybridize to the polyadenine tail of the capture probe. Provided target nucleic acid has hybridized with the capture probe in the annealing incubator 600, a hybridization complex can be formed between the immobilized polynucleotide, the capture probe and the target nucleic acid in the AT incubator 602, thus immobilizing the target nucleic acid. During active temperature binding incubation, the carousel assembly 1656 (or 671) of the active temperature and pre-read cool-down incubator 602 rotates the MTU to the exit door 624, also known as the number two, or left-side, distributor door, from which the MTU 160 can be removed by the left-side transport mechanism 502. The left-side transport mechanism 502 removes the MTU 160 from the active temperature and pre-read cool-down incubator 602 and places it into an available magnetic separation wash station 800. Temperature ramping stations 700 can be a bottle neck in the processing of a number of MTUs through the chemistry deck 200. It may be possible to use underutilized MTU stations 676 in one or more of the incubators in which temperature sensitivity is of less concern. For example, the active temperature binding process which occurs within the active temperature and pre-read cool-down incubator 602 at about 40° C. is not as temperature sensitive as the other incubators, and up to fifteen (15) of the incubator's thirty (30) MTU stations 676 may be unused at any given time. As presently contemplated, the chemistry deck has only about eight ramp-up stations, or heaters. Accordingly, significantly more MTUs can be preheated within the unused slots of the active temperature and pre-read cool-down incubator 602 than within the ramp-up stations 700. Moreover, using unused incubator slots instead of heaters allows the omission of some or all of the heaters, thus freeing up space on the chemistry deck. Magnetic Separation Wash Stations Turning to FIGS. 24-25, each magnetic separation wash station 800 includes a module housing 802 having an upper section 801 and a lower section 803. Mounting flanges 805, 806 extend from the lower section 803 for mounting the magnetic separation wash station 800 to the datum plate 82 by means of suitable mechanical fasteners. Locator pins 807 and 811 extend from the bottom of lower section 803 of housing 802. Pins 807 and 811 register with apertures (not shown) formed in the datum plate 82 to help to locate the magnetic separation wash station 800 on the datum plate 82 before the housing 802 is secured by fasteners. A loading slot 804 extends through the front wall of the lower section 803 to allow a transport mechanism (e.g. 502) to place an MTU 160 into and remove an MTU 160 from the magnetic separation station 800. A tapered slot extension 821 surrounds a portion of the loading slot 804 to facilitate MTU insertion through the slot 804. A divider 808 separates the upper section 801 from the lower section 803. A pivoting magnet moving structure 810 is attached inside the lower section 803 so as to be pivotable about point 812. The magnet moving structure 810 carries permanent magnets 814, which are positioned on either side of an MTU slot 815 formed in the magnet moving structure 810. Preferably five magnets, one corresponding to each individual receptacle vessel 162 of the MTU 160, are held in an aligned arrangement on each side of the magnet moving structure 810. The magnets are preferably made of neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB), minimum grade n-35 and have preferred dimensions of 0.5 inch width, 0.3 inch height, and 0.3 inch depth. An electric actuator, generally represented at 816, pivots the magnet moving structure 810 up and down, thereby moving the magnets 814. As shown in FIG. 25, actuator 816 preferably comprises a rotary stepper motor 819 which rotates a drive screw mechanism coupled to the magnet moving structure 810 to selectively raise and lower the magnet moving structure 810. Motor 819 is preferably an HSI linear stepper actuator, model number 26841-05, available from Haydon Switch and Instrument, Inc. of Waterbury, Conn. A sensor 818, preferably an optical slotted sensor, is positioned inside the lower section 803 of the housing for indicating the down, or “home”, position of the magnet moving structure 810. Sensor 818 is preferably an Optek Technology, Inc., model number OPB980T11, available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex. Another sensor 817, also preferably an Optek Technology, Inc., model number OPB980T11, optical slotted sensor, is preferably provided to indicate the up, or engaged, position of the magnet moving structure 810. An MTU carrier unit 820 is disposed adjacent the loading slot 804, below the divider 808, for operatively supporting an MTU 160 disposed within the magnetic separation wash station 800. Turning to FIG. 26, the MTU carrier unit 820 has a slot 822 for receiving the upper end of an MTU 160. A lower fork plate 824 attaches to the bottom of the carrier unit 820 and supports the underside of the connecting rib structure 164 of the MTU 160 when slid into the carrier unit 820 (see FIGS. 27 and 28). A spring clip 826 is attached to the carrier unit 820 with its opposed prongs 831, 833 extending into the slot 822 to releasably hold the MTU within the carrier unit 820. An orbital mixer assembly 828 is coupled to the carrier unit 820 for orbitally mixing the contents of an MTU held by the MTU carrier unit 820. The orbital mixer assembly 828 includes a stepper motor 830 mounted on a motor mounting plate 832, a drive pulley 834 having an eccentric pin 836, an idler pulley 838 having an eccentric pin 840, and a belt 835 connecting drive pulley 834 with idler pulley 838. Stepper motor 830 is preferably a VEXTA, model number PK245-02A, available from Oriental Motors Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan, and belt 835 is preferably a timing belt, model number A 6G16-170012, available from SDP/SI of New Hyde Park, N.Y. As shown in FIGS. 25 and 26, eccentric pin 836 fits within a slot 842 formed longitudinally in the MTU carrier unit 820. Eccentric pin 840 fits within a circular aperture 844 formed in the opposite end of MTU carrier unit 820. As the motor 830 turns the drive pulley 834, idler pulley 838 also rotates via belt 835 and the MTU carrier unit 820 is moved in a horizontal orbital path by the eccentric pins 836, 840 engaged with the apertures 842, 844, respectively, formed in the carrier unit 820. The rotation shaft 839 of the idler pulley 838 preferably extends upwardly and has a transverse slot 841 formed therethrough. An optical slotted sensor 843 is disposed at the same level as the slot 841 and measures the frequency of the idler pulley 838 via the sensor beam intermittently directed through slot 841 as the shaft 839 rotates. Sensor 843 is preferably an Optek Technology, Inc., model number OPB980T11, sensor, available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex. Drive pulley 834 also includes a locator plate 846. Locator plate 846 passes through slotted optical sensors 847, 848 mounted to a sensor mounting bracket 845 extending from motor mounting plate 832. Sensors 847, 848 are preferably Optek Technology, Inc., model number OPB980T11, sensors, available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex. Locator plate 846 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced axial openings formed therein which register with one or both sensors 847, 848 to indicate a position of the orbital mixer assembly 828, and thus a position of the MTU carrier unit 820. Returning to FIG. 24, wash buffer solution delivery tubes 854 connect to fittings 856 and extend through a top surface of the module housing 802. Wash buffer delivery tubes 854 extend through the divider 808 via fittings 856, to form a wash buffer delivery network. As shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, wash buffer dispenser nozzles 858 extending from the fittings 856 are disposed within the divider 808. Each nozzle is located above a respective receptacle vessel 162 of the MTU 160 at a laterally off-center position with respect to the receptacle vessel 162. Each nozzle includes a laterally-directed lower portion 859 for directing the wash buffer into the respective receptacle vessel from the off-center position. Dispensing fluids into the receptacle vessels 162 in a direction having a lateral component can limit splashing as the fluid runs down the sides of the respective receptacle vessels 162. In addition, the laterally directed fluid can rinse away materials clinging to the sides of the respective receptacle vessels 162. As shown in FIGS. 24 and 25, aspirator tubes 860 extend through a tube holder 862, to which the tubes 860 are fixedly secured, and extend through openings 861 in the divider 808. A tube guide yoke 809 (see FIG. 26) is attached by mechanical fasteners to the side of divider 808, below openings 861. Aspirator hoses 864 connected to the aspirator tubes 860 extend to the vacuum pump 1162 (see FIG. 52) within the analyzer 50, with aspirated fluid drawn off into a fluid waste container carried in the lower chassis 1100. Each of the aspirator tubes 860 has a preferred length of 12; inches with an inside diameter of 0.041 inches. The tube holder 862 is attached to a drive screw 866 actuated by a lift motor 868. Lift motor 868 is preferably a VEXTA, model number PK245-02A, available from Oriental Motors Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan, and the drive screw 866 is preferably a ZBX series threaded anti-backlash lead screw, available from Kerk Motion Products, Inc. of Hollis, N.H. The tube holder 862 is attached to a threaded sleeve 863 of the drive screw 866. Rod 865 and slide rail 867 function as a guide for the tube holder 862. Z-axis sensors 829, 827 (slotted optical sensors) cooperate with a tab extending from threaded sleeve 863 to indicate top and bottom of stroke positions of the aspirator tubes 860. The Z-axis sensors are preferably Optek Technology, Inc., model number OPB980T11, sensors, available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex. Cables bring power and control signals to the magnetic separation wash station 800, via a connector 870. The magnet moving structure 810 is initially in a down position (shown in phantom in FIG. 25), as verified by the sensor 818, when the MTU 160 is inserted into the magnetic separation wash station 800 through the insert opening 804 and into the MTU carrier unit 820. When the magnet moving structure 810 is in the down position, the magnetic fields of the magnets 814 will have no substantial effect on the magnetically responsive particles contained in the MTU 160. In the present context, “no substantial effect” means that the magnetically responsive particles are not drawn out of suspension by the attraction of the magnetic fields of the magnets 814. The orbital mixer assembly 828 moves the MTU carrier unit 820 a portion of a complete orbit so as to move the carrier unit 820 and MTU 160 laterally, so that each of the tiplets 170 carried by the tiplet holding structures 176 of the MTU 160 is aligned with each of the aspiration tubes 860, as shown in FIG. 28. The position of the MTU carrier unit 820 can be verified by the locator plate 846 and one of the sensors 847, 848. Alternatively, the stepper motor 830 can be moved a known number of steps to place the MTU carrier unit 820 in the desired position, and one of the sensors 847, 848 can be omitted. The tube holder 862 and aspirator tubes 860 are lowered by the lift motor 868 and drive screw 866 until each of the aspirator tubes 860 frictionally engages a tiplet 170 held in an associated carrying structure 176 on the MTU 160. As shown in FIG. 25A, the lower end of each aspirator tube 860 is characterized by a tapering, step construction, whereby the tube 860 has a first portion 851 along most of the extent of the tube, a second portion 853 having a diameter smaller than that of the first portion 851, and a third portion 855 having a diameter smaller than that of the second portion 853. The diameter of the third portion 855 is such as to permit the end of the tube 860 to be inserted into the flared portion 181 of the through hole 180 of the tiplet 170 and to create an interference friction fit between the outer surface of third portion 855 and the two annular ridges 183 (see FIG. 59) that line the inner wall of hole 180 of tiplet 170. An annular shoulder 857 is defined at the transition between second portion 853 and third portion 855. The shoulder 857 limits the extent to which the tube 860 can be inserted into the tiplet 170, so that the tiplet can be stripped off after use, as will be described below. The tiplets 170 are at least partially electrically conductive, so that the presence of a tiplet 170 on an aspirator tube 860 can be verified by the capacitance of a capacitor comprising the aspirator tubes 860 as one half of the capacitor and the surrounding hardware of the magnetic separation wash station 800 as the other half of the capacitor. The capacitance will change when the tiplets 170 are engaged with the ends of the aspirator tubes 860. In addition, five optical slotted sensors (not shown) can be strategically positioned above the divider 808 to verify the presence of a tiplet 170 on the end of each aspirator tube 860. Preferred “tiplet-present” sensors are Optek Technology, Inc., model number OPB930W51, sensors, available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex. A tiplet 170 on the end of an aspirator tube 860 will break the beam of an associated sensor to verify presence of the tiplet 170. If, following a tiplet pick-up move, tiplet engagement is not verified by the tiplet present sensors for all five aspirator tubes 860, the MTU 160 must be aborted. The aborted MTU is retrieved from the magnetic separation wash station 800 and sent to the deactivation queue 750 and ultimately discarded. After successful tiplet engagement, the orbital mixer assembly 828 moves the MTU carrier unit 820 back to a fluid transfer position shown in FIG. 27 as verified by the locator plate 846 and one or both of the sensors 847, 848. The magnet moving structure 810 is then raised to the up position shown in FIG. 24 so that the magnets 814 are disposed adjacent opposite sides of the MTU 160. With the contents of the MTU subjected to the magnetic fields of the magnets 814, the magnetically responsive particles bound indirectly to the target nucleic acids will be drawn to the sides of the individual receptacle vessels 162 adjacent the magnets 814. The remaining material within the receptacle vessels 162 should be substantially unaffected, thereby isolating the target nucleic acids. The magnet moving structure 810 will remain in the raised position for an appropriate dwell time, as defined by the assay protocol and controlled by the assay manager program, to cause the magnetic particles to adhere to the sides of the respective receptacle vessels 162. The aspirator tubes are then lowered into the receptacle vessels 162 of the MTU 160 to aspirate the fluid contents of the individual receptacle vessels 162, while the magnetic particles remain in the receptacle vessels 162, adhering to the sides thereof, adjacent the magnets 814. The tiplets 170 at the ends of the aspirator tubes 860 ensure that the contents of each receptacle vessel 162 do not come into contact with the sides of the aspirator tubes 860 during the aspirating procedure. Because the tiplets 170 will be discarded before a subsequent MTU is processed in the magnetic separation wash station 800, the chance of cross-contamination by the aspirator tubes 860 is minimized. The electrically conductive tiplets 170 can be used in a known manner for capacitive fluid level sensing within the receptacle vessels 162 of the MTUs. The aspirator tubes 860 and the conductive tiplets 170 comprise one half of a capacitor, the surrounding conductive structure within the magnetic separation wash station comprises the second half of the capacitor, and the fluid medium between the two halves of the capacitor constitutes the dielectric. Capacitance changes due to a change in the nature of the dielectric can be detected. The capacitive circuitry of the aspirator tubes 860 can be arranged so that all five aspirator tubes 860 operate as a single gang level-sensing mechanism. As a gang level-sensing mechanism, the circuitry will only determine if the fluid level in any of the receptacle vessels 162 is high, but cannot determine if the fluid level in one of the receptacle vessels is low. In other words, when any of the aspirator tubes 860 and its associated tiplet 170 contacts fluid material within a receptacle vessel, capacitance of the system changes due to the change in the dielectric. If the Z-position of the aspirator tubes 860 at which the capacitance change occurs is too high, then a high fluid level in at least one receptacle vessel is indicated, thus implying an aspiration failure. On the other hand, if the Z-position of the aspirator tubes at which the capacitance change occurs is correct, the circuitry cannot differentiate between aspirator tubes, and, therefore, if one or more of the other tubes has not yet contacted the top of the fluid, due to a low fluid level, the low fluid level will go undetected. Alternatively, the aspirator tube capacitive circuitry can be arranged so that each of the five aspirator tubes 860 operates as an individual level sensing mechanism. With five individual level sensing mechanisms, the capacitive level sensing circuitry can detect failed fluid aspiration in one or more of the receptacle vessels 162 if the fluid level in one or more of the receptacle vessels is high. Individual capacitive level sensing circuitry can detect failed fluid dispensing into one or more of the receptacle vessels 162 if the fluid level in one or more of the receptacle vessels is low. Furthermore, the capacitive level sensing circuitry can be used for volume verification to determine if the volume in each receptacle vessel 162 is within a prescribed range. Volume verification can be performed by stopping the descent of the aspirator tubes 860 at a position above expected fluid levels, e.g. 110% of expected fluid levels, to make sure none of the receptacle vessels has a level that high, and then stopping the descent of the aspirator tubes 860 at a position below the expected fluid levels, e.g. 90% of expected fluid levels, to make sure that each of the receptacle vessels has a fluid level at least that high. Following aspiration, the aspirator tubes 860 are raised, the magnet moving structure 810 is lowered, and a prescribed volume of wash buffer is dispensed into each receptacle vessel 162 of the MTU 160 through the wash buffer dispenser nozzles 858. To prevent hanging drops of wash buffer on the wash buffer dispenser nozzles 858, a brief, post-dispensing air aspiration is preferred. The orbital mixer assembly 828 then moves the MTU carriers 820 in a horizontal orbital path at high frequency to mix the contents of the MTU 160. Mixing by moving, or agitating, the MTU in a horizontal plane is preferred so as to avoid splashing the fluid contents of the MTU and to avoid the creation of aerosols. Following mixing, the orbital mixer assembly 828 stops the MTU carrier unit 820 at the fluid transfer position. To further purify the targeted nucleic acids, the magnet moving structure 810 is again raised and maintained in the raised position for a prescribed dwell period. After magnetic dwell, the aspirator tubes 860 with the engaged tiplets 170 are lowered to the bottoms of the receptacle vessels 162 of the MTU 160 to aspirate the test specimen fluid and wash buffer in an aspiration procedure essentially the same as that described above. One or more additional wash cycles, each comprising a dispense, mix, magnetic dwell, and aspirate sequence, may be performed as defined by the assay protocol. Those skilled in the art of nucleic acid-based diagnostic testing will be able to determine the appropriate magnetic dwell times, number of wash cycles, wash buffers, etc. for a desired target capture procedure. While the number of magnetic separation wash stations 800 can vary, depending on the desired throughput, analyzer 50 preferably includes five magnetic separation wash stations 800, so that a magnetic separation wash procedure can be performed on five different MTUs in parallel. After the final wash step, the magnet moving structure 810 is moved to the down position and the MTU 160 is removed from the magnetic separation wash station 800 by the left-side transport mechanism 502 and is then placed into the left orbital mixer 552. After the MTU 160 is removed from the wash station, the tiplets 170 are stripped from the aspiration tubes 860 by a stripper plate 872 located at the bottom of the lower section 803 of the housing 802. The stripper plate 872 has a number of aligned stripping holes 871 corresponding in number to the number of aspiration tubes 860, which is five in the preferred embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 29A to 29D, each stripping hole 871 includes a first portion 873, a second portion 875 smaller than first portion 873, and a bevel 877 surrounding portions 873 and 875. The stripper plate 872 is oriented in the bottom of the housing 802 so that the small portion 875 of each stripping hole 871 is generally aligned with each associated aspiration tube 860, as shown in FIG. 29A. The aspiration tubes 860 are lowered so that the tiplet 170 at the end of each aspirator tube 860 engages the stripping hole 871. Small portion 875 is too small to accommodate the diameter of a tiplet 170, so the bevel 877 directs the tiplet 170 and the aspirator tube 860 toward the larger portion 873, as shown in FIG. 29B. The aspirator tubes 860 are made of an elastically flexible material, preferably stainless steel, so that, as the aspirator tubes 860 continue to descend, the beveled portion 877 causes each of aspirator tubes 860 to deflect laterally. The small portion 875 of the stripping hole 871 can accommodate the diameter of the aspirator tube 860, so that after the rim 177 of the tiplet 170 clears the bottom of stripping hole 871, each of the aspirator tubes 860 snaps, due to its own resilience, into the small portion 875 of the stripping hole 871 as shown in FIG. 29C. The aspirator tubes 860 are then raised, and the rim 177 of each tiplet 170 engages the bottom peripheral edge of the small portion 875 of stripping hole 871. As the aspirator tubes 860 ascend further, the tiplets 170 are pulled off the aspirator tubes 860 by the stripping holes 871 (see FIG. 29D). The stripped tiplets 170 are directed by a chute into a solid waste container, such as the tiplet waste bin 1134. The capacitance of the aspiration tubes 860 is sampled to verify that all tiplets 170 have been stripped and discarded. The stripping step can be repeated if necessary. An alternate stripper plate 882 is shown in FIGS. 31A to 31C. Stripper plate 882 includes a number of stripping holes 881 corresponding to the number of aspirator tubes 860, which is five in the preferred embodiment. Each stripping hole 881 includes a through-hole 883 surrounded by a bevelled countersink 887. A pair of tangs 885 extend laterally from diametrically opposed positions below the through-hole 883. Tangs 885 are preferably made from a spring steel and include a v-notch 886 at their ends. As an aspirator tube 860 with a tiplet 170 disposed on its end is lowered toward stripping hole 881, bevelled portion 887 ensures that any misaligned tubes are directed into the through-hole 883. The spacing between the ends of the opposed tangs 885 is less than the diameter of the tiplet 170, so as the aspirator tube 860 and tiplet 170 are lowered, the tiplet engages the tangs 885, causing them to deflect downwardly as the tiplet 170 is forced between tangs 885. When the aspirator tubes 860 are raised, the notches 886 of the tangs 885 grip the relatively soft material of the tiplet 170, thus preventing upward relative movement of the tiplet 170 with respect to the tangs 885. As the tubes continue to ascend, the tangs 885 pull the tiplet 170 off the tube 860. When the aspirator tubes 860 are subsequently lowered to strip a subsequent set of tiplets, the tiplet held between the tangs from the previous stripping is pushed through the tangs by the next tiplet and is directed toward waste bin 1134 (see FIG. 52) located in the lower chassis 1100 generally below the five magnetic separation wash stations 800. Still another alternate, and the presently preferred, stripper plate 1400 is shown in FIGS. 30A-30D. Stripper plate 1400 includes five stripper cavities 1402, each including an initial frusto-conical portion 1404. The frusto-conical portion 1404 tapers down to a neck portion 1406 which connects to an enlarged straight section 1408. Straight section 1408 is offset with respect to the center of neck portion 1406, so that one side of the straight section 1408 is flush with a side of the neck portion 1406, and an opposite side of the straight section 1408 is offset from and undercuts the side of the neck portion 1406, thereby forming a ledge 1414. Following the straight section 1408, a sloped portion 1410 is provided on a side of the stripper cavity 1402 opposite the ledge 1414. Sloped portion 1410 tapers inwardly toward a bottom opening 1412. As an aspirator tube 860 with a tiplet 170 on its end is moved toward the stripper cavity 1402, the frusto-conical portion 1404 directs the tiplet 170 and tube 860 toward the neck portion 1406. The aspirator tube 860 continues to descend, and the tiplet 170 enters the straight section 1408 as the rim 177 of the tiplet 170 clears the bottom of the frusto-conical portion 1404 and passes through the neck portion 1406. If the aspirator tube 860 and the stripper cavity 1402 are in proper, preferred alignment, a portion of the rim 177 of the tiplet 170 will be disposed below the ledge 1414 of the stripper cavity 1402 when the tiplet 170 has moved through the neck portion 1406 and into the straight section 1408. To ensure that a portion of the rim 177 will be disposed beneath the ledge 1414, the tiplet 170 engages the lower sloped portion 1410 as the aspirator tube 860 descends further to urge the aspirator tube laterally to direct the tiplet 170 below the ledge 1414. The annular shoulder 857 (see FIG. 25A) formed at the bottom of the aspirator tube 860 ensures that the tube 860 is not forced further into the through hole 180 of the tiplet 170 as the tube 860 is lowered into the stripper cavity 1402. The aspirator tube 860 then ascends, and the ledge 1414 catches the rim 177 and strips the tiplet 170 off the tube 860. The stripped tiplet 170 falls through bottom opening 1412 and into the waist bin 1134 in the lower chassis 1100 (see FIG. 52). With each of the stripper plates described above, the position of the tiplet-stripping elements are not all the same. For example, the ledges 1414 of the stripper cavities 1402 of the stripper plate 1400 are not at the same height throughout all the cavities. Preferably, three tiplet-stripping elements are at one height, and two tiplet-stripping elements are at a slightly different height above or below the other three elements. The result of the offset tiplet-stripping elements is that the static friction of the tiplet 170 on the end of the aspirator tube 860 need not be overcome, or broken, for all five tubes 860 at once. As the aspirator tubes 860 begin to ascend, static friction of the tiplets 170 is broken for one set (two or three) of aspirator tubes 860 first, and then, as the tubes 860 continue to ascend, static friction of the tiplets 170 is broken for the remaining tubes 860. By not breaking static friction of the tiplets 170 for all five aspirator tubes 860 at once, the loads to which the tube holder 862, drive screw 866, threaded sleeve 863, and lift motor 868 are subjected are kept to a lower level. Orbital Mixers The left orbital mixer 552 (and the right orbital mixer 550), as shown in FIGS. 32-34, are constructed and operate in the same manner as the lower housing section 803 and the orbital mixer assembly 828 of the magnetic separation wash stations 800 described above. Specifically, the orbital mixer 550 (552) includes a housing 554, including a front plate 551, a back plate 559, and mounting flanges 555, 556, for mounting the orbital mixer 550 (552) to the datum plate 82. An insert opening 557 is formed in a front edge of the housing 554. An MTU carrier 558 has a fork plate 560 attached to the bottom thereof and an MTU-retaining clip 562 attached to a back portion of the carrier 558 with opposed prongs of the clip 562 extending into an inner cavity of the carrier 558 that accommodates the MTU. An orbital mixer assembly 564 includes a drive motor 566 mounted to a motor mounting plate 567, a drive wheel 568 having an eccentric pin 570, an idler wheel 572 having an eccentric pin 573, and a belt 574. Drive motor 566 is preferably a stepper motor, and most preferably a VEXTA, model number PK245-02A, available from Oriental Motors Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan. Belt 574 is preferably a timing belt, model number A 6G16-170012, available from SDP/SI of New Hyde Park, N.Y. The orbital mixer assembly 564 is coupled to the MTU carrier 558 through the eccentric pins 570, 573 to move the MTU carrier 558 in an orbital path to agitate the contents of the MTU. The drive wheel 568 includes a locator plate 576, which, in conjunction with sensor 578 attached to sensor mounting bracket 579, verifies the proper positioning of the MTU carrier 558 for inserting an MTU 160 into the orbital mixer 552 (550) and retrieving an MTU 160 from the orbital mixer. Sensor 578 is preferably an Optek Technology, Inc., model number OPB980T11, sensor, available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex. A top plate 580 is attached atop housing 554. Top plate 580 of the left orbital mixer 552 includes a number of tube fittings 582, preferably five, to which are coupled a like number of flexible delivery tubes (not shown) for delivering a fluid from a bulk fluid container to an MTU 160 located within the mixer via dispenser nozzles 583. Top plate 580 also includes a plurality of pipette openings 581, corresponding in number to the number of individual receptacle vessels 162 comprising a single MTU 160, which is preferably five. With the MTU 160 held stationary in the left orbital mixer 552, pipette unit 480 of the left pipette assembly 470 transfers a prescribed volume of amplification reagent from a container within the reagent cooling bay 900 into each receptacle vessel 162 of the MTU 160 through the pipette openings 581. The amplification reagent used will depend upon the amplification procedure being followed. Various amplification procedures are well known to those skilled in the art of nucleic acid-based diagnostic testing, a number of which are discussed in the background section above. Next, the contents of the MTU are mixed by the orbital mixer assembly 564 of the orbital mixer 552 to ensure proper exposure of the target nucleic acid to amplification reagent. For a desired amplification procedure, those skilled in the art of nucleic acid-based diagnostic testing will be able to determine the appropriate components and amounts of an amplification reagent, as well as mix frequencies and durations. After pipetting amplification reagent into the MTU 160, the pipette unit 480 is moved to a rinse basin (described below) on the processing deck 200, and pipette unit 480 is washed by running distilled water through probe 481. The distilled water is pumped from bottle 1140 in the lower chassis 1100, and the purge water is collected in a liquid waste container 1128 in the lower chassis 1100. After mixing the contents of the MTU 160, a layer of silicon oil is dispensed into each receptacle vessel through the dispenser nozzles 583. The layer of oil, pumped from bottles 1168 in the lower chassis 1100, helps prevent evaporation and splashing of the fluid contents of the MTU 160 during subsequent manipulation and incubation of the MTU 160 and its contents. Reagent Cooling Bay The reagent cooling bay 900 will now be described. Referring to FIGS. 35-39, the reagent cooling bay 900 includes an insulating jacket 902 fitted around a cylindrical housing 904, preferably made from aluminum. A cover 906, preferably made of Delrin, sits atop housing 904 with a registration tab 905 of cover 906 fitting within slot 907 in housing 904 to ensure proper orientation of the cover 906 An optical sensor may be provided proximate to or within slot 907 for verifying that tab 905 is seated within slot 907. Alternatively, an optical sensor assembly 909 can be secured to an edge of an upper rim of the housing 904 for verifying cover placement. The optical sensor assembly 909 cooperates with a sensor-tripping structure (not shown) on the cover 906 to verify that the cover is in place. Optical sensor assembly 909 preferably includes an Optek Technology, Inc. slotted optical sensor, model number OPB980T11, available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex. The cover 906 also includes pipette openings 908 through which pipette units 480, 482 can access reagent containers within the cooling bay 900. The housing 904 is attached to a floor plate 910, and the floor plate 910 is attached to the datum plate 82 by means of suitable mechanical fasteners extending through openings formed in mounting flanges 911 spaced about the periphery of the floor plate 910. Cooling units 912, preferably two, are attached to floor plate 910. Each cooling unit 912 comprises a thermoelectric module 914 attached cool-side-up to the bottom surface of floor plate 910. Thermoelectric modules available from Melcor, Inc. of Trenton, N.J., model number CP1.4-127-06L, provide the desired cooling capacity. A heat sink 916, including a plurality of heat-dissipating fins 915, is attached to, or may be integral with, the bottom surface of floor plate 910, directly below the thermoelectric module 914. A fan unit 918 is attached in a position to drain heat away from heat sink 916. Fan units 918 are preferably Orix fans, model number MD825B-24, available from Oriental Motors Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan. Together, the cooling units 912 cool the interior of the housing 904 to a prescribed temperature for the benefit of temperature-sensitive reagents (e.g., enzymes) stored within the bay 900. Two temperature sensors (only one temperature sensor 920 is shown) are disposed within the cooling bay 900 housing 904 for monitoring and controlling the interior temperature thereof. The temperature sensors are preferably thermistors (10 KOhm at 25° C.), and YSI 44036 series thermistors available from YSI, Inc. of Yellow Springs, Ohio are most preferred. YSI thermistors are preferred because of their high accuracy and the ±0.1° C. interchangeability provided by YSI thermistors from one thermistor to another. One of the sensors is a primary temperature control sensor, and the other is a temperature monitoring sensor. On the basis of the temperature indications from the primary control sensor, the embedded controller adjusts power to the thermoelectric modules 914 and/or power to the fan units 918 to control cooling bay temperature. The temperature monitoring sensor provides a verification check of the primary temperature control sensor. As shown in FIG. 38, container tray 922 is a one-piece turntable structure with bottle-holding cavities 924 sized and shaped to receive and hold specific reagent bottles 925. A drive system for container tray 922 includes a motor 926, a small pulley 931 on the shaft of motor 926, a belt 928, a pulley 930, and a shaft 932. (a VEXTA stepper motor, model number PK265-02A, available from Oriental Motor Co., Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan, and an SDP timing belt, GT® Series, available from SDP/SI of New Hyde Park, N.Y., are preferred). Motor 926 and cooling units 912 extend through openings (not shown) formed in the datum plate 82 and extend below the floor plate 910. Container tray 922 may include a central, upstanding handle 923 to facilitate installation of the tray 922 into and removal of the tray 922 from the housing 904. A top portion 933 of shaft 932 extends through floor plate 910 and is received by a mating aperture (not shown) formed in the bottom of the tray 922. A sensor 940 extending up through the floor plate 910 and into the housing 904 verifies that tray 922 is in place within the housing 904. Sensor 940 is preferably a capacitive proximity sensor available from Advanced Controls, Inc., of Bradenton, Fla., model number FCP2. A position encoder 934 (preferably a slotted disk) in conjunction with an optical sensor 935 may be used to detect the position of the container tray 922, so that a specific reagent bottle 925 may be aligned under the pipette openings 908 in the cover 906. As shown in FIG. 37, a preferred alternative to the position encoder 934 and optical sensor 935 includes four slotted optical sensors 937 (only two sensors are visible in FIG. 36) provided inside the housing 904 along with a flag pin (not shown) extending from the bottom of container tray 922. One sensor is provided for each quadrant of the container tray 922, and the flag trips one of the four sensors to indicate which quadrant of the container tray 922 is aligned with the pipette openings 908. Sensors 937 are preferably Optek Technology, Inc. sensors, model number OPB980T11, available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex. A preferred alternative to the one-piece container tray 922 shown in FIG. 38 is a modular tray 1922 shown in FIGS. 35 and 39. Tray 1922 includes a circular base plate 1926 and an upstanding handle post 1923 attached to a central portion thereof. Modular pieces 1930 having bottle-holding cavities 1924 are preferably connected to one another and to the base plate 1926 by pins 1928 and screws (not shown) to form the circular tray 1922. Other means of securing the modular pieces 1930 may be employed in the alternative to pins 1928 and screws. The modular pieces 1930 shown in the figures are quadrants of a circle, and thus, of course, four such pieces 1930 would be required to complete the tray 1922. Although quadrants are preferred, the modular pieces may however be sectors of various sizes, such as, for example, ½ of a circle or ⅛ of a circle. Alphanumeric bottle location labels 1940 are preferably provided on the base plate 1926 to identify positions within the tray 1922 for reagent containers. The preferred label scheme includes an encircled letter-number pair comprising a leading letter A, E, P, or S with a trailing number 1, 2, 3, or 4, The letters A, E, P, and S, designate amplification reagent, enzyme reagent, probe reagent, and select reagent, respectively, corresponding to the preferred mode of use of the analyzer 50, and the numbers 1-4 designate a quadrant of the tray 1922. Each modular piece 1930 includes a circular hole 1934 at the bottom of each bottle-holding cavity 1924. The holes 1934 align with the bottle location labels 1940, so that the labels 1940 can be seen when the modular pieces 1930 are in place on the base plate 1926. The modular pieces 1930 of the container tray 1922 are configured to accommodate reagent containers of different sizes corresponding to reagent quantities sufficient for performing two hundred fifty (250) assays or reagent quantities sufficient for performing five hundred (500) assays. Four 250-assay modular quadrants permit the reagent cooling bay to be stocked for 1000 assays, and four 500-assay modular quadrants permit the reagent cooling bay to be stocked for 2000 assays. Modular quadrants for 250 or 500 assay reagent kits can be mixed and matched to configure the container tray for accommodating various numbers of a single assay type or various numbers of multiple different assay types. An insulation pad 938 is disposed between the container tray 922 and the floor plate 910. Power, control, temperature, and position signals are provided to and from the reagent cooling bay 900 by a connector 936 and a cable (not shown) linked to the embedded controller of the analyzer 50. A bar code scanner 941 is mounted to an upstanding scanner mounting plate 939 attached to floor plate 910 in front of an opening 942 formed in a side-wall of the cooling bay 900. The bar code scanner 941 is able to scan bar code information from each of the reagent containers carried on the container tray 922. As shown in FIG. 39, longitudinal slots 1932 are formed along the bottle-holding cavities 1924, and bar code information disposed on the sides of the reagent container held in the bottle-holding cavities 1924 can be align with the slots 1932 to permit the bar code scanner 941 to scan the bar code information. A preferred bar code scanner is available from Microscan of Newbury Park, Calif. under model number FTS-0710-0001. Pipette rinse basins 1942, 1944 are attached to the side of the housing 904. Each rinse basin 1942, 1944 provides an enclosure structure with a probe-receiving opening 1941, 1945, respectively, formed in a top panel thereof and a waste drain tube 1946, 1948, respectively, connected to a bottom portion thereof. A probe of a pipette unit can be inserted into the rinse basin 1942, 1944 through the probe-receiving opening 1941, 1945, and a wash and/or rinse fluid can be passed through the probe and into the basin. Fluid in the rinse basin 1942, 1944 is conducted by the respective waste drain tube 1946, 1948 to the appropriate waste fluid container in the lower chassis 1100. In the preferred arrangement and mode of operation of the analyzer 50, probe 481 of pipette unit 480 is rinsed in rinse basin 1942, and probe 483 of pipette unit 482 is rinsed in rinse basin 1944. After the amplification reagent and oil are added to the receptacle vessels 162 of MTU 160 in the left orbital mixer 552, the left-side transport mechanism 502 retrieves the MTU 160 from the left orbital mixer 552 and moves the MTU 160 to an available temperature ramp-up station 700 that is accessible to the left-side transport mechanism 502, i.e. on the left side of the chemistry deck 200, to increase the temperature of the MTU 160 and its contents to about 60° C. After sufficient ramp-up time in the ramp-up station 700, the left-side transport mechanism 502 then moves the MTU 160 to the target capture and annealing incubator 600. The left-side distributor door 624 of the target capture and annealing incubator 600 opens, and the MTU carousel assembly 671 within the incubator 600 presents an empty MTU station 676 to permit the left-side transport mechanism to insert the MTU into the incubator 600. The MTU 160 and its contents are then incubated at about 60° C. for a prescribed incubation period. During incubation, the MTU carousel assembly 671 may continually rotate within the incubator 600 as other MTUs 600 are removed from and inserted into the incubator 600. Incubating at 60° C. in the annealing incubator 600 permits dissociation of the capture probe/target nucleic acid hybridization complex from the immobilized polynucleotide present in the assay solution. At this temperature, oligonucleotide primers introduced from the reagent cooling bay 900 can hybridize to the target nucleic acid and subsequently facilitate amplification of the target nucleotide base sequence. Following incubation, the MTU carousel assembly 671 within incubator 600 rotates the MTU 160 to the left-side distributor door 624, the left side distributor door 624 opens, and the left-side transport mechanism 502 retrieves the MTU 160 from the MTU carousel assembly 671 of the target capture and annealing incubator 600. The left-side transport mechanism 502 then moves the MTU 160 to, and inserts the MTU 160 into, an available temperature ramp-down station 700 that is accessible to the left-side transport mechanism 502. The temperature of the MTU 160 and its contents is decreased to about 40° C. in the ramp-down station. The MTU 160 is then retrieved from the ramp-down station by the left-side transport mechanism 502 and is moved to the active temperature and pre-read cool-down incubator 602. The left-side distributor door 624 of the AT incubator 602 opens, and the MTU carousel assembly 671 within incubator 602 presents an empty MTU station 676, so that the left-side transport mechanism 502 can insert the MTU into the incubator 602. Within the active temperature and pre-read cool-down incubator 602, the MTU is incubated at about 41° C. for a period of time necessary to stabilize the temperature of the MTU. From the active temperature and pre-read cool-down incubator 602, the MTU is moved by transport mechanism 502 to the amplification incubator 604 in which the temperature of the MTU is stabilized at 41.5° C. The MTU carousel assembly 671 within the amplification incubator 604 rotates to place the MTU at the pipetting station below the pipette openings 662 formed in the cover 611 (see, e.g., FIG. 19). The container tray 922 within the reagent cooling bay 900 rotates to place the enzyme reagent container below a pipette opening 908, and pipette unit 482 of pipette assembly 470 transfers enzyme reagent from the reagent cooling bay 900 to each of the receptacle vessels 162 of the MTU 160. As explained above, pipette units 480, 482 use capacitive level sensing to ascertain fluid level within a container and submerge only a small portion of the end of the probe 481, 483 of the pipette unit 480, 482 to pipette fluid from the container. Pipette units 480, 482 preferably descend as fluid is drawn into the respective probe 481, 483 to keep the end of the probe submerged to a constant depth. After pipetting reagent into the pipette unit 480 or 482, the pipette unit creates a minimum travel air gap of 10 μl in the end of the respective probe 481 or 483 to ensure no drips fall from the end of the probe. After enzyme reagent is added to each receptacle vessel 162, the MTU carousel assembly 671 of amplification incubator 604 rotates MTU 160 to the skewed disk linear mixer 634 within amplification incubator 604 and the MTU 160 and its contents are mixed as described above at about 10 Hz to facilitate exposure of the target nucleic acid to the added enzyme reagent. The pipette unit 482 is moved to rinse basin 1942, and the probe 483 is rinsed by passing distilled water through it. The MTU 160 is then incubated within amplification incubator 604 at about 41.5° C. for a prescribed incubation period. The incubation period should be sufficiently long to permit adequate amplification of at least one target nucleotide base sequence contained in one or more target nucleic acids which may be present in the receptacle tubes 162. Although the preferred embodiment is designed to facilitate amplification using a transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) procedure, which is discussed in the background section supra, practitioners will easily appreciate those modifications necessary to perform other amplification procedures using the analyzer 50. In addition, an internal control sequence is preferably added at the beginning of the assay to provide confirmation that the amplification conditions and reagents were appropriate for amplification. Internal controls are well known in the art and require no further discussion here. Following amplification incubation, the MTU 160 is moved by the left-side transport mechanism 502 from the amplification incubator 604 to an available ramp-up station 700 that is accessible to the left-side transport mechanism 502 to bring the temperature of the MTU 160 and its contents to about 60° C. The MTU 160 is then moved by the left-side transport mechanism 502 into the hybridization incubator 606. The MTU 160 is rotated to a pipetting station in the hybridization incubator 606, and a probe reagent from the reagent cooling bay 900 is pipetted into each receptacle vessel, through openings 662 in the cover 611 of the hybridization incubator 606, by the pipette unit 480. The probe reagent includes chemiluminescent detection probes, and preferably acridinium ester (AE)-labeled probes which can be detected using a hybridization protection assay (HPA). Acridinium ester-labeled probes and the HPA assay are well known in the art and are described more fully in the background section supra. While AE-labeled probes and the HPA assay are preferred, the analyzer 50 can be conveniently adapted to accommodate a variety of detection methods and associated probes, both labeled and unlabeled. Confirmation that detection probe has been added to the receptacle vessels 162 can be accomplished using an internal control that is able (or its amplicon is able) to hybridize to a probe in the probe reagent, other than the detection probe, under the HPA assay conditions extant in the receptacle vessels 162 in the hybridization incubator 606. The label of this probe must be distinguishable from the label of the detection probe. After dispensing probe reagent into each of the receptacle vessels 162 of the MTU 160, the pipette unit 480 moves to the pipette rinse basin 1944, and the probe 481 of the pipette unit is rinsed with distilled water. The MTU carousel assembly 671 rotates the MTU 160 to the skewed disk linear mixer 634 where the MTU 160 and its contents are mixed, as described above, at about 14 Hz to facilitate exposure of the target amplicon to the added detection probes. The MTU 160 is then incubated for a period of time sufficient to permit hybridization of the detection probes to the target amplicon. After hybridization incubation, the MTU 160 is again rotated within incubator 606 by the MTU carousel assembly 671 to the pipetting position below the pipette openings 662. A selection reagent stored in a container in the reagent cooling bay 900 is pipetted into each receptacle vessel 162 by the pipette unit 480. A selection reagent is used with the HPA assay and includes an alkaline reagent that specifically hydrolyzes acridinium ester label which is associated with unhybridized probe, destroying or inhibiting its ability to chemiluminesce, while acridinium ester label associated with probe hybridized to target amplicon (or amplicon of the internal standard) is not hydrolyzed and can chemiluminesce in a detectable manner under appropriate detection conditions. Following addition of the selection reagent to each of the receptacle vessels 162 of the MTU 160, the pipette probe 481 of the pipette unit 480 is rinsed with distilled water at the pipette rinse basin 1944. The MTU 160 is rotated by the MTU carousel assembly 671 within the incubator 606 to the skewed disk linear mixer 634 and mixed, as described above, at about 13 Hz to facilitate exposure of the target amplicon to the added selection reagent. The MTU is then incubated in the incubator 606 for a period of time sufficient to complete the selection process. After selection incubation is complete, the left-side transport mechanism 502 transfers the MTU 160 into an available ramp-down station 700 that is accessible to the left-side transport mechanism 502 to cool the MTU 160. After the MTU 160 is cooled, it is retrieved from the ramp-down station by the left-side transport mechanism 502 and is moved by the transport mechanism 502 into the active temperature and pre-read cool-down incubator 602 to stabilize the temperature of the MTU 160 at about 40° C. When a period sufficient to stabilize the temperature of the MTU 160 has passed, the MTU carousel assembly 671 within active temperature and pre-read cool-down incubator 602 rotates to present the MTU 160 at the right-side distributor door of the incubator 602. The right-side distributor door 622 is opened and the MTU 160 is removed from active temperature and pre-read cool-down incubator 602 by right-side transport mechanism 500. The right-side transport mechanism 500 moves the MTU to a bar code scanner (not shown) which scans MTU bar code information posted on the label-receiving surface 175 of the label-receiving structure 174 of the MTU 160. The bar code scanner is preferably attached to an outer wall of the housing of the luminometer 950. A preferred bar code scanner is available from Opticon, Inc., of Orangeburg, N.Y., as part number LHA1127RR1S-032. The scanner verifies the total time of assay prior to entering the luminometer 950 by confirming the correct MTU at the correct assay time. From the bar code reader, the right-side transport mechanism 500 moves the MTU 160 to the luminometer 950. In a preferred mode of operation, before the right-side transport mechanism 500 moves the MTU 160 into the luminometer 950, the MTU 160 is placed by the right-side transport mechanism 500 into an available MTU ramp-down station, or chiller, to decrease the temperature of the MTU 160 to 24±3° C. It has been determined that the MTU contents exhibit a more consistent chemiluminescent “light-off” at this cooler temperature. Luminometer Referring to FIGS. 40-42C, a first embodiment of the luminometer 950 includes an electronics unit (not shown) within a housing 954. A photomultiplier tube (PMT) 956 linked to the electronics unit extends from within the housing 954 through a PMT plate 955, with the front end of the PMT 956 aligned with an aperture 953. A preferred PMT is available from Hamamatsu Corp. of Bridgewater, N.J. as model number HC 135. Signal measurements using the preferred PMT are based on the well known photon counter system. The aperture 953 is centered in an aperture box 958 in front of the PMT plate 955. The aperture 953 and aperture box 958 are entirely enclosed by a housing, defined by a floor plate 964, a top plate 966, the PMT plate 955, and a back frame 965 and back plate 967, which prevents stray light from entering the aperture 953 and which is attached to the datum plate 82. An MTU transport path extends through the housing in front of the aperture 953, generally transversely to an optical axis of the aperture. MTUs 160 pass through the luminometer 950 via the MTU transport path. A back rail 991 and a front rail 995 are disposed on opposite sides of the MTU transport path and provide parallel horizontal flanges which support the connecting rib structure 164 of an MTU 160 disposed within the luminometer 950. Revolving doors 960 are supported for rotation within associated door housings 961 disposed on opposite ends of the MTU transport path and are turned by door motors 962, which may comprise stepper motors or DC gear motors. The door housings 961 provide openings through which MTUs 160 can enter and exit the luminometer 950. An MTU 160 enters the luminometer 950 by means of the right-side transport mechanism 500 inserting the MTU 160 through one of the door housings 961. The MTU 160 exits the luminometer under the influence of an MTU transport assembly, various embodiments of which are described below, which moves MTUs through the MTU transport path and eventually out of the luminometer through the other door housing 961. Revolving doors 960 are generally cylindrical and include a cut-out portion 963. Each revolving door 960 can be rotated between an open position, in which the cut-out portion 963 is generally aligned with the opening of the associated door housing 961, so that an MTU 160 can pass through the opening, and a closed position, in which a side of the revolving door opposite the cut-out portion 963 extends across the opening of the associated door housing 961 so that neither an MTU 160 nor light can pass through the opening. Except when an MTU 160 is entering or exiting the luminometer 950, the revolving doors 960 are preferably in their respective closed positions to prevent stray light from entering the luminometer. Because test results are ascertained by the amount of light detected by the PMT 956, stray light from sources other than the receptacle 160 being sampled can cause erroneous results. As shown in FIGS. 40-42C, the MTU transport assembly may include an MTU advance motor 972 which drives a lead screw 974 through a timing belt (not shown) or bevel gears (not shown). A screw follower 976 engaged to the lead screw 974 is coupled to an MTU bracket 977 extending away from lead screw 974 to engage the MTU 160. The MTU bracket 977 has a guide flange 978 with an elongated, slightly arcuate guide hole 979 formed therein. A guide rod 980 extends through the luminometer 950 adjacent and parallel to the lead screw 974. Guide rod 980 extends through guide hole 979. To advance the MTU bracket 977 (from bottom to top in FIG. 42C), the lead screw 974 turns counter-clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 42B. Due to system friction, the screw follower 976 and the MTU bracket 977 will also turn counter-clockwise with the lead screw 974 until the guide rod 980 contacts the left-side of the guide hole 979. When guide rod 980 contacts the side of guide hole 979, MTU bracket 977 and screw follower 976 can no longer rotate with lead screw 974, and further rotation of the lead screw 974 will cause the MTU bracket 977 and screw follower 976 to advance along the lead screw 974. Arms 981 extending from the MTU bracket 977 will also rotate counter-clockwise over a limited arc to engage the MTU 160 and advance it through the luminometer 950, as the lead screw 974 rotates. After the MTU 160 has passed the PMT 956, that MTU is ejected from the luminometer 950 and the next MTU can be pulled through the luminometer 950. The MTU bracket 977 moves toward the MTU entrance end of the MTU transport path by clockwise rotation of the lead screw 974. System friction will cause the screw follower 976 and MTU bracket 977 to rotate clockwise until the guide rod 980 contacts the right-side of guide opening 979, after which, continued rotation of the lead screw 974 will cause the screw follower 976 and the MTU bracket 977 to retreat along the lead screw 974. This clockwise movement of the MTU bracket 977 will cause the arms 981 to rotate clockwise over a limited arc to disengage from the MTU, so the MTU bracket 977 can retreat without contacting the MTU. That is, the arms 981 will pass over the top of the MTU as the MTU bracket 977 retreats As shown in FIG. 41, a blinder 982, driven by a blinder actuator 993, moves vertically up and down, in alignment with the aperture 953. Blinder 982 includes a front panel 983 which is mounted for sliding movement with respect to the aperture box 958 and which includes a generally rectangular opening (not shown) formed therein which can be aligned with the aperture 953. A top portion of the front panel 983 blocks the aperture 953 when the opening formed in panel 983 is not aligned with the aperture 953 and thus operates as a shutter for the aperture 953. The blinder 982 includes two side-walls 987, arranged in parallel on opposite sides of the opening and generally perpendicular to the front panel 983, and a back wall 988 spanning the back edges of the sidewalls 987 opposite the front wall 983 and generally parallel to the front wall 983. The side-walls 987 and the back wall 988 define a partial rectangular enclosure sized to accommodate one receptacle vessel 162 of the MTU 160 when the blinder 982 is moved up beneath one of the receptacle vessels 162 of an MTU 160 by the blinder actuator 993. Blinder actuator 993 may be a linear stepper actuator including a stepper motor 992 and a lead screw 994. HSI linear stepper actuators, available from Haydon Switch and Instrument, Inc. of Waterbury, Conn. have been used. After the MTU 160 is placed into the luminometer 950 by the right-side transport mechanism 500, the motor 972 is energized to pull the first receptacle vessel of the MTU into alignment with the aperture 953. The blinder 982, which is normally stowed out of the MTU transport path, is raised by the blinder actuator 993 until the side walls 987 and back wall 988 of the blinder 982 surround the receptacle vessel 162 and the opening formed in the front panel 983 of the blinder 982 is aligned with the aperture 953. The blinder 982 substantially prevents light from sources other than the receptacle vessel 162 in front of the aperture 953 from reaching the aperture 953, so that the PMT 956 detects only light emissions from the receptacle vessel directly in front of the aperture 953. With the PMT shutter open, different detecting reagents (Detect I and Detect II), drawn from containers 1146, 1170 of the lower chassis 1100, are sequentially delivered into the aligned receptacle vessel 162 through dedicated delivery lines (not shown) extending to a reagent port 984 at the top of the luminometer 950. The Detect I and Detect II reagents are hydrogen peroxide-containing and sodium hydroxide-containing reagents, respectively, and combine to form a basic hydrogen peroxide solution which enhances the chemiluminescence of acridinium ester label which has not been hydrolyzed. Because basic hydrogen peroxide is unstable, the Detect I and Detect II reagents are preferably combined in the receptacle tube 162 just prior to detection in the luminometer 950. After the addition of Detect II, the light emitted from the contents of the receptacle vessel 162 is detected using the PMT 956 and the PMT shutter is then closed. The PMT 956 converts light emitted by chemiluminescent labels into electrical signals processed by the electronics unit and thereafter sent to the controller 1000 or other peripheral unit via cables (not shown) linked to a connector 986. In cases where less sensitivity is required, it may be possible to use an optical sensor in place of a photomultiplier tube. A diode is an example of an acceptable optical sensor which can be used with the luminometer 950. An optical sensor may also be appropriate when the material of the MTU 160 is relatively transparent, rather than the translucent appearance of the preferred polypropylene material. When selecting a material for the MTU 160, care should be taken to avoid materials that naturally luminesce or are predisposed to electrostatic build-up, either of which can increase the chances of a false positive or interfering with quantification measurements. The above-described process is repeated for each receptacle vessel 162 of the MTU 160. After the chemiluminescent signal from each receptacle vessel 162 of the MTU 160 has been measured, the motor 972 advances to move the MTU 160 through the exit door 961 and out of the luminometer 950 and into the amplicon deactivation station 750. An alternate, and presently preferred, luminometer is generally designated by reference number 1360 in FIG. 43. Luminometer 1360 includes a housing 1372 having a bottom wall 1370, door assemblies 1200 on opposite sides of the bottom wall 1370 which define end portions of the housing 1372, an optical sensor shutter assembly 1250 which defines a front wall of the housing 1370, a top wall (not shown), and a back wall (not shown), which complete the housing 1370 and define an enclosure therein. The right-side door assembly 1200 defines a receptacle entrance opening 1374, and the left-side door assembly 1200 defines a receptacle exit opening 1376 through which a MTU 160 can be passed into and out of the housing 1370. Each door assembly 1200 controls access through the respective opening 1374 or 1376 and comprises an end wall 1202, a cover plate 1232, and a rotating door 1220 rotatably disposed between the end wall 1202 and the cover plate 1232. The optical sensor aperture shutter assembly 1250 controls light entering an optical sensor (not shown in FIG. 43), for example a photomultiplier tube. Luminometer 1360 includes a light receiver mounting wall 1250 and a cover plate 1290 having an aperture 1292 formed therein. A bar code scanner 1368 is attached to a front portion of the housing 1372 for scanning MTUs prior to their entry to the luminometer 1360. A receptacle transport assembly 1332 moves a receptacle (e.g., a MTU 160) through the luminometer 1360 from the entrance opening 1374 to the exit opening 1376. The assembly 1332 includes a transport 1342 movably carried on a threaded lead screw 1340 that is rotated by a motor 1336 coupled to the lead screw 1340 by a belt (not shown). A dispensing nozzle 1362 is attached in the top wall (not shown) and is connected by conduit tubes 1364 and 1366 to a pump and ultimately to bottles 1146 and 1170 in the lower chassis 1100. Nozzle 1362 dispenses the “Detect I” and the “Detect II” reagents into the receptacles 162 of the MTU 160 within the housing 1372. A receptacle vessel positioner assembly 1300 is disposed within the housing 1372 and is constructed and arranged to position each tube 162 of the MTU 160 in front of the aperture 1292 and to optically isolate each tube being positioned from adjacent tubes, so that only light from one tube at a time enters the aperture 1292. The positioner assembly 1300 comprises a receptacle positioner 1304 rotatably mounted within a positioner frame 1302 that is secured to the floor 1370 of the housing 1372. The door assembly 1200 for the MTU entrance opening 1374 and exit opening 1376 of the luminometer 1360 is shown in FIG. 44. Door assembly 1200 includes a luminometer end-wall 1202 which forms an end wall of the luminometer housing 1372. End-wall 1202 includes a first recessed area 1206 with a second, circular recessed area 1208 superimposed on the first recessed area 1206. A circular groove 1207 extends about the periphery of the circular recessed area 1208. A slot 1204, having a shape generally conforming to a longitudinal profile of an MTU 160, is formed in the circular recessed area 1208 to one side of the center thereof. A short center post 1209 extends from the center of the circular recessed area 1208. The rotating door 1220 is circular in shape and includes an axial wall 1222 extending about the periphery of the rotating door 1220. The axial wall 1222 is disposed a short radial distance from the outer peripheral edge of the rotating door 1220, thus defining an annular shoulder 1230 about the outermost peripheral edge outside the axial wall 1222. A slot 1226, having a shape generally conforming to the longitudinal profile of an MTU is formed in the rotating door 1220 at an off-center position. The rotating door 1220 is installed into the circular recessed area 1208 of the end-wall 1202. A central aperture 1224 receives the center post 1209 of the end-wall 1202, and circular groove 1207 receives axial wall 1222. The annular shoulder 1230 rests on the flat surface of the recessed area 1206 surrounding the circular recessed area 1208. End-wall 1202 includes a drive gear recess 1210 which receives therein a drive gear 1212 attached to the drive shaft of a motor 1213 (See FIG. 43 in which only the motor 1213 for the right side door assembly 1200 is shown). Motor 1213 is preferably a DC gear motor. A preferred DC gear motor is available from Micro Mo Electronics, Inc. of Clearwater, Fla., under model number 1524TO24SR 16/7 66:1. The outer circumference of the axial wall 1222 of the rotating door 1220 has gear teeth formed thereon which mesh with the drive gear 1212 when the shutter is installed into the circular recess 1208. The cover plate 1232 is generally rectangular in shape and includes a raised area 1234 having a size and shape generally conforming to the recessed area 1206 of the end-wall 1202. Cover plate 1232 has formed therein an opening 1236 having a shape generally conforming to the longitudinal profile of an MTU, and, when the cover plate 1232 is installed onto the end-wall 1202, the raised rectangular area 1234 is received within the rectangular recessed area 1206 and opening 1236 is in general alignment with opening 1204. Thus, the rotating door 1220 is sandwiched between the cover plate 1232 and the end-wall 1202, and the openings 1236 and 1204 together define the entrance opening 1374 and exit opening 1376. When the drive gear 1212 is rotated by the motor 1213, the rotating door 1220, enmeshed with the drive gear 1212, is caused to rotate about the center post 1209. When the opening 1226 is aligned with openings 1204 and 1236, MTUs 160 can be passed through the opening 1374 (1376) of the door assembly 1200. With the rotating door 1220 disposed within the circular recessed area 1208 and the raised area 1234 of the cover plate 1232 disposed within the recessed area 1206 of the end-wall 1202, a substantially light-tight structure is achieved, whereby little or no light enters through the door, when the opening 1226 is not aligned with openings 1204 and 1236. Optical slotted sensors are disposed within slots 1214 and 1216 disposed on the outer edge of the circular recessed area 1208 at diametrically opposed positions. Preferred sensors are available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex., model number OPB857. The slotted sensors disposed within slots 1214 and 1216 detect the presence of a notch 1228 formed in the axial wall 1222 to signal door open and door closed status. The optical sensor aperture shutter assembly 1250 is shown in FIG. 45. A light receiver, such as a photomultiplier tube 956, is coupled with a light receiver opening 1254 formed in a light receiver mounting wall 1252. The light receiver mounting wall 1252 includes a generally rectangular, two-tiered raised area 1256, which defines a generally rectangular shoulder 1257 and a circular recessed area 1258 superimposed on the rectangular raised area 1256. A circular groove 1261 extends about the periphery of circular recessed area 1258. A center post 1259 is positioned at the center of the circular recessed area 1258. Light receiver opening 1254 is formed in the circular recessed area 1258. In the illustrated embodiment, the light receiver opening 1254 is disposed below the center post 1259, but the light receiver opening 1254 could be placed at any position within the circular recessed area 1258. The aperture shutter assembly 1250 includes a rotating shutter 1270 having an axial wall 1274 with gear teeth formed on the outer periphery thereof. Axial wall 1274 is formed near, but not at, the outer periphery of the shutter 1270, thereby defining annular shoulder 1276. Rotating shutter 1270 is installed in the circular recessed area 1258 with center post 1259 received within a central aperture 1272 formed in the rotating shutter 1270 and with axial wall 1274 received within circular groove 1261. A drive gear 1262 disposed within a gear recess 1260 and coupled to a drive motor 1263 meshes with the outer gear teeth formed on the axial wall 1274 of the rotating shutter 1270 to rotate the rotating shutter 1270 about the center post 1259. A preferred drive motor 1263 is a DC gear motor available from Micro Mo Electronics, Inc. of Clearwater, Fla., as model number 1524TO24SR 16/7 66:1. Micro Mo gear motors are preferred because they provide a high quality, low backlash motor. An opening 1280 is formed in the rotating shutter 1270 which can be moved into and out of alignment with light receiver opening 1254 as the rotating shutter 1270 is rotated. With the shutter 1270 installed in the circular recessed area 1258, a cover plate, or sensor aperture wall, 1290 is installed onto the sensor mount 1252. As shown in FIG. 45A, sensor aperture wall 1290 includes a generally rectangular, two-tiered recessed area 1296 which defines a generally rectangular shoulder 1297 and which is sized and shaped to receive therein the rectangular raised area 1256 of the sensor mount 1252. A sensor aperture 1292 is formed through the aperture wall 1290 and is generally aligned with the light receiver opening 1254 formed in the sensor mount 1252. The sensor aperture 1292 is generally in the shape of an elongated oval having a width generally corresponding to the width of an individual receptacle vessel 162 of an MTU 160 and a height corresponding to the height of the intended viewing area. Although opening 1280 of shutter 1270 is shown in the illustrated embodiment to be circular, opening 1280 can have other shapes, such as rectangular, with a width corresponding to the width of a receptacle vessel 162 or an elongated oval similar to sensor aperture 1292. Rotation of the rotating shutter 1270 to a position in which the opening 1280 is aligned with the light receiver opening 1254 and the sensor aperture 1292 permits light to reach the PMT 956, and rotation of the rotating shutter 1270 to a position in which the opening 1280 is not aligned with light receiver opening 1254 and sensor aperture 1292 prevents light from reaching the PMT 956. Slotted optical sensors are disposed in slots 1264 and 1266 and detect a notch 1278 formed in the axial wall 1274 of the shutter 1270 to detect opened and closed positions of the shutter 1270. Preferred slotted optical sensors are available from Optek Technology, Inc., of Carrollton, Tex., as model number OPB857. The aperture wall 1290 includes an upwardly facing shoulder 1294 extending across the width thereof. A downwardly facing shoulder of the MTU 160, defined by the connecting rib structure 164 of the MTU 160 (see FIG. 58), is supported by the shoulder 1294 as the MTU 160 slides through the luminometer. The receptacle vessel positioner assembly 1300 is shown in FIGS. 46 and 48-49. The receptacle vessel positioner 1304 is operatively disposed within the receptacle vessel positioner frame 1302. The receptacle vessel positioner 1304 is mounted in the receptacle vessel positioner frame 1302 for rotation about a shaft 1308. Shaft 1308 is operatively coupled to a rotary solenoid, or, more preferably, a gear motor 1306, to selectively rotate the receptacle vessel positioner 1304 between the retracted position shown in FIG. 46 and the fully extended position shown in FIG. 48. A preferred gear motor drive is available from Micro Mo Electronics, Inc. of Clearwater, Fla., as model number 1724T024S+16/7 134:1+X0520. As shown in FIG. 47, the receptacle vessel positioner 1304 includes a V-block structure 1310 defining two parallel walls 1312. Receptacle vessel positioner 1304 further includes an area at the lower end thereof where a portion of the thickness of the receptacle vessel positioner 1304 is removed, thus defining a relatively thin arcuate flange 1314. When an MTU 160 is inserted into the luminometer 1360, the receptacle vessel positioner 1304 is in the retracted position shown in FIG. 46. When an individual receptacle vessel 162 is disposed in front of the sensor aperture 1292 (see FIG. 45A), so that a sensor reading of the chemiluminescence of the contents of the receptacle vessel 162 can be taken, the receptacle vessel positioner 1304 rotates forwardly to the engaged position shown in FIG. 49. In the engaged position shown in FIG. 49, the V-block 1310 engages the receptacle vessel 162, thus holding the receptacle vessel in the proper position in alignment with the light receiver aperture 1292 of the luminometer. As shown in FIG. 45, aperture wall 1290 includes a protrusion 1298 extending from the back of wall 1290 into the MTU passage of the luminometer. The protrusion 1298 is aligned with the aperture 1292 so that when the receptacle vessel positioner 1304 engages a receptacle vessel 162, the receptacle vessel is pushed laterally and encounters protrusion 1298 as a hard stop, thus preventing the receptacle vessel positioner 1304 from significantly tilting the receptacle vessel 162 within the MTU passage. The parallel sidewalls 1312 of the V-block 1310 prevent stray light from adjacent receptacle vessels 162 of the MTU 160 from reaching the light receiver while a reading is being taken of the receptacle vessel 162 disposed directly in front of the aperture 1292. A slotted optical sensor 1318 is mounted to a lower portion of the frame 1302, with the arcuate flange 1314 operatively positioned with respect to the sensor 1318. A preferred slotted optical sensor is available from Optek Technology, Inc., of Carrollton, Tex., as model number OPB930W51. An opening 1316 is formed in the flange 1314. Opening 1316 is properly aligned with the sensor 1318 when the receptacle vessel positioner 1304 engages a receptacle vessel 162 and the receptacle vessel 162 and protrusion 1298 prevent further rotation of the receptacle vessel positioner 1304. If a receptacle vessel 162 is not properly positioned in front of the receptacle vessel positioner 1304, the receptacle vessel positioner 1304 will rotate forwardly to the position shown at FIG. 48, in which case opening 1316 will not be aligned with the sensor 1318 and an error signal will be generated. If a gear motor 1306 is employed for rotating the receptacle vessel positioner 1304, it is necessary to provide a second sensor (not shown) to generate a positioner-retracted, i.e., “home”, signal to shut off the gear motor when the receptacle vessel positioner 1304 is fully retracted, as shown in FIG. 46. A preferred sensor is available from Optek Technology, Inc. of Carrollton, Tex. as model number OPB900W. The MTU transport assembly 1332 is shown in FIG. 50. The MTU transport assembly 1332 is operatively positioned adjacent a top edge of an intermediate wall 1330 (not shown in FIG. 43) of the luminometer 1360. Intermediate wall 1330, which defines one side of the MTU transport path through the luminometer housing 1372, includes a rectangular opening 1334. The receptacle vessel positioner frame 1302 (see, e.g., FIG. 48) is mounted to the intermediate wall 1330 proximate the opening 1334, and the receptacle vessel positioner 1304 rotates into engagement with an MTU 160 through the opening 1334. The MTU transport 1342 is carried on the threaded lead screw 1340 and includes a screw follower 1344 having threads which mesh with the threads of the lead screw 1340 and an MTU yoke 1346 formed integrally with the screw follower 1344. As shown in FIG. 51, the MTU yoke 1346 includes a longitudinally-extending portion 1356 and two laterally-extending arms 1348 and 1350, with a longitudinal extension 1352 extending from the arm 1350. The lead screw 1340 is driven, via a drive belt 1338, by the stepper motor 1336. A preferred stepper motor is a VEXTA motor, available from Oriental Motors Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan, model PK266-01A, and a preferred drive belt is available from SDP/SI of New Hyde Park, N.Y. When an MTU 160 is inserted into the MTU transport path of the luminometer 950 by the right-side transport mechanism 500, the first receptacle vessel 162 of the MTU 160 is preferably disposed directly in front of the sensor aperture 1292 and is thus properly positioned for the first reading. The width of the yoke 1346 between the lateral arms 1348 and 1350 corresponds to the length of a single MTU 160. The transport 1342 is moved between a first position shown in phantom in FIG. 50 and a second position by rotation of the lead screw 1340. Slotted optical sensors 1341 and 1343 respectively indicate that the transport 1342 is in the either the first or second position. Due to friction between the lead screw 1340 and the screw follower 1344, the MTU transport 1342 will have a tendency to rotate with the lead screw 1340. Rotation of the MTU transport 1342 with the lead screw 1340 is preferably limited, however, to 12 degrees by engagement of a lower portion of the yoke 1346 with the top of the intermediate wall 1330 and engagement of an upper stop 1354 with the top cover (not shown) of the luminometer housing 1372. To engage the MTU that has been inserted into the luminometer 1360, the lead screw 1340 rotates in a first direction, and friction within the threads of the screw follower 1344 and the lead screw 1340 causes the transport 1342 to rotate with lead screw 1340 upwardly until the upper stop 1354 encounters the top cover (not shown) of the luminometer 1360. At that point, continued rotation of the lead screw 1340 causes the transport 1342 to move backward to the position shown in phantom in FIG. 50. The lateral arms 1348, 1350 pass over the top of the MTU as the transport 1342 moves backward. Reverse rotation of the lead screw 1340 first causes the transport 1342 to rotate downwardly with the lead screw 1340 until a bottom portion of the yoke 1346 encounters the top edge of the wall 1330, at which point the lateral arms 1348 and 1350 of the yoke 1346 straddle the MTU 160 disposed within the luminometer 1360. The MTU transport mechanism 1332 is then used to incrementally move the MTU 160 forward to position each of the individual receptacle vessels 162 of the MTU 160 in front of the optical sensor aperture 1292. After the last receptacle vessel 162 has been measured by the light receiver within the luminometer, the transport 1342 moves the MTU 160 to a position adjacent the exit door, at which point the lead screw 1340 reverses direction, thus retracting the transport 1342 back, as described above, to an initial position, now behind the MTU 160. Rotation of the lead screw 1340 is again reversed and the transport 1342 is then advanced, as described above. The exit door assembly 1200 is opened and the longitudinal extension 1352 of the yoke 1346 engages the MTU manipulating structure 166 of the MTU 160 to push the MTU 160 out of the luminometer exit door and into the deactivation queue 750. Deactivation Station In the amplicon deactivation station 750, dedicated delivery lines (not shown) add a deactivating solution, such as buffered bleach, into the receptacle vessels 162 of the MTU 160 to deactivate the remaining fluid in the MTU 160. The fluid contents of the receptacle vessels are aspirated by tubular elements (not shown) connected to dedicated aspiration lines and collected in a dedicated liquid waste container in the lower chassis 1100. The tubular elements preferably have a length of 4.7 inches and an inside diameter of 0.041 inches. An MTU shuttle (not shown) moves the MTUs 160 incrementally (to the right in FIG. 3) with the delivery of each subsequent MTU 160 into the deactivation station 750 from the luminometer 950. Before an MTU can be delivered to the deactivation queue 750 by the luminometer 950, the MTU shuttle must be retracted to a home position, as sensed by a strategically positioned optical slot switch. After receiving an MTU 160 from the luminometer, the shuttle moves the MTU 160 to a deactivation station where the dedicated delivery lines connected to dedicated injectors dispense the deactivating solution into each receptacle vessel 162 of the MTU 160. Previous MTUs in the deactivation queue, if any, will be pushed forward by the distance moved by the MTU shuttle. Sensors at the deactivation station verify the presence of both the MTU and the MTU shuttle, thus preventing the occurrence of a deactivating fluid injection into a non-existent MTU or double injection into the same MTU. An aspiration station (not shown) includes five, mechanically coupled aspirator tubes mounted for vertical movement on an aspirator tube rack and coupled to an actuator for raising and lowering the aspirator tubes. The aspiration station is at the last position along the deactivation queue before the MTUs are dropped through a hole in the datum plate 82 and into the waste bin 1108. Each time an MTU moves into the deactivation station, the aspirator tubes cycle up and down one time, whether an MTU is present in the aspiration station or not. If an MTU is present, the aspirator tubes aspirate the fluid contents from the MTU. When the next MTU is moved into the deactivation station by the MTU shuttle, the last-aspirated MTU is pushed off the end of the deactivation queue and falls into the waste bin 1108. The steps and sequence of the above-described assay procedure performed on the analyzer 50 in the preferred mode of operation are graphically and succinctly described in the document Gen-Probe TIGRIS Storyboard v.1.0, Jun. 23, 1997, a copy of which was filed with the provisional disclosure upon which priority is claimed for the present specification and the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Ideally, the analyzer 50 can run about 500 preferred assays in an 8 hour period, or about 1,000 preferred assays in a 12 hour period. Once the analyzer 50 is set-up and initialized, it ordinarily requires little or no operator assistance or intervention. Each sample is handled identically for a given assay, although the analyzer is capable of simultaneously performing multiple assay types in which different MTUs may or may not be handled identically. Consequently, manual pipetting, incubation timing, temperature control, and other limitations associated with manually performing multiple assays are avoided, thereby increasing reliability, efficiency, and throughput. And because an operator's exposure to samples is generally limited to the loading of samples, risks of possible infection are greatly reduced. While the invention has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, those of the appended claims which do not include language in the “means for performing a specified function” format permitted under 35 U.S.C. §112(¶6), are not intended to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. § 112(¶6) as being limited to the structure, material, or acts described in the present specification and their equivalents. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>None of the references described or referred to herein are admitted to be prior art to the claimed invention. Diagnostic assays are widely used in clinical diagnosis and health science research to detect or quantify the presence or amount of biological antigens, cell abnormalities, disease states, and disease-associated pathogens, including parasites, fungi, bacteria and viruses present in a host organism or sample. Where a diagnostic assay permits quantification, practitioners may be better able to calculate the extent of infection or disease and to determine the state of a disease over time. In general, diagnostic assays are based either on the detection of antigens (immunoassays) or nucleic acids (nucleic acid-based assays) belonging to an organism or virus of interest. Nucleic acid-based assays generally include several steps leading to the detection or quantification of one or more target nucleic acid sequences in a sample which are specific to the organism or virus of interest. The targeted nucleic acid sequences can also be specific to an identifiable group of organisms or viruses, where the group is defined by at least one shared sequence of nucleic acid that is common to all members of the group and is specific to that group in the sample being assayed. The detection of individual and groups of organisms and viruses using nucleic acid-based methods is fully described by Kohne, U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,330, and Hogan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,308. The first step in a nucleic acid-based assay is designing a probe which exhibits specificity, under stringent hybridization conditions, for a nucleic acid sequence belonging to the organism or virus of interest. While nucleic acid-based assays can be designed to detect either deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA), ribosomal RNA (rRNA), or the gene encoding rRNA (rDNA), is typically the preferred nucleic acid for detection of a prokaryotic or eukaryotic organism in a sample. Ribosomal RNA target sequences are preferred because of their relative abundance in cells, and because rRNA contains regions of sequence variability that can be exploited to design probes capable of distinguishing between even closely related organisms. (Ribosomal RNA is the major structural component of the ribosome, which is the situs of protein synthesis in a cell.) Viruses, which do not contain rRNA, and cellular changes are often best detected by targeting DNA, RNA, or a messenger RNA (mRNA) sequence, which is a nucleic acid intermediate used to synthesize a protein. When the focus of a nucleic acid-based assay is the detection of a genetic abnormality, then the probes are usually designed to detect identifiable changes in the genetic code, such as the abnormal Philadelphia chromosome associated with chronic myelocytic leukemia. See, e.g., Stephenson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,840. When performing a nucleic acid-based assay, preparation of the sample is necessary to release and stabilize target nucleic acids which may be present in the sample. Sample preparation can also serve to eliminate nuclease activity and remove or inactivate potential inhibitors of nucleic acid amplification (discussed below) or detection of the target nucleic acids. See, e.g., Ryder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,599, which discloses methods for preparing nucleic acid for amplification, including the use of complexing agents able to complex with ferric ions contributed by lysed red blood cells. The method of sample preparation can vary and will depend in part on the nature of the sample being processed (e.g., blood, urine, stool, pus or sputum). When target nucleic acids are being extracted from a white blood cell population present in a diluted or undiluted whole blood sample, a differential lysis procedure is generally followed. See, e.g., Ryder et al., European Patent Application No. 93304542.9 and European Patent Publication No. 0547267. Differential lysis procedures are well known in the art and are designed to specifically isolate nucleic acids from white blood cells, while limiting or eliminating the presence or activity of red blood cell products, such as heme, which can interfere with nucleic acid amplification or detection. Before or after exposing the extracted nucleic acid to a probe, the target nucleic acid can be immobilized by target-capture means, either directly or indirectly, using a “capture probe” bound to a substrate, such as a magnetic bead. Examples of target-capture methodologies are described by Ranki et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,539, and Stabinsky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,177. Target capture probes are generally short sequences of nucleic acid (i.e., oligonucleotide) capable of hybridizing, under stringent hybridization conditions, with a sequence of nucleic acid which also contains the target sequence. Magnets in close proximity to the reaction vessel are used to draw and hold the magnetic beads to the side of the vessel. Once the target nucleic acid is thus immobilized, the hybridized nucleic acid can be separated from non-hybridized nucleic acid by aspirating fluid from the reaction vessel and optionally performing one or more wash steps. In most instances, it is desirable to amplify the target sequence using any of several nucleic acid amplification procedures which are well known in the art. Specifically, nucleic acid amplification is the enzymatic synthesis of nucleic acid amplicons (copies) which contain a sequence that is complementary to a nucleic acid sequence being amplified. Examples of nucleic acid amplification procedures practiced in the art include the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), strand displacement amplification (SDA), ligase chain reaction (LCR), and transcription-associated amplification (TAA). Nucleic acid amplification is especially beneficial when the amount of target sequence present in a sample is very low. By amplifying the target sequences and detecting the amplicon synthesized, the sensitivity of an assay can be vastly improved, since fewer target sequences are needed at the beginning of the assay to better ensure detection of nucleic acid in the sample belonging to the organism or virus of interest. Methods of nucleic acid amplification are thoroughly described in the literature. PCR amplification, for instance, is described by Mullis et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195, 4,683,202 and 4,800,159, and in Methods in Enzymology, 155:335-350 (1987). Examples of SDA can be found in Walker, PCR Methods and Applications, 3:25-30 (1993), Walker et al. in Nucleic Acids Res., 20:1691-1996 (1992) and Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 89:392-396 (1991). LCR is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,427,930 and 5,686,272. And different TAA formats are provided in publications such as Burg et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,990; Kacian et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,399,491 and 5,554,516; and Gingeras et al. in International Application No. PCT/US87/01966 and International Publication No. WO 88/01302, and International Application No. PCT/US88/02108 and International Publication No. WO 88/10315. Detection of a targeted nucleic acid sequence requires the use of a probe having a nucleotide base sequence which is substantially complementary to the targeted sequence or, alternatively, its amplicon. Under selective assay conditions, the probe will hybridize to the targeted sequence or its amplicon in a manner permitting a practitioner to detect the presence of the targeted sequence in a sample. Effective probes are designed to prevent non-specific hybridization with any nucleic acid sequence which will interfere with detecting the presence of the targeted sequence. Probes may include a label capable of detection, where the label is, for example, a radiolabel, fluorescent dye, biotin, enzyme or chemiluminescent compound. Chemiluminescent compounds include acridinium esters which can be used in a hybridization protection assay (HPA) and then detected with a luminometer. Examples of chemiluminescent compounds and methods of labeling probes with chemiluminescent compounds can be found in Arnold et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,950,613, 5,185,439 and 5,585,481; and Campbell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,958. HPA is a detection method based on differential hydrolysis which permits specific detection of the acridinium ester-labeled probe hybridized to the target sequence or amplicon thereof. HPA is described in detail by Arnold et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,283,174 and 5,639,604. This detection format permits hybridized probe to be distinguished from non-hybridized probe in solution and includes both a hybridization step and a selection step. In the hybridization step, an excess of acridinium ester-labeled probe is added to the reaction vessel and permitted to anneal to the target sequence or its amplicon. Following the hybridization step, label associated with unhybridized probe is rendered non-chemiluminescent in the selection step by the addition of an alkaline reagent. The alkaline reagent specifically hydrolyzes only that acridinium ester label associated with unhybridized probe, leaving the acridinium ester of the probe:target hybrid intact and detectable. Chemiluminescence from the acridinium ester of the hybridized probe can then be measured using a luminometer and signal is expressed in relative light units (RLU). After the nucleic acid-based assay is run, and to avoid possible contamination of subsequent amplification reactions, the reaction mixture can be treated with a deactivating reagent which destroys nucleic acids and related amplification products in the reaction vessel. Such reagents can include oxidants, reductants and reactive chemicals which modify the primary chemical structure of a nucleic acid. These reagents operate by rendering nucleic acids inert towards an amplification reaction, whether the nucleic acid is RNA or DNA. Examples of such chemical agents include solutions of sodium hypochlorite (bleach), solutions of potassium permanganate, formic acid, hydrazine, dimethyl sulfate and similar compounds. More details of a deactivation protocol can be found in Dattagupta et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,612,200. When performed manually, the complexity and shear number of processing steps associated with a nucleic acid-based assay introduce opportunities for practitioner-error, exposure to pathogens, and cross-contamination between assays. Following a manual format, the practitioner must safely and conveniently juxtapose the test samples, reagents, waste containers, assay receptacles, pipette tips, aspirator device, dispenser device, and magnetic rack for performing target-capture, while being especially careful not to confuse racks, test samples, assay receptacles, and associated tips, or to knock over any tubes, tips, containers, or instruments. In addition, the practitioner must carefully perform aspirating and dispensing steps with hand-held, non-fixed instruments in a manner requiring precise execution to avoid undesirable contact between assay receptacles, aerosol formation, or aspiration of magnetic particles or other substrates used in a target-capture assay. As a further precaution, the magnetic field in a manually performed target-capture assay is often applied to only one side of the assay receptacle so that fluids can be aspirated through a pipette tip inserted along the opposite side of the assay receptacle. Although applying a magnetic field to only one side of the assay receptacle is a less efficient means for performing a target capture assay, it is designed to prevent magnetic particles from being unnecessarily aspirated as a result of practitioner inaccuracies. A need exists for an automated diagnostic analyzer which addresses many of the concerns associated with manual approaches to performing nucleic acid-based assays. In particular, significant advantages can be realized by automating the various process steps of a nucleic acid-based assay, including greatly reducing the risk of user-error, pathogen exposure, contamination, and spillage, while significantly increasing through-put volume. Automating the steps of a nucleic acid-based assay will also reduce the amount training required for practitioners and virtually eliminate sources of physical injury attributable to high-volume manual applications. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The above-described needs are addressed by an automated clinical analyzer constructed and operated in accordance with aspects of the present invention. In general, the automated clinical analyzer integrates and coordinates the operation of various automated stations, or modules, involved in performing one or more assays on a plurality of reaction mixtures contained in reaction receptacles. The analyzer is preferably a self-contained, stand alone unit. Assay specimen materials and reaction receptacles, as well as the various solutions, reagents, and other materials used in performing the assays are preferably stored within the analyzer, as are the waste products generated when assays are performed. The analyzer includes a computer controller which runs analyzer-controlling and assay-scheduling software to coordinate operation of the stations of the analyzer and movement of each reaction receptacle through the analyzer. Reaction receptacles can be loaded in an input queue which sequentially presents each receptacle at a pick-up position to be retrieved by a transport mechanism, which automatically transports the reaction receptacles between the stations of the analyzer. Specimen containers are carried on a first ring assembly, and disposable pipette tips are carried on a second ring assembly. Containers of target capture reagent, including a suspension of solid support material, are carried on an inner rotatable assembly constructed and ranged to selectively agitate the containers or present the containers for access by the probe of an automatic robotic pipette system. Reaction mixtures, including fluid specimen material and target capture reagent, are prepared by the pipette system within each reaction receptacle. The analyzer further includes receptacle mixers for mixing the contents of a receptacle placed therein. The mixer may be in fluid communication with fluid containers and may include dispensers for dispensing one or more fluids into the receptacle. One or more incubators carry multiple receptacles in a temperature-controlled chamber and permit individual receptacles to be automatically placed into and removed from the chamber. Magnetic separation wash stations automatically perform a magnetic separation wash procedure on the contents of a receptacle placed in the station. In the preferred method of operation, assay results may be ascertained by the amount of light emitted from a receptacle at the conclusion of the appropriate preparation steps. Accordingly, the analyzer includes a luminometer for detecting and/or quantifying the amount of light emitted by the contents of the reaction receptacle. A deactivation queue may be provided to deactivate the contents of a reaction receptacle placed therein at the conclusion of the assay. Reaction receptacles can be independently transported between stations by the transport mechanism, and the stations can be operated in parallel to perform different assay procedures simultaneously on different reaction receptacles, thereby facilitating efficient, high through-put operation of the analyzer. Moreover, the present invention facilitates arranging the various stations associated with a nucleic acid-based assay onto a single, contained platform, thereby achieving efficient space utilization. Other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention, including the methods of operation and the function and interrelation of the elements of structure, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims, with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this disclosure, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. | 20040922 | 20090714 | 20050616 | 63736.0 | 2 | LU, FRANK WEI MIN | AUTOMATED PROCESS FOR DETECTING THE PRESENCE OF A TARGET NUCLEIC ACID IN A SAMPLE | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,946,679 | ACCEPTED | Inkjet printhead heater chip with asymmetric ink vias | An inkjet printhead heater chip has an ink via asymmetrically arranged in a reciprocating direction of inkjet printhead movement. The ink via has two sides and a longitudinal extent substantially parallel to a print medium advance direction. A column of fluid firing elements exists exclusively along a single side of the two sides. The heater chip and ink via each have a centroid and neither resides coincidentally with one another. Preferably, the heater chip centroid resides externally to a boundary of the ink via. In other aspects, the column of fluid firing elements can be a sole column or plural and may be centered in the reciprocating direction. The ink via can be a sole via or plural. The heater chip can be rectangular and the ink vias can be closer to either the long or short ends thereof. Inkjet printers for housing the printheads are also disclosed. | 1. A heater chip for an inkjet printhead, comprising: a chip centroid; a column of fluid firing elements; and a sole ink via with two sides having a longitudinal extent, said column of fluid firing elements existing exclusively along one of said two sides wherein a via centroid of said sole ink via is substantially offset from said chip centroid. 2. The heater chip of claim 1, wherein said chip centroid resides between said one of said two sides of said sole ink via and said column of fluid firing elements. 3. The heater chip of claim 1, wherein said chip centroid resides substantially within said column of fluid firing elements. 4. The heater chip of claim 1, further including a column of input terminals and a distance between said column of input terminals and said column of fluid firing elements is about 880 microns. 5. The heater chip of claim 1, wherein a distance between the other side of said two sides of said sole ink via and a periphery of said heater chip is about 600 microns. 6. A heater chip for an inkjet printhead that moves during use in a reciprocating direction relative to a print medium, comprising: a column of fluid firing elements; and not more than one ink via, said not more than one ink via asymmetrically arranged in said reciprocating direction, said column of fluid firing elements existing exclusively along a single side of said not more than one ink via. 7. The heater chip of claim 6, further including a column of input terminals, said column of fluid firing elements being about 880 microns from said column of input terminals. 8. The heater chip of claim 6, wherein said column of fluid firing elements has a spacing gap between vertically adjacent ones of said fluid firing elements. 9. A heater chip for an inkjet printhead that moves during use in a reciprocating direction, comprising: not more than one column of fluid firing elements, said not more than one column of fluid firing elements being substantially centered in said reciprocating direction; and an ink via, said not more than one column of fluid firing elements existing exclusively along a single side of said ink via. 10. A heater chip for an inkjet printhead that moves during use in a reciprocating direction comprising not more than one column of fluid firing elements, said not more than one column of fluid firing elements being substantially centered in said reciprocating direction. 11. A heater chip for an inkjet printhead, comprising: a thickness; a chip centroid; a plurality of columns of fluid firing elements each column being substantially parallel to one another; a plurality of ink vias disposed through said thickness having two sides and a longitudinal extent, each said plurality of vias having a via centroid and no said via centroid coexisting with said chip centroid, at least one of said plurality of columns existing exclusively along one of said two sides; and a column of input terminals being substantially parallel to said plurality of columns of fluid firing elements. 12. An inkjet printhead, comprising: a substantially rectangular heater chip having two long and short ends and at least three substantially parallel ink vias, two of said at least three substantially parallel ink vias being disposed closer to a same one of said two short ends while the other of said at least three substantially parallel ink vias being disposed closer to the other of said two short ends, all of said at least three substantially parallel ink vias being substantially equidistant to said two long ends. 13. An inkjet printhead, comprising: a substantially rectangular heater chip having two long and short ends and at least three substantially parallel ink vias, said at least three substantially parallel ink vias being disposed closer to a same one of said two long ends. 14. The inkjet printhead of claim 13, further including a plurality of columns of fluid firing elements wherein one of said plurality of columns exists exclusively along one side of one via of said at least three substantially parallel ink vias. 15. The inkjet printhead of claim 13, wherein said substantially rectangular heater chip has a chip centroid existing beyond a boundary of any of said at least three substantially parallel ink vias. 16. An inkjet printhead, comprising: a substantially rectangular heater chip having two long and short ends and not more than one ink via, said not more than one ink via being disposed closer to one of said two long ends. 17. An inkjet printhead, comprising: a substantially rectangular heater chip having two long and short ends and not more than one ink via, said not more than one ink via being disposed closer to one of said two short ends. 18. An inkjet printhead, comprising: a substantially rectangular heater chip having two long and short ends and not more than one ink via having a longitudinal extent substantially parallel to said two long ends, said not more than one ink via being disposed closer to one of said two long ends, wherein said substantially rectangular heater chip has a chip centroid and said not more than one ink via has a via centroid, said chip centroid and said via centroid not existing coextensively. 19. The inkjet printhead of claim 18, further including not more than one column of fluid firing elements exclusively existing along a single side of said not more than one ink via. 20. The inkjet printhead of claim 19, wherein said not more than one column of fluid firing elements passes through said chip centroid. 21. The inkjet printhead of claim 19, wherein said not more than one column of fluid firing elements includes a plurality of thermal resistive heater elements. 22. An inkjet printhead for an inkjet printer that moves during use in a reciprocating direction relative to a print medium that advances in an advance direction, comprising: a supply of ink; a flexible circuit supporting a plurality of I/O connectors and a plurality of electrical conductors; and a heater chip having a chip centroid and including a column of input terminals electrically connected to said pluralities of electrical conductors and I/O connectors; a column of fluid firing elements about 880 microns from said column of input terminals operable to eject a drop of ink from said supply of ink upon receipt of a firing signal from one input terminal of said column of input terminals; and not more than one ink via having a via centroid not coextensively arranged with said chip centroid, said not more than one ink via having two sides and a longitudinal extent substantially parallel to said advance direction asymmetrically arranged in said reciprocating direction, said column of fluid firing elements existing exclusively along one of said two sides, the other of said two sides existing about 600 microns from a periphery of said heater chip. 23. A heater chip for an inkjet printhead, comprising: a chip centroid; a column of fluid firing elements; and not more than one ink via with two sides having a longitudinal extent, said column of fluid firing elements existing exclusively along one of said two sides wherein a via centroid of said not more than one ink via does not coexist with said chip centroid. | This application is a Divisional Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/334,157 filed on Dec. 30, 2002 entitled “Inkjet Printhead Heater Chip With Asymmetric Ink Vias.” FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to inkjet printheads. In particular, it relates to a heater chip thereof having asymmetrically arranged ink vias that yield silicon savings. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The art of printing images with inkjet technology is relatively well known. In general, an image is produced by emitting ink drops from an inkjet printhead at precise moments such that they impact a print medium at a desired location. The printhead is supported by a movable print carriage within a device, such as an inkjet printer, and is caused to reciprocate relative to an advancing print medium and emit ink drops at such times pursuant to commands of a microprocessor or other controller. The timing of the ink drop emissions corresponds to a pattern of pixels of the image being printed. Other than printers, familiar devices incorporating inkjet technology include fax machines, all-in-ones, photo printers, and graphics plotters, to name a few. Conventionally, a thermal inkjet printhead includes access to a local or remote supply of color or mono ink, a heater chip, a nozzle or orifice plate attached to the heater chip, and an input/output connector, such as a tape automated bond (TAB) circuit, for electrically connecting the heater chip to the printer during use. The heater chip, in turn, typically includes a plurality of thin film resistors or heaters fabricated by deposition, masking and etching techniques on a substrate such as silicon. One or more ink vias cut or etched through a thickness of the silicon serve to fluidly connect the supply of ink to the individual heaters. To print or emit a single drop of ink, an individual resistive heater is uniquely addressed with a small amount of current to rapidly heat a small volume of ink. This causes the ink to vaporize in a local ink chamber (between the heater and nozzle plate) and be ejected through and projected by the nozzle plate towards the print medium. In the past, manufacturers typically configured their heater chips with a centrally disposed elongate ink via(s) with attendant heaters on both sides thereof. Recently, as heater chips have become smaller and more densely packed with heaters, some ink vias have only had heaters disposed along a single side thereof. Such designs, however, have maintained their ink via(s) in a central disposition which leads to chip silicon waste. For example, consider the heater chip 725 of FIG. 7A with a single elongate ink via 732, centrally disposed (+), such that about 1000 microns of silicon (in a direction transverse to the elongate extent of the ink via) exist on both sides thereof. If the heater chip has columnar-disposed bond pads 728 near chip edges that parallel heater columns 734-L, 734-R on both sides of the ink via, the chip has fixed distances d1, d2 between the heater columns and bond pads. To wipe the nozzles above the heaters during printhead maintenance routines, a wiper (not shown) sweeps across a surface of the nozzles but, for printhead longevity reasons, does not sweep across the bond pads. Thus, since printers have wipers mechanically and electrically connected to motors and other structures in a manner such that the wipers have fixed times of lowering, raising and traveling, the printheads, in turn, require distances d1, d2 to have some minimum length to effectively wipe the nozzles while avoiding the bond pads. Now consider the heater chip of FIG. 7B having eliminated the right columnar heaters shown in FIG. 7A, perhaps by more densely packing heaters into column 732-L. If the ink via 732 remains centrally disposed (+) on the chip, wasted silicon space results because wiping is no longer required to the right of the ink via (and no minimum distance is required) yet the distance from the center of the via to the chip periphery 741 remains the same. Keep in mind, the chips 725 of FIGS. 7A, 7B have been greatly simplified and often include additional ink vias and heaters. Accordingly, the inkjet printhead arts desire heater chips having optimally arranged ink via(s) that minimize silicon costs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above-mentioned and other problems become solved by applying the principles and teachings associated with the hereinafter described inkjet printhead heater chip having asymmetric ink vias. In one embodiment, an inkjet printhead heater chip has an ink via asymmetrically arranged in a reciprocating direction of inkjet printhead movement. The ink via has two sides and a longitudinal extent substantially parallel to a print medium advance direction. A column of fluid firing elements exists exclusively along a single side of the two sides. The heater chip and ink via each have a centroid and neither resides coincidentally with one another. Preferably, the heater chip centroid resides externally to a boundary of the ink via. It one embodiment, it resides between the column of fluid firing elements and one of the two sides of the ink via. In another embodiment, the column of fluid firing elements passes through the centroid. A column of input terminals on the heater chip communicate electrically with an inkjet printer and exist in parallel with the column of fluid firing elements. In a preferred embodiment, about 880 microns of lateral distance separate the two columns while about 600 microns separate the side of the ink via opposite the column of fluid firing elements and a periphery of the heater chip. In addition, the heater chip may include other vertically, horizontally or angularly disposed ink vias with columns of fluid firing elements on either one or two sides thereof. The ink vias reside in a thickness of the heater chip and fluidly connect to a supply of ink in the inkjet printhead. Vertically adjacent fluid firing elements of the column of fluid firing elements may or may not have a horizontal separation gap there between. Preferred pitch of the fluid firing elements ranges from about {fraction (1/300)}th to about {fraction (1/2400)}th of an inch. The fluid firing elements may embody thermally resistive heater elements formed as thin film layers on a silicon substrate or piezoelectric elements despite the thermal technology implication derived from the name heater chip. In another aspect of the invention, the column of fluid firing elements is substantially centered in the reciprocating direction. In still another aspect, the heater chip has a sole column of fluid firing elements and a sole ink via. Printheads containing the heater chip and printers containing the printhead are also disclosed. These and other embodiments, aspects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following description of the invention and referenced drawings or by practice of the invention. The aspects, advantages, and features of the invention are realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, procedures, and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of a thermal inkjet printhead having a heater chip with an asymmetric ink via; FIG. 2 is a perspective view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of an inkjet printer; FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of a heater chip with a widthwise asymmetrically disposed ink via; FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of a heater chip with a plurality of lengthwise asymmetrically arranged ink vias; FIG. 5A is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of a first embodiment of a plurality of fluid firing elements positioned about an asymmetric ink via; FIG. 5B is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of a second embodiment of a plurality of fluid firing elements positioned about an asymmetric ink via; FIG. 5C is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of a third embodiment of a plurality of fluid firing elements positioned about an asymmetric ink via; FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of a heater chip with a plurality of widthwise asymmetrically arranged ink vias; FIG. 7A is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the prior art of an inkjet heater chip with a symmetrically disposed ink via and two corresponding columns of heaters; and FIG. 7B is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the prior art of an inkjet heater chip with a symmetrically disposed ink via and one corresponding column of heaters. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized with various process, electrical, mechanical, chemical, or other changes without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims and their equivalents. In accordance with the present invention, we hereinafter describe an inkjet printhead heater chip having asymmetrically arranged ink vias. With reference to FIG. 1, an inkjet printhead of the present invention is shown generally as 10. The printhead 10 has a housing 12 formed of any suitable material for holding ink. Its shape can vary and often depends upon the external device that carries or contains the printhead. The housing has at least one compartment 16 internal thereto for holding an initial or refillable supply of ink. In one embodiment, the compartment has a single chamber and holds a supply of black ink, photo ink, cyan ink, magenta ink or yellow ink. In other embodiments, the compartment has multiple chambers and contains three supplies of ink. Preferably, it includes cyan, magenta and yellow ink. In still other embodiments, the compartment contains plurals of black, photo, cyan, magenta or yellow ink. It will be appreciated, however, that while the compartment 16 is shown as locally integrated within a housing 12 of the printhead, it may alternatively connect to a remote source of ink and receive supply from a tube, for example. Adhered to one surface 18 of the housing 12 is a portion 19 of a flexible circuit, especially a tape automated bond (TAB) circuit 20. The other portion 21 of the TAB circuit 20 is adhered to another surface 22 of the housing. In this embodiment, the two surfaces 18, 22 are perpendicularly arranged to one another about an edge 23 of the housing. The TAB circuit 20 supports a plurality of input/output (I/O) connectors 24 thereon for electrically connecting a heater chip 25 to an external device, such as a printer, fax machine, copier, photo-printer, plotter, all-in-one, etc., during use. Pluralities of electrical conductors 26 exist on the TAB circuit 20 to electrically connect and short the I/O connectors 24 to the input terminals (bond pads 28) of the heater chip 25. Those skilled in the art know various techniques for facilitating such connections. For simplicity, FIG. 1 only shows eight I/O connectors 24, eight electrical conductors 26 and eight bond pads 28 but present day printheads have much larger quantities and any number is equally embraced herein. Still further, those skilled in the art should appreciate that while such number of connectors, conductors and bond pads equal one another, actual printheads may have unequal numbers. The heater chip 25 contains a column 34 of a plurality of fluid firing elements that serve to eject ink from compartment 16 during use. The fluid firing elements may embody thermally resistive heater elements (heaters for short) formed as thin film layers on a silicon substrate or piezoelectric elements despite the thermal technology implication derived from the name heater chip. For simplicity, the pluralities of fluid firing elements in column 34 are shown as a row of five dots but in practice may include several hundred or thousand fluid firing elements. As described below, vertically adjacent ones of the fluid firing elements may or may not have a lateral spacing gap or stagger there between. In general, the fluid firing elements have vertical pitch spacing comparable to the dots-per-inch resolution of an attendant printer. Some examples include spacing of {fraction (1/300)}th, {fraction (1/600)}th, {fraction (1/1200)}th, {fraction (1/2400)}th or other of an inch along the longitudinal extent of the via. To form the vias, many processes are known that cut or etch the via through a thickness of the heater chip. Some of the more preferred processes include grit blasting or etching, such as wet, dry, reactive-ion-etching, deep reactive-ion-etching, or other. A nozzle plate (not shown) has orifices thereof aligned with each of the heaters to project the ink during use. The nozzle plate may attach with an adhesive or epoxy or may be fabricated as a silicon thin-film layer. With reference to FIG. 2, an external device in the form of an inkjet printer for containing the printhead 10 is shown generally as 40. The printer 40 includes a carriage 42 having a plurality of slots 44 for containing one or more printheads 10. The carriage 42 reciprocates (in accordance with an output 59 of a controller 57) along a shaft 48 above a print zone 46 by a motive force supplied to a drive belt 50 as is well known in the art. The reciprocation of the carriage 42 occurs relative to a print medium, such as a sheet of paper 52 that advances in the printer 40 along a paper path from an input tray 54, through the print zone 46, to an output tray 56. While in the print zone, the carriage 42 reciprocates in the Reciprocating Direction generally perpendicularly to the paper 52 being advanced in the Advance Direction as shown by the arrows. Ink drops from compartment 16 (FIG. 1) are caused to be eject from the heater chip 25 at such times pursuant to commands of a printer microprocessor or other controller 57. The timing of the ink drop emissions corresponds to a pattern of pixels of the image being printed. Often times, such patterns become generated in devices electrically connected to the controller 57 (via Ext. input) that reside externally to the printer and include, but are not limited to, a computer, a scanner, a camera, a visual display unit, a personal data assistant, or other. To print or emit a single drop of ink, the fluid firing elements (the dots of column 34, FIG. 1) are uniquely addressed with a small amount of current to rapidly heat a small volume of ink. This causes the ink to vaporize in a local ink chamber between the heater and the nozzle plate and eject through, and become projected by, the nozzle plate towards the print medium. The fire pulse required to emit such ink drop may embody a single or a split firing pulse and is received at the heater chip on an input terminal (e.g., bond pad 28) from connections between the bond pad 28, the electrical conductors 26, the I/O connectors 24 and controller 57. Internal heater chip wiring conveys the fire pulse from the input terminal to one or many of the fluid firing elements. A control panel 58, having user selection interface 60, also accompanies many printers as an input 62 to the controller 57 to provide additional printer capabilities and robustness. With reference to FIG. 3, a heater chip 325 of one embodiment of the present invention has a sole ink via 332 with a longitudinal extent defined by two sides 384, 386. A sole column 334 of a plurality of fluid firing elements 335 exists exclusively along one of the two sides of the ink via. A chip centroid (+) resides within the sole column 334 external to a boundary 337 of the ink via. A via centroid (•) is substantially offset from the chip centroid in the widthwise direction w such that the two centroids do not coexist. In this manner, the heater chip has an asymmetrically disposed ink via and silicon space on a side of the ink via not containing any fluid firing elements is no longer wasted. In a preferred embodiment, a straight line distance between the chip centroid and the via centroid is about 150 microns. Still further, a distance from the side 386 to a periphery 339 of the heater chip is about 600 microns which offers about 100 to 300 microns of silicon savings over the prior art. In another embodiment, the column of fluid firing elements exists substantially centered in the widthwise direction w of the heater chip such that distance D1 is substantially equidistant to distance D2. As oriented on an inkjet printhead in an inkjet printer during use, widthwise direction w corresponds to the Reciprocating Direction of FIG. 2. Thus, the sole ink via 332 is thereby asymmetrically arranged in the Reciprocating Direction. Under modern wafer dicing practices, an individual heater chip diced from a larger multi-chip wafer will likely embody a rectangular shape in its largest surface area and have two long 341 and short 343 ends as shown. A representative lengthwise distance L of the heater chip is about 17 millimeters (mm) while the widthwise distance w is about 3 mm. It will be appreciated that the present invention contemplates other heater chip geometric shapes such as ovals, circles, squares, triangles, polygons or other shapes lending themselves to symmetrical or asymmetrical peripheries or regular or irregular boundaries. To calculate the chip centroid, well known standard formulas are used. Since the heater chip itself is a three-dimensional (3-D) object, the chip centroid for purposes of this invention can either correspond to the chip centroid of the actual 3-D object or the 2-D figure shown diagrammatically. Likewise, the calculation of the via centroids are governed by standard formulas and may either correspond to the actual 3-D object or the 2-D figure representation. Appreciating that the ink vias of the rectangular heater chip can comprise other orientations that remain asymmetrical in the Reciprocating Direction but not in the widthwise direction, reference is now made to the heater chip 425 of FIG. 4 having lengthwise asymmetrical vias. In particular, a plurality of ink vias 432-L, 432-M, 432-R (left, middle, right as shown in the Figure) are disposed with their lengthwise extents generally parallel to the widthwise direction of the chip. Yet, none of the via centroids (•) coexist with the chip centroid (+). As shown, the two rightmost of the ink vias reside closer to the short end 443-R while the leftmost via resides closer to the other of the short ends 443-L. Simultaneously, however, all of the ink vias reside substantially equidistant to both of the long ends 441. Preferably, the chip centroid (+) resides between a column 434-M of fluid firing elements and a longitudinal side 484 of the middle ink via 432-M. Preferred chip distances include a lengthwise distance of about 8 mm and a widthwise distance of about 5.1 mm. Alternatively, the lengthwise distance is shorter and is about 5.1 mm while the widthwise distance is about 8 mm. The leftmost column 434-L of fluid firing elements is about 1.2 mm (D3) from a short end periphery 443-L of the heater chip while the rightmost column 434-R of fluid firing elements is about 1 mm (D4) from the other short end periphery 443-R. With reference to FIGS. 5A-5C, those skilled in the art will appreciate that any given column of fluid firing elements will comprise a plurality of individual fluid firing elements representatively numbered 1 through n (FIGS. 5A, 5B) or numbered 1 through n-1 or 2 through n (FIG. 5C). In FIG. 5A, the fluid firing elements of a given column 534 exist exclusively along one side 584 of an ink via 532, having a longitudinal extent, and have a slight horizontal spacing gap S between vertically adjacent ones of fluid firing elements. In a preferred embodiment, the spacing gap S is about {fraction (3/1200)}th of an inch. A vertical distance between vertically adjacent ones is the fluid firing element pitch and generally corresponds to the DPI of the printer in which they are used. Thus, preferred pitch includes, but is not limited to, {fraction (1/300)}th, {fraction (1/600)}th, {fraction (1/1200)}th, {fraction (1/2400)}th of an inch. In FIG. 5B, vertically adjacent ones of fluid firing elements are substantially linearly aligned with one another along an entirety of the length of the ink via. Although the fluid firing elements of FIGS. 5A, 5B have been shown exclusively on a left side of the via, they could easily exist on the right side. They could also embody a “column” despite a lack of linearity that has been depicted in the drawings. In FIG. 5C, some of the ink vias of the heater chip may have more than one column of fluid firing elements and both may be disposed on the same side or on opposite sides of the ink via 532 in columns 534-L and 534-R. Each column may have a spacing gap S1, S2 between vertically adjacent ones of fluid firing elements or may not. Preferably, spacing gaps S1, S2 are substantially equal. Pitch P in this embodiment may be measured between sequentially numbered fluid firing elements such that a twice pitch 2P vertical spacing exists between sequential odd or even numbered fluid firing elements. In still another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a heater chip 625 can have all pluralities of ink vias 632 disposed asymmetrically closer to a single end of the chip, such as long end 641-R. As before, asymmetry can also be described in terms of centroids and none of the ink via centroids (•) resides coincidentally with the chip centroid (+). In one embodiment, the chip centroid resides at position A between a column of fluid firing elements 634 (shown as a line) and a periphery 637 of the center ink via. In another embodiment, the column of fluid firing elements is centered in the Reciprocating Direction and the chip centroid (+) resides at position B. For representative purposes only, the columnar disposed input terminals, bond pads 628, substantially parallel the columns of fluid firing elements and reside about 880 microns (d1) there from. A distance between one of the longitudinal sides 686 of an ink via and heater chip periphery 641-R is about 600 microns. While the chip centroids shown in the previous figures all reside external to a boundary of any ink via, the present invention is not so limited to preclude the chip centroid from existing within a boundary of the ink via. Still further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the heater chips shown are the result of a substrate having been processed through a series of growth, deposition, masking, photolithography, and/or etching or other processing steps. As such, preferred deposition techniques include, but are not limited to, any variety of chemical vapor depositions (CVD), physical vapor depositions (PVD), epitaxy, evaporation, sputtering or other similarly known techniques. Preferred CVD techniques include low pressure (LP) ones, but could also include atmospheric pressure (AP), plasma enhanced (PE), high density plasma (HDP) or other. Preferred etching techniques include, but are not limited to, any variety of wet or dry etches, reactive ion etches, deep reactive ion etches, etc. Preferred photolithography steps include, but are not limited to, exposure to ultraviolet or x-ray light sources, or other, and photomasking includes photomasking islands and/or photomasking holes. The particular embodiment, island or hole, depends upon whether the configuration of the mask is a clear-field or dark-field mask as those terms as well understood in the art. In a preferred embodiment, the substrate of the heater chip includes a silicon wafer of p-type, 100 orientation, having a resistivity of 5-20 ohm/cm. Its beginning thickness is preferably any one of 525±20 microns M1.5-89, 625±20 microns M1.7-89, or 625±15 microns M1.13-90 with respective wafer diameters of 100±0.50 mm, 125±0.50 mm, and 150±0.50 mm. Finally, the foregoing description is presented for purposes of illustration and description of the various aspects of the invention. The descriptions are not intended, however, to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Accordingly, the embodiments described above were chosen to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The art of printing images with inkjet technology is relatively well known. In general, an image is produced by emitting ink drops from an inkjet printhead at precise moments such that they impact a print medium at a desired location. The printhead is supported by a movable print carriage within a device, such as an inkjet printer, and is caused to reciprocate relative to an advancing print medium and emit ink drops at such times pursuant to commands of a microprocessor or other controller. The timing of the ink drop emissions corresponds to a pattern of pixels of the image being printed. Other than printers, familiar devices incorporating inkjet technology include fax machines, all-in-ones, photo printers, and graphics plotters, to name a few. Conventionally, a thermal inkjet printhead includes access to a local or remote supply of color or mono ink, a heater chip, a nozzle or orifice plate attached to the heater chip, and an input/output connector, such as a tape automated bond (TAB) circuit, for electrically connecting the heater chip to the printer during use. The heater chip, in turn, typically includes a plurality of thin film resistors or heaters fabricated by deposition, masking and etching techniques on a substrate such as silicon. One or more ink vias cut or etched through a thickness of the silicon serve to fluidly connect the supply of ink to the individual heaters. To print or emit a single drop of ink, an individual resistive heater is uniquely addressed with a small amount of current to rapidly heat a small volume of ink. This causes the ink to vaporize in a local ink chamber (between the heater and nozzle plate) and be ejected through and projected by the nozzle plate towards the print medium. In the past, manufacturers typically configured their heater chips with a centrally disposed elongate ink via(s) with attendant heaters on both sides thereof. Recently, as heater chips have become smaller and more densely packed with heaters, some ink vias have only had heaters disposed along a single side thereof. Such designs, however, have maintained their ink via(s) in a central disposition which leads to chip silicon waste. For example, consider the heater chip 725 of FIG. 7A with a single elongate ink via 732 , centrally disposed (+), such that about 1000 microns of silicon (in a direction transverse to the elongate extent of the ink via) exist on both sides thereof. If the heater chip has columnar-disposed bond pads 728 near chip edges that parallel heater columns 734 -L, 734 -R on both sides of the ink via, the chip has fixed distances d 1 , d 2 between the heater columns and bond pads. To wipe the nozzles above the heaters during printhead maintenance routines, a wiper (not shown) sweeps across a surface of the nozzles but, for printhead longevity reasons, does not sweep across the bond pads. Thus, since printers have wipers mechanically and electrically connected to motors and other structures in a manner such that the wipers have fixed times of lowering, raising and traveling, the printheads, in turn, require distances d 1 , d 2 to have some minimum length to effectively wipe the nozzles while avoiding the bond pads. Now consider the heater chip of FIG. 7B having eliminated the right columnar heaters shown in FIG. 7A , perhaps by more densely packing heaters into column 732 -L. If the ink via 732 remains centrally disposed (+) on the chip, wasted silicon space results because wiping is no longer required to the right of the ink via (and no minimum distance is required) yet the distance from the center of the via to the chip periphery 741 remains the same. Keep in mind, the chips 725 of FIGS. 7A, 7B have been greatly simplified and often include additional ink vias and heaters. Accordingly, the inkjet printhead arts desire heater chips having optimally arranged ink via(s) that minimize silicon costs. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The above-mentioned and other problems become solved by applying the principles and teachings associated with the hereinafter described inkjet printhead heater chip having asymmetric ink vias. In one embodiment, an inkjet printhead heater chip has an ink via asymmetrically arranged in a reciprocating direction of inkjet printhead movement. The ink via has two sides and a longitudinal extent substantially parallel to a print medium advance direction. A column of fluid firing elements exists exclusively along a single side of the two sides. The heater chip and ink via each have a centroid and neither resides coincidentally with one another. Preferably, the heater chip centroid resides externally to a boundary of the ink via. It one embodiment, it resides between the column of fluid firing elements and one of the two sides of the ink via. In another embodiment, the column of fluid firing elements passes through the centroid. A column of input terminals on the heater chip communicate electrically with an inkjet printer and exist in parallel with the column of fluid firing elements. In a preferred embodiment, about 880 microns of lateral distance separate the two columns while about 600 microns separate the side of the ink via opposite the column of fluid firing elements and a periphery of the heater chip. In addition, the heater chip may include other vertically, horizontally or angularly disposed ink vias with columns of fluid firing elements on either one or two sides thereof. The ink vias reside in a thickness of the heater chip and fluidly connect to a supply of ink in the inkjet printhead. Vertically adjacent fluid firing elements of the column of fluid firing elements may or may not have a horizontal separation gap there between. Preferred pitch of the fluid firing elements ranges from about {fraction (1/300)} th to about {fraction (1/2400)} th of an inch. The fluid firing elements may embody thermally resistive heater elements formed as thin film layers on a silicon substrate or piezoelectric elements despite the thermal technology implication derived from the name heater chip. In another aspect of the invention, the column of fluid firing elements is substantially centered in the reciprocating direction. In still another aspect, the heater chip has a sole column of fluid firing elements and a sole ink via. Printheads containing the heater chip and printers containing the printhead are also disclosed. These and other embodiments, aspects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following description of the invention and referenced drawings or by practice of the invention. The aspects, advantages, and features of the invention are realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, procedures, and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. | 20040922 | 20060718 | 20050224 | 89870.0 | 2 | JACKSON, JUANITA DIONNE | INKJET PRINTHEAD HEATER CHIP WITH ASYMMETRIC INK VIAS | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,946,680 | ACCEPTED | Inkjet printhead heater chip with asymmetric ink vias | An inkjet printhead heater chip has an ink via asymmetrically arranged in a reciprocating direction of inkjet printhead movement. The ink via has two sides and a longitudinal extent substantially parallel to a print medium advance direction. A column of fluid firing elements exists exclusively along a single side of the two sides. The heater chip and ink via each have a centroid and neither resides coincidentally with one another. Preferably, the heater chip centroid resides externally to a boundary of the ink via. In other aspects, the column of fluid firing elements can be a sole column or plural and may be centered in the reciprocating direction. The ink via can be a sole via or plural. The heater chip can be rectangular and the ink vias can be closer to either the long or short ends thereof. Inkjet printers for housing the printheads are also disclosed. | 1. An inkjet printhead, comprising: a substantially rectangular heater chip having two long and short ends and at least three substantially parallel ink vias, said at least three substantially parallel ink vias being disposed closer to one of said two short ends. 2. The inkjet printhead of claim 1, wherein said substantially rectangular heater chip has a chip centroid existing beyond a boundary of any of said at least three substantially parallel ink vias. 3. The inkjet printhead of claim 1, wherein said at least three substantially parallel ink vias are disposed substantially parallel to a widthwise direction of said chip. 4. The inkjet printhead of claim 1, wherein said substantially rectangular heater chip has a chip centroid and said at least three substantially parallel ink vias each has a via centroid, none of said via centroid and said chip centroid existing coextensively. 5. The inkjet printhead of claim 1, further including a plurality of columns of fluid firing elements wherein one of said plurality of columns exists exclusively along one side of one via of said at least three substantially parallel ink vias. 6. The inkjet printhead of claim 5, wherein said substantially rectangular heater chip has a chip centroid residing between at least one of said at least three substantially parallel ink vias and at least one of said plurality of columns of fluid firing elements. 7. The inkjet printhead of claim 1, wherein all of said at least three substantially parallel ink vias reside substantially equidistant to said two long ends. 8. An inkjet printhead, comprising: a substantially rectangular heater chip having two long and short ends and no more than three substantially parallel ink vias; and a chip centroid existing beyond a boundary of any of said no more than three substantially parallel ink vias. 9. The inkjet printhead of claim 8, wherein said no more than three substantially parallel ink vias are disposed closer to one of said two short ends. 10. The inkjet printhead of claim 8, wherein said no more than three substantially ink vias are substantially parallel to said two short ends of said chip. 11. An inkjet printhead, comprising: a substantially rectangular heater chip having two long and short ends and no more than three substantially parallel ink vias; and a plurality of columns of fluid firing elements, wherein one of said plurality of columns exists exclusively along one side of one via of said no more than three substantially parallel ink vias and said plurality of columns are substantially parallel to said two short ends of said chip. 12. An inkjet printhead, comprising: a substantially rectangular heater chip having two long and short ends and less than nine substantially parallel ink vias, wherein at least three of said less than nine substantially parallel ink vias being disposed closer to one of said two short ends. 13. The inkjet printhead of claim 12, wherein said substantially rectangular heater chip includes exactly four ink vias. 14. The inkjet printhead of claim 12, wherein said substantially rectangular heater chip includes exactly three ink vias. | This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/334,157 filed on Dec. 30, 2002 entitled “Inkjet Printhead Heater Chip With Asymmetric Ink Vias.” FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to inkjet printheads. In particular, it relates to a heater chip thereof having asymmetrically arranged ink vias that yield silicon savings. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The art of printing images with inkjet technology is relatively well known. In general, an image is produced by emitting ink drops from an ink-jet printhead at precise moments such that they impact a print medium at a desired location. The printhead is supported by a movable print carriage within a device, such as an inkjet printer, and is caused to reciprocate relative to an advancing print medium and emit ink drops at such times pursuant to commands of a microprocessor or other controller. The timing of the ink drop emissions corresponds to a pattern of pixels of the image being printed. Other than printers, familiar devices incorporating inkjet technology include fax machines, all-in-ones, photo printers, and graphics plotters, to name a few. Conventionally, a thermal inkjet printhead includes access to a local or remote supply of color or mono ink, a heater chip, a nozzle or orifice plate attached to the heater chip, and an input/output connector, such as a tape automated bond (TAB) circuit, for electrically connecting the heater chip to the printer during use. The heater chip, in turn, typically includes a plurality of thin film resistors or heaters fabricated by deposition, masking and etching techniques on a substrate such as silicon. One or more ink vias cut or etched through a thickness of the silicon serve to fluidly connect the supply of ink to the individual heaters. To print or emit a single drop of ink, an individual resistive heater is uniquely addressed with a small amount of current to rapidly heat a small volume of ink. This causes the ink to vaporize in a local ink chamber (between the heater and nozzle plate) and be ejected through and projected by the nozzle plate towards the print medium. In the past, manufacturers typically configured their heater chips with a centrally disposed elongate ink via(s) with attendant heaters on both sides thereof. Recently, as heater chips have become smaller and more densely packed with heaters, some ink vias have only had heaters disposed along a single side thereof. Such designs, however, have maintained their ink via(s) in a central disposition which leads to chip silicon waste. For example, consider the heater chip 725 of FIG. 7A with a single elongate ink via 732, centrally disposed (+), such that about 1000 microns of silicon (in a direction transverse to the elongate extent of the ink via) exist on both sides thereof. If the heater chip has columnar-disposed bond pads 728 near chip edges that parallel heater columns 734-L, 734-R on both sides of the ink via, the chip has fixed distances d1, d2 between the heater columns and bond pads. To wipe the nozzles above the heaters during printhead maintenance routines, a wiper (not shown) sweeps across a surface of the nozzles but, for printhead longevity reasons, does not sweep across the bond pads. Thus, since printers have wipers mechanically and electrically connected to motors and other structures in a manner such that the wipers have fixed times of lowering, raising and traveling, the printheads, in turn, require distances d1, d2 to have some minimum length to effectively wipe the nozzles while avoiding the bond pads. Now consider the heater chip of FIG. 7B having eliminated the right columnar heaters shown in FIG. 7A, perhaps by more densely packing heaters into column 732-L. If the ink via 732 remains centrally disposed (+) on the chip, wasted silicon space results because wiping is no longer required to the right of the ink via (and no minimum distance is required) yet the distance from the center of the via to the chip periphery 741 remains the same. Keep in mind, the chips 725 of FIGS. 7A, 7B have been greatly simplified and often include additional ink vias and heaters. Accordingly, the inkjet printhead arts desire heater chips having optimally arranged ink via(s) that minimize silicon costs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above-mentioned and other problems become solved by applying the principles and teachings associated with the hereinafter described ink-jet printhead heater chip having asymmetric ink vias. In one embodiment, an inkjet printhead heater chip has an ink via asymmetrically arranged in a reciprocating direction of inkjet printhead movement. The ink via has two sides and a longitudinal extent substantially parallel to a print medium advance direction. A column of fluid firing elements exists exclusively along a single side of the two sides. The heater chip and ink via each have a centroid and neither resides coincidentally with one another. Preferably, the heater chip centroid resides externally to a boundary of the ink via. It one embodiment, it resides between the column of fluid firing elements and one of the two sides of the ink via. In another embodiment, the column of fluid firing elements passes through the centroid. A column of input terminals on the heater chip communicate electrically with an inkjet printer and exist in parallel with the column of fluid firing elements. In a preferred embodiment, about 880 microns of lateral distance separate the two columns while about 600 microns separate the side of the ink via opposite the column of fluid firing elements and a periphery of the heater chip. In addition, the heater chip may include other vertically, horizontally or angularly disposed ink vias with columns of fluid firing elements on either one or two sides thereof. The ink vias reside in a thickness of the heater chip and fluidly connect to a supply of ink in the ink-jet printhead. Vertically adjacent fluid firing elements of the column of fluid firing elements may or may not have a horizontal separation gap there between. Preferred pitch of the fluid firing elements ranges from about 1/300th to about 1/2400th of an inch. The fluid firing elements may embody thermally resistive heater elements formed as thin film layers on a silicon substrate or piezoelectric elements despite the thermal technology implication derived from the name heater chip. In another aspect of the invention, the column of fluid firing elements is substantially centered in the reciprocating direction. In still another aspect, the heater chip has a sole column of fluid firing elements and a sole ink via. Printheads containing the heater chip and printers containing the printhead are also disclosed. These and other embodiments, aspects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following description of the invention and referenced drawings or by practice of the invention. The aspects, advantages, and features of the invention are realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, procedures, and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of a thermal inkjet printhead having a heater chip with an asymmetric ink via; FIG. 2 is a perspective view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of an inkjet printer; FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of a heater chip with a widthwise asymmetrically disposed ink via; FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of a heater chip with a plurality of lengthwise asymmetrically arranged ink vias; FIG. 5A is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of a first embodiment of a plurality of fluid firing elements positioned about an asymmetric ink via; FIG. 5B is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of a second embodiment of a plurality of fluid firing elements positioned about an asymmetric ink via; FIG. 5C is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of a third embodiment of a plurality of fluid firing elements positioned about an asymmetric ink via; FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of a heater chip with a plurality of widthwise asymmetrically arranged ink vias; FIG. 7A is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the prior art of an inkjet heater chip with a symmetrically disposed ink via and two corresponding columns of heaters; and FIG. 7B is a diagrammatic view in accordance with the prior art of an inkjet heater chip with a symmetrically disposed ink via and one corresponding column of heaters. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized with various process, electrical, mechanical, chemical, or other changes without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims and their equivalents. In accordance with the present invention, we hereinafter describe an inkjet printhead heater chip having asymmetrically arranged ink vias. With reference to FIG. 1, an inkjet printhead of the present invention is shown generally as 10. The printhead 10 has a housing 12 formed of any suitable material for holding ink. Its shape can vary and often depends upon the external device that carries or contains the printhead. The housing has at least one compartment 16 internal thereto for holding an initial or refillable supply of ink. In one embodiment, the compartment has a single chamber and holds a supply of black ink, photo ink, cyan ink, magenta ink or yellow ink. In other embodiments, the compartment has multiple chambers and contains three supplies of ink. Preferably, it includes cyan, magenta and yellow ink. In still other embodiments, the compartment contains plurals of black, photo, cyan, magenta or yellow ink. It will be appreciated, however, that while the compartment 16 is shown as locally integrated within a housing 12 of the printhead, it may alternatively connect to a remote source of ink and receive supply from a tube, for example. Adhered to one surface 18 of the housing 12 is a portion 19 of a flexible circuit, especially a tape automated bond (TAB) circuit 20. The other portion 21 of the TAB circuit 20 is adhered to another surface 22 of the housing. In this embodiment, the two surfaces 18, 22 are perpendicularly arranged to one another about an edge 23 of the housing. The TAB circuit 20 supports a plurality of input/output (I/O) connectors 24 thereon for electrically connecting a heater chip 25 to an external device, such as a printer, fax machine, copier, photo-printer, plotter, all-in-one, etc., during use. Pluralities of electrical conductors 26 exist on the TAB circuit 20 to electrically connect and short the I/O connectors 24 to the input terminals (bond pads 28) of the heater chip 25. Those skilled in the art know various techniques for facilitating such connections. For simplicity, FIG. 1 only shows eight I/O connectors 24, eight electrical conductors 26 and eight bond pads 28 but present day printheads have much larger quantities and any number is equally embraced herein. Still further, those skilled in the art should appreciate that while such number of connectors, conductors and bond pads equal one another, actual printheads may have unequal numbers. The heater chip 25 contains a column 34 of a plurality of fluid firing elements that serve to eject ink from compartment 16 during use. The fluid firing elements may embody thermally resistive heater elements (heaters for short) formed as thin film layers on a silicon substrate or piezoelectric elements despite the thermal technology implication derived from the name heater chip. For simplicity, the pluralities of fluid firing elements in column 34 are shown as a row of five dots but in practice may include several hundred or thousand fluid firing elements. As described below, vertically adjacent ones of the fluid firing elements may or may not have a lateral spacing gap or stagger there between. In general, the fluid firing elements have vertical pitch spacing comparable to the dots-per-inch resolution of an attendant printer. Some examples include spacing of 1/300th, 1/600th, 1/1200th, 1/2400th or other of an inch along the longitudinal extent of the via. To form the vias, many processes are known that cut or etch the via through a thickness of the heater chip. Some of the more preferred processes include grit blasting or etching, such as wet, dry, reactive-ion-etching, deep reactive-ion-etching, or other. A nozzle plate (not shown) has orifices thereof aligned with each of the heaters to project the ink during use. The nozzle plate may attach with an adhesive or epoxy or may be fabricated as a silicon thin-film layer. With reference to FIG. 2, an external device in the form of an ink-jet printer for containing the printhead 10 is shown generally as 40. The printer 40 includes a carriage 42 having a plurality of slots 44 for containing one or more printheads 10. The carriage 42 reciprocates (in accordance with an output 59 of a controller 57) along a shaft 48 above a print zone 46 by a motive force supplied to a drive belt 50 as is well known in the art. The reciprocation of the carriage 42 occurs relative to a print medium, such as a sheet of paper 52 that advances in the printer 40 along a paper path from an input tray 54, through the print zone 46, to an output tray 56. While in the print zone, the carriage 42 reciprocates in the Reciprocating Direction generally perpendicularly to the paper 52 being advanced in the Advance Direction as shown by the arrows. Ink drops from compartment 16 (FIG. 1) are caused to be eject from the heater chip 25 at such times pursuant to commands of a printer microprocessor or other controller 57. The timing of the ink drop emissions corresponds to a pattern of pixels of the image being printed. Often times, such patterns become generated in devices electrically connected to the controller 57 (via Ext. input) that reside externally to the printer and include, but are not limited to, a computer, a scanner, a camera, a visual display unit, a personal data assistant, or other. To print or emit a single drop of ink, the fluid firing elements (the dots of column 34, FIG. 1) are uniquely addressed with a small amount of current to rapidly heat a small volume of ink. This causes the ink to vaporize in a local ink chamber between the heater and the nozzle plate and eject through, and become projected by, the nozzle plate towards the print medium. The fire pulse required to emit such ink drop may embody a single or a split firing pulse and is received at the heater chip on an input terminal (e.g., bond pad 28) from connections between the bond pad 28, the electrical conductors 26, the I/O connectors 24 and controller 57. Internal heater chip wiring conveys the fire pulse from the input terminal to one or many of the fluid firing elements. A control panel 58, having user selection interface 60, also accompanies many printers as an input 62 to the controller 57 to provide additional printer capabilities and robustness. With reference to FIG. 3, a heater chip 325 of one embodiment of the present invention has a sole ink via 332 with a longitudinal extent defined by two sides 384, 386. A sole column 334 of a plurality of fluid firing elements 335 exists exclusively along one of the two sides of the ink via. A chip centroid (+) resides within the sole column 334 external to a boundary 337 of the ink via. A via centroid (●) is substantially offset from the chip centroid in the widthwise direction w such that the two centroids do not coexist. In this manner, the heater chip has an asymmetrically disposed ink via and silicon space on a side of the ink via not containing any fluid firing elements is no longer wasted. In a preferred embodiment, a straight line distance between the chip centroid and the via centroid is about 150 microns. Still further, a distance from the side 386 to a periphery 339 of the heater chip is about 600 microns which offers about 100 to 300 microns of silicon savings over the prior art. In another embodiment, the column of fluid firing elements exists substantially centered in the widthwise direction w of the heater chip such that distance D1 is substantially equidistant to distance D2. As oriented on an ink-jet printhead in an inkjet printer during use, widthwise direction w corresponds to the Reciprocating Direction of FIG. 2. Thus, the sole ink via 332 is thereby asymmetrically arranged in the Reciprocating Direction. Under modern wafer dicing practices, an individual heater chip diced from a larger multi-chip wafer will likely embody a rectangular shape in its largest surface area and have two long 341 and short 343 ends as shown. A representative lengthwise distance L of the heater chip is about 17 millimeters (mm) while the widthwise distance w is about 3 mm. It will be appreciated that the present invention contemplates other heater chip geometric shapes such as ovals, circles, squares, triangles, polygons or other shapes lending themselves to symmetrical or asymmetrical peripheries or regular or irregular boundaries. To calculate the chip centroid, well known standard formulas are used. Since the heater chip itself is a three-dimensional (3-D) object, the chip centroid for purposes of this invention can either correspond to the chip centroid of the actual 3-D object or the 2-D figure shown diagrammatically. Likewise, the calculation of the via centroids are governed by standard formulas and may either correspond to the actual 3-D object or the 2-D figure representation. Appreciating that the ink vias of the rectangular heater chip can comprise other orientations that remain asymmetrical in the Reciprocating Direction but not in the widthwise direction, reference is now made to the heater chip 425 of FIG. 4 having lengthwise asymmetrical vias. In particular, a plurality of ink vias 432-L, 432-M, 432-R (left, middle, right as shown in the Figure) are disposed with their lengthwise extents generally parallel to the widthwise direction of the chip. Yet, none of the via centroids (●) coexist with the chip centroid (+). As shown, the two rightmost of the ink vias reside closer to the short end 443-R while the leftmost via resides closer to the other of the short ends 443-L. Simultaneously, however, all of the ink vias reside substantially equidistant to both of the long ends 441. Preferably, the chip centroid (+) resides between a column 434-M of fluid firing elements and a longitudinal side 484 of the middle ink via 432-M. Preferred chip distances include a lengthwise distance of about 8 mm and a widthwise distance of about 5.1 mm. Alternatively, the lengthwise distance is shorter and is about 5.1 mm while the widthwise distance is about 8 mm. The leftmost column 434-L of fluid firing elements is about 1.2 mm (D3) from a short end periphery 443-L of the heater chip while the rightmost column 434-R of fluid firing elements is about 1 mm (D4) from the other short end periphery 443-R. With reference to FIGS. 5A-5C, those skilled in the art will appreciate that any given column of fluid firing elements will comprise a plurality of individual fluid firing elements representatively numbered 1 through n (FIGS. 5A, 5B) or numbered 1 through n−1 or 2 through n (FIG. 5C). In FIG. 5A, the fluid firing elements of a given column 534 exist exclusively along one side 584 of an ink via 532, having a longitudinal extent, and have a slight horizontal spacing gap S between vertically adjacent ones of fluid firing elements. In a preferred embodiment, the spacing gap S is about 3/1200th of an inch. A vertical distance between vertically adjacent ones is the fluid firing element pitch and generally corresponds to the DPI of the printer in which they are used. Thus, preferred pitch includes, but is not limited to, 1/300th, 1/600th, 1/1200th, 1/2400th of an inch. In FIG. 5B, vertically adjacent ones of fluid firing elements are substantially linearly aligned with one another along an entirety of the length of the ink via. Although the fluid firing elements of FIGS. 5A, 5B have been shown exclusively on a left side of the via, they could easily exist on the right side. They could also embody a “column” despite a lack of linearity that has been depicted in the drawings. In FIG. 5C, some of the ink vias of the heater chip may have more than one column of fluid firing elements and both may be disposed on the same side or on opposite sides of the ink via 532 in columns 534-L and 534-R. Each column may have a spacing gap S1, S2 between vertically adjacent ones of fluid firing elements or may not. Preferably, spacing gaps S1, S2 are substantially equal. Pitch P in this embodiment may be measured between sequentially numbered fluid firing elements such that a twice pitch 2P vertical spacing exists between sequential odd or even numbered fluid firing elements. In still another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a heater chip 625 can have all pluralities of ink vias 632 disposed asymmetrically closer to a single end of the chip, such as long end 641-R. As before, asymmetry can also be described in terms of centroids and none of the ink via centroids (●) resides coincidentally with the chip centroid (+). In one embodiment, the chip centroid resides at position A between a column of fluid firing elements 634 (shown as a line) and a periphery 637 of the center ink via. In another embodiment, the column of fluid firing elements is centered in the Reciprocating Direction and the chip centroid (+) resides at position B. For representative purposes only, the columnar disposed input terminals, bond pads 628, substantially parallel the columns of fluid firing elements and reside about 880 microns (d1) there from. A distance between one of the longitudinal sides 686 of an ink via and heater chip periphery 641-R is about 600 microns. While the chip centroids shown in the previous figures all reside external to a boundary of any ink via, the present invention is not so limited to preclude the chip centroid from existing within a boundary of the ink via. Still further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the heater chips shown are the result of a substrate having been processed through a series of growth, deposition, masking, photolithography, and/or etching or other processing steps. As such, preferred deposition techniques include, but are not limited to, any variety of chemical vapor depositions (CVD), physical vapor depositions (PVD), epitaxy, evaporation, sputtering or other similarly known techniques. Preferred CVD techniques include low pressure (LP) ones, but could also include atmospheric pressure (AP), plasma enhanced (PE), high density plasma (HDP) or other. Preferred etching techniques include, but are not limited to, any variety of wet or dry etches, reactive ion etches, deep reactive ion etches, etc. Preferred photolithography steps include, but are not limited to, exposure to ultraviolet or x-ray light sources, or other, and photomasking includes photomasking islands and/or photomasking holes. The particular embodiment, island or hole, depends upon whether the configuration of the mask is a clear-field or dark-field mask as those terms as well understood in the art. In a preferred embodiment, the substrate of the heater chip includes a silicon wafer of p-type, 100 orientation, having a resistivity of 5-20 ohm/cm. Its beginning thickness is preferably any one of 525+/−20 microns M1.5-89, 625 +/−20 microns M1.7-89, or 625+/−15 microns M1.13-90 with respective wafer diameters of 100+/−0.50 mm, 125+/−0.50 mm, and 150+/−0.50 mm. Finally, the foregoing description is presented for purposes of illustration and description of the various aspects of the invention. The descriptions are not intended, however, to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Accordingly, the embodiments described above were chosen to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The art of printing images with inkjet technology is relatively well known. In general, an image is produced by emitting ink drops from an ink-jet printhead at precise moments such that they impact a print medium at a desired location. The printhead is supported by a movable print carriage within a device, such as an inkjet printer, and is caused to reciprocate relative to an advancing print medium and emit ink drops at such times pursuant to commands of a microprocessor or other controller. The timing of the ink drop emissions corresponds to a pattern of pixels of the image being printed. Other than printers, familiar devices incorporating inkjet technology include fax machines, all-in-ones, photo printers, and graphics plotters, to name a few. Conventionally, a thermal inkjet printhead includes access to a local or remote supply of color or mono ink, a heater chip, a nozzle or orifice plate attached to the heater chip, and an input/output connector, such as a tape automated bond (TAB) circuit, for electrically connecting the heater chip to the printer during use. The heater chip, in turn, typically includes a plurality of thin film resistors or heaters fabricated by deposition, masking and etching techniques on a substrate such as silicon. One or more ink vias cut or etched through a thickness of the silicon serve to fluidly connect the supply of ink to the individual heaters. To print or emit a single drop of ink, an individual resistive heater is uniquely addressed with a small amount of current to rapidly heat a small volume of ink. This causes the ink to vaporize in a local ink chamber (between the heater and nozzle plate) and be ejected through and projected by the nozzle plate towards the print medium. In the past, manufacturers typically configured their heater chips with a centrally disposed elongate ink via(s) with attendant heaters on both sides thereof. Recently, as heater chips have become smaller and more densely packed with heaters, some ink vias have only had heaters disposed along a single side thereof. Such designs, however, have maintained their ink via(s) in a central disposition which leads to chip silicon waste. For example, consider the heater chip 725 of FIG. 7A with a single elongate ink via 732 , centrally disposed (+), such that about 1000 microns of silicon (in a direction transverse to the elongate extent of the ink via) exist on both sides thereof. If the heater chip has columnar-disposed bond pads 728 near chip edges that parallel heater columns 734 -L, 734 -R on both sides of the ink via, the chip has fixed distances d1, d2 between the heater columns and bond pads. To wipe the nozzles above the heaters during printhead maintenance routines, a wiper (not shown) sweeps across a surface of the nozzles but, for printhead longevity reasons, does not sweep across the bond pads. Thus, since printers have wipers mechanically and electrically connected to motors and other structures in a manner such that the wipers have fixed times of lowering, raising and traveling, the printheads, in turn, require distances d1, d2 to have some minimum length to effectively wipe the nozzles while avoiding the bond pads. Now consider the heater chip of FIG. 7B having eliminated the right columnar heaters shown in FIG. 7A , perhaps by more densely packing heaters into column 732 -L. If the ink via 732 remains centrally disposed (+) on the chip, wasted silicon space results because wiping is no longer required to the right of the ink via (and no minimum distance is required) yet the distance from the center of the via to the chip periphery 741 remains the same. Keep in mind, the chips 725 of FIGS. 7A, 7B have been greatly simplified and often include additional ink vias and heaters. Accordingly, the inkjet printhead arts desire heater chips having optimally arranged ink via(s) that minimize silicon costs. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The above-mentioned and other problems become solved by applying the principles and teachings associated with the hereinafter described ink-jet printhead heater chip having asymmetric ink vias. In one embodiment, an inkjet printhead heater chip has an ink via asymmetrically arranged in a reciprocating direction of inkjet printhead movement. The ink via has two sides and a longitudinal extent substantially parallel to a print medium advance direction. A column of fluid firing elements exists exclusively along a single side of the two sides. The heater chip and ink via each have a centroid and neither resides coincidentally with one another. Preferably, the heater chip centroid resides externally to a boundary of the ink via. It one embodiment, it resides between the column of fluid firing elements and one of the two sides of the ink via. In another embodiment, the column of fluid firing elements passes through the centroid. A column of input terminals on the heater chip communicate electrically with an inkjet printer and exist in parallel with the column of fluid firing elements. In a preferred embodiment, about 880 microns of lateral distance separate the two columns while about 600 microns separate the side of the ink via opposite the column of fluid firing elements and a periphery of the heater chip. In addition, the heater chip may include other vertically, horizontally or angularly disposed ink vias with columns of fluid firing elements on either one or two sides thereof. The ink vias reside in a thickness of the heater chip and fluidly connect to a supply of ink in the ink-jet printhead. Vertically adjacent fluid firing elements of the column of fluid firing elements may or may not have a horizontal separation gap there between. Preferred pitch of the fluid firing elements ranges from about 1/300 th to about 1/2400 th of an inch. The fluid firing elements may embody thermally resistive heater elements formed as thin film layers on a silicon substrate or piezoelectric elements despite the thermal technology implication derived from the name heater chip. In another aspect of the invention, the column of fluid firing elements is substantially centered in the reciprocating direction. In still another aspect, the heater chip has a sole column of fluid firing elements and a sole ink via. Printheads containing the heater chip and printers containing the printhead are also disclosed. These and other embodiments, aspects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following description of the invention and referenced drawings or by practice of the invention. The aspects, advantages, and features of the invention are realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, procedures, and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. | 20040922 | 20060321 | 20050224 | 89870.0 | 2 | JACKSON, JUANITA DIONNE | INKJET PRINTHEAD HEATER CHIP WITH ASYMMETRIC INK VIAS | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,946,916 | ACCEPTED | Hydraulic friction fluid heater and method of using same | A method and apparatus for heating a portion of a subsea structure is provided. The method includes pumping a fluid through a length of tubing such that the temperature of the fluid increases. The temperature increase of the fluid is created by friction in the tubing, and may be also be created by at least one pressure reducing device such as an orifice, pressure reducing valve, or relief valve. A subsea structure may be heated by transferring heat from fluid circulating in a closed loop configuration or by direct application of fluid to the subsea structure using a nozzle. A remotely operated vehicle may be utilized to transport some or all of the equipment necessary, including pumps, tubing, heat exchangers, nozzles and tanks. The remotely operated vehicle provides power to the pumps used for circulating fluid through the tubing. | 1. A method for heating a portion of a subsea structure, comprising: pumping a fluid through a closed loop; and transferring heat from the fluid to a subsea structure. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of seawater, water glycol, and mineral oil. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the closed loop comprises tubing. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the fluid increases as the flowrate of the fluid increases at a constant pump output pressure. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the fluid increases as the pressure drop within the closed loop increases at a constant fluid flowrate. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the pressure drop is created by friction in the closed loop. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the pressure drop is created by at least one pressure reducing device in the closed loop. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one pressure reducing device is selected from the group consisting of fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, and relief valve. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transferring step is executed in a heat exchanger pre-installed on the subsea structure. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the pumping step is executed using a pump located on a remotely operated vehicle, and wherein power is provided to the pump from the remotely operated vehicle. 11. A method for heating a portion of a subsea structure, comprising: positioning heating coils around a location on a subsea structure; connecting a pump to the heating coils such that the connected pump and heating coils form a closed loop; pumping a fluid through the closed loop; and transferring heat from the fluid to the subsea structure through the heating coils. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the closed loop comprises tubing. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the heating coils are positioned using a crane. 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the heating coils are positioned using a remotely operated vehicle. 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the pump is connected using a remotely operated vehicle. 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the pump is located on a remotely operated vehicle, and wherein power is provided to the pump from the remotely operated vehicle. 17. The method of claim 11, wherein the heating coils are in fluid communication with a receptacle, wherein the pump is in fluid communication with a hot stab, and wherein the connecting step is executed by connecting the hot stab with the receptacle. 18. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one pressure reducing device is included in the closed loop. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one pressure reducing device is selected from the group consisting of fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, and relief valve. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one pressure reducing device is in fluid communication with the pump prior to the connecting step. 21. A method for heating a portion of a subsea structure, comprising: pumping a first fluid through a first closed loop; pumping a second fluid through a second closed loop; transferring heat from the first fluid to the second fluid; and transferring heat from the second fluid to the subsea structure. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are the same type of fluid. 23. The method of claim 21, wherein the temperature of the first fluid increases as the flowrate of the first fluid increases at a constant pump output pressure. 24. The method of claim 21, wherein the temperature of the first fluid increases as the pressure drop within the first closed loop increases at a constant fluid flowrate. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the pressure drop is created by friction in the first closed loop. 26. The method of claim 24, wherein the pressure drop is created by at least one pressure reducing device in the first closed loop. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one pressure reducing device is selected from the group consisting of fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, and relief valve. 28. The method of claim 21, wherein the temperature of the second fluid increases as the flowrate of the second fluid increases at a constant pump output pressure. 29. The method of claim 21, wherein the temperature of the second fluid increases as the pressure drop within the second closed loop increases at a constant fluid flowrate. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the pressure drop is created by friction in the second closed loop. 31. The method of claim 29, wherein the pressure drop is created by at least one pressure reducing device in the second closed loop. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one pressure reducing device is selected from the group consisting of fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, and relief valve. 33. The method of claim 21, wherein the first pumping step is executed using a pump located on a remotely operated vehicle, and wherein power is provided to the pump from the remotely operated vehicle. 34. A method for heating a portion of a subsea structure, comprising: pumping a fluid through a first loop using a first pump; pumping the fluid through a second loop using a second pump; and transferring heat from the fluid to the subsea structure in the second loop. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the first loop and the second loop are both in fluid communication with a common tank. 36. The method of claim 34, wherein the temperature of the fluid increases as the flowrate of the fluid in the first loop increases at a constant first pump output pressure. 37. The method of claim 34, wherein the temperature of the fluid increases as the pressure drop within the first loop increases at a constant fluid flowrate. 38. The method of claim 37, wherein the pressure drop is created by friction in the first loop. 39. The method of claim 37, wherein the pressure drop is created by at least one pressure reducing device in the first loop. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein the at least one pressure reducing device is selected from the group consisting of fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, and relief valve. 41. The method of claim 34, wherein the temperature of the fluid increases as the flowrate of the fluid in the second loop increases at a constant second pump output pressure. 42. The method of claim 34, wherein the temperature of the fluid increases as the pressure drop within the second loop increases at a constant fluid flowrate. 43. The method of claim 42, wherein the pressure drop is created by friction in the second loop. 44. The method of claim 42, wherein the pressure drop is created by at least one pressure reducing device in the second loop. 45. The method of claim 44, wherein the at least one pressure reducing device is selected from the group consisting of fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, and relief valve. 46. The method of claim 34, further comprising pumping the fluid through a third loop using a third pump. 47. The method of claim 46, wherein the first loop, second loop, and third loop are all in fluid communication with a common tank. 48. The method of claim 34, wherein the first pump is located on a remotely operated vehicle, and wherein power is provided to the first pump from the remotely operated vehicle. 49. A method for heating an exterior portion of a subsea structure, comprising: pumping a first fluid through a tubing; and directing the first fluid through a nozzle directly at the exterior of the subsea structure. 50. The method of claim 49, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of seawater and water glycol. 51. The method of claim 49, wherein the temperature of the first fluid increases as the flowrate of the first fluid increases at a constant pump output pressure. 52. The method of claim 49, wherein the temperature of the first fluid increases as the pressure drop within the tubing increases at a constant first fluid flowrate. 53. The method of claim 52, wherein the pressure drop is created by friction in the tubing. 54. The method of claim 52, wherein the pressure drop is created by at least one pressure reducing device in the tubing. 55. The method of claim 54, wherein the at least one pressure reducing device is selected from the group consisting of fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, and relief valve. 56. The method of claim 49, wherein the nozzle is positioned using a remotely operated vehicle. 57. The method of claim 49, wherein the pumping step is executed using a pump located on a remotely operated vehicle, and wherein power is provided to the pump from the remotely operated vehicle. 58. The method of claim 50, further comprising: pumping a second fluid through a closed loop; and transferring heat from the second fluid to the first fluid in a heat exchanger. 59. The method of claim 58, wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are the same type of fluid. 60. The method of claim 58, wherein the temperature of the second fluid increases as the flowrate of the second fluid increases at a constant pump output pressure. 61. The method of claim 58, wherein the temperature of the second fluid increases as the pressure drop within the closed loop increases at a constant second fluid flowrate. 62. The method of claim 61, wherein the pressure drop is created by friction in the closed loop. 63. The method of claim 61, wherein the pressure drop is created by at least one pressure reducing device in the closed loop. 64. The method of claim 63, wherein the at least one pressure reducing device is selected from the group consisting of fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, and relief valve. 65. The method of claim 58, wherein the second pumping step is executed using a pump located on a remotely operated vehicle, and wherein power is provided to the pump from the remotely operated vehicle. 66. An apparatus for heating a subsea structure, comprising: a closed loop, the closed loop comprising: a pump, and at least one length of tubing in fluid communication with the pump; wherein pumping a fluid through the closed loop increases the temperature of the fluid; wherein heat is transferred from the fluid to the subsea structure. 67. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein heat is transferred from the fluid to the subsea structure through the at least one length of tubing. 68. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the closed loop further comprises at least one heating coil in fluid communication with the at least one length of tubing, wherein heat is transferred from the fluid to the subsea structure through the at least one heating coil. 69. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the closed loop further comprises at least one pressure reducing device. 70. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the at least one pressure reducing device is selected from the group consisting of fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, and relief valve. 71. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein a first portion of the closed loop is installed at the subsea structure, and wherein a second portion of the closed loop is not installed at the subsea structure. 72. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the second portion of the closed loop is located on a remotely operated vehicle. 73. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the first portion and the second portion are connectable to complete the closed loop. 74. The apparatus of claim 73, wherein the first portion and the second portion are connected using a hot stab and a receptacle. 75. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein power is provided to the pump from a remotely operated vehicle. 76. An apparatus for heating a subsea structure, comprising: a first closed loop, the first closed loop comprising: a first pump, and a first at least one length of tubing in fluid communication with the first pump, wherein pumping a first fluid through the first closed loop increases the temperature of the first fluid, a second closed loop, the second closed loop comprising: a second pump, and a second at least one length of tubing in fluid communication with the second pump, wherein pumping a second fluid through the second closed loop increases the temperature of the second fluid; and a heat exchanger for transferring heat from the first fluid to the second fluid; wherein heat is transferred from the second fluid to the subsea structure. 77. The apparatus of claim 76, wherein the first closed loop further comprises at least one pressure reducing device. 78. The apparatus of claim 77, wherein the at least one pressure reducing device is selected from the group consisting of fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, and relief valve. 79. The apparatus of claim 76, wherein the second closed loop further comprises at least one pressure reducing device. 80. The apparatus of claim 79, wherein the at least one pressure reducing device is selected from the group consisting of fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, and relief valve. 81. The apparatus of claim 76, wherein a first portion of the apparatus is installed at the subsea structure, and wherein a second portion of the apparatus is not installed at the subsea structure. 82. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein the second portion of the apparatus is located on a remotely operated vehicle. 83. The apparatus of claim 82, wherein the first portion and the second portion are connectable to complete the apparatus. 84. The apparatus of claim 83, wherein the first portion and the second portion are connected using a hot stab and a receptacle. 85. The apparatus of claim 76, wherein power is provided to the first pump from a remotely operated vehicle. 86. The apparatus of claim 76, wherein power is provided to the second first pump from a remotely operated vehicle. 87. An apparatus for heating a subsea structure, comprising: a first loop, the first loop comprising: a first pump, and a first at least one length of tubing in fluid communication with the first pump, wherein pumping a fluid through the first loop increases the temperature of the fluid, a second loop, the second loop comprising: a second pump, and a second at least one length of tubing in fluid communication with the second pump, wherein pumping the fluid through the second loop increases the temperature of the fluid; and a tank in fluid communication with the first loop and second loop; wherein heat is transferred from the fluid to the subsea structure in the second loop. 88. The apparatus of claim 87, wherein the first loop further comprises at least one pressure reducing device. 89. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the at least one pressure reducing device is selected from the group consisting of fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, and relief valve. 90. The apparatus of claim 87, wherein the second closed loop further comprises at least one pressure reducing device. 91. The apparatus of claim 90, wherein the at least one pressure reducing device is selected from the group consisting of fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, and relief valve. 92. The apparatus of claim 87, wherein a first portion of the apparatus is installed at the subsea structure, and wherein a second portion of the apparatus is not installed at the subsea structure. 93. The apparatus of claim 92, wherein the second portion of the apparatus is located on a remotely operated vehicle. 94. The apparatus of claim 92, wherein the first portion and the second portion are connectable to complete the apparatus. 95. The apparatus of claim 92, wherein the first portion and the second portion are connected using a hot stab and a receptacle. 96. The apparatus of claim 87, wherein power is provided to the first pump from a remotely operated vehicle. 97. The apparatus of claim 87, wherein power is provided to the second first pump from a remotely operated vehicle. 98. The apparatus of claim 87, further comprising: a third loop, the third loop comprising: a third pump, and a third at least one length of tubing in fluid communication with the third pump, wherein pumping the fluid through the third loop increases the temperature of the fluid; and wherein the tank is in fluid communication with the first loop, the second loop, and the third loop. 99. An apparatus for heating an exterior portion of a subsea structure, comprising: a first pump; a nozzle; and a first at least one length of tubing in fluid communication with the first pump and the nozzle; wherein pumping a first fluid through the first at least one length of tubing increases the temperature of the first fluid. 100. The apparatus of claim 99, further comprising at least one pressure reducing device in fluid communication with the first at least one length of tubing. 101. The apparatus of claim 100, wherein the pressure reducing device is selected from the group consisting of fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, and relief valve. 102. The apparatus of claim 99, wherein the nozzle is positioned using a remotely operated vehicle. 103. The apparatus of claim 99, wherein the pump is located on a remotely operated vehicle, and wherein power is provided to the pump from the remotely operated vehicle. 104. The apparatus of claim 99, further comprising: a closed loop, the closed loop comprising: a second pump, and a second at least one length of tubing in fluid communication with the second pump, wherein pumping a second fluid through the closed loop increases the temperature of the second fluid; and a heat exchanger for transferring heat from the second fluid to the first fluid; 105. An apparatus for heating a subsea structure, comprising: means for heating a fluid; and means for transferring heat from the fluid to the subsea structure. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for providing heat to a subsea pipeline or other structure, and more particularly relates to a hydraulic friction fluid heater for providing heat to a subsea pipeline or other structure. There often arises a need for heat to be supplied in a subsea environment. This frequently comes up in the offshore oil and gas industry. It is well known in the oil and gas industry that under certain pressure and temperature conditions the gases in a typical oil or gas well may form a solid hydrate or a solid wax within a pipeline. A hydrate is basically methane- or hydrocarbon-type ice. A wax is basically a paraffin-based solid formation. Hydrates and waxes are more likely to form under conditions of high pressures and low temperatures. Although hydrates and waxes may form at any water depth, hydrate and wax formation occurs more commonly in deep water. For example, at about 1000 feet and below, the water temperature remains relatively constant—just slightly above freezing in the vast majority of the world's oceans. The pressure, however, dramatically increases with depth, is which affects hydrate and wax formation. In general, the deeper the water the more critical a problem hydrates and waxes become for oil company operators. Typically, hydrate and wax formation becomes an issue at approximately 500 meters (1500 feet), and below approximately 1000 meters (3000 feet) presents serious problems for oil companies. The solid hydrate or wax forms a blockage inside a pipeline and reduces or completely blocks the product flow of oil and/or gas. Hydrate formations also occur at other locations, for example, externally on a subsea well head. Hydrates have also formed externally on the connector between a subsea wellhead and the lower marine riser package (“LMRP”) resulting in frozen latches that prevent the connector from releasing. Some companies have attempted to address the hydrate issue by installing hydrate traps in their pipelines. The hydrate trap is basically a loop inside the pipeline that is specific to hydrate remediation. The installed hydrate trap is intended to generate the heat to remediate the hydrate plugs or ice. However, hydrate formation is a problem for existing subsea pipelines having no hydrate traps as well as for subsea well heads and associated equipment mounted thereon. Typically, when working in the subsea environment at significant depths, remotely operated vehicle (“ROV”) systems are used. ROV systems are typically hydraulic-operated. In the past, attempts have been made at subsea hydrate and wax remediation with the use of electric heaters powered by an ROV system, however, typical ROV systems do not have sufficient electrical power to generate the heat necessary to effectively remediate such formations. What is needed is a method and apparatus for performing subsea hydrate and wax remediation using heat. It is also desirable to have an apparatus and process for performing subsea hydrate and wax remediation using heat produced hydraulically. It is further desirable to have an apparatus and process for performing subsea hydrate and wax remediation using heat produced subsea. Additionally, it is desirable to have an apparatus and process to produce heat subsea using existing remotely operated vehicle (“ROV”) systems. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A method and apparatus for heating a portion of a subsea structure is provided. The method includes pumping a fluid through a length of tubing such that the temperature of the fluid increases. The temperature increase of the fluid is created by friction in the tubing, and may be also be created by at least one pressure reducing device such as an orifice, pressure reducing valve, or relief valve. A subsea structure may be heated by transferring heat from fluid circulating in a closed loop configuration or by direct application of fluid to the subsea structure using a nozzle. A remotely operated vehicle may be utilized to transport some or all of the equipment necessary, including pumps, tubing, heat exchangers, nozzles and tanks. The remotely operated vehicle provides power to the pumps used for circulating fluid through the tubing. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes heating a portion of a subsea structure by pumping a fluid through a closed loop, thereby transferring heat from the fluid to the subsea structure. The fluid may be selected from seawater, water glycol, mineral oil, or any other suitable heat transfer fluid. At least one pressure reducing device, such as a fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, or relief valve may be added to the closed loop to increase the temperature of the circulating fluid in the closed loop. Heat transfer to the subsea structure may be effected by winding the tubing around the subsea structure or by utilizing a heat exchanger of other form of heating coils configured proximate to the subsea structure. A pump located on a remotely operated vehicle is preferably used to circulate the fluid where the power is provided to the pump from the remotely operated vehicle. Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes positioning heating coils around a subsea structure, connecting a pump to the heating coils such that the connected pump and heating coils form a closed loop, and pumping a fluid through the closed loop, thereby transferring heat from the fluid to the subsea structure through the heating coils. The heating coils may be positioned using a crane or by using a remotely operated vehicle. The pump is preferably located on the remotely operated vehicle, which also provides power to the pump. A receptacle and hot stab are preferably used to connect the pump to the heating coils. At least one pressure reducing device, such as a fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, or relief valve may be added to the closed loop to increase the temperature of the circulating fluid in the closed loop. Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes pumping a first fluid through a first closed loop, pumping a second fluid through a second closed loop, transferring heat from the first fluid to the second fluid, and transferring heat from the second fluid to the subsea structure. The first and second fluids may be the same type of fluid. At least one pressure reducing device, such as a fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, or relief valve may be added to either the first or second loops to increase the temperature of the circulating fluid in each loop. The pump for either loop may be located on a remotely operated vehicle, which would also provide power to the pumps. Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes pumping a fluid through a first loop using a first pump and pumping the same fluid through a second loop using a second pump, thereby transferring heat from the fluid to the subsea structure in the second loop, where the first loop and the second loop are both in fluid communication with a common tank. At least one pressure reducing device, such as a fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, or relief valve may be added to either the first or second loops to increase the temperature of the fluid. A third loop (and even more loops) may also be utilized to circulate the fluid through the common tank to increase the temperature of the fluid. The pump for any of the loops may be located on a remotely operated vehicle, which would also provide power to the pumps. The common tank may also be located on or carried by a remotely operated vehicle. Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes heating an exterior portion of a subsea structure by pumping a first fluid through a tubing, and directing the first fluid through a nozzle directly at the exterior of the subsea structure. The fluid is preferably environmentally friendly, such as seawater or water glycol. The nozzle is preferably positioned using a remotely operated vehicle. The pump may be located on a remotely operated vehicle, which would also provide power to the pump. A second fluid may also be pumped through a closed loop, where the heat generated in the closed loop is transferred from the second fluid to the first fluid in a heat exchanger. At least one pressure reducing device, such as a fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, or relief valve may be added to the tubing or to the to closed loop to increase the temperature of the fluid exiting the nozzle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained with reference to the accompanying drawings: FIGS. 1A-D illustrate a single closed loop hydraulic friction fluid heater in accordance with certain teachings of the present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates a dual closed loop hydraulic friction fluid heater in accordance with certain teachings of the present invention. FIGS. 3A-B illustrate a dual loop hydraulic friction fluid heater utilizing a common fluid in accordance with certain teachings of the present invention. FIGS. 4A-B illustrate an open loop hydraulic friction fluid heater using a nozzle in accordance with certain teachings of the present invention. FIG. 5 illustrates an open loop hydraulic friction fluid heater in combination with a closed loop hydraulic friction fluid heater in accordance with certain teachings of the present invention. FIG. 6 illustrates the use of a remotely operated vehicle to complete a hydraulic friction fluid heater in accordance with certain teachings of the present invention. FIGS. 7A-B illustrate the use of a remotely operated vehicle and a crane to complete a hydraulic friction fluid heater in accordance with certain teachings of the present invention. FIGS. 8A-B illustrate the use of a remotely operated vehicle to complete a hydraulic friction fluid heater in accordance with certain teachings of the present invention. FIGS. 9A-B illustrate the use of a remotely operated vehicle and a crane to complete a hydraulic friction fluid heater in accordance with certain teachings of the present invention. PRIORITY CLAIM This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/505,284, filed Sep. 23, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference. DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS The hydraulic friction fluid heater of the present invention is based on the fluid power equation 1: Power=Pressure×Flowrate, (1) where a change in pressure or flowrate will produce a change in power, and a power change is manifested as heat transfer as reflected in equations 2 and 3: Heat Transfer=Power Drop=Pressure Drop×Flowrate, or (2) Heat Transfer=Power Drop=Pressure×Flowrate Increase. (3) As described with respect to the illustrative embodiments described herein, a hydraulic friction fluid heater generates friction heat by circulating fluid through tubing and other pressure-reduction devices. There are three basic scenarios for utilizing the teachings of the present invention. The first scenario is a closed loop configuration in which heat is generated within a closed loop, the heat then being transferred to the desired structure to be heated. The second scenario includes a dual loop system with isolation between the fluids in each loop, where the heat generated in one loop is transferred to the fluid in the second loop, which in turn transfers heat to the desired structure to be heated. The third scenario includes an open loop or circuit, where the fluid is heated but not circulated, with the heated fluid then being sprayed or otherwise directly introduced to the desired structure to be heated. In a hydraulic friction fluid heater, the pressure and/or flowrate can be adjusted to control the amount of heat provided to a subsea pipeline or structure. There are numerous ways to vary flowrate, including but not limited to using a variable displacement pump, or adjusting the speed of a fixed-displacement pump. Various devices may be used to produce additional pressure drop in the flow, including but not limited to fixed orifices, adjustable or variable orifices, relief valves, and pressure reducing valves (such as needle valves). Each of these can be remotely or manually adjustable, and set to produce a desired pressure drop in the hydraulic friction fluid heater. Any fluid can be used in conjunction with the heating methods of the present invention. Preferably, seawater is used as the circulation fluid through the tubing because it is environmentally friendly, although water glycol moistures, mineral oil, or any other fluid may also be used. Environmental friendliness is a critical factor for embodiments of the present invention in which there is the potential for the fluid to enter the surrounding seawater, such as with an open circuit configuration or through the use of a relief valve. The hydraulic circuit also preferably includes a check valve that allows the hydraulic circuit to fill or take in some additional fluid, such as surrounding seawater or another fluid from a reservoir. The check valve allows the fluid to enter the circuit and remove any trapped air or gas in the tubing. The check valve also allows the intake of fluid needed in order to keep the hydraulic circuit filled. A pressure relief valve, on the other hand, allows excess pressure to exit the circuit during heat generation to prevent over pressurization of the circuit. The fluid heater of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with specific reference to the drawings. Referring to FIG. 1A, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated with a single closed loop 10 that provides direct heating to a subsea structure. Loop 10 is primarily composed of a length of tubing 12, the length being dependent on various factors discussed below. When the hot stab 14 is connected to the receptacle 16, closed loop 10 is completed. Heat exchanger 18, which is described in more detail below, acts to transfer heat from loop 10 to the desired subsea structure. As discussed above, altering the pressure or flowrate output of pump 20 can increase or decrease the amount of heat transfer. Preferably, the tubing 12 is small diameter on the order of 0.25″ to 0.50″ in diameter, although any diameter tubing, hoses, or piping may be used in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Tubing 12 preferably has a 3000 psi rating, which is readily available. Tubing with a higher rating can be used, but this typically requires a heavier wall thickness. It is preferable to use tubing 12 have a relatively thin wall thickness for maximum efficiency for thermal heat exchange. Tubing 12 is preferably has a plurality of bends or directional changes, especially those associated with heat exchanger 18. The more bends and the longer the length of tubing 12, the greater the frictional heat that is generated. The directional changes are not critical to the present invention but may be desirable in certain embodiments of the present invention. Tubing 12 may also be insulated in order to prevent the loss of heat to the ambient. For purposes of illustration, following are some examples of the fluid heater of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1A. In these examples, the tubing 12 was wrapped around a 6′ long, 6.625″ outside diameter (O.D.) mandrel, oil was the circulation fluid, and a 3000 pound per square inch (psi) pressure drop occurred across the mandrel. In the following table, the flowrate and power requirements are tabulated for several tubing sizes and lengths. TABLE 1 Tubing size, Length of tube Req'd Flow- Req'd Req'd inches wrapped, ft rate, gpm Power,* hp Power, kW 0.250 469 3.6 7.4 5.5 0.3125 394 6.9 14.2 10.6 0.375 327 10.5 21.6 16.1 0.500 138 25.0 51.5 38.4 *Assumes 85% pump efficiency From the above table, to get a 3000 psi pressure drop over 138′ of 0.50″ tubing requires a flowrate of 25 gpm which requires about 38.4 kW, or about 51.5 hp. It is acceptable if more than 138′ of tubing is used. However, if a shorter length of tubing is used, then an additional pressure drop device will be required in the circuit in order to get the most amount of heat into the pipe. The additional pressure drop device could include, for example, a needle valve, an adjustable needle valve, a pressure relief valve, or a fixed orifice. The required power on the table represents the power provided by a power source, such as a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) as described below with respect to FIGS. 6-9B. The amount of power “in” equals the amount of power “out” less inefficiencies. Therefore, by putting about 38 kW of power into the fluid in the tubing with about 51 hp of input energy into the circuit of 138′ of 0.5″ tubing results in a pressure drop of 3000 psi. FIG. 1B illustrates another illustrative embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1B, an orifice 24 is added to the closed loop from FIG. 1A, which creates a further pressure drop with loop 10. Orifice 24 can be adjusted to further increase or decrease pressure drop in the circuit. The energy from the pressure drop across orifice 24 is converted to heat in the circulating fluid, thus raising the temperature of the circulating fluid, and increasing the heat transfer across heat exchanger 18. This temperature increase is in addition to any adjustments made to the flow from pump 20. FIG. 1C illustrates another illustrative embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1C, a pressure reducing valve 26 is added to the loop from FIG. 1A, which creates a further pressure drop within loop 10. The circulating fluid after the valve has reduced pressure and the excess energy from the pressure drop is converted to heat in the circulating fluid, thus raising the temperature of the circulating fluid, and increasing the heat transfer across heat exchanger 18. This temperature increase is in addition to any adjustments made to the flow from pump 20. The pressure reducing valve can also be adjusted to fine tune the pressure drop and the overall fluid temperature. For purposes of illustration, following are some examples of a fluid heater of the present invention generating friction heat by circulating water through a small diameter tubing in combination with a needle valve as shown in FIG. 1C. This table assumes water pumped through 200′ of 0.50″ diameter tubing or hose. The following table shows the various pressure drops and associated flow rates and power requirements. TABLE 2 Pressure Req'd Flow- Req'd Power, hp* Req'd Drop, psi rate, gpm input to pump Power, kW 100 4.8 0.3 0.2 500 10.8 3.7 2.8 1000 15.3 10.5 7.8 1500 18.8 19.3 14.4 1700 20.0 23.3 17.4 2000 21.7 29.8 22.2 2500 24.3 41.6 31.0 3000 26.6 54.7 40.8 *Assumes 85% pump efficiency From the above table, a pressure drop of 3000 psi corresponds with a flowrate of 26.6 gpm of water through 200′ of 0.50″ tubing requiring approximately 55 hp input to the pump and 40 kW of power from a power source, such as an ROV as described below with respect to FIGS. 6-9B. It is to be understood that this is just a representative set of data and curve and that can be run for any diameter and any length of tubing. For example, if the pressure drops 100 psi through 200′ of tube at 0.3 hp, not much heat is being generating. FIG. 1D illustrates another illustrative embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1D, a relief valve 28 is added to the loop from FIG. 1A, which creates a further pressure drop within loop 10. In the preferred embodiment, the pressure relief valve 28 vents directly out to the surrounding seawater. The excess energy from the pressure drop is converted to heat in the circulating fluid, thus raising the temperature of the circulating fluid, and increasing the heat transfer across heat exchanger 18. This temperature increase is in addition to any adjustments made to the flow from pump 20. For relief valves that are adjustable, the pressure drop can be controlled using the valve setting. Although not shown in FIGS. 1A-D, one of skill in the art should appreciate that any combination or multiples of pressure reduction devices (orifice 24, pressure reducing valve 26, relief valve 28) can be utilized within loop 10 to effectuate the desired heat transfer. Referring to FIG. 2, another preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated with dual closed loops 100 and 102 that provides indirect heating to a subsea structure. With two closed loops, different fluids can be pumped in each loop. Loop 100 is primarily composed of a length of tubing 104, a hot stab 106 and receptacle 108, and a pump 110. Loop 102 is primarily composed of a length of tubing 112, pump 114, and heat exchanger 116 (described in more detail below), which acts to transfer heat from loop 102 to the desired subsea structure. An intermediate heat exchanger 118 is used in order to transfer heat generated in the circulating fluid of loop 100 to the circulating fluid of loop 102. With this dual loop configuration, the heat transfer to the subsea structure will depend on the power input to each loop. This is effectively a series aiding circuit where the circulating fluid of loop 102 is preheated by the circulating fluid of loop 100, and is then further heated by pump 114 as described above. As discussed above, altering the pressure or flowrate output of pumps 110 and 114 can increase or decrease the amount of heat transfer to the subsea structure. The flow characteristics can be adjusted independently for each loop. Different circulating fluids can also be used for each loop in order to optimize heat transfer. For example, loop 100 can circulate hydraulic oil and loop 102 may circulate seawater. Although not shown in FIG. 2, any combination or multiples of pressure reduction devices (e.g. orifice, pressure reducing valve, relief valve) can be utilized within each loop to effectuate the desired flow characteristics and heat generation. Referring to FIG. 3A, another preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated with dual loops 200 and 202 that provide direct heating to a subsea structure. Loop 200 is primarily composed of a length of tubing 204 and a pump 206. As shown in FIG. 3A, orifice 208 is added to loop 200 in order to provide increased pressure drop and increased fluid temperature. Loop 202 is primarily composed of a length of tubing 210, pump 212, a hot stab 214 and receptacle 216, and heat exchanger 218 (described in more detail below), which acts to transfer heat from loop 202 to the desired subsea structure. In this embodiment, a tank preheater 220 is used instead of an intermediate heat exchanger to transfer the heat generated in 200 to loop 202. One fluid is circulated in loops 200 and 202, and is mixed in tank preheater 220. As discussed above, altering the pressure or flowrate output of pumps 206 and 212 can increase or decrease the temperature of the circulating fluid and affect amount of heat transfer to the subsea structure. The flow characteristics can be adjusted independently for each loop. Any combination or multiples of pressure reduction devices (e.g. orifice, pressure reducing valve, relief valve) can be utilized within each loop to effectuate the desired flow characteristics and heat generation. For example, FIG. 3A illustrates the addition of orifice 222 to loop 202 to increase the heat generated in loop 202. FIG. 3B illustrates yet another embodiment of the present invention in which parallel pumps are used in loop 200 for additional heat generation, which increases the potential final temperature of the circulating fluid and heat transfer to the subsea structure. As compared to FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B's loop 200 adds a second pump 224 and a second length of tubing 226 to circulate fluid through tank preheater 220. As before, any combination or multiples of pressure reduction devices (e.g. orifice, pressure reducing valve, relief valve) can be utilized within each loop to effectuate the desired flow characteristics and heat generation. Referring to FIG. 6, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated where a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) 502 is used to transport one or more parts of a hydraulic fluid friction heating loop to the subsea structure to connect with the remaining parts of the loop that are pre-installed at the subsea structure. In the preferred method of the present invention, the ROV 502, such as, for example, the INNOVATOR® manufactured by Sonsub Inc. of Houston, Tex., is deployed from a surface vessel (not shown) to connect one or more parts of a hydraulic friction fluid heater circuit to the remaining parts. As illustrated by example in FIG. 6, a heating coil 504 and receptacle 506 are pre-installed around a subsea structure, such as existing pipeline 508. ROV 502 would then insert the hot stab 510 into receptacle 506 by using its manipulator assembly 512, thereby completing the hydraulic friction fluid heater circuit. Heating coil 504 can be a separate heat exchange device or may be a length of tubing configured with bends in such a way as to increase the frictional heat generated in the circulating fluid as well as to effectuate heat transfer between the circulating fluid and the subsea structure. Pump 514, which is carried by ROV 502, is operated until the circulating fluid reaches a predetermined temperature or until heat transfer has sufficiently melted the hydrate or hot wax plug 516. Pump operation is then stopped and ROV 502 then removes the hot stab 510 and returns to the surface or to its next job. The embodiment illustrated by FIG. 6 most closely executes the schematic shown in FIG. 1A, where pump 20, hot stab 14, receptacle 16, and heat exchanger 18 of FIG. 1A corresponds to pump 514, hot stab 510, receptacle 506, and heating coil 504 of FIG. 6. One of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that the schematics shown in FIGS. 1B-D, 2, and 3A-B may also be executed in like fashion. For example, in FIGS. 1B-D, orifice 24, pressure reducing valve 26, and/or relief valve 28 would be carried by ROV 502 to the subsea structure. For FIG. 2, pump 110 and hot stab 106 would be located on ROV 502, with the remaining equipment pre-installed at the subsea structure. For FIGS. 3A and 3B, heat exchanger 218 and receptacle 216 would be pre-installed at the subsea structure with the remaining equipment being carried down with the ROV or otherwise lowered into position on a separate skid by a crane. Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated where ROV 502 is used to transport one or more parts of a hydraulic fluid friction heating loop to a subsea structure where the remaining parts of the loop are not pre-installed at the subsea structure. As illustrated by example in FIG. 7A, an insulating blanket 518 (containing heating coil 504) and receptacle 506 are lowered by crane 520, or alternatively by ROV 502 itself (not shown), to the area of the subsea structure to be heated, such as existing pipeline 508. It is to be understood that the size and physical shape of the insulating blanket 518 and heating coil 504 can be designed to accommodate the specific subsea structure. One of ordinary skill in the art should recognize that alternatives to insulating blanket 518 may be utilized in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, including preformed shells containing syntactic foam insulation, or a preformed shell surrounding the structure with insulation injected therein as is described in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ entitled “Subsea Insulation Injecting System” filed Aug. 20, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference. FIG. 7B shows the insulating blanket 518 and heating coil 504 installed around pipeline 508. ROV 502 would then insert the hot stab 510 into receptacle 506 by using its manipulator assembly 512, thereby completing the hydraulic friction fluid heater circuit. Pump 514, which is carried by ROV 502, is operated until the circulating fluid reaches a predetermined temperature or until heat transfer has sufficiently melted the hydrate or hot wax plug 516. Pump operation is then stopped and ROV 502 then removes the hot stab 510 and returns to the surface or to its next job. Insulating blanket 518, heating coil 504, and receptacle 506 would then be lifted to the surface by crane 520 (or alternatively by ROV 502 itself). Similar to FIG. 6, the embodiment illustrated by FIGS. 7A-B most closely executes the schematic shown in FIG. 1A, where pump 20, hot stab 14, receptacle 16, and heat exchanger 18 of FIG. 1A corresponds to pump 514, hot stab 510, receptacle 506, and heating coil 504 of FIG. 6. One of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that the schematics shown in FIGS. 1B-D, 2, and 3A-B may also be executed in like fashion. For example, in FIGS. 1B-D, orifice 24, pressure reducing valve 26, and/or relief valve 28 would be carried by ROV 502 to the subsea structure. For FIG. 2, pump 110 and hot stab 106 would be located on ROV 502, with the remaining equipment lowered to the subsea structure by crane or by the ROV itself. For FIGS. 3A and 3B, heat exchanger 218 and receptacle 216 would be lowered to the subsea structure by crane or ROV, with the remaining equipment being carried down with the ROV or otherwise lowered into position on a separate skid by a crane. Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated where ROV 502 is used to transport one or more parts of a hydraulic fluid friction heating loop to a subsea structure where the remaining parts of the loop are not pre-installed at the subsea structure. As illustrated by example in FIG. 8A, an insulating blanket 518 (containing heating coil 504) and receptacle 506 are lowered by ROV 502 (and specifically its manipulator assembly 512), to the area of the subsea structure to be heated, such as external hydrate formation 524. FIG. 8B shows the insulating blanket 518 and heating coil 504 installed around the external hydrate formation 524. ROV 502 would then insert the hot stab 510 into receptacle 506 by using its manipulator assembly 512, thereby completing the hydraulic friction fluid heater circuit. Pump 514, which is carried by ROV 502, is operated until the circulating fluid reaches a predetermined temperature or until heat transfer has sufficiently melted hydrate 524. Pump operation is then stopped and ROV 502 then removes the hot stab 510 and returns to the surface or to its next job. Insulating blanket 518, heating coil 504, and receptacle 506 would then be lifted to the surface by ROV 502. Similar to FIGS. 7A-B, the embodiment illustrated by FIGS. 8A-B most closely executes the schematic shown in FIG. 1A, where pump 20, hot stab 14, receptacle 16, and heat exchanger 18 of FIG. 1A corresponds to pump 514, hot stab 510, receptacle 506, and heating coil 504 of FIG. 6. One of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that the schematics shown in FIGS. 1B-D, 2, and 3A-B may also be executed in like fashion, as is discussed with respect to FIGS. 7A-B. Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated where ROV 502 is used to transport one or more parts of a hydraulic fluid friction heating loop to a subsea structure where the remaining parts of the loop are not pre-installed at the subsea structure. As illustrated by example in FIG. 8A, an clamp-on insulation 526 (containing heating coil 504) and receptacle 506 are lowered by crane 520, or alternatively by ROV 502 itself (not shown), to the area of the subsea structure to be heated, such as internal wax plug 516 or external hydrate formation 524. FIG. 9B shows the clamp-on insulation 526 and heating coil 504 installed around the subsea structure proximate to the internal wax plug 516. ROV 502 would then insert the hot stab 510 into receptacle 506 by using its manipulator assembly 512, thereby completing the hydraulic friction fluid heater circuit. Pump 514, which is carried by ROV 502, is operated until the circulating fluid reaches a predetermined temperature or until heat transfer has sufficiently melted hydrate 516. Pump operation is then stopped and ROV 502 then removes the hot stab 510 and returns to the surface or to its next job. clamp-on insulation 526, heating coil 504, and receptacle 506 would then be lifted to the surface by crane 520 (or alternatively by ROV 502 itself). Similar to FIGS. 7A-B, the embodiment illustrated by FIGS. 9A-B most closely executes the schematic shown in FIG. 1A, where pump 20, hot stab 14, receptacle 16, and heat exchanger 18 of FIG. 1A corresponds to pump 514, hot stab 510, receptacle 506, and heating coil 504 of FIG. 6. One of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that the schematics shown in FIGS. 1B-D, 2, and 3A-B may also be executed in like fashion, as is discussed with respect to FIGS. 7A-B. Referring to FIG. 4A, an alternate embodiment of the present invention is illustrated where a subsea structure 302 is directly heated using an hydraulic friction fluid heater with an open circuit configuration. ROV 304 is used to position nozzle 306 such that heated fluid 310 is sprayed directly onto hydrate formations 308 that are external to the subsea structure 302. The nozzle 306 is controlled and positioned using its manipulator assembly 312. The nozzle 306 receives the heated fluid through hose 314 and ultimately from pump 316, which intakes surrounding seawater. Pump 316 may be mounted on ROV 304, but may also be mounted on a separate skid that can be carried by the ROV, lowered into position by crane, or permanently located proximate to the subsea structure. The temperature of the fluid 310 exiting nozzle 306 depends on the flowrate from the pump. As with the closed loop embodiments described above, the most basic method for controlling the final temperature is by adjusting the flow or pressure drop in the circuit. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 4B, an orifice 318 allows the flow to be further optimized for the size of hose 314 or the characteristics of nozzle 306. A needle valve or pressure reducing calve could also be used, or the nozzle itself could be used as a flow and pressure control device. Referring to FIG. 4A, an alternate embodiment of the present invention is illustrated where a subsea structure 302 is directly heated using an hydraulic friction fluid heater with an open circuit configuration. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the elements of the preferred and illustrative embodiments set forth herein may be modified or combined in order to optimize the results of a particular application. For example, FIG. 5 illustrates the combination of multiple closed and open circuits to directly heat a subsea structure. Intermediate heat exchanger 402 is utilized to transfer heat between closed loops 404, 406, and 408, and open circuit 410. In essence, this embodiment is a combination of the embodiments described in FIGS. 2 and 4A-B. Multiple parallel closed loops allow more reasonable pressure drops in each circuit, while allowing a greater temperature differential within intermediate heat exchanger 402. As with the embodiments discussed previously, manually or remotely adjustable orifices, relief, or pressure reducing valves may be employed to further alter fluid flow characteristics and temperatures in any or all loops. Separate closed and open circuits allows for the use of different fluids to be used in each circuit. Accordingly, the flow in the open circuit 410 can be tailored for a lower/higher flowrate or pressure than the closed loops 404, 406, and 408. It will be apparent to one of skill in the art that described herein is a novel method and apparatus for heating a subsea structure using a hydraulic friction fluid heater. While the invention has been described with references to specific preferred and exemplary embodiments, it is not limited to these embodiments. Although the invention herein is described in reference to subsea locations, it should be understood that the method and apparatus of this invention are likewise acceptable to other geographically remote locations. The invention may be modified or varied in many ways and such modifications and variations as would be obvious to one of skill in the art are within the scope and spirit of the invention and are included within the scope of the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for providing heat to a subsea pipeline or other structure, and more particularly relates to a hydraulic friction fluid heater for providing heat to a subsea pipeline or other structure. There often arises a need for heat to be supplied in a subsea environment. This frequently comes up in the offshore oil and gas industry. It is well known in the oil and gas industry that under certain pressure and temperature conditions the gases in a typical oil or gas well may form a solid hydrate or a solid wax within a pipeline. A hydrate is basically methane- or hydrocarbon-type ice. A wax is basically a paraffin-based solid formation. Hydrates and waxes are more likely to form under conditions of high pressures and low temperatures. Although hydrates and waxes may form at any water depth, hydrate and wax formation occurs more commonly in deep water. For example, at about 1000 feet and below, the water temperature remains relatively constant—just slightly above freezing in the vast majority of the world's oceans. The pressure, however, dramatically increases with depth, is which affects hydrate and wax formation. In general, the deeper the water the more critical a problem hydrates and waxes become for oil company operators. Typically, hydrate and wax formation becomes an issue at approximately 500 meters (1500 feet), and below approximately 1000 meters (3000 feet) presents serious problems for oil companies. The solid hydrate or wax forms a blockage inside a pipeline and reduces or completely blocks the product flow of oil and/or gas. Hydrate formations also occur at other locations, for example, externally on a subsea well head. Hydrates have also formed externally on the connector between a subsea wellhead and the lower marine riser package (“LMRP”) resulting in frozen latches that prevent the connector from releasing. Some companies have attempted to address the hydrate issue by installing hydrate traps in their pipelines. The hydrate trap is basically a loop inside the pipeline that is specific to hydrate remediation. The installed hydrate trap is intended to generate the heat to remediate the hydrate plugs or ice. However, hydrate formation is a problem for existing subsea pipelines having no hydrate traps as well as for subsea well heads and associated equipment mounted thereon. Typically, when working in the subsea environment at significant depths, remotely operated vehicle (“ROV”) systems are used. ROV systems are typically hydraulic-operated. In the past, attempts have been made at subsea hydrate and wax remediation with the use of electric heaters powered by an ROV system, however, typical ROV systems do not have sufficient electrical power to generate the heat necessary to effectively remediate such formations. What is needed is a method and apparatus for performing subsea hydrate and wax remediation using heat. It is also desirable to have an apparatus and process for performing subsea hydrate and wax remediation using heat produced hydraulically. It is further desirable to have an apparatus and process for performing subsea hydrate and wax remediation using heat produced subsea. Additionally, it is desirable to have an apparatus and process to produce heat subsea using existing remotely operated vehicle (“ROV”) systems. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>A method and apparatus for heating a portion of a subsea structure is provided. The method includes pumping a fluid through a length of tubing such that the temperature of the fluid increases. The temperature increase of the fluid is created by friction in the tubing, and may be also be created by at least one pressure reducing device such as an orifice, pressure reducing valve, or relief valve. A subsea structure may be heated by transferring heat from fluid circulating in a closed loop configuration or by direct application of fluid to the subsea structure using a nozzle. A remotely operated vehicle may be utilized to transport some or all of the equipment necessary, including pumps, tubing, heat exchangers, nozzles and tanks. The remotely operated vehicle provides power to the pumps used for circulating fluid through the tubing. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes heating a portion of a subsea structure by pumping a fluid through a closed loop, thereby transferring heat from the fluid to the subsea structure. The fluid may be selected from seawater, water glycol, mineral oil, or any other suitable heat transfer fluid. At least one pressure reducing device, such as a fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, or relief valve may be added to the closed loop to increase the temperature of the circulating fluid in the closed loop. Heat transfer to the subsea structure may be effected by winding the tubing around the subsea structure or by utilizing a heat exchanger of other form of heating coils configured proximate to the subsea structure. A pump located on a remotely operated vehicle is preferably used to circulate the fluid where the power is provided to the pump from the remotely operated vehicle. Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes positioning heating coils around a subsea structure, connecting a pump to the heating coils such that the connected pump and heating coils form a closed loop, and pumping a fluid through the closed loop, thereby transferring heat from the fluid to the subsea structure through the heating coils. The heating coils may be positioned using a crane or by using a remotely operated vehicle. The pump is preferably located on the remotely operated vehicle, which also provides power to the pump. A receptacle and hot stab are preferably used to connect the pump to the heating coils. At least one pressure reducing device, such as a fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, or relief valve may be added to the closed loop to increase the temperature of the circulating fluid in the closed loop. Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes pumping a first fluid through a first closed loop, pumping a second fluid through a second closed loop, transferring heat from the first fluid to the second fluid, and transferring heat from the second fluid to the subsea structure. The first and second fluids may be the same type of fluid. At least one pressure reducing device, such as a fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, or relief valve may be added to either the first or second loops to increase the temperature of the circulating fluid in each loop. The pump for either loop may be located on a remotely operated vehicle, which would also provide power to the pumps. Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes pumping a fluid through a first loop using a first pump and pumping the same fluid through a second loop using a second pump, thereby transferring heat from the fluid to the subsea structure in the second loop, where the first loop and the second loop are both in fluid communication with a common tank. At least one pressure reducing device, such as a fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, or relief valve may be added to either the first or second loops to increase the temperature of the fluid. A third loop (and even more loops) may also be utilized to circulate the fluid through the common tank to increase the temperature of the fluid. The pump for any of the loops may be located on a remotely operated vehicle, which would also provide power to the pumps. The common tank may also be located on or carried by a remotely operated vehicle. Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes heating an exterior portion of a subsea structure by pumping a first fluid through a tubing, and directing the first fluid through a nozzle directly at the exterior of the subsea structure. The fluid is preferably environmentally friendly, such as seawater or water glycol. The nozzle is preferably positioned using a remotely operated vehicle. The pump may be located on a remotely operated vehicle, which would also provide power to the pump. A second fluid may also be pumped through a closed loop, where the heat generated in the closed loop is transferred from the second fluid to the first fluid in a heat exchanger. At least one pressure reducing device, such as a fixed orifice, variable orifice, pressure reducing valve, or relief valve may be added to the tubing or to the to closed loop to increase the temperature of the fluid exiting the nozzle. | 20040922 | 20060502 | 20050324 | 66434.0 | 1 | NEUDER, WILLIAM P | HYDRAULIC FRICTION FLUID HEATER AND METHOD OF USING SAME | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,947,026 | ACCEPTED | Optical viewing system and adaptor therefor | An optical viewing system includes first, second and third image modifying devices together with an adaptor assembly for connecting the image modifying devices together. The adaptor assembly has first and second clamping portions. The first clamping portion is connected to the first and second image modifying devices and the second clamping portion is connected to the first clamping portion and to the first and third image modifying device so that the first image modifying device is clamped between the second and third image modifying devices. At least one of the first and second clamping portions are removably connected to the first image modifying device so that the first image modifying device can be removed from the adaptor assembly and operate as a further independent optical viewing system. Different combinations of image modifying devices can be arranged with one or more of the clamping portions. | 1. An adaptor assembly for connecting electrically powered image modifying devices together, the adaptor assembly comprising: a first image modifying device; a first clamping portion having a first electrical connector for mechanical and electrical connection to a second electrically operated image modifying device; a second clamping portion having a second electrical connector for mechanical and electrical connection to a third electrically operated image modifying device, the second clamping portion being adapted for mechanical and electrical connection to the first clamping portion so that the second and third image modifying devices will be in electrical communication when connected to the first and second clamping portions, respectively; the first image modifying device being electrically isolated from the first and second electrical connectors; at least one of the first and second clamping portions being removably connected to the first image modifying device so that the first image modifying device can be removed from the adaptor assembly and operate as a first independent optical viewing system. 2. An adaptor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first image modifying device is electrically operated. 3. An adaptor assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first image modifying device comprises an image intensifier and a power source for operating the image intensifier. 4. An adaptor assembly according to claim 3, wherein the first and second clamping portions are removably connected to the first image modifying device. 5. An adaptor assembly according to claim 4, wherein the first clamping portion is connected to a rear portion of the first image modifying device and the second clamping portion is connected to a front portion of the image modifying device. 6. An adaptor assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first image modifying device comprises: an image intensifier tube; a relay lens assembly positioned rearward of the image intensifier tube; and a power source electrically connected to the image intensifier tube, the power source being electrically isolated from the second and third image modifying devices. 7. An adaptor assembly according to claim 6, and further comprising a front lens adaptor positioned forward of the image intensifier tube; wherein the first clamping portion is connected to the relay lens assembly and the second clamping portion is connected to the front lens adaptor. 8. An adaptor assembly according to claim 6, and further comprising a hollow tray extending between the first and second clamping portions. 9. An adaptor assembly according to claim 8, and further comprising at least one electrical conductor positioned in the tray and electrically connected to the first and second electrical connectors. 10. An adaptor assembly according to claim 9, wherein the hollow tray is positioned below the first image modifying device. 11. An adaptor assembly according to claim 6, and further comprising an eyepiece adapted for replacing the relay lens assembly rearward of the image intensifier tube so that the first image modifying device is operable as the first independent optical viewing system when the first image modifying device is removed from at least one of the first and second clamping portions. 12. An adaptor assembly according to claim 11, wherein the first and second clamping portions are separable, and further wherein at least the second clamping portion is adapted to receive the eyepiece in place of the first image modifying device so that at least the second clamping portion can operate as a second independent optical viewing system. 13. An adaptor assembly according to claim 1, and further comprising a hollow tray extending between the first and second clamping portions. 14. An adaptor assembly according to claim 13, and further comprising at least one electrical conductor positioned in the tray and electrically connected to the first and second electrical connectors. 15. An adaptor assembly according to claim 14, wherein the hollow tray is positioned below the first image modifying device. 16. An adaptor assembly according to claim 13, and further comprising an accessory mount connected to the hollow tray for mounting a further image modifying device. 17. An optical viewing system comprising: a first image modifying device; a second image modifying device positioned rearwardly of the first image modifying device; a third image modifying device positioned forwardly of the first image modifying device; an adaptor assembly comprising: a first clamping portion connected to the second image modifying device; a second clamping portion connected to the first clamping portion and to the third image modifying device so that the first image modifying device is clamped between the second and third image modifying devices; wherein at least one of the first and second clamping portions are removably connected to the first image modifying device so that the first image modifying device can be removed from the adaptor assembly and operate as a further independent optical viewing system. 18. An optical viewing system according to claim 17, wherein the first image modifying device comprises: an image intensifier tube; a relay lens assembly positioned rearward of the image intensifier tube; and a power source electrically connected to the image intensifier tube, the power source being electrically isolated from the second and third image modifying devices. 19. An optical viewing system according to claim 18, wherein the second and third image modifying devices comprise an electrically operated image recording device and an electrically operated objective lens that is mechanically and electrically connectable to the image recording device when the adaptor assembly is removed. 20. An optical viewing system according to claim 19, and further comprising: a first electrical connector associated with the first clamping portion and electrically connected to the image recording device; a second electrical connector associated with the second clamping portion and electrically connected to the objective lens; and at least one electrical conductor electrically connected to the first and second electrical connectors to thereby transfer electrical signals between the image recording device and the objective lens independent of the presence or absence of the first image modifying device. 21. An optical viewing system according to claim 20, and further comprising a hollow tray extending between the first and second clamping portions, with the at least one electrical conductor positioned in the hollow tray. 22. An optical viewing system according to claim 21, and further comprising: a first electrical connector associated with the first clamping portion; a second electrical connector associated with the second clamping portion; and at least one electrical conductor positioned in the tray and electrically connected to the first and second electrical connectors. 23. An optical viewing system according to claim 22, and further comprising an eyepiece adapted for replacing the relay lens assembly rearward of the image intensifier tube so that the first image modifying device is operable as the further independent optical viewing system when the first image modifying device is removed from at least one of the first and second clamping portions. 24. An optical viewing system according to claim 23, wherein the first and second clamping portions are separable, and further wherein at least the second clamping portion is adapted to receive the eyepiece in place of the first image modifying device so that at least the second clamping portion can operate as a further independent optical viewing system. 25. An optical viewing system according to claim 17, and further comprising a front lens adaptor positioned forward of the image intensifier tube; wherein the first clamping portion is connected to the relay lens assembly and the second clamping portion is connected to the front lens adaptor. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/505,319 filed on Sep. 23, 2003, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to optical devices, and more particularly to an optical assembly and system for transferring image information from one image modifying device to another image modifying device. It is often necessary to either replace or modify optical assemblies, such as firearm day scopes or the like, when lighting or atmospheric conditions change. The replacement of a night vision scope for a day scope often requires dismounting the day scope from the firearm, then mounting and sighting in the night vision scope. This is a time-consuming and labor-intensive task, and is particularly disadvantageous during combat or other life-threatening situations. A weapon sight provided by ITT Industries as the F7200/F7201 ITT Modular requires a user to interchange a day eyepiece assembly with a night eyepiece assembly in order to use the weapon sight at night. The night eyepiece assembly includes an image intensifier. The conversion of the weapon from day-time use to night-time use and conversely, is time consuming because one eyepiece assembly must be removed before the other eyepiece assembly is mounted. Furthermore, the night eyepiece assembly cannot be used for any other purpose (e.g., it cannot be used alone as a night vision monocular). Moreover, since the optical parts of an optical assembly are typically maintained in a controlled atmosphere within a housing, each separation affects the reliability and operation of the optical assembly. Another problem in the prior art is the inability to easily and quickly modify existing optical equipment by connecting together different image modifying devices to thereby increase the usefulness of such equipment. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,166 issued to Roselli et al. discloses a device to record still or moving images as viewed through an image intensifying device. The system includes an image intensifier for intensifying an image at lower light levels, a backbody adaptor mounted between a rear end of the image intensifier and the body of a camera, and a front lens adaptor mounted between the front end of the image intensifier and an electronic objective lens. All of the components are both mechanically and electrically connected together so that the camera body powers both the image intensifier and the electronic objective lens. Although this system may be advantageous when it is desirous to eliminate the separate source of power and on/off switch normally associated with stand-alone image intensifiers, self-powered image intensifiers cannot be used in this system, nor can this system be adapted for non-electronic type objective lenses or cameras. Moreover, the image intensifier of this system cannot operate as a stand-alone unit since it depends on the camera body for its source of power. Accordingly, this system is not readily adaptable to different viewing systems and image modifying components. Thus, there is a need in the art for a system that easily and quickly connects different components together to create various combinations of image modifying devices to thereby increase the effectiveness and usefulness of the image modifying devices. There is a further need in the art for an optical viewing assembly that can be modified in a relatively quick and easy manner to accommodate a wide variety of needs of different users in varying image viewing and/or recording situations. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an adaptor assembly for connecting electrically powered image modifying devices together comprises a first image modifying device and first and second clamping portions. The first clamping portion has a first electrical connector for mechanical and electrical connection to a second electrically operated image modifying device. The second clamping portion has a second electrical connector for mechanical and electrical connection to a third electrically operated image modifying device. The second clamping portion is adapted for mechanical and electrical connection to the first clamping portion so that the second and third image modifying devices will be in electrical communication when connected to the first and second clamping portions, respectively. The first image modifying device is electrically isolated from the first and second electrical connectors. At least one of the first and second clamping portions is removably connected to the first image modifying device so that the first image modifying device can be removed from the adaptor assembly and operate as an independent optical viewing system. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an optical viewing system comprises first, second and third image modifying devices together with an adaptor assembly for connecting the image modifying devices together. The second image modifying device is positioned rearwardly of the first image modifying device and the third image modifying device is positioned forwardly of the first image modifying device. The adaptor assembly includes first and second clamping portions. The first clamping portion is connected to the second image modifying device and the second clamping portion is connected to the first clamping portion and to the third image modifying device so that the first image modifying device is clamped between the second and third image modifying devices. At least one of the first and second clamping portions are removably connected to the first image modifying device so that the first image modifying device can be removed from the adaptor assembly and operate as a further independent optical viewing system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing summary as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be best understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements throughout the drawings, and wherein: FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an optical viewing system in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the optical viewing system of FIG. 1 with an added viewing accessory; FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of an adaptor assembly that forms part of the optical viewing system of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the adaptor assembly; FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional perspective view of the adaptor assembly taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3; FIG. 6 is a partially exploded front perspective view of the adaptor assembly illustrating the main components thereof; FIG. 7 is a partially exploded rear perspective view of the adaptor assembly with two of the adaptor components mounted together; FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of a rear clamp portion of the adaptor assembly; FIG. 9 is an exploded front perspective view of the adaptor assembly showing the details of the components; FIG. 10 is an enlarged front perspective view of a rear clamp assembly that forms part of the optical viewing system of FIG. 1; FIG. 11 is an enlarged rear perspective view of a front clamp assembly that forms part of the optical viewing system of FIG. 1; FIG. 12 is a side perspective view of an optical viewing system in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention; FIG. 13 is a side perspective view of an optical viewing system in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention that can be configured when the clamping components of the invention are removed; and FIG. 14 is a side perspective view of an optical viewing system in accordance with yet a further embodiment of the invention. It is noted that the drawings are intended to depict only typical embodiments of the invention and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope thereof. The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings, and to FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular, an optical viewing system 10 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The optical viewing system 10 includes an adaptor assembly 12 with a first image modifying device 26 mounted between a second image modifying device 14 and a third image modifying device 16. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the first image modifying device 26 can be in the form of a night vision monocular, the second image modifying device 14 can be in the form of an image recording device 18, such as an electronic still camera, and the third image modifying device 16 can be in the form of an electronic objective lens 21 that can be directly connected, both mechanically and electrically, to the camera. By way of example, the image recording device 18 may be a well-known Canon D60 EOS and the objective lens 21 may be a Canon EF 28-105 mm lens or 100-400 mm telephoto lens. However, it will be appreciated that the camera and/or objective lens can be of the non-electronic type. It will be further appreciated that the optical viewing system 10 is not limited to still film-type or digital cameras, but may also or alternatively comprise other image recording devices such as analog or digital video cameras, as well as non-image recording devices such as eyepieces and other lenses, fiber optic viewers, and so on. Accordingly, the term “image modifying device” as used herein refers to any device or assembly that alters an image as perceived by the naked eye, e.g. that changes the apparent brightness, intensity, magnification, color, and/or field of view of an image, and/or that modifies an image through recording, transmitting, encoding, and so on. Such image modifying devices may include, but are not limited to, filters, one or more lenses, rifle or gun scopes, spotting scopes, telescopes, binoculars, laser rangefinders, mortar sights, anti-tank sights, bow sights, surveying transits, night vision monoculars or binoculars including image intensifying and thermal imaging devices, infrared cameras, image pickup devices, gyro-stabilized and digitally stabilized optics, film-type cameras, devices that transform an image into electrical signals such as still or video cameras of the digital or analog type, image recording devices, image pick-up heads, flying spot scanners, and so on. An image modifying device, such as an accessory 20 (FIG. 2) can be mounted to the adaptor assembly 12 to aid in illuminating or targeting a distant object. The accessory 20 can be in the form of a flashlight, infrared projector, laser aiming device, and so on. With additional reference to FIGS. 3-9, the adaptor assembly 12 includes a rear clamping portion 22 adapted for connection to the second image modifying device or camera 14, a front clamping portion 24 adapted for connection to the third image modifying device or objective lens 16. The adaptor assembly also includes the first image modifying device 26 that is adapted for connection to the rear clamping portion 22 and front clamping portion 24. Preferably, the first image modifying device 26 comprises at least a portion of a night vision monocular. The night vision monocular 26 is of well-known construction and enables the viewing or clarification of objects under low light conditions that normally cannot be seen or discerned by the naked eye. The monocular 26 can include known technologies such as low light magnification, thermal imaging, infrared illumination, and so on. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the monocular 26 includes a housing 28 and an image intensifier tube 30 (FIG. 5) positioned within the housing. The monocular 26 is preferably of the self-powered type and thus includes a battery (not shown) located within a battery compartment 32 for powering the image intensifier tube 30. A removable cap 34 is associated with the battery compartment 32 for accessing the battery when replacement is needed. The monocular 26 may also include an infrared illuminator 36 for providing additional lighting to distant objects and a three-position switch 38 for selecting between “ON”, “OFF”, and “IR” illumination states (FIG. 2). The image intensifier tube 30 of the night vision monocular 26 can comprise a standard 18 mm ANVIS standard format image, such as the PVS-14 by ITT Industries. Operation of the night vision monocular is well known and therefore will not be further described. As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 9, in order to optically mate the optical output of the monocular 26 with the camera 14 or other image modifying device, a removable rear relay lens assembly 40 is removably connectable to a rear portion of the monocular 26 behind the image intensifier tube 30. The rear relay lens assembly 40 includes a generally cylindrical lens 42 positioned in a lens sleeve 44 which is in turn positioned in an adaptor sleeve 46. The adaptor sleeve 46 has external threads 48 that mate with internal threads 50 of the monocular housing 28. The lens 42 can be mounted in the lens sleeve through mutually engageable threads as shown, or through one or more set screws (not shown) that extends through the lens sleeve and into a groove (not shown) on the lens. Other mounting means may include adhesives, glass to metal bonding, or other well known mounting means. The lens 42 has a predetermined focal length and is positioned at a predetermined distance from the image intensifier tube 30 to maximize the viewable image through the tube 30 as viewed or recorded at the second image modifying device 14. When the second image modifying device is not used, such as when it is desirable to use the night vision monocular 26 as a stand-alone unit, the entire relay lens assembly 40 can be unscrewed or otherwise removed from the housing 28 and replaced with a suitable eyepiece 52 as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, as will be described in greater detail below. In accordance with the present invention, the image intensifier tube 30 can easily be changed or upgraded in the field by first removing the relay lens assembly 40 and then the image intensifier tube 30 before inserting a new image intensifier tube in its place. A removable front lens adaptor 55 is preferably connected to a forward protrusion 57 of the monocular housing 28 through mutually engageable threads or the like. A flat lens or window 59 is mounted adjacent the front lens adaptor 55 to protect the image intensifier tube 30 from foreign particles when the unit is disassembled. The front lens adaptor 55 can be removed depending on the particular image modifying device that will be used. With particular reference to FIGS. 4-10, the rear clamping portion 22 includes a rear support ring 54, a rear mounting ring 56 connected to the rear support ring for mounting to the second image modifying device, a quick release rear clamp assembly 58 connected to the rear support ring 54, a wire tray assembly 60 connected to a lower end of the rear clamp assembly 58, and a front clamp lower segment 62 adapted for connection with the front clamping portion 24. The rear mounting ring 56, as best shown in FIG. 4, includes an annular axially extending portion 63, a flange portion 65 that extends radially outwardly from a forward end of the annular portion, and tabs 67 that extend radially outwardly from a rear end of the annular portion. The flange portion 65 is preferably fastened to the rear support ring 54 through threaded screws or the like. It will be appreciated however, that other mounting means can be used. The tabs 67 are adapted to engage with corresponding tabs or supports (not shown) in the lens mounting opening (not shown) of the image recording device 18 (FIG. 1), such as the Canon D60 EOS or the like as previously described. A rear electrical connector module 69 (shown in block form) is positioned in an opening 71 (FIG. 10) of the rear support ring 54 for mating with a corresponding connector module (not shown) associated with the lens mounting opening of the recording device 18. The electrical connector module 69 may include electrical contacts (not shown) in the form of one or more pins, receptacles, contact pads, and so on. It will be understood that the rear mounting ring 56 may have a wide variety of different configurations to accommodate other mounting means when other image modifying devices are to be used. Such mounting means may include, but are not limited to, external or internal threads, clamps, fasteners, interlocking elements, and so on. It will be appreciated that the rear mounting ring 56 may be eliminated or removed, depending on the particular configuration of the second image modifying device 14. As best shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the rear clamp assembly 58 includes a split collar 64 with a lower circular section 66 that is preferably integrally formed with the lower end of the rear support ring 54. The split collar 64 defines a generally circular opening 61 that receives the adaptor sleeve 46 of the rear relay lens assembly 40 (see also FIG. 5). A pair of spaced clamping legs 68, 70 extend upwardly from the lower circular section 66 and are separated from the rear support ring 54 by a pair of slots 72. A space 74 between the legs 68, 70 accommodates relative leg movement between clamped and unclamped positions. A locking lever 76 is pivotally connected to the leg 70 in a channel 78. In a preferred arrangement, a roll pin 79 extends through bores formed in the leg 70 and a bore formed in the locking lever 76. A link arm 80 has a first end that is pivotally connected to the leg 68 in a groove 82 (FIG. 9) and a second end that is pivotally connected to the locking lever 76 in a groove 84 formed in the locking lever. In a preferred arrangement, the link arm first end pivots about a second roll pin 81 that extends through and frictionally engages bores formed in the leg 68. The link arm second end pivots about a third roll pin 83 that extends through and frictionally engages bores formed in the locking lever 76. In use, the locking lever 76 is initially in an open position (FIG. 7) prior to mounting the rear clamping portion 22 to the first image modifying device. An elastomeric bushing (not shown) may be positioned in the opening 61 or mounted on the image modifying device, such as the adaptor sleeve 46 of the rear relay lens assembly 40, prior to installing the rear clamping portion 22 on the image modifying device. Once the image modifying device is received in the rear clamping portion 22, the locking lever 76 is rotated clockwise (as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 6-8). Rotation of the locking lever in this manner causes the link arm 80 to pull the clamping legs 68 and 70 toward each other and reduce the size of the gap 74 and the diameter of the opening 61. When the locking lever passes an over-center position, it will snap toward an outer surface of the split collar 64. In this position, the clamping legs 68, 70 are locked in a clamped or closed position with the adaptor sleeve 46 securely held therein. The size of the opening 61 and the bushing, if needed, can be adjusted to accommodate a variety of different image modifying devices. Further details of the rear clamp assembly 58, as well as its method of operation, can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,419 issued to Brough et al. on Sep. 10, 2002, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. As best shown in FIG. 9, the wire tray assembly 60 includes a support base 90, a cover 92 connected to an upper side of the support base, and an accessory mounting bar 94 connected to a lower side of the support base. Rear portions of the support base 90 and cover 92 are connected to lower mounting legs 95, 97 (FIG. 10) of the clamping device 58 through bolts 96, while front portions of the support base and cover are connected to the front clamp lower segment 62 through bolts 98. Likewise, the accessory mounting bar 94 is connected to the support base 90 through bolts 100. The accessory mounting bar 94 includes a plurality of parallel slots 91 for mounting various image modifying accessories 20 (FIG. 1), as previously described, in a well-known manner. An elongate channel 102 is formed in the support base 90 for receiving one or more wires 104 that extend between the rear electrical connector module 69 and a front electrical connector module 106. The cover 92 includes rear and front tray openings 108 and 112, respectively, and rear and front tray tabs 110 and 114, respectively, adjacent the rear and front openings. When assembled, the rear and front openings allow passage of the one or more wires 104 and receive a portion of the rear and front connector modules 69 and 106. As shown in FIG. 6, the rear tray tab 110 is preferably sized and shaped to fit between the lower mounting legs 95 and 97 of the clamping device 58. Likewise, as shown in FIG. 7, the front tray tab 114 is preferably sized and shaped to fit between lower mounting legs 99 and 101 of the front clamp lower segment 62. Turning now to FIGS. 9 and 11, the front clamping portion 24 includes a front support ring 120, a front mounting ring 122 connected to the front support ring for mounting the third image modifying device 16, a front annular spring 124 located between the front mounting ring 122 and the front support ring for reducing play between the third image modifying device and the front clamping portion, and a quick release front clamp assembly 126 connected to the front support ring 120. The front mounting ring 122 is preferably fastened to the front support ring 120 through threaded screws or the like. It will be appreciated however, that other mounting means can be used. The front mounting ring 122 includes circumferentially spaced tabs 128 that extend radially inwardly to engage with corresponding tabs or supports (not shown) associated with the third image modifying device 16 (FIG. 1), such as the Canon EF 28-105 mm lens or 100-400 mm telephoto lens or the like as previously described. An alignment pin 145 is positioned in the front support ring 120 and extends forwardly thereof in order to align the third image modifying device 16 in the correct orientation. It will be understood that the front mounting ring 122 may have a wide variety of different configurations to accommodate other mounting means when other image modifying devices are to be used. Such mounting means may include, but are not limited to, external or internal threads, clamps, fasteners, interlocking elements, and so on. It will be appreciated that the front mounting ring 122 and alignment pin 145 may be eliminated or removed, depending on the particular configuration of the third image modifying device 16. The front electrical connector module 106 (shown in block form) is positioned in an opening 130 of the front support ring 120 for mating with a corresponding connector module (not shown) associated with the third image modifying device 16. The front electrical connector module 106 may include electrical contacts (not shown) in the form of one or more pins, receptacles, contact pads, and so on. When the rear clamping portion 22 is fully assembled, as shown in FIG. 8, the electrical contacts associated with the rear electrical connector module are electrically connected to the electrical contacts associated with the front electrical connector. The front clamp assembly 126 includes a base member 132 that is preferably integrally formed with, or otherwise securely attached to, the front support ring 120. The base member 132 has spaced, generally hook-shaped mounting legs 134 and 136 and a circular opening 138. The mounting legs 134 and 136 are adapted to receive correspondingly shaped forward extensions 140 and 142, respectively, of the front clamp lower segment 62. The front clamp assembly 126 also includes a front clamp upper segment 144 with spaced clamping legs 146 and 148. The lower ends 150 of the clamping legs 146 and 148 are preferably integrally formed with, or securely mounted to, the base member 132, and are configured to receive the mounting legs 99 and 101, respectively, of the front clamp lower segment 62. Preferably, the front clamp lower segment 62 is secured to the clamping legs 146 and 148 with bolts 154. The upper ends 152 of the clamping legs 146 and 148 are separated from the base member 132 by a pair of slots 156. A space 158 between the clamping legs 146, 148 accommodates relative leg movement between clamped and unclamped positions. The front clamp upper segment 144 together with the front clamp lower segment 62 define a generally circular opening 160 that receives the front lens adaptor 55 (FIG. 5). Preferably, the diameter of the opening 160 is greater than the diameter of the opening 138 to form a step 162 that abuts the front lens adaptor 55 when assembled. A locking lever 162 is pivotally connected to the clamping leg 146 in a channel 164. In a preferred arrangement, a roll pin 166 extends through bores formed in the leg 146 and a bore formed in the locking lever 162. A link arm 168 has a first end that is pivotally connected to the leg 148 in a groove 170 and a second end that is pivotally connected to the locking lever 162 in a groove 172 formed in the locking lever. In a preferred arrangement, the link arm first end pivots about a second roll pin 174 that extends through and frictionally engages bores formed in the clamping leg 148. The link arm second end pivots about a third roll pin (not shown) that extends through and frictionally engages bores formed in the locking lever 162. Operation of the front clamp assembly 126 is similar to that of the rear clamp assembly 58 and therefore will not be further described. When the first and second clamping portions are assembled, the first, second and third image modifying devices are mechanically connected together, the second and third image modifying devices are electrically connected together, and the first image modifying device is electrically isolated from the second and third image modifying devices. By way of example, when the first image modifying device 26 is in the form of a self-powered night vision monocular, the second image modifying device 14 is in the form of an electrically-operated camera, such as the Canon D60 EOS or the like, and the third image modifying device is in the form of an electrically-operated objective lens, such as the Canon EF 28-105 mm lens or 100-400 mm telephoto lens or the like, as shown in FIG. 1, the camera and lens are in electrical communication with each other while the night vision monocular, is electrically isolated from the camera and lens. In this manner, full electrical communication between the lens and the camera is enabled, as if they were directly connected together. Moreover, since the first image modifying device 26 is self-powered, it may be separated from one or more of the second and third image modifying devices and/or used in other configurations, as described below. This feature is especially advantageous since the night vision monocular can be used separately and independently of the camera and lens. The front and rear quick-release clamp assemblies are also advantageous since they permit quick alignment and clamping together of various image modifying devices, as well as their quick release from each other. With reference now to FIG. 12, an optical viewing system 180 in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated. The optical viewing system 180 is a stand-alone night vision viewing and surveillance device and includes the night vision monocular 26, an eyepiece 52 connected to a rear end of the monocular, an objective lens 21, and a front clamping portion 24 connecting the objective lens to the monocular. The objective lens 21 is of well-known construction and can come in various magnification values or ranges. In order construct the optical viewing system 180, the camera 18 (FIG. 1) and the rear clamping portion 22 are removed (with or without the camera attached) from the relay lens assembly 40 by lifting up on the rear locking lever 76, as shown in FIG. 7, and then separating the rear clamping portion 22 from the front clamping portion 24 by removing the screws 154 (FIG. 9). The relay lens assembly 40 can then be unscrewed from the monocular housing 28 and replaced with the eyepiece 52 in the same manner. The eyepiece is of well-known construction and may include an adjusting ring 182 (FIG. 12) for adjusting the focus and a flexible eye cup 184 for shielding the viewer's eye from unwanted external light. With this arrangement, the optical viewing system can be quickly and conveniently converted from a highly magnified night vision recording device to a highly magnified night vision viewing device without modification of the various parts. With reference now to FIG. 13, an optical viewing system 190 can be configured as a stand-alone submersible night vision monocular by replacing the objective lens 21, as shown in FIG. 12, the front clamping portion 24, and the front lens adaptor 55 (FIG. 6) with an underwater lens assembly 192. The underwater lens assembly is of well-known construction and is adapted to screw onto the threaded protrusion 57 (FIGS. 5 and 9) of the monocular housing 28. Thus, when the clamping components of the invention are removed, the night vision monocular can operate as a stand-alone unit, without depending on a camera or the like for its power source as in the prior art discussed above. With reference now to FIG. 14, an optical viewing system 200 in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated. The optical viewing system 200 is a stand-alone day vision viewing and surveillance device and includes the front clamping portion 24, the objective lens 21 connected to the front clamping portion 24 as previously described, and a daylight eyepiece 202 connected to the front clamping portion 24 by way of the front clamp assembly 126 as previously described. With the daylight eyepiece 202 connected behind the lens 21, the assembly functions as a stand-alone magnified daylight spotting scope. The eyepiece 202 is of well-known construction and therefore will not be further described. It will be appreciated that the present invention enables the quick and easy configuration of may different optical viewing systems and devices using one or more of the clamp assemblies and/or image modifying devices without permanent modification to the various components. In addition, the present invention can be used in combination with one or more of the clamping devices and systems disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,419 to Brough et al. It will be appreciated that terms of orientation and/or position as may be used throughout the specification, such as front, rear, lower, and upwardly, as well as their respective derivatives and equivalent terms, refer to relative, rather than absolute orientations and/or positions. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. By way of example, although a particular clamping structure has been shown and described for the front and rear clamping portions, it will be appreciated that other clamping arrangements can be used. It will be understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>This invention relates to optical devices, and more particularly to an optical assembly and system for transferring image information from one image modifying device to another image modifying device. It is often necessary to either replace or modify optical assemblies, such as firearm day scopes or the like, when lighting or atmospheric conditions change. The replacement of a night vision scope for a day scope often requires dismounting the day scope from the firearm, then mounting and sighting in the night vision scope. This is a time-consuming and labor-intensive task, and is particularly disadvantageous during combat or other life-threatening situations. A weapon sight provided by ITT Industries as the F7200/F7201 ITT Modular requires a user to interchange a day eyepiece assembly with a night eyepiece assembly in order to use the weapon sight at night. The night eyepiece assembly includes an image intensifier. The conversion of the weapon from day-time use to night-time use and conversely, is time consuming because one eyepiece assembly must be removed before the other eyepiece assembly is mounted. Furthermore, the night eyepiece assembly cannot be used for any other purpose (e.g., it cannot be used alone as a night vision monocular). Moreover, since the optical parts of an optical assembly are typically maintained in a controlled atmosphere within a housing, each separation affects the reliability and operation of the optical assembly. Another problem in the prior art is the inability to easily and quickly modify existing optical equipment by connecting together different image modifying devices to thereby increase the usefulness of such equipment. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,166 issued to Roselli et al. discloses a device to record still or moving images as viewed through an image intensifying device. The system includes an image intensifier for intensifying an image at lower light levels, a backbody adaptor mounted between a rear end of the image intensifier and the body of a camera, and a front lens adaptor mounted between the front end of the image intensifier and an electronic objective lens. All of the components are both mechanically and electrically connected together so that the camera body powers both the image intensifier and the electronic objective lens. Although this system may be advantageous when it is desirous to eliminate the separate source of power and on/off switch normally associated with stand-alone image intensifiers, self-powered image intensifiers cannot be used in this system, nor can this system be adapted for non-electronic type objective lenses or cameras. Moreover, the image intensifier of this system cannot operate as a stand-alone unit since it depends on the camera body for its source of power. Accordingly, this system is not readily adaptable to different viewing systems and image modifying components. Thus, there is a need in the art for a system that easily and quickly connects different components together to create various combinations of image modifying devices to thereby increase the effectiveness and usefulness of the image modifying devices. There is a further need in the art for an optical viewing assembly that can be modified in a relatively quick and easy manner to accommodate a wide variety of needs of different users in varying image viewing and/or recording situations. | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an adaptor assembly for connecting electrically powered image modifying devices together comprises a first image modifying device and first and second clamping portions. The first clamping portion has a first electrical connector for mechanical and electrical connection to a second electrically operated image modifying device. The second clamping portion has a second electrical connector for mechanical and electrical connection to a third electrically operated image modifying device. The second clamping portion is adapted for mechanical and electrical connection to the first clamping portion so that the second and third image modifying devices will be in electrical communication when connected to the first and second clamping portions, respectively. The first image modifying device is electrically isolated from the first and second electrical connectors. At least one of the first and second clamping portions is removably connected to the first image modifying device so that the first image modifying device can be removed from the adaptor assembly and operate as an independent optical viewing system. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an optical viewing system comprises first, second and third image modifying devices together with an adaptor assembly for connecting the image modifying devices together. The second image modifying device is positioned rearwardly of the first image modifying device and the third image modifying device is positioned forwardly of the first image modifying device. The adaptor assembly includes first and second clamping portions. The first clamping portion is connected to the second image modifying device and the second clamping portion is connected to the first clamping portion and to the third image modifying device so that the first image modifying device is clamped between the second and third image modifying devices. At least one of the first and second clamping portions are removably connected to the first image modifying device so that the first image modifying device can be removed from the adaptor assembly and operate as a further independent optical viewing system. | 20040922 | 20050830 | 20050324 | 75510.0 | 1 | PERKEY, WILLIAM B | OPTICAL VIEWING SYSTEM AND ADAPTOR THEREFOR | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,947,055 | ACCEPTED | Laser systems useful in medicine and dentistry | A laser system useful in medicine or dentistry that includes a removable fiber module that manages fiber dispensing to avoid damage to or waste of fiber. | 1. A laser system useful in medicine or dentistry comprising: a housing, a laser module within said housing, said laser module being capable of producing laser light which is usable for therapeutic purposes in medicine or dentistry, a fiber module, said fiber module being attachable to and removable from said housing, said fiber module including fiber therein, said fiber having a proximal end and a distal end, and said fiber proximal end being in light communication with said laser module so that said fiber can receive laser light from said laser module and transport said laser light to said fiber distal end. 2. A laser system as recited in claim 1 wherein said fiber module includes a fiber holder. 3. A laser system as recited in claim 2 wherein said fiber holder is conical in shape. 4. A laser system as recited in claim 2 wherein said fiber holder is cylindrical in shape. 5. A laser system as recited in claim 2 wherein said fiber holder has a tapered shape. 6. A laser system as recited in claim 2 further comprising an electrically-powered motor for moving fiber from within said fiber module to the exterior of said fiber module. 7. A laser system as recited in claim 6 wherein said motor includes speed control for increasing or decreasing the speed with which fiber may be removed from said fiber module. 8. A laser system as recited in claim 6 further comprising a first wheel and a second wheel, said first wheel being powered by said motor and said second wheel permitting said fiber to move thereagainst when said first wheel turns in an attempt to move fiber outside of said housing. 9. A laser system as recited in claim 6 wherein said motor has a forward function and a reverse function so that it can move fiber both out of and into said fiber module. 10. A laser system as recited in claim 1 wherein said fiber module is disposable when substantially of the fiber within it has been depleted. 11. A therapeutic laser system useful in medicine or dentistry comprising: a casing, a laser module capable of producing laser light which is usable for therapeutic purposes in medicine or dentistry, a fiber module, fiber, at least some fiber being located in said casing, and a distal end of said fiber projecting from within said casing to the exterior of said casing, said fiber having a proximal end, and said fiber proximal end being in light communication with said laser module so that said fiber can receive laser light from said laser module and transport said laser light to said fiber distal end. 12. A laser system as recited in claim 11 wherein said fiber module includes a fiber holder. 13. A laser system as recited in claim 12 wherein said fiber holder is conical in shape. 14. A laser system as recited in claim 12 wherein said fiber holder is cylindrical in shape. 15. A laser system as recited in claim 2 wherein said fiber holder has a tapered shape. 16. A laser system as recited in claim 12 further comprising an electrically-powered motor for moving fiber from within said fiber module to the exterior of said fiber module. 17. A laser system as recited in claim 16 wherein said motor includes speed control for increasing or decreasing the speed with which fiber may be removed from said fiber module. 18. A laser system as recited in claim 16 further comprising a first wheel and a second wheel, said first wheel being powered by said motor and said second wheel permitting said fiber to move thereagainst when said first wheel turns in an attempt to move fiber outside of said housing. 19. A laser system as recited in claim 16 wherein said motor has a forward function and a reverse function so that it can move fiber both out of and into said fiber module. 20. A laser system as recited in claim 11 wherein said fiber module is disposable when substantially of the fiber within it has been depleted. 21. A laser system as recited in claim 11 further comprising a handpiece located near said fiber distal end, said handpiece being adapted for gripping by a human hand. 22. A laser system as recited in claim 21 further comprising a fiber tip, said fiber tip being installable between said fiber distal end and said handpiece, said fiber tip serving to determine angular orientation of said fiber distal end with respect to said handpiece and thereby to determine angular orientation of laser light emitted by said fiber distal end with respect to said handpiece. | I. BACKGROUND A. Field Medical and dental surgical and therapeutic laser systems are disclosed herein. B. Background Various light sources have been used in medicine and dentistry for surgery and therapeutics. II. Summary Semiconductor-based laser systems are provided that are useful for tissue cutting and therapeutics in medical and dental treatment environments. III. Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1a depicts an front view of a laser system, such as that which can be used for medical or dental surgical and therapeutic purposes. FIG. 1b depicts an example of a back panel of the laser system of FIG. 1a. FIG. 1c depicts exemplary interior components of a laser system such as depicted in FIG. 1a. FIG. 2a depicts a fiber cartridge for fiber management FIG. 2b depicts cross section of fiber cartridge FIG. 3a depicts the laser module used in the laser system FIG. 3b depicts the inside arrangement of laser module FIG. 3c depicts the individual laser module FIG. 3d depicts the inside of individual laser module FIG. 4a depicts the fiber arrangement for laser module FIG. 4b depicts one of the fiber coupling mechanism from bundle fibers to individual fiber FIG. 4c depicts one of the fiber coupling mechanisms from bundle fiber to individual fiber. FIG. 5 depicts the electrical control diagram of the laser system. FIG. 6a depicts an example laser handpiece. FIG. 6b depicts example handpiece tips. FIG. 7 depicts a method to produce a bar beam of light from a single fiber. FIG. 8a depicts a setup for teeth whitening. FIG. 8b depicts whitening teeth with a laser. IV. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Semiconductor laser systems, such as those depicted herein, have many surgical and therapeutic applications in medicine and dentistry. They can be used for many purposes, including but not limited to surgical cutting, coagulation, bacteria reduction, tissue burning, tissue therapy, drug delivery, dermatology treatment, tooth whitening, and other uses. Various laser system components are described, any of which may be used singly or in combination in various desire laser systems. The following are examples that illustrate several concepts and structures regarding semiconductor laser systems. V. General Description of a Laser System Detailed description of laser system is as follows. A. Enclosure or Box Depicted in FIG. 1a, an enclosure or box 101 may be provided to contain most of the components of the laser system. The enclosure 101 provides protection for the laser system, permits ventilation of interior components as needed, accommodates portability, and accommodates convenient physical positioning. The dimensions of an example of enclosure 101 may be as desired, such as about 6 inches in height, 10 inches in width, and 12 inches in depth, or less, although other dimensions can be used as desired. The box 101 can be made of plastic, metal, alloy or other suitable materials. The box 101 can be any desired shape, and may include aesthetic contouring or decorative materials on its exterior. Attached to the enclosure box, there is a fiber cartridge 102 to attach to the box to manage the fiber deliver. Detailed description of fiber cartridge will be in following sections. A rear panel 103 (only one edge of the rear panel 103 is visible) containing electrical input will be described in FIG. 1b. A display panel 104a is in the enclosure box to display laser operation information. A panel meter 104a to display the laser output power with indicator lights 104b, 104c and 104d to display the laser status. One LED display is used to indicate laser beam emission status. When that LED is lit, this indicates that laser light is being emitted from the laser system. When no light is emitted from the LED, it indicates that no laser light is being emitted from the laser system. Another LED displays the continuous wave (CW) or Pulse operation status. When that LED is lit, it indicated that laser in pulse operation. Another LED displays the laser operation status. Laser has three operation status, warm up, operation, overdrive. When the LED is yellow, it indicates that laser is in warm up status. When the LED is green, it indicates that the system is operational. When the LED is red, it indicates that a over power adjustment is being made and a protection function has been activated, preventing light from being emitted from the system until the adjustment is complete. The display panel is at an angle position for easy viewing. A control panel on the enclosure box includes laser power adjustment keys 105a to adjust laser output power. As an example, the laser power could be adjusted in 100 mw intervals. The control panel also includes CW and Pulse operation selection keys 105b, 105c and reset/emergency stop key 105c. When 105a is pushed, laser will be in pulse operation. The pulse rate for one and off time can be 20/80, 40/60, 50/50, 60/40, and 80/20. When 105b is pushed, the laser is in CW operation. In case of emergency, 105c can be pushed to shut off the laser. A hanpiece holder 106 is in the box to hold the handpiece 107 when it is not used. The laser beam on and off can be controlled by a foot switch 108. When the foot switch is pushed, the laser beam will be out, or vice versa. FIG. 1b illustrates the rear panel 103 of the laser system. Part of fiber cartridge 102 can be viewed. The rear panel includes a connector 120 for foot switch. The connector for foot switch can be a two pin, three pin or 4 pin connectors. An electrical power input 121 is in the rear panel for power input. The connector style can be North American, Europe, Asia, and other areas depending on the area of use. The input power for the system can be 90-240V AC 50-60 Hz. FIG. 1b also showed the footings 122a and 122b for laser system. The footing can be rubber or plastic caps to have system stably sitting on the counter. B. Internal Components and Connections FIG. 1c illustrate the internal components and component connections. The system includes a laser module 131 with a fiber cable and connector 131a. The laser module is connected through electrical conduction wires to a control circuit 132. The control circuit includes the functions to generate a constant DC source for laser operation, to regulate the laser output power, and laser status display. Both laser status display panel 104 as in FIG. 1a and control panel 105 as in FIG. 1a are connected to the circuit 132. The circuit will also provide control for the fiber cartridge. The control to fiber cartridge is through connector 134. The control circuit also provides connection for foot switch connector 120 as displayed in FIG. 1b and foot switch 108 as in FIG. 1a. The power for laser operation is provided by a switch power supply 134, which is to convert 90-240 V AC voltage to a desired DC voltage. C. Fiber Storage and Dispensing Unit Referring to FIGS. 2a and 2b, a fibers storage and dispensing unit is shown. This is the component 102 as displayed in FIG. 1a. Fiber storage and dispensing unit 201 may be located in a cavity on the side or front of box 101 with dimensions sufficient for the light transport and dispensing fiber for the laser system. Fiber storage and dispensing unit 201 is a modular unit to storage a certain length of fiber used for application and to dispense the fiber to desired length when it is used. FIG. 2a depicts the exterior of an example of light transport and dispensing unit 201. An outer casing may be provided to protect the interior components of the light transport and dispensing. The outer casing may be made of plastic, metal, alloy or other suitable materials. As light transport and dispensing unit 201 may be a modular unit that is removable and replaceable, and disposable. A fiber outlet 202 is in front section of box 201 to guide the fiber in and out of the cartridge. Outlet 202 may include a perimeter made of plastic or metal and may be a circular, oval, square, or any other desired shape with a diameter sufficient to allow passage of the fiber. A fiber release-retract switch 203 is provided to allow dispensing of a light transporting material such as fiber. Switch 203 may be a push button or toggle switch, moveable knob, or any other switching device. When a user actuates switch 203 in one direction, the motor inside the modular unit 201 extrudes the fiber out of fiber storage. When a user actuates switch 203 in opposite direction, the motor inside the modular unit retracts the fiber into the storage unit. There is a fiber with connector 204 along with the fiber storage. The fiber from the storage is connected through fiber connector 204 to the laser module as in FIG. 1b. There is a holder 205 for use to put or remove fiber storage from the enclosure box. There are alignment pins in bottom of the fiber storage cartridge. The alignment pins are used to align the fiber storage in the enclosure box to ensure the storage cartridge is in the same position when being installed. There is a multiple pin connector in the bottom of the fiber storage cartridge for connecting the connector from main control circuit to provide power and control signals. Footings 206 and 207 may be provided. An interior view of light transport and dispensing unit is shown in FIG. 2c The unit has a casing 201, a fiber storage box 202 in which fiber is stored, a motor control switch 211 for actuating a motor to move fiber out of the box. A motor with wheel 209 and opposing wheel 210 are provided to move fiber out of the fiber storage box 202. A guide 204 is provided for smooth an unimpeded movement of fiber through an aperture in the fiber storage box. Within the fiber storage box, there is fiber 205 coiled about a holder 207, which in this case is conical, but which could be cylindrical, tapered or another shape. Holders 207 and 207 serve to retain the fiber storage box 202 in position. A connector 206 is provided to connect to the laser module so that laser light can be transmitted through the fiber to a patient's tissue. An electrical input 212 is provided to power the fiber unit. The fiber unit can include forward and reverse for fiber movement and motor speed control. The fiber unit can be removable and replaceable at relatively low cost. D. Laser Module The laser module 301 is an important component in the laser system. FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d illustrated the invented laser module. Referring FIG. 3a, a top view of the module is depicted. The individual laser module has a casing 301. The casing may be made of Al alloys, plastic, metals and other materials. The module has an fiber outlet 302 and a fiber cable 303 with connector 304. On side of the module, there are 4 connectors 305a, 305b, 305c and 305d. Two of electrical connectors 305a and 305b are used to connect an electrical signal from the electric control circuit (discuss below) to the semiconductor laser chip inside the module and two of the connectors 305c and 305d are used to receive the electrical signal from photodetector inside the module. The laser output power is controlled by detecting the signal from the photodetector. Detailed laser module operation mechanism is described in section below FIG. 3b depicts the inside components and diagram of laser module. Inside the laser module, there is a number of individual laser modules 350a, 350b and etc. 7 individual modules are illustrated in FIG. 3b. The individual module is depicted in FIG. 3c. Each individual module has a casing 351, and 4 electrodes, 352a, 352b, 352c and 352d, and a fiber outlet 353a, 353b, 353c, etc., and a fiber 354a, 354b, 354c, etc. The electrodes 352a and 352b is signal from photodetectors and 352c and 352d are for input power for laser chip. There is a base on casing 351 with holes 355a, 355b, 355c and 355d. The individual module is attached to the laser module casing using holes 355a, 355b, 355c and 355d or heat conductive adhesives. Use of photodectors permits feedback to the control circuit to manage laser power output levels. FIG. 3c depicts a side view of the laser unit 351. FIG. 3d depicts the arrangement of laser chip and photodetector inside the individual laser module. The photodetector chip 356 and laser chip 357 are mounted on a heat sink 358 using heat and electrical conductive materials. The heat sink is directly mounted to the casing of the individual module. The electrical wires, i.e. gold wires, 359a, 359b, 359c, and 359d are attached to heat sink, chips and electrodes in the casing respectively to make electrical connections. The photodetector chip is mounted right behind of the laser chip to mount the laser power output. The photodetector's primary function as described above is to convert light into an electric signal for communication with the electric control module, although other uses may also be possible. The light emitted from laser is collected by a optical coupler. The heat sink 35 and fibers from individual 357, which has a function to collect the light and focus the light into a small beam to the fiber 354. E. Fiber Coupling The laser beam from the laser beam module needs to be coupled to the fiber cartridge for light transmission therethrough to a patient. The fiber from the laser is bundled. The fiber in the fiber cartridge is a single fiber. There are several methods to couple the laser beam from the laser module to the fiber cartridge. FIG. 4a illustrates a cross section of fiber bundle from the laser module inside a fiber connector. The circumferential diameter 401 is a diameter of fiber connector and 402 is diameter of individual connector. Seven individual fibers impacted inside the connector is illustrated in FIG. 4a. FIG. 4b depicts one of coupling mechanism from a fiber bundle 410 to an individual fiber 411. In order to achieve the good fiber coupling, the diameter D1 of single fiber 411 is preferred to larger than overall diameter D2 of fiber bundle 410. Both fibers are needed to be polished and closely contacted. FIG. 4c depicts another of coupling mechanism from a fiber bundle 423 to a single fiber 411. In this mechanism, a optical lens 422 is used to focus the beam from fiber bundle to single fiber. F. Electric Control Module Referring to FIG. 5, an example electric control module is depicted in greater detail. The electronic control module provides electrical regulation and laser beam control for the laser system. A 110 or 220-volt AC source 501 may be supplied from a standard wall outlet. Key switch 502 (if used) must be turned on for current to flow into the a switch power supply 503 to supply the proper power level to the module and supplies power to the control circuit 504. The control circuit 504 may be provided to control the supply of electric current to the laser module 505. The display panel 506, control panel 507, and food switch 508 are all connected to control circuit. The fiber from the laser module is coupled into fiber cartridge 509, then used for operation through a hand piece 510. G. Hand Piece for Surgery and Therapeutic Referring to FIG. 6a, a side view of operation hand piece 601 is shown. The hand piece serves to control the fiber which delivers a laser beam to a therapeutic or surgical surface. The handpiece may be ergonomically designed to ensure a firm grip, user comfort, and maximum manual dexterity and maneuverability during use and is made of plastic or any other suitable material. The hand piece 601 includes a channel 602 to guide the fiber 603 from the fiber cartridge through the hand piece. There is a stopper 604 in rear end of the hand piece to hold the fiber steady. On other side of handpiece, there is connector 605 to fit to a laser tip 606. The fiber 603 passes through tip to deliver the laser beam. The tip 606 is removable from the hand piece. The tip 606 may have various desired angles as depicted in FIG. 6b. The tip can have 0, 30, 45, 60, 90 degree angles (or otherwise) to the longitudinal axis of the fiber running through the handpiece. Referring to FIG. 6b, a fiber 751a, 751b, 751c, etc., passes through a tip 752a, 752b, etc., which has a distal end 753a, 753b, etc. angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fiber as it enters the tip to present a distal fiber end 754a, 754b,e etc., which may emit light that is at an angle to the direction of light traveling through the fiber within the handpiece. H. Setup for Therapeutic Applications In therapeutic and dermatology treatment, it may be desired to have a large beam size delivered to the treatment surface other than small spot. FIG. 7 depicts a setup to produce a large beam by adopting the single fiber from fiber cartridge to a optical setup. The single fiber 701 from fiber cartridge is connected through a handle 702 to the a cylindrical or rectangular lens 703, which will converts the single spot beam to a large size beam 704, which may have nearly any shape but in this example is rectangular with dimensions a×b. The size of the laser beam footprint can be as desired, such as from 1 mm to 100 mm, or 1 to 50 mm, or otherwise. I. Setup for Tooth Whitening The laser can also be used for tooth whitening. FIGS. 8a and 8b depict the setup of tooth whitening using laser system described above. FIG. 8a illustrate the whitening setup. A single fiber 801 from the fiber cartridge is attached to a whitening module 802 including a cylindrical lens 803. The cylindrical lens converts the single spot laser beam to a nearly rectangular beam 804. The whitening module 802 is attached to a tongue holder 806 through 2 rigid wire 805. The distance between tong holder 806 and light module 802 can be adjusted. FIG. 8b illustrates the application method for tooth whitening. The patient's lips 807 are opened by a dental setup to have teeth 808 exposed. The patient then bits the tongue holder to hold the light module 802 right in front of the teeth. The laser beam can directly shinning to the surface of the teeth. The beam size of laser light can be adjusted to fit the dimensions of the patient's teeth area. While laser systems and their structures have been described and illustrated in conjunction with a number of specific configurations herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the principles herein illustrated, described, and claimed. The present invention, as defined by the appended claims, may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The configurations of laser devices described herein are to be considered in all respects as only illustrative, and not restrictive. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. | <SOH> I. BACKGROUND <EOH>A. Field Medical and dental surgical and therapeutic laser systems are disclosed herein. B. Background Various light sources have been used in medicine and dentistry for surgery and therapeutics. | <SOH> II. Summary <EOH>Semiconductor-based laser systems are provided that are useful for tissue cutting and therapeutics in medical and dental treatment environments. | 20040922 | 20090203 | 20060323 | 65935.0 | A61B1818 | 6 | JOHNSON III, HENRY M | LASER SYSTEMS, WITH A FIBER STORAGE AND DISPENSING UNIT, USEFUL IN MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | A61B | 2,004 |
|
10,947,117 | ACCEPTED | Convection based cooking apparatus with improved draft chimney | A draft chimney for a convention based apparatus. The draft chimney comprises a flue at least partially defining a path of convection airflow through at least a portion of the interior of a cabinet. The flue passes convection airflow to the exterior of the cabinet. | 1-22. (canceled) 23. A cooking apparatus comprising: a cabinet having surfaces that define a cabinet interior and including a hood and a lower container; a heating chamber located within the cabinet interior and including at least one air inlet; an indirect cooking chamber located within the cabinet interior and having a substantially horizontal displacement from the heating chamber; a hollow reservoir located adjacent to the heating chamber; and a drafting means for creating airflow through the interior of the cabinet from the heating chamber to the cooking chamber, said drafting means at least partially defining an airflow path through at least a portion of the cabinet interior, wherein said cabinet being operable to open, thereby exposing said cabinet interior and separating said drafting means into at least two portions. 24. The cooking apparatus of claim 23, wherein the hollow reservoir is operable to contain fluidic material, further comprising a flow path from the hollow reservoir to the indirect cooking chamber, wherein evaporated fluidic material escaping from the hollow reservoir and created due to the proximity of the hollow reservoir to the heating chamber can enter into the cooking chamber. 25. A cooking apparatus comprising: a cabinet having surfaces that define a cabinet interior and including a hood and a lower container; a heating chamber located within the cabinet interior and including an air inlet; an indirect cooking chamber located within the cabinet interior and having a substantially horizontal displacement from the heating chamber; a hollow reservoir located adjacent to the heating chamber and operable to contain fluidic material; a drafting means for creating airflow through the interior of the cabinet; and a flow path from the hollow reservoir to the indirect cooking chamber, wherein evaporated fluidic material escaping from the hollow reservoir and created due to the proximity of the hollow reservoir to the heating chamber can enter into the cooking chamber. 26. A method for providing an air-flow of combined heated air and steam in a cooking apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: receiving air through an inlet into a heating chamber; heating the air within the heating chamber; heating liquid contents of a reservoir located adjacent to the heating chamber to create a flow of steam in the cooking chamber; combining the heated air from the heating chamber with the steam in the cooking chamber; and venting the combined heated air and steam out of the cooking chamber through an outlet. | This application is a continuation-in-part of pending application Ser. No. 09/329,690 filed Jun. 10, 1999 entitled “A Convection Based Cooking Apparatus with Improved Air Flow.” TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to convection based ovens, grills and similar cooking apparatus and, more specifically, to a convection based cooking apparatus with an internal draft chimney. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Convection based cooking apparatus operate on the principle that hot air rises. A heating element generates hot air within a cabinet of the cooking device. The hot air generated by the heating element is drawn over a cooking surface inside the cabinet. Typically, an elongated draft chimney is used as a draft generator to pull air through the cabinet interior. Known draft chimneys are attached to the exterior of a side wall of the cabinet. The heated air that is forced into the chimney rises to the top of the chimney and exits through an opening at the top of the chimney. As the heated air rises through the chimney, a vacuum, similar to a siphon, is generated to draw additional air through the interior of the cabinet. This allows items on the cooking surface to be cooked more quickly. Alternatively, decreasing the rate of airflow through the chimney allows items on the cooking surface to be cooked at a slower rate. However, these known draft chimneys attached to the exterior of the cabinet are large and cumbersome. The length of the chimney typically extends approximately two feet above the cabinet. Also, because the chimneys are attached to the exterior side wall of the cabinet, the width of the entire apparatus is increased by at least the width of the chimney. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a compact convection based apparatus that does not include a massive, exterior mounted, chimney, but continues to facilitate airflow as described above. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-identified problem by providing an improved draft chimney for convention based cooking apparatus. The improved draft chimney of the present invention is substantially contained within the confines of the cabinet of the cooking apparatus. Generally described, the draft chimney of the present invention includes a flue. The flue at least partially defines a path of convection airflow through at least a portion of the interior of a cabinet of the cooking apparatus. The flue passes convection airflow to the exterior of the cabinet. In one aspect of the present invention, the draft chimney is entirely defined within the cabinet and the path of convection airflow communicates with the exterior of the cabinet at an end of the path. More particularly described, the flue includes opposing first and second openings. The first opening communicates with the cabinet interior and is at least partially defined by at least a portion of a surface of the cabinet interior. Preferably, the first opening is at least partially defined by either a portion of a bottom surface of the cabinet or by the entire width of the bottom surface of the cabinet. The foregoing has broadly outlined some of the more pertinent aspects and features of the present invention. These should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed information in a different manner or by modifying the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, other aspects and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention may be obtained by referring to the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of the improved draft chimney of the present invention within a convection based grill. FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the improved draft chimney of the present invention within a convection based grill. FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a side view of the convection based grill of either of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the convection based grill of either of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a hood of a convection based grill showing, in particular, a plurality of exit openings for venting airflow from the cabinet through the chimney of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1 and 2 each depict one embodiment of an improved draft chimney 10 of the present invention within a convection based grill 12. Each convection based grill 12 includes a cabinet 14 with a plurality of surfaces for defining a cabinet interior 16 (FIGS. 3A and 3B). The cabinet interior 16 is divided into two chambers by an insulating baffle 18 extending across the longitudinal dimension of the cabinet 14. The two chambers include a heating chamber 20 and a cooking chamber 22. In the lower portion of the heating chamber 20 is a heating element 24 and a steel flame grate 26 is positioned over the heating element 24. A cooking surface 28 substantially extends the length and the width of the cooking chamber 22. The grill 12 is described in greater detail in copending U.S. patent application having U.S. Ser. No. 09/083,416 filed on May 22, 1998 and titled “A CONVECTION BASED COOKING APPARATUS WITH IMPROVED AIRFLOW”, and in copending U.S. patent application having U.S. Ser. No. 09/329,690 filed on Jun. 10, 1999 and titled “A CONVECTION BASED COOKING APPARATUS WITH IMPROVED AIRFLOW”, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Referring now to FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4, the cabinet 14 is defined by a bottom surface 30, a front surface 32, a back surface 34, a left side surface 36, and a right side surface 38. The combination of the bottom surface 30 with lower portions of the front surface 32, the back surface 34, the left side surface 36 and the right side surface 38, defines a lower portion of the cabinet interior, and is commonly referred to as a lower container 40. Also, the cabinet 14 is further defined by a hood 42, the interior of which is commonly referred to as an upper cabinet interior, best illustrated in FIG. 5. The hood 42 is defined by upper portions of the front surface 32, the back surface 34, the left side surface 36, and the right side surface 38. Still referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the chimney 10 is defined by the right side surface 38, portions of the front and back side surfaces 32, 34, and an internal surface 50 positioned in substantially a vertical manner. In FIG. 3A, the internal surface 50 is parallel to the right side surface 38. In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3B, a portion of the internal surface 50 is parallel to the right side surface 38 and an another portion of the internal surface 50 tapers away from the right side surface 38. As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the internal surface 50 has an upper portion 52 and a lower portion 54. The upper portion 52 is attached to the inside of the hood 42 and the lower portion 54 is attached to the inside of the lower container 40. When the hood 42 is opened to expose the cabinet interior 16 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the draft chimney 10 is separated into two pieces. However, when the hood 42 is closed as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the upper and lower portions 52, 54 are joined together to define the entire length of the draft chimney 10. The length of the draft chimney is commonly refer to as a flue and is described in greater detail below. In order to insure the upper and lower portions 52, 54 of the internal surface 50 are properly joined together each time they come into contact with each other, the ends of each portion are bent back in a widthwise manner to define flanges 56 and 58. The end of the upper portion 52 of the internal surface is bent inward and the end of the lower portion 54 of the internal surface in bent outward toward the right side surface 38 to form a seal when the hood 42 is closed. FIG. 4 also illustrates the inwardly bent flanges 56, 58 of the internal surface 50. The seal is formed by permitting the upper and lower portions 52, 54 to overlap as shown in FIG. 3A. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3B, the seal could be formed by permitting the flange 56 to directly abut the flange 58 without the upper and lower portions 52, 54 overlapping. The draft chimney 10 includes an elongated, vertical flue 60 having a first opening 62 and a second opening 64. The internal surface 50 defines a portion of the flue 60. Therefore, the flue 60 is separable into two portions as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Preferably, the flue 60 is prismatic and the length of the flue 60 in the direction of airflow is longer than the width of the flue; however, alternative configurations are also anticipated by the present invention. The first opening 62 communicates with the cabinet interior 16. Preferably, the first opening 62 is defined between the bottom surface 30 and the end of the vertically positioned internal surface 50 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The width of the first opening 62 can extend only a portion of the width of the cabinet 14 as shown in FIG. 1 or, alternatively, the width of the first opening 62 can extend the full width of the cabinet 14 as shown in FIG. 2. In operation, ambient air enters the heating chamber 20 through an air inlet 70. The ambient air is heated and rises through the steel frame grate 26 towards the top of the heating chamber 20. Eventually, the heated air is forced through an air passage 72 over the baffle 18 into the cooking chamber 22. As the heated air is forced into the cooking chamber 22, the cooler air existing the cooking chamber 22 is forced down through the first opening 62 of the flue 60. The heated air that is forced into the flue 60 of the draft chimney 10 rises to the top and exits through the second opening 64 in the top of the hood 42 to the environment surrounding the cabinet 14. In the preferred embodiment, a plurality of smaller exit openings combined together to form the second opening 64 as shown in FIG. 5. The portion of the surface with the smaller exit openings is commonly referred to as being grilled. A path of convection airflow, generally shown by arrows 80a, 80b and 80c in FIGS. 3A and 3B is created within the cabinet 14 during operation of the grill 12. The portion 80a of the path begins at the air inlet 70 and proceeds to the passage 72 over the baffle 18 as described above. Then, the path continues through the cooking chamber 22 to pass over the cooking surface 28 in an even manner. This portion of the path is shown by the reference numeral 80b. Next, the path continues to the first opening 62 of the flue 60 of the draft chimney 10. The portion 80c begins at the first opening 62, rises to the second opening 64, and passes into the exterior environment surrounding the grill 12. Preferably, the draft chimney 10 is entirely defined within the cabinet 14 such that the end of the path 70 communicates with the exterior of the cabinet as best shown in FIGS. 1-3A and 3B. Alternatively, the flue 60 may extend beyond the top of the hood 42 so that a portion of the path of airflow extends beyond the cabinet 16 before exiting to the environment surrounding the grill. The present invention has been illustrated in relation to particular embodiments which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention is capable of many modifications and variations without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is described by the claims appended hereto and supported by the foregoing. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Convection based cooking apparatus operate on the principle that hot air rises. A heating element generates hot air within a cabinet of the cooking device. The hot air generated by the heating element is drawn over a cooking surface inside the cabinet. Typically, an elongated draft chimney is used as a draft generator to pull air through the cabinet interior. Known draft chimneys are attached to the exterior of a side wall of the cabinet. The heated air that is forced into the chimney rises to the top of the chimney and exits through an opening at the top of the chimney. As the heated air rises through the chimney, a vacuum, similar to a siphon, is generated to draw additional air through the interior of the cabinet. This allows items on the cooking surface to be cooked more quickly. Alternatively, decreasing the rate of airflow through the chimney allows items on the cooking surface to be cooked at a slower rate. However, these known draft chimneys attached to the exterior of the cabinet are large and cumbersome. The length of the chimney typically extends approximately two feet above the cabinet. Also, because the chimneys are attached to the exterior side wall of the cabinet, the width of the entire apparatus is increased by at least the width of the chimney. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a compact convection based apparatus that does not include a massive, exterior mounted, chimney, but continues to facilitate airflow as described above. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention solves the above-identified problem by providing an improved draft chimney for convention based cooking apparatus. The improved draft chimney of the present invention is substantially contained within the confines of the cabinet of the cooking apparatus. Generally described, the draft chimney of the present invention includes a flue. The flue at least partially defines a path of convection airflow through at least a portion of the interior of a cabinet of the cooking apparatus. The flue passes convection airflow to the exterior of the cabinet. In one aspect of the present invention, the draft chimney is entirely defined within the cabinet and the path of convection airflow communicates with the exterior of the cabinet at an end of the path. More particularly described, the flue includes opposing first and second openings. The first opening communicates with the cabinet interior and is at least partially defined by at least a portion of a surface of the cabinet interior. Preferably, the first opening is at least partially defined by either a portion of a bottom surface of the cabinet or by the entire width of the bottom surface of the cabinet. The foregoing has broadly outlined some of the more pertinent aspects and features of the present invention. These should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed information in a different manner or by modifying the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, other aspects and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention may be obtained by referring to the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims. | 20040922 | 20080122 | 20050512 | 72078.0 | 1 | BECKER, DREW E | CONVECTION BASED COOKING APPARATUS WITH IMPROVED DRAFT CHIMNEY | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,947,183 | ACCEPTED | System and methods for transparent encryption | Conventional SSL termination devices support secure connections only to a predetermined destination address. An SSL termination device accepts a plaintext connection and associate it to a secure connection to an arbitrary destination endpoint by intercepting a connection request from the local subnetwork, identifying the intended destination of the connection, and establishing a secure connection to the destination, bridges the local connection and the secure connection to provide a connection through the gateway device. The SSL termination device identifies an outgoing secure connection request from a client, and intercepts the connection request to identify the recipient destination. The SSL termination device establishes a secure connection using the identified destination, and associates the connections by mapping the intercepted connection to the recipient. The identified recipient allows the secure connection to the destination, and the mapping allows message traffic received from the client over the local connection to be mapped to the destination. | 1. A method for secure transport comprising: intercepting an outgoing connection attempt; identifying a destination from the outgoing connection attempt; establishing a secure connection using the identified destination from the connection attempt; establishing the attempted outgoing connection by terminating the outgoing connection attempt; and associating the terminated outgoing connection with the established secure connection, the association operable to transfer message traffic intended for the destination over the secure connection in a continuous manner from the detected outgoing connection to the identified destination. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein terminating the outgoing connection attempt further comprises: accepting the outgoing connection attempt as a local connection by completing a connection exchange; and emulating the intended destination as an endpoint of the outgoing connection. 3. The method of claim 2 further comprising: identifying data to be transmitted as message traffic via the outgoing connection; receiving the identified data; and redirecting the identified data via the established secure connection. 4. The method of claim 3 further comprising mapping data sent from a client, the data intended for transmission via the outgoing connection, to the established secure connection. 5. The method of claim 4 wherein identifying the destination further comprises scanning the connection attempt and extracting an identifier indicative of the intended destination. 6. The method of claim 2 further comprising transporting data between the client and a remote intended destination in a seamless manner via the mapped connection, the seamless manner further comprising: receiving data over the established local connection; indexing the secure connection to the identified destination via the mapping; and forwarding the received data to the identified destination via the indexed secure connection. 7. The method of claim 6 further comprising identifying a ciphersuite, corresponding to the identified destination, indicative of an encryption algorithm operable via the secure connection; and applying the identified ciphersuite to the received data prior to redirecting. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein intercepting comprises: detecting an outgoing connection attempt; and scanning the connection attempt for a destination identifier indicative of a remote intended recipient. 9. The method of claim 8 further comprising: correlating the outgoing connection attempt and the established secure connection in a mapping table indicative of local and remote connection attempts; indexing the outgoing connection and the established secure connection to identify outgoing message data on the outgoing connection destined for the identified destination; and bridging the outgoing connection with the secure connection to forward message data to the destination via the secure connection. 10. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining if the outgoing connection is intended as a secure connection; and indexing a ciphersuite using the intended destination by indexing a repository of expected destinations. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein, if the remote destination is unable to accept the secure connection: establishing a secure connection using the identified destination from the connection attempt; and reverting the second connection to a plaintext connection. 12. A method of providing a secure connection comprising: identifying an outgoing connection attempt intended as a secure connection to a destination; intercepting the outgoing connection attempt; analyzing the outgoing connection attempt to determine an identifier indicative of the destination; determining, using the identifier, if the destination is operable to accept a secure connection, and if so; retrieving a ciphersuite indicative of the secure connection attributes operable with the destination; completing a first connection by accepting the outgoing connection attempt as an end to end connection from the originator of the outgoing connection attempt; establishing a second connection by issuing a secure connection attempt to the destination employing the destination identifier and the retrieved secure connection attributes; storing an association of the first and second connections; receiving data via the first connection destined for the recipient; indexing, via the stored association, the second connection corresponding to the first connection; and forwarding the received data to the destination via the second connection. 13. The method of claim 12 wherein if the remote destination is unable to accept the secure connection, the second connection reverts to a plaintext connection. 14. A data communication device for secure transport comprising: an SSL terminator operable to intercept an outgoing connection attempt; a connection scanner operable to identify a destination from the intercepted outgoing connection attempt; a secure endpoint responsive to the SSL terminator to establish a secure connection using the identified destination from the connection attempt, the SSL terminator further operable to establish the attempted outgoing connection by terminating the outgoing connection attempt; and a mapper operable to associate the terminated outgoing connection with the established secure connection, the association operable to transfer message traffic intended for the destination over the secure connection in a continuous manner from the intercepted outgoing connection to the identified destination. 15. The data communication device of claim 14 wherein the SSL terminator is operable to: accept the outgoing connection attempt as a local connection by completing a connection exchange to terminate and complete the outgoing connection attempt; and emulate the intended destination as an endpoint of the outgoing connection. 16. The data communication device of claim 15 wherein the SSL terminator is further operable to: identify data to be transmitted as message traffic via the outgoing connection; receive the identified data; and redirect the identified data via the established secure connection. 17. The data communication device of claim 16 wherein the mapper is operable to map data sent from a client, in which the data is intended for transmission via the outgoing connection, to the established secure connection. 18. The data communication device of claim 17 wherein the scanner is operable to identify the destination by scanning the connection attempt; and extracting an identifier indicative of the intended destination. 19. The data communication device of claim 15 wherein the SSL terminator is operable to transport data between the client and a remote intended destination in a seamless manner via the mapped connection, the SSL terminator further operable to: receive data over the established local connection; index the secure connection to the identified destination via the mapping; and forward the received data to the identified destination via the indexed secure connection. 20. The data communication device of claim 19 further comprising a repository operable to store a ciphersuite, the SSL terminator further operable to: identify the ciphersuite corresponding to the identified destination and indicative of an encryption algorithm operable via the secure connection; and apply the identified ciphersuite to the received data prior to redirecting. 21. The data communication device of claim 14 wherein the connection scanner is further operable to: detect an outgoing connection attempt; and scan the connection attempt for a destination identifier indicative of a remote intended recipient. 22. The data communication device of claim 21 wherein the SSL terminator is further operable to: correlate the outgoing connection attempt and the established secure connection in a mapping table indicative of local and remote connection attempts; index, in the mapping table, the outgoing connection and the established secure connection to identify outgoing message data on the outgoing connection destined for the identified destination; and associate the outgoing connection with a proxy link to the secure connection to forward message data to the destination via the secure connection. 23. The data communication device of claim 22 wherein the SSL terminator is further operable to determine, via the mapping, if the outgoing connection is intended as a secure connection; and if so index a ciphersuite using the intended destination by indexing a repository of expected destinations; and if not, to revert to establishing a plaintext connection to the remote destination. 24. A computer program product having a computer readable medium operable to store computer program logic embodied in computer program code encoded thereon for secure transport comprising: computer program code for intercepting an outgoing connection attempt; computer program code for identifying a destination from the outgoing connection attempt; computer program code for establishing a secure connection using the identified destination from the connection attempt; computer program code for establishing the attempted outgoing connection by terminating the outgoing connection attempt; and computer program code for associating the terminated outgoing connection with the established secure connection, the association operable to transfer message traffic intended for the destination over the secure connection in a continuous manner from the detected outgoing connection to the identified destination. 25. A computer data signal having program code for secure transport comprising: program code for intercepting an outgoing connection attempt; program code for identifying a destination from the outgoing connection attempt; program code for establishing a secure connection using the identified destination from the connection attempt; program code for establishing the attempted outgoing connection by terminating the outgoing connection attempt; and program code for associating the terminated outgoing connection with the established secure connection, the association operable to transfer message traffic intended for the destination over the secure connection in a continuous manner from the detected outgoing connection to the identified destination. 26. A data communication device for secure transport comprising: means for program code for intercepting an outgoing connection attempt; means for identifying a destination from the outgoing connection attempt; means for establishing a secure connection using the identified destination from the connection attempt; means for establishing the attempted outgoing connection by terminating the outgoing connection attempt; and means for associating the terminated outgoing connection with the established secure connection, the association operable to transfer message traffic intended for the destination over the secure connection in a continuous manner from the detected outgoing connection to the identified destination. | BACKGROUND Computer networks often employ encryption techniques for security against unwanted dissemination of information and malicious interception or corruption of data transported thereby. Encryption involves performing a predetermined mathematical computation on the data to render it unintelligible prior to transmission, yielding a so-called ciphertext form, and performing an inverse computation at a receiving end to recover the original data in a so-called plaintext form. Therefore, encryption typically imposes a handshaking or setup exchange to identify the encryption and corresponding inverse (decryption) functions and/or operations. One typical encryption setup is a public key exchange, as is known to those of skill in the art. Conventional protocols embed provisions for such encrypted exchanges into the protocol. For example, the TCP/IP protocol employs a secure socket layer (SSL) adapted to support encrypted transmissions. Typical TCP/IP transmissions employ a system of well known ports for identifying types of data traffic transported. Such well known ports identify common types of traffic to facilitate interpretation by sending and receiving entities, and are described in IETF RFC 1700, “Assigned Numbers”). For example, a conventional web page request, employing the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), employs port 80. Conversely, as indicated above, an encrypted web page request using SSL mechanisms employs a Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS), utilizing well-known port 443. Sending and receiving entities exchanging encrypted message traffic must nonetheless participate in a setup exchange to coordinate usage of conventional encryption parameters. However, many users are unfamiliar or uninterested with the conventional setup and exchange procedures, as such so-called key exchanges tend to be technically robust. Further, performance and staleness issues tend to complicate the exchange by imposing timely updates and/or regeneration of key variables, and burdening transmission performance with the increased processing required for greater security. In general, the seamlessness or transparency of the encryption mechanism tends to be inversely proportional to the degree of security thereby provided. SUMMARY Conventional security measures employ technology such as public key encryption for message traffic between users. Such conventional security measures require an exchange of security parameters between recipients, and often involve a third party such as a certificate authority (CA). Since the conventional security mechanisms tend to impose administrative overhead and impact performance, some users may be reluctant or unwilling to employ such conventional mechanisms. Further, conventional networks often take the form of subnetworks, such as LANs or intranets, which represent clusters of co-located users (i.e. an office location) coupled via a trunk or backbone to other subnetworks. Frequently, the security requirements within such a conventional subnetwork are not as stringent as with the external network (i.e. Internet). Accordingly, conventional measures deploy a gateway device at an ingress or egress point from a trusted subnetwork of LAN. Such a gateway may, for example, denote a VPN or edge of the LAN or intranet. At such a conventional gateway, one approach employs an SSL termination device for handling external secure connections. Therefore, internal communications within the subnetwork (i.e. within the same building or location) need not incur the security overhead encountered with communications beyond the Internet gateway. However, for SSL termination devices extending beyond the trusted subnet, it has become desirable to operate in the so-called “reverse” direction, i.e. outgoing from the “local” intranet to a remote Internet node. The original direction upon inception of such conventional SSL termination devices was for the SSL termination device to accept an HTTPS connection and convert it to an HTTP connection. The next progression is marked by a need for the connection to remain as an HTTPS connection all the way to the actual server. Accordingly, conventional SSL devices were adapted to accept the HTTPS connection, load balance the connection based on information in the clear text of the data it was decoding, then send the connection HTTPS to the intended server. Subsequent user developments triggered a need for all traffic to be HTTPS, such that SSL devices be enabled to accept an HTTP connection and convert it to an HTTPS connection. However, conventional devices typically require knowing the true connection endpoint identity for such capability. For example, the conventional SSL termination device may be configured to accept a connection to a pre-determined IP address, corresponding to the HTTP connection. Upon receipt of the HTTP connection identification, the SSL termination device may send the HTTPS connection to the IP address specified in the configuration. A potential drawback with this conventional approach is the SSL termination device is to be configured for all destination endpoints, which may not be known to the system administrator. Therefore, configurations discussed below substantially overcome the drawbacks associated with conventional SSL termination devices by recognizing that certain communications benefit from or rely on end-to-end encrypted connections from an originator to a destination. In typical conventional networks, an intervening gateway may obscure the endpoint to endpoint key exchange. For example, in conventional SSL termination devices, the gateway converts incoming secure (HTTPS) message traffic to unsecure clear text (HTTP) message traffic. However, the reverse connection is impeded because the recipient destination is needed to establish the secure connection, and is unavailable because the gateway device terminates the outgoing connection in favor of a new HTTPS connection. Since the gateway initiates a new connection to a remote server, and terminates (i.e. acts as an endpoint) for the local connection from the client, a secure connection cannot be initiated because the gateway does not have access to the recipient destination information. One conventional alternative is to enumerate and configure all possible remote destinations to the gateway, but in practice such a mechanism is feasible only for a small number of possible remote destination endpoints. Therefore, particular configurations of the SSL termination device discussed further below need not be configured with the destination IP address or other identity of the recipient endpoint of an HTTP connection. Instead, the SSL termination device is configured on either a global or TCP/IP port basis on the HTTP side of the connection to “analyze” (i.e. by sniffing or parsing, for example) the URL or other identifier available in the HTTP header. Typically, such an identifier enables discovery of the actual hostname of the end system to which the connection is intended. The device configured as disclosed below may perform a DNS lookup on the hostname and employs the IP address obtained from the lookup to forward the HTTPS connection to the obtained address. Accordingly, configurations of the invention are based, in part, on the observation that a gateway device, such as a conventional SSL termination device, cannot generate outgoing secure connections without knowing the true identity of the destination recipient of the connection to generate an end-to-end connection between the SSL terminator and the destination. In other words, conventional SSL termination devices can only support secure connections to a predetermined destination address. It would be beneficial to provide an SSL termination device operable to accept a conventional plaintext (HTTP) connection and convert the connection, via proxy or similar virtual association, to a secure (HTTPS) connection to an arbitrary destination endpoint. Accordingly, configurations of the invention intercept a connection request from the local subnetwork (LAN, VPN, intranet, etc.), identify the intended destination of the connection, and establish a secure HTTPS connection to the intended destination, effectively bridging the local connection and the secure connection to provide an end-to-end connection from a local client to the destination through the gateway device. Configurations of the invention substantially overcome the above-described shortcomings of conventional SSL termination devices by identifying an outgoing secure connection request from a client, and intercepting the connection request to identify the recipient destination in the connection request. The SSL termination device establishes a secure connection using the identified destination, and associates the connections by mapping the intercepted connection request from the client with the secure connection from the SSL terminator to the recipient. The associated connections operate as a proxy link across the SSL termination device. The identified recipient information scanned from the connection request allows the secure connection to the destination, and the mapping allows corresponding message traffic received from the client over the local connection to be mapped to the associated secure connection to the destination. In this manner, configurations disclosed further below link, or associate, the connection from the client to the destination via the SSL terminator in the gateway device maintaining the mapping. In further detail, the method for secure transport intercepts an outgoing connection attempt from a client (i.e. node on a subnet, VPN, intranet, etc.) and identifies a destination from the outgoing connection attempt. The SSL terminator establishes a secure connection using the identified destination from the connection attempt, and establishes the attempted outgoing connection by terminating the outgoing connection attempt, thereby completing the outgoing connection from the client at the SSL terminator. The mapper associates the terminated outgoing connection with the established secure connection continuing on to the destination, in which the association is operable to transfer message traffic intended for the destination over the secure connection in a continuous manner from the detected outgoing connection to the identified destination, using the mapping table to map successive packets and/or frames. The SSL terminator detects the outgoing connection attempt, and scans the connection attempt for a destination identifier indicative of a remote intended recipient. Identifying the destination therefore includes scanning the connection attempt and extracting an identifier indicative of the intended destination, such as a destination IP address. The SSL terminator then terminates (i.e. completes) the outgoing connection attempt by accepting the outgoing connection attempt as a local connection by completing a connection exchange, and emulating the intended destination as an endpoint of the outgoing connection. In the exemplary configuration discussed further below, successive communication over the established connections occurs by identifying data to be transmitted as message traffic via the outgoing connection, receiving the identified data, and redirecting the identified data via the established secure connection. The SSL terminator, therefore, maps data sent from a client, in which the data is intended for transmission via the outgoing connection, to the established secure connection. The SSL terminator therefore transports data between the client and a remote intended destination in a seamless manner via the mapped connection, in which the seamless manner includes receiving data over the established local connection, indexing the secure connection to the identified destination via the mapping, and forwarding the received data to the identified destination via the indexed secure connection. In particular configurations, the established secure connection corresponds to a ciphersuite, and the SSL terminator is operable to identify a ciphersuite, corresponding to the identified destination, indicative of an encryption algorithm operable via the secure connection, and operable to apply the identified ciphersuite to the received data prior to redirecting. Therefore, the SSL terminator first determines if the outgoing connection is intended as a secure connection, and indexes a ciphersuite using the intended destination by indexing a repository of expected destinations. The identified ciphersuite may be, for example, indicative of stronger or weaker encryption algorithms based on the destination. In particular configurations, the SSL terminator correlates the outgoing connection attempt and the established secure connection in a mapping table indicative of local and remote connection attempts, indexes the outgoing connection and the established secure connection to identify outgoing message data on the outgoing connection destined for the identified destination, and links the outgoing connection with the secure connection to forward message data to the destination via the secure connection. Alternate configurations of the invention include a multiprogramming or multiprocessing computerized device such as a workstation, handheld or laptop computer or dedicated computing device or the like configured with software and/or circuitry (e.g., a processor as summarized above) to process any or all of the method operations disclosed herein as embodiments of the invention. Still other embodiments of the invention include software programs such as a Java Virtual Machine and/or an operating system that can operate alone or in conjunction with each other with a multiprocessing computerized device to perform the method embodiment steps and operations summarized above and disclosed in detail below. One such embodiment comprises a computer program product that has a computer-readable medium including computer program logic encoded thereon that, when performed in a multiprocessing computerized device having a coupling of a memory and a processor, programs the processor to perform the operations disclosed herein as embodiments of the invention to carry out data access requests. Such arrangements of the invention are typically provided as software, code and/or other data (e.g., data structures) arranged or encoded on a computer readable medium such as an optical medium (e.g., CD-ROM), floppy or hard disk or other medium such as firmware or microcode in one or more ROM or RAM or PROM chips, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). The software or firmware or other such configurations can be installed onto the computerized device (e.g., during operating system for execution environment installation) to cause the computerized device to perform the techniques explained herein as embodiments of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. FIG. 1 is a context diagram of a network communications environment operable for use with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a flowchart of message traffic transport in the network of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the gateway device including the terminator of FIG. 1 in greater detail; and FIGS. 4-7 are a flowchart of transparent encryption as in FIG. 2 in greater detail. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In a computer network, certain groups of users, such as within a business or enterprise LAN, employ a gateway device such as a router or hub as an egress point to the Internet or other public access network. In such a network, communications within the enterprise LAN, or subnetwork, may enjoy less stringent security expectations than communications emanating from the LAN. Such installations may mandate certain security requirements for external connections. However, conventional users may tend to avoid security due to the overhead imposed by the additional processing and need to maintain current security parameters such as certificates and keys. For this reason, it may be beneficial for the gateway device to establish and coordinate secure connections, or links, as a continuation of unsecure, or plaintext, connections from within the enterprise subnetwork. Often, a gateway device, such as a conventional SSL termination device, cannot generate outgoing secure connections without knowing the true identity of the destination recipient of the connection to generate an end-to-end connection between the SSL terminator and the destination. In other words, conventional SSL termination devices can only support secure connections to a predetermined destination address. It would be beneficial to provide an SSL termination device operable to accept a conventional plaintext (HTTP) connection and effectively convert it, such as via a proxy linking or other association, to a secure (HTTPS) connection to an arbitrary or dynamically specified destination endpoint. Accordingly, configurations of the invention intercept a connection request from the local subnetwork (LAN, VPN, intranet, etc.), identify the intended destination of the connection, and establish a secure HTTPS connection to the intended destination, effectively bridging the local connection and the secure connection to provide an end-to-end connection from the local client to the destination through the gateway device. Configurations of the invention substantially overcome the above-described shortcomings of conventional SSL termination devices by identifying an outgoing secure connection request from a client, and intercepting the connection request to identify the recipient destination in the connection request. The SSL termination device establishes a secure connection using the identified destination, and associates the connections by mapping the intercepted connection request from the client with the secure connection to from the SSL terminator to the recipient. The identified recipient information scanned from the connection request allows the secure connection to the destination, and the mapping allows corresponding message traffic received from the client over the local connection to be mapped to the associated secure connection to the destination. In this manner, configurations of the invention, disclosed further below, associate the connection from the client to the destination via the SSL terminator in the gateway device maintaining the mapping. FIG. 1 is a context diagram of a network communications environment operable for use with the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the environment 100 includes a gateway device 120 having a terminator 112 coupled between a client 110 and network such as the Internet 140. The Internet 140 or other common access network is operable to connect to a plurality of remote destinations 150, shown singularly for clarity. The terminator 120 is operable as a connection endpoint for connections 162 from the client 110, or connection originator, and also as an endpoint for a connection 166, 168 from the terminator to the remote destination 150 via the Internet 140. The gateway device 120, which is typically an access point to the subnetwork including the client 110, employs the terminator 112 as a proxy link 164, or association, between the connections 162 and 166 to provide a seamless secure connection 160, or link, from the client 110 to the remote destination 150. The terminator 112 receive a plaintext connection request 114, or message, and establishes an encrypted connection 166, 168 for transporting encrypted messages 116, effectively bridging the plaintext connection 162 and the ciphertext connection 166, shown by the proxy link (dotted line) 164, as will now be discussed in further detail below. FIG. 2 is a flowchart of message traffic transport in the network of FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the method for secure transport includes intercepting an outgoing connection attempt 114, as depicted at step 200, and identifying a destination from the outgoing connection attempt 114, as shown at step 201. The gateway device typically scans or parses the content of the connection attempt 114 to determine a destination IP address or other identifier indicative of the remote destination 150. Using the identified destination 150, the terminator 112 sends a secure connection attempt 116 to establish a secure connection 166, 168 using the identified destination 150 from the connection attempt 112, as depicted at step 202. The terminator then establishes the attempted outgoing connection 162 by terminating the outgoing connection attempt 114, i.e. designating the terminator 112 as the endpoint for the local connection 162 emanating from the client 110, as shown at step 203. The terminator 112 associates the terminated outgoing connection 162, or local connection with the established secure connection 166, 168 to the destination 150, in which the association is operable to transfer message traffic intended for the destination 150 over the secure connection 166, 168 in a continuous manner, shown by the proxy link 164, from the detected outgoing connection 162 to the identified destination 150, as shown at step 204, effectively forming a seamless connection 160. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the gateway device 120 including the terminator 122 of FIG. 1 in greater detail. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 1, the terminator 112, in the particular exemplary configuration in FIG. 3, takes the form of an SSL terminator 122. The SSL terminator 122 includes a mapper 124 having a mapping table 128, a connection scanner 126, and operates as a secure endpoint 130 for the associated connection 160. In an exemplary arrangement, the client 110 originates the connection 162, from endpoint 132-1 to endpoint 132-2, shown as a first connection by dotted line 152, to the secure endpoint 130. The SSL terminator 122 initiates a second connection 166, 168, shown by dotted line 154, from endpoints 134-1 to 134-2 at a remote secure endpoint 138. It should be noted that the notation 166, 168 denoting an Internet 140 supported link is labeled for clarity to indicate a suitable switching mechanism provided by the Internet 140, and does not necessarily require or imply additional connections or discontinuous activity on the second connection 166, 168. The mapper 124 stores the association of the connections 152 and 154 in the mapping table 128 to allow corresponding message traffic to map to the corresponding connection 162 or 166, depending on traffic flow direction. Connection information concerning the associations in the table 128 is stored in the scanning criteria 136, to allow subsequent message traffic (i.e. frames or packets) to be identified and mapped to the corresponding connection 162 or 166 via the associations. Further, it should be noted that, in particular configuration, if the remote destination 150 is unable to employ the secure endpoint 138, such as by failing to be configured to support HTTPS encryption, the second connection indicated by dotted line 154 simply reverts to a standard HTTP connection to allow the communication to complete. FIGS. 4-7 are a flowchart of transparent encryption as in FIG. 2 in greater detail. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3-7, the SSL terminator 122 intercepts an outgoing connection attempt 114, as depicted at step 300. The SSL terminator 122 is an exemplary configuration of the terminator 112 operating with SSL connections in the gateway device 120 for terminating plaintext, or unencrypted connections and initiating a secure SSL connection, or ciphertext connection. The connection scanner 126 detects the outgoing connection attempt by examining outgoing requests 114 for connection attempts, as shown at step 302. In the exemplary Internet 140 arrangement, the connection sequence is typified by a Syn/Ack exchange, or handshaking of the TCP/IP protocol, as is known in the art. Further, in a typical Internet exchange employed for requesting a remote webpage, the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is employed which uses well known port 80. However, alternate protocols and exchanges may be supported by identifying the corresponding connection or setup sequence. In a typical scenario employing the system of the invention, the gateway device 120 operates as a common access point from a trusted or secure site, such as an internal corporate LAN or intranet, to an untrusted public access realm such as the Internet 140. In such a scenario, message traffic internal to the LAN need not be encrypted, however it may be desirable or mandatory to encrypt all outgoing message traffic. Typically, such traffic is identifiable by scanning for connection requests to port 80, as outlined above. Alternatively, the connection scanner 126 may be operative to intercept other outgoing communications, such as initiating secure connections for all outgoing requests, or only for selected requests. Conventional security mechanisms may attempt to establish end-to-end encrypted connections between the client 110 and the remote destination 150, as indicated above. However, at the time of the connection attempt to the remote destination 150 from the SSL terminator 122, the remote destination 150 may not be known or determinable. For example, if the client 110 attempted to establish a point-to-point encrypted connection to the remote destination 150, the destination information itself is obscured by the encryption when the connection attempt 114 reaches the SSL terminator 122. Therefore, the SSL terminator 122 attempts to terminate the connection at the secure endpoint 130, specifying endpoint 132-2 as a first connection, and associate a new secure connection from endpoint 134-1. Accordingly, the connection scanner 126 scans the connection attempt 114 for a destination identifier indicative of the remote intended destination 150, as depicted at step 303. The connection scanner 126 therefore identifies a destination 150 from the outgoing connection attempt 114 by scanning the connection attempt and extracting an identifier indicative of the intended destination, such as an IP address, or other suitable token, as shown at step 304. The mapper 124 then determines if the outgoing connection 154 is intended as a secure connection, as depicted at step 305. Certain destinations 150 may not be equipped for SSL or other encrypted communication, or alternatively, the mapping table 128 may indicate selective encryption, rather then encrypting all traffic. A check is performed, at step 306, to determine if the mapping table 128 indicates secure (i.e. encrypted) transport. If so, then the mapper 124 identifies a ciphersuite, corresponding to the identified destination 150, indicative of an encryption algorithm operable via the secure connection 154, as shown at step 307. The mapper 124 indexes the identified ciphersuite using the intended destination 150 by indexing the repository 138 of expected destinations to retrieve the ciphersuite data from ciphersuite storage 170, as depicted at step 308. The ciphersuite storage 170, such as a file or table, includes ciphersuite information, such as encryption mechanism type (e.g. RSA, DES, DESIII, as are known in the art), number of bits, certificates and CAs, and other relevant parameters. The SSL terminator 122 then establishes the secure connection 154 using the identified destination 150 from the connection attempt 114, which specifies the endpoints 134-1 and 134-2, the establishing the second connection 154. If the check at step 306 indicates that no secure connection is expected or feasible, then the SSL terminator 122 establishes a plaintext connection or link to the destination, as shown at step 310. Such a plaintext (unsecure) connection may be applicable if the remote destination 150 is not configured for SSL connections to accept an HTTPS incoming connection request, or if the remote destination cannot be authenticated for the encryption keys employed, for example. In either case, the SSL terminator 122 establishes the attempted outgoing connection 152 by terminating the outgoing connection attempt 114, as shown at step 311, by accepting the outgoing connection attempt as a local connection at the secure endpoint 130 and completing the connection exchange for the local connection 152, via the link 162, as depicted at step 312. The SSL terminator 122 therefore emulates the intended destination 150 as an endpoint 132-2 of the outgoing connection 152 from the client endpoint 132-1, as shown at step 313, establishing a first connection 152. The SSL terminator then associates the terminated outgoing connection 152 with the established secure connection 154, in which the association is operable to transfer message traffic intended for the destination 150 over the secure connection 154 in a continuous manner from the detected outgoing connection 152 to the identified destination 150, as shown at step 314. The mapper 124 correlates the outgoing connection 152 and the established secure connection 154 in the mapping table 128 indicative of local and remote connection attempts, as shown at step 315. The mapping table 128, in the exemplary arrangement, enumerates the associations between the outgoing connections 152, or first connections, and secure connections 154, or second connections, such that the mapper 124 maps message traffic over the connections 152, 154 to the corresponding counterpart. Therefore, the mapping table 128 indexes the outgoing connection 152 and the established secure connection 154 to identify outgoing message data on the outgoing connection 152 destined for the identified destination 150, as depicted at step 316. The indexed associations in the mapping table 128 therefore associate the outgoing connection 152 with the secure connection 154 to forward message data to the destination 150 via the secure connection 154, as disclosed at step 317. Following indexing the association in the mapping table 128, the client 110 sends successive message as packets or frames via the local connection 152, and the connection scanner 126 identifies data to be transmitted as message traffic via the secure connection 154, as shown at step 318. The SSL terminator 122 receives the identified data, as depicted at step 319 and transports the data between the client 110 and the remote intended destination 150 in a seamless manner via the mapped connection 160, as shown at step 320. The SSL terminator 122 redirects the received data via the established secure connection 154, as shown at step 321, by indexing the secure connection 154 to the identified destination 150 via the mapping table 128, as depicted at step 322. Using the mapping table 128, the mapper 124 performs a lookup or other suitable indexing (i.e. via hashing) to identify the associated connection 154. Lookup is performed using any suitable field, such as the URL, destination address, port ID, originator/client, or combination, which the connection scanner 126 parses from the message traffic. For each message packet or other transport portion (e.g. frame, cell, etc.), the mapper 124 maps data sent from the client 110, in which the data is intended for transmission via the outgoing connection 152, to the established secure connection 154, as shown at step 323. The SSL terminator 122 applies the identified ciphersuite from step 308 (if applicable) to the received data prior to redirecting, as shown at step 324, and forwards the received data to the identified destination 150 via the indexed secure connection 154, as depicted at step 325. The identified ciphersuite may be, for example, indicative of stronger or weaker encryption algorithms based on the destination, or of alternate mechanisms for encryption. The ciphersuite may also be indicative of a certificate authority, LDAP certificate reference, or other parameters employable by the SSL transmission. The SSL terminator 122 performs a check, at step 326, to determine if additional packets remain for transport over the associated connection 160, and control reverts to step 323 accordingly. Those skilled in the art should readily appreciate that the programs and methods for transparent encryption as defined herein are deliverable to a processing device in many forms, including but not limited to a) information permanently stored on non-writeable storage media such as ROM devices, b) information alterably stored on writeable storage media such as floppy disks, magnetic tapes, CDs, RAM devices, and other magnetic and optical media, or c) information conveyed to a computer through communication media, for example using baseband signaling or broadband signaling techniques, as in an electronic network such as the Internet or telephone modem lines. The operations and methods may be implemented in a software executable object or as a set of instructions embedded in a carrier wave. Alternatively, the operations and methods disclosed herein may be embodied in whole or in part using hardware components, such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), state machines, controllers or other hardware components or devices, or a combination of hardware, software, and firmware components. While the system and method for transparent encryption has been particularly shown and described with references to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited except by the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Computer networks often employ encryption techniques for security against unwanted dissemination of information and malicious interception or corruption of data transported thereby. Encryption involves performing a predetermined mathematical computation on the data to render it unintelligible prior to transmission, yielding a so-called ciphertext form, and performing an inverse computation at a receiving end to recover the original data in a so-called plaintext form. Therefore, encryption typically imposes a handshaking or setup exchange to identify the encryption and corresponding inverse (decryption) functions and/or operations. One typical encryption setup is a public key exchange, as is known to those of skill in the art. Conventional protocols embed provisions for such encrypted exchanges into the protocol. For example, the TCP/IP protocol employs a secure socket layer (SSL) adapted to support encrypted transmissions. Typical TCP/IP transmissions employ a system of well known ports for identifying types of data traffic transported. Such well known ports identify common types of traffic to facilitate interpretation by sending and receiving entities, and are described in IETF RFC 1700, “Assigned Numbers”). For example, a conventional web page request, employing the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), employs port 80 . Conversely, as indicated above, an encrypted web page request using SSL mechanisms employs a Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS), utilizing well-known port 443 . Sending and receiving entities exchanging encrypted message traffic must nonetheless participate in a setup exchange to coordinate usage of conventional encryption parameters. However, many users are unfamiliar or uninterested with the conventional setup and exchange procedures, as such so-called key exchanges tend to be technically robust. Further, performance and staleness issues tend to complicate the exchange by imposing timely updates and/or regeneration of key variables, and burdening transmission performance with the increased processing required for greater security. In general, the seamlessness or transparency of the encryption mechanism tends to be inversely proportional to the degree of security thereby provided. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>Conventional security measures employ technology such as public key encryption for message traffic between users. Such conventional security measures require an exchange of security parameters between recipients, and often involve a third party such as a certificate authority (CA). Since the conventional security mechanisms tend to impose administrative overhead and impact performance, some users may be reluctant or unwilling to employ such conventional mechanisms. Further, conventional networks often take the form of subnetworks, such as LANs or intranets, which represent clusters of co-located users (i.e. an office location) coupled via a trunk or backbone to other subnetworks. Frequently, the security requirements within such a conventional subnetwork are not as stringent as with the external network (i.e. Internet). Accordingly, conventional measures deploy a gateway device at an ingress or egress point from a trusted subnetwork of LAN. Such a gateway may, for example, denote a VPN or edge of the LAN or intranet. At such a conventional gateway, one approach employs an SSL termination device for handling external secure connections. Therefore, internal communications within the subnetwork (i.e. within the same building or location) need not incur the security overhead encountered with communications beyond the Internet gateway. However, for SSL termination devices extending beyond the trusted subnet, it has become desirable to operate in the so-called “reverse” direction, i.e. outgoing from the “local” intranet to a remote Internet node. The original direction upon inception of such conventional SSL termination devices was for the SSL termination device to accept an HTTPS connection and convert it to an HTTP connection. The next progression is marked by a need for the connection to remain as an HTTPS connection all the way to the actual server. Accordingly, conventional SSL devices were adapted to accept the HTTPS connection, load balance the connection based on information in the clear text of the data it was decoding, then send the connection HTTPS to the intended server. Subsequent user developments triggered a need for all traffic to be HTTPS, such that SSL devices be enabled to accept an HTTP connection and convert it to an HTTPS connection. However, conventional devices typically require knowing the true connection endpoint identity for such capability. For example, the conventional SSL termination device may be configured to accept a connection to a pre-determined IP address, corresponding to the HTTP connection. Upon receipt of the HTTP connection identification, the SSL termination device may send the HTTPS connection to the IP address specified in the configuration. A potential drawback with this conventional approach is the SSL termination device is to be configured for all destination endpoints, which may not be known to the system administrator. Therefore, configurations discussed below substantially overcome the drawbacks associated with conventional SSL termination devices by recognizing that certain communications benefit from or rely on end-to-end encrypted connections from an originator to a destination. In typical conventional networks, an intervening gateway may obscure the endpoint to endpoint key exchange. For example, in conventional SSL termination devices, the gateway converts incoming secure (HTTPS) message traffic to unsecure clear text (HTTP) message traffic. However, the reverse connection is impeded because the recipient destination is needed to establish the secure connection, and is unavailable because the gateway device terminates the outgoing connection in favor of a new HTTPS connection. Since the gateway initiates a new connection to a remote server, and terminates (i.e. acts as an endpoint) for the local connection from the client, a secure connection cannot be initiated because the gateway does not have access to the recipient destination information. One conventional alternative is to enumerate and configure all possible remote destinations to the gateway, but in practice such a mechanism is feasible only for a small number of possible remote destination endpoints. Therefore, particular configurations of the SSL termination device discussed further below need not be configured with the destination IP address or other identity of the recipient endpoint of an HTTP connection. Instead, the SSL termination device is configured on either a global or TCP/IP port basis on the HTTP side of the connection to “analyze” (i.e. by sniffing or parsing, for example) the URL or other identifier available in the HTTP header. Typically, such an identifier enables discovery of the actual hostname of the end system to which the connection is intended. The device configured as disclosed below may perform a DNS lookup on the hostname and employs the IP address obtained from the lookup to forward the HTTPS connection to the obtained address. Accordingly, configurations of the invention are based, in part, on the observation that a gateway device, such as a conventional SSL termination device, cannot generate outgoing secure connections without knowing the true identity of the destination recipient of the connection to generate an end-to-end connection between the SSL terminator and the destination. In other words, conventional SSL termination devices can only support secure connections to a predetermined destination address. It would be beneficial to provide an SSL termination device operable to accept a conventional plaintext (HTTP) connection and convert the connection, via proxy or similar virtual association, to a secure (HTTPS) connection to an arbitrary destination endpoint. Accordingly, configurations of the invention intercept a connection request from the local subnetwork (LAN, VPN, intranet, etc.), identify the intended destination of the connection, and establish a secure HTTPS connection to the intended destination, effectively bridging the local connection and the secure connection to provide an end-to-end connection from a local client to the destination through the gateway device. Configurations of the invention substantially overcome the above-described shortcomings of conventional SSL termination devices by identifying an outgoing secure connection request from a client, and intercepting the connection request to identify the recipient destination in the connection request. The SSL termination device establishes a secure connection using the identified destination, and associates the connections by mapping the intercepted connection request from the client with the secure connection from the SSL terminator to the recipient. The associated connections operate as a proxy link across the SSL termination device. The identified recipient information scanned from the connection request allows the secure connection to the destination, and the mapping allows corresponding message traffic received from the client over the local connection to be mapped to the associated secure connection to the destination. In this manner, configurations disclosed further below link, or associate, the connection from the client to the destination via the SSL terminator in the gateway device maintaining the mapping. In further detail, the method for secure transport intercepts an outgoing connection attempt from a client (i.e. node on a subnet, VPN, intranet, etc.) and identifies a destination from the outgoing connection attempt. The SSL terminator establishes a secure connection using the identified destination from the connection attempt, and establishes the attempted outgoing connection by terminating the outgoing connection attempt, thereby completing the outgoing connection from the client at the SSL terminator. The mapper associates the terminated outgoing connection with the established secure connection continuing on to the destination, in which the association is operable to transfer message traffic intended for the destination over the secure connection in a continuous manner from the detected outgoing connection to the identified destination, using the mapping table to map successive packets and/or frames. The SSL terminator detects the outgoing connection attempt, and scans the connection attempt for a destination identifier indicative of a remote intended recipient. Identifying the destination therefore includes scanning the connection attempt and extracting an identifier indicative of the intended destination, such as a destination IP address. The SSL terminator then terminates (i.e. completes) the outgoing connection attempt by accepting the outgoing connection attempt as a local connection by completing a connection exchange, and emulating the intended destination as an endpoint of the outgoing connection. In the exemplary configuration discussed further below, successive communication over the established connections occurs by identifying data to be transmitted as message traffic via the outgoing connection, receiving the identified data, and redirecting the identified data via the established secure connection. The SSL terminator, therefore, maps data sent from a client, in which the data is intended for transmission via the outgoing connection, to the established secure connection. The SSL terminator therefore transports data between the client and a remote intended destination in a seamless manner via the mapped connection, in which the seamless manner includes receiving data over the established local connection, indexing the secure connection to the identified destination via the mapping, and forwarding the received data to the identified destination via the indexed secure connection. In particular configurations, the established secure connection corresponds to a ciphersuite, and the SSL terminator is operable to identify a ciphersuite, corresponding to the identified destination, indicative of an encryption algorithm operable via the secure connection, and operable to apply the identified ciphersuite to the received data prior to redirecting. Therefore, the SSL terminator first determines if the outgoing connection is intended as a secure connection, and indexes a ciphersuite using the intended destination by indexing a repository of expected destinations. The identified ciphersuite may be, for example, indicative of stronger or weaker encryption algorithms based on the destination. In particular configurations, the SSL terminator correlates the outgoing connection attempt and the established secure connection in a mapping table indicative of local and remote connection attempts, indexes the outgoing connection and the established secure connection to identify outgoing message data on the outgoing connection destined for the identified destination, and links the outgoing connection with the secure connection to forward message data to the destination via the secure connection. Alternate configurations of the invention include a multiprogramming or multiprocessing computerized device such as a workstation, handheld or laptop computer or dedicated computing device or the like configured with software and/or circuitry (e.g., a processor as summarized above) to process any or all of the method operations disclosed herein as embodiments of the invention. Still other embodiments of the invention include software programs such as a Java Virtual Machine and/or an operating system that can operate alone or in conjunction with each other with a multiprocessing computerized device to perform the method embodiment steps and operations summarized above and disclosed in detail below. One such embodiment comprises a computer program product that has a computer-readable medium including computer program logic encoded thereon that, when performed in a multiprocessing computerized device having a coupling of a memory and a processor, programs the processor to perform the operations disclosed herein as embodiments of the invention to carry out data access requests. Such arrangements of the invention are typically provided as software, code and/or other data (e.g., data structures) arranged or encoded on a computer readable medium such as an optical medium (e.g., CD-ROM), floppy or hard disk or other medium such as firmware or microcode in one or more ROM or RAM or PROM chips, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). The software or firmware or other such configurations can be installed onto the computerized device (e.g., during operating system for execution environment installation) to cause the computerized device to perform the techniques explained herein as embodiments of the invention. | 20040922 | 20090120 | 20060323 | 70957.0 | H04L900 | 0 | GELAGAY, SHEWAYE | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR TRANSPARENT ENCRYPTION | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H04L | 2,004 |
|
10,947,324 | ACCEPTED | Snag-resistant fishing lure | The snag-resistant fishing lure is a snag-free fishing lure designed to minimize the chances of the lure becoming ensnared. The lure has a jig and a blade attached to the blade in a configuration that limits the side-to-side movement of the blade, thereby preventing the jig from rolling to a hook-downward position prone to snagging. A centrally aligned hole is positioned close to the front edge of the blade member. An eyelet extending from the jig body is attached through an aperture in the blade. The blade is limited in its side-to-side movement by contact between the blade edge and either the jig body or the eyelet. The limited side-to-side movement of the blade creates a quick, controlled, oscillating blade action that imparts a natural swimming motion to the lure, emulating prey species movements. | 1. A snag-resistant fishing lure, comprising: a jig having a weighted body, a fishing hook extending rearward from the weighted body, and an eyelet extending forward from the body; a blade having a plurality of edges, the edges including at least a first edge, the blade having a mounting hole defined therein along and closely adjacent to the first edge, the jig eyelet being inserted through the blade mounting hole. 2. The snag-resistant fishing lure according to claim 1, further comprising means for attaching a fishing line to said blade. 3. The snag-resistant fishing lure according to claim 2, wherein said means of attaching a fishing line to said blade comprises a pair of holes defined through said blade in close proximity to one another and centrally aligned along said blade, and a snap fastener attached to said blade through said pair of holes. 4. The snag-resistant fishing lure according to claim 1, wherein a pair of holes are defined through said blade in close proximity to one another and centrally aligned along said blade. 5. The snag-resistant fishing lure according to claim 4, further comprising a fishing line fastener attached to said blade through said pair of holes. 6. A snag-resistant fishing lure, comprising: a jig having a weighted body and a fishing hook extending rearward from the weighted body; a blade having a plurality of edges, the edges including at least a first edge; and means for attaching said blade to said weighted body so that the side-to-side movement of said blade is limited. 7. The snag-resistant fishing lure according to claim 6, wherein the side-to-side movement of said blade is limited by contact between the first edge of said blade and said weighted body. 8. The snag-resistant fishing lure according to claim 6, wherein the side-to-side movement of said blade is limited by contact between the first edge of said blade and said eyelet. 9. The snag-resistant fishing lure according to claim 6, further comprising means for attaching a fishing line to said blade. 10. The snag-resistant fishing lure according to claim 9, wherein said means of attaching a fishing line to said blade comprises a pair of holes defined through said blade in close proximity to one another and centrally aligned along said blade, and a snap fastener attached to said blade through said pair of holes. 11. The snag-resistant fishing lure according to claim 6, wherein a pair of holes are defined through said blade in close proximity to one another and centrally aligned along said blade. 12. The snag-resistant fishing lure according to claim 11, further comprising a fishing line fastener attached to said blade through said pair of holes. 13. A snag-resistant fishing lure, comprising: a jig having a weighted body, a fishing hook extending rearward from the weighted body, and an eyelet extending forward from the body; a blade having a plurality of edges, the edges including at least a first edge, the blade being coupled to said weighted body at a point adjacent to the first edge so that side-to-side movement of said blade is limited by contact between the first edge of said blade and said weighted body. 14. The snag-resistant fishing lure according to claim 13, further comprising means for attaching a fishing line to said blade. 15. The snag-resistant fishing lure according to claim 14, wherein said means of attaching a fishing line to said blade comprises a pair of holes defined through said blade in close proximity to one another and centrally aligned along said blade, and a snap fastener attached to said blade through said pair of holes. 16. The snag-resistant fishing lure according to claim 13, wherein a pair of holes are defined through said blade in close proximity to one another and centrally aligned along said blade. 17. The snag-resistant fishing lure according to claim 16, further comprising a fishing line fastener attached to said blade through said pair of holes. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/556,240, filed Mar. 25, 2004. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to fishing lures. More particularly, the invention is a snag-resistant fishing lure having a blade member uniquely attached to a weighted jig body to substantially minimize the risk of losing the lure to an underwater snag and to provide an intense vibrating action as movement through water displaces the blade from side to side. The present fishing lure may be configured to dive or to run toward the water surface on retrieval by varying the position on the blade member where the fishing line is attached. 2. Description of the Related Art Losing a fishing lure to a snag is a common risk faced by virtually all sport fishermen. Numerous jigs are designed to create a high degree of snag-resistance by molding fiber or wire “weed-guards” in front of the hook. Weed-guards effectively lessen the number of snags, but at the expense of lessening the chances of hooking a fish when the fish strikes because the wire weed guard interferes with the fish taking the hook. The fish must first bite through the weed guard, and the pressure against the fish's mouth may be felt by the fish and discourage the fish from taking the hook. In addition to snag-resistance, it is desirable for a fishing jig to include a blade or other feature to create motion, and to reflect light, to give the jig a simulated natural swimming motion resembling a minnow or other food source for the sport fish being sought. While many jigs are designed to attract fish in novel ways, none achieve a controlled vibrating action or address the problem of snagging without the aid of weed-guards in front of the hook point. There is a need for a lure that includes features pertaining to snag avoidance without clumsy weed guards, and which also produces an underwater movement that is attractive to fish. U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,723, issued on Nov. 2, 1.999 to J. Taibi, illustrates a weed shielding spinner type fishing lure that incorporates a wire weed guard to prevent snagging of the lure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,283, issued Apr. 7, 1997 to J. D. Perrick, discloses a fishing lure including a blade having edges that, beginning at the rear edge and going toward the front edge, first converge then diverge towards a blunt, rounded front point, with a hook dressed with feathers, winding thread or the like attached to a rounded rear edge of the blade. The blade includes a slight bend at the rear edge and a slight bend at the front edge, both bends contributing to causing a more life-like motion in the movements of the lure as it is retrieved. U.S. Pat. No. 2,463,889, issued Mar. 8, 1949 to A. C. Lundemo, describes a fishing lure including an elongated spoon having a flat portion, an intermediate portion and a concave portion. A hook is attached to the concave portion and a staple passes through the intermediate portion for the purpose of connecting to a line. The shape of the elongated spoon causes the lure to move in a sporadic and random fashion, as opposed to a rhythmic pattern. U.S. Pat. No. 2,948,984, issued Aug. 16, 1960 to W. Crawford, discloses a fishing lure including a concave spoon having a weighted plug attached to one end and a hook attached to the other end. The spoon also has two holes centrally and longitudinally aligned for the purpose of attaching the lure to a line. The shape of the spoon causes the lure to vibrate depending on the speed of retrieval, thereby attracting fish. Other related patents pertaining to fishing lures include U.S. Pat. No. 1,910,742, issued May 23, 1933 to E. H. Binns (fishing lure including concave spoon and dressed hook attached); U.S. Pat. No. 2,051,978, issued Aug. 25, 1936 to A. C. Accetta (fishing lure including a concave spoon, hook, and fins); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,615, issued May 19, 1992 to A. Drachkovitch (spinning spoon fishing lure, including a blade mounted on a swivel and a flexible shaft having hooks attached). None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a snag-resistant fishing lure solving the aforementioned problems is desired. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The snag-resistant fishing lure comprises a blade member uniquely attached to a weighted jig body to substantially minimize the risk of losing the lure to an underwater snag and to provide an intense vibrating action as movement through water displaces the blade from side to side. The jig itself is a generally conventional jig, comprising a weighted body with a fishing hook extending rearward, and an eyelet extending forward. Such a conventional jig is often made by simply casting the weighted body onto the shank of a fishing hook, with the fishing hook eyelet or a separate eyelet piece extending from the front of the weighted body and the hook portion extending rearward. A centrally aligned hole is positioned close to the front edge of the blade member. The jig eyelet is attached to the blade member through the hole with the hook facing upward. The size of the hole and the proximity of the jig's weighted head to the flat edge keep the hook facing upward, even upon contact with an underwater obstacle. Additionally, the blade is limited in its side-to-side movement by contact between the blade edge and either the jig body or the eyelet. The limited side-to-side movement of the blade creates a quick, controlled, oscillating blade action that imparts a natural swimming motion to the lure, emulating prey species movements. The snag-resistant fishing lure's blade and weighted jig configuration prevents the hook from rolling downward toward potential snagging obstacles on the bottom. The jig hook is maintained in an upright position by the blade during retrieval. In a conventional jig, the head of the jig tends to hit an underwater obstruction first, causing the hook to rotate and snag the obstruction. With the present invention, the hook pivots upward when the jig's head contacts a snag because of the unique coupling mechanism between the blade and the jig. It is not allowed to roll because of the blade's elongated front edge and the proximity of the jig body to the front edge of the blade. Such features greatly reduce the chances of snagging. These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a snag-resistant fishing lure according to the present invention. FIG. 2A is a plan view of a first embodiment of a blade for the fishing lure of the present invention. FIG. 2B is a plan view of a second embodiment of a blade for the fishing lure of the present invention. FIG. 2C is a plan view of an alternative shape of a blade for the fishing lure of the present invention. FIG. 2D is a plan view of an alternative shape of a blade for the fishing lure of the present invention. FIG. 3A is a side view of a blade for the fishing lure of the present invention. FIG. 3B is a side view of a blade for the fishing lure of the present invention, the blade being bent to alter the vibrating action of the blade. FIG. 4A is a side view of the fishing lure according to the present invention using the blade of FIG. 2A. FIG. 4B is a side view of the fishing lure according to the present invention using the blade of FIG. 2B. FIG. 5A is an end view of a fishing lure according to the present invention showing the range of side-to-side motion of the fishing lure's blade limited by the jig's eyelet. FIG. 5B is a: top view of a fishing lure according to the present invention showing the range of side-to-side motion of the fishing lure's blade limited by the jig body. FIG. 6 is an environmental perspective view of a fishing lure according to the present invention showing the snag-resistant operation of the lure. Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention is a snag-resistant fishing lure, designated generally as 10 in the drawings. Referring to FIG. 1, the fishing lure 10 comprises a blade 11 and a jig 20, the blade 11 being attached to the jig 20 in a special configuration whereby the risk of losing the lure to an underwater snag is substantially minimized, and a vibrating action is created as movement of the fishing lure 10 through water displaces the blade 11 from side to side relative to the jig 20. The jig 20 comprises a fishhook 30 and a jig body 22, there being an eyelet 24 extending from the jig body 22. The fishhook 30 has a shank 32, and a hook end 34, the hook end 34 terminating in a barbed point 36. The jig body 22 is molded around the shank 32 of the fishhook 30. The eyelet 24 preferably extends from a front upper area of the jig body 22. The eyelet 24 comprises a wire loop. Considering the hook end 34 of the fishhook 30 to define a plane, the eyelet 24 is generally coplanar to the hook end 34. The blade 11 is attached to the eyelet 24 protruding from the jig body 22. A fishing line 40 is connected to the blade 11 by a snap fastener 42. In use, the fishing lure 10 is pulled through the water by the fishing line 40. The blade 11 may either be swept rearward over the jig 20, as shown in FIG. 1, or may be pulled ahead of the jig 20, depending on the configuration of the blade 11 as will be discussed more fully below. The fishing lure 10 may be dressed, such as with a skirt 50, to disguise the lure 10 as an insect, an underwater creature, or in any way desirable to the fisherman. Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the blade 11 is shown as a generally polygonal flat blade member, constructed of a flat sheet metal, such as stainless steel, brass or the like. Other materials, such as plastic, are also suitable for the blade 11. As seen in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the blade 11 has an elongated hexagonal shape having a first end 12 and a second end 14. The first end 12 has a flat or linear edge of a width approximate to the width of the jig body 22, although the width may vary. The first end 12 is attached to the jig 20 by means of a mounting hole 16 centered along the first end 12. The blade 11 is configured for attachment of a fishing line to the blade 11. In the present embodiment, the blade 11 includes a pair of line attachment holes 18 that are punched through the blade 11 to receive a snap fastener 42 for attachment of a fishing line 40. The line attachment holes 18 are located along the blade's longitudinal axis, and are spaced apart to accept the snap fastener 42. The location of the line attachment holes 18 along the blade's longitudinal axis has a significant effect on the behavior of the fishing lure 10. With the line attachment holes 18 located proximate to the first end 12 and the mounting hole 16, as shown in FIG. 2A, the lure 10 will tend to dive on retrieval, as will be discussed below. Conversely, with the attachment holes 18 located proximate to the second end 14 away from the mounting hole 16, as shown in FIG. 2B, the lure 10 will tend to run toward the water surface on retrieval. Turning now to FIGS. 2C and 2D, it can be appreciated that the blade 11 may have a variety of shapes. The first end 12 (the end attached closest to the jig body 22) may be concave, as seen in FIG. 2C, or convex, as seen in FIG. 2D. The blade 11 may have rounded edges, as seen in FIG. 2C, rather than a polygonal shape, and may have fewer linear edges than the blade of FIGS. 2A and 2B, as seen in FIG. 2D. Turning now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, blade 11 is shown in exaggerated thickness for clarity. The profile of the blade 11 can be varied to affect the behavior of the snag-resistant fishing lure 10. FIG. 3A shows the blade 11 to be flat, while FIG. 3B shows the blade 11 having a bend near the second end 14 of the blade 11. Bending the blade 11 will decrease the effective surface area of the blade 11, decreasing the amount of drag the blade 11 presents as the fishing lure 10 is pulled through the water. It can be appreciated that varying the degree of drag will affect both the tendency of the snag resistant fishing lure 10 to dive or run to the surface, and the tendency of the blade 11 to oscillate from side to side of the snag-resistant fishing lure 10. Decreasing the surface area of the blade 11 has a stabilizing effect on the path of the lure 10, while increasing the surface area of the blade 11 causes the lure 10 to follow a more erratic path. Turning now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the effect on the fishing lure's 10 behavior due to the positioning of the line attachment holes 18 can be clearly seen. In FIG. 4A, the line attachment holes 18 are formed in the blade 11 near the first end 12 of the blade 11, providing a short lever-arm distance from the blade's pivot point at the eyelet 24. Because of the short lever-arm distance between the pull-point on the blade and the eyelet 24, vs. the longer lever-arm distance between the center of drag of the blade 11 (about mid-length of the blade) and the eyelet 24, the blade 11 has a tendency to be swept toward the rear of the jig 20 by water drag, as the lure 10 is pulled through the water. It can be recognized that, with the blade 11 swept back in this configuration, water is deflected upward by the blade 11 as the lure 10 moves forward, creating a tendency for the lure 10 to dive. In FIG. 4B, the line attachment holes 18 are formed in the blade 11 away from the first end 12 of the blade 11, located at a point generally between mid-length of the blade and the second end 14 of the blade 11. With the pull point in this location, the lever-arm distance from the blade's pivot point at the eyelet 24 to the pull point is equal to or greater than the lever-arm distance between the center of drag of the blade 11 and the eyelet 24. Thus, the pulling force on the blade 11 overcomes the drag against the blade, resulting in the blade 11 being pulled ahead of the jig 20. It can be recognized that, with the blade 11 pulled ahead of the jig 20 in this configuration, water is deflected downward by the blade 11 as the lure 10 moves forward, creating a tendency for the lure 10 to run toward the water's surface. It can be appreciated that the action of the lure 10 can be further impacted by the selection of a dressing, such as the skirt 50, which creates additional drag on the jig 20. Thus, in the configuration of FIG. 4A, described to be a “diving” configuration, the addition of a jig dressing that increases the drag of the jig 20 might change the behavior of the lure 10 to become a surface running lure, since with the added drag of the dressing there will be a greater tendency for the blade 11 to be pulled ahead of the jig 20. Turning now to FIGS. 5A and 5B, the fishing lure 10 produces a vibrating action, simulating the movement of small baitfish, as its movement through water displaces the blade 11 from side to side. The blade 11, hinged to the eyelet 24, is free to swing from side to side, but is limited in the range of side-to-side movement. The range of motion of the swinging blade 11 is limited as the first end 12 of the blade 11 contacts the periphery of the eyelet 24, or the jig body 22, preventing its further sideways movement. Referring to FIG. 5A, it can be seen that, with the blade 11 oriented to avoid contact with the jig body 22, the blade 11 is limited in sideways movement by the contact of the first edge 12 with the eyelet 24, as at contact point C1. It can be recognized that the range of sideways movement is related to the proximity of the mounting hole 16 to the first end 12. With the mounting hole 16 closer to the first end 12, a greater range of sideways movement is allowed than with the mounting hole 16 set further back from the first end 12. Additionally, the size of the eyelet 24 will affect the range of sideways movement. Referring to FIG. 5B, it can be seen that, with the blade 11 oriented so that the first end 12 contacts the jig body 22 as a result of the sideways movement of the blade 11, the blade 11 is limited in sideways movement by the contact of the first edge 12 with the jig body 22, as at contact point C2. It can be recognized that the range of sideways movement is related to the proximity of the first end 12 of the blade 11 to the jig body 22. With the first end 12 of the blade 11 closer to the jig body 22, a smaller range of sideways movement is allowed than with the first end 12 of the blade 11 mounted further away from the jig body 22. It can be understood that the proximity of the first end 12 of the blade 11 to the jig body 22 can be varied by varying the size of the eyelet 24, and by extending the eyelet from the jig body 22. The limited range of motion of the blade 11 gives the fishing lure 10 a unique, controlled vibrating action in the water on retrieval of the lure. As the lure 10 is pulled through the water, and the blade 11 oscillates from side to side, the oscillation of the blade 11 in turn causes sideward movement of the jig 20, further imitating the movements of baitfish and small underwater creatures that are attractive to predatory fish. The diameter of the hole 16 should be slightly larger than the diameter of the wire comprising the eyelet 24. The amount of free space remaining in the hole 16 after inserting the jig eyelet 24 should preferably be kept at a minimum, allowing for freedom of movement of the blade 11 about the eyelet 24 but not so much as to allow the lure 10 to roll over and compromise the snag-resistant tendency of the fishing lure 10, as described below. Increasing the size of the hole 16 increases the range of motion available to the blade 11. Turning now to FIG. 6, the snag-resistant nature of the fishing lure 10 is shown. The snag-resistant fishing lure 10 is oriented, on retrieval in the water, with the barbed point 36 of the fishhook 30 upward, toward the water's surface. The blade 11 and the eyelet 24 are also oriented upward. Given the position of the blade 11, the blade 11 acts somewhat as a natural deflector when the lure 10 encounters an obstruction 99 or potential snag. Regardless of whether the blade 11 is configured for a diving action, with the blade 11 swept toward the rear of the jig 20, or in a surface-running configuration, with the blade 11 pulled ahead of the jig 20, the blade 11 will move ahead of the jig 20 if the jig body 22 strikes an obstruction 99. Pulled ahead of the jig body 22, the blade 11 will help to fend the lure 10 off of an obstruction 99. Additionally, as the jig body 22 strikes an obstruction 99, a continued pulling of the blade 11 by the fishing line 40 will tend to cause the hook end 34 of the fishhook 30 to tip upward, maintaining the barbed point 36 upward and away from the obstruction 99. It can be appreciated, in this regard, that a somewhat limited degree of side-to-side movement of the blade 11 relative to the jig 20 will help to keep the jig 20 maintained in its hook-upward position, preventing the barbed point 36 from turning downward on contact with the obstruction 99 and directing the barbed point 36 towards, rather than away from, engaging the obstruction 99. Additionally, given the width of the first end of the blade 11, and it's proximity to the jig body 22, the blade 11 helps to prevent the jig 20 from turning the barbed point 36 downward. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to fishing lures. More particularly, the invention is a snag-resistant fishing lure having a blade member uniquely attached to a weighted jig body to substantially minimize the risk of losing the lure to an underwater snag and to provide an intense vibrating action as movement through water displaces the blade from side to side. The present fishing lure may be configured to dive or to run toward the water surface on retrieval by varying the position on the blade member where the fishing line is attached. 2. Description of the Related Art Losing a fishing lure to a snag is a common risk faced by virtually all sport fishermen. Numerous jigs are designed to create a high degree of snag-resistance by molding fiber or wire “weed-guards” in front of the hook. Weed-guards effectively lessen the number of snags, but at the expense of lessening the chances of hooking a fish when the fish strikes because the wire weed guard interferes with the fish taking the hook. The fish must first bite through the weed guard, and the pressure against the fish's mouth may be felt by the fish and discourage the fish from taking the hook. In addition to snag-resistance, it is desirable for a fishing jig to include a blade or other feature to create motion, and to reflect light, to give the jig a simulated natural swimming motion resembling a minnow or other food source for the sport fish being sought. While many jigs are designed to attract fish in novel ways, none achieve a controlled vibrating action or address the problem of snagging without the aid of weed-guards in front of the hook point. There is a need for a lure that includes features pertaining to snag avoidance without clumsy weed guards, and which also produces an underwater movement that is attractive to fish. U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,723, issued on Nov. 2, 1.999 to J. Taibi, illustrates a weed shielding spinner type fishing lure that incorporates a wire weed guard to prevent snagging of the lure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,283, issued Apr. 7, 1997 to J. D. Perrick, discloses a fishing lure including a blade having edges that, beginning at the rear edge and going toward the front edge, first converge then diverge towards a blunt, rounded front point, with a hook dressed with feathers, winding thread or the like attached to a rounded rear edge of the blade. The blade includes a slight bend at the rear edge and a slight bend at the front edge, both bends contributing to causing a more life-like motion in the movements of the lure as it is retrieved. U.S. Pat. No. 2,463,889, issued Mar. 8, 1949 to A. C. Lundemo, describes a fishing lure including an elongated spoon having a flat portion, an intermediate portion and a concave portion. A hook is attached to the concave portion and a staple passes through the intermediate portion for the purpose of connecting to a line. The shape of the elongated spoon causes the lure to move in a sporadic and random fashion, as opposed to a rhythmic pattern. U.S. Pat. No. 2,948,984, issued Aug. 16, 1960 to W. Crawford, discloses a fishing lure including a concave spoon having a weighted plug attached to one end and a hook attached to the other end. The spoon also has two holes centrally and longitudinally aligned for the purpose of attaching the lure to a line. The shape of the spoon causes the lure to vibrate depending on the speed of retrieval, thereby attracting fish. Other related patents pertaining to fishing lures include U.S. Pat. No. 1,910,742, issued May 23, 1933 to E. H. Binns (fishing lure including concave spoon and dressed hook attached); U.S. Pat. No. 2,051,978, issued Aug. 25, 1936 to A. C. Accetta (fishing lure including a concave spoon, hook, and fins); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,615, issued May 19, 1992 to A. Drachkovitch (spinning spoon fishing lure, including a blade mounted on a swivel and a flexible shaft having hooks attached). None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a snag-resistant fishing lure solving the aforementioned problems is desired. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The snag-resistant fishing lure comprises a blade member uniquely attached to a weighted jig body to substantially minimize the risk of losing the lure to an underwater snag and to provide an intense vibrating action as movement through water displaces the blade from side to side. The jig itself is a generally conventional jig, comprising a weighted body with a fishing hook extending rearward, and an eyelet extending forward. Such a conventional jig is often made by simply casting the weighted body onto the shank of a fishing hook, with the fishing hook eyelet or a separate eyelet piece extending from the front of the weighted body and the hook portion extending rearward. A centrally aligned hole is positioned close to the front edge of the blade member. The jig eyelet is attached to the blade member through the hole with the hook facing upward. The size of the hole and the proximity of the jig's weighted head to the flat edge keep the hook facing upward, even upon contact with an underwater obstacle. Additionally, the blade is limited in its side-to-side movement by contact between the blade edge and either the jig body or the eyelet. The limited side-to-side movement of the blade creates a quick, controlled, oscillating blade action that imparts a natural swimming motion to the lure, emulating prey species movements. The snag-resistant fishing lure's blade and weighted jig configuration prevents the hook from rolling downward toward potential snagging obstacles on the bottom. The jig hook is maintained in an upright position by the blade during retrieval. In a conventional jig, the head of the jig tends to hit an underwater obstruction first, causing the hook to rotate and snag the obstruction. With the present invention, the hook pivots upward when the jig's head contacts a snag because of the unique coupling mechanism between the blade and the jig. It is not allowed to roll because of the blade's elongated front edge and the proximity of the jig body to the front edge of the blade. Such features greatly reduce the chances of snagging. These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. | 20040923 | 20091208 | 20050929 | 95688.0 | 2 | ARK, DARREN W | SNAG-RESISTANT FISHING LURE | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,947,498 | ACCEPTED | Method of early physical design validation and identification of texted metal short circuits in an integrated circuit design | A method and computer program product for early physical design validation and identification of texted metal short circuits in an integrated circuit design includes steps of: (a) receiving as input a representation of an integrated circuit design; (b) receiving as input a physical design rule deck that specifies rule checks to be performed on the integrated circuit design; (c) generating a specific rule deck from the physical design rule deck wherein the specific rule deck includes only physical design rules that are specific to one of identifying texted metal short circuits in the integrated circuit design and power distribution and input/output cell placement in the integrated circuit design; and (d) performing a physical design validation on the integrated circuit design from the specific rule deck. | 1. A method comprising steps of: (a) receiving as input a representation of an integrated circuit design; (b) receiving as input a physical design rule deck that specifies rule checks to be performed on the integrated circuit design; (c) generating a specific rule deck from the physical design rule deck wherein the specific rule deck includes only physical design rules that are specific to one of identifying texted metal short circuits in the integrated circuit design and power distribution and input/output cell placement in the integrated circuit design; and (d) performing a physical design validation on the integrated circuit design from the specific rule deck. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) is performed prior to performing a physical design validation that includes a rule check that is not specific only to one of identifying texted metal short circuits in the integrated circuit design and power distribution and input/output cell placement in the integrated circuit design. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the specific rule deck includes a rule check for at least one of: (1) cells not connected to power (VDD); (2) cells not connected to ground (VSS); (3) power and ground paths closer to each other than a minimum allowed spacing; (4) via/contact spacing less than a minimum allowed spacing; (5) via/contact size less than a minimum metal size; (6) wide power buses that do not have the correct number of slots; (7) metal layer width, spacing and hole dimensions not within allowed range; and (8) input/output cell and core cell regions of the chip exceed maximum allowed limits for a selected technology. 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of generating as output a report file that includes a location of each texted metal short circuit identified in step (d). 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the representation of the integrated circuit design is a Generic Data Stream format file. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the physical design validation is performed by one of a design rule check tool and a layout vs. schematic tool. 7. A computer program product comprising: a medium for embodying a computer program for input to a computer; and a computer program embodied in the medium for causing the computer to perform steps of: (a) receiving as input a representation of an integrated circuit design; (b) receiving as input a physical design rule deck that specifies rule checks to be performed on the integrated circuit design; (c) generating a specific rule deck from the physical design rule deck wherein the specific rule deck includes only physical design rules that are specific to one of identifying texted metal short circuits in the integrated circuit design and power distribution and input/output cell placement in the integrated circuit design; and (d) performing a physical design validation on the integrated circuit design from the specific rule deck. 8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein step (d) is performed prior to performing a physical design validation that includes a rule check that is not specific only to one of identifying texted metal short circuits in the integrated circuit design and power distribution and input/output cell placement in the integrated circuit design. 9. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the specific rule deck includes a rule check for at least one of: (1) cells not connected to power (VDD); (2) cells not connected to ground (VSS); (3) power and ground paths closer to each other than a minimum allowed spacing; (4) via/contact spacing less than a minimum allowed spacing; (5) via/contact size less than a minimum metal size; (6) wide power buses that do not have the correct number of slots; (7) metal layer width, spacing and hole dimensions not within allowed range; and (8) input/output cell and core cell regions of the chip exceed maximum allowed limits for a selected technology. 10. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising a step of generating as output a report file that includes a location of each texted metal short circuit identified in step (d). 11. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the representation of the integrated circuit design is a Generic Data Stream format file. 12. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the physical design validation is performed by one of a design rule check tool and a layout vs. schematic tool. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to the design of integrated circuits. More specifically, but without limitation thereto, the present invention relates to methods of verifying an integrated circuit design to ensure adherence to process rules and overall manufacturability of the integrated circuit design for a specific technology. 2. Description of Related Art Physical design validation of an integrated circuit design is an important aspect of the overall design flow. The physical design verification step ensures that the design of the integrated circuit die complies to all process rules and that any additional required steps specific to manufacturability for a selected technology have been performed, for example, metal utilization. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect of the present invention, a method of early physical design validation and identification of texted metal short circuits in an integrated circuit design includes steps of: (a) receiving as input a representation of an integrated circuit design; (b) receiving as input a physical design rule deck that specifies rule checks to be performed on the integrated circuit design; (c) generating a specific rule deck from the physical design rule deck wherein the specific rule deck includes only physical design rules that are specific to one of identifying texted metal short circuits in the integrated circuit design and power distribution and input/output cell placement in the integrated circuit design; and (d) performing a physical design validation on the integrated circuit design from the specific rule deck. In another aspect of the present invention, a computer program product for early physical design validation and identification of texted metal short circuits in an integrated circuit design includes: a medium for embodying a computer program for input to a computer; and a computer program embodied in the medium for causing the computer to perform steps of: (a) receiving as input a representation of an integrated circuit design; (b) receiving as input a physical design rule deck that specifies rule checks to be performed on the integrated circuit design; (c) generating a specific rule deck from the physical design rule deck wherein the specific rule deck includes only physical design rules that are specific to one of identifying texted metal short circuits in the integrated circuit design and power distribution and input/output cell placement in the integrated circuit design; and (d) performing a physical design validation on the integrated circuit design from the specific rule deck. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements throughout the several views of the drawings, and in which: FIG. 1 illustrates a computer display of a texted metal short circuit identified by a layout vs. schematic tool according to the prior art; FIG. 2 illustrates a computer software diagram of early physical design validation and identification of texted metal short circuits in an integrated circuit design according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of a method of early physical design validation and identification of texted metal short circuits in an integrated circuit design according to an embodiment of the present invention. Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to point out distinctive features in the illustrated embodiments of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS The physical design validation of an integrated circuit design ensures that all spatial constraints are satisfied for the traces and devices formed in various layers of an integrated circuit die. The structures formed in the several layers of an integrated circuit die are typically represented in a GDS2 (Generic Data Stream) format file that contains the chip topological information for creating the masks used in manufacturing the integrated circuit dies. The GDS2 format is an industry standard used by commercially available physical verification tools to represent physical design data. Physical design validation is typically performed at the very end of the design cycle, that is, when all components of the integrated circuit design have been placed and routed. A problem with placing the physical design validation step at the end of the design flow is that a design fault detected so late might reset the time schedule for the entire integrated circuit design, depending on the severity of the problem. The design may have to be re-floorplanned, and the entire design cycle may have to be reiterated. To avoid the disadvantages of late detection of design defects, a physical validation tool may be run on the GDS2 file during the early evolution of the design instead of at the end of the design cycle. Unfortunately, performing an early physical design validation with an entire set of process design rules for a specific technology would require a substantial amount of computer processing time that would severely impact the product turnaround time. Also, a large number of design errors would be falsely reported as design rule violations due to the incomplete circuit design, making it difficult to sort out the design errors that need to be corrected before the circuit design is completed. Examples of a physical validation tool are a design rule check (DRC) tool and a layout vs. schematic (LVS) tool. A commercially available physical validation tool that includes a design rule check tool and a layout vs. schematic tool is the Calibre tool, which is available from Mentor Graphics Corporation. The method of the present invention provides design rules that may be used in conjunction with a design rule check tool and/or a layout vs. schematic tool in an early stage of the physical design to detect design rule violations in floorplanning, including input/output cell placement and construction and power distribution and power map structure. Also, texted metal short circuits may be identified most advantageously in the early or evolutionary aspects of the design flow, however, the identification of texted metal short circuits may be used at any point in the physical design validation flow. For example, texted metal short circuits may be identified in the power map in the early aspects of the design flow, advantageously reducing the computer processing time required to validate an integrated circuit design. The power map is created early in the design flow and should be consistent throughout the evolution of the design. Otherwise, there may be components in the integrated circuit design that are not connected to power and ground, or severe voltage droop may occur at some components in the integrated circuit design, and so on. If the power map is not validated early in the design flow, design defects may result in costly schedule delays and unacceptable turnaround time. Previous methods of physical design validation do not check the physical design in the early stages of the design flow only from the perspective of metal short circuits or a limited subset of the process design rules for example, to ensure metal utilization compliance within the input/output cells and metal spacing and width constraints. However, a typical integrated circuit design may have a large amount of routing information created automatically and by manual entry, which greatly increases the likelihood of design rule violations such as a metal short circuit in the design. A metal short circuit is simply a metal connection between two different signal or power sources. An important example of a problematic metal short circuit is one between the supply voltage (VDD) and ground (VSS). A typical layout vs. schematic tool uses several input files that are used in conjunction with a rule deck to detect design rule violations. One such file is the pad reference file. The pad reference file is used to associate a signal source location with a text name, for example: TEXT “VDD: P” −4663.23 1918.53 96 TEXT “VSS: G” −4663.23 1836.53 96 The layout vs. schematic tool places the text signal names from the pad reference file, in this example, VDD and VSS, on the chip at the corresponding numerical XYZ coordinates associated with the text signal names. The coordinates are located on the bond site of each I/O pad cell in the chip. The layout vs. schematic tool traverses the GDS2 design file to ensure that there are no conflicting text entries on the net being traversed. For example, if a net has been texted, that is, named, with the text entry “CLK”, then the rest of the net is traversed to ensure that there are no conflicting text entries on the net being traversed. A piece of metal in the chip that connects two different signal sources results in a “texted” metal short circuit. Identifying texted metal short circuits in the physical design is a universal approach adopted in the industry to validate the physical design of an integrated circuit from a layout vs. schematic perspective. However, previous methods of physical design validation include design rules for detecting texted metal short circuits with all the other physical design rules used to validate the entire integrated circuit design, resulting in a less than optimum turnaround time for the integrated circuit design flow. FIG. 1 illustrates a computer display 100 of a texted metal short circuit identified by a layout vs. schematic tool according to the prior art. Shown in the computer display 100 are text signal names 102 and 104 and a highlighted path 106. In FIG. 1, the computer display 100 shows the text signal names 102 (VDD:P) and 104 (VSS:G) and the highlighted path 106 that connects them. The metal short circuit may be anywhere along the highlighted path 106. The exact location of the metal short circuit is typically included in a report file generated by the layout vs. schematic tool. Because the layout vs. schematic tool is typically not employed until near the end of the design cycle, texted metal short circuits may not be detected until late in the design after a large amount of computer time has already been invested. The method of the present invention exploits the capability of the layout vs. schematic tool to detect metal short circuits by reducing the standard design rule deck used for physical design validation to include only those design rules needed to detect texted metal short circuits. The physical design validation step is then performed on the reduced rule deck early in the integrated circuit design cycle. In one aspect of the present invention, a method includes steps of: (a) receiving as input a representation of an integrated circuit design; (b) receiving as input a physical design rule deck that specifies rule checks to be performed on the integrated circuit design; (c) generating a specific rule deck from the physical design rule deck wherein the specific rule deck includes only physical design rules that are specific to one of identifying texted metal short circuits in the integrated circuit design and power distribution and input/output cell placement in the integrated circuit design; and (d) performing a physical design validation on the integrated circuit design from the specific rule deck. FIG. 2 illustrates a computer software diagram 200 of a method of early physical design validation and detection of texted metal short circuits according to an embodiment of the present invention. Shown in FIG. 2 are a hard macro file 202, a chip level file 204, a pad reference file 205, a stream-out tool 206, a hard macro cell GDS2 description file 208, a chip level cell GDS2 description file 210, an early design rule check and texted metal short circuit verification environment 212, a specific rule deck 214, a validation tool 216, report/summary/log files 218, a place and route environment 222, a report file parser 224, a design database update tool 226, and a design database 228. The hard macro file 202, the chip level file 204, and the pad reference file 205 are generated by a circuit designer according to well known integrated circuit design techniques. The stream-out tool 206 generates the hard macro cell GDS2 description file 208 and the chip level cell GDS2 description file 210 according to well known techniques from the hard macro file 202 and the chip level file 204. The GDS2 description files 208 and 210 define the structures formed in the several layers of an integrated circuit die in a format that contains the chip topological information used for creating the masks used in manufacturing the integrated circuit dies. The early design rule check and texted metal short circuit verification environment 212 includes the specific rule deck 214, the validation tool 216, and the report/summary/log files 218. The specific deck 214 is an important feature of the present invention, because the specific rule deck 214 includes only rules that are specific to the detection of texted metal short circuits and/or rules that are specific to, for example, metal utilization within the input/output cells, power map metal spacing and width constraints associated with the metal layers used in the power map, via structures in the integrated circuit design, and metal slots used in the integrated circuit design. The reduced number of design rules used in the specific rule deck 214 compared to a general design rule deck advantageously reduces the run time required to perform a physical design validation on the integrated circuit design, and can detect design errors that may be corrected before investing the time required to generate and validate the entire integrated circuit design. The specific rule deck may be a separate rule deck that only includes rules that are specific to the detection of texted metal short circuits, or the specific rule deck may be a separate rule deck that includes only rule violations that are specific to an early design rule check (DRCO), for example, metal utilization within the input/output cells, power map metal spacing and width constraints associated with the metal layers used in the power map, via structures in the integrated circuit design, and metal slots used in the integrated circuit design. The specific rule deck may also be a combination of the separate rule decks. Examples of design rules for inclusion in the specific rule deck that are specific to the early detection of design rule violations for a selected integrated circuit manufacturing technology include but are not limited to: (1) cells not connected to power (VDD); (2) cells not connected to ground (VSS); (3) power and ground paths closer to each other than a minimum allowed spacing; (4) via/contact spacing less than a minimum allowed spacing; (5) via/contact size less than a minimum metal size; (6) wide power buses that do not have the correct number of slots; (7) metal layer width, spacing and hole dimensions not within allowed range; and (8) I/O and core regions of the chip exceed maximum allowed limits for the selected technology. The specific rule deck 214 may be, for example, a text file that implements the various rule requirements in a rule format such as the Standard Verification Rule Format (SVRF) commonly used by commercially available physical design validation tools. The validation tool 216 may be, for example, a design rule check (DRC) tool and/or a layout vs. schematic (LVS) tool. An exemplary validation tool is Calibre, a commercially available software program from Mentor Graphics Corporation that validates the adherence of the integrated circuit design to the rules specified in the design rule deck. The report/summary/log files 218 are generated by the validation tool 216 and include a summary of the design rule checks performed on the integrated circuit design and the number of violations detected for each of the design rules. The report/summary/log files 218 also provide the precise locations of each of the texted metal short circuits detected in the integrated circuit design so that the circuit designer can readily correct design defects in an efficient manner. The report file parser 224 parses the report/summary/log files 218 according to well known techniques to provide the circuit designer with the information needed to correct the rule violations. The design database update tool 226 may be, for example, a commercially available software tool used to update the design database 228 with the corrections to the integrated design. FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart 300 of a method of early physical design validation and identification of texted metal short circuits in an integrated circuit design according to an embodiment of the present invention. Step 302 is the entry point of the flow chart 600. In step 304, a representation of an integrated circuit design is received as input. In this example, the representation is a GDS2 design database, however, other formats for representing a circuit design may also be used to practice the present invention within the scope of the appended claims. In step 306, a physical design rule deck is received as input specifying rule checks to be performed on the entire integrated circuit design by a layout vs. schematic tool. In step 308, a specific rule deck is generated from the physical design rule deck that includes only rule checks that are specific to identifying texted metal short circuits in the integrated circuit design and/or input/output cell placement, power distribution and power map structure in the integrated circuit design. Alternatively, the specific rule deck may be generated directly as described above in Standard Verification Rule Format (SVRF). In step 310, a physical design validation is performed on the integrated circuit design from the specific rule deck to identify rule violations in the integrated circuit design. The physical design validation may be performed according to well known techniques, for example, by a design rule check tool and/or a layout vs. schematic tool. In step 312, report/summary/log files are generated as output that include the precise location of each texted metal short circuit identified in step 310. The circuit designer may then make the appropriate corrections to the integrated circuit design database. Step 314 is the exit point of the flow chart 300. As may be appreciated from the above, the method of the present invention provides a flexible and robust architecture that can accommodate both in-house and third-party physical design validation tools and can work with a wide variety of computer resources. Although the method of the present invention illustrated by the flowchart description above is described and shown with reference to specific steps performed in a specific order, these steps may be combined, sub-divided, or reordered without departing from the scope of the claims. Unless specifically indicated herein, the order and grouping of steps is not a limitation of the present invention. The steps described above with regard to the flow chart described above may also be implemented by instructions performed on a computer according to well-known computer programming techniques. In another aspect of the present invention, a computer program product includes: a medium for embodying a computer program for input to a computer; and a computer program embodied in the medium for causing the computer to perform steps of: (a) receiving as input a representation of an integrated circuit design; (b) receiving as input a physical design rule deck that specifies rule checks to be performed on the integrated circuit design; (c) generating a specific rule deck from the physical design rule deck wherein the specific rule deck includes only physical design rules that are specific to one of identifying texted metal short circuits in the integrated circuit design and power distribution and input/output cell placement in the integrated circuit design; and (d) performing a physical design validation on the integrated circuit design from the specific rule deck. While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to the design of integrated circuits. More specifically, but without limitation thereto, the present invention relates to methods of verifying an integrated circuit design to ensure adherence to process rules and overall manufacturability of the integrated circuit design for a specific technology. 2. Description of Related Art Physical design validation of an integrated circuit design is an important aspect of the overall design flow. The physical design verification step ensures that the design of the integrated circuit die complies to all process rules and that any additional required steps specific to manufacturability for a selected technology have been performed, for example, metal utilization. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In one aspect of the present invention, a method of early physical design validation and identification of texted metal short circuits in an integrated circuit design includes steps of: (a) receiving as input a representation of an integrated circuit design; (b) receiving as input a physical design rule deck that specifies rule checks to be performed on the integrated circuit design; (c) generating a specific rule deck from the physical design rule deck wherein the specific rule deck includes only physical design rules that are specific to one of identifying texted metal short circuits in the integrated circuit design and power distribution and input/output cell placement in the integrated circuit design; and (d) performing a physical design validation on the integrated circuit design from the specific rule deck. In another aspect of the present invention, a computer program product for early physical design validation and identification of texted metal short circuits in an integrated circuit design includes: a medium for embodying a computer program for input to a computer; and a computer program embodied in the medium for causing the computer to perform steps of: (a) receiving as input a representation of an integrated circuit design; (b) receiving as input a physical design rule deck that specifies rule checks to be performed on the integrated circuit design; (c) generating a specific rule deck from the physical design rule deck wherein the specific rule deck includes only physical design rules that are specific to one of identifying texted metal short circuits in the integrated circuit design and power distribution and input/output cell placement in the integrated circuit design; and (d) performing a physical design validation on the integrated circuit design from the specific rule deck. | 20040922 | 20061212 | 20060323 | 92423.0 | G06F1750 | 24 | WHITMORE, STACY | METHOD OF EARLY PHYSICAL DESIGN VALIDATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF TEXTED METAL SHORT CIRCUITS IN AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DESIGN | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | G06F | 2,004 |
|
10,947,514 | ACCEPTED | Vent chamber | A device is disclosed. In one example embodiment, the device includes a fluid ejection mechanism, a reservoir, and a pump configured to pump fluid between the fluid ejection mechanism and the reservoir. A vent chamber is fluidly coupled to the reservoir. | 1. A device, comprising: a fluid ejection mechanism; a reservoir; a pump configured to pump fluid between the fluid ejection mechanism and the reservoir; a vent chamber fluidly coupled to the reservoir, the vent chamber having a port exposed to atmosphere. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluid ejection mechanism comprises an inkjet print head. 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the vent chamber comprises: a cavity having a bottom surface; a recess formed in the bottom surface; a fluidic interface at least partially disposed in the recess. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the vent chamber comprises a cavity having at least two walls formed therein. 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the vent chamber has a bottom surface that is sloped relative to the direction of gravity. 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the vent chamber comprises: a fluid interface; a bottom surface sloped in the direction of gravity, the fluid interface disposed adjacent a lower portion of the bottom surface. 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the vent chamber comprises: a fluid interface at a first side of the chamber; the port being at the first side of the chamber. 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir has first and second ports, the first port being coupled to the pump and the second port being coupled to the vent chamber. 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the vent chamber includes a cavity having a bottom surface and wall formed within the cavity and extending in a direction divergent from the bottom surface. 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the vent chamber comprises: a cavity; a fluid interface in fluid communication with the cavity and the reservoir; a labyrinth in fluid communication with the cavity and in fluid communication to atmosphere. 11. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of fluid ejection mechanisms coupled to the pump; a plurality of reservoirs coupled to the pump a plurality of vent chambers, each vent chamber being fluidly coupled to at least one of the reservoirs. 12. The device of claim 11, wherein at least one of the reservoirs has black ink disposed therein and the vent chamber fluidly coupled to the reservoir having black ink disposed therein is larger than at least one of the other vent chambers. 13. The device of claim 1, wherein the vent chamber comprises an absorber. 14. The device of claim 1, wherein the vent chamber comprises a cavity having an annular boss disposed therein, the annular boss being hollow and in fluid communication with the port. 15. The device of claim 1, wherein the vent chamber further comprises a cavity defined by top and bottom surfaces and at least one side surface, the bottom surface being oriented at an angle in the range of 4 to 15 degrees relative to the side surface. 16. The device of claim 1, further comprising: top and bottom surfaces of the vent chamber; a shelf disposed within the vent chamber between the top and bottom surfaces of the vent chamber; a fluidic interface fluidly exposed to the vent chamber between the shelf and the bottom surface of the vent chamber. 17. An imaging device, comprising: a print head; a pump coupled to the print head; ink supplies coupled to the pump for delivering ink to and receiving ink from the print head under influence of the pump, wherein at least two of the ink supplies contain ink of a different color; a receptacle having cavities, individual ones of the cavities being fluidly coupled to individual ones of the ink supplies. 18. The imaging device of claim 17, wherein the individual cavities are fluidly coupled to the individual ink supplies via tubes. 19. The imaging device of claim 17, wherein each of the cavities is fluidly coupled to at least one of the ink supplies at a first port and is exposed to atmosphere at a second port. 20. The imaging device of claim 17, further comprising labyrinths, each labyrinth having a first end exposed to atmosphere and a second end exposed at one of the cavities. 21. The imaging device of claim 17, wherein the receptacle further comprises an absorbent material. 22. The imaging device of claim 17, wherein the receptacle further comprises a plurality of fluidic interfaces disposed on a common exterior surface of the receptacle. 23. A device, comprising: a print head; a reservoir having ink therein, the reservoir in fluid communication with the print head; means for coalescing ink, the means for coalescing ink being fluidly coupled to the reservoir and configured to receive froth from the reservoir and to return ink to the reservoir. 24. A method comprising: moving ink from a print head assembly into a first container; moving the ink from the first container to a second container, wherein the ink moved from the first container to the second container includes froth; permitting at least a portion of the froth to coalesce within the second container; moving at least a portion of the coalesced ink from the second container to the first container. 25. The method of claim 24 wherein the moving the ink from the print head assembly is performed by a pump via a tube. 26. The method of claim 24, wherein the moving ink from the print head assembly further comprises moving inks of different colors from the print head assembly. 27. The method of claim 24, further comprising moving at least a portion of the coalesced ink from the first container to the print head assembly. 28. The method of claim 24, further comprising exposing the ink and froth in the second container to atmosphere. 29. The method of claim 24, further comprising exposing the ink and froth in the second container to atmosphere via a labyrinth. 30. A container, comprising: cavities; labyrinths, each cavity being in fluid communication with an associated one of the labyrinths by an aperture; recesses disposed around each aperture; relief conduits, each relief conduit disposed adjacent to and not in fluid communication with an associated one of the recesses. 31. The container of claim 30, further comprising an absorber disposed in the container. 32. The container of claim 30, further comprising fluidic interfaces, each fluid interface in fluid communication with one of the cavities. 33. The container of claim 30, wherein the cavities each have a shelf disposed therein. 34. The container of claim 30, wherein each of the cavities comprises: a fluidic interface; a sloped bottom surface having a lower end adjacent the fluidic interface and an upper end elevated above the fluidic interface. 35. The container of claim 30, wherein each of the cavities comprises: a fluidic interface; a bottom surface having a groove formed therein; the fluidic interface being at least partially disposed in the groove. 36. The container of claim 30, further comprising a clip disposed on an external surface thereof. 37. The container of claim 30, further comprising a hollow boss disposed at least one of the cavities and in fluid communication with at least one of the apertures. 38. A container, comprising: a cavity having top and bottom surfaces; a wall disposed in the cavity between the top surface and the bottom surface; an aperture in fluid communication with the cavity, the aperture between the wall and the bottom surface. 39. The container of claim 38, wherein a distance between the wall and the bottom surface varies in linear fashion. 40. The container of claim 38, wherein a distance between the wall and the bottom surface is at a minimum at a location adjacent the aperture. 41. The container of claim 38, wherein the wall and the bottom surface have different slopes. 42. The container of claim 38, wherein a distance between the wall and the bottom surface increases with a distance away from the aperture. 43. The container of claim 38, further comprising an absorber. 44. The container of claim 38, further comprising a recess formed in the bottom surface adjacent the aperture. 45. A container, comprising: a body; a cavity formed in the body; an aperture formed in the body in fluid communication with the cavity, the aperture having an opening at a surface of the body; a recess formed in the surface and in fluid communication with the aperture; a first groove formed in the surface in fluid communication with the recess; a second groove formed in the surface adjacent the recess, but not in fluid communication with the recess. 46. The container of claim 45, further comprising a cover disposed over the opening of the aperture, the recess, and at least a portion of the first and second grooves. 47. The container of claim 45, further comprising a cover disposed over the opening of the aperture, the recess, and at least a portion of the first and second grooves, wherein portions of the first and second grooves are not covered by the cover. 48. The container of claim 45, wherein the aperture is in the recess. 49. The container of claim 45, wherein the first groove comprises a labyrinth. 50. The container of claim 45, further comprising a cover disposed over the opening of the aperture, the recess, and at least a portion of the first and second grooves such that when a pressure within the recess exceeds a threshold pressure, the cover will detach from the surface between the recess and the second groove. | BACKGROUND In inkjet printing, froth is sometimes generated as ink travels through an ink delivery system. This froth may be undesirable in some applications where it is difficult to print with froth. Also, the froth may consume volume within the ink supply system that could otherwise be consumed by ink. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a portion of an imaging device in accordance with an example embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a portion of an imaging device in accordance with another example embodiment. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a vent chamber in accordance with an example embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the vent chamber of FIG. 3 in accordance with an example embodiment. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a vent chamber in accordance with another example embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the vent chamber of FIG. 5 in accordance with an example embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method in accordance with an example embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a portion of an imaging device 100 in accordance with an example embodiment. The imaging device 100 generally includes a print head assembly 102, a pump 104, a reservoir 106, and a vent chamber 108. A controller 112 controls operation of the pump 104, the print head assembly 102, and media input system 114. The media input system 114 may comprise rollers, belts, or the like and advances media 118 from the media input system 114, through a print zone 120, to the media output 116. The print head assembly 102 generally ejects fluid, such as ink, onto the media 118 while the media 118 is in the print zone 120 to at least partially form an image on the media 118. The print head assembly 102 is a fluid ejection mechanism and is shown as including at least one print head 124 and a cavity 126 that may include ink 128. The print head 124 is configured to eject fluid, such as ink, according to input received from the controller 112. A fluid conduit 130, such as a flexible tube, extends between the print head assembly 102 and the pump 104 and serves to permit ink, air, and froth to travel between the print head assembly 102 and the pump 104. A fluid conduit 132 is also disposed between the pump 104 and the reservoir 106 to permit ink, air, and froth to travel between the pump 104 and the reservoir 106. In some embodiments, the tubes 130, 132 comprise distinct, separate tubes. In other embodiments, however, the tubes 130, 132 comprise a single tube that extends through the pump 104. The pump 104 may comprise, for example, a peristaltic pump. The reservoir 106 has fluidic interfaces 140, 142, respectively coupled to fluid conduits 132, 134. As shown in FIG. 1, the reservoir 106 also has a supply of ink 144 disposed therein. In some embodiments, the pump 104 may advance ink 144 from the reservoir 106 to the print head assembly 102. The pump 104 may also advance ink, air, and froth, from the print head assembly 102 to the reservoir 106. Further, in accordance with some example embodiments, the reservoir 106 comprises a component that is easily removed and replaced such that the quantity of ink in the device 100 may be increased by removing a reservoir 106 that is partially or substantially empty and replacing it with a reservoir 106 that is full, or substantially full of ink or other suitable fluid. The vent chamber 108 includes at least one fluidic interface 150 coupled to the conduit 134 and a port 152 exposed to atmosphere. As discussed below, in some embodiments, the port 152 may include a labyrinth structure. The vent chamber 108 is further shown in FIG. 1 as including a cavity 160 and sloped bottom surface 162. The cavity 160 may include, for example, ink 164, froth 166, air 168, or a combination of these. The bottom surface 162 is sloped such that the fluidic interface 150 is positioned at or adjacent a lower end of the sloped bottom surface 162 so that most of the ink 164 can be drawn into the conduit 134 before significant amounts of froth 166 or air 168. The sloping of the bottom surface 162 is optional. The vent chamber 108, in some embodiments, may serve as an overflow container and provides a location for froth 166 to accumulate and coalesce into ink 164. Moreover, in some embodiments, the ink 164 may then be transported back to the print head assembly 102 for printing. In the example embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the ink 164 is transported from the vent chamber 108 to the print head assembly 102 via the conduits 134, 132, and 130 under influence of the pump 104. FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a portion of an imaging device 200 in accordance with another example embodiment. The imaging device 200 generally includes a print head assembly 202, a pump 204, reservoirs 206a, 206b, 206c, 206n, and vent chambers 208a-n. A controller 212 controls operation of the pump 204, the print head assembly 202, and media input system 214. The media input system 214 and media output 216 may be configured similar to the media input system 114 and the media output 116 described above. Each of the reservoirs 206a-n may be configured identically to the reservoir 106 described above. The print head assembly 202 is a fluid ejection mechanism similar to the print head assembly 102 described above and is shown as including at least one print head 224 and cavities 226a, 226b, 226c, and 226n that may include ink 228 and air 229. The print head 224 is configured to eject fluid, such as ink, according to input received from the controller 212. In some embodiments, the print head assembly 202 includes multiple print heads 224, each print head may be associated with an ink of a different color. Fluid conduits 230, which may comprise flexible tubes, extend between the print head assembly 202 and the pump 204 and serve to permit ink, air, and froth to travel between the print head assembly 202 and the pump 204. Fluid conduits 232 are also disposed between the pump 204 and the reservoirs 206a-n to permit ink, air, and froth to travel between the pump 204 and the reservoirs 206a-n. The pump 204 may comprise a single pump or multiple pumps. In some embodiments, the pump 204 comprises a peristaltic pump. Each of the reservoirs 206a-n is fluidly coupled to an associated vent chamber 208a-n via one of the fluid conduits 234. In one embodiment, each of the vent chambers 208a-n is configured identical to the vent chamber 108 described above with reference to FIG. 1. The vent chambers 208a-n may be discrete, separate members. Alternatively, the vent chambers 208a-n may be co-housed and may share walls. In an example embodiment, the vent chambers 208a-n are arranged vertically relative to each other and are molded together as a plastic part. The specific configuration and material used to form the vent chambers 208a-n may, of course, vary. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate an example embodiment of a vent chamber 300. The vent chamber 300 may be used in an imaging device, such as the imaging device 200 shown in FIG. 2 by replacing the vent chambers 208a-n. As shown, the vent chamber 300 includes cavities 302a, 302b, 302c, 302d, 302e, 302f. Fluidic interfaces 306 are formed in the vent chamber 300. Each fluidic interface 306 is in fluid communication with one of the cavities 302a-f. The fluidic interfaces 306 may be coupled to fluid conduits, such as fluid conduits 234 (FIG. 2), to fluidly couple one of the cavities 302a-f to one of the reservoirs 206a-n. As shown, the fluidic interfaces 306 are vertically aligned, adjacent each other and are formed on a common side of the vent chamber 300 to facilitate coupling of fluid conduits to the fluid interfaces 306. The fluidic interfaces 306 may each comprise an aperture leading into an associated cavity. In some embodiments, the fluidic interfaces also comprise barbs or the like for facilitating coupling of a tube or other suitable conduit thereto. An optional clip 310 is provided to maintain fluid conduits (not shown), such as conduits 234 (FIG. 2) while the conduits 234 are coupled to the interfaces 306. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the clip 310 is formed on a same side of the vent chamber 300 as the fluidic interfaces 306. Each of the cavities 302a-f includes a bottom surface 312 that is sloped downward toward a fluidic interface 306. In an example embodiment, the bottom surface 312 is oriented at an angle in the range of about 3 to 15 degrees relative to side surface 318. In another embodiment, the bottom surface oriented at an angle in the range of about 5-10 degrees relative to the side surface 318. For each cavity, the lower portion or end of the bottom surface 312 is at or adjacent a fluidic interface 306. The slope of the bottom surface 312 assists ink, such as coalesced ink, in one of the cavities 302a-f to flow to the associated fluidic interface 306 under the influence of gravity. This may facilitate moving ink in one of the cavities 302a-f to an associated reservoir, such as one of the reservoirs 206a-n (FIG. 2). A recessed portion 313 of the surface 312 may also be formed adjacent each interface 306 and may provide a location for ink, such as coalesced ink, to pool. In some embodiments, each interface 306 is at least partially disposed within the recessed portion. Each of the cavities 302a-f also includes a port 320. Each port 320 fluidly couples an associated cavity to atmosphere. In the embodiment shown, the ports 320 each include a boss 322 that extends into an associated cavity. The bosses 322 in some embodiments have a height dimension that is about half as great as the depth of the bottom surfaces 312. The bosses 322, in some embodiments, may limit ink from passing through the port 320 in situations where there is ink in the cavity and a back surface 326 of the cavity is substantially horizontal or tipped substantially away from the normal vertical orientation. Further, each of the ports 320 may be exposed to atmosphere via a labyrinth 340. The labyrinths 340 may be formed by grooves in a rear surface 350 of the vent chamber 300, such as by molding, and then covering the grooves with a suitable cover 352 (shown in phantom lines), such as a pressure sensitive adhesive tape, for example. The labyrinth 340 permits air to vent to atmosphere, but limits the flow of ink or froth out of the vent chamber 300. A recess 321 is formed in the rear surface 350 of the vent chamber 300 around each of the ports 320. Each recess 321 is in direct fluid communication with an associated labyrinth 340. A relief groove 323 is formed in the rear surface 350 of the vent chamber adjacent each recess 321, but not in fluid communication with the associated recess 321. In this configuration, if a labyrinth 340 becomes clogged, blocked, or otherwise limited in ability to adequately vent from the port 320 to atmosphere, pressure within the recess 321 may increase, thereby lifting the cover 352 slightly from around the recess 321. When the cover 352 lifts from around the recess 321, the cover 352 becomes disconnected from the portion of the rear surface 350 disposed between the relief groove 323 and the recess to permit fluid to pass from the port 320 to atmosphere via the relief groove 323. Hence, the labyrinth 340 may serve as a primary conduit for venting the port 320 to atmosphere and the relief groove 323 may serve as a secondary conduit for venting the port 320 to atmosphere when the labyrinth 340 is blocked. A cover (not shown) is also disposed opposite the back surface 326 to maintain the ink, air, froth, or combination of these, within the cavities 302a-f. The vent chamber 300 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 may comprise a plastic molded part and the cover 360 may comprise a film, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive tape or other suitable cover. In operation, froth is advanced into one or more of the cavities 302a-f via a fluidic interface 306. While in the cavity, the froth may coalesce into liquid ink. Excess air may be expelled to atmosphere via an associated port 320. The liquid ink flows down the surface 312 to the interface 306. From the interface 306, the ink may be advanced to a reservoir and/or print head. FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a vent chamber 500, pursuant to another example embodiment. The vent chamber 500 may be used in an imaging device, such as the imaging device 200 shown in FIG. 2 by replacing the vent chambers 208a-n. As shown, the vent chamber 500 includes cavities 502a, 502b, 502c, 502d, 502e, 502f. Fluidic interfaces 506 are formed in the vent chamber 500. Each fluidic interface 506 is in fluid communication with one of the cavities 502a-f. The fluidic interfaces 506 may be coupled to fluid conduits, such as fluid conduits 234 (FIG. 2), to fluidly couple the cavities 502a-f to one of the reservoirs 206a-n. As shown, the fluidic interfaces 506 are vertically aligned, adjacent each other and are formed on a common side of the vent chamber 500 to facilitate coupling of fluid conduits to the fluid interfaces 506. An optional clip 510 is provided to maintain fluid conduits (not shown), such as the conduits 234 (FIG. 2) while the conduits 234 are coupled to the interfaces 506. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 4, the clip 510 is formed on a same side of the vent chamber 500 as the fluidic interfaces 506. Each of the cavities 502a-f includes a bottom surface 512 that is sloped downward toward a fluidic interface 506. For each cavity, the lower portion or end of the bottom surface 512 is at or adjacent a fluidic interface 506. The slope of the bottom surface 512 assists ink, such as coalesced ink, in one of the cavities 502a-f to flow to the associated fluidic interface 506 under the influence of gravity. This may facilitate moving ink in one of the cavities 502a-f to an associated reservoir, such as one of the reservoirs 206a-n (FIG. 2). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the bottom surfaces 512 may each include a groove 518 formed adjacent the associated fluidic interface 506. Coalesced ink may fill the grooves 518 in some embodiments. The cavities 502a-f are also shown as each including an intermediate wall 513 or shelf. The intermediate walls 513 are spaced from the bottom surfaces 512 and may extend from a point adjacent the associated fluidic interface 506 in a direction that is slightly divergent from the associated bottom surface 512. In this configuration, the distance between an intermediate wall 513 and the associated bottom surface 512 increases as the wall 513 extends away from the associated fluidic interface 506. As such, in some embodiments, and without being limited to or bound to any particular theory, as froth enters the vent chamber 500 at a fluidic interface 506 the associated wall 513 may help guide the froth in such a way so as to substantially fill a lower section of the associated cavity before beginning to fill the upper portion 511 of the cavity. This may reduce amounts of ink or froth expelled from cavity through the aperture 534. The wall 513 is, of course, optional, and may or may not be present in different embodiments. Again, without being limited to or bound to any particular theory, as froth enters the space between the a wall 513 and an associated bottom surface 512, froth bubbles may be drawn apart by the diverging walls. Surface tension holds bubbles as buoyancy moves them up the diverging channel. Some of the froth bubbles may pop or coalesce as they are drawn apart. This drawing apart of the froth bubbles may not be present in all embodiments. The cavities 502a-f are shown as also including upper portions 511 and a lower portions 517 separated by walls 515. The upper portion 511 of cavity 502a is significantly larger than the upper portions of the other cavities and provides additional volume to the cavity 502a such that the total volume of the cavity 502a is substantially larger than the volume of any one of the other cavities 502b-f. In some embodiments, the fluidic interface 506 associated with the cavity 502a may be coupled to black ink in applications where black ink is used more than colored inks. Thus, the cavity 502a is configured to have more volume than the other cavities to accommodate additional ink, froth, and air. The reservoir to which the cavity 502a is fluidly coupled may have larger volume than the other reservoirs in some applications. An absorber compartment 530 may also be formed in the vent chamber 500 to maintain an absorber 532 therein. The absorber 532 (shown in phantom lines) may comprise any of a variety of suitable absorbent materials. The compartment 530 is in fluid communication with upper portions 511 of each of the cavities 502a-f via apertures 534. The compartment 530 is exposed to atmosphere via aperture 538 and labyrinths 540. The aperture 538 may be disposed in a recess 541 (FIG. 6). The labyrinths 540 are in fluid communication with the recess 541. While the vent chamber 500 is shown as including three labyrinths 540 in fluid communication with the aperture 538, a single labyrinth or a different number of labyrinths may be employed, depending on the degree of redundancy desired. With multiple labyrinths 540, if one labyrinth 540 becomes clogged or blocked, fluid may still pass through another labyrinth 540. In this configuration, air from the cavities 502a-f may be vented to atmosphere. If ink passes from one or more of the cavities 502a-f through the apertures 534 into the compartment 530, the ink may be at least partially absorbed by the absorber 532 to limit or prevent ink from exiting the vent chamber 500 via the aperture 538 and labyrinth 540. A cover 560 is disposed over grooves that form the labyrinth 540. The vent chamber 500 also includes relief groove 539. The relief groove 539 and recess 541 may function in a manner similar to the relief grooves and recesses described above with reference to FIG. 3. While FIG. 5 illustrates the vent chamber 500 as a cross-section, the vent chamber 500 may be formed as a molded plastic part. The side of the vent chamber opposite the labyrinths 540 may include a cover (not shown), such as a film, to cover and seal and separate the various cavities 502a-f and the compartment 530. FIG. 7 is a flowchart 700 illustrating a method of operation in accordance with an example embodiment. At block 702 the pump 104 (FIG. 1) pumps fluid from the print head assembly 102 to the reservoir 106. The fluid may comprise ink, air, froth, or a combination of these. At block 704, the pump 104 pumps fluid from the reservoir 106 to the vent chamber 108. While the fluid is at the vent chamber 108, at least a portion of any froth disposed in the vent chamber 108 may be permitted to coalesce. Excess air may be vented to atmosphere at the vent chamber 108. At block 706, the pump 104 pumps fluid, including ink, from the vent chamber 108 to the reservoir 106. At block 708, the pump 104 pumps fluid, including ink, from the reservoir 106 to the print head assembly 102. In some embodiments, blocks 702, 704 occur simultaneously, rather than sequentially. Likewise, in some embodiments, blocks 706, 708 occur simultaneously, rather than sequentially. In some applications, embodiments of the method illustrated in FIG. 7 may be employed to refill the print head assembly 102 with ink. In other applications, embodiments of the method illustrated in FIG. 7 may be employed to cool ink within the print head assembly 102. Further, in other applications, embodiments of the method illustrated in FIG. 7 may be used to remove at least a portion of the froth from the print head assembly 102, the reservoir 106, or both. Although the foregoing has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. For example, although different exemplary embodiments may have been described as including one or more features providing one or more benefits, it is contemplated that the described features may be interchanged with one another or alternatively be combined with one another in the described exemplary embodiments or in other alternative embodiments. The present inventions described with reference to the exemplary embodiments and set forth in the following claims are manifestly intended to be as broad as possible. For example, unless specifically otherwise noted, the claims reciting a single particular element also encompass a plurality of such particular elements. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>In inkjet printing, froth is sometimes generated as ink travels through an ink delivery system. This froth may be undesirable in some applications where it is difficult to print with froth. Also, the froth may consume volume within the ink supply system that could otherwise be consumed by ink. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a portion of an imaging device in accordance with an example embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a portion of an imaging device in accordance with another example embodiment. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a vent chamber in accordance with an example embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the vent chamber of FIG. 3 in accordance with an example embodiment. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a vent chamber in accordance with another example embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the vent chamber of FIG. 5 in accordance with an example embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method in accordance with an example embodiment. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | 20040922 | 20100601 | 20060323 | 97205.0 | B41J217 | 1 | MRUK, GEOFFREY S | VENT CHAMBER | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | B41J | 2,004 |
|
10,947,682 | ACCEPTED | Blending jar apparatus | A blending apparatus includes an articulable housing operatively coupled to one or more switches to actuate a blending motor. Upon mounting a mixing jar and associated lid on top of the housing, downward pressure is placed on the lid/jar assembly which places, in turn, downward pressure on the housing. Such downward pressure on the housing causes the housing to articulate and actuate the switch, which in turn provides power to the motor to rotate the blade mounted within the mixing container at a first rotational speed. In one embodiment, the switch is interposed between the housing and a stationary base. A second switch may also be utilized to rotate the blade at a second, increased rotational speed upon additional articulation of the housing. | 1-19. (canceled). 20. An apparatus, comprising: a blending jar, the blending jar comprising: a bottom wall with a central axis; four side walls extending from the bottom wall; a fifth truncated wall disposed between two of the four side walls; a handle secured to the blending jar at the truncated fifth wall; wherein the fifth truncated wall is positioned closer to the central axis than corners formed by the four side walls. 21. An apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the fifth truncated wall is approximately 2.4 inches from the central axis. 22. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the corners formed by the four side walls are each approximately 3.5 inches from the central axis. 23. An apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the four walls are arranged in a generally rectangular, tapered shape. 24. An apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a central aperture extending at least partially through the handle. 25. An apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the central aperture extends all the way through the handle. 26. An apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a blending blade attached to the bottom wall at the central axis. 27. A method of shifting a blender vortex away from a blade center axis comprising: providing a blending jar having a plurality of walls defining an opening in the blending jar; providing an additional truncated wall spaced closer to the blade center axis than the plurality of walls. 28. A method of shifting a blender vortex away from a blade center axis according to claim 27 wherein the plurality of walls comprises four walls arranged in a generally rectangular shape. 29. A method of shifting a blender vortex away from a blade center axis according to claim 28 wherein the additional truncated wall truncates a corner between two of the four walls arranged in a generally rectangular shape. 30. A method of shifting a blender vortex away from a blade center axis according to claim 27, further comprising providing a handle comprising a central aperture to the blending jar. 31. A method of shifting a blender vortex away from a blade center axis according to claim 30 wherein the handle is tapered and the central aperture is receptive of another handle of another blending jar. 32. A method of stacking blending jars, comprising: providing blending jars having blades therein, each blending jar comprising a tapered handle with a central aperture; inserting the tapered handle of one of the blending jars into the central aperture of another of the blending jars. 33. A method of stacking blending jars according to claim 32 wherein the providing blending jars comprises providing four generally rectangular walls and a fifth truncated wall, the fifth truncated wall extending across a corner of two of the four generally rectangular walls. 34. A method of stacking blending jars according to claim 33 wherein the tapered handle is secured to the blending jars opposite of the fifth wall. 35. A method of reducing cavitation in a blending jar comprising shifting a blender vortex away from a blade center axis. 36. A method of reducing cavitation in a blending jar according to claim 35 wherein the shifting comprises providing four generally rectangular walls and a fifth truncated wall, the fifth truncated wall extending across a corner of two of the four generally rectangular walls. 37. A method of reducing cavitation in a blending jar according to claim 36 wherein a distance between the fifth wall and the blade center axis is approximately 2.4 inches and a distance between corners of the other four generally rectangular walls and the blade center axis is approximately 3.5 inches. 38. A method of reducing cavitation in a blending jar according to claim 37 wherein the distances are measured at a bottom wall of the blending jar, generally perpendicular to the four walls and the fifth wall. 39. A method of shifting a blender vortex away from a blade center axis, comprising moving one wall of a blending jar apparatus closer to the blade center axis than other walls. 40. A method of shifting a blender vortex away from a blade center axis according to claim 39 wherein the one wall comprises a truncated wall and the other walls comprise a generally rectangular arrangement of four walls, wherein the one wall extends between a corner of two of the other four walls. 41. A method of shifting a blender vortex away from a blade center axis according to claim 40 wherein a distance between the truncated wall and the blade center axis is approximately 2.4 inches and a distance between corners of the other four generally rectangular walls and the blade center axis is approximately 3.5 inches. | FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to blending devices, and more particularly to blending devices capable of high-volume, rapid-succession production of blended beverages. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Food processors and blending devices have existed for many years. One example of a blending device is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,834, which is incorporated in its entirety by this reference. Food processors and blending machines are being used now more than ever, particularly in the high-volume, commercial beverage industry. People are increasingly becoming aware of the benefits, in terms of taste and quality, of well-processed beverages. Blended fruit smoothies and similar fruit drinks, popular with all types of people ranging from the fitness conscious to the less active, require a food processor or blending machine. Cold beverages, in particular, which utilize fruit (frozen or fresh) and ice to prepare present unique challenges in beverage preparation. An appropriate blending machine will break down the ice, fruit, and other ingredients in attempting to achieve an ideal uniform drink consistency. In addition, food processors or blending machines are ideal for mixing nutritional supplements into beverages while similarly attempting to achieve an ideal uniform drink consistency. In addition to the recent increase in the popularity of smoothies, food processors and blending machines are being used to produce many new and different beverages. For example, different types of coffees, shakes, dairy drinks, and the like are now commonly served at many different types of retail business locations. Consumers are demanding more diversity and variety in the beverages available at these smoothie and other retail stores. The keys to producing a high quality beverage, irrespective of the specific type of beverage, are quality ingredients and a high quality blending machine that will quickly and efficiently blend the ingredients to produce a drink with uniform consistency. One problem associated with businesses that depend on blending machines is the speed with which the beverage or drink is prepared. In the food preparation industry, time equals money. Beverages have traditionally been made by retrieving the appropriate ingredients, placing the ingredients inside a mixing container, and actuating a motor which drives a blade mounted inside the mixing container to blend the contents held within the mixing container. Virtually all traditional blending devices require some type of manual programming by tactile actuation (i.e., actuation by the operator's fingertips) of at least one switch, and commonly several switches (particularly where variable speeds are desired), through a key pad or the like to initiate operation of the blending device. Such programming requires focused action by the operator and, as a result, takes up time in the blending process. Each second of time wasted, even a fraction of a second of time wasted, adds up over time to significant amounts of money lost for any commercial operation. Another problem with respect to prior blending devices relates to safety. While the potential for the beverage ingredients to be hurled all over the place may provide some incentive to place a lid on the mixing container before blending, any additional incentive to maintain a lid on the mixing container during processing will enhance safety. Still another traditional problem with respect to blending devices relates to cavitation, which occurs when a pocket of air envelops the area surrounding the blade. Efforts are continually being made to design blending devices to reduce cavitation. Yet another problem with respect to traditional blending devices relates to the type of ingredients that need to be mixed to create an optimal drink consistency, and the ability of the blending device to handle such ingredients. For example, individually quick frozen (IQF) fruit is now commonly used in making smoothies. Most blending devices are simply not capable of appropriately handling IQF fruit to achieve an optimal, uniform consistency. In view of the foregoing, there is a need to provide a blending station apparatus and method of blending that will allow beverages to be made quickly and efficiently minimizing the overall time required between ordering a beverage and serving the beverage to the customer. There is also a need to provide a blending apparatus and blending method that will minimize the need to program the blending device just prior to actuating the device. There is still further a need to develop a blending device that reduces cavitation. Yet another need exists to provide a blending device with a blade and jar configuration that will produce a beverage with an optimal, uniform consistency with respect to all desired ingredients. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a blending apparatus which includes an articulable housing that pivots relative to a surface, which may be a stationary base or the surface supporting the blending apparatus, to actuate at least one switch to initiate a blending cycle. As the switch is actuated, by downward pressure exerted on one side of the blending device, the blade mounted inside the mixing container rotates at a first speed. As the articulable housing is rotated further toward the stationary surface, one or more an additional switches may be actuated to causes the blade mounted within the mixing container to rotate at sequentially higher speeds. After the appropriate mixing, and the operator of the blending device releases the downward pressure on the housing, a bias member, such as a coil spring, urges the housing upward away from engagement with the switches to cut off power supplied to the motor and stop blade rotation. Another aspect of the present invention relates to the internal shape of the mixing container. The mixing container geometry shifts the center of the fluid-flow vortex off-center relative to the rotational axis of the blade. This reduces cavitation which commonly occurs where the fluid-flow vortex is concentric with the axis of rotation of the blending blade. Still another aspect of the present invention relates to the relative size of the mixing blade and its orientation relative to the sidewalls of the mixing container. The combined geometry of the mixing container in combination with the blade allows all types of ingredients, including IQF fruit, to be blended in the blending device to produce a drink with a desired, uniform consistency. The foregoing and other features, utilities and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a blending apparatus according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the articulable housing utilized in connection with the blending device of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the underside of the housing of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the stationary base of the blending device of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the underside of the stationary base of the blending device of FIG. 1; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the top side of the switch plate utilized in connection with the blending device of FIG. 1; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the underside of the switch plate utilized in connection with the blending device of FIG. 1; FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the switch plate with a motor secured inside the motor receiving area of the switch plate; FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of the blending apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the stationary base removed and showing the switch plate secured inside the housing of FIG. 2 and holding the motor in operative position within the housing of the blending device; FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the mixing jar utilized in connection with the blending apparatus shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 11 is a top view of the mixing jar of FIG. 10; FIG. 12 is an enlarged, partial sectional side elevation view of the blade assembly mounted within the mixing jar as shown in FIG. 10; FIG. 13 is a side elevation view of the jar showing how an additional jar can be stacked on top; FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the top side of the lid utilized in connection with the mixing jar of FIG. 10; and FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the bottom side of the lid utilized in connection with the mixing jar shown in FIG. 10. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a blending apparatus 20 which, in one embodiment, the blending apparatus 20 is a stand-alone, portable blending device. The blending device 20 comprises a stationary base 22 and a motor housing or cover 24 which articulates relative to stationary base 22 to actuate one or more switches which cause the blender to operate. The description of the manner in which one or more switches are actuated is set forth below. The blending device 20 further comprises a mixing container or jar 26 in which a mixing blade 28 is rotatably mounted. The blending device still further comprises a lid 30 which covers the open end of the jar 26 during operation. The housing or cover 24, as shown in FIG. 2-3, comprises a shell-like cover structure 32 which serves to hold and protect the motor which drives the blending device 20. Any suitable motor know to those skilled in the art may be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The housing 24 further defines a mounting base 34 for the jar which comprises four upstanding guide extensions 36 which serve to guide and hold the jar 26 in place in operative position on the housing. A central aperture 38 is formed in the articulable housing 24 which receives a splined receptacle coupled to the motor. The splined motor receptacle receives, in turn, the splined shaft coupled to the mixing blade (described below). A plurality of archways 40 are formed in the bottom of housing 24. The archways 40 allow an appropriate amount of air circulation underneath the blending apparatus 20 and about the motor (described below). With reference to FIG. 3, a plurality of relatively short motor guides or flanges 42 and a pair of relatively long motor guides or flanges 44 extend downwardly and integrally from the shell wall 32 of the housing 24. The guides 42, 44 require that an appropriately sized motor be mounted within the housing in an appropriate orientation so that the splined receptacle for the shaft of the blender blade 28 will be concentrically mounted within aperture 38. A plurality of integral, first locking retainers 46 (FIG. 3) extend inwardly from the shell 32 to retain the switch plate 50 (FIGS. 6-8) within the housing 24. A plurality of integral, second locking retainers 48 also extend inwardly from the shell wall 32 to retain the stationary base 22 as part of the overall unit which comprises the blending apparatus 20. A plurality of first shelf members 52 (only two sets shown) extend inwardly and integrally from shell wall 32 to support the switch plate 50, and a plurality of second shelf members 54 (only set shown) extend inwardly and integrally from shell wall 32 to provide support for the base portion 22 of the blending apparatus 20. FIGS. 4 and 5 show the stationary base 22 utilized in connection with the present invention. The base includes four foot locations 56 which define circular wells or pockets into which rubber feet 58 (FIG. 5) are mounted. The rubber feet 58 provide enhanced friction for the surface on which the blending apparatus 20 rests. Still further, the rubber feet 58 are resilient and provide a shock-absorbing and quieting benefit to the blending apparatus 20. The base 22 defines a central well or concave area 60 which provides a space to allow for articulation of the combined switch plate 50/motor 80 (described below) into the well 60. The base 22 further includes an aperture 62 for receiving a power cord 61 (FIG. 9) which supplies power to the motor. The base further defines three vent areas 64, 66, 68 which allow a sufficient amount of air to flow inside of the cover 24 and around the motor for efficient and effective cooling of the motor. A plurality of archways 70 are formed in each side of the base and are intended to be aligned with archways 40 (FIGS. 1-3) formed in the housing 24 to allow an appropriate flow of air underneath the blending apparatus 20 and around the motor 80. A plurality of rigid, integral posts 72, 74, 76 extend upwardly from base 22. The posts 72, 74, 76 are oriented opposite switches secured to the articulable housing 24. As described below, the relatively tall post 72 engages a first switch upon articulation of the housing 24 and switch plate 50 relative to the base 22. As the housing 24 and switch plate 50 are further articulated relative to base 22, relatively shorter posts 74, 76 engage other switches to increase the operational speed of the blending apparatus. To ensure that the base 22 fits snugly and appropriately inside of the bottom of housing 24, a plurality of tabs 78 (only one pair are shown) extend outwardly from the main portion of base 22. While the embodiment of FIGS. 1-9 shows a plurality of switches utilized in connection with the blending device 20, it is to be understood that a single switch may be utilized. Any suitable type of switch known to those skilled in the art may be utilized in connection with the blending device without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, an infinitely variable speed switch, which increases the rotational speed of the blending blade in proportion to the distance by which the switch is depressed, may be utilized in connection with the present invention. Still further, a type of variable resistance cushioned foot may be utilized so that the degree of deformation of the deformable foot can be measured and the rotational speed of the blade changed in proportion to the degree of deformation of the foot. These are simply examples of switches that may be utilized. Those skilled in the art will understand the various types of switches that may be utilized in connection with the present invention. FIGS. 6-8 show the switch plate 50 which secures the motor 60 (FIG. 8) inside the articulable housing 24. The switch plate 50 includes generally a motor retaining area 81 which includes a central aperture 82 for concentrically mounting a bearing associated with the shaft of motor 80. Guide walls 83, 84, 85, 86 provide a relatively tight fit for motor 80 such that the motor can be properly aligned with respect to the switch plate 50. Grooves 86 allow lead wires for the motor to extend through guide walls 83, 85. Passageways 88, 90 provide mounting locations for brushes for the motor. Open areas 89, 91, 93 (FIGS. 6-9) allow air to circulate about motor 80 (FIGS. 8 and 9). After the motor 80 has been positioned in its appropriate location inside motor receiving area 81, the entire assembly is urged upwardly into the articulable housing 24 (FIGS. 2 and 3) until the transverse wall 88 of the switch plate 50 snaps into place and is held in the appropriate position by retaining tabs 46 (FIG. 3). When appropriately installed, the drive spline 92 (FIG. 8) and associated bearing 94 fit snugly inside of mounting aperture 38 (FIG. 3) in the articulable housing 24. FIG. 9 shows the motor 80 and switch plate 50 secured inside of housing 24. The switch plate 50 further defines a plurality of apertures 96, 98, 100 (FIGS. 6-8) which receive a plurality of switches 102, 104, 106 (FIG. 9). The appropriate lead wires 108, 110, 112 are coupled to switches 102, 104, 106, respectively, and provide power to the motor 80. Upon securing the switch plate 50 and appropriately secured switches 102, 104, 106 inside of housing 24, the switches 102, 104, 106 are positioned for appropriate engagement with posts 72, 74, 76 (FIG. 4) upon articulation of the housing 24 relative to the base 22. To bias the base 22 away from switch plate 50, bias members in the form of a pair of coil springs 114, 116 are disposed inside of appropriately sized pockets 118, 120 (FIGS. 7 and 9). Springs 114, 116 are held in a compressed, biasing condition upon installation of base 22 within housing 24. Springs 114, 116 engage the top surface 63 of base 22 (FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 1, the initial, undisturbed orientation and inclination of housing 24 relative to base 22 creates as differential space 25 toward the back side of the blending device. Space 25 allows for articulation of the cover or housing 24 relative to stationary base 22. In one embodiment, articulation of the housing 24 approximately {fraction (1/16)} of an inch relative to the base 22, the tall post 72 (FIG. 4) engages switch 102 (FIG. 9) to actuate the motor and rotate the blade 24 at a first rotational speed. At this first or low speed, the blade 28 will rotate between a range of approximately 8,000 rpm to 14,000 rpm (in a no-load condition). Upon further articulation of the housing 24 relative to base 22 an additional {fraction (1/16)} of an inch, the short posts 74, 76 will engage switches 104, 106 to increase the rotational speed of the blade 28 to between a range of approximately 16,000 rpm to 32,000 rpm (in a no-load condition). Therefore, in one embodiment, the total movement of the articulable housing 24 relative to the stationary base 22 will be approximately ⅛ of an inch. It is to be understood, however, that any reasonable range of articulation of the housing relative to the base (or relative to any stationary surface on which the blending device rests) may be utilized in connection with the present invention. A benefit relative to the present invention is that the switches 102, 104, 106 serve as the actuation switches for the blending device 20. That is, the articulable housing which actuates switches 102, 104, 106 eliminates the need for a power switch. Switches 102, 104, 106 are, in fact, the power switches. Upon return of the housing 24 to its normal position relative to stationary base 22 (which occurs absent any external force on the lid 30/jar 26 combination), power supplied to the motor 80 (FIGS. 8 and 9) is cut off. Another benefit of the blending apparatus with an articulable actuation mode include the speed with which beverages can be made. There are no manual buttons or switches that need to be actuated by the fingers of the operator. Rather, as soon as the appropriate ingredients are introduced into the jar 26 (as understood by those skilled in the art), the jar, in combination with the affixed lid 30, is positioned over the upstanding guide extensions on base 24 (FIG. 2). Thereafter, a relatively small amount of downward pressure applied to the top of lid 30 will cause housing 24 to articulate relative to base 22 and actuate one or more of the switches to blend the beverage at the desired speed. This method of making a beverage is faster and more efficient as compared to traditional blending devices that require programming by tactile manipulation. Over the course of days, weeks, and months, the present invention allows many more beverages to be produced to satisfy the demands of customers. Another unique aspect of the present invention relates to the jar 26. The jar 26 is sized to hold approximately 3 quarts. As shown in FIG. 10-13, the jar 26 includes an open end 130 into which ingredients for the beverage may be inserted. The opening 130 is defined by four walls 132, 143, 136, 138. A handle 140 is secured to walls 132 and 138 as well as the corner defined by walls 132, 138. Handle 140 includes a central aperture 142 which allows multiple jars 26 to be stacked one on top of another with the handles 140 to be aligned with and positioned inside one another. In contrast, prior art jars have required that the handles be alternated when stacking the jars to avoid the handles impeding one another. Alternating handle positions requires, of course, more space for storage purposes. In the present invention, the nesting of jars 26 will now accommodate all of the handles 140 aligned vertically relative to one another. Another novel aspect of the present jar 26 according to the present invention relates to an additional fifth or truncated wall 135 which is positioned opposite handle 140. Wall 135 truncates, in essence, the typical corner that would otherwise be formed between wall 132 and 138. As shown in FIG. 11, wall 135 is much closer to the central axis 144 of blade 28 as compared to the corners formed by walls 132, 134, 136, 138. In one embodiment, wall 135 is approximately 2.4 inches from the central pivot axis 144 of blade 28 (at the height of the blade). In contrast, corners formed by walls 132, 134, 136, 138 are approximately 3.5 inches from the central axis 144. Accordingly, the vortex created when blending liquid inside of container or jar 26 moves away or shifts from the central axis 44 of blade 28. The approximate center of the vortex created by the configuration of jar 26 will be somewhere between pivot axis 144 and wall 135. When blending a liquid inside of jar 26, liquid will climb up on the corner of the jar formed by walls 134 and 136, and will be lower toward wall 135. This type of flow reduces cavitation and increases the speed and efficiency with which beverages, such as smoothies, can be made. FIGS. 11 and 12 show the construction and mounting of blade 28 inside of jar 26. A splined shaft 150 is received by the splined shaft receptacle 92 extending from motor 80 (FIG. 8). This removable connection will allow the blade 28 to rotate upon actuation of the motor 80. A bearing assembly 152 allows free rotation of the splined shaft 150 and attached blade 28. Blade 28 includes blade tips or winglets 154 which extend upwardly substantially parallel to the walls 132-136 of the jar 26. The overall length of the blade 28 is approximately between the range of 4.5 and 4.75 inches. The blade extends outwardly from its attached pivot location 144 in a perpendicular manner. The blade is twisted, however, toward the blade tips 154. Still further, the leading edges 155 of blade tips 154 as well as inclined leading edges 157 of blade 28 are tapered to improve blending efficiency. The entire blade assembly is mounted within a central aperture formed in a bottom wall 156 which forms the floor of the jar 26 for holding contents inside of the jar 26. The unique blade 28 is relatively large, compared to prior art blades. The single blade construction, as compared to traditional cross-blade construction, allows all types of ingredients, such as IQF fruit, to fall between the ends of blade 28 as it rotates to produce a desired, smooth, and consistent texture of beverage. The jar further includes lower cavities 158 which correspond in size to upstanding guide walls 36 (FIG. 2) formed on housing 24 for rapid and efficient mounting of the jar 26 on top of housing 24. FIGS. 14-15 show the lid 30 utilized as a cover for the jar 26 of the blending apparatus 20. The lid 30 is made of a moldable formable rubber material. The lid snaps into the top of jar 26 (FIG. 10) to seal the jar and prevent the user's hands from being inserted into the opening 130 of jar 26 during processing. The lid 30 more specifically comprises a top surface 160 and a channel 162 which surrounds top surface 160. The channel 162 defines, on the opposite side, a four-wall extension 164 which seats inside of opening 130 upon installation of the lid 30 onto jar 26. A plurality of tabs 166 extend outwardly from each corner of the lid 30 to provide an easy location for grasping the lid and removing the lid after completion of a blending cycle. A plurality of downwardly extending jar retaining walls 170 extend between tabs 166 so that the lid 30, when installed over jar 26, is retained in its desired location. Another novel aspect of the present invention is that because articulation of the cover 24 relative to stationary base 22 is required to actuate the blending device 20, downward pressure on top surface 160 of lid 30 is generally required. Such downward pressure will urge the downwardly extending walls 164 of the lid 30 toward the inside surfaces of jar opening 130 to seal the lid 30 tightly against jar 26 and prevent liquids from escaping during the blending process. In addition, because downward pressure on lid 30 is required, as a general matter, to articulate the housing 24 relative to stationary base 22, the likelihood of the operator of the blending apparatus 20 inserting his or her hand into opening 130 during the blending process is greatly reduced. While this invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments and examples, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that many variations are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. The invention, as described by the claims, is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the invention which do not depart from the spirit of the invention. The words “including” and “having,” as used in the specification, including the claims, shall have the same meaning as the word “comprising.” | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Food processors and blending devices have existed for many years. One example of a blending device is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,834, which is incorporated in its entirety by this reference. Food processors and blending machines are being used now more than ever, particularly in the high-volume, commercial beverage industry. People are increasingly becoming aware of the benefits, in terms of taste and quality, of well-processed beverages. Blended fruit smoothies and similar fruit drinks, popular with all types of people ranging from the fitness conscious to the less active, require a food processor or blending machine. Cold beverages, in particular, which utilize fruit (frozen or fresh) and ice to prepare present unique challenges in beverage preparation. An appropriate blending machine will break down the ice, fruit, and other ingredients in attempting to achieve an ideal uniform drink consistency. In addition, food processors or blending machines are ideal for mixing nutritional supplements into beverages while similarly attempting to achieve an ideal uniform drink consistency. In addition to the recent increase in the popularity of smoothies, food processors and blending machines are being used to produce many new and different beverages. For example, different types of coffees, shakes, dairy drinks, and the like are now commonly served at many different types of retail business locations. Consumers are demanding more diversity and variety in the beverages available at these smoothie and other retail stores. The keys to producing a high quality beverage, irrespective of the specific type of beverage, are quality ingredients and a high quality blending machine that will quickly and efficiently blend the ingredients to produce a drink with uniform consistency. One problem associated with businesses that depend on blending machines is the speed with which the beverage or drink is prepared. In the food preparation industry, time equals money. Beverages have traditionally been made by retrieving the appropriate ingredients, placing the ingredients inside a mixing container, and actuating a motor which drives a blade mounted inside the mixing container to blend the contents held within the mixing container. Virtually all traditional blending devices require some type of manual programming by tactile actuation (i.e., actuation by the operator's fingertips) of at least one switch, and commonly several switches (particularly where variable speeds are desired), through a key pad or the like to initiate operation of the blending device. Such programming requires focused action by the operator and, as a result, takes up time in the blending process. Each second of time wasted, even a fraction of a second of time wasted, adds up over time to significant amounts of money lost for any commercial operation. Another problem with respect to prior blending devices relates to safety. While the potential for the beverage ingredients to be hurled all over the place may provide some incentive to place a lid on the mixing container before blending, any additional incentive to maintain a lid on the mixing container during processing will enhance safety. Still another traditional problem with respect to blending devices relates to cavitation, which occurs when a pocket of air envelops the area surrounding the blade. Efforts are continually being made to design blending devices to reduce cavitation. Yet another problem with respect to traditional blending devices relates to the type of ingredients that need to be mixed to create an optimal drink consistency, and the ability of the blending device to handle such ingredients. For example, individually quick frozen (IQF) fruit is now commonly used in making smoothies. Most blending devices are simply not capable of appropriately handling IQF fruit to achieve an optimal, uniform consistency. In view of the foregoing, there is a need to provide a blending station apparatus and method of blending that will allow beverages to be made quickly and efficiently minimizing the overall time required between ordering a beverage and serving the beverage to the customer. There is also a need to provide a blending apparatus and blending method that will minimize the need to program the blending device just prior to actuating the device. There is still further a need to develop a blending device that reduces cavitation. Yet another need exists to provide a blending device with a blade and jar configuration that will produce a beverage with an optimal, uniform consistency with respect to all desired ingredients. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention relates to a blending apparatus which includes an articulable housing that pivots relative to a surface, which may be a stationary base or the surface supporting the blending apparatus, to actuate at least one switch to initiate a blending cycle. As the switch is actuated, by downward pressure exerted on one side of the blending device, the blade mounted inside the mixing container rotates at a first speed. As the articulable housing is rotated further toward the stationary surface, one or more an additional switches may be actuated to causes the blade mounted within the mixing container to rotate at sequentially higher speeds. After the appropriate mixing, and the operator of the blending device releases the downward pressure on the housing, a bias member, such as a coil spring, urges the housing upward away from engagement with the switches to cut off power supplied to the motor and stop blade rotation. Another aspect of the present invention relates to the internal shape of the mixing container. The mixing container geometry shifts the center of the fluid-flow vortex off-center relative to the rotational axis of the blade. This reduces cavitation which commonly occurs where the fluid-flow vortex is concentric with the axis of rotation of the blending blade. Still another aspect of the present invention relates to the relative size of the mixing blade and its orientation relative to the sidewalls of the mixing container. The combined geometry of the mixing container in combination with the blade allows all types of ingredients, including IQF fruit, to be blended in the blending device to produce a drink with a desired, uniform consistency. The foregoing and other features, utilities and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. | 20040923 | 20051227 | 20050217 | 71982.0 | 3 | COOLEY, CHARLES E | BLENDING JAR APPARATUS WITH TRUNCATED WALL | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,947,711 | ACCEPTED | Substituted acetic acid derivatives | The present invention relates generally to substituted acetic acid derivatives and methods of using them. | 1. A compound having the formula: wherein: R1 is —OH, —OC1-C8 alkyl, or NH2; R2 and R3 are, independently, hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl; R4 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl; X is wherein: R5 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl; R6 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, —(CH2)n—CH═CH2, —(CH2)n—CH═CH-alkyl, —(CH2)nC—CH, —(CH2)nC≡CH-alkyl, aryl, (CH2)n-aryl, heteroaryl, (CH2)n-heteroaryl, —CO-aryl, —CO-heteroaryl, —CO-alkyl, —SO2-alkyl, —SO2-aryl, or —SO2-heteroaryl; R7, R8 and R9 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; R10, R11, R12, R13 and R14 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; R16 and R17 are, independently, hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, aryl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl; R15, R18, R19 and R20 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; R21 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C2-C8 alkenyl, C2-C8 alkynyl, —(CH2)p-aryl, —(CH2)p-heteroaryl, —(CH2)p—O-aryl, —(CH2)p—O-heteroaryl, —(CH2)p—O—(CH2)m-aryl, —(CH2)p—O—(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; W is aryl or heteroaryl; n is an integer from 0 to 5; p is an integer from 1 to 5; and m is an integer from 0 to 5 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form thereof. 2. The compound of claim 1 wherein R4 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, pyridinyl, or —CH2-pyridinyl or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form thereof. 3. The compound of claim 1 wherein R5 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, pyridinyl, or —CH2-pyridinyl or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form thereof. 4. The compound of claim 1 wherein R16 and R17 are, independently, hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, aryl, benzyl, pyridinyl, or —CH2-pyridinyl or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form thereof. 5. The compound of claim 1 wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl or benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —CN, or —NO2 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form thereof. 6. The compound of claim 1 having the formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form thereof. 7. The compound of claim 6 having the formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester from thereof, wherein: R22 and R23 are, independently, hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl; and R24, R25 and R26 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form thereof. 8. The compound of claim 7 wherein R24, R25 and R26 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form thereof. 9. The compound of claim 7 wherein R1 is —OH; R2, R3, R4, R5, R8, R9, R22, R23, R24, and R25 are independently hydrogen; R6 is C1-C8 alkyl, —(CH2)n—CH═CH2, —(CH2), —CH═CH-alkyl, —(CH2)nC≡CH, —(CH2)nC≡C-alkyl or (CH2)n-aryl; R26 is halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, or naphthyl or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form thereof. 10. The compound of claim 6 selected from the group consisting of or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 11. The compound of claim 6 that is ({[(1E)-(1-allyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(1-ethyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(1-benzyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 12. The compound of claim 6 that is {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{5-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(1-allyl-5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(1-benzyl-5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 13. The compound of claim 6 that is {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-ethyl-5-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(1-allyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(1-ethyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(1-benzyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 14. The compound of claim 6 that is {[((1E)-{1-ethyl-5-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(1-(2-propynyl)-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(1-methyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, [({(1E)-[5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, {[((1E)-{5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, [({(1E)-[5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 15. The compound of claim 6 that is [({(1E)-[5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, {[((1E)-{5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, [({(1E)-[5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, {[((1E)-{5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, [({(1E)-[1-allyl-5-(benzyloxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, [({(1E)-[1-benzyl-5-(benzyloxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(1-(2-propynyl)-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(1-methyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, [({(1E)-[5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 16. The compound of claim 6 that is {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, [({(1E)-[5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, [({(1E)-[5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, [({(1E)-[1-allyl-5-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, [({(1E)-[1-benzyl-5-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, [({(1E)-[1-methyl-5-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 17. The compound of claim 1 having the formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 18. The compound of claim 17 having the formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof, wherein, R22 and R23 are, independently, hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl; R24, R25 and R26 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; and n is an integer from 0 to 6. 19. The compound of claim 18 wherein R24, R25 and R26 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form thereof. 20. The compound of claim 18 wherein R1 is —OH; R2, R3, R4, R10, R11, R12, R14, R22, R23, R24, and R25 are independently hydrogen; R26 is halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, or naphthyl. 21. The compound of claim 18 having the formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 22. The compound of claim 17 that is ({[(1E)-(3′-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, [({(1E)-[3′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 23. The compound of claim 17 that is {[((1E)-{3′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, [({(1E)-[3′-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(4′-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(4′-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 24. A compound of claim 17 that is {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, [({(1E)-[4′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(4′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, [({(1E)-[4′-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 25. The compound of claim 17 that is ({[(1E)-(3′-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3, [(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, [({(1E)-[3′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 26. The compound of claim 17 that is [({(1E)-[3′-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, [({(1E)-[4′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(4′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((BE)-{4′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 27. The compound of claim 1 having the formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 28. The compound of claim 27 having the formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 29. The compound of claim 27 wherein R1 is —OH, R2, R3, R4, R15, R16, R17, R18, and R19 are independently hydrogen; and R20 is hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl, C1-3 perfluoroalkyl, or halogen or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form thereof. 30. The compound of claim 27 that is {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(3,4-bis {[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(3,4-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 31. The compound of claim 27 that is {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(2,4-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(2,4-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 32. The compound of claim 27 that is {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(2,3-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(2,3-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 33. The compound of claim 27 that is {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(3,5-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(3,5-bis {[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 34. The compound of claim 27 that is ({[(1E)-(2,5-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(2,5-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof 35. The compound of claim 1 having the formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 36. The compound of claim 35 selected from or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 37. The compound of claim 35 wherein R1 is —OH R2, R3 and R4 are hydrogen, W is aryl; and R21 is C1-8 alkyl or —(CH2)—O-aryl wherein the aryl group is optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from halogen, alkyl, or perfluoroalkyl or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form thereof. 38. The compound of claim 35 that is {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-tert-butylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-bromophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(4-{3-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]prop-1-ynyl}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4-[3-(3,5-dichlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E) {4-[3-(3-chlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-isobutylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3-[3-(4-tert-butylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3-[3-(4-bromophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, ({[(1E)-(3-{3-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]prop-1-ynyl}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3-[3-(3,5-dichlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3-[3-(3-chlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid, {[((1E)-{3-[3-(4-isobutylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. 39. A method of inhibiting PAI-1 activity comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of the compound of claim 1. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein the therapeutically effective amount is from 25 mg/kg/day to 200 mg/kg/day. 41. A method for treating a PAI-1 related disorder in a subject comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of the compound of claim 1. 42. The method of claim 41, wherein the therapeutically effective amount is from 25 mg/kg/day to 200 mg/kg/day. 43. The method of claim 41, wherein the PAI-1 related disorder is impairment of the fibrinolytic system. 44. The method of claim 41, wherein the PAI-1 related disorder is thrombosis, atrial fibrillation, pulmonary fibrosis, myocardial ischemia, stroke, thromboembolic complication of surgery, cardiovascular disease, atherosclerotic plaque formation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, renal fibrosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, or cancer. 45. The method of claim 44, wherein the thrombosis is selected from the group consisting of venous thrombosis, arterial thrombosis, cerebral thrombosis, and deep vein thrombosis. 46. The method of claim 44, wherein the PAI-1 related disorder is cardiovascular disease caused by noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus in a subject. 47. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of claim 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient or carrier. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/505,913 filed Sep. 25, 2003, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND The present invention relates generally to substituted acetic acid derivatives and methods of using them. The serine protease inhibitor PAI-1 is one of the primary inhibitors of the fibrinolytic system. The fibrinolytic system includes the proenzyme plasminogen, which is converted to the active enzyme, plasmin, by one of two tissue type plasminogen activators, t-PA or u-PA. PAI-1 is the principal physiological inhibitor of t-PA and u-PA. One of plasmin's main responsibilities in the fibrinolytic system is to digest fibrin at the site of vascular injury. The fibrinolytic system, however, is not only responsible for the removal of fibrin from circulation but is also involved in several other biological processes including ovulation, embryogenesis, intima proliferation, angiogenesis, tumorigenesis, and atherosclerosis. Elevated levels of PAI-1 have been associated with a variety of diseases and conditions including those associated with impairment of the fibrinolytic system. For example, elevated levels of PAI-1 have been implicated in thrombotic diseases, e.g., diseases characterized by formation of a thrombus that obstructs vascular blood flow locally or detaches and embolizes to occlude blood flow downstream. (Krishnamurti, Blood, 69, 798 (1987); Reilly, Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis, 11, 1276 (1991); Carmeliet, Journal of Clinical Investigation, 92, 2756 (1993), Rocha, Fibrinolysis, 8, 294, 1994; Aznar, Haemostasis 24, 243 (1994)). Antibody neutralization of PAI-1 activity resulted in promotion of endogenous thrombolysis and reperfusion (Biemond, Circulation, 91, 1175 (1995); Levi, Circulation 85, 305, (1992)). Elevated levels of PAI-1 have also been implicated in diseases such as polycystic ovary syndrome (Nordt, Journal of clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 85, 4, 1563 (2000)), bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency (Daci, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 15, 8, 1510 (2000)), cystic fibrosis, diabetes, chronic periodontitis, lymphomas, diseases associated with extracellular matrix accumulation, malignancies and diseases associated with neoangiogenesis, inflammatory diseases, vascular damage associated with infections, and diseases associated with increased uPA levels such as breast and ovarian cancer. In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for the identification of inhibitors of PAI-1 activity and for methods of using the identified inhibitors to modulate PAI-1 expression or activity in a subject in order to treat disorders associated with elevated PAI-1 levels. SUMMARY The present invention provides substituted acetic acid derivatives and methods of using them. In certain embodiments, substituted acetic acid derivatives of the present invention include those compounds of the following formula: wherein: R1 is —OH, —OC1-C8 alkyl, or NH2; R2 and R3 are, independently, hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl; R4 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl; X is wherein: R5 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl; R6 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, —(CH2)n—CH═CH2, —(CH2), —CH═CH-alkyl, —(CH2)nC≡CH, —(CH2)nC≡C-alkyl, aryl, (CH2)n-aryl, heteroaryl, (CH2)n-heteroaryl, —CO-aryl, —CO-heteroaryl, —CO-alkyl, —SO2-alkyl, —SO2-aryl, or —SO2-heteroaryl; R7, R8 and R9 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; R10, R11, R12, R13 and R14 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; R16 and R17 are, independently, hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, aryl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl; R15, R18, R19 and R20 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; R21 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C1-C8 alkenyl, C1-C8 alkynyl, —(CH2)p-aryl, —(CH2)p-heteroaryl, —(CH2)p—O-aryl, —(CH2)p—O-heteroaryl, —(CH2)p—O—(CH2)m-aryl, —(CH2)p—O—(CH2)m-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; W is aryl or heteroaryl; n is an integer from 0 to 5; p is an integer from 1 to 5; and m is an integer from 0 to 5. Accordingly, the present invention provides, inter alia, substituted indolymethylideneaminooxy acetic acid derivatives of the following formula: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, and n are defined as above for Formula 1. In certain exemplary embodiments of compounds of Formula 2, R1 is —OH, R2 is hydrogen, R3 is hydrogen, R4 is hydrogen, R5 is hydrogen, R6 is alkyl, alkenyl(allyl), alkynyl (propargyl) or arylalkyl(benzyl); R7 is H, R8 is benzyloxy where the benzyl group is optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from halogen, C1-C6 straight chain alkyl or C1-C6 branched alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, or naphthyl; and R9 is H. The present invention also provides, inter alia, substituted biphenylmethylidene aminooxy acetic acid derivatives of the following formula: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, and n are defined as above for Formula 1. In certain exemplary embodiments of compounds of Formula 6, R1 is —OH, R2 is hydrogen, R3 is hydrogen, R4 is hydrogen, R10 is hydrogen; R1 is hydrogen; R12 is hydrogen; R13 is benzyloxy where the benzyl group is optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from halogen, C1-C6 straight chain alkyl or C1-C6 branched alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, or naphthyl; and R14 is hydrogen. The present invention also provides, inter alia, bisbenzyloxyphenylmethylidene aminooxy acetic acid derivatives of the following formula: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R15, R16, R17, R18, R19, R20, and n are defined as above for Formula 1. In certain exemplary embodiments of compounds of Formula 9, R1 is OH; R2 is hydrogen; R3 is hydrogen, R4 is hydrogen, R15 is hydrogen; R16 is hydrogen, R17 is hydrogen, R18, R19 and R20 are independently hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, or perfluoroalkyl. The present invention also provides, inter alia, substituted acetylenic oximeacetic acid derivatives of the following formula: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, W, R21, m, and p are defined as above for Formula 1. In certain embodiments of Formula 11, R1 is OH; R2 is hydrogen; R3 is hydrogen, R4 is hydrogen, W is aryl, and R21 is straight chain alkyl, branched alkyl, or —(CH2)—O-aryl where the aryl group is optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from halogen, straight chain alkyl, branched alkyl, or perfluoroalkyl. The present invention also provides, inter alia, pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester forms of formulas 1-13. The present invention further provides, inter alia, methods of using substituted acetic acid derivatives. In one aspect of the present invention, a therapeutically effective amount of one or more substituted acetic acid derivatives is administered to a subject in order to treat a PAI-1 related disorder, e.g., by inhibiting PAI-1 activity in the subject. PAI-1 activity is associated with a number of diseases and conditions. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, PAI-1 activity is associated with impairment of the fibrinolytic system. In other embodiments, PAI-1 activity is associated with thrombosis, e.g., venous thrombosis, arterial thrombosis, cerebral thrombosis, and deep vein thrombosis, atrial fibrillation, pulmonary fibrosis, thromboembolic complications of surgery, cardiovascular disease, e.g., myocardial ischemia, atherosclerotic plaque formation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, renal fibrosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, or cancer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A. General Overview The present invention provides compounds that inhibit PAI-1 activity, processes for preparing such compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds, and methods for using such compounds in medical therapies. The compounds have properties that are useful for the treatment, including the prevention and inhibition, of a wide variety of diseases and disorders involving the production and/or action of PAI-1. These include disorders resulting from impairment of the fibrinolytic system including, but not limited to, thrombosis, coronary heart disease, renal fibrosis, atherosclerotic plaque formation, pulmonary disease, myocardial ischemia, atrial fibrillation, coagulation syndromes, thromboembolic complications of surgery, peripheral arterial occlusion and pulmonary fibrosis. Other disorders include, but are not limited to, polycystic ovary syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer. The terms “alkyl” and “alkylene,” as used herein, whether used alone or as part of another group, refer to substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic hydrocarbon chains, the difference being that alkyl groups are monovalent (i.e., terminal) in nature whereas alkylene groups are divalent and typically serve as linkers. Both include, but are not limited to, straight and branched chains containing from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms, preferably 1 to 6 carbon atoms, unless explicitly specified otherwise. For example, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, i-butyl and t-butyl are encompassed by the term “alkyl.” Specifically included within the definition of “alkyl” are those aliphatic hydrocarbon chains that are optionally substituted. Representative optional substituents include, but are not limited to, hydroxy, acyloxy, alkoxy, amino, amino substituted by one or two alkyl groups of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, aminoacyl, acylamino, thioalkoxy of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, substituted thioalkoxy of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and trihalomethyl. Preferably, alkyl and alkylene groups are unsubstituted. The carbon number as used in the definitions herein refers to carbon backbone and carbon branching, but does not include carbon atoms of the substituents, such as alkoxy substitutions and the like, when present. The term “alkenyl”, as used herein, whether used alone or as part of another group, refers to a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic hydrocarbon chain and includes, but is not limited to, straight and branched chains having 2 to about 10 carbon atoms (unless explicitly specified otherwise) and containing at least one double bond. Preferably, the alkenyl moiety has 1 or 2 double bonds. Such alkenyl moieties can exist in the E or Z conformations and the compounds of this invention include both conformations. Specifically included within the definition of “alkenyl” are those aliphatic hydrocarbon chains that are optionally substituted. Representative optional substituents include, but are not limited to, hydroxy, acyloxy, alkoxy, amino, amino substituted by one or two alkyl groups of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, aminoacyl, acylamino, thioalkoxy of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, substituted thioalkoxy of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and trihalomethyl. Heteroatoms, such as O or S attached to an alkenyl should not be attached to a carbon atom that is bonded to a double bond. Preferably, alkenyl groups are unsubstituted. The term “alkynyl”, as used herein, whether used alone or as part of another group, refers to a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic hydrocarbon chain and includes, but is not limited to, straight and branched chains having 2 to about 10 carbon atoms (unless explicitly specified otherwise) and containing at least one triple bond. Preferably, the alkynyl moiety has 3 to 6 carbon atoms. In certain embodiments, the alkynyl can contain more than one triple bond and, in such cases, the alknyl group must contain at least three carbon atoms. Specifically included within the definition of “alkynyl” are those aliphatic hydrocarbon chains that are optionally substituted. Representative optional substituents include, but are not limited to, hydroxy, acyloxy, alkoxy, amino, amino substituted by one or two alkyl groups of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, aminoacyl, acylamino, thioalkoxy of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, substituted thioalkoxy of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and trihalomethyl. Heteroatoms, such as O or S attached to an alkynyl should not be attached to the carbon that is bonded to a triple bond. Preferably, alkynyl groups are unsubstituted. The term “cycloalkyl” as used herein, whether alone or as part of another group, refers to a substituted or unsubstituted alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 3 to about 20 carbon atoms (unless explicitly specified otherwise), preferably 3 to 8 carbon atoms. Specifically included within the definition of “cycloalkyl” are those alicyclic hydrocarbon groups that are optionally substituted. For example, in certain embodiments of the present invention, the rings of the cycloalkyl are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —CN, or —NO2. Preferably, cycloalkyl groups are unsubstituted. The term “aryl”, as used herein, whether used alone or as part of another group, is defined as a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon ring group having 5 to about 50 carbon atoms with from 6 to 14 carbon atoms being preferred. The “aryl” group can have a single ring or multiple condensed rings. The term “aryl” includes, but is not limited to phenyl, α-naphthyl, β-naphthyl, biphenyl, anthryl, phenanthryl, tetrahydronaphthyl, fluorenyl, indanyl, biphenylenyl, and acenaphthenyl. Specifically included within the definition of “aryl” are those aromatic groups that are optionally substituted. Accordingly, the aryl groups (e.g., phenyl) described herein refer to both unsubstituted or substituted groups. For example, in representative embodiments of the present invention, the, “aryl” groups are optionally substituted with from 1 to 5 substituents selected from the group consisting of acyloxy, hydroxy, acyl, aryl, alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, alkenyl of 2 to 6 carbon atoms, alkynyl of 2 to 6 carbon atoms, substituted alkyl, substituted alkoxy, substituted alkenyl, substituted alkynyl, amino, amino substituted by one or two alkyl groups of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, aminoacyl, acylamino, azido, cyano, halo, nitro, thioalkoxy of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, substituted thioalkoxy of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and trihalomethyl. Exemplary substituents on the aryl groups herein include alkyl, alkoxy, halo, cyano, nitro, trihalomethyl, and thioalkoxy. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the rings of the aryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups independently selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, naphthyl, —OH, —NH2, —CN or —NO2. As used herein, the term “heteroaryl”, whether used alone or as part of another group, is defined as a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic ring system (monocyclic or bicyclic). Heteroaryl groups can have, for example, from about 3 to about 50 carbon atoms (unless explicitly specified otherwise) with from 4 to 10 being preferred. In some embodiments, heteroaryl groups are aromatic heterocyclic rings systems having 4 to 14 ring atoms including carbon atoms and 1, 2, 3, or 4 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur. Representative heteroaryl groups are furan, thiophene, indole, azaindole, oxazole, thiazole, isoxazole, isothiazole, imidazole, N-methylimidazole, pyridine, pyrimidine, pyrazine, pyrrole, N-methylpyrrole, pyrazole, N-methylpyrazole, 1,3,4-oxadiazole, 1,2,4-triazole, 1-methyl-1,2,4-triazole, 1H-tetrazole, 1-methyltetrazole, benzoxazole, benzothiazole, benzofuran, benzisoxazole, benzimidazole, N-methylbenzimidazole, azabenzimidazole, indazole, quinazoline, quinoline, and isoquinoline. Bicyclic aromatic heteroaryl goups include phenyl, pyridine, pyrimidine or pyridizine rings that are (a) fused to a 6-membered aromatic (unsaturated) heterocyclic ring having one nitrogen atom; (b) fused to a 5- or 6-membered aromatic (unsaturated) heterocyclic ring having two nitrogen atoms; (c) fused to a 5-membered aromatic (unsaturated) heterocyclic ring having one nitrogen atom together with either one oxygen or one sulfur atom; or (d) fused to a 5-membered aromatic (unsaturated) heterocyclic ring having one heteroatom selected from O, N or S. Specifically included within the definition of “heteroaryl” are those aromatic groups that are optionally substituted. Accordingly, the heteroaryl groups (e.g., pyridinyl) described herein refer to both unsubstituted or substituted groups. In representative embodiments of the present invention, the, “heteroaryl” groups are optionally substituted with 1 to 5 substituents selected from the group consisting of acyloxy, hydroxy, acyl, alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, alkenyl of 2 to 6 carbon atoms, alkynyl of 2 to 6 carbon atoms, substituted alkyl, substituted alkoxy, substituted alkenyl, substituted alkynyl, amino, amino substituted by one or two alkyl groups of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, aminoacyl, acylamino, azido, cyano, halo, nitro, thioalkoxy of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, substituted thioalkoxy of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and trihalomethyl. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the rings of the heteroaryl group are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —CN, or —NO2 The term “alkoxy” as used herein, refers to the group Ra—O— wherein Ra is an alkyl group as defined above. Specifically included within the definition of “alkoxy” are those alkoxy groups that are optionally substituted Exemplary substituents on the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, thioalkoxy and alkoxy groups mentioned above include, but are not limited to, halogen, —O—C1-C6 alkyl, —NH—C1-C6 alkyl, —CN, —OH, and amino groups, amino substituted by one or two alkyl groups of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, aminoacyl, acylamino, thioalkoxy of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, substituted thioalkoxy of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and trihalomethyl. The rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl, and benzyl groups mentioned above are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups. Exemplary substituents on the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl, and benzyl groups include halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —CN, —NH2, or —NO2. The term “arylalkyl”, as used herein, whether used alone or as part of another group, refers to the group —Ra—Rb, where Ra is an alkylene group as defined above, substituted by Rb, an aryl group, as defined above. Examples of arylalkyl moieties include, but are not limited to, benzyl, 1-phenylethyl, 2-phenylethyl, 3-phenylpropyl, 2-phenylpropyl and the like. The term “alkylheteroaryl”, as used herein, whether used alone or as part of another group, refers to the group —Rc—Ra, where Rc is a heteroaryl group as defined above, substituted with Ra, an alkylene group as defined above. The term “heterocycle”, as used herein, whether used alone or as part of another group, refers to a stable 3 to about 10-member ring containing carbons atoms and from 1 to 3 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phospohorus, oxygen, and sulfur. A heterocycle of this invention can be either a monocyclic or bicyclic ring system, and can be either saturated or partially saturated. Heterocycle groups include, but are not limited to, aziridinyl, azetidinyl, 1,4-dioxanyl, hexahydroazepinyl, piperazinyl, piperidinyl, pyrrolidinyl, morpholinyl, thiomorpholinyl, dihydrobenzimidazolyl, dihydrobenzofuranyl, dihydrobenzothienyl, dihydrobenzoxazolyl, dihydrofuranyl, dihydroimidazolyl, dihydroindolyl, dihydroisooxazolyl, dihydroisothiazolyl, dihydrooxadiazolyl, dihydrooxazolyl, dihydropyrrazinyl, dihydropyrazolyl, dihydropyridinyl, dihydropyrimidinyl, dihydropyrrolyl, dihydroquinolinyl, dihydrotetrazolyl, dihydrothiadiazolyl, dihydrothiazolyl, dihydrothienyl, dihydrotriazolyl, dihydroazetidinyl, dihydro-1,4-dioxanyl, tetrahydrofuranyl, tetrahydrothienyl, tetrahydroquinolinyl, and tetrahydroisoquinolinyl. The term “perfluoroalkyl”, as used herein, whether used alone or as part of another group, refers to a saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon having 1 to about 6 carbon atoms and two or more fluorine atoms and includes, but is not limited to, straight or branched chains, such as —CF3, —CH2CF3, —CF2CF3 and —CH(CF3)2. The term “halogen” or “halo” refers to chlorine, bromine, fluorine, and iodine. The term “m” can be 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. “p” can be 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. “n” can be 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The term “treating” or “treatment” refers to any indicia of success in amelioration of an injury, pathology, or condition, including any objective or subjective parameter such as abatement; remission; diminishing of symptoms or making the injury, pathology, or condition more tolerable to the patient; slowing in the rate of degeneration or decline; making the final point of degeneration less debilitating; or improving a subject's physical or mental well-being. The treatment or amelioration of symptoms can be based on objective or subjective parameters; including the results of a physical examination, neurological examination, and/or psychiatric evaluation. “Treating” or “treatment of a PAI-1 related disorder” includes preventing the onset of symptoms in a subject that may be predisposed to a PAI-1 related disorder but does not yet experience or exhibit symptoms of the disorder (prophylactic treatment), inhibiting the symptoms of the disorder (slowing or arresting its development), providing relief from the symptoms or side-effects of the disorder (including palliative treatment), and/or relieving the symptoms of the disorder (causing regression). Accordingly, the term “treating” includes the administration of the compounds or agents of the present invention to a subject to prevent or delay, to alleviate, or to arrest or inhibit development of the symptoms or conditions associated with PAI-1 related disorders, e.g., tumor growth associated with cancer. A skilled medical practitioner will know how to use standard methods to determine whether a patient is suffering from a disease associated with enhanced levels and/or activity of PAI-1, e.g., by examining the patient and determining whether the patient is suffering from a disease known to be associated with elevated PAI-1 levels or activity or by assaying for PAI-1 levels in blood plasma or tissue of the individual suspected of suffering from a PAI-1 related disease and comparing PAI-1 levels in the blood plasma or tissue of the individual suspected of suffering from a PAI-1 related disease to PAI-1 levels in the blood plasma or tissue of a healthy individual. Increased PAI-1 levels are indicative of disease. Accordingly, the present invention provides, inter alia, methods of administering a compound of the present invention to a subject and determining levels of PAI-1 in the subject. The level of PAI-1 in the subject can be determined before and/or after administration of the compound. In healthy individuals, PAI-1 is found at low levels in the plasma (from about 5-26 ng/mL), but it is elevated in many PAI-1 related disorders, including, for example, atherosclerosis (Schneiderman J. et. al, Proc Natl Acad Sci 89: 6998-7002, 1992) deep vein thrombosis (Juhan-Vague I, et. al, Thromb Haemost 57: 67-72, 1987), and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (Juhan-Vague I, et. al, Thromb Haemost 78: 565-660, 1997). PAI-1 stabilizes both arterial and venous thrombi, contributing respectively to coronary arterial occlusion in post-myocardial infarction (Hamsten A, et. al. Lancet 2:3-9, 1987), and venous thrombosis following post-operative recovery from orthopedic surgery. (Siemens H J, et. al, J Clin Anesthesia 11: 622-629, 1999). Plasma PAI-1 is also elevated, for example, in postmenopausal women, and has been proposed to contribute to the increased incidence of cardiovascular disease in this population (Koh K et. al, N Engl J Med 336: 683-690, 1997). The term “PAI-1 related disorder or disease” refers to any disease or condition that is associated with increased or enhanced expression or activity of PAI-1 or increased or enhanced expression or activity of a gene encoding PAI-1. Examples of such increased activity or expression can include one or more of the following: activity of the protein or expression of the gene encoding the protein is increased above the level of that in normal subjects; activity of the protein or expression of the gene encoding the protein is in an organ, tissue or cell where it is not normally detected in normal subjects (i.e. spatial distribution of the protein or expression of the gene encoding the protein is altered); activity of the protein or expression of the gene encoding the protein is increased when activity of the protein or expression of the gene encoding the protein is present in an organ, tissue or cell for a longer period than in a normal subjects (i.e., duration of activity of the protein or expression of the gene encoding the protein is increased). A normal or healthy subject is a subject not suffering from a PAI-1 related disorder or disease. The term “pharmaceutically acceptable excipient” means an excipient that is useful in preparing a pharmaceutical composition that is generally safe, non-toxic, and desirable, and includes excipients that are acceptable for veterinary use as well as for human pharmaceutical use. Such excipients can be solid, liquid, semisolid, or, in the case of an aerosol composition, gaseous. “Pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters” refers to salts and esters that are pharmaceutically acceptable and have the desired pharmacological properties. Such salts include, for example, salts that can be formed where acidic protons present in the compounds are capable of reacting with inorganic or organic bases. Suitable inorganic salts include, for example, those formed with the alkali metals or alkaline earth metals, e.g. sodium and potassium, magnesium, calcium, and aluminum. Suitable organic salts include, for example, those formed with organic bases such as the amine bases, e.g. ethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, tromethamine, N methylglucamine, and the like. Pharmaceutically acceptable salts can also include acid addition salts formed from the reaction of basic moieties, such as amines, in the parent compound with inorganic acids (e.g. hydrochloric and hydrobromic acids) and organic acids (e.g. acetic acid, citric acid, maleic acid, and the alkane- and arene-sulfonic acids such as methanesulfonic acid and benzenesulfonic acid). Pharmaceutically acceptable esters include esters formed from carboxy, sulfonyloxy, and phosphonoxy groups present in the compounds, e.g. C1-6 alkyl esters. When there are two acidic groups present, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester can be a mono-acid-mono-salt or ester or a di-salt or ester; and similarly where there are more than two acidic groups present, some or all of such groups can be salified or esterified. Compounds named in this invention can be present in unsalified or unesterified form, or in salified and/or esterified form, and the naming of such compounds is intended to include both the original (unsalified and unesterified) compound and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters. Also, certain compounds named in this invention can be present in more than one stereoisomeric form, and the naming of such compounds is intended to include all single stereoisomers and all mixtures (whether racemic or otherwise) of such stereoisomers. “Inhibitors,” “activators,” and “modulators” of expression or of activity are used to refer to inhibitory, activating, or modulating molecules, respectively, identified using in vitro and in vivo assays for expression or activity. Inhibitors of the present invention are compositions that, inhibit expression of PAI-1 or bind to, partially or totally block stimulation, decrease, prevent, delay activation, inactivate, desensitize, or down regulate the activity of PAI-1. Samples or assays comprising PAI-1 can be treated with a composition of the present invention and compared to control samples without a composition of the present invention. Control samples (untreated with compositions of the present invention) can be assigned a relative activity value of 100%. In certain embodiments, inhibition of PAI-1 is achieved when the activity value relative to the control is about 80% or less, optionally 50% or 25, 10%, 5% or 1%. The terms “pharmaceutically acceptable”, “physiologically tolerable” and grammatical variations thereof, as they refer to compositions, carriers, diluents and reagents, are used interchangeably and represent that the materials are capable of administration to or upon a human without the production of undesirable physiological effects such as nausea, dizziness, gastric upset and the like which would be to a degree that would prohibit administration of the compound. A “therapeutically effective amount” or “pharmaceutically effective amount”-means the amount that, when administered to a subject, produces effects for which it is administered. For example, a “therapeutically effective amount,” when administered to a subject to inhibit PAI-1 activity, is sufficient to inhibit PAI-1 activity. A “therapeutically effective amount,” when administered to a subject for treating a disease, is sufficient to effect treatment for that disease. Except when noted, the terms “subject” or “patient” are used interchangeably and refer to mammals such as human patients and non-human primates, as well as experimental animals such as rabbits, rats, and mice, and other animals. Accordingly, the term “subject” or “patient” as used herein means any mammalian patient or subject to which the compounds of the invention can be administered. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, to identify subject patients for treatment according to the methods of the invention, accepted screening methods are employed to determine risk factors associated with a targeted or suspected disease or condition or to determine the status of an existing disease or condition in a subject. These screening methods include, for example, conventional work-ups to determine risk factors that may be associated with the targeted or suspected disease or condition. These and other routine methods allow the clinician to select patients in need of therapy using the methods and formulations of the present invention. When any variable occurs more than one time in any constituent or in any formula, its definition in each occurrence is independent of its definition at every other occurrence. Combinations of substituents and/or variables are permissible only if such combinations result in stable compounds. B. Substituted Acetic Acid Derivatives The present invention provides substituted acetic acid derivatives. Such derivatives are preferably administered to inhibit PAI-1 expression or activity in a subject and, ultimately, to treat diseases or conditions associated with increased PAI-1 activity in a subject, e.g., a PAI-1 related disorder. Substituted acetic acid derivatives include those compounds of the following formula: wherein: R1 is —OH, —OC1-C8 alkyl, or NH2; R2 and R3 are, independently, hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl; R4 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl; X is wherein: R5 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl; R6 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, —(CH2), —CH═CH, —(CH2)n—CH═C-alkyl, —(CH2)nC═CH, —(CH2)nC═C-alkyl, aryl, (CH2)n-aryl, heteroaryl, (CH2)n-heteroaryl, —CO-aryl, —CO-heteroaryl, —CO-alkyl, —SO2-alkyl, —SO2-aryl, or —SO2-heteroaryl; R7, R8 and R9 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; R10, R11, R12, R13 and R14 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; R16 and R17 are, independently, hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, aryl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl; R15, R18, R19 and R20 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; R21 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C1-C8 alkenyl, C1-C8 alkynyl, —(CH2)p-aryl, —(CH2)p-heteroaryl, —(CH2)p—O-aryl, —(CH2)p—O-heteroaryl, —(CH2)p—O—(CH2)m-aryl, —(CH2)p—O—(CH2)m-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; W is aryl or heteroaryl; n is an integer from 0 to 5; p is an integer from 1 to 5; and m is an integer from 0 to 5. Accordingly, in some embodiments, substituted acetic acid derivatives of the present invention include substituted indolymethylideneaminooxy acetic acid derivatives of the following formula: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, and n are defined as above for Formula 1. Compounds of the present invention also include prodrugs, stereoisomers, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester forms of Formula 2. R1 can be —OH, —OC1-C8 alkyl, or NH2. In certain compounds of Formula 2, R1 is —OC1-C6 alkyl or —OH. Most preferably R1 is —OH. In such embodiments, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 2. R2 and R3 can be hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl. In certain compounds of Formula 2, R2 and R3 are, independently, CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl or benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —CN, or —NO2. In other embodiments, R2 and R3 are, independently alkyl or hydrogen. In certain preferred embodiments, R2 and R3 are hydrogen. In such embodiments, R1, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 2 R4 can be hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl and R5 can be hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl. In certain compounds of Formula 2, R4 and R5 are, independently, C3-C6 cycloalky, CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl, and benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. In other embodiments, R4 and R5 groups are hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl. In certain preferred embodiments, R4 and R5 are hydrogen. In such embodiments, R1, R2, R3, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 2 R6 can be hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, —(CH2)n—CH═CH, —(CH2)n—CH═C-alkyl, —(CH2)nC≡CH, —(CH2)nC≡C-alkyl, aryl, (CH2)n-aryl, heteroaryl, (CH2)n-heteroaryl, —CO-aryl, —CO-heteroaryl, —CO-alkyl, —SO2-alkyl, —SO2-aryl, or —SO2-heteroaryl. In certain compounds of Formula 2, R6 is aryl, (CH2)n-aryl, heteroaryl, (CH2)n-heteroaryl, —CO-aryl, —CO-heteroaryl, —SO2-aryl, or —SO2-heteroaryl wherein the rings of the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoralkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. In certain preferred embodiments R6 is —SO2-alkyl, aralkyl, alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl. For example, in some embodiments, R6 is benzyl, allyl, ethyl, propargyl, or methyl. In such embodiments, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R7, R8, R9, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 2. R7, R8 and R9 can be hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O-C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl. In certain compounds of Formula 2, R7, R9, and R9 are, independently, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or hetreoaryl wherein the rings of the aryl and/or heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoralkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. In certain preferred embodiments, R7, R8, and R9 are, independently, hydrogen, or O(CH2)n-aryl where the ring of the aryl group is optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from alkyl, perfluorlalkyl, halogen, or aryl. In some embodiments, R7, R8, and R9 are, independently, hydrogen, or benzyloxy where the benzyl ring is optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from butyl, CF3, bromine, chlorine, methyl and naphthyl. In such embodiments, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 2 In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, R4 is hydrogen, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl and R1, R2, R3, R5, R6, R7, R7, R8, R9, and n are as described herein for compounds of Formula 2. In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, R1, R2, R3, R5, R6, R7, R8, and R9 cannot simultaneously be hydrogen. In certain embodiments of the present invention, such substituted indolymethylideneaminooxy acetic acid derivatives include the following compounds: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, and n are defined as above for Formula 1., and R22 and R23 can be, independently, hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl; and R24, R25 and R26 can be, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl (preferably C1-C3 alkyl), C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy (preferably C1-C3 alkoxy), —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl. In certain exemplary embodiments, the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl and benzyl groups represented by R22 and R23 are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2 and/or the rings of the aryl and heteroaryl groups represented by R24, R25, and R26 are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, R1 is —OH, unsubstituted —OC1-C8 alkyl, or NH2; R2 and R3 are, independently, hydrogen, unsubstituted C1-C8 alkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —CN, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2; R4 is hydrogen, unsubstituted C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl, heteroaryl, or benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2; R5 is hydrogen, unsubstituted C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl, heteroaryl, or benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2; R6 is hydrogen, unsubstituted C1-C8 alkyl, —(CH2)n—CH═CH, unsubstituted —(CH2)n—CH═C-alkyl, —(CH2)nC≡CH, unsubstituted —(CH2)nC≡C-alkyl, aryl, (CH2)n-aryl, heteroaryl, (CH2)n-heteroaryl, —CO-aryl, —CO-heteroaryl, unsubstituted —CO-alkyl, unsubstituted —SO2-alkyl, —SO2-aryl, or —SO2-heteroaryl wherein the rings of the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2; R7, R8 and R9 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, unsubstituted C1-C6 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl wherein the rings of the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2; R22 and R23 are, independently, hydrogen, unsubstituted C1-C8 alkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl and benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2; and R24, R25 and R26 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, unsubstituted C1-C6 alkyl (preferably C1-C3 alkyl), unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C6 alkoxy (preferably C1-C3 alkoxy), —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl wherein the rings of the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. Exemplary substituted indolymethylideneaminooxy acetic acid derivatives of the present invention include, but are not limited to, ({[(1E)-(1-allyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(1-ethyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(1-benzyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy)}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{5-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(1-allyl-5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(1-benzyl-5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-ethyl-5-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(1-allyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(1-ethyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(1-benzyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-ethyl-5-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(1-(2-propynyl)-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(1-methyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[1-allyl-5-(benzyloxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[1-benzyl-5-(benzyloxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(1-(2-propynyl)-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(1-methyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy)}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[1-allyl-5-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[1-benzyl-5-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; and [({(1E)-[1-methyl-5-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, acetic acid derivatives include biphenylmethylidene aminooxy acetic acid derivatives of the following formula: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, and n are defined as above for Formula 1. Compounds of the present invention also include prodrugs, stereoisomers, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester forms of Formula 6. In certain compounds of Formula 6, R1 is —OC1-C6 alkyl or —OH. In certain preferred embodiments, R1 is —OH. In such embodiments, R2, R3, R4, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 6. In certain compounds of Formula 6, R2 and R3 are, independently, CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, and benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —CN, or —NO2. In other embodiments, R2 and R3 are, independently, alkyl or hydrogen. In certain preferred embodiments, R2 and R3 are hydrogen. In such embodiments, R1, R4, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 6. In certain compounds of Formula 6, R4 is C3-C6 cycloalky, CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl, and benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. In other embodiments, R4 and R5 are, independently, alkyl or hydrogen. In certain preferred embodiments, R4 is hydrogen. In such embodiments, R1, R2, R3, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 6. R10, R11, R12, R13 and R14 can be hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl. In certain compounds of Formula 6, R10 and R1, are, independently, aryl, O(CH2)n-aryl, heteroaryl, or O(CH2)n-heteroaryl wherein the rings of the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoralkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. In other embodiments, R10 and R11 are, independently, C1-C6alkyl, halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoralkyl, or C1-C3 alkoxy. In certain preferred embodiments, R10 and R11 are hydrogen. In such embodiments, R1, R2, R3, R4, R12, R13, R14, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 6. In certain compounds of Formula 6, R12, R13 and R14 are, independently, aryl, O(CH2)n-aryl, heteroaryl, or O(CH2)n-heteroaryl wherein the rings of the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoralkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. In certain preferred embodiments, R12, R13 and R14 are, independently, hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoralkyl, or C1-C3 alkoxy. More preferably R12, R13 and R14 are, independently hydrogen or —O(CH2)n-aryl wherein the ring of the aryl group is optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from alkyl, perfluoralkyl, halogen, or aryl. For example, in some embodiments, R12, R13 and R14 are, independently hydrogen or benzyloxy wherein the benzyl group is optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from butyl, CF3, bromine, chlorine, methyl, and naphthyl. In such embodiments, R1, R2, R3, R4, R1, R11, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 6. In certain embodiments of the present invention, such biphenylmethylidene aminooxy acetic acid derivatives include the following compounds: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, R22, R23, R24, R25, R26 and n are defined as above for Formulas 1 and Formulas 3-5. In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, R1 is —OH, unsubstituted —OC1-C8 alkyl, or NH2; R2 and R3 are, independently, hydrogen, unsubstituted C1-C8 alkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —CN, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2; R4 is hydrogen, unsubstituted C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, pyridinyl, or —CH2-pyridinyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2; R10, R11, R12, R13 and R14 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, unsubstituted C1-C6 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl wherein the rings of the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2; R22 and R23 are, independently, hydrogen, unsubstituted C1-C8 alkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl and benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2; and R24, R25 and R26 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, unsubstituted C1-C6 alkyl (preferably C1-C3 alkyl), unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C6 alkoxy (preferably C1-C3 alkoxy), —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl wherein the rings of the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. Exemplary substituted biphenylmethylidene aminooxy acetic acid derivatives of the present invention include, but are not limited to, ({[(1E)-(3′-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[3′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({((E)-[3′-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3, [(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(4′-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(4′-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[4′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(4′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[4′-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(3′-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[3′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[3′-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; [({(1E)-[4′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(4′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; and {[((1E)-{4′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, substituted acetic acid derivatives include substituted bisbenzyloxyphenylmethylidene aminooxy acetic acid derivatives off the following formula: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R15, R16, R17, R18, R19, R20, and n are defined as above for Formula 1. Compounds of the present invention also include prodrugs, stereoisomers, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester forms of Formula 9. In certain compounds of Formula 9, R1 is —OC1-C6 alkyl or —OH. In certain preferred embodiments, R1 is —OH. In such embodiments, R2, R3, R4, R15, R16, R17, R18, R19, R20, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 9. In certain compounds of Formula 9, R2 and R3 are, independently, CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, and benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —CN, or —NO2. In other embodiments, R2 and R3 are, independently, alkyl or hydrogen. In certain preferred embodiments, R2 and R3 are hydrogen. In such embodiments, R1, R4, R15, R16, R17, R18, R19, R20, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 9. In certain compounds of Formula 9, R4 is C3-C6 cycloalky, CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl, and benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. In other embodiments, R4 is alkyl or hydrogen. In certain preferred embodiments, R4 is hydrogen. In such embodiments, R1, R2, R3, R4, R15, R16, R17, R18, R19, R20, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 9. R16 and R17 can be hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, aryl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl. In certain compounds of Formula 9, R16 and R17 are, independently, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, —CH2-pyridinyl or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, and benzyl groups are substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. In other embodiments, R16 and R17 are, independently, alkyl or hydrogen. In certain preferred embodiments, R16 and R17 are hydrogen. In such embodiments, R1, R2, R3, R4, R15, R18, R19, R20, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 9 R15, R18, R19 and R20 can be hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl. In certain compounds of Formula 9, R15 is aryl, O(CH2)n-aryl, heteroaryl, or O(CH2)n-heteroaryl wherein the rings of the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoralkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. In other embodiments R15 is hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoralkyl, or C1-C3 alkoxy. In certain preferred embodiments, R15 is hydrogen. In such embodiments, R1, R2, R3, R4, R16, R17, R18, R19, and R20 and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 9. In certain compounds of Formula 9, R18, R19, and R20 are, independently, aryl, O(CH2)n-aryl, heteroaryl, or O(CH2)n-heteroaryl wherein the rings of the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoralkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. In certain embodiments, R18, R19, and R20 are, independently, hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoralkyl, or C1-C3 alkoxy. For example, in some embodiments, R18, R19, and R20 are, independently hydrogen, methyl, butyl, CF3, chlorine, or bromine. In such embodiments, R1, R2, R3, R4, R15, R17, and n are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 9. In certain embodiments, such substituted bisbenzyloxyphenylmethylidene aminooxy acetic acid derivatives include the following compounds: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R15, R16, R17, R18, R19, R20, and n are defined as above for Formula 1. In certain embodiments of the present invention, R1 is —OH, unsubstituted —OC1-C8 alkyl, or NH2; R2 and R3 are, independently, hydrogen, unsubstituted C1-C8 alkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —CN, —NH2, or —NO2; R4 is hydrogen, unsubstituted C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, pyridinyl, or —CH2-pyridinyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2; R16 and R17 are, independently, hydrogen, unsubstituted C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, aryl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH2-heteoraryl wherein the rigns of the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2; R15, R18, R19 and R20 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, unsubstituted C1-C6 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —NO2, —O(CH2)n-aryl, —O(CH2)n-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl wherein the rings of the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. Exemplary bisbenzyloxyphenylmethylidene aminooxy acetic acid derivatives include, but are not limited to, {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(3,4-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl)}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(3,4-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(2,4-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(2,4-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(2,3-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(2,3-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(3,5-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(3,5-bis {[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(2,5-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(2,5-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, substituted acetic acid derivatives include substituted acetylenic oximeacetic acid derivatives of the following formula: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, W, R21, m, and p are defined as above for Formula 1. Compounds of the present invention also include prodrugs, stereoisomers, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts or ester forms of Formula 11. In certain compounds of Formula 11, R1 is —OC1-C6 alkyl or —OH. In certain preferred embodiments, R1 is —OH. In such embodiments, R2, R3, R4, W, R21, m, and p are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 11. In certain compounds of Formula 11, R2 and R3 are, independently, CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, and benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —CN, or —NO2. In other embodiments, R2 and R3 are, independently, alkyl or hydrogen. In certain preferred embodiments, R2 and R3 are hydrogen. In such embodiments, R1, R4, W, R21, m, and p are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 11. In certain compounds of Formula 11, R4 is C3-C6 cycloalky, CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl, and benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2. In other embodiments, R4 is alkyl or hydrogen. In certain preferred embodiments, R4 is hydrogen. In such embodiments, R1, R2, R3, W, R21, m, and p are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 11. R21 can be hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C1-C8 alkenyl, C1-C8 alkynyl, —(CH2)p-aryl, —(CH2)p-heteroaryl, —(CH2)p—O-aryl, —(CH2)p—O-heteroaryl, —(CH2)p—O—(CH2)m-aryl, —(CH2)p—O—(CH2)m-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl. In certain embodiments of compounds of Formula 11, R21 is —(CH2)n-aryl, —(CH2)n-heteroaryl, —(CH2)n—O-aryl, —(CH2)n—O-heteroaryl, —(CH2)n—O—(CH2)m-aryl, —(CH2)n—O—(CH2)m-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl wherein the rings of the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, —CN or —NO2. In certain embodiments, R21 is aryl, alkyl, —(CH2)—O-aryl where the aryl group is optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from halogen, perfluoroalkyl, alkyl, or branched alkyl. For example, in some embodiments, R21 is —(CH2)—O-phenyl where the phenyl group is optionally substituted with chlorine, bromine, butyl or branched butyl. In such embodiments, R1, R2, R3, R4, W, m, and p are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 11. W can be aryl or heteroaryl. In certain preferred embodiments, W is phenyl. In such embodiments, R1, R2, R3, R4, R21, m, and p are as defined herein for compounds of Formula 11. In certain embodiments, such substitued acetylenic oximeacetic acid derivatives include the following compounds: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, W, R21, m, and p are defined as above for Formula 1. In certain embodiments of the present invention, R1 is —OH, unsubstituted —OC1-C8 alkyl, or NH2; R2 and R3 are, independently, hydrogen, unsubstituted C1-C8 alkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2-pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, pyridinyl, phenyl or benzyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —CN, —NH2, or —NO2; R4 is hydrogen, unsubstituted C1-C8 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, —CH2—C3-C6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, pyridinyl, or —CH2-pyridinyl wherein the rings of the cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, and pyridinyl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH2, or —NO2; R21 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C1-C8 alkenyl, C1-C8 alkynyl, —(CH2)p-aryl, —(CH2)p-heteroaryl, —(CH2)p—O-aryl, —(CH2)p—O-heteroaryl, —(CH2)p—O—(CH2)m-aryl, —(CH2)p—O—(CH2)m-heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl wherein the rings of the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from halogen, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted —O—C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, unsubstituted C1-C3 alkoxy, —OH, —CN—NH2, or —NO2; W is unsubstituted aryl or unsubstituted heteroaryl. Exemplary substituted acetylenic oximeacetic acid derivatives of the present invention include, but are not limited to, {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-tert-butylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-bromophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(4-{3-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]prop-1-ynyl}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4-[3-(3,5-dichlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4-[3-(3-chlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-isobutylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl)}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3-[3-(4-tert-butylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3-[3-(4-bromophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; ({[(1E)-(3-{3-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]prop-1-ynyl}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3-[3-(3,5-dichlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; {[((1E)-{3-[3-(3-chlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester form thereof; and {[((1E)-{3-[3-(4-isobutylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid. The present invention also provides compositions comprising substituted acetic acid derivatives, including those compounds of formulas 1-13 or a stereoisomer or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, excipients, or diluents. Such compositions include pharmaceutical compositions for treating or controlling disease states or conditions associated with increased PAI-1 activity. In certain embodiments, the compositions comprise mixtures of one or more substituted acetic acid derivatives. Certain of the compounds of formulas 1-13 contain stereogenic carbon atoms or other chiral elements and thus give rise to stereoisomers, including enantiomers and diastereomers. The present invention includes all of the stereoisomers of formulas 1-13, as well as mixtures of the stereoisomers. Throughout this application, the name of the product, where the absolute configuration of an asymmetric center is not indicated, is intended to embrace the individual stereoisomers as well as mixtures of stereoisomers. When it is necessary to distinguish the enantiomers from one another and from the racemate, the sign of the optical rotation [(+), (−) and (±)] is utilized. Furthermore, throughout this application, the designations R* and S* are used to indicate relative stereochemistry, employing the Chemical Abstracts convention which automatically assigns R* to the lowest numbered asymmetric center. Where an enantiomer is preferred, it can, in some embodiments, be provided substantially free of the corresponding enantiomer. Thus, an enantiomer substantially free of the corresponding enantiomer refers to a compound that is isolated or separated via separation techniques or prepared free of the corresponding enantiomer. “Substantially free,” as used herein, means that the compound is made up of a significantly greater proportion of one enantiomer. In preferred embodiments, the compound is made up of at least about 90% by weight of a preferred enantiomer. In other embodiments of the invention, the compound is made up of at least about 99% by weight of a preferred enantiomer. Preferred enantiomers can be isolated from racemic mixtures by any method known to those skilled in the art, including high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the formation and crystallization of chiral salts, or preferred enantiomers can be prepared by methods described herein. Methods for the preparation of preferred enantiomers are described, for example, in Jacques, et al., Enantiomers, Racemates and Resolutions (Wiley Interscience, New York, 1981); Wilen, S. H., et al., Tetrahedron 33:2725 (1977); Eliel, E. L. Stereochemistry of Carbon Compounds (McGraw-Hill, N.Y., 1962); and Wilen, S. H. Tables of Resolving Agents and Optical Resolutions p. 268 (E. L. Eliel, Ed., Univ. of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, Ind. 1972). Exemplary salt forms of the compounds herein include, but are not limited to, sodium salts and potassium salts. Other exemplary salt forms of these compounds include, but are not limited to, those formed with pharmaceutically acceptable inorganic and organic bases known in the art. Salt forms prepared using inorganic bases include hydroxides, carbonates or bicarbonates of the therapeutically acceptable alkali metals or alkaline earth metals, such as sodium potassium, magnesium, calcium and the like. Acceptable organic bases include amines, such as benzylzmine, mono-, di- and trialkylamines, preferably those having alkyl groups of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, more preferably 1 to 3 carbon atoms, such as methylamine, dimethylamine, trimethylamine, ethylamine, diethylamine, triethylamine, mono-, di-, and triethanolamine. Exemplary salts also include alkylene diamines containing up to 6 carbon atoms, such as hexamethylenediamine; cyclic saturated or unsaturated bases containing up to 6 carbon atoms, including pyrrolidine, peperidine, morpholine, piperazine and their N-alkyl and N-hydroxyalkyl derivatives, such as N-methyl-morpholine and N-(2-hyroxyethyl)-piperidine, or pyridine. Quaternary salts can also be formed, such as tetralkyl forms, such as tetramethyl forms, alkyl-alkanol forms, such as methyl-triethanol or trimethyl-monoethanol forms, and cyclic ammonium salt forms, such as N-methylpyridinium, N-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-morpholinium, N,N-di-methylmorpholinium, N-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-morpholinium, or N,N-dimethyl-piperidinium salt forms. These salt forms can be prepared using the acidic compound(s) of Formulas 1-13 and procedures known in the art. Exemplary ester forms of the compounds of this invention include, but are not limited to, straight chain alkyl esters having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or branched chain alkyl groups containing 3 or 6 carbon atoms, including methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, 2-methylpropyl and 1,1-dimethylethyl esters. Other exemplary esters include, but are not limited to, those of the formula —COOR31 wherein R31 is selected from the formula: wherein R27, R28, R29, R30 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 12 carbon atoms, arylalkyl of from 6 to 12 carbon atoms; heteroaryl or alkylheteroaryl wherein the heteroaryl ring is bound by an alkyl chain of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms. Ester forms of the compounds herein include but are not limited to C1-C6 alkyl esters, cycloalkyl, cycloalkyl esters, and alkylaryl esters. Preferred compounds of the present invention inhibit PAI-1 activity. Accordingly, the compounds can be used for the treatment, including prevention, inhibition, and/or amelioration of PAI-1 related disorders in a subject, including, for example, in the treatment of noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus, in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, and in the treatment of thrombotic events associated with coronary artery and cerebrovascular disease. Using the methods of the present invention, a skilled medical practitioner will know how to administer substituted acetic acid derivatives, including those represented by formulas 1-13, to a subject suffering from any of the diseases associated with increased PAI-1 activity or expression, e.g., diabetes or cardiovascular disease, in order to effect treatment for that disease. In one exemplary embodiment, substituted acetic acid derivatives are administered to a subject in order to treat disease processes involving thrombotic and prothrombotic states which include, but are not limited to, formation of atherosclerotic plaques, venous and arterial thrombosis, myocardial ischemia, atrial fibrillation, deep vein thrombosis, coagulation syndromes, pulmonary thrombosis, cerebral thrombosis, thromboembolic complications of surgery (such as joint or hip replacement), and peripheral arterial occlusion. Any disease or condition that is associated with increased PAI-1 activity or expression in a subject can be treated using substituted acetic acid derivatives. Exemplary diseases and conditions include stroke, e.g., stroke associated with or resulting from atrial fibrillation; diseases associated with extracellular matrix accumulation including, but not limited to, renal fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, restenosis, renovascular disease, and organ transplant rejection; diseases associated with neoangiogenesis, including, but not limited to, diabetic retinopathy; Alzheimer's disease, e.g., by increasing or normalizing levels of plasmin concentration in a subject; myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia, e.g., by regulating stromal cell hyperplasia and increases in extracellular matrix proteins; diabetic nephropathy and renal dialysis associated with nephropathy; malignancies or cancers, including, but not limited to, leukemia, breast cancer and ovarian cancer; tumors, including, but not limited to, liposarcomas and epithelial tumors; septicemia; obesity; insulin resistance; proliferative diseases, including, but not limited to, psoriasis; conditions associated with abnormal coagulation homeostasis; low grade vascular inflammation; cerebrovascular diseases; hypertension; dementia; osteoporosis; arthritis; respiratory diseases, such as asthma; heart failure; arrhythmia; angina, including, but not limited to, angina pectoris; atherosclerosis and sequelae; kidney failure; multiple sclerosis; osteoporosis; osteopenia; dementia; peripheral vascular disease; peripheral arterial disease; acute vascular syndromes; microvascular diseases including, but not limited to, nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy and nephrotic syndrome; hypertension; Type 1 and 2 diabetes and related diseases; hyperglycemia; hyperinsulinemia; malignant lesions; premalignant lesions; gastrointestinal malignancies; coronary heart disease, including, but not limited to, primary and secondary prevention of myocardial infarction, stable and unstable angina, primary prevention of coronary events, and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events; and inflammatory diseases, including, but not limited to, septic shock and the vascular damage associated with infections. The compounds of the present invention can also be administered to a subject in combination with a second therapeutic agent, including, but not limited to, prothrombolytic, fibrinolytic, and anticoagulant agents, or in conjunction with other therapies, for example, protease inhibitor-containing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for the treatment of diseases which originate from fibrinolytic impairment and hyper-coagulability of HIV-1 infected patients. In certain embodiments, the compounds of the present invention can be administered in conjunction with and/or following processes or procedures involving maintaining blood vessel patency, including, but not limited to, vascular surgery, vascular graft and stent patency, organ, tissue and cell implantation and transplantation. The compounds of the present invention can also be used for the treatment of blood and blood products used in dialysis, blood storage in the fluid phase, especially ex vivo platelet aggregation. The compounds of the present invention can also be administered to a subject as a hormone replacement agent or to reduce inflammatory markers or C-reactive protein. The compounds can be administered to improve coagulation homeostasis, to improve endothelial function, or as a topical application for wound healing, e.g., the prevention of scarring. The compounds of the present invention can be administered to a subject in order to reduce the risk of undergoing a myocardial revascularization procedure. The present compounds can also be added to human plasma during the analysis of blood chemistry in hospital settings to determine the fibrinolytic capacity thereof. In certain embodiments, the compounds of the present invention can be used as imaging agents for the identification of metastatic cancers. Synthesis of Substituted Acetic Acid Derivatives Compounds of the present invention can be prepared by those skilled in the art of organic synthesis employing conventional methods that utilize readily available reagents and starting materials. Representative compounds of the present invention can be prepared using the following synthetic schemes. The skilled practitioner will know how to make use of variants of these process steps, which in themselves are well known in the art. In certain embodiments of the present invention, representative substituted indolymethylideneaminooxy acetic acid derivatives can be prepared using scheme 1. 5-Hydroxyindole was reacted with benzyl bromide 2 in the presence of a base like cesium carbonate or potassium carbonate in a solvent like acetone to give benzyl ether 3. Benzyl ether 3 was formylated using phosphorus oxychloride and dimethylformamide to give aldehyde 4. Aldehyde 4 was reacted with bromide 5 in the presence of a base like potassium t-butoxide in a solvent like tetrahydrofuran to give compound 6. The aldehyde 6 was reacted with carboxymethoxylamine hemihydrochloride in a mixture of pyridine and ethanol to yield indole oxime acetic acid (I). Representative substituted biphenylmethylidene aminooxy acetic acid derivatives can be prepared using scheme 2. Bromophenol 1 was reacted with benzyl bromide 2 in the presence of a base like cesium carbonate or potassium carbonate in a solvent like acetone to give benzyl ether 3. Benzyl ether 3 was reacted with formylboronic acid 4 using tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) and sodium carbonate in a solvent like ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (DME) to give aldehyde 5. The aldehyde 5 was reacted with carboxymethoxylamine in a mixture of pyridine and ethanol to yield biphenyl oxime acetic acid (I). Representative substituted bisbenzyloxyphenylmethylidene aminooxy acetic acid derivatives can be prepared using scheme 3. In Scheme 3, dihydroxybenzaldehyde 1 was reacted with benzyl bromide in the presence of a base like potassium carbonate in a solvent like acetone to give benzyl ether 2. Benzyl ether 2 was reacted with carboxymethoxylamine in a mixture of pyridine and ethanol to yield bisbenzloxyphenyl oxime acetic acid (I). In certain embodiments of the present invention, representative substituted acetylenic oximeacetic acid derivatives can be prepared using scheme 4 In Scheme 4,3- or 4-bromobenzaldehyde 1 was reacted with propargyl alcohol using the reported conditions (Synlett, 1995, 1115-6) to give the acetylenic alcohol 2. The alcohol was readily converted to the phenyl ethers 4 by reacting with various phenols 3 under Mitsunobu condition. The aldehyde 4 was reacted with carboxymethoxylamine hemihydrochloride in a mixture of pyridine and ethanol to yield indole oxime acetic acid (I). C. Substituted Acetic Acid Derivatives as Pharmaceutical Compositions The present invention provides substituted acetic acid derivatives as pharmaceuticals. In a preferred embodiment, the acetic acid derivatives are formulated as pharmaceuticals to treat diseases associated with increased PAI-1 activity, e.g., by inhibiting PAI-1 activity in a subject. In general, substituted acetic acid derivatives can be administered as pharmaceutical compositions by any method known in the art for administering therapeutic drugs including oral, buccal, topical, systemic (e.g., transdermal, intranasal, or by suppository), or parenteral (e.g., intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intravenous injection). Compositions can take the form of tablets, pills, capsules, semisolids, powders, sustained release formulations, solutions, suspensions, emulsions, syrups, elixirs, aerosols, or any other appropriate compositions; and comprise at least one compound of this invention in combination with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. Suitable excipients are well known to persons of ordinary skill in the art, and they, and the methods of formulating the compositions, can be found in such standard references as Alfonso A R: Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 17th ed., Mack Publishing Company, Easton Pa., 1985. Suitable liquid carriers, especially for injectable solutions, include water, aqueous saline solution, aqueous dextrose solution, and glycols. In some embodiments of the present invention, substituted acetic acid derivatives suitable for use in the practice of this invention will be administered either singly or in combination with at least one other compound of this invention. Substituted acetic acid derivatives suitable for use in the practice of the present invention can also be administered with at least one other conventional therapeutic agent for the disease being treated. Aqueous suspensions of the invention can contain a substituted acetic acid derivative in admixture with excipients suitable for the manufacture of aqueous suspensions. Such excipients can include a suspending agent, such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, sodium alginate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, gum tragacanth and gum acacia, and dispersing or wetting agents such as a naturally occurring phosphatide (e.g., lecithin), a condensation product of an alkylene oxide with a fatty acid (e.g., polyoxyethylene stearate), a condensation product of ethylene oxide with a long chain aliphatic alcohol (e.g., heptadecaethylene oxycetanol), a condensation product of ethylene oxide with a partial ester derived from a fatty acid and a hexitol (e.g., polyoxyethylene sorbitol mono-oleate), or a condensation product of ethylene oxide with a partial ester derived from fatty acid and a hexitol anhydride (e.g., polyoxyethylene sorbitan mono-oleate). The aqueous suspension can also contain one or more preservatives such as ethyl or n-propyl p-hydroxybenzoate, one or more coloring agents, one or more flavoring agents, and one or more sweetening agents, such as sucrose, aspartame or saccharin. Formulations can be adjusted for osmolarity. Oil suspensions can be formulated by suspending a substituted acetic acid derivative in a vegetable oil, such as arachis oil, olive oil, sesame oil or coconut oil, or in a mineral oil such as liquid paraffin; or a mixture of these. The oil suspensions can contain a thickening agent, such as beeswax, hard paraffin or cetyl alcohol. Sweetening agents can be added to provide a palatable oral preparation, such as glycerol, sorbitol or sucrose. These formulations can be preserved by the addition of an antioxidant such as ascorbic acid. As an example of an injectable oil vehicle, see Minto, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 281:93-102, 1997. The pharmaceutical formulations of the invention can also be in the form of oil-in-water emulsions. The oily phase can be a vegetable oil or a mineral oil, described above, or a mixture of these. Suitable emulsifying agents include naturally-occurring gums, such as gum acacia and gum tragacanth, naturally occurring phosphatides, such as soybean lecithin, esters or partial esters derived from fatty acids and hexitol anhydrides, such as sorbitan mono-oleate, and condensation products of these partial esters with ethylene oxide, such as polyoxyethylene sorbitan mono-oleate. The emulsion can also contain sweetening agents and flavoring agents, as in the formulation of syrups and elixirs. Such formulations can also contain a demulcent, a preservative, or a coloring agent. The compound of choice, alone or in combination with other suitable components, can be made into aerosol formulations (i.e., they can be “nebulized”) to be administered via inhalation. Aerosol formulations can be placed into pressurized acceptable propellants, such as dichlorodifluoromethane, propane, nitrogen, and the like. Formulations suitable for parenteral administration, such as, for example, by intraarticular (in the joints), intravenous, intramuscular, intradermal, intraperitoneal, and subcutaneous routes, include aqueous and non-aqueous, isotonic sterile injection solutions, which can contain antioxidants, buffers, bacteriostats, and solutes that render the formulation isotonic with the blood of the intended recipient, and aqueous and non-aqueous sterile suspensions that can include suspending agents, solubilizers, thickening agents, stabilizers, and preservatives. Among the acceptable vehicles and solvents that can be employed are water and Ringer's solution, an isotonic sodium chloride. In addition, sterile fixed oils can conventionally be employed as a solvent or suspending medium. For this purpose any bland fixed oil can be employed including synthetic mono- or diglycerides. In addition, fatty acids such as oleic acid can likewise be used in the preparation of injectables. These solutions are sterile and generally free of undesirable matter. Where the compounds are sufficiently soluble they can be dissolved directly in normal saline with or without the use of suitable organic solvents, such as propylene glycol or polyethylene glycol. Dispersions of the finely divided compounds can be made-up in aqueous starch or sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution, or in suitable oil, such as arachis oil. These formulations can be sterilized by conventional, well known sterilization techniques. The formulations can contain pharmaceutically acceptable auxiliary substances as required to approximate physiological conditions such as pH adjusting and buffering agents, toxicity adjusting agents, e.g., sodium acetate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium lactate and the like. The concentration of substituted acetic acid derivative in these formulations can vary widely, and will be selected primarily based on fluid volumes, viscosities, body weight, and the like, in accordance with the particular mode of administration selected and the patient's needs. For IV administration, the formulation can be a sterile injectable preparation, such as a sterile injectable aqueous or oleaginous suspension. This suspension can be formulated according to the known art using those suitable dispersing or wetting agents and suspending agents. The sterile injectable preparation can also be a sterile injectable solution or suspension in a nontoxic parenterally-acceptable diluent or solvent, such as a solution of 1,3-butanediol. The formulations of commends can be presented in unit-dose or multi-dose sealed containers, such as ampules and vials. Injection solutions and suspensions can be prepared from sterile powders, granules, and tablets of the kind previously described. Substituted acetic acid derivatives suitable for use in the practice of this invention can be administered orally. The amount of a compound of the present invention in the composition can vary widely depending on the type of composition, size of a unit dosage, kind of excipients, and other factors well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In general, the final composition can comprise, for example, from 0.000001 percent by weight (% w) to 10% w of the substituted acetic acid derivative, preferably 0.00001% w to 1% w, with the remainder being the excipient or excipients. Pharmaceutical formulations for oral administration can be formulated using pharmaceutically acceptable carriers well known in the art in dosages suitable for oral administration. Such carriers enable the pharmaceutical formulations to be formulated in unit dosage forms as tablets, pills, powder, dragees, capsules, liquids, lozenges, gels, syrups, slurries, suspensions, etc. suitable for ingestion by the patient. Formulations suitable for oral administration can consist of (a) liquid solutions, such as an effective amount of the packaged nucleic acid suspended in diluents, such as water, saline or PEG 400; (b) capsules, sachets or tablets, each containing a predetermined amount of the active ingredient, as liquids, solids, granules or gelatin; (c) suspensions in an appropriate liquid; and (d) suitable emulsions. Pharmaceutical preparations for oral use can be obtained through combination of the compounds of the present invention with a solid excipient, optionally grinding a resulting mixture, and processing the mixture of granules, after adding suitable additional compounds, if desired, to obtain tablets or dragee cores. Suitable solid excipients are carbohydrate or protein fillers and include, but are not limited to sugars, including lactose, sucrose, mannitol, or sorbitol; starch from corn, wheat, rice, potato, or other plants; cellulose such as methyl cellulose, hydroxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl-cellulose or sodium carboxymethylcellulose; and gums including arabic and tragacanth; as well as proteins such as gelatin and collagen. If desired, disintegrating or solubilizing agents can be added, such as the cross-linked polyvinyl pyrrolidone, agar, alginic acid, or a salt thereof, such as sodium alginate. Tablet forms can include one or more of lactose, sucrose, mannitol, sorbitol, calcium phosphates, corn starch, potato starch, microcrystalline cellulose, gelatin, colloidal silicon dioxide, talc, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, and other excipients, colorants, fillers, binders, diluents, buffering agents, moistening agents, preservatives, flavoring agents, dyes, disintegrating agents, and pharmaceutically compatible carriers. Lozenge forms can comprise the active ingredient in a flavor, e.g., sucrose, as well as pastilles comprising the active ingredient in an inert base, such as gelatin and glycerin or sucrose and acacia emulsions, gels, and the like containing, in addition to the active ingredient, carriers known in the art. The substituted acetic-acid derivatives of the present invention can also be administered in the form of suppositories for rectal administration of the drug. These formulations can be prepared by mixing the drug with a suitable non-irritating excipient which is solid at ordinary temperatures but liquid at the rectal temperatures and will therefore melt in the rectum to release the drug. Such materials are cocoa butter and polyethylene glycols. The compounds of the present invention can also be administered by intranasal, intraocular, intravaginal, and intrarectal routes including suppositories, insufflation, powders and aerosol formulations (for examples of steroid inhalants, see Rohatagi, J. Clin. Pharmacol. 35:1187-1193, 1995; Tjwa, Ann. Allergy Asthma Immunol. 75:107-111, 1995). The substituted acetic acid derivatives of the present invention can be delivered transdermally, by a topical route, formulated as applicator sticks, solutions, suspensions, emulsions, gels, creams, ointments, pastes, jellies, paints, powders, and aerosols. Encapsulating materials can also be employed with the compounds of the present invention and the term “composition” can include the active ingredient in combination with an encapsulating material as a formulation, with or without other carriers. For example, the compounds of the present invention can also be delivered as microspheres for slow release in the body. In one embodiment, microspheres can be administered via intradermal injection of drug-containing microspheres, which slowly release subcutaneously (see Rao, J. Biomater Sci. Polym. Ed. 7:623-645, 1995; as biodegradable and injectable gel formulations (see, e.g., Gao, Pharm. Res. 12:857-863, 1995); or, as microspheres for oral administration (see, e.g., Eyles, J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 49:669-674, 1997). Both transdermal and intradermal routes afford constant delivery for weeks or months. Cachets can also be used in the delivery of the compounds of the present invention, e.g., anti-atherosclerotic medicaments. In another embodiment, the compounds of the present invention can be delivered by the use of liposomes which fuse with the cellular membrane or are endocytosed, i.e., by employing ligands attached to the liposome, or attached directly to the oligonucleotide, that bind to surface membrane protein receptors of the cell resulting in endocytosis. By using liposomes, particularly where the liposome surface carries ligands specific for target cells, or are otherwise preferentially directed to a specific organ, one can focus the delivery of the compound into the target cells in vivo. (See, e.g., Al-Muhammed, J. Microencapsul. 13:293-306, 1996; Chonn, Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 6:698-708, 1995; Ostro, Am. J. Hosp. Pharm. 46:1576-1587, 1989). In other cases, the preferred preparation can be a lyophilized powder which may contain, for example, any or all of the following: 1 mM-50 mM histidine, 0.1%-2% sucrose, 2%-7% mannitol, at a pH range of 4.5 to 5.5, that is combined with buffer prior to use. A pharmaceutical composition of the invention can optionally contain, in addition to a substituted acetic acid derivative, at least one other therapeutic agent useful in the treatment of a disease or condition associated with increased PAI-1 activity. The pharmaceutical compositions are generally formulated as sterile, substantially isotonic and in full compliance with all Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration D. Determining Dosage Regimens for Substituted Acetic Acid Derivatives The present invention provides methods of inhibiting PAI-1 activity in a subject for the treatment of diseases and conditions associated with increased PAI-1 activity using substituted acetic acid derivatives. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a skilled practitioner will treat a subject having a disease associated with elevated PAI-1 levels and/or activity with the compounds of the present invention. For treatment purposes, the compositions or compounds disclosed herein can be administered to the subject in a single bolus delivery, via continuous delivery (e.g., continuous transdermal, mucosal, or intravenous delivery) over an extended time period, or in a repeated administration protocol (e.g., by an hourly, daily or weekly, repeated administration protocol). The pharmaceutical formulations of the present invention can be administered, for example, one or more times daily, 3 times per week, or weekly. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the pharmaceutical formulations of the present invention are orally administered once or twice daily. In this context, a therapeutically effective dosage of the biologically active agent(s) can include repeated doses within a prolonged treatment regimen that will yield clinically significant results to alleviate one or more symptoms or detectable conditions associated with increased PAI-1 activity. Determination of effective dosages in this context is typically based on animal model studies followed up by human clinical trials and is guided by determining effective dosages and administration protocols that significantly reduce the occurrence or severity of targeted exposure symptoms or conditions in the subject. Suitable models in this regard include, for example, murine, rat, porcine, feline, non-human primate, and other accepted animal model subjects known in the art. Alternatively, effective dosages can be determined using in vitro models (e.g., immunologic and histopathologic assays). Using such models, only ordinary calculations and adjustments are typically required to determine an appropriate concentration and dose to administer a therapeutically effective amount of the biologically active agent(s) (e.g., amounts that are intranasally effective, transdermally effective, intravenously effective, or intramuscularly effective to elicit a desired response). In alternative embodiments, an “effective amount” or “therapeutically effective dose” of the biologically active agent(s) will simply inhibit or enhance one or more selected biological activity(ies) correlated with a disease or condition, as set forth above, for either therapeutic or diagnostic purposes. The actual dosage of biologically active agents will of course vary according to factors such as the extent of exposure and particular status of the subject (e.g., the subject's age, size, fitness, extent of symptoms, susceptibility factors, etc), time and route of administration, as well as other drugs or treatments being administered concurrently. Dosage regimens can be adjusted to provide an optimum prophylactic or therapeutic response. By “therapeutically effective dose” herein is meant a dose that produces effects for which it is administered. More specifically, a therapeutically effective dose of the compound(s) of the invention preferably alleviates symptoms, complications, or biochemical indicia of diseases associated with increased PAI-1 activity. The exact dose will depend on the purpose of the treatment, and will be ascertainable by one skilled in the art using known techniques (see, e.g., Lieberman, Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms (Vols. 1-3, 1992); Lloyd, 1999, The Art, Science, and Technology of Pharmaceutical Compounding; and Pickar, 1999, Dosage Calculations). A therapeutically effective dose is also one in which any toxic or detrimental side effects of the active agent is outweighed in clinical terms by therapeutically beneficial effects. It is to be further noted that for each particular subject, specific dosage regimens should be evaluated and adjusted over time according to the individual need and professional judgment of the person administering or supervising the administration of the compounds. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, unit dosage forms of the compounds are prepared for standard administration regimens. In this way, the composition can be subdivided readily into smaller doses at the physicians direction. For example, unit dosages can be made up in packeted powders, vials or ampoules and preferably in capsule or tablet form. The active compound present in these unit dosage forms of the composition can be present in an amount of from about one gram to about fifteen grams or more, for single or multiple daily administration, according to the particular need of the patient. By initiating the treatment regimen with a minimal daily dose of, for example, about one gram, the blood levels of PAI-1 and the patients symptomatic relief analysis can be used to determine whether a larger or smaller dose is indicated. Effective administration of the compounds of this invention can be given at an oral dose of, for example, from about 0.1 mg/kg/day to about 1,000 mg/kg/day. Preferably, administration will be from about 10/mg/kg/day to about 600 mg/kg/day, more preferably from about 25 to about 200 mg/kg/day, and even more preferably from about 50 mg/kg/day to about 100 mg/kg/day. In certain embodiments, the present invention is directed to prodrugs of compounds of formulas 1-13. The term “prodrug,” as used herein, means a compound that is convertible in vivo by metabolic means (e.g. by hydrolysis) to a compound of formula 1-15. Various forms of prodrugs are known in the art such as those discussed in, for example, Bundgaard, (ed.), Design of Prodrugs, Elsevier (1985); Widder, et al. (ed.), Methods in Enzymology, vol. 4, Academic Press (1985); Krogsgaard-Larsen, et al., (ed). “Design and Application of Prodrugs, Textbook of Drug Design and Development, Chapter 5, 113-191 (1991), Bundgaard, et al., Journal of Drug Delivery Reviews, 8:1-38(1992), Bundgaard, J. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 77:285 et seq. (1988); and Higuchi and Stella (eds.) Prodrugs as Novel Drug Delivery Systems, American Chemical Society (1975). E. Kits After a pharmaceutical comprising a substituted acetic acid derivative has been formulated in a suitable carrier, it can be placed in an appropriate container and labeled for treatment of a PAI-1 related disorder, e.g., leukemia. Additionally, another pharmaceutical comprising at least one other therapeutic agent useful in the treatment of the PAI-1 related disorder can be placed in the container as well and labeled for treatment of the indicated disease. Alternatively, a single pharmaceutical comprising a substituted acetic acid derivative and at least one other therapeutic agent useful in the treatment of a PAI-1 related disorder can be placed in an appropriate container and labeled for treatment. For administration of pharmaceuticals comprising substituted acetic acid derivatives and of pharmaceuticals comprising, in a single pharmaceutical, substituted acetic acid derivatives and at least one other therapeutic agent useful in the treatment of a PAI-related disorder, such labeling would include, for example, instructions concerning the amount, frequency and method of administration. Similarly, for administration of multiple pharmaceuticals provided in the container, such labeling would include, for example, instructions concerning the amount, frequency and method of administration of each pharmaceutical. EXAMPLES The syntheses of compounds 1-173 are described in examples 1-173 respectively. Example 1 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(1-allyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid Step 1. To a solution of 5-hydroxyindole (66.3 mg, 0.5 mmol) in acetone was added cesium carbonate (651.6 mg, 2 mmol) and 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide (0.120 ml, 0.5 mmol). The reaction mixture was shaken at 60° C. overnight. The mixture was filtered and washed. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. Step 2. To a solution of crude benzyl ether (0.5 mmol) obtained from step one in DMF (0.2 ml) at 6° C. was added a POCl3/DMF solution (0.2 ml) in a 1.1:4 molar ratio. The reaction mixture was allowed to warm to 12° C. for 1 hour. Another 0.1 ml of POCl3/DMF solution was added and the reaction mixture was shaken for one more hour. The mixture was carefully quenched with water and the solid filtered. The solid was dissolved in 1:1 MeOH/THF (5 ml). To this solution was added 0.2 ml concentrated HCl and the reaction was shaken at room temperature for 1 hour. The mixture was neutralized with 4N NaOH and the solvents were removed under reduced pressure. The crude residue was partitioned between EtOAc and water. The organic layer was dried with MgSO4 and concentrated in vacuo. Step 3. To a solution of aldehyde (0.5 mmol) obtained from step 2 in THF (0.5 ml) was added 1M solution of t-BuOK in THF (0.75 ml, 0.75 mmol) and allyl bromide (0.065 ml, 0.75 mmol). The reaction was shaken at room temperature overnight. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. Step 4. To a solution of aldehyde (0.5 mmol) dissolved in pyridine (0.5 ml) and EtOH (4.5 ml) was added carboxymethoxylamine hemihydrochloride (54.6 mg, 0.25 mmol). The reaction was heated to 60° C. for 2 hours. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. The crude product was purified by RP-HPLC to give example 224. 1H NMR (DMSO d6, 300 MHz) δ 4.61 (s, 2H), 4.81 (d, J=5.4 Hz, 2H), 5.02-5.18 (m, 2H), 5.22-5.27 (m, 3H), 5.94-6.03 (m, 1H), 6.97 (dd, J=8.9, 2.4 Hz, 1H), 7.40 (d, J=8.7 Hz, 1H), 7.69-7.79 (m, 5H), 8.38 (s, 1H), 12.72 (s, 1H); MS: (M+H) 433.0 Example 2 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(1-ethyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(1-ethyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using ethyl bromide. Example 3 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(1-benzyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(1-benzyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using benzyl bromide. Example 4 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-t-butylbenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using allyl bromide. Example 5 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid were synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-t-butylbenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using ethyl bromide. Example 6 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-t-butylbenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using benzyl bromide. Example 7 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-bromobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using allyl bromide. Example 8 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{5-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{5-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-bromobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using ethyl bromide. Example 9 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-bromobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using benzyl bromide. Example 10 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(1-allyl-5-{([3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(1-allyl-5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using allyl bromide. Example 11 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using ethyl bromide. Example 12 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(1-benzyl-5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(1-benzyl-5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using benzyl bromide. Example 13 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-bromobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using allyl bromide. Example 14 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-bromobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using ethyl bromide. Example 15 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-bromobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using benzyl bromide. Example 16 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid were synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-chlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using allyl bromide. Example 17 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid were synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-chlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated ethyl bromide. Example 18 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid were synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-chlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using benzyl bromide. Example 19 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-methylbenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using allyl bromide. Example 20 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-ethyl-5-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-ethyl-5-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-methylbenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using ethyl bromide. Example 21 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-methylbenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using benzyl bromide. Example 22 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(1-allyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(1-allyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using allyl bromide. Example 23 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(1-ethyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(1-ethyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using ethyl bromide. Example 24 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(1-benzyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(1-benzyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using benzyl bromide. Example 25 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-methylbenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using allyl. Example 26 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-ethyl-5-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-ethyl-5-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-methylbenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using ethyl bromide. Example 27 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-methylbenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using benzyl bromide. Example 28 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-ethyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 2-chlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using ethyl bromide. Example 29 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 2-chlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using benzyl bromide. Example 30 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 2-chlorobenzyl bromide Example 31 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(1-(2-propynyl)-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(1-(2-propynyl)-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy)}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using propargyl bromide. Example 32 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(1-methyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(1-methyl-5-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using methyl iodide. Example 33 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-t-butylbenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using propargyl bromide. Example 34 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{5-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-t-butylbenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using methyl iodide. Example 35 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[5-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using propargyl bromide. Example 36 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-bromobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using propargyl bromide. Example 37 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{5-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-bromobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using methyl iodide. Example 38 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-chlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using propargyl bromide. Example 39 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{5-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-chlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using methyl iodide. Example 40 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[1-allyl-5-(benzyloxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[1-allyl-5-(benzyloxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using allyl bromide. Example 41 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[1-benzyl-5-(benzyloxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[1-benzyl-5-(benzyloxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using benzyl bromide. Example 42 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(1-(2-propynyl)-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(1-(2-propynyl)-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using propargyl bromide. Example 43 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(1-methyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(1-methyl-5-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1H-indol-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using methyl iodide. Example 44 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-chlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using propargyl bromide. Example 45 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-chlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using allyl bromide. Example 46 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-chlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using benzyl bromide. Example 47 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{5-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 4-chlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using methyl iodide. Example 48 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 2-chlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using propargyl bromide. Example 49 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 2-chlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using allyl bromide. Example 50 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{5-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 2-chlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using methyl iodide. Example 51 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-(2-propynyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3,4-dichlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using propargyl bromide. Example 52 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-allyl-5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3,4-dichlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using allyl bromide. Example 53 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{1-benzyl-5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3,4-dichlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using benzyl bromide. Example 54 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{5-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 3,4-dichlorobenzyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using methyl iodide. Example 55 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[1-allyl-5-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[1-allyl-5-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 2-naphthyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using allyl bromide. Example 56 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[1-benzyl-5-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[1-benzyl-5-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 2-naphthyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using benzyl bromide. Example 57 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[1-methyl-5-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[1-methyl-5-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1H-indol-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 1 using 2-naphthyl bromide and the resulting ether was further alkylated using methyl iodide. Example 58 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(3′-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid Step 1. To a solution of 3-bromophenol (86.5 mg, 0.5 mmol) in acetone was added cesium carbonate (651.6 mg, 2 mmol) and 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide (0.120 ml, 0.5 mmol). The reaction mixture was shaken at 60° C. overnight. The mixture was filtered and washed. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. Step 2. To a solution of crude benzyl ether (0.5 mmol) obtained from step 1 in ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (DME) (2 ml) in dry reaction vessel was added 3-formylphenylboronic acid (112.5 mg, 0.75 mmol), tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) (28.9 mg, 0.025 mmol), and 2M sodium carbonate solution (1.25 mmol). The reaction mixture was shaken at 80° C. overnight. The mixture was filtered and washed. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. Step 3. To a solution of aldehyde (0.25 mmol) from step 2 dissolved in pyridine (0.5 ml) and EtOH (4.5 ml) was added carboxymethoxylamine hemihydrochloride (54.6 mg, 0.25 mmol). The reaction was heated to 60° C. for 2 hours. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. The crude product was purified by RP-HPLC. 1H NMR (DMSO d6, 300 MHz) δ 4.69 (s, 2H), 5.33 (s, 2H), 7.06 (dd, J=8.1, 1.9 Hz, 1H), 7.28 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 2H), 7.33 (s, 1H), 7.42 (t, J=7.9 Hz, 1H), 7.54 (t, J=7.7 Hz, 1H), 7.64 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 1H), 7.67-7.82 (m, 5H), 7.89 (s, 1H), 8.42 (s, 1H), 12.86 (s, 1H); MS: (M+H) 430.1 Example 59 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 using 4-t-butylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 60 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 using 4-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 61 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 using 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 62 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 using 3-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 63 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 using 3-chlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 64 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[3′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[3′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 using benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 65 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 using 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 66 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 using 4-chlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 67 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 using 2-chlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 68 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 using 3,4-dichlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 69 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[3′-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[3′-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 using 2-naphthylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 70 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 using 4-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 71 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 using 3-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 72 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 using 2,6-dichlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 73 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(4′-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(4′-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 where 4-bromophenol was used in the step 1. 1H NMR (DMSO d6, 300 MHz) δ 4.68 (s, 2H), 5.30 (s, 2H), 7.14 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 2H), 7.44 (d, J=9.2 Hz, 1H), 7.56-7.71 (m, 6H), 7.78 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.83 (s, 1H), 8.40 (s, 1H), 12.82 (s, 1H); MS: (M+H) 430.0 Example 74 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 73 using 4-t-butylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 75 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 73 using 4-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 76 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(4′-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(4′-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 73 using 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 77 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 73 using 3-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 78 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 73 using 3-chlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 79 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[4′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[4′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 73 using benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 80 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(4′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(4′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 73 using 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 81 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 73 using 4-chlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. acid Example 82 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 73 using 2-chlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 83 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 73 using 3,4-dichlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 84 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[4′-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[4′-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 73 using 2-naphthylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 85 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 73 using 4-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 86 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 73 using 3-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 87 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-3-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 73 using 2,6-dichlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 88 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(3′-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(3′-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 where added 4-formylphenyl boronic acid was used in the step 2. 1H NMR (DMSO d6, 300 MHz) δ 4.68 (s, 2H), 5.33 (s, 2H), 7.06 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.29-7.44 (m, 3H), 7.68-7.79 (m, 8H), 8.39 (s, 1H), 12.80 (s, 1H); MS: (M+H) 430.2 Example 89 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 88 using 4-t-butylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 90 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 88 using 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 91 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 88 using 3-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 92 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 88 using 3-chlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 93 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[3′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[3′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 88 using benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 94 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(3′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 88 using 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 95 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 88 using 4-chlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 96 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 88 using 2-chlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 97 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 88 using 3,4-dichlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 98 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[3′-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[3′-(2-naphthylmethoxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 88 using 2-naphthylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 99 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 88 using 4-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 100 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 88 using 3-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 101 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 88 using 2,6-dichlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 102 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 58 where 4-bromophenol was used in step 1 and 4-formylphenyl boronic acid was used in the step 2. 1H NMR (DMSO d6, 300 MHz) δ 4.66 (s, 2H), 5.12 (s, 2H), 7.10 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 2H), 7.37-7.44 (m, 4H), 7.64-7.75 (m, 6H), 8.36 (s, 1H), 12.78 (s, 1H); MS: (M+H) 418.2 Example 103 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 102 using 3-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 104 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 102 using 3-chlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 105 Synthesis of [({(1E)-[4′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid [({(1E)-[4′-(benzyloxy)-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl]methylidene}amino)oxy]acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 102 using benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 106 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(4′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(4′-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 102 using 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 107 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(2-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 102 using 2-chlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 108 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 102 using 3,4-dichlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 109 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 102 using 4-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 110 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 102 using 3-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 111 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4′-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-yl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 102 using 2,6-dichlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 112 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid Step 1. To a solution of 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (69 mg, 0.5 mmol) in acetone was added pottasium carbonate (276 mg, 2 mmol) and 4-t-butylbenzyl bromide (0.227 mg, 1.0 mmol). The reaction mixture was shaken at 60° C. overnight. The mixture was filtered and washed. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. Step 2. To a solution of crude bisbenzyl ether (0.5 mmol) obtained from step 1 dissolved in pyridine (0.5 ml) and EtOH (4.5 ml) was added carboxymethoxylamine hemihydrochloride (109.2 mg, 0.5 mmol). The reaction was heated to 60° C. for 2 hours. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. The crude product was purified by RP-HPLC. 1H NMR (DMSO d6, 300 MHz) δ 1.28 (s, 18H), 4.61 (s, 2H), 5.07 (s, 2H), 5.12 (s, 2H), 7.13 (m, 2H), 7.32-7.41 (m, 10H), 8.21 (s, 1H); MS: (M+H) 504. Example 113 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 112 using 4-fluorbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 114 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(3,4-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(3,4-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 112 using 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 115 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 112 using 4-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 116 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 112 using 3-chlorobenzyl in step 1. Example 117 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 112 using 3-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 118 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 112 using 3-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 119 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(3,4-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(3,4-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 112 using 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 120 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 112 using 4-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 121 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3,4-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 112 using 3,4-difluorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 122 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid Step 1. To a solution of 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (69 mg, 0.5 mmol) in acetone was added pottasium carbonate (276 mg, 2 mmol) and 4-methylbenzyl bromide (0.184 mg, 1.0 mmol). The reaction mixture was shaken at 60° C. overnight. The mixture was filtered and washed. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. Step 2. To a solution of crude bisbenzyl ether (0.5 mmol) obtained from step 1 dissolved in pyridine (0.5 ml) and EtOH (4.5 ml) was added carboxymethoxylamine hemihydrochloride (109.2 mg, 0.5 mmol). The reaction was heated to 60° C. for 2 hours. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. The crude product was purified by RP-HPLC. 1H NMR (DMSO d6, 300 MHz) δ 2.31 (s, 6H), 4.58 (s, 2H), 5.09 (s, 2H), 5.12 (s, 2H), 6.64 (d, 1H), 6.82 (s, 1H) 7.2 (d, 4H), 7.41 (d, 4H), 7.54 (d, 1H), 8.32 (s, 1H); MS: (M+H) 420. Example 123 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 122 using 4-fluorbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 124 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(2,4-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(2,4-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 122 using 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 125 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 122 using 4-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 126 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 122 using 4-t-butylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 127 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 122 using 3-chlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 128 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 122 using 3-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 129 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,4-bis [(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 122 using 3-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 130 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(2,4-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(2,4-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 122 using 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 131 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,4-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 122 using 3,4-difluorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 132 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid Step 1. To a solution of 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (69 mg, 0.5 mmol) in acetone was added pottasium carbonate (276 mg, 2 mmol) and 4-bromobenzyl bromide (0.248 mg, 1.0 mmol). The reaction mixture was shaken at 60° C. overnight. The mixture was filtered and washed. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. Step 2. To a solution of crude bisbenzyl ether (0.5 mmol) obtained from step 1 dissolved in pyridine (0.5 ml) and EtOH (4.5 ml) was added carboxymethoxylamine hemihydrochloride (109.2 mg, 0.5 mmol). The reaction was heated to 60° C. for 2 hours. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. The crude product was purified by RP-HPLC. 1H NMR (DMSO d6, 300 MHz) δ 4.62 (s, 2H), 4.99 (s, 2H), 5.18 (s, 2H), 7.10 (m, 1H), 7.25 (m, 2H) 7.31 (d, 2H), 7.44 (d, 2H), 7.52 (d, 2H), 7. (d, 2H), 8.29 (s, 1H); MS: (M+H) 550. Example 133 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 132 using 4-fluorbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 134 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(2,3-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(2,3-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 132 using 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 135 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 132 using 4-t-butylbenzyl bromide step 1. Example 136 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 132 using 3-chlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 137 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 132 using 3-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 138 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 132 using 3-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 139 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(2,3-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(2,3-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 132 using 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 140 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 132 using 4-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 141 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,3-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 132 using 3,4-difluorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 142 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid Step 1. To a solution of 3,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (69 mg, 0.5 mmol) in acetone was added pottasium carbonate (276 mg, 2 mmol) and 3-chlorobenzyl bromide (0.204 mg, 1.0 mmol). The reaction mixture was shaken at 60° C. overnight. The mixture was filtered and washed. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. Step 2. To a solution of crude bisbenzyl ether (0.5 mmol) obtained from step 1 dissolved in pyridine (0.5 ml) and EtOH (4.5 ml) was added carboxymethoxylamine hemihydrochloride (109.2 mg, 0.5 mmol). The reaction was heated to 60° C. for 2 hours. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. The crude product was purified by RP-HPLC. 1H NMR (DMSO d6, 300 MHz) δ 4.64 (s, 2H), 5.13 (s, 4H), 6.77 (s, 1H), 6.91 (s, 2H) 7.40 (s, 6H), 7.45 (s, 2H), 8.26 (s, 1H); MS: (M+H) 460. Example 143 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 142 using 4-fluorbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 144 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(3,5-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid {[(1E)-(3,5-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 142 using 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 145 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 142 using 4-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 146 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3,5-bis [(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 142 using 4-t-butylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 147 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 142 using 3-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 148 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 142 using 3-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 149 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(3,5-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(3,5-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 142 using 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 150 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 142 using 4-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 151 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3,5-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 142 using 3,4-difluorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 152 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(2,5-bis{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid Step 1. To a solution of 2,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (69 mg, 0.5 mmol) in acetone was added otassium carbonate (276 mg, 2 mmol) and 3-trifluoromethylbenzyl bromide (0.240 mg, 1.0 mmol). The reaction mixture was shaken at 60° C. overnight. The mixture was filtered Step 2. To a solution of crude bisbenzyl ether (0.5 mmol) obtained from step 1 dissolved in pyridine (0.5 ml) and EtOH (4.5 ml) was added carboxymethoxylamine hemihydrochloride (109.2 mg, 0.5 mmol). The reaction was heated to 60° C. for 2 hours. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. The crude product was purified by RP-HPLC. 1H NMR (DMSO dr, 300 MHz) δ 4.64 (s, 2H), 5.18 (s, 2H), 5.25 (s, 2H), 7.12-7.19 (m, 2H), 7.27 (s, 1H) 7.64-7.82 (m, 8H), 8.44 (s, 1H); MS: (M+H) 528. Example 153 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 152 using 4-fluorbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 154 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(2,5-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(2,5-bis{[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 152 using 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl bromide in step 1. Example 155 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 152 using 4-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 156 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-tert-butylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 152 using 4-t-butylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 157 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3-chlorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 152 using 3-chlorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 158 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3-bromobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 152 using 3-bromobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 159 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 152 using 3-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 160 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 152 using 4-methylbenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 161 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{2,5-bis[(3,4-difluorobenzyl)oxy]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 152 using 3,4-difluorobenzyl bromide in step 1. Example 162 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-tert-butylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid Step 1. 4-bromobenzaldehyde (20 mmole) was taken in 1:1 diemthoxyethane and water (50 Ml). To it was added 50 mmole of potassium carbonate was added followed by triphenyl phosphine (1.6 mmole), 0.4 mmole of 10% Palladium on Carbon and 0.8 mmole of copper (I) iodide at room temperature. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 1 hour. To it was added propargyl alcohol (50 mmole) and the reaction mixture was heated overnight. The reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature and filtered through a pad of celite and concentrated. The residual oil was purified by flash column chromatography using 10% EtOAc in hexane. Step 2. The alcohol (1 mmole) from step 1 was dissolved in THF and treated with triphenyl phosphine (1 mmole), diethylazodicarboxylate (1 mmole) and 4-t-butylphenol and stirred at room temperature overnight. The reaction mixture was concentrated and purified by flash column chromatography (20% EtOAc in hexane). Step 3. To a solution of the aldehyde from step 2 (0.5 mmol) dissolved in pyridine (0.5 ml) and EtOH (4.5 ml) was added carboxymethoxylamine hemihydrochloride (54.6 mg, 0.25 mmol). The reaction was heated to 60° C. for 2 hours. The solvent was evaporated in vacuo. The crude product was purified by RP-HPLC. Examples 163 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-bromophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-bromophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 162, but using 4-bromophenol for the Mitsunobu reaction in step 2. Examples 164 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(4-{3-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]prop-1-ynyl}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy) acetic acid ({[(1E)-(4-{3-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]prop-1-ynyl}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy) acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 162, but using 3,5-bistrifluoromethyl phenol for the Mitsunobu reaction in step 2. Examples 165 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4-[3-(3,5-dichlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4-[3-(3,5-dichlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 162, but using 3,5-dichlorophenol for the Mitsunobu reaction in step 2. Examples 166 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4-[3-(3-chlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4-[3-(3-chlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 162, but using 3-chlorophenol for the Mitsunobu reaction in step 2. Examples 167 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-isobutylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-isobutylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 162, but using 4 4-sec-butyl phenol for the Mitsunobu reaction in step 2. Examples 168 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3-[3-(4-tert-butylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3-[3-(4-tert-butylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 162, but using 3-bromobenzaldehyde in step 1 and using 4-t-butylphenol for the Mitsunobu reaction in step 2. Examples 169 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3-[3-(4-bromophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3-[3-(4-bromophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 162, but using 3-bromobenzaldehyde in step 1 and 4-bromophenol for the Mitsunobu reaction in step 2. Examples 170 Synthesis of ({[(1E)-(3-{3-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]prop-1-ynyl}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid ({[(1E)-(3-{3-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]prop-1-ynyl}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy)acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 162, but using 3-bromobenzaldehyde in step 1 and using 3,5-bistrifluoromethyl phenol for the Mitsunobu reaction in step 2. Examples 171 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3-[3-(3,5-dichlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3-[3-(3,5-dichlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 162, but using 3-bromobenzaldehyde in step 1 and using 3,5-dichlorophenol for the Mitsunobu reaction in step 2. Examples 172 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3-[3-(3-chlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3-[3-(3-chlorophenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 162, but using 3-chlorophenol for the Mitsunobu reaction in step 2. Examples 173 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{3-[3-(4-isobutylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid {[((1E)-{3-[3-(4-isobutylphenoxy)prop-1-ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid was synthesized using the procedure outlined for example 162, but using 3-bromobenzaldehyde in step 1 and using 4-sec-butyl phenol for the Mitsunobu reaction in step 2. Example 174 Screening for PAI-1 inhibition. Test compounds are dissolved in DMSO at a final concentration of 10 Mm, then diluted 100× in physiologic buffer. The inhibitory assay is initiated by the addition of the test compound (1-100 μM final concentration, maximum DMSO concentration of 0.2%) in a Ph 6.6 buffer containing 140 Nm recombinant human plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1; Molecular Innovations, Royal Oak, Mich.). Following a 1 hour incubation at room temperature, 70 Nm of recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator (Tpa) is added, and the combination of the test compound, PAI-1 and Tpa is incubated for an additional 30 minutes. Following the second incubation, Spectrozyme-Tpa (American Diagnostica, Greenwich, Conn.), a chromogenic substrate for Tpa, is added and absorbance read at 405 nm at 0 and 60 minutes. Relative PAI-1 inhibition is equal to the residual Tpa activity in the presence of the test compounds and PAI-1. Control treatments include the complete inhibition of Tpa by PAI-1 at the molar ratio employed (2:1), and the absence of any effect of the test compound on Tpa alone. Example 175 Assay for determining the IC50 of inhibition of PAI-1. This assay is based upon the non-SDS dissociable interaction between Tpa and active PAI-1. Assay plates are initially coated with human Tpa (10 μg/ml). Test compounds are dissolved in DMSO at 10 Mm, then diluted with physiologic buffer (Ph 7.5) to a final concentration of 1-50 μM. The test compounds are incubated with human PAI-1 (50 ng/ml) for 15 minutes at room temperature. The Tpa-coated plate is washed with a solution of 0.05% Tween 20 and 0.1% BSA, then the plate is blocked with a solution of 3% BSA. An aliquot of the test compound/PAI-1 solution is then added to the Tpa-coated plate, incubated at room temperature for 1 hour, and washed. Active PAI-1 bound to the plate is assessed by adding an aliquot of a 1:1000 dilution of the 33B8 monoclonal antibody against human PAI-1, and incubating the plate at room temperature for 1 hour (Molecular Innovations, Royal Oak, Mich.). The plate is again washed, and a solution of goat anti-mouse IgG-alkaline phosphatase conjugate is added at a 1:50,000 dilution in goat serum. The plate is incubated 30 minutes at room temperature, washed, and a solution of alkaline phosphatase substrate is added. The plate is incubated 45 minutes at room temperature, and color development is determined at OD405 nm. The quantitation of active PAI-1 bound to Tpa at varying concentrations of the test compound is used to determine the IC50. Results are analyzed using a logarithmic best-fit equation. The assay sensitivity is 5 ng/ml of human PAI-1 as determined from a standard curve ranging from 0-100 ng/ml. Representative compounds of the present invention inhibited Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 as summarized in Table I. TABLE 1 COMPOUND % INHIBITION @ 100 Um IC50 1 86 2 83 3 82 1.85 (K) 4 83 5 93 6 68 7 83 8 63 9 85 16.9 (K) 10 86 11 71 12 57 13 95 14 80 15 71 16 58 17 68 18 84 19 73 20 44 21 80 22 80 23 56 24 79 25 68 26 26 27 99 28 70 29 82 30 11 31 90 32 82 9.36 (K) 33 91 34 88 35 44 36 92 37 70 38 62 39 48 40 50 41 96 42 96 43 81 44 83 45 96 46 86 47 31 48 79 49 93 50 31 51 86 52 72 53 76 54 91 55 81 56 62 57 64 58 84 59 63 60 88 61 74 62 84 63 91 64 92 65 84 66 84 67 87 68 83 69 53 70 83 71 85 72 88 73 59 74 34 75 75 76 73 77 85 78 23 79 53 80 78 81 28 82 89 83 57 84 30 85 34 86 22 87 85 88 34 89 57 90 30 91 77 92 76 93 85 94 74 95 27 96 61 97 65 98 46 99 84 100 63 101 10 102 26 103 62 104 5 105 5 106 8 107 30 108 58 109 7 110 6 111 38 112 65 113 91 114 93 115 87 116 92 117 88 118 92 119 93 120 78 121 72 122 87 123 72 124 95 125 90 126 77 127 88 128 91 129 90 130 91 131 88 132 65 133 20 134 100 135 58 136 80 137 79 138 88 139 90 140 94 141 48 142 86 143 95 144 93 145 100 146 49 147 87 148 88 149 91 150 90 151 88 152 100 153 96 154 91 155 85 156 99 157 85 158 69 159 69 160 76 161 92 162 51 163 65 164 73 165 68 166 42 167 53 168 52 169 60 170 73 171 69 172 44 173 56 Example 176 Representative Substituted Indolymethyl Acetic Acid Derivatives TABLE 2 LC1 @ MS Compound R6 R24 254 (min) (M + H) 1 allyl 4-CF3 3.645 433.0 2 Ethyl 4-CF3 3.579 421.0 3 benzyl 4-CF3 3.830 483.1 4 allyl 4-t-Bu 3.884 421.1 5 Ethyl 4-t-Bu 3.827 409.1 6 benzyl 4-t-Bu 4.068 471.1 7 allyl 4-Br 3.062 445.0 8 Ethyl 4-Br 3.535 433.0 9 benzyl 4-Br 3.811 495.0 10 allyl 3,5-bis CF3 3.893 501.0 11 Ethyl 3,5-bis CF3 3.837 489.0 12 benzyl 3,5-bis CF3 4.058 551.2 13 allyl 3-Br 3.585 445.0 14 Ethyl 3-Br 3.518 433.0 15 benzyl 3-Br 3.795 495.0 16 allyl 3-Cl 3.537 399.0 17 Ethyl 3-Cl 3.468 387.0 18 benzyl 3-Cl 3.750 449.0 19 allyl 4-Me 3.470 379.1 20 Ethyl 4-Me 3.398 367.1 21 benzyl 4-Me 3.686 429.1 22 allyl 3-CF3 3.736 433.0 23 Ethyl 3-CF3 3.544 421.0 24 benzyl 3-CF3 3.795 483.1 25 allyl 3-Me 3.477 379.1 26 Ethyl 3-Me 3.403 367.1 27 benzyl 3-Me 3.692 438.1 28 Ethyl 2-Cl 3.420 387.0 29 benzyl 2-Cl 3.710 449.0 30 H 2-Cl 3.016 359.0 31 Propargyl 4-CF3 3.463 431.3 32 Me 4-CF3 3.403 407.1 33 Propargyl 4-t-Bu 3.737 419.1 34 Me 4-t-Bu 3.651 395.1 35 Propargyl 3,5-bis CF3 3.720 499.0 36 Propargyl 3-Br 3.398 441.1 37 Me 3-Br 3.339 417.3 38 Propargyl 3-Cl 3.359 397.1 39 Me 3-Cl 3.290 373.1 40 Allyl H 3.419 365.0 41 benzyl H 3.511 415.4 42 Propargyl 3-CF3 3.428 431.0 43 Me 3-CF3 3.382 407.4 44 Propargyl 4-Cl 3.366 397.0 45 Allyl 4-Cl 3.523 399.0 46 benzyl 4-Cl 3.730 449.1 47 Me 4-Cl 3.300 373.4 48 Propargyl 2-Cl 3.308 397.0 49 Allyl 2-Cl 3.463 399.0 50 Me 2-Cl 3.238 373.4 51 Propargyl 3,4-diCl 3.582 431.0 52 Allyl 3,4-diCl 3.718 433.3 53 benzyl 3,4-diCl 3.937 483.0 54 Me 3,4-diCl 3.505 407.3 55 Allyl 2-naphthyl 3.596 415.1 56 benzyl 2-naphthyl 3.796 465.4 57 Me 2-naphthyl 3.390 389.4 1LC Conditions: HP 1100; 40° C.; 5 μL injected; Column: YMC PRO, 2.1 × 50, 5 μ; Gradient A: 0.02% TFA/Water, B: 0.02% TFA/Acetonitrile; Time 0 min: 90% A & 10% B; 5 min: 90% A & 10% B; Post time 1 min; Flow Rate 1.3 ml/min; Detection: 220 and 254 DAD and MSD positive mode. Example 177 Representative Substituted Biphenylmethylidene Acetic Acid Derivatives TABLE 3 LC1 @ Compound R 220 (min) MS2 (M + H) 58 4-CF3 3.755 430.1 59 4-t-Bu 4.067 418.2 60 4-Br 3.794 440.0 61 3,5-bis CF3 3.953 498.2 62 3-Br 3.771 440.2 63 3-Cl 3.725 396.0 64 H 3.523 361.1 65 3-CF3 3.721 430.1 66 4-Cl 3.728 396.1 67 2-Cl 3.695 396.1 68 3,4-di Cl 3.929 429.9 69 2-naphthyl 3.830 412.2 70 4-Me 3.682 376.1 71 3-Me 3.678 376.2 72 2,6-di Cl 3.744 430.0 1LC Conditions: HP 1100; 23° C.; 10 μL injected; Column: YMC ODS-AM, 4.6 × 50, 5 μ; Gradient A: 0.05% TFA/Water, B: 0.05% TFA/Acetonitrile; Time 0 min: 98% A & 2% B; 0.3 min: 95% A % 5% B; 3.8 min: 10% A & 90% B; 4.7 min: 10% A & 90% B; 1.9 min: 95% A & 5% B; Flow Rate 3 ml/min; Detection: 220 and 254 DAD 2MS Conditions: Micromass Quatro TABLE 4 LC1 @ Compound R 220 (min) MS2 (M + H) 73 4-CF3 3.766 430.0 74 4-t-Bu 4.061 418.1 75 4-Br 3.799 441.9 76 3,5-bis CF3 3.951 498.2 77 3-Br 3.767 439.9 78 3-Cl 3.737 396.2 79 H 3.496 362.1 80 3-CF3 3.739 430.0 81 4-Cl 3.739 396.1 82 2-Cl 3.721 396.1 83 3,4-di Cl 3.951 430.0 84 2-naphthyl 3.855 412.2 85 4-Me 3.698 376.2 86 3-Me 3.710 376.2 87 2,6-di Cl 3.787 430.1 TABLE 5 LC1 @ Compound R 220 (min) MS2 (M + H) 88 4-CF3 3.758 430.2 89 4-t-Bu 4.095 418.2 90 3,5-bis CF3 3.932 498.2 91 3-Br 3.788 440.1 92 3-Cl 3.745 396.1 93 H 3.543 362.2 94 3-CF3 3.743 430.1 95 4-Cl 3.754 396.0 96 2-Cl 3.737 396.0 97 3,4-di Cl 3.934 430.0 98 2-naphthyl 3.850 412.1 99 4-Me 3.709 376.1 100 3-Me 3.686 376.1 101 2,6-di Cl 3.772 430.0 TABLE 6 LC1 @ Compound R 220 (min) MS2 (M + H) 102 4-CF3 4.066 418.2 103 3-Br 3.770 440.0 104 3-Cl 3.724 396.0 105 H 3.517 361.9 106 3-CF3 3.723 430.0 107 2-Cl 3.762 396.0 108 3,4-di Cl 3.938 430.0 109 4-Me 3.686 376.0 110 3-Me 3.689 376.1 111 2,6-di Cl 3.785 430.0 Example 178 Representative Substituted Bisbenzyloxyphenylmethylidene Acetic Acid Derivatives TABLE 7 BnO- LC @ MS Compound substitution R 254 (min) (M + H) 112 3,4 4-t-Bu 4.798 504 113 3,4 4-F 3.776 428 114 3,4 4-CF3 4.247 528 115 3,4 4-Br 4.267 550 116 3,4 3-Cl 4.142 460 117 3,4 3-Br 4.239 550 118 3,4 3-Me 4.033 420 119 3,4 3-CF3 4.210 528 120 3,4 4-Me 4.023 420 121 3,4 3,4-diF 3.899 464 122 2,4 4-Me 4.207 420 123 2,4 4-F 3.913 428 124 2,4 4-CF3 4.343 528 125 2,4 4-Br 4.365 550 126 2,4 4-t-Bu 4.990 504 127 2,4 3-Cl 4.247 460 128 2,4 3-Br 4.343 550 129 2,4 3-Me 4.194 420 130 2,4 3-CF3 4.297 528 131 2,4 3,4-diF 4.005 464 132 2,3 4-Br 4.325 550 133 2,3 4-F 3.851 428 134 2,3 4-CF3 4.285 528 135 2,3 4-t-Bu 4.917 504 136 2,3 3-Cl 4.188 460 137 2,3 3-Br 4.284 550 138 2,3 3-Me 4.138 420 139 2,3 3-CF3 4.221 528 140 2,3 4-Me 4.128 420 141 2,3 3,4-diF 3.937 464 142 3,5 3-Cl 4.303 460 143 3,5 4-F 3.945 428 144 3,5 4-CF3 4.389 528 145 3,5 4-Br 4.426 550 146 3,5 4-t-Bu 4.999 504 147 3,5 3-Br 4.401 550 148 3,5 3-Me 4.214 420 149 3,5 3-CF3 4.339 528 150 3,5 4-Me 4.219 420 151 3,5 3,4-diF 4.017 464 152 2,5 3-CF3 4.308 528 153 2,5 4-F 3.922 428 154 2,5 4-CF3 4.361 528 155 2,5 4-Br 4.368 550 156 2,5 4-t-Bu 4.99 504 157 2,5 3-Cl 4.249 460 158 2,5 3-Br 4.340 550 159 2,5 3-Me 4.195 420 160 2,5 4-Me 4.201 420 161 2,5 3,4-diF 4.058 464 Example 179 Representative Substituted Acetylenic Oximeacetic Acid Derivatives TABLE 8 LC @ 254 MS COMPOUND R X (min) (M + H) {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-tert-butylphenoxy)prop-1- ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid. 3.793 366 {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-bromophenoxy)prop-1- ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid 3.422 388, 390 ({[(1E)-(4-{3-[3,5- bis(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]prop-1- ynyl}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy) acetic acid. 3.754 446 Synthesis of {[((1E)-{4-[3-(3,5- dichlorophenoxy)prop-1- ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid 3.710 378, 380 {[((1E)-{4-[3-(3-chlorophenoxy)prop-1- ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid 3.364 344 {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-isobutylphenoxy)prop-1- ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid 3.865 366 {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-tert-butylphenoxy)prop-1- ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid 3.784 388 (M + Na) {[((1E)-{4-[3-(4-bromophenoxy)prop-1- ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid 3.415 388, 390 ({[(1E)-(3-{3-[3,5- bis(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]prop-1- ynyl}phenyl)methylidene]amino}oxy) acetic acid 3.728 446 {[((1E)-{3-[3-(3,5-dichlorophenoxy)prop-1- ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid 3.696 378, 380 {[((1E)-{3-[3-(3-chlorophenoxy)prop-1- ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid 3.352 344 {[((1E)-{3-[3-(4-isobutylphenoxy)prop-1- ynyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]oxy}acetic acid 3.855 366 | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The present invention relates generally to substituted acetic acid derivatives and methods of using them. The serine protease inhibitor PAI-1 is one of the primary inhibitors of the fibrinolytic system. The fibrinolytic system includes the proenzyme plasminogen, which is converted to the active enzyme, plasmin, by one of two tissue type plasminogen activators, t-PA or u-PA. PAI-1 is the principal physiological inhibitor of t-PA and u-PA. One of plasmin's main responsibilities in the fibrinolytic system is to digest fibrin at the site of vascular injury. The fibrinolytic system, however, is not only responsible for the removal of fibrin from circulation but is also involved in several other biological processes including ovulation, embryogenesis, intima proliferation, angiogenesis, tumorigenesis, and atherosclerosis. Elevated levels of PAI-1 have been associated with a variety of diseases and conditions including those associated with impairment of the fibrinolytic system. For example, elevated levels of PAI-1 have been implicated in thrombotic diseases, e.g., diseases characterized by formation of a thrombus that obstructs vascular blood flow locally or detaches and embolizes to occlude blood flow downstream. (Krishnamurti, Blood, 69, 798 (1987); Reilly, Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis, 11, 1276 (1991); Carmeliet, Journal of Clinical Investigation, 92, 2756 (1993), Rocha, Fibrinolysis, 8, 294, 1994; Aznar, Haemostasis 24, 243 (1994)). Antibody neutralization of PAI-1 activity resulted in promotion of endogenous thrombolysis and reperfusion (Biemond, Circulation, 91, 1175 (1995); Levi, Circulation 85, 305, (1992)). Elevated levels of PAI-1 have also been implicated in diseases such as polycystic ovary syndrome (Nordt, Journal of clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 85, 4, 1563 (2000)), bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency (Daci, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 15, 8, 1510 (2000)), cystic fibrosis, diabetes, chronic periodontitis, lymphomas, diseases associated with extracellular matrix accumulation, malignancies and diseases associated with neoangiogenesis, inflammatory diseases, vascular damage associated with infections, and diseases associated with increased uPA levels such as breast and ovarian cancer. In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for the identification of inhibitors of PAI-1 activity and for methods of using the identified inhibitors to modulate PAI-1 expression or activity in a subject in order to treat disorders associated with elevated PAI-1 levels. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>The present invention provides substituted acetic acid derivatives and methods of using them. In certain embodiments, substituted acetic acid derivatives of the present invention include those compounds of the following formula: wherein: R 1 is —OH, —OC 1 -C 8 alkyl, or NH 2 ; R 2 and R 3 are, independently, hydrogen, C 1 -C 8 alkyl, —CH 2 —C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, —CH 2 -pyridinyl, phenyl, or benzyl; R 4 is hydrogen, C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, —CH 2 —C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH 2 -heteoraryl; X is wherein: R 5 is hydrogen, C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, —CH 2 —C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH 2 -heteoraryl; R 6 is hydrogen, C 1 -C 8 alkyl, —(CH 2 ) n —CH═CH 2 , —(CH 2 ), —CH═CH-alkyl, —(CH 2 ) n C≡CH, —(CH 2 ) n C≡C-alkyl, aryl, (CH 2 ) n -aryl, heteroaryl, (CH 2 ) n -heteroaryl, —CO-aryl, —CO-heteroaryl, —CO-alkyl, —SO 2 -alkyl, —SO 2 -aryl, or —SO 2 -heteroaryl; R 7 , R 8 and R 9 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C 1 -C 3 perfluoroalkyl, C 1 -C 3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH 2 , —NO 2 , —O(CH 2 ) n -aryl, —O(CH 2 ) n -heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; R 10 , R 11 , R 12 , R 13 and R 14 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C 1 -C 3 perfluoroalkyl, C 1 -C 3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH 2 , —NO 2 , —O(CH 2 ) n -aryl, —O(CH 2 ) n -heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; R 16 and R 17 are, independently, hydrogen, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, —CH 2 —C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, aryl, benzyl, heteroaryl, or —CH 2 -heteoraryl; R 15 , R 18 , R 19 and R 20 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C 1 -C 3 perfluoroalkyl, C 1 -C 3 alkoxy, —OH, —NH 2 , —NO 2 , —O(CH 2 ) n -aryl, —O(CH 2 ) n -heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; R 21 is hydrogen, C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 alkenyl, C 1 -C 8 alkynyl, —(CH 2 ) p -aryl, —(CH 2 ) p -heteroaryl, —(CH 2 ) p —O-aryl, —(CH 2 ) p —O-heteroaryl, —(CH 2 ) p —O—(CH 2 ) m -aryl, —(CH 2 ) p —O—(CH 2 ) m -heteroaryl, aryl, or heteroaryl; W is aryl or heteroaryl; n is an integer from 0 to 5; p is an integer from 1 to 5; and m is an integer from 0 to 5. Accordingly, the present invention provides, inter alia, substituted indolymethylideneaminooxy acetic acid derivatives of the following formula: wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , and n are defined as above for Formula 1. In certain exemplary embodiments of compounds of Formula 2, R 1 is —OH, R 2 is hydrogen, R 3 is hydrogen, R 4 is hydrogen, R 5 is hydrogen, R 6 is alkyl, alkenyl(allyl), alkynyl (propargyl) or arylalkyl(benzyl); R 7 is H, R 8 is benzyloxy where the benzyl group is optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from halogen, C 1 -C 6 straight chain alkyl or C 1 -C 6 branched alkyl, C 1 -C 3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C 1 -C 3 perfluoroalkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, or naphthyl; and R 9 is H. The present invention also provides, inter alia, substituted biphenylmethylidene aminooxy acetic acid derivatives of the following formula: wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 10 , R 11 , R 12 , R 13 , R 14 , and n are defined as above for Formula 1. In certain exemplary embodiments of compounds of Formula 6, R 1 is —OH, R 2 is hydrogen, R 3 is hydrogen, R 4 is hydrogen, R 10 is hydrogen; R 1 is hydrogen; R 12 is hydrogen; R 13 is benzyloxy where the benzyl group is optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from halogen, C 1 -C 6 straight chain alkyl or C 1 -C 6 branched alkyl, C 1 -C 3 perfluoroalkyl, —O—C 1 -C 3 perfluoroalkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, or naphthyl; and R 14 is hydrogen. The present invention also provides, inter alia, bisbenzyloxyphenylmethylidene aminooxy acetic acid derivatives of the following formula: wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 15 , R 16 , R 17 , R 18 , R 19 , R 20 , and n are defined as above for Formula 1. In certain exemplary embodiments of compounds of Formula 9, R 1 is OH; R 2 is hydrogen; R 3 is hydrogen, R 4 is hydrogen, R 15 is hydrogen; R 16 is hydrogen, R 17 is hydrogen, R 18 , R 19 and R 20 are independently hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, or perfluoroalkyl. The present invention also provides, inter alia, substituted acetylenic oximeacetic acid derivatives of the following formula: wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , W, R 21 , m, and p are defined as above for Formula 1. In certain embodiments of Formula 11, R 1 is OH; R 2 is hydrogen; R 3 is hydrogen, R 4 is hydrogen, W is aryl, and R 21 is straight chain alkyl, branched alkyl, or —(CH 2 )—O-aryl where the aryl group is optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from halogen, straight chain alkyl, branched alkyl, or perfluoroalkyl. The present invention also provides, inter alia, pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester forms of formulas 1-13. The present invention further provides, inter alia, methods of using substituted acetic acid derivatives. In one aspect of the present invention, a therapeutically effective amount of one or more substituted acetic acid derivatives is administered to a subject in order to treat a PAI-1 related disorder, e.g., by inhibiting PAI-1 activity in the subject. PAI-1 activity is associated with a number of diseases and conditions. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, PAI-1 activity is associated with impairment of the fibrinolytic system. In other embodiments, PAI-1 activity is associated with thrombosis, e.g., venous thrombosis, arterial thrombosis, cerebral thrombosis, and deep vein thrombosis, atrial fibrillation, pulmonary fibrosis, thromboembolic complications of surgery, cardiovascular disease, e.g., myocardial ischemia, atherosclerotic plaque formation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, renal fibrosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, or cancer. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | 20040923 | 20080812 | 20061102 | 60795.0 | A61K31405 | 0 | YOO, SUN JAE | SUBSTITUTED ACETIC ACID DERIVATIVES | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | A61K | 2,004 |
|
10,947,754 | ACCEPTED | Audio system and method | An audio system and method are disclosed. A system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an electronic device having a display, a digital satellite receiver, and a housing component at least partially defining a cavity in which the digital satellite receiver is secured. The system may also include a device interface system that has a sound system connector and a mounting region. The sound system connector may communicatively couple the device interface system to an existing sound system, and the mounting region may be capable of releasably engaging the electronic device such that a contact portion of the device interface system contacts a conductive element of the electronic device to form at least a portion of a communication path interconnecting the sound system and the electronic device. | 1. An audio system, comprising: an electronic device including a display, a digital satellite receiver, and a housing component at least partially forming a cavity in which the digital satellite receiver is secured; a device interface system that comprises a sound system connector and a mount; the sound system connector operable to communicatively couple the device interface system to a sound system; and the mount operable to releasably engage the electronic device such that a contact portion of the device interface system contacts a conductive element of the electronic device to form at least a portion of a communication path operable to interconnect the sound system and the electronic device. 2. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the mount comprises a cradle. 3. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the digital satellite receiver is operable to receive a streaming audio signal that comprises a piece of information about a selection of audio content included in the streaming audio signal. 4. The audio system of claim 3, wherein the piece of information comprises a title of the selection of audio content. 5. The audio system of claim 3, wherein the piece of information comprises a genre of the selection of audio content. 6. The audio system of claim 3, wherein the piece of information comprises an artist name. 7. The audio system of claim 1, further comprising an automobile having an installed sound system, wherein the installed sound system is the sound system and is communicatively coupled to the device interface system via the sound system connector. 8. The audio system of claim 1, further comprising a home stereo system, wherein the home stereo system is the sound system and is communicatively coupled to the device interface system via the sound system connector. 9. The audio system of claim 1, further comprising a portable radio, wherein the portable radio is the sound system and is communicatively coupled to the device interface system via the sound system connector. 10. The audio system of claim 1, further comprising: an automobile having an installed sound system, wherein the installed sound system is the sound system and is communicatively coupled to the device interface system via the sound system connector; a second device interface system comprising another sound system connector and a second mount; and the second sound system connector operable to communicatively couple the second device interface system to a second sound system, wherein the second sound system is the portable radio. 11. An audio system, comprising: a portable electronic device comprising a display, a streaming audio receiver, and a housing component at least partially defining a cavity in which the streaming audio receiver is secured, the portable electronic device further comprising a contact portion operable to form at least a portion of a link coupling the portable electronic device to an external audio system; and a mount formed to releasably engage at least a portion of the portable electronic device, the mount comprising an interface shaped to contact the contact portion. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the streaming audio receiver comprises a digital satellite receiver. 13. The system of claim 11, wherein the streaming audio receiver comprises a local area wireless receiver. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the local area wireless receiver is operable to receive radio frequency signals having a frequency around 2.4 GHz. 15. The system of claim 11, wherein the external audio system comprises a home stereo system. 16. The system of claim 15, further comprising the external system. 17. The system of claim 11, further comprising an automobile having an automobile sound system, wherein the external sound system comprises the automobile sound system communicatively coupled to the mount. 18. The system of claim 11, further comprising a satellite antenna communicatively coupled to the mount. 19. A method for providing audio content, comprising: setting up an account to deliver a streaming audio signal to a modular electronic device comprising a display, a digital satellite receiver, and a housing component at least partially defining a cavity in which the streaming audio receiver is secured, the modular electronic device further comprising an interface mechanism operable to form at least a portion of a link communicatively coupling the modular electronic device to an external speaker assembly; and communicating the streaming audio signal receivable by the digital satellite receiver. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the interface mechanism comprises an FM modulator. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the interface mechanism comprises a short range wireless transceiver operable to communicate at about 2.4 GHz. 22. The method of claim 19, wherein the interface comprises a conductive contact portion. 23. The method of claim 19, wherein the streaming audio signal comprises information about a song included in the streaming audio signal, further wherein the display is operable to present a graphical representation the information. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the information is selected from a group consisting of a song title, a song artist, a song decade, and a song genre. 25. The method of claim 19, wherein the external speaker assembly is installed in an automobile. 26. The method of claim 19, wherein the external speaker assembly is installed in a portable radio. 27. The method of claim 19, further comprising a home stereo system including the external speaker assembly. 28. The method of claim 19, wherein the modular electronic device does not include an integrated speaker assembly. 29. The method of claim 19, wherein the modular electronic device comprises a satellite antenna within the cavity. 30. The method of claim 19, wherein the modular electronic device comprises a satellite antenna external to the cavity. 31. An audio system, comprising: an electronic device including a display, a digital satellite receiver, a conductive interface element, and a housing a cavity in which the digital satellite receiver is secured; and the housing formed to engage a first mount such that the conductive interface element contacts a portion of the first mount to communicatively couple the electronic device to an automobile sound system. 32. The system of claim 31, wherein the housing is further formed to engage a second mount to communicatively couple the electronic device to a home audio system. 33. The system of claim 31, further comprising the first mount, wherein the first mount is operable to couple the electronic device to a power supply of an automobile. 34. The system of claim 32, further comprising the second mount. 35. The system of claim 32, further comprising the first mount and the second mount, wherein the first mount is operable to provide power to the electronic device. 36. The system of claim 31, further comprising an FM modulator secured within the cavity. 37. The system of claim 31, wherein the electronic device further comprises a display operable to present information about a selection of audio content receivable by the digital satellite receiver. 38. The system of claim 37, wherein the information is selected from a group consisting of a song title, a performing artist, a genre, and a decade indicator. 39. The system of claim 31, wherein the electronic device further comprises a rechargeable power supply. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/537,812 filed on Mar. 28, 2000, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to an audio system and method. BACKGROUND The first commercial radio stations in the United States began operation around 1920. Today, there may be as many as 12,000 radio stations in the United States programming in several distinct formats. When broadcasting their respective signals, these radio stations often use an analog signal, which may be modulated based on frequency or amplitude. Frequency modulated (FM) radio appears to be the dominant entertainment medium while amplitude modulated (AM) radio seems to be a popular outlet for news and information. Unfortunately, analog radio may be unable to provide the sound quality and consistency that radio listeners desire. As such, several broadcasting related companies have begun to consider a movement to digital radio. Unlike analog radio reception, digital radio reception may be able to provide compact disk (CD) quality sound while remaining virtually immune to interference. Being immune to interference may result in reducing static growls or “multipath” echoes, echoes caused by signal reflections off buildings or topographical features. Some countries, like Canada and many European countries, may choose to have digital radio operate in a single digital radio band such as the L-band between 1452-1492 megahertz (MHz). This band would allow the reception of both terrestrially and satellite-originated signals. By comparison, FM radio typically operates between 88 and 108 MHz while AM radio typically operates between 0.525 and 1.705 MHz. Neither of these bands allows for easy transmission via satellite. Canada proposed using the L-Band for digital radio as early as 1992. Several countries throughout the world have since agreed to use the L-Band for digital radio with one notable exception. It appears the United States has chosen not to operate its digital radio within the L-Band. In the United States, the L-Band may already be committed for military uses. Apparently, the United States plans to adopt a system called in-band on-channel, or IBOC, which fits within the AM and FM frequencies. IBOC technology may offer some advantages over L-Band transmissions. For example, there may be no need for new spectrum allocations. There may be backward and forward compatibility with existing AM and FM systems on both the transmitter and receiver sides, and there may be a low-investment upgrade to digital systems. Unfortunately, a workable IBOC solution is yet to be seen though technology may someday make IBOC digital radio commercially possible. Even if an IBOC solution becomes commercially available in the United States, IBOC digital radio may suffer from several shortcomings. For example, there may global standardization problems. Though the United States favors IBOC, the European and Canadian communities seem to favor L-Band making the establishment of a global standard difficult. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete understanding of the present embodiments and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein: FIG. 1 depicts a general system for wirelessly communicating selective information to an electronic device in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a method of wirelessly communicating selected information to an electronic device; FIG. 3 illustrates an electronic device operable to receive selected audio information in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; FIG. 4 illustrates a graphical user interface (GUI) for displaying selectable audio information according to one aspect of the present invention; FIG. 5A illustrates a portable radio system having a mount for an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5B illustrates automobile console having a mount for coupling an electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention; FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of a system for communicating voice mail messages using email according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart for providing voice email messages according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram of a method for providing selected audio information to an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 9 illustrates an automobile console having a mount for an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION The conceptual groundwork for the present invention includes wirelessly communicating selective information to an electronic device. According to one aspect, a user may interact with the Internet to select information, such as audio information, and wirelessly communicate the selected information to an electronic device. The electronic device receives the information via a wireless communications network and processes the information accordingly. In a particularized form, a user may select information from an Internet website operable to allow selectivity of audio information such a songs, on-line radio stations, on-line broadcasts, streaming audio, or other selectable information. Upon selecting the audio information, information or data associated with the selected audio information is wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. The electronic device may then be used to process the selected audio information. In this manner, a user may receive selective audio information via a wireless electronic device. In one form, the electronic device may be operable to communicate with an individual's automobile audio system. A user may select audio information utilizing a personal computer with access to a website operable to display selectable audio information. The selected audio information may then be wirelessly communicated to the electronic device associated with an automobile's audio system. Therefore, upon receiving the selected audio information, a user may access and play the received audio information utilizing the electronic device in association with the automobiles audio system. The present invention is not limited to communicating only audio information. One skilled in the art can appreciate that other types of information, such as video, textual, etc. may be communicated utilizing the systems and methods disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Additionally, it will be understood that information may be formatted in a plurality of ways at different phases of communication without loosing the underlying content of the selected information. For example, an audio file may be formatted, segmented, compressed, modified, etc. for the purpose of providing or communicating the audio invention. Therefore, the term “audio information” or “information” is used in a general sense to relate to audio information in all phases of communication. FIG. 1 depicts a general system for wirelessly communicating selective information to an electronic device in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. The system, illustrated generally at 100, includes a digital engine 101 coupled to a communications engine 102. Communications engine 102 is remotely coupled to an electronic device 103. Digital engine 101 may be directly or indirectly coupled to storage device 105 operable to store information. Digital engine 101 maintains information or data associated with selected information in a digital format. The information may be stored within storage device 105 or other storage devices operable to maintain data or information associated with the selected information. Communications engine 102 is communicatively coupled to digital engine 101 and operable to wirelessly communicate the selected information to electronic device 103. During operation, audio information may be selected by a user utilizing a personal computer or other devices operable to communicate with an information network. Digital engine 102 is operable to maintain information associated with the selected audio information. For example, the information could be several songs or titles configured as an audio file and formatted in a digital format such as an MP3 file, wave file, etc. The maintained information may also be a reference to a network location where an audio file may be stored, a network location where a network broadcast of audio information may be located, etc. or other network locations having information associated with the selected audio information. Therefore, digital engine 101 may maintain a plurality of different types of information or data associated with the selected audio information. System 100, utilizing communication engine 102, may wirelessly communicate data or information associated with the selected audio information to electronic device 105 thereby providing wireless communication of selected information to an electronic device operable to receive wireless communications. In one embodiment, digital engine 101 may be used in association with an Internet website configured to provide access to selectable information. The Internet website operably associated with digital engine 101 allows a user to select information to be wirelessly communicated to electronic device 105 utilizing a network environment. The Internet website may include several different types of information related to audio information. FIG. 4, described in greater detail below, illustrates one embodiment of providing an Internet website for displaying selectable audio information. For example, the Internet website may include music and/or artist search engines, playlists, top 10 charts, artists by genre, and other information associated with audio information. A user may select information associated with the audio information and digital engine 101 can maintain the information or data associated with the selected information in a digital format. Communications engine 102 coupled to digital engine 101 may wirelessly communicate data associated with the selected audio information to electronic device 103. Therefore, a user may access and select audio information via an Internet website and wirelessly communicate the data to an electronic device. As such, system 100 advantageously allows for wireless communication of selected audio information to electronic devices that may be remotely located from a conventional terrestrial communication network. Electronic device 105 may be configured in a plurality of ways for receiving wireless communication of selected audio information. In one embodiment, electronic device 105 may be operable as a component configured to receive a cellular signal comprising the selected information communicated by the communication engine. For example, a device having a cellular modem may be operable to receive the information at specified intervals. Upon receiving the information the electronic device may process the received information. Electronic devices are described in more detail below and may include a network radio, a modular device, an audio system, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular phone, or other electronic devices operable to receive information wirelessly communicated by communication engine 102. Communications engine 102 may be operable to wirelessly communicate selected information to electronic device 103 in a plurality of ways. The present invention advantageously allows for several different embodiments of wirelessly communicating selected audio information to electronic device 103 and is not limited to any specific configuration described below. Several different types or combinations of wireless communication may be realized by the present invention. Communications engine 102 may be operable to wirelessly communicate the selected information from an information network, such as the Internet, to an electronic device operable to receive wireless communications. In one embodiment, communications engine 102 may comprise a conduit to interface information with a wireless communication network. The conduit may configure the information located within the information network into a format operable to be transmitted via wireless communication. For example, a wireless device may be operable to receive packets of information having a specific size and in a specific format. In such an embodiment, communications engine 102 could format the information into a desirable format for wirelessly communicating the information to electronic device 103. Several types of wireless communication may be used by communications engine 102 to communicate the selected information to an electronic device. Communications networks such as GSM, Digital Satellite communication, SB, Radio bands, DRC, SuperDRC or other systems or types of transmission such as TDMA, CDMA, spread spectrum, etc. or frequencies such as between about 1.7 GHz and 2.0 GHz may be realized by the present invention for communicating information or data representing the selected audio information to electronic device 103. In one embodiment, the selective information may be communicated using a digital broadcast signal. Digital broadcast includes providing information via a signal such as AM, FM, and the like. Digital information may be included or encoded as a sub-carrier within the broadcast signal and received by electronic device 103. A digital sub-carrier may include a selective bandwidth of frequencies for a specific radio station (i.e. 6 MHz for FM). The selective information may be wirelessly communicated to electronic device 103 utilizing a communication engine 102 operable to communicate the selective information via a digital FM signal. In this manner, selective information may be communicated within digital FM sub-carriers to an electronic device operable to receive the information. For example, a user may subscribe to communicate the information via an FM sub-carrier and receive the selective data through wireless communication via a specified FM sub-carrier. In one embodiment, the selected information may be formatted and transmitted to achieve a desirable transmission rate. For example, conventional systems may transmit information at a speed of 10 kilobits per second. Therefore, for 1 megabyte of information to be communicated to an electronic device, a transmission time of approximately 800 seconds may be required. The present invention may allow for a relative increase in transmission speed by removing the requirement that information be communicated asynchronously to an electronic device. For example, conventional wireless communication utilizes a specified frequency to communicate information in two directions (i.e. cellular phones). As such, information is communicated across a channel in an asynchronous manner to provide a continuous audio signal to the recipient. The present invention advantageously allows for signals to be transmitted to an electronic device in a less than asynchronous manner. For example, if a user selected a song to be wirelessly communicated to an electronic device, system 100 could communicate the information in a less than asynchronous manner allowing the selected information to be transmitted efficiently thereby decreasing the overall download time for the selected audio information. In one embodiment, the selected information may be compressed and transmitted across the same frequency but at different phases thereby allowing plural signals having different phases to be wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. Therefore, the electronic device may be operable to receive multiple phased signals and process the selective information accordingly. In one embodiment, the information may be wirelessly communicated at a relatively slow transmission rate. For example, a user may schedule when the selected audio information may be used by electronic device 103. The user may select several different audio tracks or songs to be transmitted to an electronic device associated with the user's vehicle such that the user can listen to the user selected audio information during the drive home at the end of a workday. Therefore, it may be desirable to utilize a slower transfer speed due to the extended amount of time available prior to actual use of the selected audio information. In this manner, communications networks having less or slower transfer rates may be used to wirelessly communicate the selected audio information to the electronic device. In another embodiment, high-speed wireless communication networks may be used to communicate the selected audio information. For example, a user may want to listen to an Internet broadcast of an Internet radio station. Therefore, high-speed communication may be required to wirelessly communicate or stream the selected audio information to an electronic device. In another embodiment, a hybrid of wireless communication rates may be deployed depending on the requirements of the selected audio information and/or the electronic device. For example, the selected audio information may first be transmitted to the electronic device via high-speed communication until enough information has been wirelessly communicated and buffered into a memory device operably associated with the electronic device. Upon communication of a certain percentage of the selected audio information, slower communication speeds may then be used to communicate additional selected audio information. Therefore, system 100 may be configured in a plurality of ways to communicate selected information to electronic device 103. Digital engine 101 may be used to maintain data or information associated with the selected information and communication engine 102, communicatively coupled to digital engine 101, may wirelessly communicate selected information to electronic device 103. FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a method of wirelessly communicating selected information to an electronic device. The method may be used in association with the system illustrated in FIG. 1 or other systems operable to utilize the method of FIG. 2. The method begins generally at step 200. At step 201, selectable audio information may be accessed utilizing a network communications device. For example, selectable audio information may be displayed at an Internet website accessible by a personal computer. In another embodiment, the selectable information may be accessed utilizing a wireless communications device such as, a cellular phone, a PDA device, or other devices operable to provide access to the selectable audio information. Upon accessing the selectable information, the method proceeds to step 202 where a user can identify or select audio information to be wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. For example, a user may select an entire album to be wirelessly communicated to a PDA device. Upon the user selecting the audio information, the method proceeds to step 203 where the method maintains information associated with the selected information. In one embodiment, the information may be an audio file, such as a wave file, and MP3 file, etc. representative of the selected audio information. In another embodiment, a network location that comprises a file representing the selected information may be maintained. Another example may include a network location of a network broadcast of audio information. Therefore, the method at step 203 may maintain several different types of information associated with the selected audio information. Upon maintaining information or data associated with the selected information, the method proceeds to step 204 where the method wirelessly communicates information associated with the selected information to an electronic device. For example, if an audio file associated with the selected audio information were maintained, the method would communicate the audio file to the electronic device. In another embodiment, a link or network address broadcasting the selected audio information may be accessed and, at step 204, wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. In another embodiment, a combination of different types of audio information may be wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. Upon transmitting the selected audio information, the method proceeds to step 205 where the method ends. Selected audio information may be communicated in a plurality of ways as described above including communicating via a cellular communications network to an electronic device operable to receive cellularly-communicated signals. For example, the information may be selected from a website operable to display selectable information. Upon selecting the audio information, a data file representing the selected audio information may be wirelessly communicated to an electronic device thereby allowing a user to select audio information via the Internet and wirelessly communicate the information to an electronic device. In some embodiments, the wireless communication to an electronic device may occur in an off-line environment. For example, a user may go “on-line” to access a website and select information and then go “off-line” or end the browsing session. The wireless communication may then occur while the user is off-line thereby removing the confines of using an active or on-line browsing environment (i.e. Internet radio broadcast, streaming audio, etc.) for accessing selected information. Therefore, the method of FIG. 2 allows for information, such as audio information, to be communicated from a network location such as a web site, to an electronic device “via” wireless communication. The present invention advantageously allows users to access and download information accessible by a network location to an electronic device operable to receive wireless communications thereby reducing the need for land lines, terrestrial communication networks, etc. for communicating selective information. In one embodiment, the method of FIG. 2 may be deployed in association with an Internet website operable to display selectable links for downloading information. The information may include audio information such as MP3s, streaming audio, streaming. Internet broadcasts, etc. are selectable by a user and operable to be wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. By providing a user with a website of selectable audio information operable to be wireless communicated to an electronic device, a user may customize information communicated to an electronic device. In one embodiment, a user may communicate information to an electronic device that may not be owned by the user. For example the method of FIG. 2 could be modified to allow a user to wirelessly communicate audio information to a plurality of electronic devices that may or may not be owned by the user. FIG. 3 illustrates an electronic device operable to receive selected audio information in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Electronic device 300 includes a communication module 301 such as a transceiver coupled to storage medium 302 such as a high speed buffer, programmable memory, or other devices operable to store information. Electronic device 300 may also include processor 302 operably associated with communication module 301 and storage medium 302. Processor 302 may be operable to process wirelessly communicated selected information and in one embodiment may be integrated as part of communication module 301 of storage medium 302. In the same manner, as larger scale integration of electronic devices proliferate, communication module 301, processor 302, and storage medium 303 may be integrated into one communication component or device operable as electronic device 300. Processor 302 may be operable using software that may be stored within storage medium 302. In one embodiment, software upgrades may be communicated to electronic device 300 via wireless communication allowing for efficient system upgrades for electronic device 300. Storage medium 302 may include one or several different types of storage devices. For example, storage medium 302 may include programmable gate arrays, ROM devices, RAM devices, EEPROMs, minidisks or other memory devices operable to store information. During use, electronic device 300 receives wireless communications of selective information. The information may be transmitted via a wireless communications network and received by electronic device 300 via transceiver 301. Transceiver 301 may be operable to convert the received wireless communication signal into a desirable format and store the received information within storage medium 302. The received information may then be processed by electronic device 300. In one embodiment, electronic device 300 may be operable as an audio player configured to play digital representations of music. For example, electronic device 300 may also include an MP3 player operable to process the received information into an audio signal. Therefore, electronic device 300 may be used to receive wirelessly communicated MP3 audio files and play these files using an MP3 player when desired. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be configured as a PDA wherein the PDA includes a web browser operable to wirelessly communicate with the Internet. The PDA device may include a user interface allowing a user to select information to be wirelessly communicated to electronic device 300. By providing a website of selectable information, the PDA devices may provide an efficient embodiment for electronic device 300 in that is allows a user to access and select information using a wireless communication network and receive the selected information using the same or different wireless communication network. In yet another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be configured as a component operable to receive selective information via wireless communication and communicate the information to a second electronic device such as an automobile sound system, home stereo, etc. For example, electronic device 300 may utilize transceiver 301 to receive wirelessly communicated information. Electronic device 300 may then be coupled to an automobile sound system using an interface and communicate the received information to the automobile sound system. In this manner, electronic device 300 may be used to provide the automobile sound system with audio files received via wireless communication. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be operable to communicate the received audio information to an audio system via a localized communications-signaling network. One such network may include utilizing “Bluetooth” communication standard, used to provide communication between electronic devices in a proximal setting. In one embodiment, electronic device 300 may be integrated into an audio component such as a radio receiver. Electronic device 300 integrated into an audio component may be configured to process digital audio files wirelessly communicated to an audio component. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be operable to communicate with an analog receiver at a predetermined frequency. For example, a specific frequency may be selected (i.e. 93.7 MHz) for communicating the wireless received selected information from electronic device 300 to a localized audio system. Electronic device 300 communication of the wirelessly received information allows a conventional receiver to receive the selected audio information. In one embodiment, the conventional receiver may be configured to receive a digital sub-carrier, on-carrier, or other within a specified frequency. Therefore, electronic device 300 may be operable to locally transmit the signal at a specific frequency thereby allowing the conventional receiver to receive the information. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be operable to scan plural bandwidths to receive the selective information. For example, transceiver 301 may be operable to receive selective information across several frequencies and process the received information accordingly. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be operable to scan several frequencies to obtain the desirable information. For example, a user may select several Internet broadcasts comprised of streaming audio information. Therefore, the information may be transmitted across several wireless frequencies receivable by electronic device 300. Electronic device 300 may then be operable to allow a user to scan wirelessly communicated Internet broadcast signals thereby providing a user selected virtual broadcast radio network. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may include a user interface operable to communicate with an Internet website operable to display selectable audio information. The Internet website may be configured as a user-preferred environment displaying a users selected audio information. Internet broadcast selections, streaming audio selections, etc. With a display device for displaying a Website having selectable information, electronic device 300 may allow a user to select audio information via a user interface and receive the selected information via wireless communication thereby providing a customizable WebRadio device for the user. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be a modular device configured to be coupled to, for example, a portion of a cars interior. For example, electronic device 300 may be mounted to a portion of a car's console thereby providing a removably coupled electronic device operable to wirelessly receive selected audio information. As a removable device, electronic device 300 may also be coupled to a home audio system, a portable radio system or other systems thereby providing a versatile electronic device operable to receive wirelessly communicated selected audio information. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be operable as a PDA and/or a cellular phone that may be mounted to an automobile's console. Electronic device 300 may then integrate with a user's automobile to provide an all-encompassing communications device. For example, electronic device 300 configured as a PDA and cellular phone may allow for communication with a user's email account, voice mail account, the Internet, as well as allowing for the receipt of selected audio information via wireless communication. Electronic device 300 may be operable in a hands-free mode allowing a user to maintain safe driving fundamentals. During use, electronic device 300 may be processing selective audio information for communicating with an automobile audio system and may further be operating to receive incoming cellular calls. Electronic device 300 may be set-up by the user to pause the music being played and allow the received cellular call to be communicated either via an independent speaker or utilizing the automobiles “audio system.” Additionally, electronic device 300 may be operable to adjust the listening level of an automobile's audio system, it may play received voice mail messages, allow a user to view the Internet, etc. In one embodiment, electronic device 300 may be operable as a dual mode electronic device capable of receiving both digital and analog wireless communication signals. In this manner, electronic devices may efficiently utilize available bandwidth for receiving selected information from a communications engine. For example, transceiver 301 may be a wireless communications modem operable to receive digital or analog signals. FIG. 4 illustrates a graphical user interface (GUI) for displaying selectable audio information according to one aspect of the present invention. The GUI may be operable with a computer system, cellular device, PDA, or other electronic devices or systems operable to display the GUI of FIG. 4. The GUI, shown generally at 400, may be displayed using a conventional web browser 402 such as Microsoft® Internet Explorer, a WAP browser, or other browsers operable to display the audio information. Browser 402 includes browser functions, shown collectively at 403, for navigating a network such as the Internet or an intranet. Homepage 401 may be displayed using browser 402 and may include several functions, features, information, etc. related to audio information. Home page 402 may be developed using several different types of programming (i.e. HTML, XML, Java, etc.) used to developing a network location or website. The present invention is not limited to any one specific type of software and may be realized in plurality of ways as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Homepage 401 may also include login region 410 allowing a user to log into homepage 401 and display a user-preferred environment. For example, a user may want Radio Dial 412 to appear when a user logs into homepage 401. In another embodiment, a user may want to view a current playlist selected by the user or the status of wirelessly communicated playlist. A user may also provide demographic information allowing advertisers to access the demographic information and provide advertisements based upon the demographic information. For example, an advertiser may want to target Hispanic females in the 21-25 year old age group. Through providing demographic information to advertisers, when a user logs into homepage 401 selective advertising can be “targeted” for a group of users. Homepage 401 may also include several tabs for efficiently navigating homepage 401. Library tab 405 may be provided to allow a user to browse available audio information that may be presented by title, genre, artist, decade, culture, etc. Store tab 407 may also be provided for locating items available for purchase such as CDs, PDA devices, MP3 players, wireless communication hardware, interfaces, software or other types of products that may be purchased while on-line. Chat tab 408 may also be provided allowing a user to chat with other users of home page 401. For example, a guest musical artist may be available to chat with visitors of home page 401 via a chat page associated with chat tab 408. Home page 401 may also include contest tab 409 for displaying current contests, prizes, and/or winners. Radio tab 406 may also be provided for displaying audio information. For example, radio tab 406 may display a collective menu 411 of selectable functions or features associated with audio information. Top ten lists may be provided to a user based on several different billboard polls or genres. A search engine may be provided allowing a user to search for a specific type of audio information such as an artist, song title, and genre. Internet radio station, etc. In one embodiment, a user may input the lyrics to a song within the search engine. As such, the search engine may locate several different songs having the desirable lyrics and allow a user to select the search results. A user may also use a select a device feature that allows a user to select a destination device for communicating selected audio information. For example, a user may want to communicate a playlist to several different devices such as a PDA, a home computer system, a work computer system, etc. As such, a user can communicate selective information to several devices without having to download the information separately for each device. A send a friend link may also be provided allowing a user to send selective audio information to a friend's electronic device. A user may also join a group comprised of individuals that select a certain genre of music to be communicated to the user's electronic device. For example, a user may want to join a group that plays only 50s swing music. As such, the user could communicate the group's selected songs to the user's electronic device. A user may also utilize an email account provided by homepage 401 allowing a user to correspond with others via email. A user may also access a list of guest DJs that may provide playlists of songs chosen by the guest DJ and selectable by a user. In one embodiment, a user's radio dial 412 may be provided when a registered user logs into homepage 401. As such, radio dial 412 may include several functional buttons similar to conventional systems such as a volume control and a station control. However, radio dial 412 surpasses the limitations of conventional systems through providing a programmable radio dial of user customized audio information. Radio dial 412 includes several stations that may be programmed using program interface 413. The preset stations may include several different types of user customized preset information such as user selected playlists, Internet broadcast stations, top lists, group playlists, artist-selected lists, on-line radio station, conventional radio stations. Internet phone, cellular phone, etc. and other functions, features, or information associated with audio information. Radio dial 412 may also be displayed as a separate user interface and in some embodiments, does not require a “browsing” environment to view radio dial 412. For example, an electronic device, such as a PDA, having a display may graphically present radio dial 412 to a user. One example may be using electronic device in association with an automobile audio system. Electronic device may display radio dial 412 and may allow a user to navigate, modify, select, adjust volume, access daytimer, access phone lists, etc. or perform other functions while the electronic device is used in association with an automobile sound system. Therefore, radio dial 412 may be operable as an application for use with several different types of electronic devices (i.e. computer systems, portable computing devices, cellular phones, etc.) operable to display radio dial 412 and in come embodiments may be wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. In another embodiment, homepage 401 may allow a user to select when to download the information to an electronic device. For example, a user may want to listen to a certain genre of music at a specific time of day thereby allowing a user to select the information. As such, a user may select a different playlist for every day of the week thereby allowing a user to listen to different songs on different days of the week. The user can further identify when the selected playlist should be available for listening. For example, if a user wanted to listen to “playlist #1” on Monday morning during the drive into work between 8:00 am and 9:00 am, the user would enter the time and the day “playlist #1” would be available for listening. In this manner, the playlist may be communicated to the electronic device thereby allowing a user to listen to selective audio information at a desirable time. FIG. 5A illustrates a portable radio system having a mount for an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Portable radio 500 includes a mount 501 operable to receive electronic device 502. Mount 501 may include a connector operable to provide communications and power to electronic device 502. During use, electronic device 502 when mounted within portable radio 500 communicates with portable radio to provide remotely received selective audio information. In one embodiment, electronic device 502 may include a user interface allowing a user to access the Internet. Therefore, selective audio information located on the Internet may be accessed by the user and remotely communicated to electronic device 502 coupled to portable radio 500. In another embodiment, portable radio 500 may include memory operably located within for storing downloaded information. For example, portable radio 500 may include 32 MB of RAM allowing electronic device 502 to receive selective information and download the selective information to memory located within portable radio 500. In this manner, the downloaded music may be operable to be played within portable radio 500 while allowing electronic device to be removed from portable radio 500. Therefore, portable radio 500 including electronic device 502 allows a user to communicate selected audio information to portable radio 500. FIG. 5B illustrates automobile console having a mount for coupling an electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention. Console 510 includes mount 511 operable to receive electronic device 512. Mount 511 may be located in many different locations within an automobile such as coupled to a sun visor, center console, dashboard, floorboard, etc. Mount 511 allows the user to couple electronic device 512 to the automobile and provide an interface for communication between electronic device 512 and the automobile audio system. Mount 511 may also include a power connection that allows electronic device 512 to use the automobiles power during use. The power connection may also be used in association with a recharging circuit operable to recharge a power supply within the electronic device. During operation, electronic device 512 coupled to mount 511 may receive selected audio information via wireless communication and communicate the selective information to the automobile audio system. In one embodiment, the automobile may include memory operable associated with the automobile for storing information. The memory may be used in association with mount 511 and electronic device 512 to store the selected audio information. In this manner, voluminous audio information can be stored within the memory allowing electronic device 512 to receive additional information. In one embodiment, a mount may be provided for a home audio system (not shown) for downloading selected audio information for use with a home audio system. For example, a mount device may be coupled to a home stereo system such that the upon placing an electronic device such as electronic device 500 within the mount, selected audio information may be communicated to the home audio system thereby allowing a home audio system to be used in association with an electronic device. FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of a system for communicating voice mail messages using email according to one embodiment of the present invention. The system, indicated generally at 600, includes email server 601 coupled to a voice mail storage device 602. System 600 further includes a computer system or network terminal 603 such as a computer coupled to network 604. System 600 further includes mount 605 for mounting electronic device 606 for hardwire communication of information. Device 606 may also communicate with network 604 using a wirelessly communication network operably associated with network 604 and coupled, for example, via tower 607. During operation, system 600 communicates voice mail messages to a user utilizing email server 601. For example, if a user receives a voice mail message, email server 601 would be notified and a voice mail message would be sent to the user's email account in the form of an email message. For example, a voice mail message 5 would be sent to a user's email account within intranet 604 in the form of an audio file as an attachment to the email. Upon receiving the email, a user may click on the audio file representing the voice mail message to hear the message left by a caller. In one embodiment, a user may be accessing the Internet via a phone line and, as such, be unable to receive notification that a voice mail message has been received. System 600 would receive the voice mail message and send an email comprising the voice mail message to the user email account. In this manner, a user can remain connected to the network and receive voice mail without having to log off or disconnect from the Internet. In one embodiment, a user may receive the voice mail message via a portable electronic device. For example, a user may be using remote device 605 operable to receive wirelessly communicated information. System 600 would receive the voice mail message and forward the voice mail message to a user's portable electronic device 606. In this manner, a user may be capable of receiving voice emails at remote locations. In another embodiment, a user may subscribe to use an Internet email account that may be operably associated with system 600. Utilizing an Internet email account may allow a user the flexibility to check voice email messages from any location in the world. For example, a user may access a “Hotmail” email account while traveling on business in a foreign country. The user, upon gaining access to the “Hotmail” account, would be able to listen to voice mail messages sent to the user via the “Hotmail” email account. Through utilizing an email account to receive voice mail messages, a user may be afforded great flexibility in communicating voice mail messages. For example, a user may be able to forward a voice mail message received in the form of an email to one or a plurality of other email accounts. In this manner, a voice email message may be sent efficiently to other email users. For example, a user may maintain a distribution list of individuals working on a particular project that may have a need to hear certain voice email messages. In this manner, a user may efficiently disseminate information to other individuals while adding additional textual information to the body of the email allowing a user to comment on the original voice email message. In another embodiment, a user may forward a received voice email message to another account operable to receive forwarded voice email messages. For example, system 600 may be operable to receive an email message having a voice mail message as an attachment. The system would then be operable to forward the voice mail message to specified phone number, separate email account, and/or voice mail account, etc. thereby providing a user flexibility in receiving voice email. In one embodiment, a user may utilize an email account to establish an answering service for voice mails. For example, a user's telephone number may be operable with an email account to provide an answering service. A user may record a message for a specified phone number or extension and, upon receiving an incoming call; the recorded message may be played back to incoming the call's initiator. System 600 would then forward the received voicemail message via an email account to the user. For example, a user may have an account set up at a residence for receiving voicemail messages via a user-defined email account. The user could then forward all received voice mails from the home account to an email account at a place of work. Therefore, the user may have complete access to received voicemail messages. In the same manner, a user could set up their work phone number to forward a voicemail message to the user's home email account thereby allowing a user to receive a voicemail at a home email account. Therefore, system 600 may be operable in a plurality of ways to provide email messages comprised of voicemail messages received via a voice mail or email account. FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart for providing voice email messages according to one embodiment of the present invention. The method begins at step 701 where a voice mail message is left for a user. The message could be at a residence, place of business, etc. The method then proceeds to step 702 where the message may be stored as an audio file within a database operable to store a file comprised of the voice mail message. Upon storing the file, the method proceeds to step 703 where an electronic mail message may be generated. The electronic mail message may be addressed to the recipient of the voice mail message. The method then proceeds to step 704 where the audio file representing the voice mail message is attached to the electronic message. Upon attaching the audio file, the method then proceeds to step 705 where the email message may be sent to the email address. Upon sending the email message the method proceeds to step 706 where the method determines if the email message should be sent to a wireless electronic device. If the message is not to be sent to a wireless device, the method proceeds to step 720 where the method ends. If the message is to be sent to a wireless electronic device, the method proceeds to step 707 where a signal may be sent to the wireless electronic device and at step 708 an indication is provided to the electronic device indicating that a voicemail message has been received via a user's email account. The method may then proceed to step 709 where the user decides whether or not to listen to the voice email message. If the user decides not to listen to the voice email message, the method may proceed to step 710 where the method ends. If the user decides to listen to the voice email message, the method proceeds to step 711 where a request may be sent by the electronic device requesting the voice email message be forwarded to the user's electronic device. At step 712, the voicemail message may be sent to the user's electronic device. Upon forwarding the voicemail message to the user the method may proceed to step 720 where the method ends. As such, FIG. 7 depicts one method of providing an email message comprised of a voice mail message. Certainly, other methods may be deployed as advancements in technology and are made without departing for the spirit and scope of the present invention. FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram of a method for providing selected audio information to an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The method begins at step 800 where a user accesses a webpage via the Internet. The webpage may be a home page illustrated in FIG. 4 or other web pages operable to display selectable references to audio information. The method proceeds to step 801 where a user selects desirable audio information. For example, a user may select a single song, a plurality different songs, an entire album, a broadcast station, streaming audio, etc. or other selectable audio information. Upon the user selecting a reference to audio information, the method may proceed to step 802 where a playlist may be created that represents the user's selected audio information. The playlist may be variable in size and comprised of a plurality of different types of available audio information. Upon creating a playlist, the method may proceed to step 803 where information associated with the playlist is obtained. For example, a list of network or URL locations comprised of the desirable audio information may be obtained. In this manner, desirable audio information may be obtained from many different sources such as URLs, network addresses, hard drives, databases comprised of audio information, etc. The sources may be accessed to obtain the selected audio information. Upon obtaining data associated with the customized playlist, the method may proceed to step 804 where the user is prompted for a destination for the playlist. For example, a user may want to communicate the selected audio information to a remote electronic device, an automobile audio system, a home stereo system, a home computer, an electronic device coupled to a home network or computer system, etc. or other locations or devices operable to receive the selected audio information. In one embodiment, a user may select a device owned by a friend to accept the selected audio information. For example, a husband may want to send a romantic playlist to his wife on their anniversary. In this situation, the husband would select his wife's electronic device as the receiving device for the selected audio information. Upon selecting a device, the method proceeds to step 805 where the method determines the destination of the selected audio information. If the information is to be sent to a device via a wire line connection, the method proceeds to step 813 where playlist data is sent to a user via a wire line connection. The method may then proceed to step 814 where the playlist is executed at the device. If the information is to be sent to a device requiring wireless communication, the method proceeds to step 806 where the information is formatted for communicating the information to a wireless electronic device. For example, a wireless PDA device may be selected as a destination device for the selected audio information. The PDA device may include an audio player, such as an MP3 player operable to play or execute MP3 audio files. In such an embodiment, the method could format the information such that the information may be wirelessly communicated and subsequently played by the MP3 player. Upon formatting the information, the method may then proceed to step 807 where the audio information is wirelessly communicated to the selected device. In some embodiments, the device may be operable to receive a limited amount of information based upon storage capacity of the device (i.e., 16 MB). In such a case, the method may divide the information into component parts and periodically communicate the component parts, such as packets, to the electronic device. Upon communicating the audio information, the method may then proceed to step 808 where the signal may be received by the destination or electronic device. The method may then proceed to step 809 where the method determines if all of the audio information has been received. For example, if 16 MB or 32 MB of selected audio information was initially transmitted due to capacity limitations of the selected device, the method may query the selected device to determine if capacity is available. If available memory exists, the method may proceed to step 807 where the method may communicate additional audio information based upon the amount of available memory. The method repeats until all of the selected audio information has been transmitted. Upon communicating the selected information, the method may proceed to step 810 where the playlist may be executed at step 812. For example, a user may select a continuous communication of selected audio information (e.g. several hours of music. Internet broadcast, etc.). As such, the method may continuously play or execute the received audio information. In another embodiment, the method may proceed to step 811 where the method may store or buffer the received information until it is desirable to execute the received selected audio information. As such, upon executing the selected audio information, the method may proceed to step 809 where the method may repeat. In one embodiment, a user may elect to download a broadcast of an on-line radio station. For example, a user may want to listen to a radio station located in a remote location wherein conventional radio receivers could not receive the desired broadcast. For example, a person living in Houston, Tex. may not be able to receive a radio broadcast signal from a radio station in Seattle, Wash. utilizing a conventional radio receiver. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a user may select an on-line broadcast or radio station as all or a part of the selected audio information. The user may then receive radio broadcasts without having to use a home computer system or conventional radio receiver. At step 804, a user may select a device that does not require remote communication of information. For example, a user may elect to communicate the selected audio information to device, such as a personal computer, PDA device, MP3 player, etc. coupled via a network connection to the Internet or an Intranet. The user may receive the selected playlist at the determined device for eventual playing. In one embodiment, a user may select a plurality of devices as destination devices for receiving downloads of the selected audio information. For example, the user may want to download the information to a home stereo system, a PDA device, and an automobile stereo. As such, the selected information may be communicated to more than one destination device. In addition, the format of the download may match or conform to the selected destination device(s). The present invention may be configured in a plurality of ways to communicate desirable audio information to users by allowing users to select desirable audio information and transmitting the desirable audio information to a specified destination thereby allowing a user to receive on-demand customized audio information. Moreover, the download may occur in an off-line environment, allowing a user to enjoy the selected audio information accessed on-line without having to be on-line or utilizing a browsing environment. In one embodiment of the present invention, the method of FIG. 8 may be modified to allow a user to select a “user group” for receiving customized audio information. For example, a “user group” may include users that prefer contemporary jazz wherein a user may request a certain song. Therefore, a virtual request line may be designed for a specific genre of music allowing “members” to transmit audio information to the “group”. In another embodiment of the present invention, the method may be modified to allow a user to select a specific genre to be transmitted to the users device. For example, a user may elect to have random country and western music transmitted to a destination device. The user could efficiently create a radio station format and have the format received at a destination device. In a further embodiment, a user may select a group of genres to be downloaded to a desirable device. As such, the method may be modified to allow a user to select several different genres to download random music within the specified genres. In another embodiment, a user may elect to download the same music as another individual. For example, a user may want to download the same music as their best friend. Therefore the user could elect to download the same music as their friend or group of friends. In another example, a user may want to listen to the same music that an artist listens to on a specific weekday of evening. For example, a user may want to listen to the same music that Barry White listens to on a Saturday night. Therefore, the user may select “Barry White's” Saturday night playlist and receive the same playlist Barry White receives on Saturday night. In another embodiment, the method of FIG. 8 may be modified to allow a user to manipulate song post download. For example, a user may want to store, delete, replay, copy, forward, etc. received audio information. Therefore, the method of FIG. 4 may be modified such that a user can manipulate or process the received audio information in a plurality of ways. In one embodiment of the present invention, an on-line radio station may be provided. For example, the radio station may be created for transmitting audio or on-line broadcasts. The on-line broadcasters or hosts may create their own format for broadcast. For example, an on-line radio station may be provided that transmits only children's songs. Prior to conception of the present invention, conventional radio stations were monetarily limited to be capable of transmitting music such as children's songs to conventional radio receivers. The present invention, by providing a medium for transmitting selectable audio information, enables the existence of on-line broadcasting with little or no overhead cost for a host. A user may select an on-line broadcast for on-line or off-line delivery. In another embodiment, on-line broadcast of audio information representing books or novels may be provided to individuals such as the visually impaired. For example, an on-line broadcast station may provide several hours of audio information broadcast representing books or novels to be broadcast with very little overhead. FIG. 9 illustrates an automobile console having a mount for an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Console 900 includes a conventional audio system 901 comprised of a receiver 902 and CD player 903. Interface 904 may be coupled to audio system 901 via plug 905 and cable 908, which may be coupled to an auxiliary line into audio system 901. Interface 904 may also include contact 906 for contacting electronic device 907. Cable 908 may be a multiple conductive cable for providing power from the automobiles power system via a protection circuit or fuse 909 for powering electronic device 907. In one embodiment, interface 904 may be operable to recharge electronic device 907 utilizing a power source associated with an automobile. During operation, electronic device 907 may be mounted within interface 904. Electronic device 907 may also be powered or recharged via power line 910 and communicate with the systems audio system via interface cable or bus line 911. Audio information communicated to electronic device 907 may be transferred to audio system 901 such that a user may listen to selected audio information. For example, a user may have previously selected a plurality of audio files to be transmitted to electronic device 907. Electronic device 905 may communicate the selected audio information to the automobiles audio system that utilizes interface 901 thereby allowing the user to listen to selected audio information. In one embodiment, cable 908 may be custom-installed to audio system 901. For example, the cable may be coupled to an auxiliary line for the system's radio or may be coupled to CD player line 912. In another embodiment, a radio manufacturer may provide interface 904 as a standard interface integrated into the audio system, thereby allowing communication between electronic device 907, audio system 901 and/or console 900. Electronic device 907 may include a plurality of different types of devices. For example, electronic device 907 may include a PDA device operable to store selected audio information. The information may be either remotely downloaded using an Internet web browser and wireless communication to the PDA device. In another embodiment, selected audio information may communicated to a PDA device via a hard wire coupled to a computer system interfacing with the Internet. In another embodiment, electronic device 907 may include an audio file player operable to play audio files such as MP3s, etc. The audio files may be remotely or locally communicated to electronic device 907 and upon coupling to audio system 901, the audio files may be transmitted to audio system 901 in a form receivable by audio system 901. Although the disclosed embodiments have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made to the embodiments without departing from their spirit and scope. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or element of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the invention as provided by the claims below. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The first commercial radio stations in the United States began operation around 1920. Today, there may be as many as 12,000 radio stations in the United States programming in several distinct formats. When broadcasting their respective signals, these radio stations often use an analog signal, which may be modulated based on frequency or amplitude. Frequency modulated (FM) radio appears to be the dominant entertainment medium while amplitude modulated (AM) radio seems to be a popular outlet for news and information. Unfortunately, analog radio may be unable to provide the sound quality and consistency that radio listeners desire. As such, several broadcasting related companies have begun to consider a movement to digital radio. Unlike analog radio reception, digital radio reception may be able to provide compact disk (CD) quality sound while remaining virtually immune to interference. Being immune to interference may result in reducing static growls or “multipath” echoes, echoes caused by signal reflections off buildings or topographical features. Some countries, like Canada and many European countries, may choose to have digital radio operate in a single digital radio band such as the L-band between 1452-1492 megahertz (MHz). This band would allow the reception of both terrestrially and satellite-originated signals. By comparison, FM radio typically operates between 88 and 108 MHz while AM radio typically operates between 0.525 and 1.705 MHz. Neither of these bands allows for easy transmission via satellite. Canada proposed using the L-Band for digital radio as early as 1992. Several countries throughout the world have since agreed to use the L-Band for digital radio with one notable exception. It appears the United States has chosen not to operate its digital radio within the L-Band. In the United States, the L-Band may already be committed for military uses. Apparently, the United States plans to adopt a system called in-band on-channel, or IBOC, which fits within the AM and FM frequencies. IBOC technology may offer some advantages over L-Band transmissions. For example, there may be no need for new spectrum allocations. There may be backward and forward compatibility with existing AM and FM systems on both the transmitter and receiver sides, and there may be a low-investment upgrade to digital systems. Unfortunately, a workable IBOC solution is yet to be seen though technology may someday make IBOC digital radio commercially possible. Even if an IBOC solution becomes commercially available in the United States, IBOC digital radio may suffer from several shortcomings. For example, there may global standardization problems. Though the United States favors IBOC, the European and Canadian communities seem to favor L-Band making the establishment of a global standard difficult. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>A more complete understanding of the present embodiments and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein: FIG. 1 depicts a general system for wirelessly communicating selective information to an electronic device in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a method of wirelessly communicating selected information to an electronic device; FIG. 3 illustrates an electronic device operable to receive selected audio information in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; FIG. 4 illustrates a graphical user interface (GUI) for displaying selectable audio information according to one aspect of the present invention; FIG. 5A illustrates a portable radio system having a mount for an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5B illustrates automobile console having a mount for coupling an electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention; FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of a system for communicating voice mail messages using email according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart for providing voice email messages according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram of a method for providing selected audio information to an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 9 illustrates an automobile console having a mount for an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | 20040923 | 20081021 | 20050505 | 74233.0 | 2 | GELIN, JEAN ALLAND | AUDIO SYSTEM AND METHOD | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,947,755 | ACCEPTED | Audio system and method | An audio system and method are disclosed. A system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an electronic device having a display, a memory, an audio file player, and a housing component at least partially defining a cavity in which the memory and the audio file player are secured. In one embodiment, the electronic device may be a portable MP3 player. The system may also include a processor or playlist engine that can maintain a first playlist and a second playlist. In practice, the first playlist may include a selection of audio content having a corresponding audio file saved in the memory of the electronic device. In one embodiment, the system may also include an automobile having an automobile sound system that has a speaker and an in dash sound system component, which may be removably coupled to the electronic device via a cable. The in dash sound system component may have a selector, which may be, for example, a button, that allows a user to select the first playlist for outputting via the speaker. The cable interconnecting the electronic device and the in dash sound system component may be capable of providing power to the electronic device in addition to communicatively coupling the electronic device to the automobile sound system. | 1. An audio system, comprising: an electronic device having a display, a memory, an audio file player, and a housing component at least partially defining a cavity in which the memory and the audio file player are secured; a playlist engine operable to maintain a first playlist and a second playlist, wherein the first playlist is operable to include a selection of audio content having a corresponding audio file saved in the memory; an automobile having an automobile sound system that comprises a speaker and an in dash sound system component operable to be coupled to the electronic device via a cable; the in dash sound system component comprising a selector operable to allow a user to select the first playlist for outputting via the speaker; and the cable having at least one conductive element operable to provide power to the electronic device, the cable further operable to communicatively couple the electronic device to the automobile sound system. 2. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a portable MP3 player and the cable communicates a processed digital representation of the selection of audio content to the in dash sound system component. 3. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the selector comprises a button. 4. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the audio file player is an MP3 player. 5. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the in dash sound system component further comprises a second selector operable to allow the user to select the second playlist for outputting via the speaker. 6. The audio system of claim 5, wherein the first selector is a first button and the second selector is a second button. 7. The audio system of claim 1, further comprising a playlist generator to generate the first playlist to be presented by the in dash sound system component. 8. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the in dash sound system component is fixed in a first location and the cable is routed to allow the electronic device to be located in a different location. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the cable plugs into the in dash sound system component at a port. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the port is located behind an automobile dashboard. 11. The system of claim 9, wherein the port is a compact disk player interconnect point of the in dash sound system component. 12. An audio system, comprising: an electronic device having a display, a memory, an audio file player, and a housing component at least partially defining a cavity in which the memory and the audio file player are secured; a device interface system that comprises a sound system connector and a device connector; the sound system connector operable to communicatively couple the device interface system to a sound system; and the device connector operable to releasably engage the electronic device such that a contact portion of the device interface system contacts a conductive element of the electronic device to form at least a portion of a communication path operable to interconnect the sound system and the electronic device. 13. The system of claim 12, further comprising an automobile having an automobile sound system that comprises a speaker and an in dash sound system component, wherein the automobile sound system is the installed sound system. 14. The system of claim 12, wherein the sound system comprises a portable radio. 15. The system of claim 12, wherein the contact portion of the device interface system is provided at an end portion of a cable having at least one conductive element, the cable operable to provide power to the electronic device. 16. The system of claim 12, wherein the audio file player is operable to process audio content having a format selected from a group consisting of an MP3 file format, a WAV file format, and a streaming audio format. 17. A method for facilitating the outputting of audio content comprising: accessing an automobile sound system component having at least a first button for controlling an operational feature of an automobile sound system; and installing a cable at the automobile sound system component that allows a user to output via the automobile sound system a playing of an audio content file stored in a memory of a portable electronic device that comprises the memory, an audio file player, and a housing component at least partially defining a cavity in which the memory and the audio file player are secured. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising installing the cable to the automobile sound system component, the cable operable to conductively couple the portable electronic device to a power supply associated with the automobile. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the cable is further operable to communicatively couple the portable electronic device to the automobile sound system component to output the playing of the audio content file via a speaker assembly of the automobile sound system. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the cable enables communication between the portable electronic device and the automobile sound system component via a compact disk player port of the automobile sound system component. 21. The method of claim 17, wherein the audio content file is included within a playlist, further wherein the interface system allows the portable electronic device to communicate information about the playlist to the automobile sound system component. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the information is selected from a group consisting of a playlist name, a playlist number, a song title, a song genre, and a performing artist. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the automobile sound system component is operable to present a graphical representation of the information to the user. 24. A method of outputting audio content, comprising: communicatively coupling an automobile sound system to an electronic device via an adapter cable, the electronic device having an audio file player, a local rechargeable power supply, and a memory operable to store a plurality of selected audio content files, the adapter cable operable to conductively couple the electronic device to a power supply associated with an automobile to recharge the local rechargeable power supply; allowing selection of a first audio content file via a button selector operably coupled to the automobile sound system; detecting a selection of the button selector; playing the first audio content file with the audio file player in response to the detection; and outputting a representation of the first audio content file via a speaker assembly of the automobile sound system. 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising initiating playing of a first playlist comprising the first audio content file in response to the detection. 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising initiating playing of a second playlist in response to detecting selection of a second button selector. 27. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving an input to randomly play the first playlist. 28. The method of claim 24, further comprising: accessing a memory of the electronic device to identify a playlist to be output by an automobile sound system; and linking the button selector with the playlist. 29. The method of claim 24, wherein the automobile sound system comprises a receiver; further comprising: receiving a wireless signal with the receiver; pausing the playing of the first audio content file; and outputting audio information represented by the wireless signal. 30. An audio system, comprising: a vehicle sound system that comprises a speaker and an in dash component that includes an auxiliary connection port; an electronic device mount formed to releasably engage a portion of a portable audio file player that includes a rechargeable power supply and a processor operable to play a locally stored audio file; an interface cable interconnecting the auxiliary connection port and the electronic device mount, the interface cable having at least one conductive element operable to deliver power to recharge the rechargeable power supply, the cable further operable to communicatively couple the portable audio file player to the in dash component. 31. The system of claim 30, further comprising an automobile, wherein the vehicle sound system is installed within the automobile. 32. The system of claim 31, further comprising the portable audio file player, wherein the portable audio file player is an MP3 player. 33. The system of claim 31, further comprising a button operably associated with the in dash component, the button operable to direct a mounted audio file player to begin playing a first playlist of locally stored audio content. 34. The system of claim 33, wherein the interface cable is routed such that the mounted audio file player is located apart from the in dash component. 35. The system of claim 34, wherein the interface cable communicates a digital audio signal output from the portable audio file player to the auxiliary connection port to allow outputting of a sound via the speaker. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/537,812 filed ch 28, 2000, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to an audio system and method. BACKGROUND The first commercial radio stations in the United States began operation around 1920. Today, there may be as many as 12,000 radio stations in the United States programming in several distinct formats. When broadcasting their respective signals, these radio stations often use an analog signal, which may be modulated based on frequency or amplitude. Frequency modulated (FM) radio appears to be the dominant entertainment medium while amplitude modulated (AM) radio seems to be a popular outlet for news and information. Unfortunately, analog radio may be unable to provide the sound quality and consistency that radio listeners desire. As such, several broadcasting related companies have begun to consider a movement to digital radio. Unlike analog radio reception, digital radio reception may be able to provide compact disk (CD) quality sound while remaining virtually immune to interference. Being immune to interference may result in reducing static growls or “multipath” echoes, echoes caused by signal reflections off buildings or topographical features. Some countries, like Canada and many European countries, may choose to have digital radio operate in a single digital radio band such as the L-band between 1452-1492 megahertz (MHz). This band would allow the reception of both terrestrially and satellite-originated signals. By comparison, FM radio typically operates between 88 and 108 MHz while AM radio typically operates between 0.525 and 1.705 MHz. Neither of these bands allows for easy transmission via satellite. Canada proposed using the L-Band for digital radio as early as 1992. Several countries throughout the world have since agreed to use the L-Band for digital radio with one notable exception. It appears the United States has chosen not to operate its digital radio within the L-Band. In the United States, the L-Band may already be committed for military uses. Apparently, the United States plans to adopt a system called in-band on-channel, or IBOC, which fits within the AM and FM frequencies. IBOC technology may offer some advantages over L-Band transmissions. For example, there may be no need for new spectrum allocations. There may be backward and forward compatibility with existing AM and FM systems on both the transmitter and receiver sides, and there may be a low-investment upgrade to digital systems. Unfortunately, a workable IBOC solution is yet to be seen though technology may someday make IBOC digital radio commercially possible. Even if an IBOC solution becomes commercially available in the United States, IBOC digital radio may suffer from several shortcomings. For example, there may global standardization problems. Though the United States favors IBOC, the European and Canadian communities seem to favor L-Band making the establishment of a global standard difficult. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete understanding of the present embodiments and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein: FIG. 1 depicts a general system for wirelessly communicating selective information to an electronic device in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a method of wirelessly communicating selected information to an electronic device; FIG. 3 illustrates an electronic device operable to receive selected audio information in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; FIG. 4 illustrates a graphical user interface (GUI) for displaying selectable audio information according to one aspect of the present invention; FIG. 5A illustrates a portable radio system having a mount for an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5B illustrates automobile console having a mount for coupling an electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention; FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of a system for communicating voice mail messages using email according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart for providing voice email messages according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram of a method for providing selected audio information to an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 9 illustrates an automobile console having a mount for an electronic device ng to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The conceptual groundwork for the present invention includes wirelessly communicating selective information to an electronic device. According to one aspect, a user may interact with the Internet to select information, such as audio information, and wirelessly communicate the selected information to an electronic device. The electronic device receives the information via a wireless communications network and processes the information accordingly. In a particularized form, a user may select information from an Internet website operable to allow selectivity of audio information such a songs, on-line radio stations, on-line broadcasts, streaming audio, or other selectable information. Upon selecting the audio information, information or data associated with the selected audio information is wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. The electronic device may then be used to process the selected audio information. In this manner, a user may receive selective audio information via a wireless electronic device. In one form, the electronic device may be operable to communicate with an individual's automobile audio system. A user may select audio information utilizing a personal computer with access to a website operable to display selectable audio information. The selected audio information may then be wirelessly communicated to the electronic device associated with an automobile's audio system. Therefore, upon receiving the selected audio information, a user may access and play the received audio information utilizing the electronic device in association with the automobiles audio system. The present invention is not limited to communicating only audio information. One skilled in the art can appreciate that other types of information, such as video, textual, etc. may be communicated utilizing the systems and methods disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Additionally, it will be understood that information may be formatted in a plurality of ways at different phases of communication without loosing the underlying content of the selected information. For example, an audio file may be formatted, segmented, compressed, modified, etc. for the purpose of providing or communicating the audio invention. Therefore, the term “audio information” or “information” is used in a general sense to relate to audio information in all phases of communication. FIG. 1 depicts a general system for wirelessly communicating selective information to an electronic device in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. The system, illustrated generally at 100, includes a digital engine 101 coupled to a communications engine 102. Communications engine 102 is remotely coupled to an electronic device 103. Digital engine 101 may be directly or indirectly coupled to storage device 105 operable to store information. Digital engine 101 maintains information or data associated with selected information in a digital format. The information may be stored within storage device 105 or other storage devices operable to maintain data or information associated with the selected information. Communications engine 102 is communicatively coupled to digital engine 101 and operable to wirelessly communicate the selected information to electronic device 103. During operation, audio information may be selected by a user utilizing a personal computer or other devices operable to communicate with an information network. Digital engine 102 is operable to maintain information associated with the selected audio information. For example, the information could be several songs or titles configured as an audio file and formatted in a digital format such as an MP3 file, wave file, etc. The maintained information may also be a reference to a network location where an audio file may be stored, a network location where a network broadcast of audio information may be located, etc. or other network locations having information associated with the selected audio information. Therefore, digital engine 101 may maintain a plurality of different types of information or data associated with the selected audio information. System 100, utilizing communication engine 102, may wirelessly communicate data or information associated with the selected audio information to electronic device 105 thereby providing wireless communication of selected information to an electronic device operable to receive wireless communications. In one embodiment, digital engine 101 may be used in association with an Internet website configured to provide access to selectable information. The Internet website operably associated with digital engine 101 allows a user to select information to be wirelessly communicated to electronic device 105 utilizing a network environment. The Internet website may include several different types of information related to audio information. FIG. 4, described in greater detail below, illustrates one embodiment of providing an Internet website for displaying selectable audio information. For example, the Internet website may include music and/or artist search engines, playlists, top 10 charts, artists by genre, and other information associated with audio information. A user may select information associated with the audio information and digital engine 101 can maintain the information or data associated with the selected information in a digital format. Communications engine 102 coupled to digital engine 101 may wirelessly communicate data associated with the selected audio information to electronic device 103. Therefore, a user may access and select audio information via an Internet website and wirelessly communicate the data to an electronic device. As such, system 100 advantageously allows for wireless communication of selected audio information to electronic devices that may be remotely located from a conventional terrestrial communication network. Electronic device 105 may be configured in a plurality of ways for receiving wireless communication of selected audio information. In one embodiment, electronic device 105 may be operable as a component configured to receive a cellular signal comprising the selected information communicated by the communication engine. For example, a device having a cellular modem may be operable to receive the information at specified intervals. Upon receiving the information the electronic device may process the received information. Electronic devices are described in more detail below and may include a network radio, a modular device, an audio system, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular phone, or other electronic devices operable to receive information wirelessly communicated by communication engine 102. Communications engine 102 may be operable to wirelessly communicate selected information to electronic device 103 in a plurality of ways. The present invention advantageously allows for several different embodiments of wirelessly communicating selected audio information to electronic device 103 and is not limited to any specific configuration described below. Several different types or combinations of wireless communication may be realized by the present invention. Communications engine 102 may be operable to wirelessly communicate the selected information from an information network, such as the Internet, to an electronic device operable to receive wireless communications. In one embodiment, communications engine 102 may comprise a conduit to interface information with a wireless communication network. The conduit may configure the information located within the information network into a format operable to be transmitted via wireless communication. For example, a wireless device may be operable to receive packets of information having a specific size and in a specific format. In such an embodiment, communications engine 102 could format the information into a desirable format for wirelessly communicating the information to electronic device 103. Several types of wireless communication may be used by communications engine 102 to communicate the selected information to an electronic device. Communications networks such as GSM, Digital Satellite communication, SB, Radio bands, DRC, SuperDRC or other systems or types of transmission such as TDMA, CDMA, spread spectrum, etc. or frequencies such as between about 1.7 GHz and 2.0 GHz may be realized by the present invention for communicating information or data representing the selected audio information to electronic device 103. In one embodiment, the selective information may be communicated using a digital broadcast signal. Digital broadcast includes providing information via a signal such as AM, FM, and the like. Digital information may be included or encoded as a sub-carrier within the broadcast signal and received by electronic device 103. A digital sub-carrier may include a selective bandwidth of frequencies for a specific radio station (i.e. 6 MHz for FM). The selective information may be wirelessly communicated to electronic device 103 utilizing a communication engine 102 operable to communicate the selective information via a digital FM signal. In this manner, selective information may be communicated within digital FM sub-carriers to an electronic device operable to receive the information. For example, a user may subscribe to communicate the information via an FM sub-carrier and receive the selective data through wireless communication via a specified FM sub-carrier. In one embodiment, the selected information may be formatted and transmitted to achieve a desirable transmission rate. For example, conventional systems may transmit information at a speed of 10 kilobits per second. Therefore, for 1 megabyte of information to be communicated to an electronic device, a transmission time of approximately 800 seconds may be required. The present invention may allow for a relative increase in transmission speed by removing the requirement that information be communicated asynchronously to an electronic device. For example, conventional wireless communication utilizes a specified frequency to communicate information in two directions (i.e. cellular phones). As such, information is communicated across a channel in an asynchronous manner to provide a continuous audio signal to the recipient. The present invention advantageously allows for signals to be transmitted to an electronic device in a less than asynchronous manner. For example, if a user selected a song to be wirelessly communicated to an electronic device, system 100 could communicate the information in a less than asynchronous manner allowing the selected information to be transmitted efficiently thereby decreasing the overall download time for the selected audio information. In one embodiment, the selected information may be compressed and transmitted across the same frequency but at different phases thereby allowing plural signals having different phases to be wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. Therefore, the electronic device may be operable to receive multiple phased signals and process the selective information accordingly. In one embodiment, the information may be wirelessly communicated at a relatively slow transmission rate. For example, a user may schedule when the selected audio information may be used by electronic device 103. The user may select several different audio tracks or songs to be transmitted to an electronic device associated with the user's vehicle such that the user can listen to the user selected audio information during the drive home at the end of a workday. Therefore, it may be desirable to utilize a slower transfer speed due to the extended amount of time available prior to actual use of the selected audio information. In this manner, communications networks having less or slower transfer rates may be used to wirelessly communicate the selected audio information to the electronic device. In another embodiment, high-speed wireless communication networks may be used to communicate the selected audio information. For example, a user may want to listen to an Internet broadcast of an Internet radio station. Therefore, high-speed communication may be required to wirelessly communicate or stream the selected audio information to an electronic device. In another embodiment, a hybrid of wireless communication rates may be deployed depending on the requirements of the selected audio information and/or the electronic device. For example, the selected audio information may first be transmitted to the electronic device via high-speed communication until enough information has been wirelessly communicated and buffered into a memory device operably associated with the electronic device. Upon communication of a certain percentage of the selected audio information, slower communication speeds may then be used to communicate additional selected audio information. Therefore, system 100 may be configured in a plurality of ways to communicate selected information to electronic device 103. Digital engine 101 may be used to maintain data or information associated with the selected information and communication engine 102, communicatively coupled to digital engine 101, may wirelessly communicate selected information to electronic device 103. FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a method of wirelessly communicating selected information to an electronic device. The method may be used in association with the system illustrated in FIG. 1 or other systems operable to utilize the method of FIG. 2. The method begins generally at step 200. At step 201, selectable audio information may be accessed utilizing a network communications device. For example, selectable audio information may be displayed at an Internet website accessible by a personal computer. In another embodiment, the selectable information may be accessed utilizing a wireless communications device such as, a cellular phone, a PDA device, or other devices operable to provide access to the selectable audio information. Upon accessing the selectable information, the method proceeds to step 202 where a user can identify or select audio information to be wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. For example, a user may select an entire album to be wirelessly communicated to a PDA device. Upon the user selecting the audio information, the method proceeds to step 203 where the method maintains information associated with the selected information. In one embodiment, the information may be an audio file, such as a wave file, and MP3 file, etc. representative of the selected audio information. In another embodiment, a network location that comprises a file representing the selected information may be maintained. Another example may include a network location of a network broadcast of audio information. Therefore, the method at step 203 may maintain several different types of information associated with the selected audio information. Upon maintaining information or data associated with the selected information, the method proceeds to step 204 where the method wirelessly communicates information associated with the selected information to an electronic device. For example, if an audio file associated with the selected audio information were maintained, the method would communicate the audio file to the electronic device. In another embodiment, a link or network address broadcasting the selected audio information may be accessed and, at step 204, wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. In another embodiment, a combination of different types of audio information may be wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. Upon transmitting the selected audio information, the method proceeds to step 205 where the method ends. Selected audio information may be communicated in a plurality of ways as described above including communicating via a cellular communications network to an electronic device operable to receive cellularly-communicated signals. For example, the information may be selected from a website operable to display selectable information. Upon selecting the audio information, a data file representing the selected audio information may be wirelessly communicated to an electronic device thereby allowing a user to select audio information via the Internet and wirelessly communicate the information to an electronic device. In some embodiments, the wireless communication to an electronic device may occur in an off-line environment. For example, a user may go “on-line” to access a website and select information and then go “off-line” or end the browsing session. The wireless communication may then occur while the user is off-line thereby removing the confines of using an active or on-line browsing environment (i.e. Internet radio broadcast, streaming audio, etc.) for accessing selected information. Therefore, the method of FIG. 2 allows for information, such as audio information, to be communicated from a network location such as a web site, to an electronic device “via” wireless communication. The present invention advantageously allows users to access and download information accessible by a network location to an electronic device operable to receive wireless communications thereby reducing the need for land lines, terrestrial communication networks, etc. for communicating selective information. In one embodiment, the method of FIG. 2 may be deployed in association with an Internet website operable to display selectable links for downloading information. The information may include audio information such as MP3s, streaming audio, streaming. Internet broadcasts, etc. are selectable by a user and operable to be wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. By providing a user with a website of selectable audio information operable to be wireless communicated to an electronic device, a user may customize information communicated to an electronic device. In one embodiment, a user may communicate information to an electronic device that may not be owned by the user. For example the method of FIG. 2 could be modified to allow a user to wirelessly communicate audio information to a plurality of electronic devices that may or may not be owned by the user. FIG. 3 illustrates an electronic device operable to receive selected audio information in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Electronic device 300 includes a communication module 301 such as a transceiver coupled to storage medium 302 such as a high speed buffer, programmable memory, or other devices operable to store information. Electronic device 300 may also include processor 302 operably associated with communication module 301 and storage medium 302. Processor 302 may be operable to process wirelessly communicated selected information and in one embodiment may be integrated as part of communication module 301 of storage medium 302. In the same manner, as larger scale integration of electronic devices proliferate, communication module 301, processor 302, and storage medium 303 may be integrated into one communication component or device operable as electronic device 300. Processor 302 may be operable using software that may be stored within storage medium 302. In one embodiment, software upgrades may be communicated to electronic device 300 via wireless communication allowing for efficient system upgrades for electronic device 300. Storage medium 302 may include one or several different types of storage devices. For example, storage medium 302 may include programmable gate arrays, ROM devices, RAM devices, EEPROMs, minidisks or other memory devices operable to store information. During use, electronic device 300 receives wireless communications of selective information. The information may be transmitted via a wireless communications network and received by electronic device 300 via transceiver 301. Transceiver 301 may be operable to convert the received wireless communication signal into a desirable format and store the received information within storage medium 302. The received information may then be processed by electronic device 300. In one embodiment, electronic device 300 may be operable as an audio player configured to play digital representations of music. For example, electronic device 300 may also include an MP3 player operable to process the received information into an audio signal. Therefore, electronic device 300 may be used to receive wirelessly communicated MP3 audio files and play these files using an MP3 player when desired. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be configured as a PDA wherein the PDA includes a web browser operable to wirelessly communicate with the Internet. The PDA device may include a user interface allowing a user to select information to be wirelessly communicated to electronic device 300. By providing a website of selectable information, the PDA devices may provide an efficient embodiment for electronic device 300 in that is allows a user to access and select information using a wireless communication network and receive the selected information using the same or different wireless communication network. In yet another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be configured as a component operable to receive selective information via wireless communication and communicate the information to a second electronic device such as an automobile sound system, home stereo, etc. For example, electronic device 300 may utilize transceiver 301 to receive wirelessly communicated information. Electronic device 300 may then be coupled to an automobile sound system using an interface and communicate the received information to the automobile sound system. In this manner, electronic device 300 may be used to provide the automobile sound system with audio files received via wireless communication. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be operable to communicate the received audio information to an audio system via a localized communications-signaling network. One such network may include utilizing “Bluetooth” communication standard, used to provide communication between electronic devices in a proximal setting. In one embodiment, electronic device 300 may be integrated into an audio component such as a radio receiver. Electronic device 300 integrated into an audio component may be configured to process digital audio files wirelessly communicated to an audio component. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be operable to communicate with an analog receiver at a predetermined frequency. For example, a specific frequency may be selected (i.e. 93.7 MHz) for communicating the wireless received selected information from electronic device 300 to a localized audio system. Electronic device 300 communication of the wirelessly received information allows a conventional receiver to receive the selected audio information. In one embodiment, the conventional receiver may be configured to receive a digital sub-carrier, on-carrier, or other within a specified frequency. Therefore, electronic device 300 may be operable to locally transmit the signal at a specific frequency thereby allowing the conventional receiver to receive the information. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be operable to scan plural bandwidths to receive the selective information. For example, transceiver 301 may be operable to receive selective information across several frequencies and process the received information accordingly. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be operable to scan several frequencies to obtain the desirable information. For example, a user may select several Internet broadcasts comprised of streaming audio information. Therefore, the information may be transmitted across several wireless frequencies receivable by electronic device 300. Electronic device 300 may then be operable to allow a user to scan wirelessly communicated Internet broadcast signals thereby providing a user selected virtual broadcast radio network. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may include a user interface operable to communicate with an Internet website operable to display selectable audio information. The Internet website may be configured as a user-preferred environment displaying a users selected audio information. Internet broadcast selections, streaming audio selections, etc. With a display device for displaying a Website having selectable information, electronic device 300 may allow a user to select audio information via a user interface and receive the selected information via wireless communication thereby providing a customizable WebRadio device for the user. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be a modular device configured to be coupled to, for example, a portion of a cars interior. For example, electronic device 300 may be mounted to a portion of a car's console thereby providing a removably coupled electronic device operable to wirelessly receive selected audio information. As a removable device, electronic device 300 may also be coupled to a home audio system, a portable radio system or other systems thereby providing a versatile electronic device operable to receive wirelessly communicated selected audio information. In another embodiment, electronic device 300 may be operable as a PDA and/or a cellular phone that may be mounted to an automobile's console. Electronic device 300 may then integrate with a user's automobile to provide an all-encompassing communications device. For example, electronic device 300 configured as a PDA and cellular phone may allow for communication with a user's email account, voice mail account, the Internet, as well as allowing for the receipt of selected audio information via wireless communication. Electronic device 300 may be operable in a hands-free mode allowing a user to maintain safe driving fundamentals. During use, electronic device 300 may be processing selective audio information for communicating with an automobile audio system and may further be operating to receive incoming cellular calls. Electronic device 300 may be set-up by the user to pause the music being played and allow the received cellular call to be communicated either via an independent speaker or utilizing the automobiles “audio system.” Additionally, electronic device 300 may be operable to adjust the listening level of an automobile's audio system, it may play received voice mail messages, allow a user to view the Internet, etc. In one embodiment, electronic device 300 may be operable as a dual mode electronic device capable of receiving both digital and analog wireless communication signals. In this manner, electronic devices may efficiently utilize available bandwidth for receiving selected information from a communications engine. For example, transceiver 301 may be a wireless communications modem operable to receive digital or analog signals. FIG. 4 illustrates a graphical user interface (GUI) for displaying selectable audio information according to one aspect of the present invention. The GUI may be operable with a computer system, cellular device, PDA, or other electronic devices or systems operable to display the GUI of FIG. 4. The GUI, shown generally at 400, may be displayed using a conventional web browser 402 such as Microsoft® Internet Explorer, a WAP browser, or other browsers operable to display the audio information. Browser 402 includes browser functions, shown collectively at 403, for navigating a network such as the Internet or an intranet. Homepage 401 may be displayed using browser 402 and may include several functions, features, information, etc. related to audio information. Home page 402 may be developed using several different types of programming (i.e. HTML, XML, Java, etc.) used to developing a network location or website. The present invention is not limited to any one specific type of software and may be realized in plurality of ways as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Homepage 401 may also include login region 410 allowing a user to log into homepage 401 and display a user-preferred environment. For example, a user may want Radio Dial 412 to appear when a user logs into homepage 401. In another embodiment, a user may want to view a current playlist selected by the user or the status of wirelessly communicated playlist. A user may also provide demographic information allowing advertisers to access the demographic information and provide advertisements based upon the demographic information. For example, an advertiser may want to target Hispanic females in the 21-25 year old age group. Through providing demographic information to advertisers, when a user logs into homepage 401 selective advertising can be “targeted” for a group of users. Homepage 401 may also include several tabs for efficiently navigating homepage 401. Library tab 405 may be provided to allow a user to browse available audio information that may be presented by title, genre, artist, decade, culture, etc. Store tab 407 may also be provided for locating items available for purchase such as CDs, PDA devices, MP3 players, wireless communication hardware, interfaces, software or other types of products that may be purchased while on-line. Chat tab 408 may also be provided allowing a user to chat with other users of home page 401. For example, a guest musical artist may be available to chat with visitors of home page 401 via a chat page associated with chat tab 408. Home page 401 may also include contest tab 409 for displaying current contests, prizes, and/or winners. Radio tab 406 may also be provided for displaying audio information. For example, radio tab 406 may display a collective menu 411 of selectable functions or features associated with audio information. Top ten lists may be provided to a user based on several different billboard polls or genres. A search engine may be provided allowing a user to search for a specific type of audio information such as an artist, song title, and genre. Internet radio station, etc. In one embodiment, a user may input the lyrics to a song within the search engine. As such, the search engine may locate several different songs having the desirable lyrics and allow a user to select the search results. A user may also use a select a device feature that allows a user to select a destination device for communicating selected audio information. For example, a user may want to communicate a playlist to several different devices such as a PDA, a home computer system, a work computer system, etc. As such, a user can communicate selective information to several devices without having to download the information separately for each device. A send a friend link may also be provided allowing a user to send selective audio information to a friend's electronic device. A user may also join a group comprised of individuals that select a certain genre of music to be communicated to the user's electronic device. For example, a user may want to join a group that plays only 50s swing music. As such, the user could communicate the group's selected songs to the user's electronic device. A user may also utilize an email account provided by homepage 401 allowing a user to correspond with others via email. A user may also access a list of guest DJs that may provide playlists of songs chosen by the guest DJ and selectable by a user. In one embodiment, a user's radio dial 412 may be provided when a registered user logs into homepage 401. As such, radio dial 412 may include several functional buttons similar to conventional systems such as a volume control and a station control. However, radio dial 412 surpasses the limitations of conventional systems through providing a programmable radio dial of user customized audio information. Radio dial 412 includes several stations that may be programmed using program interface 413. The preset stations may include several different types of user customized preset information such as user selected playlists, Internet broadcast stations, top lists, group playlists, artist-selected lists, on-line radio station, conventional radio stations. Internet phone, cellular phone, etc. and other functions, features, or information associated with audio information. Radio dial 412 may also be displayed as a separate user interface and in some embodiments, does not require a “browsing” environment to view radio dial 412. For example, an electronic device, such as a PDA, having a display may graphically present radio dial 412 to a user. One example may be using electronic device in association with an automobile audio system. Electronic device may display radio dial 412 and may allow a user to navigate, modify, select, adjust volume, access daytimer, access phone lists, etc. or perform other functions while the electronic device is used in association with an automobile sound system. Therefore, radio dial 412 may be operable as an application for use with several different types of electronic devices (i.e. computer systems, portable computing devices, cellular phones, etc.) operable to display radio dial 412 and in come embodiments may be wirelessly communicated to an electronic device. In another embodiment, homepage 401 may allow a user to select when to download the information to an electronic device. For example, a user may want to listen to a certain genre of music at a specific time of day thereby allowing a user to select the information. As such, a user may select a different playlist for every day of the week thereby allowing a user to listen to different songs on different days of the week. The user can further identify when the selected playlist should be available for listening. For example, if a user wanted to listen to “playlist #1” on Monday morning during the drive into work between 8:00 am and 9:00 am, the user would enter the time and the day “playlist #1” would be available for listening. In this manner, the playlist may be communicated to the electronic device thereby allowing a user to listen to selective audio information at a desirable time. FIG. 5A illustrates a portable radio system having a mount for an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Portable radio 500 includes a mount 501 operable to receive electronic device 502. Mount 501 may include a connector operable to provide communications and power to electronic device 502. During use, electronic device 502 when mounted within portable radio 500 communicates with portable radio to provide remotely received selective audio information. In one embodiment, electronic device 502 may include a user interface allowing a user to access the Internet. Therefore, selective audio information located on the Internet may be accessed by the user and remotely communicated to electronic device 502 coupled to portable radio 500. In another embodiment, portable radio 500 may include memory operably located within for storing downloaded information. For example, portable radio 500 may include 32 MB of RAM allowing electronic device 502 to receive selective information and download the selective information to memory located within portable radio 500. In this manner, the downloaded music may be operable to be played within portable radio 500 while allowing electronic device to be removed from portable radio 500. Therefore, portable radio 500 including electronic device 502 allows a user to communicate selected audio information to portable radio 500. FIG. 5B illustrates automobile console having a mount for coupling an electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention. Console 510 includes mount 511 operable to receive electronic device 512. Mount 511 may be located in many different locations within an automobile such as coupled to a sun visor, center console, dashboard, floorboard, etc. Mount 511 allows the user to couple electronic device 512 to the automobile and provide an interface for communication between electronic device 512 and the automobile audio system. Mount 511 may also include a power connection that allows electronic device 512 to use the automobiles power during use. The power connection may also be used in association with a recharging circuit operable to recharge a power supply within the electronic device. During operation, electronic device 512 coupled to mount 511 may receive selected audio information via wireless communication and communicate the selective information to the automobile audio system. In one embodiment, the automobile may include memory operable associated with the automobile for storing information. The memory may be used in association with mount 511 and electronic device 512 to store the selected audio information. In this manner, voluminous audio information can be stored within the memory allowing electronic device 512 to receive additional information. In one embodiment, a mount may be provided for a home audio system (not shown) for downloading selected audio information for use with a home audio system. For example, a mount device may be coupled to a home stereo system such that the upon placing an electronic device such as electronic device 500 within the mount, selected audio information may be communicated to the home audio system thereby allowing a home audio system to be used in association with an electronic device. FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of a system for communicating voice mail messages using email according to one embodiment of the present invention. The system, indicated generally at 600, includes email server 601 coupled to a voice mail storage device 602. System 600 further includes a computer system or network terminal 603 such as a computer coupled to network 604. System 600 further includes mount 605 for mounting electronic device 606 for hardwire communication of information. Device 606 may also communicate with network 604 using a wirelessly communication network operably associated with network 604 and coupled, for example, via tower 607. During operation, system 600 communicates voice mail messages to a user utilizing email server 601. For example, if a user receives a voice mail message, email server 601 would be notified and a voice mail message would be sent to the user's email account in the form of an email message. For example, a voice mail message 5 would be sent to a user's email account within intranet 604 in the form of an audio file as an attachment to the email. Upon receiving the email, a user may click on the audio file representing the voice mail message to hear the message left by a caller. In one embodiment, a user may be accessing the Internet via a phone line and, as such, be unable to receive notification that a voice mail message has been received. System 600 would receive the voice mail message and send an email comprising the voice mail message to the user email account. In this manner, a user can remain connected to the network and receive voice mail without having to log off or disconnect from the Internet. In one embodiment, a user may receive the voice mail message via a portable electronic device. For example, a user may be using remote device 605 operable to receive wirelessly communicated information. System 600 would receive the voice mail message and forward the voice mail message to a user's portable electronic device 606. In this manner, a user may be capable of receiving voice emails at remote locations. In another embodiment, a user may subscribe to use an Internet email account that may be operably associated with system 600. Utilizing an Internet email account may allow a user the flexibility to check voice email messages from any location in the world. For example, a user may access a “Hotmail” email account while traveling on business in a foreign country. The user, upon gaining access to the “Hotmail” account, would be able to listen to voice mail messages sent to the user via the “Hotmail” email account. Through utilizing an email account to receive voice mail messages, a user may be afforded great flexibility in communicating voice mail messages. For example, a user may be able to forward a voice mail message received in the form of an email to one or a plurality of other email accounts. In this manner, a voice email message may be sent efficiently to other email users. For example, a user may maintain a distribution list of individuals working on a particular project that may have a need to hear certain voice email messages. In this manner, a user may efficiently disseminate information to other individuals while adding additional textual information to the body of the email allowing a user to comment on the original voice email message. In another embodiment, a user may forward a received voice email message to another account operable to receive forwarded voice email messages. For example, system 600 may be operable to receive an email message having a voice mail message as an attachment. The system would then be operable to forward the voice mail message to specified phone number, separate email account, and/or voice mail account, etc. thereby providing a user flexibility in receiving voice email. In one embodiment, a user may utilize an email account to establish an answering service for voice mails. For example, a user's telephone number may be operable with an email account to provide an answering service. A user may record a message for a specified phone number or extension and, upon receiving an incoming call; the recorded message may be played back to incoming the call's initiator. System 600 would then forward the received voicemail message via an email account to the user. For example, a user may have an account set up at a residence for receiving voicemail messages via a user-defined email account. The user could then forward all received voice mails from the home account to an email account at a place of work. Therefore, the user may have complete access to received voicemail messages. In the same manner, a user could set up their work phone number to forward a voicemail message to the user's home email account thereby allowing a user to receive a voicemail at a home email account. Therefore, system 600 may be operable in a plurality of ways to provide email messages comprised of voicemail messages received via a voice mail or email account. FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart for providing voice email messages according to one embodiment of the present invention. The method begins at step 701 where a voice mail message is left for a user. The message could be at a residence, place of business, etc. The method then proceeds to step 702 where the message may be stored as an audio file within a database operable to store a file comprised of the voice mail message. Upon storing the file, the method proceeds to step 703 where an electronic mail message may be generated. The electronic mail message may be addressed to the recipient of the voice mail message. The method then proceeds to step 704 where the audio file representing the voice mail message is attached to the electronic message. Upon attaching the audio file, the method then proceeds to step 705 where the email message may be sent to the email address. Upon sending the email message the method proceeds to step 706 where the method determines if the email message should be sent to a wireless electronic device. If the message is not to be sent to a wireless device, the method proceeds to step 720 where the method ends. If the message is to be sent to a wireless electronic device, the method proceeds to step 707 where a signal may be sent to the wireless electronic device and at step 708 an indication is provided to the electronic device indicating that a voicemail message has been received via a user's email account. The method may then proceed to step 709 where the user decides whether or not to listen to the voice email message. If the user decides not to listen to the voice email message, the method may proceed to step 710 where the method ends. If the user decides to listen to the voice email message, the method proceeds to step 711 where a request may be sent by the electronic device requesting the voice email message be forwarded to the user's electronic device. At step 712, the voicemail message may be sent to the user's electronic device. Upon forwarding the voicemail message to the user the method may proceed to step 720 where the method ends. As such, FIG. 7 depicts one method of providing an email message comprised of a voice mail message. Certainly, other methods may be deployed as advancements in technology and are made without departing for the spirit and scope of the present invention. FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram of a method for providing selected audio information to an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The method begins at step 800 where a user accesses a webpage via the Internet. The webpage may be a home page illustrated in FIG. 4 or other web pages operable to display selectable references to audio information. The method proceeds to step 801 where a user selects desirable audio information. For example, a user may select a single song, a plurality different songs, an entire album, a broadcast station, streaming audio, etc. or other selectable audio information. Upon the user selecting a reference to audio information, the method may proceed to step 802 where a playlist may be created that represents the user's selected audio information. The playlist may be variable in size and comprised of a plurality of different types of available audio information. Upon creating a playlist, the method may proceed to step 803 where information associated with the playlist is obtained. For example, a list of network or URL locations comprised of the desirable audio information may be obtained. In this manner, desirable audio information may be obtained from many different sources such as URLs, network addresses, hard drives, databases comprised of audio information, etc. The sources may be accessed to obtain the selected audio information. Upon obtaining data associated with the customized playlist, the method may proceed to step 804 where the user is prompted for a destination for the playlist. For example, a user may want to communicate the selected audio information to a remote electronic device, an automobile audio system, a home stereo system, a home computer, an electronic device coupled to a home network or computer system, etc. or other locations or devices operable to receive the selected audio information. In one embodiment, a user may select a device owned by a friend to accept the selected audio information. For example, a husband may want to send a romantic playlist to his wife on their anniversary. In this situation, the husband would select his wife's electronic device as the receiving device for the selected audio information. Upon selecting a device, the method proceeds to step 805 where the method determines the destination of the selected audio information. If the information is to be sent to a device via a wire line connection, the method proceeds to step 813 where playlist data is sent to a user via a wire line connection. The method may then proceed to step 814 where the playlist is executed at the device. If the information is to be sent to a device requiring wireless communication, the method proceeds to step 806 where the information is formatted for communicating the information to a wireless electronic device. For example, a wireless PDA device may be selected as a destination device for the selected audio information. The PDA device may include an audio player, such as an MP3 player operable to play or execute MP3 audio files. In such an embodiment, the method could format the information such that the information may be wirelessly communicated and subsequently played by the MP3 player. Upon formatting the information, the method may then proceed to step 807 where the audio information is wirelessly communicated to the selected device. In some embodiments, the device may be operable to receive a limited amount of information based upon storage capacity of the device (i.e., 16 MB). In such a case, the method may divide the information into component parts and periodically communicate the component parts, such as packets, to the electronic device. Upon communicating the audio information, the method may then proceed to step 808 where the signal may be received by the destination or electronic device. The method may then proceed to step 809 where the method determines if all of the audio information has been received. For example, if 16 MB or 32 MB of selected audio information was initially transmitted due to capacity limitations of the selected device, the method may query the selected device to determine if capacity is available. If available memory exists, the method may proceed to step 807 where the method may communicate additional audio information based upon the amount of available memory. The method repeats until all of the selected audio information has been transmitted. Upon communicating the selected information, the method may proceed to step 810 where the playlist may be executed at step 812. For example, a user may select a continuous communication of selected audio information (e.g. several hours of music. Internet broadcast, etc.). As such, the method may continuously play or execute the received audio information. In another embodiment, the method may proceed to step 811 where the method may store or buffer the received information until it is desirable to execute the received selected audio information. As such, upon executing the selected audio information, the method may proceed to step 809 where the method may repeat. In one embodiment, a user may elect to download a broadcast of an on-line radio station. For example, a user may want to listen to a radio station located in a remote location wherein conventional radio receivers could not receive the desired broadcast. For example, a person living in Houston, Tex. may not be able to receive a radio broadcast signal from a radio station in Seattle, Wash. utilizing a conventional radio receiver. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a user may select an on-line broadcast or radio station as all or a part of the selected audio information. The user may then receive radio broadcasts without having to use a home computer system or conventional radio receiver. At step 804, a user may select a device that does not require remote communication of information. For example, a user may elect to communicate the selected audio information to device, such as a personal computer, PDA device, MP3 player, etc. coupled via a network connection to the Internet or an Intranet. The user may receive the selected playlist at the determined device for eventual playing. In one embodiment, a user may select a plurality of devices as destination devices for receiving downloads of the selected audio information. For example, the user may want to download the information to a home stereo system, a PDA device, and an automobile stereo. As such, the selected information may be communicated to more than one destination device. In addition, the format of the download may match or conform to the selected destination device(s). The present invention may be configured in a plurality of ways to communicate desirable audio information to users by allowing users to select desirable audio information and transmitting the desirable audio information to a specified destination thereby allowing a user to receive on-demand customized audio information. Moreover, the download may occur in an off-line environment, allowing a user to enjoy the selected audio information accessed on-line without having to be on-line or utilizing a browsing environment. In one embodiment of the present invention, the method of FIG. 8 may be modified to allow a user to select a “user group” for receiving customized audio information. For example, a “user group” may include users that prefer contemporary jazz wherein a user may request a certain song. Therefore, a virtual request line may be designed for a specific genre of music allowing “members” to transmit audio information to the “group”. In another embodiment of the present invention, the method may be modified to allow a user to select a specific genre to be transmitted to the users device. For example, a user may elect to have random country and western music transmitted to a destination device. The user could efficiently create a radio station format and have the format received at a destination device. In a further embodiment, a user may select a group of genres to be downloaded to a desirable device. As such, the method may be modified to allow a user to select several different genres to download random music within the specified genres. In another embodiment, a user may elect to download the same music as another individual. For example, a user may want to download the same music as their best friend. Therefore the user could elect to download the same music as their friend or group of friends. In another example, a user may want to listen to the same music that an artist listens to on a specific weekday of evening. For example, a user may want to listen to the same music that Barry White listens to on a Saturday night. Therefore, the user may select “Barry White's” Saturday night playlist and receive the same playlist Barry White receives on Saturday night. In another embodiment, the method of FIG. 8 may be modified to allow a user to manipulate song post download. For example, a user may want to store, delete, replay, copy, forward, etc. received audio information. Therefore, the method of FIG. 4 may be modified such that a user can manipulate or process the received audio information in a plurality of ways. In one embodiment of the present invention, an on-line radio station may be provided. For example, the radio station may be created for transmitting audio or on-line broadcasts. The on-line broadcasters or hosts may create their own format for broadcast. For example, an on-line radio station may be provided that transmits only children's songs. Prior to conception of the present invention, conventional radio stations were monetarily limited to be capable of transmitting music such as children's songs to conventional radio receivers. The present invention, by providing a medium for transmitting selectable audio information, enables the existence of on-line broadcasting with little or no overhead cost for a host. A user may select an on-line broadcast for on-line or off-line delivery. In another embodiment, on-line broadcast of audio information representing books or novels may be provided to individuals such as the visually impaired. For example, an on-line broadcast station may provide several hours of audio information broadcast representing books or novels to be broadcast with very little overhead. FIG. 9 illustrates an automobile console having a mount for an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Console 900 includes a conventional audio system 901 comprised of a receiver 902 and CD player 903. Interface 904 may be coupled to audio system 901 via plug 905 and cable 908, which may be coupled to an auxiliary line into audio system 901. Interface 904 may also include contact 906 for contacting electronic device 907. Cable 908 may be a multiple conductive cable for providing power from the automobiles power system via a protection circuit or fuse 909 for powering electronic device 907. In one embodiment, interface 904 may be operable to recharge electronic device 907 utilizing a power source associated with an automobile. During operation, electronic device 907 may be mounted within interface 904. Electronic device 907 may also be powered or recharged via power line 910 and communicate with the systems audio system via interface cable or bus line 911. Audio information communicated to electronic device 907 may be transferred to audio system 901 such that a user may listen to selected audio information. For example, a user may have previously selected a plurality of audio files to be transmitted to electronic device 907. Electronic device 905 may communicate the selected audio information to the automobiles audio system that utilizes interface 901 thereby allowing the user to listen to selected audio information. In one embodiment, cable 908 may be custom-installed to audio system 901. For example, the cable may be coupled to an auxiliary line for the system's radio or may be coupled to CD player line 912. In another embodiment, a radio manufacturer may provide interface 904 as a standard interface integrated into the audio system, thereby allowing communication between electronic device 907, audio system 901 and/or console 900. Electronic device 907 may include a plurality of different types of devices. For example, electronic device 907 may include a PDA device operable to store selected audio information. The information may be either remotely downloaded using an Internet web browser and wireless communication to the PDA device. In another embodiment, selected audio information may communicated to a PDA device via a hard wire coupled to a computer system interfacing with the Internet. In another embodiment, electronic device 907 may include an audio file player operable to play audio files such as MP3s, etc. The audio files may be remotely or locally communicated to electronic device 907 and upon coupling to audio system 901, the audio files may be transmitted to audio system 901 in a form receivable by audio system 901. Although the disclosed embodiments have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made to the embodiments without departing from their spirit and scope. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or element of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the invention as provided by the claims below. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The first commercial radio stations in the United States began operation around 1920. Today, there may be as many as 12,000 radio stations in the United States programming in several distinct formats. When broadcasting their respective signals, these radio stations often use an analog signal, which may be modulated based on frequency or amplitude. Frequency modulated (FM) radio appears to be the dominant entertainment medium while amplitude modulated (AM) radio seems to be a popular outlet for news and information. Unfortunately, analog radio may be unable to provide the sound quality and consistency that radio listeners desire. As such, several broadcasting related companies have begun to consider a movement to digital radio. Unlike analog radio reception, digital radio reception may be able to provide compact disk (CD) quality sound while remaining virtually immune to interference. Being immune to interference may result in reducing static growls or “multipath” echoes, echoes caused by signal reflections off buildings or topographical features. Some countries, like Canada and many European countries, may choose to have digital radio operate in a single digital radio band such as the L-band between 1452-1492 megahertz (MHz). This band would allow the reception of both terrestrially and satellite-originated signals. By comparison, FM radio typically operates between 88 and 108 MHz while AM radio typically operates between 0.525 and 1.705 MHz. Neither of these bands allows for easy transmission via satellite. Canada proposed using the L-Band for digital radio as early as 1992. Several countries throughout the world have since agreed to use the L-Band for digital radio with one notable exception. It appears the United States has chosen not to operate its digital radio within the L-Band. In the United States, the L-Band may already be committed for military uses. Apparently, the United States plans to adopt a system called in-band on-channel, or IBOC, which fits within the AM and FM frequencies. IBOC technology may offer some advantages over L-Band transmissions. For example, there may be no need for new spectrum allocations. There may be backward and forward compatibility with existing AM and FM systems on both the transmitter and receiver sides, and there may be a low-investment upgrade to digital systems. Unfortunately, a workable IBOC solution is yet to be seen though technology may someday make IBOC digital radio commercially possible. Even if an IBOC solution becomes commercially available in the United States, IBOC digital radio may suffer from several shortcomings. For example, there may global standardization problems. Though the United States favors IBOC, the European and Canadian communities seem to favor L-Band making the establishment of a global standard difficult. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>A more complete understanding of the present embodiments and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein: FIG. 1 depicts a general system for wirelessly communicating selective information to an electronic device in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a method of wirelessly communicating selected information to an electronic device; FIG. 3 illustrates an electronic device operable to receive selected audio information in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; FIG. 4 illustrates a graphical user interface (GUI) for displaying selectable audio information according to one aspect of the present invention; FIG. 5A illustrates a portable radio system having a mount for an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5B illustrates automobile console having a mount for coupling an electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention; FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of a system for communicating voice mail messages using email according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart for providing voice email messages according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram of a method for providing selected audio information to an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 9 illustrates an automobile console having a mount for an electronic device ng to one embodiment of the present invention. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | 20040923 | 20080129 | 20050303 | 76816.0 | 11 | WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONNECTING A PORTABLE AUDIO PLAYER TO AN AUTOMOBILE SOUND SYSTEM | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,947,778 | ACCEPTED | Wellhead isolation tool and method of fracturing a well | A wellhead assembly is provided including a first tubular member, a hanger mounted within the first tubular member and an annular member coupled to the outer surface of the hanger. The assembly also includes a second tubular member mounted to the annular member and surrounding a portion of the hanger. A method is also provided for fracturing a well requiring coupling a tubing mandrel hanger to a casing, the hanger having a central bore, coupling an annular nut on a portion of the outer surface of the hanger, mounting a tubular member having a flange over the hanger and on the flange, and applying fluids though the bore formed though the hanger for fracturing the well. | 1. A wellhead assembly comprising: a first tubular member; a hanger mounted within the first tubular member; an annular member coupled to the outer surface of the hanger; and a second tubular member mounted to the annular member and surrounding a portion of the hanger. 2. The assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising: studs extending from the annular member, wherein the second tubular member comprises a flange, and wherein the studs penetrate the flange; and nuts coupled to the studs. 3. The assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein the annular member is threaded on the outer surface of the hanger. 4. The assembly as recited in claim 3 further comprising a seal formed between the hanger and the second tubular member. 5. The assembly as recited in claim 4 further comprising a wear sleeve fitted within a central opening extending through the hanger. 6. The assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein the second tubular member has another flange spaced apart from the flange penetrated by the studs, said other flange providing a surface for mounting wellhead equipment. 7. The assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein the second tubular member is seated on an end of the hanger. 8. The assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein the first tubular member is a casing head, wherein the annular member is a collar nut and wherein the second annular member is isolation tool. 9. The assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the annular member is threaded on the outer surface of the hanger. 10. A method for fracturing a well comprising: coupling a tubing mandrel hanger to a casing, the hanger having a central bore; threading an annular nut having studs extending there from on threads formed on the outer surface of the hanger; mounting a tubular member having a flange over the hanger such that the studs penetrate openings formed through the flange; coupling nuts to the studs penetrating the openings formed though the flange; and applying fluids though the bore formed though the hanger for fracturing the well. 11. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising forming a seal between the tubular member and the hanger. 12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein forming a seal comprises forming a seal within a groove on the outer surface of the hanger. 13. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising installing a wear sleeve within the bore. 14. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising: removing the tubular member from the hanger; removing the annular member from the hanger; removing the wear sleeve; and threading a second tubular member on said threads on the outer surface of the hanger and forming a seal between the second tubular member and the seal within the groove on the outer surface of the hanger. 15. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein threading a second tubular member comprises threading a tubing head. 16. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising: removing the tubular member from the hanger; removing the annular member from the hanger; and threading a second tubular member on said threads on the outer surface of the hanger and forming a seal between the second tubular member and the seal within the groove on the outer surface of the hanger. 17. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein threading a second tubular member comprises threading a tubing head. 18. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising: removing the tubular member from the hanger; removing the annular member from the hanger; and threading a second tubular member on said threads on the outer surface of the hanger and forming a seal between the second tubular member and the outer surface of the hanger. 19. The method as recited in claim 18 wherein threading a second tubular member comprises threading a tubing head. 20. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising: removing the tubular member from the hanger; removing the annular member from the hanger; and threading a second tubular member on said threads on the outer surface of the hanger. 21. A method for fracturing a well comprising: coupling a tubing mandrel hanger to a casing, the hanger having a central bore; coupling an annular nut on a portion of the outer surface of the hanger; mounting a tubular member having a flange over the hanger and on the flange; and applying fluids though the bore formed though the hanger for fracturing the well. 22. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising forming a seal between the tubular member and the hanger. 23. The method as recited in claim 22 further comprising: removing the tubular member from the hanger; removing the annular member from the hanger; and mounting a second tubular member on said portion of the outer surface of the hanger and forming a seal between the second tubular member and the seal within the groove on the outer surface of the hanger. 24. The method as recited in claim 21 further comprising: removing the tubular member from the hanger; removing the annular member from the hanger; and mounting a second tubular member on said portion of the outer surface of the hanger. | CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority and is based upon U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/506,461, filed on Sep. 26, 2003, and is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/462,941 filed on Jun. 17, 2003, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/369,070, filed on Feb. 19, 2003, which claims priority and is based upon Provisional Application No. 60/357,939, filed on Feb. 19, 2002, the contents of all of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to wellhead equipment, and to a wellhead tool for isolating wellhead equipment from the extreme pressures and abrasive materials used in oil and gas well stimulation and to a method of using the same. Oil and gas wells often require remedial actions in order to enhance production of hydrocarbons from the producing zones of subterranean formations. These actions include a process called fracturing whereby fluids are pumped into the formation at high pressures in order to break up the product bearing zone. This is done to increase the flow of the product to the well bore where it is collected and retrieved. Abrasive materials, such as sand or bauxite, called propates are also pumped into the fractures created in the formation to prop the fractures open allowing an increase in product flow. These procedures are a normal part of placing a new well into production and are common in older wells as the formation near the well bore begins to dry up. These procedures may also be required in older wells that tend to collapse in the subterranean zone as product is depleted in order to maintain open flow paths to the well bore. The surface wellhead equipment is usually rated to handle the anticipated pressures that might be produced by the well when it first enters production. However, the pressures encountered during the fracturing process are normally considerably higher than those of the producing well. For the sake of economy, it is desirable to have equipment on the well rated for the normal pressures to be encountered. In order to safely fracture the well then, a means must be provided whereby the elevated pressures are safely contained and means must also be provided to control the well pressures. It is common in the industry to accomplish these requirements by using a ‘stinger’ that is rated for the pressures to be encountered. The ‘stinger’ reaches through the wellhead and into the tubing or casing through which the fracturing process is to be communicated to the producing subterranean zone. The ‘stinger’ also commonly extends through a blow out preventer (BOP) that has been placed on the top of the wellhead to control well pressures. Therefore, the ‘stinger’, by its nature, has a reduced bore which typically restricts the flow into the well during the fracturing process. Additionally, the placement of the BOP on the wellhead requires substantial ancillary equipment due to its size and weight. It would, therefore, be desirable to have a product which does not restrict the flow into a well during fracturing and a method of fracturing whereby fracturing may be safely performed, the wellhead equipment can be protected from excessive pressures and abrasives and the unwieldy BOP equipment can be eliminated without requiring the expense of upgrading the pressure rating of the wellhead equipment. It would also be desirable to maintain an upper profile within the wellhead that would allow the use of standard equipment for the suspension of production tubulars upon final completion of the well. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one exemplary embodiment, a wellhead assembly is provided including a first tubular member, a hanger mounted within the first tubular member and an annular member coupled to the outer surface of the hanger. The assembly also includes a second tubular member mounted to the annular member and surrounding a portion of the hanger. The assembly may also include studs extending from the annular member. The second tubular member may include a flange that is penetrated by the studs. In an exemplary embodiment assembly a seal if formed between the hanger and the second tubular member. In another exemplary embodiment, a wear sleeve may be fitted within a central opening extending through the hanger. The assembly may also have another flange spaced apart from the flange penetrated by the studs providing a surface for mounting wellhead equipment. In an exemplary embodiment the first tubular member is a casing head, the annular member is a collar nut and the second annular member is isolation tool. In another exemplary embodiment a method for fracturing a well is provided requiring coupling a tubing mandrel hanger to a casing, the hanger having a central bore, threading an annular nut having studs extending there from on threads formed on the outer surface of the hanger, and mounting a tubular member having a flange over the hanger such that the studs penetrate openings formed through the flange. The method also requires coupling nuts to the studs penetrating the openings formed though the flange and applying fluids though the bore formed though the hanger for fracturing the well. The method may also include forming a seal between the tubular member and the hanger. Moreover the method may require installing a wear sleeve within the bore. In another exemplary embodiment, the method further requires removing the tubular member from the hanger, removing the annular member from the hanger, removing the wear sleeve if installed, and threading a second tubular member on said threads on the outer surface of the hanger. The method may also require forming a seal between the second tubular member and the hanger. The second tubular member may be a tubing head. In another exemplary embodiment, a method for fracturing a well is provided requiring coupling a tubing mandrel hanger to a casing, the hanger having a central bore, coupling an annular nut on a portion of the outer surface of the hanger, mounting a tubular member having a flange over the hanger and on the flange, and applying fluids though the bore formed though the hanger for fracturing the well. The method may also include forming a seal between the tubular member and the hanger. Furthermore, the method may require removing the tubular member from the hanger, removing the annular member from the hanger, and mounting a second tubular member on said portion of the outer surface of the hanger. The method may also include forming a seal between the second tubular member and the hanger. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a typical wellhead assembly with an exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool of the present invention and a fracturing tree assembly. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a typical wellhead assembly with another exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool of the present invention and a fracturing tree assembly. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view encircled by arrow 3-3 in FIG. 1 . FIG. 4A is an enlarged cross-sectional view encircled by arrow 4A-4A in FIG. 1. FIG. 4B is the same view as FIG. 4A with the cooperating lock screws shown in a retracted position. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the section encircled by arrow 5-5 in FIG. 2. FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the section encircled by arrow 6-6 in FIG. 2. FIG. 7A is a partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment wellhead assembly incorporating an exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool of the present invention. FIG. 7B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area encircled by arrow 7B-7B in FIG. 7A; FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment wellhead assembly incorporating another exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment connection between an annular nut and a body member of an exemplary embodiment wellhead assembly. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment segment of a segmented lock ring incorporated in the connection shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool of the present invention, mounted on a well for fracturing. FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional view of a completed well after removal of the exemplary embodiment of wellhead isolation tool shown in FIG. 11. DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings and, particularly, to FIG. 1, a representation of an exemplary embodiment wellhead assembly 1 of the present invention is illustrated. The exemplary embodiment wellhead assembly 1 includes a lower housing assembly 10 also referred to herein as a casing head assembly; an upper assembly 80 also referred to herein as a fracturing tree; an intermediate body member assembly 20 also referred to herein as a tubing head assembly; and a wellhead isolation tool or member 60, which is an elongate annular member, also referred to herein as a frac mandrel. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that there may be differing configurations of wellhead assembly 1. The casing head assembly includes a casing head 13 defining a well bore 15. The lower end 26 of casing head 13 is connected and sealed to surface casing 12 either by a welded connection as shown or by other means such as a threaded connection (not shown). It should be noted that the terms “upper,” “lower,” “upward,” and “downward” as used herein are relative terms for designating the relative position of elements. In other words, an assembly of the present invention may be formed upside down such that the “lower” elements are located higher than the “upper” elements. The tubing head assembly 20 includes a body member referred to herein as the “tubing head” 22. The upper end 14 of casing head 13 cooperates with a lower end 24 of body member 22 whether by a flanged connection as shown or by other means. A production casing 18 is suspended within the well bore 15 by hanger 16. The upper end of production casing 18 extends into the body member and cooperates with the lower bore preparation 28 of body member 22. The juncture of production casing 18 and lower bore preparation 28 is sealed by seals 32. The seals 32 which may be standard or specially molded seals. In an exemplary embodiment, the seals are self energizing seals such as for example O-ring, T-seal or S-seal types of seals. Self-energizing seals do not need excessive mechanical forces for forming a seal. Grooves 33 may be formed on the inner surface 35 of the body member 22 to accommodate the seals 32, as shown in FIG. 3, so that the seals seal against an outer surface 37 of the production casing 18 and the grooves 33. In this regard, the seals 32 prevent the communication of pressure contained within the production casing inner bore 34 to the cavity 38 defined in the upper portion of the well bore 15 of the casing head 13. In an alternative exemplary embodiment not shown, grooves may be formed on the outer surface 37 of the production casing 18 to accommodate the seals 32. With this embodiment, the seals seal against the inner surface 35 of the body member. In further alternate exemplary embodiments, other seals or methods of sealing may be used to prevent the communication of pressure contained within the production casing inner bore 34 to cavity 38 defined in the upper portion of the well bore 15 of the casing head 13. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the production casing 18 may also be threadedly suspended within the casing head 13 by what is known in the art as an extended neck mandrel hanger (not shown) whereby the extended neck of said mandrel hanger cooperates with the lower cylindrical bore preparation 28 of body member 22 in same manner as the upper end of production casing 18 and whose juncture with lower cylindrical bore preparation 28 of body member 22 is sealed in the same manner as previously described. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the body member 22 includes an upper flange 42. A secondary flange 70 is installed on the upper flange 42 of body member utilizing a plurality of studs 44 and nuts 45. A spacer 50 cooperates with a groove 46 in secondary flange 70 and a groove 48 in the upper flange 42 of body member 22 in order to maintain concentricity between secondary flange 70 and upper flange 42. Now referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, lock screws 40 having frustum conical ends 66 threadedly cooperate with retainer nuts 68 which, in turn, threadedly cooperate with radial threaded ports 72 in upper flange 42 of body member 22 and radial threaded ports 74 in secondary flange 70. The lock screws 40 may be threadedly retracted to allow unrestricted access through bore 92 defined through the secondary flange 70 as for example shown in FIG. 4B. With the lock screw retracted, an exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool 60 is installed through cylindrical bore 92 in secondary flange 70 and into the body member 22. The exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool shown in FIG. 1 is a generally elongated annular member having an inner surface 200 having a first section 202 having a first diameter and a second section 204 extending below the first section and having diameter smaller than that of the first section (FIG. 4A). Consequently, a shoulder 206 is defined between the two sections as for example shown in FIG. 4A. A radial flange 208 extends from an upper end of the wellhead isolation tool and provides an interface for connecting the upper assembly or fracturing tree 80 as shown in FIG. 1. A first annular groove 212 is formed over a second annular groove 214 on an outer surface 210 of the wellhead isolation tool, as for example shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. In cross-section the grooves are frustum-conical, i.e., they have an upper tapering surface 215 and a lower tapering surface 64 as shown in FIG. 4B. In an alternate embodiments, instead of the grooves 212, 214, a first set of depressions (not shown) is formed over as second set of depressions (not shown) on the outer surface of the wellhead isolation tool. Each set of depressions is radially arranged around the outer surface of the wellhead isolation tool. These depressions also have a frustum-conical cross-sectional shape. The outer surface 210 of the well head isolation tool has an upper tapering portion 54 tapering from a larger diameter upper portion 218 to a smaller diameter lower portion 222. A lower tapering portion 220 extends below the upper tapering portion 54, tapering the outer surface of the wellhead isolation tool to a smaller diameter lower portion 222. When the wellhead isolation tool is fitted into the body member through the secondary flange 70, the upper outer surface tapering portion 54 of the wellhead isolation tool mates with a complementary tapering inner surface portion 52 of the body member 22 as shown in FIG. 4B. A seal is provided between the wellhead isolation tool and the body member 22. The seal may be provided using seals 56, as for example self energizing seals such as for example O-ring, T-seal and S-seal type seals fitted in grooves 58 formed on the upper tapering portion 54 of the outer surface of the wellhead isolation tool. In an alternate embodiment not shown, the seals are fitted in grooves on the tapering inner surface portion of the body member. When the upper outer surface tapering portion of the wellhead isolation tool is mated with the tapering inner surface portion of the body member, the lock screws 40 penetrating the secondary flange 70 are aligned with the upper groove 212 formed on the wellhead isolation tool outer surface and the lock screws 40 penetrating the upper flange 42 of the body member 22 are aligned with lower groove 214 formed on the outer surface of the wellhead isolation tool. In an alternate embodiment, the mandrel may have to be rotated such that the lock screws 40 penetrating the secondary flange are aligned with a first set of depressions (not shown) formed on the wellhead isolation tool outer surface and the lock screws 40 penetrating the upper flange of the body member 22 are aligned with a second set depressions (not shown) formed on the outer surface of the wellhead isolation tool. Now referring to FIG. 4A, lock screws 40 are threadedly inserted so that their frustum conical ends 66 engage the lower tapering surfaces 64 of their respective grooves 212, 214 formed on the outer surface of the exemplary wellhead isolation tool 60 thereby, retaining the wellhead isolation tool 60 within body member 22. With this embodiment, excess loads on the wellhead isolation tool 60 not absorbed by lock screws 40 installed in upper flange 42 are absorbed by lock screws 40 installed in secondary flange 70 and redistributed through studs 44 and nuts 45 to upper flange 42. Now referring to FIG. 3, with the wellhead isolation tool 60 installed in the body member 22, the outer cylindrical surface 78 of the wellhead isolation tool lower portion 222 cooperates with inner surface 76 of the body member 22. Seals 82 are installed in grooves 84 formed in outer surface 78 of the wellhead isolation tool and cooperate with surfaces 76 to effect a seal between the body member 22 and the wellhead isolation tool 60. In an exemplary embodiment, the seals are self energizing seals such as for example O-ring, T-seal or S-seal types of seals. Alternatively, the seals may be fitted in the grooves formed on in the inner surface 76 of the body member. Pipe port 88 is radially formed through body member 22 and provides access for testing seals 82 prior to placing the wellhead isolation tool 60 in service. Subsequent to testing, pipe port 88 is sealed in an exemplary embodiment with pipe plug 90. Testing may be accomplished by applying air pressure through the pipe port 88 and monitoring the pressure for a decrease. A decrease in pressure of a predetermined amount over a predetermined time period may be indicative of seal leakage. Cylindrical bores 34, 36 and 86 defined through the production casing 18, the exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool 60, and through an annular lip portion 87 the body member 22, respectively, are in an exemplary embodiment as shown in FIG. 3 equal in diameter thus providing an unrestricted passageway for fracturing materials and/or downhole tools. Referring again to FIG. 1, valve 96 is connected to body member 22 by pipe nipple 94. Valve 96 may also be connected to the body member 22 by a flanged or studded outlet preparation. Valve 96 may then be opened during the fracturing process to bleed high pressures from cavity 98 in the event of leakage past seals 82. FIG. 2 shows another exemplary embodiment wellhead assembly 2 consisting of a lower housing assembly 10 also referred to herein as a casing head assembly; an upper assembly 80 also referred to herein as a fracturing tree; an intermediate body member assembly 20 also referred to herein as a body member assembly; and another exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool 100 also referred to herein as a wellhead isolation tool. It will be recognized by those practiced in the art that there may be differing configurations of wellhead assembly 2. Since the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2 incorporates many of the same elements as the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the same references numerals are used in both figures for the same elements. For convenience only the differences from the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 are described for illustrating the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2. Now referring to FIG. 6, a secondary flange 110 is provided in an exemplary embodiment with threads 118, preferably ACME threads, on its inner cylindrical surface that cooperate with threads 116, also in an exemplary embodiment preferably ACME, on the outer cylindrical surface of wellhead isolation tool 100. In an alternate exemplary embodiment, secondary flange 110 may be incorporated as an integral part of wellhead isolation tool 100. However, the assembled tool may be produced more economically with a threaded on secondary flange 110 as for example shown in FIG. 6. The assembly of secondary flange 110 and wellhead isolation tool 100 is coupled to on the upper flange 42 of body member 22 utilizing a plurality of studs 44 and nuts 45. A standard sealing gasket 51 cooperates with a groove 108 formed in the wellhead isolation tool 100 and groove 48 in the upper flange 42 of body member 22 in order to maintain concentricity and a seal between wellhead isolation tool 100 and upper flange 42. With this embodiment, excess loads on the wellhead isolation tool 100 are transmitted to the flange 110 and redistributed through studs 44 and nuts 45 to upper flange 42. Now referring to FIG. 5, with the wellhead isolation tool 100 installed in body member 22, outer surface 106 of wellhead isolation tool 100 cooperates with cylindrical bore surface 76 of body member 22. Seals 112 installed in grooves 104 machined in outer surface 106 of wellhead isolation tool 100 cooperate with surfaces 76 to effect a seal between body member 22 and wellhead isolation tool 100. Alternatively, the seals are fitted in grooves formed on the inner bore surface 76 of body member 22 and cooperate with the outer surface 106 of the wellhead isolation tool. In the exemplary embodiment, the seals are self energizing seals as for example O-ring, T-seal and S-seal type seals. Other sealing schemes known in the art may also be used in lieu or in combination with the sealing schemes described herein. As with the embodiment, shown in FIG. 1, pipe port 88 radially formed through body member 22 provides access for testing seals 112 prior to placing wellhead isolation tool 100 in service. Subsequent to testing, pipe port 88 is sealed with pipe plug 90. Cylindrical bores 34, 102 and 86 formed through the production casing 18, through the exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool 100, and through the annular lip portion on 87 of the body member 22, respectively, are in an exemplary embodiment equal in diameter thus providing an unrestricted passageway for fracturing materials and/or downhole tools. Referring again to FIG. 2, valve 96 is connected to body member 22 by pipe nipple 94. Alternatively, the valve 96 may also be connected to body member 22 by a flanged or studded outlet preparation. Valve 96 may then be opened during the fracturing process to bleed high pressures from cavity 114 in the event of leakage past seals 112. While the wellhead isolation tool has been described with having an upper tapering portion 54 formed on its outer surface which mates with a complementary tapering inner surface 52 of the body member 22, an alternate exemplary embodiment of the wellhead isolation tool does not have a tapering outer surface mating with the tapering inner surface portion 52 of the body member. With the alternate exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool, as for example shown in FIG. 2, the wellhead isolation tool has an outer surface 250 which mates with an inner surface 252 of the body member which extends below the tapering inner surface portion 52 of the body member 22. Features of the exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool shown in FIG. 1 can interchanged with features of the exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool shown in FIG. 2. For example, instead of being coupled to a threaded secondary flange 110, the exemplary embodiment isolation tool may be coupled to the secondary flange 70 in the way shown in relation to the exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool shown in FIG. 1. With any of the aforementioned embodiments, the diameter of the tubing head inner surface 291 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) immediately above the area where the lower portion of the wellhead isolation tool seals against the inner surface head of the tubing head is greater than the diameter of the inner surface of the tubing head against which the wellhead isolation tool seals and is greater than the outer surface diameter of the lower portion of the wellhead isolation tool. In this regard, the wellhead isolation tool with seals 32 can be slid into and seal against the body member of the tubing head assembly without being caught. A further exemplary embodiment assembly 300 comprising a further exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool or frac mandrel 302, includes a lower housing assembly 10 also referred to herein as a casing head assembly, an upper assembly 80 also referred to herein as a fracturing tree, and intermediate body assembly 20 also referred to herein as a tubing head assembly, and the intermediate wellhead isolation tool 302 also referred to herein as a frac mandrel, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. The casing head assembly includes a casing head 304 into which is seated a mandrel casing hanger 306. The casing head 304 has an internal annular tapering surface 308 on which is seated a complementary outer tapering surface 310 of the mandrel casing hanger. The tapering outer surface 310 of the mandrel casing hanger defines a lower portion of the mandrel casing hanger. Above the tapering outer surface of the mandrel casing hanger extends a first cylindrical outer surface 312 which mates with a cylindrical inner surface of the casing head 304. One or more annular grooves, as for example two annular grooves 316 are defined in the first cylindrical outer surface 312 of the mandrel casing hanger and accommodate seals 318. In the alternative, the grooves may be formed on the inner surface of the casing head port for accommodating the seals. The mandrel casing hanger 306 has a second cylindrical outer surface 320 extending above the first cylindrical outer surface 312 having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the first cylindrical outer surface. A third cylindrical outer surface 322 extends from the second cylindrical outer surface and has a diameter slightly smaller than the outer surface diameter of the second cylindrical outer surface. External threads 324 may be formed on the outer surface of the third cylindrical surface of the mandrel casing hanger. An outer annular groove 326 is formed at the juncture between the first and second cylindrical outer surfaces of the mandrel casing hanger. Internal threads 328 are formed at the upper end of the inner surface of the casing head. An annular groove 330 is formed in the inner surface of the mandrel casing head. The inner surface of the mandrel casing hanger has three major sections. A first inner surface section 332 at the lower end which may be a tapering surface, as for example shown in FIG. 7B. A second inner surface 334 extends from the first inner surface section 332. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 7B, a tapering annular surface 336 adjoins the first inner surface to the second major inner surface. A third inner surface 338 extends from the second inner surface. An annular tapering surface 340 adjoins the third inner surface to the second inner surface. An upper end 342 of the third inner surface of the mandrel casing hanger increases in diameter forming a counterbore 343 and a tapered thread 344. Body member 350 also known as a tubing head of the tubing head assembly 20 has a lower cylindrical portion 352 having an outer surface which in the exemplary embodiment threadedly cooperates with inner surface 354 of the third inner surface section of the mandrel casing hanger. A protrusion 356 is defined in an upper end of the lower cylindrical section of the body member 350 for mating with the counterbore 343 formed at the upper end of the third inner surface of the mandrel casing hanger. The body member 350 has an upper flange 360 and ports 362. The inner surface of the body member is a generally cylindrical and includes a first section 363 extending to the lower end of the body member. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the first section extends from the ports 362. A second section 365 extends above the ports 362 and has an outer diameter slightly greater than that of the first section. The wellhead isolation tool has a first external flange 370 for mating with the flange 360 of the body member of the tubing head assembly. A second flange 372 is formed at the upper end of the wellhead isolation tool for mating with the upper assembly 80. A generally cylindrical section extends below the first flange 370 of the wellhead isolation tool. The generally cylindrical section has a first lower section 374 having an outer surface diameter equal or slightly smaller than the inner surface diameter of the first inner surface section of the body member of the tubing head assembly. A second section 376 of the wellhead isolation tool cylindrical section extending above the first lower section 374 has an outer surface diameter slightly smaller than the inner surface diameter of the second section 365 of the body member 350 and greater than the outer surface diameter of the first lower section 374. Consequently, an annular shoulder 371 is defined between the two outer surface sections of the wellhead isolation tool cylindrical section. The well head isolation tool is fitted within the cylindrical opening of the body member of the tubing head assembly such that the flange 370 of the wellhead isolation tool mates with the flange 360 of the body member 350. When that occurs, the annular shoulder 371 defined between the two outer surface sections of the cylindrical section of the wellhead isolation tool mates with the portion of the first section inner surface 363 of the body member 350. Prior to installing the mandrel casing hanger into the casing head, a spring loaded latch ring 380 is fitted in the outer groove 326 of the mandrel casing hanger. The spring loaded latch ring has a generally upside down “T” shape in cross section comprising a vertical portion 382 and a first horizontal portion 384 for sliding into the outer annular groove 326 formed on the mandrel casing hanger. A second horizontal portion 386 extends from the other side of the vertical portion opposite the first horizontal portion. The spring loaded latch ring is mounted on the mandrel casing hanger such that its first horizontal portion 384 is fitted into the external groove 326 formed in the mandrel casing hanger. The spring loaded latch ring biases against the outer surface of the mandrel casing hanger. When fitted into the external annular groove 326 formed in the mandrel casing hanger, the outer most surface of the second horizontal portion 386 of the latch ring has a diameter no greater than the diameter of the first outer surface section 312 of the mandrel casing hanger. In this regard, the mandrel casing hanger with the spring loaded latch ring can be slipped into the casing head so that the tapering outer surface 310 of the mandrel casing hanger can sit on the tapering inner surface portion 308 of the casing head. In the exemplary embodiment, once the mandrel casing hanger is seated onto the casing head, the body member 350 of the tubing head assembly is fitted within the casing head such that the lower section of the outer surface of the body member threads on the third section inner surface of the mandrel casing hanger such that the protrusion 356 formed on the outer surface of the body member is mated within the counterbore 343 formed on the upper end of the third section inner surface of the mandrel casing hanger. The wellhead isolation tool is then fitted with its cylindrical section within the body member 350 such that the flange 370 of the wellhead isolation tool mates with the flange 360 of the body member. When this occurs, the annular shoulder 371 formed on the cylindrical section of the wellhead isolation tool mates with the first section 363 of the inner surface of the body member 350. Similarly, the lower outer surface section of the cylindrical section of the wellhead isolation tool mates with the inner surface second section 334 of the mandrel casing hanger. Seals 388 are provided in grooves formed 390 on the outer surface of the lower section of the cylindrical section of the wellhead isolation tool to mate with the second section inner surface of the mandrel casing hanger. In the alternative, the seals may be positioned in grooves formed on the second section inner surface of the mandrel casing hanger. In the exemplary embodiment, the seals are self-energizing seals, as for example, O-ring, T-seal or S-seal type seals. A top nut 392 is fitted between the mandrel casing hanger upper end portion and the upper end of the casing head. More specifically, the top nut has a generally cylindrical inner surface section having a first diameter portion 394 above which extends a second portion 396 having a diameter greater than the diameter of the first portion. The outer surface 398 of the top nut has four sections. A first section 400 extending from the lower end of the top nut having a first diameter. A second section 402 extending above the first section having a second diameter greater than the first diameter. A third section 404 extending from the second section having a third diameter greater than the second diameter. And a fourth section 406 extending from the third section having a fourth diameter greater than the third diameter and greater than the inner surface diameter of the upper end of the mandrel casing hanger. Threads 408 are formed on the outer surface of the second section 402 of the top nut for threading onto the internal threads 328 formed on the inner surface of the upper end of the mandrel casing head. The top nut first and second outer surface sections are aligned with the first inner surface section of the top nut. In this regard, a leg 410 is defined extending at the lower end of the top nut. The top nut is threaded on the inner surface of the casing head. As the top nut moves down on the casing head, the leg 410 of the top nut engages the vertical portion 382 of the spring loaded latch ring, moving the spring loaded latch ring radially outwards against the latch ring spring force such that the second horizontal portion 386 of the latch ring slides into the groove 330 formed on the inner surface of the casing head while the first horizontal portion remains within the groove 326 formed on the outer surface of the mandrel casing head. In this regard, the spring loaded latch ring along with the top nut retain the mandrel casing hanger within the casing head. A seal 412 is formed on the third outer surface section of the top nut for sealing against the casing head. In the alternative the seal may be formed on the casing head for sealing against the third section of the top nut. A seal 414 is also formed on the second section inner surface of the top nut for sealing against the outer surface of the mandrel casing hanger. In the alternative, the seal may be formed on the outer surface of the casing hanger for sealing against the second section of the inner surface of the top nut. To check the seal between the outer surface of the lower section of the cylindrical section of the wellhead isolation tool and the inner surface of the mandrel casing hanger, a port 416 is defined radially through the flange 370 of the wellhead isolation tool. The port provides access to a passage 415 having a first portion 417 radially extending through the flange 370, a second portion 418 extending axially along the cylindrical section of the wellhead isolation tool, and a third portion 419 extending radially outward to a location between the seals 388 formed between the lower section of the wellhead isolation tool and the mandrel casing hanger. Pressure, such as air pressure, may be applied to port 416 to test the integrity of the seals 388. After testing the port 416 is plugged with a pipe plug 413. With any of the aforementioned exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tools, a passage such as the passage 415 shown in FIG. 7A, may be provided through the body of the wellhead isolation to allow for testing the seals or between the seals at the lower end of the wellhead isolation tool from a location on the wellhead isolation tool remote from such seals. The upper assembly is secured on the wellhead isolation tool using methods well known in the art such as bolts and nuts. Similarly, an exemplary embodiment wellhead isolation tool is mounted on the tubing head assembly using bolts 409 and nuts 411. In another exemplary embodiment assembly of the present invention shown in FIG. 8, a combination tubing head/casing head body member 420 is used instead of a separate tubing head and casing head. Alternatively, an elongated tubing head body member coupled to a casing head may be used. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the body member is coupled to the wellhead. A wellhead isolation tool 422 used with this embodiment comprises an intermediate flange 424 located below a flange 426 interfacing with the upper assembly 80. An annular step 425 is formed on the lower outer periphery of the intermediate flange. When the wellhead isolation tool 422 is fitted in the body member 420, the annular step 425 formed on the intermediate flange seats on an end surface 427 of the body member. A seal 429 is fitted in a groove formed on the annular step seals against the body member 420. Alternatively the groove accommodating the seal may be formed on the body member 420 for sealing against the annular step 425. Outer threads 428 are formed on the outer surface of the intermediate flange 424. When fitted into the body member 420, the intermediate flange 424 sits on an end portion of the body member 420. External grooves 430 are formed on the outer surface near an upper end of the body member defining wickers. In an alternate embodiment threads may be formed on the outer surface near the upper end of the body member. With this exemplary embodiment, a mandrel casing hanger 452 is mated and locked against the body member 420 using a spring loaded latch ring 432 in combination with a top nut 434 in the same manner as described in relation to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. However, the top nut 434 has an extended portion 436 defining an upper surface 438 allowing for the landing of additional wellhead structure as necessary. For example, another hanger (not shown) may be landed on the upper surface 438. In another exemplary embodiment, internal threads 454 are formed on the inner surface of the body member to thread with external threads formed in a second top nut which along with a spring latch ring that is accommodated in groove 456 formed on the inner surface of the body member 420 can secure any additional wellhead structure such as second mandrel seated on the top of the extended portion of top nut 434. Once the wellhead isolation tool 422 is seated on the body member 420, a segmented lock ring 440 is mated with the wickers 430 formed on the outer surface of the body member. Complementary wickers 431 are formed on the inner surface of the segmented lock ring and intermesh with the wickers 430 on the outer surface of the body member. In an alternate embodiment, the segmented lock ring may be threaded to a thread formed on the outer surface of the body member. An annular nut 442 is then threaded on the threads 428 formed on the outer surface of the intermediate flange 424 of the wellhead isolation tool. The annular flange has a portion 444 that extends over and surrounds the segmented lock ring. Fasteners (i.e., load applying members) 446 are threaded through the annular nut and apply pressure against the segmented lock ring 440 locking the annular nut relative to the segmented lock ring. In an exemplary embodiment, the segmented lock ring 440 is formed from segments 500 as for example shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. On their inner surface 502 the segments have wickers 504. A slot 506 is formed through the outer surface 508 of the segment 500. The slot has a narrower portion 510 extending to the outer surface 508 and a wider portion 512 adjacent the narrower portion defining a dove-tail type of slot in cross-section. In the exemplary embodiment the slot extends from an upper edge 514 of the segment to a location proximate the center of the segment. In alternate embodiments, the slot an extend from any edge of the segment and may extend to another edge or any other location on the segment. With these exemplary embodiments, a fastener (i.e., a load applying member) 516 as shown in FIG. 9 is used with each segment instead of fastener 446. The fastener 516 has a tip 518 having a first diameter smaller than the width of the slot wider portion but greater than the width of the slot narrower portion. A neck 520 extends from the tip to the body 522 of the fastener. The neck has diameter smaller than the width of the slot narrower portion. The tip and neck slide within dove-tail slot 506, i.e. the tip slides in the wider section of the slot and the neck slider in the slot narrower section and mechanically interlock with the segment 500. In some exemplary embodiments, as for example the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the wickers formed on the segment 500 have tapering upper surfaces 524 which mate with tapering lower surfaces on the wickers formed on the body member 420. Alternatively, the segment wicker lower surfaces are tapered for mating with body member wicker upper surfaces. In other embodiments, both the upper and lower surfaces of the wickers are tapered. In yet further exemplary embodiments, the wickers do not have tapering surfaces. By tapering the surfaces of the wickers, as for example the upper surfaces of the segment wickers, more wicker surface area becomes available for the transfer of load. When one set of wicker surfaces are tapered, as for example, the upper or lower surfaces, then, by orienting the slot 506 to extend to one edge of the segment, as for example the upper edge as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the segment installer will know that the segment wicker tapered surfaces are properly oriented when the slot 506 is properly oriented. For example, when the segment 500 is mounted with the slot 506 extending to the upper edge of the segment, proper mating of the wicker tapered surfaces formed on the segment and on the body member 420 is assured. An internal thread 448 is formed on the lower inner surface of the annular nut 442. A lock nut 450 is threaded onto the internal thread 448 of the annular nut and is sandwiched between the body member 420 and the annular nut 442. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the lock nut 450 is threaded until it engages the segmented locking ring 440. Consequently, the wellhead isolation tool 422 is retained in place seated on the body member 420. The connection using the segmented lock ring 450 and lock nut can be used to couple all types of wellhead equipment including the body member 420 to the annular nut 442 as described herein. Use of a segmented lock ring and lock nut allows for the quick coupling and decoupling of the wellhead assembly members. Seals 460 are formed between a lower portion of the wellhead isolation tool 422 and an inner surface of the hanger 452. This is accomplished by fitting seals 460 in grooves 462 formed on the outer surface of the wellhead isolation tool 422 for sealing against the inner surface of hanger 452. Alternatively the seals may be fitted in grooves formed on the inner surface of the hanger 452 for sealing against the outer surface of the wellhead isolation tool. To check the seal between the outer surface of the wellhead isolation tool 422 and the inner surface of the hanger 452, a port 465 is defined through the flange 426 of the wellhead isolation tool and down along the well head isolation tool to a location between the seals 460 formed between the wellhead isolation tool and the hanger 452. With any of the aforementioned embodiment, one or more seals may be used to provide the appropriate sealing. Moreover, any of the aforementioned embodiment wellhead isolation tools and assemblies provide advantages in that they isolate the wellhead or tubing head body from pressures of refraction in process while at the same time allowing the use of a valve instead of a BOP when forming the upper assembly 80. In addition, by providing a seal at the bottom portion of the wellhead isolation tool, each of the wellhead isolation exemplary embodiment tools of the present invention isolate the higher pressures to the lower sections of the tubing head or tubing head/casing head combination which tend to be heavier sections and can better withstand the pressure loads. Furthermore, they allow for multiple fracturing processes and allow the wellhead isolation tool to be used in multiple wells without having to use a BOP between fracturing processes from wellhead to wellhead. Consequently, multiple BOPs are not required when fracturing multiple wells. In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, a robust isolation tool or isolation mandrel 600 to contain the fracturing media is provided. The exemplary embodiment isolation tool is attached to a service valve (not shown) by a conventional flanged connection. A threaded collar nut 602 with studs 604 is installed by threads 606 machined into the outside diameter of a tubing mandrel hanger 608. In exemplary embodiments, the collar nut has four or more studs equidistantly spaced around the nut. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the collar nut has 12 studs equidistantly spaced around the collar nut. An exemplary embodiment tubing mandrel hanger 608 as shown in FIG. 11, is seated on a casing head 610. The tubing mandrel hanger has an central bore 611 formed longitudinally through the center of the tubing mandrel hanger. A wear sleeve 613 is fitted within the central bore 611 to minimize damaging effects of the fracturing media. The tubing mandrel hanger has a tapering lower outer surface portion 612 such that the outer surface diameter is reduced in an downward direction. The casing head has a tapering inner surface portion 614 that is complementary to the tapering outer surface portion 612 of the tubing mandrel hanger. When seated on the casing head, the tapering inner surface portion 612 of the tubing mandrel hanger is seated on the tapering inner surface of the casing head. An annular shoulder 617 is formed above the tapering outer surface portion of the tubing mandrel hanger. A top nut 616 is threaded on an inner surface of the casing head and over the shoulder 617. As the casing head top nut is threaded on the casing head it exerts a force on the shoulder 617 for retaining the tubing mandrel hanger on the casing head. One or more seals are positioned between the two tapering outer surfaces for providing a seal between the tubing head and the tubing mandrel hanger. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 11, two seals 618 are positioned within annular grooves 620 formed on the outer surface of the tubing mandrel hanger. Alternatively, the seals may be mounted in grooves formed on the inner surface of the casing head. The isolation tool 600, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 11 has an end flange 622 for the attachment of equipment (not shown). The exemplary isolation tool has a longitudinal central opening 624. The central opening 624 has a first section 626 from which extends a second section 628 from which a extends a third section 630. The second section has a diameter greater than the first section. The third section has a diameter greater than the second section. A first inner annular shoulder 632 is defined between the first and second sections of the central opening. A second inner annular shoulder 634 is defined between the second and third sections of the central opening 624. A second flange 638, spaced apart from the end flange 622, extends externally and spans the second and third sections of the central opening. The isolation tool is fitted over the tubing mandrel hanger 608 and the studs 604 of the collar nut 602 penetrate openings 640 formed through the second flange 638. Nuts 643 are installed on the studs and tightened, thus securing the isolation tool to the tubing mandrel hanger. When fitted over the tubing mandrel hanger, the third section 630 of the central opening 624 of the isolation tool surrounds the outer surface of the tubing mandrel hanger. The second inner annular shoulder 636 of the isolation tool is seated on an end 646 of the tubing mandrel hanger. The first inner annular shoulder 632 of the isolation tool is positioned over an end 648 of the wear sleeve. The central opening 624 of the isolation tool is also aligned with the central bore 611 of the tubing mandrel hanger. One or more seals are formed between the isolation tool and the tubing mandrel hanger. In the exemplary embodiment, two annular grooves 642 are formed on the outer surface of the tubing mandrel hanger. A seal 644, such as an O-ring seal, is fitted in each groove for sealing against the inner surface of the third section 630 of the central opening 624 of the isolation tool. In an alternate exemplary embodiment, the grooves are formed on the inner surface of the third section of the central opening of the isolation tool. Seals are fitted within these grooves for sealing against the outer surface of the tubing mandrel hanger. A test port 631 is defined through the second flange and the third section of the central opening of the isolation tool for testing the integrity of the seal between the isolation tool and the tubing mandrel hanger. When the isolation tool is mounted on the tubing mandrel hanger in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the test port is located between the two seals 644. After completion of the fracturing process, the isolation tool, the collar nut with studs and the wear sleeve are removed and an independent tubing head 650, as shown in FIG. 12, is installed along with the remainder of the completion equipment (not shown). In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the independent tubing head is threaded onto the threads 606 formed on the outer surface of the tubing mandrel hanger 608 on which were threaded the collar nut. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 12, one or more set screws 641 are threaded onto the independent tubing head and engage the tubing mandrel hanger for preventing rotation of the independent tubing head after installation is completed. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 12 the seals 644 that were mounted on the tubing mandrel hanger form a seal against the inner surface of the independent tubing head. In the embodiment where the seals are mounted on the isolation tool and not on the tubing mandrel hanger, seals will be mounted on the inner surface, as for example in grooves formed on the inner surface, of the independent tubing head. A test port 652 is formed though the independent tubing head for testing the integrity of the seal between the independent tubing head and the tubing mandrel hanger. When the independent tubing head is installed on the tubing mandrel hanger, the test port is positioned between the two seals 644. As can be seen from FIGS. 11 and 12, the isolation tool, the tubing mandrel hanger, the casing head, the tubing head and the collar nut are all generally tubular members. Moreover, instead of a tubing head mandrel hanger, another type of hanger typically used in wellhead assemblies may also be used. The wellhead isolation tools of the present invention as well as the wellhead assemblies used in combination with the wellhead tools of the present invention including, among other things, the tubing heads and casing heads may be formed from steel, steel alloys and/or stainless steel. These parts may be formed by various well known methods such as casting, forging and/or machining. While the present invention will be described in connection with the depicted exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that such description is not intended to limit the invention only to those embodiments, since changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as hereinafter claimed. For example, instead of the top nut 616, the tubing mandrel hanger may be retained on the casing head using a latch ring 380 with top nut 392 as for example shown in FIG. 7B. With this embodiment, the outer surface of the tubing mandrel hanger and the inner surface of the tubing head will have to be appropriately configured to accept the latch ring and the top nut. Moreover, instead of a casing head, the mandrel hanger may be seated on a casing, a tubing head, or other tubular member. Furthermore, instead of being threaded on to the tubing mandrel hanger, the collar nut may be coupled to the tubing head mandrel using a segmented lock ring with wickers as for example shown in FIG. 9. With this embodiment, the segmented lock ring may be coupled to the collar nut or may extend axially from the collar nut. Similarly, with this embodiment, the outer surface of the tubing mandrel hanger will have be formed with wickers rather than threads. With such an exemplary embodiment, the independent tubing head or other tubular that is coupled to the tubing mandrel hanger after completion or the fracturing process will also have to be formed with wickers on its inner surface so that it can engage the wickers on the outer surface of the tubing mandrel hanger or other tubular member. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention relates to wellhead equipment, and to a wellhead tool for isolating wellhead equipment from the extreme pressures and abrasive materials used in oil and gas well stimulation and to a method of using the same. Oil and gas wells often require remedial actions in order to enhance production of hydrocarbons from the producing zones of subterranean formations. These actions include a process called fracturing whereby fluids are pumped into the formation at high pressures in order to break up the product bearing zone. This is done to increase the flow of the product to the well bore where it is collected and retrieved. Abrasive materials, such as sand or bauxite, called propates are also pumped into the fractures created in the formation to prop the fractures open allowing an increase in product flow. These procedures are a normal part of placing a new well into production and are common in older wells as the formation near the well bore begins to dry up. These procedures may also be required in older wells that tend to collapse in the subterranean zone as product is depleted in order to maintain open flow paths to the well bore. The surface wellhead equipment is usually rated to handle the anticipated pressures that might be produced by the well when it first enters production. However, the pressures encountered during the fracturing process are normally considerably higher than those of the producing well. For the sake of economy, it is desirable to have equipment on the well rated for the normal pressures to be encountered. In order to safely fracture the well then, a means must be provided whereby the elevated pressures are safely contained and means must also be provided to control the well pressures. It is common in the industry to accomplish these requirements by using a ‘stinger’ that is rated for the pressures to be encountered. The ‘stinger’ reaches through the wellhead and into the tubing or casing through which the fracturing process is to be communicated to the producing subterranean zone. The ‘stinger’ also commonly extends through a blow out preventer (BOP) that has been placed on the top of the wellhead to control well pressures. Therefore, the ‘stinger’, by its nature, has a reduced bore which typically restricts the flow into the well during the fracturing process. Additionally, the placement of the BOP on the wellhead requires substantial ancillary equipment due to its size and weight. It would, therefore, be desirable to have a product which does not restrict the flow into a well during fracturing and a method of fracturing whereby fracturing may be safely performed, the wellhead equipment can be protected from excessive pressures and abrasives and the unwieldy BOP equipment can be eliminated without requiring the expense of upgrading the pressure rating of the wellhead equipment. It would also be desirable to maintain an upper profile within the wellhead that would allow the use of standard equipment for the suspension of production tubulars upon final completion of the well. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In one exemplary embodiment, a wellhead assembly is provided including a first tubular member, a hanger mounted within the first tubular member and an annular member coupled to the outer surface of the hanger. The assembly also includes a second tubular member mounted to the annular member and surrounding a portion of the hanger. The assembly may also include studs extending from the annular member. The second tubular member may include a flange that is penetrated by the studs. In an exemplary embodiment assembly a seal if formed between the hanger and the second tubular member. In another exemplary embodiment, a wear sleeve may be fitted within a central opening extending through the hanger. The assembly may also have another flange spaced apart from the flange penetrated by the studs providing a surface for mounting wellhead equipment. In an exemplary embodiment the first tubular member is a casing head, the annular member is a collar nut and the second annular member is isolation tool. In another exemplary embodiment a method for fracturing a well is provided requiring coupling a tubing mandrel hanger to a casing, the hanger having a central bore, threading an annular nut having studs extending there from on threads formed on the outer surface of the hanger, and mounting a tubular member having a flange over the hanger such that the studs penetrate openings formed through the flange. The method also requires coupling nuts to the studs penetrating the openings formed though the flange and applying fluids though the bore formed though the hanger for fracturing the well. The method may also include forming a seal between the tubular member and the hanger. Moreover the method may require installing a wear sleeve within the bore. In another exemplary embodiment, the method further requires removing the tubular member from the hanger, removing the annular member from the hanger, removing the wear sleeve if installed, and threading a second tubular member on said threads on the outer surface of the hanger. The method may also require forming a seal between the second tubular member and the hanger. The second tubular member may be a tubing head. In another exemplary embodiment, a method for fracturing a well is provided requiring coupling a tubing mandrel hanger to a casing, the hanger having a central bore, coupling an annular nut on a portion of the outer surface of the hanger, mounting a tubular member having a flange over the hanger and on the flange, and applying fluids though the bore formed though the hanger for fracturing the well. The method may also include forming a seal between the tubular member and the hanger. Furthermore, the method may require removing the tubular member from the hanger, removing the annular member from the hanger, and mounting a second tubular member on said portion of the outer surface of the hanger. The method may also include forming a seal between the second tubular member and the hanger. | 20040923 | 20090224 | 20050505 | 63165.0 | 2 | THOMPSON, KENNETH L | WELLHEAD ISOLATION TOOL AND METHOD OF FRACTURING A WELL | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,947,831 | ACCEPTED | Power-assisted cart retriever with attenuated power output | The present invention is a motorized shopping cart retriever that includes a controller that attenuates the power provided to the drive system of the retriever to prevent the retriever from being utilized to move an excessively heavy load of shopping carts. By preventing the retriever and carts from being subjected to overloaded conditions, the operational lives of the retriever and carts are maximized. The retriever is also provided with a burst mode that allows the power provided to the drive system to rapidly increase past the normal attenuated level for a brief period of time in order to reduce the time required to accelerate a retriever loaded with carts to a terminal velocity. | 1. A shopping cart retriever comprising: an electric motor; a drive system powered by the electric motor; a controller adapted to provide power to the electric motor and including a first power limit and a second power limit; and a throttle control in communication with the controller, wherein the first power limit is the controller's normal power limit that results when the controller self-limits its maximum power output through a sensing feature of the controller that exists to prevent damage to the controller, and wherein the second power limit is selectable and limits the control's maximum power output to a level that is less than that of the first power limit. 2. The retriever of claim 1, wherein the second power limit is selected to provide a power output level that optimizes the operational life of a component of the retriever or of a shopping cart. 3. The retrieve of claim 1, wherein the second power limit is selected to provide a power output level that prevents the retriever from being subjected to an overload condition. 4. The retriever of claim 1, wherein the controller further includes a burst mode that allows the control's maximum power output to exceed the second power limit for a limited time before again becoming subject to the second power limit. 5. The retriever of claim 4, wherein the burst mode includes a third power limit that is selectable and limits the control's maximum power output to a level that is less than that of the first power limit and greater than that of the second power limit. 6. The retriever of claim 1, wherein the second power limit attenuates current. 7. The retriever of claim 1, wherein the second power limit attenuates voltage. 8. The retriever of claim 1, wherein the sensing feature is a temperature sensing feature that senses a temperature of the controller. 9. The retriever of claim 1, wherein the sensing feature is a current level sensing feature that senses a current level passing through the controller. 10. The retriever of claim 1, wherein the controller is an analog controller. 11. The retriever of claim 1, wherein the controller is a digital controller. 12. The retriever of claim 1, wherein the electric motor is a brush DC motor. 13. The retriever of claim 12, wherein the brush DC motor is a series wound DC motor. 14. The retriever of claim 12, wherein the brush DC motor is a separately excited DC motor. 15. The retriever of claim 1, wherein the electric motor is a brushless DC motor. 16. The retriever of claim 1, wherein the electric motor is an AC motor. 17. A method of operating a shopping cart retriever, the method comprising: placing a controller in electrical communication with an electric motor adapted to power a drive system of the retriever; placing a throttle control in communication with the controller; setting the controller at a first power limit that is less than a second power limit, wherein the second power limit is the controller's normal power limit that results when the controller self-limits its maximum power output through a sensing feature of the controller that exists to prevent damage to the controller; and moving at least one shopping cart with the cart retriever by sending power to the electrical motor from the controller at a level no greater than the first power limit although the throttle control is set at 100 percent full throttle. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first power limit is set to provide a power output level that optimizes the operational life of a component of the retriever or of a shopping cart. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first power limit is set to provide a power output level that prevents the retriever from being subjected to an overload condition. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first power limit is achieved by attenuating a current or a voltage provided to the electrical motor by the controller. 21. A method of operating a shopping cart retriever, the method comprising: placing a controller in electrical communication with an electric motor adapted to power a drive system of the retriever; placing a throttle control in communication with the controller; setting the controller at a first power limit that is less than a second power limit, wherein the second power limit is the controller's normal power limit that results when the controller self-limits its maximum power output through a sensing feature of the controller that exists to prevent damage to the controller; attaching the retriever to at least one shopping cart; and activating a burst mode to accelerate the retriever and the at least one shopping cart from a complete stop to a terminal velocity, wherein power provided to the motor from the controller rapidly increases to a burst limit and then rapidly decreases from the burst limit to reach a level approximate the first limit when the retriever approaches the terminal velocity, wherein the burst limit is less than the second power limit and greater than the first power limit. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first power limit is set to provide a power output level that optimizes the operational life of a component of the retriever or of a shopping cart. 23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first power limit is set to provide a power output level that prevents the retriever from being subjected to an overload condition. 24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first power limit is achieved by attenuating a current or a voltage provided to the electrical motor by the controller. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/505,546, which was filed Sep. 23, 2003 and is hereby incorporated in its entirety into the present application. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to devices and methods for assisting in the retrieval of wheeled shopping carts in parking lots. More specifically, the present invention relates to devices and methods of controlling power assisted (i.e., motorized) shopping cart retrievers. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Retrieving shopping carts in large parking lots is primarily a manual task. Workers push or pull a column of stacked wheeled shopping carts from various collection areas located throughout the parking lots. The longer the column of carts being pushed or pulled, the more difficult it becomes to control. Thus, workers limit the number of carts when moving carts manually. Even with more than one worker, the collecting and guiding of long columns of carts is difficult and time consuming. Furthermore, in large parking lots, workers must push or pull the column of carts great distances. The retrieval task can be physically exhausting and may result in injury to the workers. Carts also can be damaged as the workers struggle to push or pull long columns to the store door. In response to the difficulties associated with manual retrieval of shopping carts, one known apparatus utilized a motorized cart retriever for pulling or pushing a column of shopping carts through the parking lot in a train-like fashion. In the case where shopping carts are pulled, a rope extends from the motorized retriever and is fastened to the last cart in the column of carts. Each time a cart is added to the column, the rope must be unfastened from the previous cart, extended further, and then secured to the cart added at the end of the column. The operator then walks alongside the motorized retriever as it pulls thirty-five or more carts. An improved motorized shopping cart retriever is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,694 to Schugt et al., which issued Aug. 10, 1999, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,379 to Schugt et al., which issued Apr. 24, 2001. Both of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties into the present application. As indicated in FIG. 1, which is a front perspective view of the retriever 2 disclosed in the referenced patents, the retriever 2 is an electric-powered vehicle with electronic remote control that allows an operator to use the retriever for retrieval of wheeled shopping carts. The retriever can be operated in a remote or manual mode. The retriever 2 provides a foot pedal, a seat 4 and a steering wheel 6 for manual operation. The retriever is powered by an electric drive and includes dynamic braking and a parking brake. An additional method of shopping cart retrieval disclosed in the referenced patents includes pushing the shopping carts with a non-rideable electric-powered retriever that provides for both manual and remote operation. The retriever is moved to the location of the shopping carts either manually or by remote control. The shopping carts are attached to the front of the retriever, the unit is operated in remote mode, and the operator guides the shopping carts from the front of the cart train with the retriever pushing the column of shopping carts. While motorized shopping cart retrievers are advantageous over manual methods of shopping cart retrieval, the use of motorized retrievers has presented some new problems. For example, because motorized retrievers are able to push a greater number of shopping carts than can be done manually, operators of the motorized retrievers often overload the retrievers by running exceedingly long strings of carts that the operator could not manually move by himself. This overloading can result in damage to the shopping carts and damage to the retriever due to the excessive stresses exerted on the carts and retriever by the exceedingly long string of carts. The great mass and length of such strings of carts increases the difficulty in starting, maneuvering and stopping the strings. This presents a danger to pedestrians and cars in the parking lot. Also, the great length of such strings of carts can interfere with pedestrian and vehicle traffic in a parking lot. There is a need in the art for a device that can prevent an operator from overloading a motorized shopping cart retriever. There is also a need in the art for a method of preventing an operator from overloading a motorized shopping cart retriever. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, in one embodiment, is a motorized shopping cart retriever that includes an electronic controller configured to attenuate the power output of the retriever's drive system. Attenuating the power output of the drive system provides load control and reduces the risk that the retriever or its shopping carts will be subjected to overload conditions. In one embodiment, the controller has a first mode that limits the power provided to the electric motor to a level that is within a range that will optimize component life for the retriever and the shopping carts being moved by the retriever. Depending on the embodiment, this may be achieved by attenuating the current or the voltage supplied to the electric motor. In one embodiment, the controller also has a second mode that allows the power provided to the electric motor to exceed the limit of the first mode. The extra power may be provided for an amount of time that may be varied according to the circumstances to allow more power to the retriever so as to account for variations in conditions during startup of the of the retriever while loaded. The present invention, in one embodiment, is a shopping cart retriever comprising an electric motor, a drive system powered by the electric motor, a throttle control and an analog or digital controller adapted to provide power to the electric motor and including a first power limit, a second power limit, and a burst mode. The throttle control is in communication with the controller. The first power limit is the controller's normal power limit that results when the controller self-limits its maximum power output through a current or temperature sensing feature of the controller that exists to prevent damage to the controller. The second power limit is selectable and limits the control's maximum power output to a level that is less than that of the first power limit. The burst mode allows the control's maximum power output to exceed the second power limit for a limited time before again becoming subject to the second power limit. In one embodiment, the second power limit is selected to provide a power output level that optimizes the operational life of a component of the retriever or of a shopping cart. In one embodiment, the second power limit is selected to provide a power output level that prevents the retriever from being subjected to an overload condition. In one embodiment, the burst mode includes a third power limit that is selectable and limits the control's maximum power output to a level that is less than that of the first power limit and greater than that of the second power limit. In one embodiment, the second power limit attenuates current or voltage. The present invention, in one embodiment, is a method of operating a shopping cart retriever. The method comprises placing a controller in electrical communication with an electric motor adapted to power a drive system of the retriever, placing a throttle control in communication with the controller, setting the controller at a first power limit that is less than a second power limit, and moving at least one shopping cart with the cart retriever by sending power to the electrical motor from the controller at a level no greater than the first power limit although the throttle is set at 100 percent full throttle. In one embodiment, the second power limit is the controller's normal power limit that results when the controller self-limits its maximum power output through a sensing feature of the controller that exists to prevent damage to the controller In one embodiment, the first power limit is set to provide a power output level that optimizes the operational life of a component of the retriever or of a shopping cart. In one embodiment, the first power limit is set to provide a power output level that prevents the retriever from being subjected to an overload condition. In one embodiment, the first power limit is achieved by attenuating a current or a voltage provided to the electrical motor by the controller. The present invention, in one embodiment, is a method of operating a shopping cart retriever. The method comprises placing a controller in electrical communication with an electric motor adapted to power a drive system of the retriever, placing a throttle control in communication with the controller, setting the controller at a first power limit that is less than a second power limit, attaching the retriever to at least one shopping cart; and activating a burst mode to accelerate the retriever and the at least one shopping cart from a complete stop to a terminal velocity. In one embodiment, the second power limit is the controller's normal power limit that results when the controller self-limits its maximum power output through a sensing feature of the controller that exists to prevent damage to the controller. In one embodiment, when activating the burst mode, the power provided to the motor from the controller rapidly increases to a burst limit and then rapidly decreases from the burst limit to reach a level approximate the first limit when the retriever approaches the terminal velocity. In one embodiment, the burst limit is less than the second power limit and greater than the first power limit. In one embodiment, the first power limit is set to provide a power output level that optimizes the operational life of a component of the retriever or of a shopping cart. In one embodiment, the first power limit is set to provide a power output level that prevents the retriever from being subjected to an overload condition. In one embodiment, the first power limit is achieved by attenuating a current or a voltage provided to the electrical motor by the controller. While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a shopping cart retriever as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,694 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,379. FIG. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the retriever of the present invention as if taken through section line AA of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 graphically represents the performance characteristics of the electric motor when caused to operate in various modes by the controller. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention, in one embodiment, is a power assisted shopping cart retriever including an a controller adapted to attenuate the power directed to the drive system of the retriever. The present invention is advantageous because it prevents an operator from operating the retriever in an overloaded condition. For a detailed description of the present invention, reference is now made to FIG. 2, which is a sectional side elevation of the retriever 2 of the present invention as if taken through section line AA of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, in one embodiment, the retriever 2 includes a seat 4, a steering wheel 6, an electric motor 8, a drive system 10, a controller 12, a speed throttle control 14 and wheels 16. The electric motor 8 powers the drive system 10 and is controlled by a controller 12. The speed throttle control 14 of the retriever 2 communicates with the controller 12 whether the speed throttle control 14 is mounted on the retriever 2 or is portable. The drive system 10 includes a gear arrangement constructed to transmit rotational shaft power from the electric motor 8 through a combination of gears and shafts to one or more of the wheels 16 for the purpose of turning the wheels 16 to move the retriever 2. In one embodiment, the controller 12 is an electronic motor controller 12 used to control the power provided to the electric motor 8 and, as a result, the power output of the drive system 10. In one embodiment, the controller 12 shall have programmable parameters that control the maximum current available to the electric motor 8. In one embodiment, such a controller 12 will exhibit the motor performance characteristics graphically illustrated in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, in one embodiment, the controller 12 will have an internal limit mode, a burst mode, and a selected limit mode that will result in the following three respective power limits, which are the internal limit 20, the burst limit 22 and the selected limit 24. The internal limit 20, which is represented in FIG. 3 by the uppermost horizontal dashed line having a light line weight, is the controller's normal current limitation that results when the controller 12 self-limits its maximum power output to the electric motor 8 through the controller's temperature or current level sensing to prevent damage to the controller 12. In one embodiment, the selected limit 24, which is represented in FIG. 3 by the lowermost horizontal dashed line having a light line weight, is in addition to the internal limit 20 and allows the controller 12 to further limit the power allotted to the electric motor 8. For example, the controller 12 may be programmed such that the selected limit 24 corresponds to power levels that are optimal for the operating life of the retriever 2 and shopping cart components. Thus, when the controller 12 is operating in selected limit mode and power provided to the motor 8 is capped at the selected limit 24, the power output to the drive system 10 is maintained within the limits necessary to achieve optimum operating life for the drive system 10 and the associated components of the retriever 2. Furthermore, the retriever 2 is only able to move a reduced number of shopping carts as compared to when the controller 12 is operating in internal limit mode. In other words, the controller 12 when operating in selected limit mode acts as a governor that prevents a user from overloading the retriever 2 with excessively long strings of shopping carts. As illustrated in FIG. 3, when the controller 12 is in selected limit mode, the selected limit power draw profile (“SLPDP”) 26a-26c, which is represented in FIG. 3 by a dark solid line, increases rapidly over time (see segment 26a) until it reaches the level of the selected limit 24 where the SLPDP remains (see segment 26b) until the retriever 2 and its load (i.e., a string of shopping carts) have reached a terminal velocity and the SLPDP drops to a level that is below the selected limit 24 (see segment 26c). As can be understood from FIG. 3, when the controller 12 is in selected limit mode, the SLPDP 26b remains at the selected limit 24 for a substantial amount of time. This is because the electric motor 8, when the controller 12 is in selected limit mode, only provides a limited amount of power to the drive system 10. Consequently, it takes a substantially longer amount of time to accelerate the retriever 2 and its load to a terminal velocity when operating at the selected limit 24 than it otherwise would were the motor 8 provided with the power available at the internal limit 20. In one embodiment, to reduce the amount of time needed to accelerate the retriever 2 and its load to terminal velocity, the controller 12 can be placed in burst mode. As indicated in FIG. 3, when the controller 12 is in burst mode, the burst limit power draw profile (“BLPDP”) 28a-28d, which is represented in FIG. 3 by a dark dashed line, may increase rapidly up past the selected limit 24 to peak at the burst limit 22, which is represented in FIG. 3 by the horizontal dashed line having a light line weight and located between the internal limit 20 and the selected limit 24. As can be understood from FIG. 3, during burst mode, the controller 12, for a certain time period TB, allows the electric motor 8 to receive electrical current that exceeds the selected limit 24. As a result, over the burst mode time period TB, the electric motor 8 provides an increased amount of power to the drive system 10, which in turn decreases the time required for the retriever 2 and its load to reach a terminal velocity. As indicated in FIG. 3, when the retriever 2 and its load are encountering a condition of high frictional resistance (e.g., starting from a dead stop) and burst mode is activated, the BLPDP 28a-28d increases rapidly (see segment 28a) past the selected limit 24 until peaking at the burst limit 22 (see segment 28b). The BLPDP then begins to rapidly decrease (see segment 28c) until terminal velocity is achieved at the end of the burst mode time period TB and the BLPDP drops back below the selected limit 24 (see segment 28d) as the retriever 2 and its load cruise at the terminal velocity. The burst mode and its associated spike in power, as indicated in FIG. 3, is especially helpful when the retriever 2 is being started from a stopped state. This is because the resting friction of the cart retriever 2 and its load is larger than its moving friction, so a “burst of power” (i.e., the burst mode current) allows the controller 12 to provide current to the electric motor 8 that exceeds the current available in selected limit mode. This allows the retriever 2 and its load to more quickly reach a terminal velocity. As a result, a smaller amount of time is spent accelerating the retriever 2 and load to terminal speed, which allows the retriever 2 to be maneuvered and operated more efficiently. In one embodiment, the controller 12 will provide extra power on startup to allow for greater variations in environmental conditions such as snow, ice, extreme temperatures, etc. that affect the load the carts place on the motorized cart retriever 2. In one embodiment, the controller 12 is provided with a burst mode feature that may be enabled or disabled. The burst mode feature may also provide the ability to adjust, set or reset the rate at which the burst mode current level will rise. In one embodiment, the burst mode feature will provide the ability to set the length of the time period TB during which the burst mode current will be in effect. The burst mode feature may also provide the ability to determine or specify the conditions necessary for the burst mode feature to operate. For example, the burst mode feature may provide the ability to determine or specify a minimum time period between burst mode activations. The burst mode feature may also provide the ability to select a return to zero controller output current, voltage, or power to indicate that the retriever 2 has been or is stopped. A power-down/off indication from the controller 12 and/or on/off button or key switch may also be provided. Also, an indicator may be provided to show that the throttle is going to zero, thereby indicating that the retriever 2 is or will stop. In one embodiment, the controller 12 limits the power output of the electric motor 8 by limiting the current provided to the electric motor 8. In one embodiment, the controller 12 limits the power output of the electric motor 8 by limiting the voltage provided to the electric motor 8. As is well known in the art, electric power of an electric motor 8 is the product of electric current multiplied by voltage, and mechanical output power from a drive system 10 is directly related to the product of electric power input to the motor 8 and the ratio of the gears. In this way the controller 12 can directly control the mechanical output power of the drive system 10 by limiting either the current or voltage provided to the electric motor 8. The controller 12 may be constructed in analog or digital form so as to provide an ability to limit the electric current or voltage and to provide an ability to set the burst limit 22 and the selected limit 24. Exemplary controllers 12 that can be used to limit current to achieve these desired result are (but not limited to) models CS 1108, CS1125, and CS1126 made by Control Solutions, Inc. of 508 W. 5th Ave., Naperville, Ill. 60563, or model PMA 90-1220 made by PML Flightlink, Ltd. of Alton, Hampshire GU34ZQW England. Variations of these features can be found in other manufacturers' controllers 12. In one embodiment, the electrical motor 8 is a brush DC series wound or separately excited motor. In one embodiment, the motor 8 is a brushless DC motor. In one embodiment, the motor 8 is an AC motor. In each case, a controller 12 is provided that is compatible with the motor 8 utilized. As previously mentioned, using the controller 12 to limit the power output of the electrical motor 8 effectively limits the power to pull or push shopping carts by reducing the maximum torque applied to the drive system 10. This limits the total number of shopping carts that the retriever 2 is able to pull or push during retrieval. The power to push or pull multiple carts is directly related to the product of the number of carts (and their respective weight) and the power to pull or push an individual cart. Because the power output of the retriever 2 is limited and the power to push multiple carts varies directly with the number of carts, the retriever will be able to move a number of carts (or a total weight of carts) up to a maximum, but it may not be able to move greater than the maximum number of carts. The electrical motor 8 can provide power to the drive system 10 at a level that promotes longer component life if the motor power is regularly controlled to be below levels that would cause failures. Alternately, if the electrical motor 8 regularly provides power to the drive system 10 at levels close to failure, the life of the drive system 10 or other vehicle components may be reduced. Further, if the electric motor 8 is regularly allowed to provide power to the drive system 10 at levels that exceed failure levels, then drive system or vehicle components may soon fail. This level of drive power may be termed as an overload of the vehicle. Component tests may be conducted and/or component specifications may be reviewed to determine the power level that is appropriate to optimize retriever 2 and cart component life. Once the appropriate power level is determined, the level may be used to set the selected limit 24. A similar method may be used to determine the appropriate level for the burst limit 22. By using the controller 12 to limit the power output of the electrical motor 8, the owner of the retriever 2 is able to supervise/control the total number of carts retrieved with the retriever 2 by a user. In other words, the owner is able to limit the number of carts that a user may push/pull with the retriever 2, thereby decreasing the likelihood that the retriever 2, carts or other property will be damaged by attempting to move excessively long strings of shopping carts. Because the selected limit 24 and the burst limit 22 may be programmed into the controller 12, the supervision is available to the owner even when the owner is not present when the retriever 2 is being used by a user. Unlike the present invention, when a user moves shopping carts with a prior art retriever, the user can run the retriever at a power level equal to the internal power limit 20 by simply placing the throttle control 14 at 100 percent full throttle. Although many prior art retrievers are capable of being run at 100 percent of the internal power limit 20, it is often unwise to do so because such power levels often overload one or more parts of the retriever and/or carts, thereby causing premature part failure. When a controller 12 has a selected power limit 24 that is less than the internal power limit 20 (as is the case with the present invention), and a user places the speed throttle control 14 at 100 percent full throttle, the controller 12 may only provide power up to the selected power limit 24, not up to the internal power limit 20. Thus, the selected power limit 24 acts as a governor to prevent the retriever 2 from being subjected to overload conditions. In one embodiment of the present invention, where the controller 12 also includes a burst mode, when a user places the speed throttle control 14 at 100 percent full throttle to start a retriever 2 and a string of carts from a dead stop, the power from the controller 12 to the electric motor 8 does not reach the level of the internal power limit 20 as in prior art retrievers. Instead, the controller 12 allows the power from the controller 12 to the electric motor 8 to ramp up to the burst power limit 22 and back down to the selected limit 24 over the time period TB it takes to reach a terminal velocity. This feature allows increased power for acceleration, but still keeps the power from the controller 12 to the motor 8 from approaching levels where overload conditions may occur (e.g., the internal level 20 or levels approaching the internal level 20). In one embodiment, the time period TB is not only the time required to reach terminal velocity, it is also a programmable time duration for the burst current (i.e., burst limit 22). For example, if the retriever 2 is truly overloaded, the burst of current may initially move the shopping carts but the time period TB for which the burst current is available will be insufficient to get the carts to terminal velocity. Consequently, the retriever 2 will ultimately be unable to continue to move the carts and the carts will stop because the time period TB timed out and the current level shifted from the burst limit 22 to the level of the selected limit 24. This is advantageous because it again limits the number of carts that can be moved even though there is a burst of current initially available to get the cart column going. Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Retrieving shopping carts in large parking lots is primarily a manual task. Workers push or pull a column of stacked wheeled shopping carts from various collection areas located throughout the parking lots. The longer the column of carts being pushed or pulled, the more difficult it becomes to control. Thus, workers limit the number of carts when moving carts manually. Even with more than one worker, the collecting and guiding of long columns of carts is difficult and time consuming. Furthermore, in large parking lots, workers must push or pull the column of carts great distances. The retrieval task can be physically exhausting and may result in injury to the workers. Carts also can be damaged as the workers struggle to push or pull long columns to the store door. In response to the difficulties associated with manual retrieval of shopping carts, one known apparatus utilized a motorized cart retriever for pulling or pushing a column of shopping carts through the parking lot in a train-like fashion. In the case where shopping carts are pulled, a rope extends from the motorized retriever and is fastened to the last cart in the column of carts. Each time a cart is added to the column, the rope must be unfastened from the previous cart, extended further, and then secured to the cart added at the end of the column. The operator then walks alongside the motorized retriever as it pulls thirty-five or more carts. An improved motorized shopping cart retriever is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,694 to Schugt et al., which issued Aug. 10, 1999, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,379 to Schugt et al., which issued Apr. 24, 2001. Both of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties into the present application. As indicated in FIG. 1 , which is a front perspective view of the retriever 2 disclosed in the referenced patents, the retriever 2 is an electric-powered vehicle with electronic remote control that allows an operator to use the retriever for retrieval of wheeled shopping carts. The retriever can be operated in a remote or manual mode. The retriever 2 provides a foot pedal, a seat 4 and a steering wheel 6 for manual operation. The retriever is powered by an electric drive and includes dynamic braking and a parking brake. An additional method of shopping cart retrieval disclosed in the referenced patents includes pushing the shopping carts with a non-rideable electric-powered retriever that provides for both manual and remote operation. The retriever is moved to the location of the shopping carts either manually or by remote control. The shopping carts are attached to the front of the retriever, the unit is operated in remote mode, and the operator guides the shopping carts from the front of the cart train with the retriever pushing the column of shopping carts. While motorized shopping cart retrievers are advantageous over manual methods of shopping cart retrieval, the use of motorized retrievers has presented some new problems. For example, because motorized retrievers are able to push a greater number of shopping carts than can be done manually, operators of the motorized retrievers often overload the retrievers by running exceedingly long strings of carts that the operator could not manually move by himself. This overloading can result in damage to the shopping carts and damage to the retriever due to the excessive stresses exerted on the carts and retriever by the exceedingly long string of carts. The great mass and length of such strings of carts increases the difficulty in starting, maneuvering and stopping the strings. This presents a danger to pedestrians and cars in the parking lot. Also, the great length of such strings of carts can interfere with pedestrian and vehicle traffic in a parking lot. There is a need in the art for a device that can prevent an operator from overloading a motorized shopping cart retriever. There is also a need in the art for a method of preventing an operator from overloading a motorized shopping cart retriever. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention, in one embodiment, is a motorized shopping cart retriever that includes an electronic controller configured to attenuate the power output of the retriever's drive system. Attenuating the power output of the drive system provides load control and reduces the risk that the retriever or its shopping carts will be subjected to overload conditions. In one embodiment, the controller has a first mode that limits the power provided to the electric motor to a level that is within a range that will optimize component life for the retriever and the shopping carts being moved by the retriever. Depending on the embodiment, this may be achieved by attenuating the current or the voltage supplied to the electric motor. In one embodiment, the controller also has a second mode that allows the power provided to the electric motor to exceed the limit of the first mode. The extra power may be provided for an amount of time that may be varied according to the circumstances to allow more power to the retriever so as to account for variations in conditions during startup of the of the retriever while loaded. The present invention, in one embodiment, is a shopping cart retriever comprising an electric motor, a drive system powered by the electric motor, a throttle control and an analog or digital controller adapted to provide power to the electric motor and including a first power limit, a second power limit, and a burst mode. The throttle control is in communication with the controller. The first power limit is the controller's normal power limit that results when the controller self-limits its maximum power output through a current or temperature sensing feature of the controller that exists to prevent damage to the controller. The second power limit is selectable and limits the control's maximum power output to a level that is less than that of the first power limit. The burst mode allows the control's maximum power output to exceed the second power limit for a limited time before again becoming subject to the second power limit. In one embodiment, the second power limit is selected to provide a power output level that optimizes the operational life of a component of the retriever or of a shopping cart. In one embodiment, the second power limit is selected to provide a power output level that prevents the retriever from being subjected to an overload condition. In one embodiment, the burst mode includes a third power limit that is selectable and limits the control's maximum power output to a level that is less than that of the first power limit and greater than that of the second power limit. In one embodiment, the second power limit attenuates current or voltage. The present invention, in one embodiment, is a method of operating a shopping cart retriever. The method comprises placing a controller in electrical communication with an electric motor adapted to power a drive system of the retriever, placing a throttle control in communication with the controller, setting the controller at a first power limit that is less than a second power limit, and moving at least one shopping cart with the cart retriever by sending power to the electrical motor from the controller at a level no greater than the first power limit although the throttle is set at 100 percent full throttle. In one embodiment, the second power limit is the controller's normal power limit that results when the controller self-limits its maximum power output through a sensing feature of the controller that exists to prevent damage to the controller In one embodiment, the first power limit is set to provide a power output level that optimizes the operational life of a component of the retriever or of a shopping cart. In one embodiment, the first power limit is set to provide a power output level that prevents the retriever from being subjected to an overload condition. In one embodiment, the first power limit is achieved by attenuating a current or a voltage provided to the electrical motor by the controller. The present invention, in one embodiment, is a method of operating a shopping cart retriever. The method comprises placing a controller in electrical communication with an electric motor adapted to power a drive system of the retriever, placing a throttle control in communication with the controller, setting the controller at a first power limit that is less than a second power limit, attaching the retriever to at least one shopping cart; and activating a burst mode to accelerate the retriever and the at least one shopping cart from a complete stop to a terminal velocity. In one embodiment, the second power limit is the controller's normal power limit that results when the controller self-limits its maximum power output through a sensing feature of the controller that exists to prevent damage to the controller. In one embodiment, when activating the burst mode, the power provided to the motor from the controller rapidly increases to a burst limit and then rapidly decreases from the burst limit to reach a level approximate the first limit when the retriever approaches the terminal velocity. In one embodiment, the burst limit is less than the second power limit and greater than the first power limit. In one embodiment, the first power limit is set to provide a power output level that optimizes the operational life of a component of the retriever or of a shopping cart. In one embodiment, the first power limit is set to provide a power output level that prevents the retriever from being subjected to an overload condition. In one embodiment, the first power limit is achieved by attenuating a current or a voltage provided to the electrical motor by the controller. While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. | 20040923 | 20080624 | 20050512 | 79319.0 | 1 | SWENSON, BRIAN L | POWER-ASSISTED CART RETRIEVER WITH ATTENUATED POWER OUTPUT | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,948,031 | ACCEPTED | Portable electric pool cleaner | A hand-held, electrically-powered pool cleaner includes a body and a nozzle for suctioning pool water. The body has a filter, an impeller and motor, rechargeable batteries, and a handle for carrying the body and for maneuvering the nozzle along a surface being cleaned the surface. The impeller draws pool water through the nozzle and the filter to remove debris water. A filter housing disposed between the nozzle and the body accumulates the filtered debris. The body optionally includes a pole attachment member to receive the free end of a pole for maneuvering the cleaner from outside of the pool. | 1-20. (canceled) 21. A pool cleaning kit comprising: a hand-held submersible electrically-powered pool cleaner including: a nozzle; a toroidal body having: a carrying handle for carrying, manipulating, and directing the cleaner during use, with the carrying handle being integrally formed from an upper portion of the toroidal body and an opening through the toroidal body; a rechargeable power source; an impeller and drive motor powered by the rechargeable power source; and a filter; wherein the toroidal body has an intake opening in fluid communication with the nozzle; and wherein the impeller draws pool water through the nozzle and filter to remove dirt and debris from the pool water; and a charging device for charging the rechargeable power source. 22. The pool cleaning kit of claim 21, wherein the body and carrying handle of the pool cleaner are integrally molded from a high impact polymeric material. 23. The pool cleaning kit of claim 21, wherein the pool cleaner further includes: a flexible nozzle attachment removably secured to the nozzle and attachable to the body. 24. The pool cleaning kit of claim 21, wherein body of the pool cleaner includes: a plurality of symmetrical water discharge ports for expelling the filtered pool water from the body. 25. The pool cleaning kit of claim 21, further comprising: a pole; and wherein the pool cleaner further includes: a pole attachment member, mounted to the body, for retaining a free end of the pole for maneuvering the pool cleaner along a surface of the pool. 26. The pool cleaning kit of claim 21, wherein the nozzle of the pool cleaner is pivotable. 27. The pool cleaning kit of claim 21, wherein the pool cleaner further includes: a filter housing disposed between the nozzle and the body for accumulating the filtered debris. 28. The pool cleaning kit of claim 27, wherein the filter housing includes a transparent portion. 29. The pool cleaning kit of claim 27, wherein the pool cleaner includes: a check valve. 30. The pool cleaning kit of claim 27, wherein the filter housing of the pool cleaner is pivotally moveable with respect to the body. 31. The pool cleaning kit of claim 21, wherein the rechargeable power source includes: at least one battery, electrically connectable to the charging device, for providing operating power to the impeller drive motor. 32. The pool cleaning kit of claim 31, wherein the at least one battery is enclosed in an air-tight chamber within the body. 33. The pool cleaning kit of claim 32, wherein the body of the pool cleaner includes a charging port electrically connected to the at least one battery for connecting the at least one battery to the charging device providing electricity to recharge the at least one battery. 34. The pool cleaning kit of claim 33, wherein the body of the pool cleaner includes a removable cap for covering the charging port in a water-tight configuration when the pool cleaner is immersed in the pool water. 35. A pool cleaning kit comprising: a hand-held submersible electrically-powered pool cleaner including: a nozzle; a body having a carrying handle, a rechargeable power source, an impeller and drive motor, and a filter, said body having an intake opening in fluid communication with the nozzle; wherein the impeller, powered by the rechargeable power source, draws pool water through the nozzle and the filter to remove dirt and debris from the pool water; a filter housing disposed between the nozzle and the body for accumulating the filtered debris; and a flexible nozzle attachment pivotally mounted between the nozzle and the filter housing; and a charging device for charging the rechargeable power source. 36. The pool cleaning kit of claim 35, wherein the flexible nozzle attachment is formed of a polymeric composition. 37. The pool cleaning kit of claim 35, wherein the pivoting nozzle attachment includes a yoke assembly. 38. A pool cleaning kit comprising: a hand-held submersible electrically-powered pool cleaner including: a nozzle; a body having a carrying handle, a rechargeable power source, an impeller and drive motor, and a filter, said body having an intake opening in fluid communication with the nozzle; wherein the impeller, powered by the rechargeable power source, draws pool water through the nozzle and the filter to remove dirt and debris from the pool water; a flexible nozzle attachment removably secured to the nozzle and attachable to the body; and a generally cylindrical nozzle attachment cover having a ribbed exterior surface for attaching the nozzle to the body; and a charging device for charging the rechargeable power source. 39. The pool cleaning kit of claim 38, wherein the nozzle attachment cover includes wire reinforcement. 40. The pool cleaning kit of claim 38, wherein the nozzle attachment cover includes: opposing terminal ends include surfaces forming watertight seals with mating surfaces of the filter housing and the upstream end of the nozzle. | 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an electrical pool cleaning apparatus, and in particular to a hand-held pool cleaner. 2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Pool cleaning apparatus are known for passing over the surfaces of pools to remove dirt and debris and filter the pool water. Such pool cleaning apparatus are typically bulky. A lightweight and hand-held pool cleaner would be advantageous to allow a user to easily manipulate the pool cleaner over the surfaces of a pool, spa or pond. Known pool cleaning apparatus require power cords extending through the water to outside electrical outlets. A portable pool cleaner powered by batteries would be advantageous to eliminate the need for power cords. In battery-powered devices capable of being used underwater, the ability to recharge the batteries with an externally disposed charging port is necessary. Although the device being used underwater is not being charged, such externally disposed charging ports can be exposed to the water, risking a short in the device and so potentially damaging the device. A water-tight charging port would be advantageous for battery-powered devices that are immersed in water, such as pool cleaning apparatus. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A highly portable, hand-held pool cleaner is powered by rechargeable batteries, and includes body and intake nozzle for suctioning pool water. The body houses a filter, an impeller attached to an electric motor, and includes a handle for carrying the body, arid for manipulating the nozzle over a surface of a pool to clean the surface. The impeller suctions pool water through the nozzle and the filter retains dirt and debris removed from the pool water. A filter housing disposed between the nozzle and the body accumulates the filtered debris. A pole attachment member, mounted to the body, releasably receive's the free end of a pole in secure attachment for manipulating the cleaner from a remote location adjacent the surface of the pool to that is to be cleaned. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the invention are described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings wherein: FIG. 1 illustrate's one mode of operating a pool cleaner in operation in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the pool cleaner illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of a nozzle end of the pool cleaner with parts separated; FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of one embodiment of a nozzle attachment; FIG. 5 is an underside perspective view of the nozzle attachment of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of a nozzle attachment; FIG. 7 is a partial rear elevation view-of the pool cleaner in a charging mode with an electrical outlet; FIG. 8 is a first side cross-sectional view of the body of the pool cleaner of FIG. 2; FIG. 9 is a second side cross-section view of the body of the pool cleaner of FIG. 2; FIG. 10 is a top cross-sectional view of the pool cleaner of FIG. 2; FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view of the pool cleaner of FIG. 2; FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of a charging input port; FIG. 13 is a front side perspective view of the charging input port of FIG. 12 with a protective cover unattached; FIG. 14 is a rear side perspective view of the charging input port of FIG. 12 with a protective cover unattached; FIG. 15 is a rear side perspective view of the charging input port of FIG. 12 with a protective cover attached in a first position; FIG. 16 is a rear side perspective view of the charging input port of FIG. 12 with a protective cover attached in a second position; and FIG. 17 is a top rear perspective view of the charging input port similar to FIG. 16. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As described herein, FIG. 1 illustrates a pool cleaner 10 in accordance with the present invention in one mode of operation. The pool cleaner 10 is battery-powered, and capable of suctioning particulate material as well as debris of a relatively large size, such as leaves, from the surfaces to be cleaned. The pool cleaner 10 includes a filter for filtering the sectioned material and one or a plurality of discharge ports for expelling the filtered water. In a first mode of operation shown in FIG. 1, the pool cleaner 10 is attachable to a pole 12, allowing the user to clean the pool surfaces while standing outside the pool. In a second, hand-held mode of operation, the pool cleaner 10 includes an integral handle 14, allowing the user immersed with the pool cleaner 10 in the pool to grasp and orient the pool cleaner 10 and so to manipulate the pool cleaner 10 over the surfaces. As shown in the side elevational view of the pool cleaner 10 includes a body 16 with projecting handle 14. The body 16 can be composed of molded plastic with an egonometric streamlined shape, e.g., a smooth and curvilinear surface providing low resistance in the water. The handle is preferably integrally formed from the molded plastic to allow the pool cleaner 10 to be hand-held and to be easily carried and manipulated. The body 16 includes hollow sections 18, shown in FIGS. 8-11, which fill with water during immersion, so the pool cleaner 10 is not buoyant after fall immersion. The pool cleaner 10 configured to be of essentially neutral buoyancy so that it be manipulated underwater with relative ease in any orientation along any horizontal vertical or curved surfaces that is being cleaned. A pole attachment member 20 extends from the, body 16, allowing the extended pole 12 to be securely, but removably attached to the pool cleaner 10 for use in the first mode of operation shown in FIG. 1. The pole 12 can be attached to the pole attachment member 20 by any known fastening devices, such as removable screws with corresponding apertures. Alternatively, the pool attachment member 20 can include spring-loaded buttons and detents 22, such as shown in FIG. 2, or other curved surfaces for removably attaching the pole 12 in a friction fit. A plurality of discharge water discharge ports or apertures 24 are present in the body 16, allowing filtered water to be returned to the pool, and for allowing water to flow into and out of the hollow portions. In a preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the water discharge ports 24 are symmetrically oriented to expel the filtered water in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 56 of the pole attachment member 20, preventing water jet pressure of the expelled water exiting from any single water expulsion port 24 from causing the pool cleaner 10 to move in an unintended direction. Accordingly, the pool cleaner 10 is easy to manipulate-when in use, and responds primarily to the movement determined by the user by use of the handle 14 or the pole 12 when attached to the pole attachment member 20. A filter housing 26 is mounted to the fore of the body 16 for accumulating the debris sectioned into the pool cleaner 10. In a preferred embodiment, the filter housing 26 is composed of transparent plastic, allowing the user to see the amount of debris sectioned and the remaining capacity of the filter housing 26 and thereby to determine the need for emptying the accumulated debris. As also shown in FIG. 2., the filter housing 26 is attached to the body 16 by a latch-and-hinge-arrangement. A releasable latch 28 fits into a latch aperture 30, as best shown in FIG. 3, allowing the filter housing 26 to pivot away from the body 16 about a hinge 32 to permit emptying of debris from the filter housing 26. In one embodiment, the hinge 32 permanently affixes the filter housing 26 to the body 16 in a pivoting configuration. In another embodiment, the hinge can be a removable hinge, engaging a complementary hinge member 34 on the filter housing 26, shown in FIG. 3, in which the filter housing 26 is capable of being detached from the hinge 32 after being pivoted to a predetermined angle. During operation of an internally disposed impeller mechanism, described below, pool water containing debris is sectioned through the nozzle attachment 36 and the ribbed or bellows cover 38 forms a conduit positioned at the fore of the filter housing 26 and forms a watertight seal at its points of attachment to the nozzle and housing. The cover 38 can be formed of molded polymeric material, and optionally provided with wire reinforcement. The impelled water passes through a filter 40 in the filter housing 26, the filtered water then passes through and out of the water discharge ports 24. As shown in FIG. 3, the nozzle end of the pool cleaner 10 includes a nozzle pivot interface 42 and the cover 38 disposed between the filter housing 26 and the nozzle attachment 36. The nozzle pivot interface 42 includes a tubular member 44 to which a particular selected nozzle attachment 36 is removably secured, for example, by a friction fit or by means of locking lugs. In one embodiment, the nozzle pivot interface 42 has a predetermined width for the attachment to standard, commercially available nozzle attachments such as components with widths of about one inch (about 2.5 cm). The nozzle pivot interface 42 includes protruding circular pegs 46 for receiving circular apertures 48 at the fore end of the filter housing 26. The flexible bellows 38 is disposed between the nozzle pivot interface 42 and the filter housing 26, allowing the nozzle pivot interface 42 and the nozzle attachment 36 mounted thereto to pivot about the circular pegs 46, and so permitting the pool cleaner 10 to be easily manipulated over and around curved surfaces in the pool. A check or flap valve 50 composed of flexible material can be mounted at the entry port 52 of the filter housing 26 using known fastening devices, such as a rivet 54. The suctioning water jet pressure from the impeller mechanism opens the flap valve 50, and cessation of the water jet force by turning off the pool cleaner 10 closes the flap valve 50 to prevent the entrained debris from flowing out of the filter housing 26 and back through the nozzle. Referring again to FIG. 2, in a preferred embodiment, the longitudinal axis 56 of the pole attachment member 20 is aligned to pass through the nozzle pivot interface 42, for example, at the position of the circular pegs 46. Such alignment directs the forces imparted from the user to be directed toward the nozzle pivot interface 42 and the nozzle attachment 36 mounted thereto, to provide greater control of the movement of the nozzle end of the pool cleaner 10 over the pool surfaces and towards debris to be sectioned. The nozzle attachments 36 described herein include a tubular member 58 removably attachable to the nozzle pivot interface 42, as shown in FIGS. 4-6. The nozzle attachments 36 can optionally include other features. For example, the nozzle attachments 36 can be identical to, or adapted from known nozzle attachments for use with vacuum cleaners. Alternatively, the nozzle attachment 36 can be custom-designed for use in cleaning pools, spas, ornamental outdoor ponds and the like. As shown in FIGS. 4-5, a custom-designed pool cleaner 60 can include a tubular member 58 and a base 62 having a plurality of spaced brushes 64. The brushes 64 dislodge dirt and debris from the pool surface, allowing the pool cleaner 10 to suction up the dislodged debris. By spacing the brushes 64 to having predetermined gaps 66 therebetween, the velocity of the suctioning water is increased through the gaps 66 to increase the effectiveness of the intake of debris. In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the nozzle attachment 68 can include protrusions 70 on a base 72, to prevent the suctioning effect of the pool cleaner 10 from causing the base 72 to be flush with the pool surfaces, and so impeding movement of the pool cleaner 10. In use, the pool cleaner 10 is adapted to operate for long periods of time using batteries, and preferably rechargeable batteries, for operating a motor and pump or water impeller mechanism. Referring now to FIG. 7, the pool cleaner 10 is shown in a charging configuration with an electrical outlet 74, in which an electrical interface 76, such as an AC/DC converter, plugs into the electrical outlet 74, and also plugs into a charging port 78 in the rear of the pool cleaner 10. The pool cleaner 10 can be controlled using an operating switch 80 which can be moved between ON and OFF positions. In a preferred embodiment, the operating switch 80 also includes a CHARGING position in which the pool cleaner 10 is off, preventing the pool cleaner 10 from being activated in the water while plugged into an electrical outlet 74, to thereby avoid dangerous electrocution conditions. Referring now to FIGS. 8-10, the pool cleaner 10 is shown in cross-sectional views, illustrating the impeller mechanism 82 disposed behind the filter 40 and electrically connected to the battery pack 84 having at least one battery 86. The battery pack 84 is electrically connected to the charging port 78. The impeller mechanism 82 is any known type of device for causing a suctioning movement of water through the filter 40 and out through the water expulsion ports 24. The battery pack 84 is disposed in an air-tight section within the body 16 which extends to the charging port 78. In one embodiment, the charging port 78 can include a removable cap 88 which is loosely attached to the body 16 by a wire 90 or other fastening device, such that the removable cap 88 cannot be lost or separated from the pool cleaner 10. As shown in FIG. 8-9, the impeller mechanism 82 causes the filtered water to be expelled in multiple water streams 92 having a symmetry to avoid hydraulic forces that could induce lateral movement of the pool cleaner 10 in any single direction. Referring to FIGS. 10-11, the filter housing 26 is shown in a removably mounted configuration on the body 16 of the pool cleaner 10, using the latch-and-hinge mechanism described herein, with the filter 40 disposed therein to filter the sectioned water passing through the pivotable nozzle end. The filter 40 is removably mounted to the body 16 in front of a plunger member 94 of the impeller mechanism, for example, by a friction fit of ends of the filter 40 to a filter aperture 96 in a front inner surface 98 of the body 16. The filter 40 is-received in filter housing 26 and can be any known type of filter or mesh for straining particulate matter of a predetermined minimum size. In an alternative embodiment of the charging input port, shown in FIGS. 12-17, the charging input port 100 has a central metallic contact 102 for engaging a conductive contact of the plug 164 of the converter shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 13, a plurality of surfaces 106 and apertures 108 are provided on the body 16 of the pool cleaner 10, disposed on the sides of the central metallic contact 102. As shown in FIG. 14, a protective cover 110 includes armatures 112 for fitting into the apertures 108, and also includes a plurality of complimentarily surfaces 114 for engaging and frictionally securing the protective cover 110 against the surfaces 106 on the body 16 to provide a water-tight covering of the charging input port 100. When the protective cover 110 is initially placed into engagement with the body 16, the armatures 112 of protective cover 110 are placed in a first position in the apertures 108, as shown in FIG. 15. The apertures 108 and surfaces 106 are curved, permitting the protective cover 110 to be rotated to a second position, as shown in FIG.; 16, with the armatures 112 frictionally engaging the inner surface 114 of the body 16 to provide a secure fit. Accordingly, the central metallic contact 102 shown in FIGS. 12-13 and the electrical contacts 118 from the charging input port 100 to the battery pack 84, as shown in FIG. 17, are in a water-tight setting when the protective cover 110 is secured to the charging input port 100. When the pool cleaner 10 is immersed in the pool, the central metallic contact 102 and the electrical contacts 118 are not in contact with the water and electrical shorting of the battery pack 84 is avoided. | <SOH> 2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Pool cleaning apparatus are known for passing over the surfaces of pools to remove dirt and debris and filter the pool water. Such pool cleaning apparatus are typically bulky. A lightweight and hand-held pool cleaner would be advantageous to allow a user to easily manipulate the pool cleaner over the surfaces of a pool, spa or pond. Known pool cleaning apparatus require power cords extending through the water to outside electrical outlets. A portable pool cleaner powered by batteries would be advantageous to eliminate the need for power cords. In battery-powered devices capable of being used underwater, the ability to recharge the batteries with an externally disposed charging port is necessary. Although the device being used underwater is not being charged, such externally disposed charging ports can be exposed to the water, risking a short in the device and so potentially damaging the device. A water-tight charging port would be advantageous for battery-powered devices that are immersed in water, such as pool cleaning apparatus. | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>A highly portable, hand-held pool cleaner is powered by rechargeable batteries, and includes body and intake nozzle for suctioning pool water. The body houses a filter, an impeller attached to an electric motor, and includes a handle for carrying the body, arid for manipulating the nozzle over a surface of a pool to clean the surface. The impeller suctions pool water through the nozzle and the filter retains dirt and debris removed from the pool water. A filter housing disposed between the nozzle and the body accumulates the filtered debris. A pole attachment member, mounted to the body, releasably receive's the free end of a pole in secure attachment for manipulating the cleaner from a remote location adjacent the surface of the pool to that is to be cleaned. | 20040923 | 20050906 | 20050217 | 69012.0 | 1 | PRINCE JR, FREDDIE GARY | PORTABLE ELECTRIC POOL CLEANER | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,948,036 | ACCEPTED | Medicated coatings for implantable medical devices including polyacrylates | A polymer for a medical device, particularly for a drug eluting stent, is described. The polymer can be derived from n-butyl methacrylate and can have a degree of an elongation at failure from about 20% to about 500% | 1. A medical article comprising an implantable medical device having a base-polymer-unit-derived polymer with a degree of an elongation at failure from about 20% to about 500%. 2. The medical article of claim 1 wherein the implantable medical device is a stent. 3. The medical article of claim 1 wherein the polymer is a base polymer having a weight average molecular weight of about 200,000 Daltons to about 1,000,000 Daltons. 4. The medical article of claim 3 wherein the polymer comprises a base polymer having a polydispersity index of about 3 to about 6. 5. The medical article of claim 1 wherein the polymer comprises a base polymer having a polydispersity index of about 3 to about 6. 6. The medical article of claim 1 wherein the polymer includes a first acrylic monomer. 7. The medical article of claim 6 wherein the polymer is a copolymer of the base polymer and the first acrylic monomer. 8. The medical article of claim 7 wherein the first acrylic monomer is at least one of n-hexyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, lauryl methacrylate (dodecyl methacrylate), n-octyl methacrylate, n-heptyl methacrylate, n-nonyl methacrylate, 2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate, 2-methoxyethyl methacrylate, pentyl methacrylate, iso-decyl methacrylate, n-decyl methacrylate, n-dodecyl methacrylate), 1-hexadecyl methacrylate, undecyl methacrylate, or 3,5,5-trimethylhexyl methacrylate. 9. The medical article of claim 6 wherein the polymer has a glass transition temperature below about 20° C. 10. The medical article of claim 9 wherein the glass transition temperature is about −30° C. to about 20° C. 11. The medical article of claim 1 wherein the polymer has the formulas wherein X and X1 are each, independently, a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, R and R1 are each, independently, a C1 to C12 straight chained or branched aliphatic radical, and m, n, and p are each integers in which m>0, n>0, and p≧0. 12. The medical article of claim 10 having a glass transition temperature below about 20° C. 13. The medical article of claim 11 having a glass transition temperature of −30° C. to about 20° C. 14. The medical article of claim 1 wherein the polymer comprises poly(n-butyl methacrylate) and a second polymeric material wherein the polymer has a substantially single glass transition temperature that is below about 20° C. 15. The medical article of claim 14 wherein the glass transition temperature of about −30° C. to about 20° C. 16. The medical article of claim 14 wherein the second polymeric material is at least one of poly(n-hexyl methacrylate), poly(n-heptyl methacrylate), poly(2-ethylhexyl methacrylate), poly(n-octyl methacrylate), poly(n-nonyl methacrylate), poly(2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate), poly(2-methoxyethyl methacrylate), poly(pentyl methacrylate), poly(isodecyl methacrylate), poly(n-decyl methacrylate), poly(1-hexadecyl methacrylate), poly(undecyl methacrylate), poly(3,5,5-trimethylhexyl methacrylate, or poly(lauryl methacrylate). 17. The medical article of claim 14 wherein the second polymeric material is a non-acrylic polymer with a Tg below that of the base polymer. 18. The medical article of claim 1 wherein the medical device additionally comprises one or any combination of vascular-smooth-muscle-cell-activity inhibitors, antiproliferatives, antineoplastics, antimitotics, anti-inflammatories, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrins, antithrombins, antibiotics, antiallergics, antioxidants, and any prodrugs, metabolites, analogs, homologues, congeners, derivatives, or salts of these. 19. The medical article of claim 6 wherein the medical device additionally comprises one or any combination of vascular-smooth-muscle-cell-activity inhibitors, antiproliferatives, antineoplastics, antimitotics, anti-inflammatories, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrins, antithrombins, antibiotics, antiallergics, antioxidants, and any prodrugs, metabolites, analogs, homologues, congeners, derivatives, or salts of these. 20. The medical article of claim 9 wherein the medical device additionally comprises one or any combination of vascular-smooth-muscle-cell-activity inhibitors, antiproliferatives, antineoplastics, antimitotics, anti-inflammatories, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrins, antithrombins, antibiotics, antiallergics, antioxidants, and any prodrugs, metabolites, analogs, homologues, congeners, derivatives, or salts of these. 21. The medical article of claim 13 wherein the medical device additionally comprises one or any combination of vascular-smooth-muscle-cell-activity inhibitors, antiproliferatives, antineoplastics, antimitotics, anti-inflammatories, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrins, antithrombins, antibiotics, antiallergics, antioxidants, and any prodrugs, metabolites, analogs, homologues, congeners, derivatives, or salts of these. 22. The medical article of claim 15 wherein the medical device additionally comprises one or any combination of vascular-smooth-muscle-cell-activity inhibitors, antiproliferatives, antineoplastics, antimitotics, anti-inflammatories, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrins, antithrombins, antibiotics, antiallergics, antioxidants, and any prodrugs, metabolites, analogs, homologues, congeners, derivatives, or salts of these. 23. The medical article of claim 15 wherein the medical device additionally comprises one or any combination of vascular-smooth-muscle-cell-activity inhibitors, antiproliferatives, antineoplastics, antimitotics, anti-inflammatories, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrins, antithrombins, antibiotics, antiallergics, antioxidants, and any prodrugs, metabolites, analogs, homologues, congeners, derivatives, or salts of these. 24. A method comprising depositing a coating on an implantable medical device wherein the coating has an base-polymer-unit-derived polymer with a degree of an elongation at failure of about 20% to about 500%. 25. The method of claim 24 wherein the implantable medical device is a stent. 26. The method of claim 24 wherein the polymer comprises a base polymer having a weight average molecular weight of about 200,000 Daltons to about 1,000,000-Daltons. 27. The method of claim 26 wherein the base polymer has a polydispersity index of about 3 to about 6. 28. The method of claim 24 wherein the base polymer has a polydispersity index of about 3 to about 6. 29. The method of claim 24 wherein the polymer includes a first acrylic monomer. 30. The method of claim 29 wherein the polymer is a copolymer of a base polymer and the first acrylic monomer. 31. The method of claim 29 wherein the first acrylic monomer is at least one of n-hexyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, lauryl methacrylate (dodecyl methacrylate), n-octyl methacrylate, n-heptyl methacrylate, n-nonyl methacrylate, 2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate, 2-methoxyethyl methacrylate, pentyl methacrylate, iso-decyl methacrylate, n-decyl methacrylate, n-dodecyl methacrylate), 1-hexadecyl methacrylate, undecyl methacrylate, or 3,5,5-trimethylhexyl methacrylate. 32. The method of claim 29 wherein the polymer has a glass transition temperature below about 20° C. 33. The method of claim 32 wherein the glass transition temperature of about −30° C. to about 20° C. 34. The method of claim 24 wherein the polymer has at least one of the formulas: wherein X and X1 are each, independently, a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, R and R1 are each, independently, a C1 to C12 straight chained or branched aliphatic radical, and m, n, and p are each integers in which m>0, n>0, and p≧0. 35. The method of claim 34 wherein the polymer has a glass transition temperature below about 20° C. 36. The method of claim 35 wherein the glass transition temperature of −30° C. to about 20° C. 37. The method of claim 24 wherein the polymer comprises a base polymer and a second polymer wherein the polymer substantially has a single glass transition temperature that is below about 20° C. 38. The method of claim 37 wherein the glass transition temperature of −30° C. to about 20° C. 39. The method of claim 37 wherein the second polymer is at least one of poly(n-hexyl methacrylate), poly(n-heptyl methacrylate), poly(2-ethylhexyl methacrylate), poly(n-octyl methacrylate), poly(n-nonyl methacrylate), poly(2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate), poly(2-methoxyethyl methacrylate), poly(pentyl methacrylate), poly(iso-decyl methacrylate), poly(n-decyl methacrylate), poly(1-hexadecyl methacrylate), poly(undecyl methacrylate), poly(3,5,5-trimethylhexyl methacrylate, or poly(lauryl methacrylate). 40. The method of claim 37 wherein the second polymer is a non-acrylic polymer with a Tg below that of the base polymer. 41. The method of claim 24 wherein the medical device additionally comprises one or any combination of vascular-smooth-muscle-cell-activity inhibitors, antiproliferatives, antineoplastics, antimitotics, anti-inflammatories, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrins, antithrombins, antibiotics, antiallergics, antioxidants, and any prodrugs, metabolites, analogs, homologues, congeners, derivatives, or salts of these. 42. The method of claim 29 wherein the medical device additionally comprises one or any combination of vascular-smooth-muscle-cell-activity inhibitors, antiproliferatives, antineoplastics, antimitotics, anti-inflammatories, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrins, antithrombins, antibiotics, antiallergics, antioxidants, and any prodrugs, metabolites, analogs, homologues, congeners, derivatives, or salts of these. 43. The method of claim 33 wherein the medical device additionally comprises one or any combination of vascular-smooth-muscle-cell-activity inhibitors, antiproliferatives, antineoplastics, antimitotics, anti-inflammatories, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrins, antithrombins, antibiotics, antiallergics, antioxidants, and any prodrugs, metabolites, analogs, homologues, congeners, derivatives, or salts of these. 44. The method of claim 36 wherein the medical device additionally comprises one or any combination of vascular-smooth-muscle-cell-activity inhibitors, antiproliferatives, antineoplastics, antimitotics, anti-inflammatories, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrins, antithrombins, antibiotics, antiallergics, antioxidants, and any prodrugs, metabolites, analogs, homologues, congeners, derivatives, or salts of these. 45. The method of claim 37 wherein the medical device additionally comprises one or any combination of vascular-smooth-muscle-cell-activity inhibitors, antiproliferatives, antineoplastics, antimitotics, anti-inflammatories, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrins, antithrombins, antibiotics, antiallergics, antioxidants, and any prodrugs, metabolites, analogs, homologues, congeners, derivatives, or salts of these. 46. The method of claim 39 wherein the medical device additionally comprises one or any combination of vascular-smooth-muscle-cell-activity inhibitors, antiproliferatives, antineoplastics, antimitotics, anti-inflammatories, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrins, antithrombins, antibiotics, antiallergics, antioxidants, and any prodrugs, metabolites, analogs, homologues, congeners, derivatives, or salts of these. 47. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the base polymer is at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). 48. The medical device of claim 47 wherein the base polymer is poly(n-butyl methacrylate). 49. The medical device of claim 4 wherein the base polymer is at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). 50. The medical device of claim 49 wherein the base polymer is poly(n-butyl methacrylate). 51. The medical device of claim 7 wherein the base polymer is at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). 52. The medical device of claim 51 wherein the base polymer is poly(n-butyl methacrylate). 53. The medical device of claim 10 wherein the base polymer is at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). 54. The medical device of claim 53 wherein the base polymer is poly(n-butyl methacrylate). 55. The medical device of claim 11 wherein the base polymer is at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). 56. The medical device of claim 55 wherein the base polymer is poly(n-butyl methacrylate). 57. The medical device of claim 14 wherein the base polymer is at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). 58. The medical device of claim 57 wherein the base polymer is poly(n-butyl methacrylate). 59. The medical device of claim 17 wherein the base polymer is at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). 60. The medical device of claim 59 wherein the base polymer is poly(n-butyl methacrylate). 61. The medical device of claim 18 wherein the base polymer is at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). 62. The medical device of claim 61 wherein the base polymer is poly(n-butyl methacrylate). 63. The method of claim 24 wherein the base polymer is at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). 64. The method of claim 64 wherein the base polymer is poly(n-butyl methacrylate). 65. The method of claim 27 wherein the base polymer is at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). 66. The method of claim 65 wherein the base polymer is poly(n-butyl methacrylate). 67. The method of claim 33 wherein the base polymer is at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). 68. The method of claim 67 wherein the base polymer is poly(n-butyl methacrylate). 69. The method of claim 34 wherein the base polymer is at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). 70. The method of claim 69 wherein the base polymer is poly(n-butyl methacrylate). 71. The method of claim 38 wherein the base polymer is at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). 72. The method of claim 71 wherein the base polymer is poly(n-butyl methacrylate). 73. The method of claim 41 wherein the base polymer is at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). 74. The method of claim 73 wherein the base polymer is poly(n-butyl methacrylate). | BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention This invention is directed to coatings for implantable medical devices, such as drug eluting vascular stents. 2. Description of the State of the Art Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is a procedure for treating heart disease. A catheter assembly having a balloon portion is introduced percutaneously into the cardiovascular system of a patient via the brachial or femoral artery. The catheter assembly is advanced through the coronary vasculature until the balloon portion is positioned across the occlusive lesion. Once in position across the lesion, the balloon is inflated to a predetermined size to radially compress the atherosclerotic plaque of the lesion to remodel the lumen wall. The balloon is then deflated to a smaller profile to allow the catheter to be withdrawn from the patient's vasculature. A problem associated with the above procedure includes formation of intimal flaps or torn arterial linings, which can collapse and occlude the conduit after the balloon is deflated. Moreover, thrombosis and restenosis of the artery may develop over several months after the procedure, which may require another angioplasty procedure or a surgical by-pass operation. To reduce the partial or total occlusion of the artery by the collapse of arterial lining, and to re-duce the chance of the development of thrombosis and restenosis, a stent is implanted in the lumen to maintain vascular patency. Stents are used not only as a mechanical intervention but also as a vehicle for providing biological therapy. As a mechanical intervention, stents act as scaffoldings, functioning to physically hold open and, if desired, to expand the passageway. Typically, stents are capable of being compressed, so that they can be inserted through small vessels using catheters, and then expanded to a larger diameter once they are at the desired location. Examples in the patent literature disclosing stents that have been applied in PTCA procedures include stents illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,665 issued to Palmaz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,882 issued to Gianturco, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,062 issued to Wiktor. Pharmacological therapy can be achieved by medicating the stents. Medicated stents provide for the local administration of a therapeutic substance at the diseased site. In order to provide an effective concentration at the treated site, systemic administration of such medication often produces adverse or toxic side effects for the patient. Local delivery is a preferred treatment method in that smaller total medication levels are administered compared to systemic dosages, but are concentrated at a specific site. Local delivery thus produces fewer side effects and achieves better results. One proposed method for medicating stents involves using a polymeric carrier coated onto the stent's surface. A solution, which includes a solvent, a polymer dissolved in the solvent, and a therapeutic substance dispersed in the blend is applied to the stent. The solvent is allowed to evaporate, leaving a coating of the polymer and the therapeutic substance impregnated in the polymer on the stent surface. One polymer that can be used for making stent coatings is poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA). This polymer is durable, and biologically compatible, and can be used either as a polymeric matrix carrying the drug, or as a topcoat membrane regulating the release rate of the drug. However, PBMA has properties that can be improved. In particular, the release rate of some hydrophobic, medium-molecular-weight drugs, such as EVEROLIMUS, from the PBMA-based stent coatings can be too low. As a result, a higher drug-to-polymer ratio may be required, which is undesirable. At high drug-to-polymer ratios, some of the PBMA-based drug and polymer compositions can have insufficient elongation at high strains that expansion of the stent creates in the coating. The embodiments of the invention provide stent coatings that are free of the above-described deficiencies and possess other beneficial properties. SUMMARY Various embodiments encompass medical articles comprising a polymer derived from a base polymer comprising residues of a base monomer (which when polymerized yields the base polymer), wherein the base polymer has a degree of elongation at failure of from 20-500%. In some of these embodiments, the polymer comprises a base polymer with a weight-average molecular weight of about 200 k-1000 k Daltons. In these or other embodiments, the base polymer has a polydispersity index of about 3 to about 6. In these or other embodiments, the polymer has a glass transition temperature of below about 20° C.; alternatively from −30 to 20° C. In these or other embodiments, the polymer includes at least a first acrylic monomer. Some embodiments select the polymer to be a mixture of at least a first acrylic monomer and the base polymer; some select the polymer to be a copolymer of base monomers and first acrylic monomers. In these or other embodiments, the first acrylic monomer is at least one of n-hexyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, lauryl methacrylate (dodecyl methacrylate), n-octyl methacrylate, n-heptyl methacrylate, n-nonyl methacrylate, 2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate, 2-methoxyethyl methacrylate, pentyl methacrylate, iso-decyl methacrylate, n-decyl methacrylate, n-dodecyl methacrylate), 1-hexadecyl methacrylate, undecyl methacrylate, 3,5,5-trimethylhexyl methacrylate or an combination of these monomers. In some embodiments, the first acrylic monomer is chosen from a group that specifically excludes any one or any combination of these monomers. In some embodiments, the polymer has one of the following formulas: wherein X and X1 are each, independently, a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, R and R1 are each, independently, a C1-to-C1-2 straight-chained or branched aliphatic radical, and m, n, and p are each integers in which m>0, n>0, and p≧0. In these or other embodiments, the base polymer comprises at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). In some embodiments, the base polymer is chosen from a group that specifically excludes any one or any combination of these. In these or other embodiments, the polymer comprises poly(n-butyl methacrylate) and a second polymeric material wherein the polymer has a substantially single, glass transition temperature. In some of these embodiments, that substantially single, glass transition temperature is below about 20° C.; alternatively from −30° C. to about 20° C. In these or other embodiments, the second polymeric material is at least one of poly(n-hexyl methacrylate), poly(n-heptyl methacrylate), poly(2-ethylhexyl methacrylate), poly(n-octyl methacrylate), poly(n-nonyl methacrylate), poly(2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate), poly(2-methoxyethyl methacrylate), poly(pentyl methacrylate), poly(iso-decyl methacrylate), poly(n-decyl methacrylate), poly(1-hexadecyl methacrylate), poly(undecyl methacrylate), poly(3,5,5-trimethylhexyl methacrylate, poly(lauryl methacrylate), or an combination of these. In some embodiments, the second acrylic monomer is chosen from a group that specifically excludes any one or any combination of these monomers. In these or other embodiments, the second polymeric material comprises a non-acrylic polymer with a Tg below that of the base polymer. In these or other embodiments, the medical device additionally comprises one or any combination of these agents: vascular-smooth-muscle-cell-activity inhibitors, antiproliferatives, antineoplastics, antimitotics, anti-inflammatories, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrins, antithrombins, antibiotics, antiallergics, antioxidants, and any prodrugs, metabolites, analogs, homologues, congeners, derivatives, or salts of these. In some embodiments, the agents are chosen from a group that specifically excludes any one or any combination of these categories. Methods of making the embodiments discussed above are also within the scope of this invention. In some invention embodiments, the implantable medical device is a stent. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Terms and Definitions. The following terminologies and definitions apply: The term “polymer” is defined to be inclusive of homopolymers, copolymers, and terpolymers. The term “polymer” is further defined as a synonym of the term “polymeric compound”. The term “copolymer” is defined as a polymer derived from more than one species of monomer, including copolymers that are obtained by copolymerization of two monomer species and those obtained from three monomers species (“terpolymers”). The term “random co-polymer” is defined as a copolymer consisting of macromolecules in which the probability of finding a given monomeric unit at any given site in the chain is independent of the nature of the adjacent units. The term “alternating copolymer” is defined as a copolymer consisting of macromolecules comprising two species of monomeric units in alternating sequence. The term “polydispersity”, expressed as the polydispersity index (PI), refers to the molecular weight distribution of a polymer, since every polymer comprises molecules having a variety of chain lengths and thus a variety of molecular weights. The term “polydispersity index” is defined as the ratio Mw/Mn of the weight-average molecular weight of a polymer (Mw) to the number-average molecular weight of the same polymer (Mn). The term “weight-average molecular weight” (Mw) is defined as the molecular weight of a polydisperse polymer sample, averaged to give higher statistical weight to larger molecules; calculated as Mw=Σ(Mi2Ni)/(MiNi), where Mi is a molecular weight of a macromolecule of a fraction “i”, and Ni is a number of macromolecules in the “i” fraction. The term “number-average molecular weight” (Mn) is defined as the molecular weight of a polydisperse polymer sample, averaged to give equal statistical weight to each molecule, calculated as Mn=Σ(MiNi)/Σ(Ni), where Mi and Ni are as defined above. For most polymers, it is a frequent phenomenon that Mw>Mn, and consequently PI>1.0. As the polymer's molecular weight distribution becomes narrower, the PI value approaches 1.0, and vice versa. For a theoretically monodisperse polymer, Mw=Mn; and for such polymer PI=1.0. The term “glass transition temperature” or Tg is defined as a temperature approximately in the middle of the temperature region where, as a result of exposure of an amorphous or semi-crystalline polymer to an increasing temperature, the onset of segmental molecular motion in the chains of the polymer occurs, leading to the eventual transition of the polymer from a glassy solid to an amorphous solid at atmospheric pressure. In other words, the Tg is defined as an average temperature in the temperature region at which an amorphous polymer (or the amorphous regions in a partially crystalline polymer) changes from a hard and relatively brittle nature to a viscoelastic (rubbery) nature. For the purposes of the present invention, the Tg for all polymers discussed below has been determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) when the polymer is in a dry state. DSC measures the change in heat capacity of a polymer as a function of temperature. The “dry state” means that a polymer contains less than about 1% of water (as a percentage of the polymer's weight). The term “acrylic polymers” or “acrylates” refers to polymers (inclusive of homopolymers, copolymers, terpolymers, oligomers, and prepolymers) derived from monomers having an acrylic group (I) or methacrylic group (II) The term “maximum elongation” or “elongation at failure” is defined as the fractional increase in length of a free film of a polymer at the film rupture point, when the sample is stretched at a constant rate in a unidirectional, linear fashion. EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The stent coating can be a multi-layer structure that can include any one or any combination of the following layers: (a) a primer layer; (b) a drug-polymer layer (also referred to as “reservoir” or “reservoir layer”) or alternatively a polymer-free drug layer; (c) a topcoat layer; or (d) a finishing topcoat. In some embodiments, the multilayer structure may specifically exclude any one or any combination of the layers listed above. Each layer of the stent coating can be formed on the stent by dissolving a polymer or a blend of polymers in a solvent or a solvent mixture, and applying the resulting solution to the stent by spraying or immersing it in the solution. After application the solvent evaporates leaving a dry coating. Drying can be accelerated by conducting it at an elevated temperature. To incorporate a drug into the reservoir layer, the drug can be combined with the polymer solution described above. Alternatively, a polymer-free reservoir can be made. To fabricate a polymer free reservoir, the drug can be dissolved in a suitable solvent or solvent mixture, followed by applying the solution by spraying or immersing the stent in the drug solution. Instead of introducing the drug as a solution, it can be introduced as a colloidal system, such as a suspension in an appropriate solvent. To make the suspension, the drug can be dispersed in the solvent using conventional colloid chemistry techniques. Depending on a variety of factors, e.g., the nature of the drug, those having ordinary skill in the art can select the solvent for the suspension, as well as the quantity of drug dispersed in the solvent. The suspension can be mixed with a polymer solution, and the mixture can be applied to the stent as described above. Alternatively, the drug suspension can be applied to the stent without being mixed with the polymer solution. The drug-polymer layer can be applied directly to at least part of the stent surface to serve as a reservoir for at least one active agent or drug, which is incorporated into the reservoir layer. The optional primer layer can be applied between the stent and the reservoir to improve drug-polymer adhesion to the stent. The topcoat layer, if used, can be applied over at least a portion of the reservoir, and can serve as a rate limiting membrane, which helps to control drug release rate. In some embodiments, the topcoat layer can be essentially free of any active agents or drugs; nevertheless, during topcoat formation, a quantity of drug, however small, can migrate into the topcoat from the drug-polymer layer. The optional finishing layer can be applied to all or a part of the stent surface to enhance stent biocompatibility. According to an embodiment of the present invention, any or all layer(s) of the stent coating can be a polymer derived from poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA), poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA), poly(isopropyl methacrylate) (PIPMA), poly(n-propyl methacrylate) (PPMA) or copolymers including units derived from PBMA, PEMA, PIPMA, or PPMA having a high degree of an elongation at failure, such as from about 20% to about 500%, more narrowly, from about 30% to about 300%, for example, from about 40% to about 200%. For purposes of this disclosure, all of these polymers are referred to collectively as base polymers. Additionally, base-polymer unit means any monomeric unit from which a base polymer can be derived. Some invention embodiments specifically exclude any one or any combination of the polymers or base-polymer units listed above from inclusion as base polymers or base-polymer units. According to embodiments of the present invention, various methods can be used to fabricate stent coatings that include base polymer or a base-polymer-unit-derived polymer with a high degree of elongation at failure. The following discussion describes these methods, which include: using a base polymer having high weight-averaged molecular weight (Mw): using a base polymer having a broad polydispersity index (PI); and using a base-polymer-unit-derived polymeric compositions having lower Tg than that of base polymer. Using a High-Mw Base Polymer According to an embodiment of the present invention, base polymers having high Mw can be used. For example, useful base polymer Mw can be about 100,000 Daltons to about 1,000,000 Daltons. Viscosity may be an issue at 1,000,000 MW, but adjusting the application of a viscous solution or adjusting the viscosity of a solution is within the skill level of ordinarily skilled artisans. In some embodiments, base polymers can have Mw from about 200,000 Daltons to about 600,000 Daltons, for example, from about 250,000 Daltons to about 500,000 Daltons. Besides achieving higher degree of elongation at failure, using high molecular weight base polymers to make stent coatings is expected to improve many physical and mechanical properties of the coating. For example, tensile strength, yield strength, crack resistance, and abrasion resistance are all expected to improve. Using Broad-PI Base Polymers In some embodiments, in order to have base polymer with a high degree of elongation at failure, base polymer with a broad molecular weight distribution are used. For example, base polymer having a PI from about 3 to about 6 can be used. In other embodiments, Mw can range from about 300,000 Daltons to about 1,000,000 Daltons, as described above, and PI can range from about 3 to about 6. Using Base-Polymer-Unit-Derived Polymeric Compositions with Reduced Tg While typically it is beneficial to decrease the drug release rate, sometimes the drug release rate is too low. At those times, it is desirable to increase drug release rate. The drug release rate is related to the polymer's drug permeability. Permeability is the product of the drug solubility and drug diffusivity in the polymer. Solubility is a thermodynamic property of the drug in the polymer. In turn, drug diffusivity is related to polymer structure. Typically, the polymer has a higher ultimate elongation when it has a lower Tg and lower degree of crystallinity, if crystallinity is present. These same properties also lead to a higher drug diffusion rate through the polymer. Accordingly, in some invention embodiments, any or all layer(s) of the stent coating can be made of polymer compositions having reduced Tg. These compositions include a component derived from n-butyl methacrylate and a component derived from another acrylic compound. Such compositions can be of two types: first, the compositions comprising polymers that include units derived from a base-polymer-unit, and second, compositions that are physical blends of base polymer with at least one other acrylic polymer. Additionally, in some embodiments, any or all layer(s) of the stent coating can be made of polymer compositions having reduced Tg, the compositions including a component derived from base-polymer unit and a component derived from a non-acrylic compound. Copolymers Including Units Derived From a Base-Polymer Unit In some embodiments, the polymer composition can include a copolymer of a base-polymer unit with another acrylic monomer (base-polymer-unit copolymer (bpu copolymer)), where the Tg of the bpu copolymer is lower than that of the Tg of pure base polymer, which depends on molecular weight. The bpu copolymers can be of any kind, e.g., random, alternating, or block-copolymers. The Tg of a bpu copolymer can be below about 20° C., for example, between about −30° C. to about 20° C., alternatively, from about 0° C. to about 20° C., for example, about 15° C. Base-polymer-unit copolymers having reduced Tg suitable for stent coatings can have an exemplary general formula (III-A), formula (III-B), formula (III-C), or formula (III-D): wherein: X and X1 is each, independently, a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, such as methyl or ethyl group; R and R1 is each, independently, a C1 to C12 straight-chained or branched aliphatic radical; and m, n, and p are each integers, where m>0, n>0, and p≧0. The total molecular weight (Mw) of a polymer according to formulas (III-A to III-D) can be from about 50,000 Daltons to about 500,000 Daltons, alternatively, from about 100,000 Daltons to about 400,000 Daltons, such as about 250,000 Daltons. Examples of base-polymer-unit copolymers described by formulas (III-A to III-D) include poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-n-hexyl methacrylate), poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-2-ethylhexyl methacrylate), poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-n-octyl methacrylate), poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate), poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-2-methoxyethyl methacrylate), poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-pentyl methacrylate), poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-iso-decyl methacrylate), poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-n-decyl methacrylate), poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-n-dodecyl methacrylate), poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-1-hexadecyl methacrylate), poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-undecyl methacrylate) poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-3,5,5-trimethylhexyl methacrylate and poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-lauryl methacrylate). The exemplary formulas of some of these copolymers are shown below as formulas (IV), (V), and (VI), respectively. Those having ordinary skill in the art understand that the formulas (IV), (V), and (VI) are not the only formulas that illustrate the structure of the copolymers, and that the structures can take other forms. For a copolymer or a terpolymer, Tg (on the Kelvin scale) is generally the mass-fraction-weighted average of the polymer constituents, according to the Fox equation. Consequently, a copolymer or terpolymer of formulas (III-A to III-D) can be designed with a predetermined Tg value. For example, pure poly(lauryl methacrylate) has a Tg of about 208 K (−65° C.), and poly(n-butyl methacrylate) has a Tg of about 293 K (20° C.). Accordingly, poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-lauryl methacrylate) (VI) [P(BMA-LMA)] having from about 2 mass % to about 25 mass % of lauryl methacrylate units, and the balance derived from n-butyl methacrylate can have a Tg from about 17° C. to about −5° C., as shown in Table 1. TABLE I Glass Transition Temperature of Poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-lauryl methacrylate) Mass Content of Lauryl Methacrylate No. in the Copolymer, % Tg of the Copolymer, ° C. 1 2 17 2 5 14 3 10 8 4 25 −7 Physical Blends of Base Polymer with Other Acrylic Polymer(s) In some embodiments, physical blends of base polymer with at least one other acrylic polymer where the Tg of the blend is lower than the Tg of pure base polymer can be used to make any or all layers of the stent coating. The Tg of a blend can be below about 20° C., for example, from about −30° C. to about 20° C., more narrowly, between about −15° C. to about 18° C., for example, about 15° C. Examples of acrylic polymers other than base polymer that can be combine with base polymer to form a blend include poly(n-hexyl methacrylate) (PHMA), poly(2-ethylhexyl methacrylate) (PEHMA), poly(n-octyl methacrylate), poly(2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate), poly(2-methoxyethyl methacrylate), poly(pentyl methacrylate), poly(iso-decyl methacrylate), poly(3,5,5-trimethylhexyl methacrylate), poly(n-decyl methacrylate), poly(n-dodecyl methacrylate), poly(1-hexadecyl methacrylate), poly(undecyl methacrylate), and poly(lauryl methacrylate) (PLMA). As with copolymers, the Tg of a blend of individual polymer (on the Kelvin scale) is generally the mass-fraction-weighted average of the polymers comprising the blend as long as the blend is non-crystalline the blend polymers are miscible. Accordingly, a physical blend of base polymer with at least one other acrylic polymer can have a predetermined value of Tg, in these examples 15° C. Examples of blends containing about 92 mass % of base polymer and 8 mass % of poly(decyl methacrylate), and blends containing about 69 mass % of base polymer and 21 mass % of poly(2-ethyl hexyl methacrylate) are useful. Polymer blends can include blends of base-polymer-unit copolymers with at least one acrylic polymer other than a base polymer or a base-polymer-unit copolymer, for example poly(n-hexyl methacrylate) (PHMA), poly(2-ethylhexyl methacrylate) (PEHMA), poly(n-octyl methacrylate), poly(2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate), poly(2-methoxyethyl methacrylate), poly(pentyl methacrylate), poly(iso-decyl methacrylate), poly(3,5,5-trimethylhexyl methacrylate), poly(n-decyl methacrylate), poly(n-dodecyl methacrylate), poly(1-hexadecyl methacrylate), poly(undecyl methacrylate), and poly(lauryl methacrylate) (PLMA). Compositions Including a Non-Acrylic Component According to other embodiments of the present invention, some non-acrylic monomers or polymers can be also used for making the stent coating. Some embodiments select non-acrylic monomers that polymerize by free radical or atom transfer process. Non-acrylic monomers are those that are substantially free of acrylic group (I) and of methacrylic group (II) shown above. Non-acrylic polymers are those that are derived from non-acrylic monomers. The term non-acrylic polymers includes non-acrylic homopolymers, copolymers, terpolymers, oligomers, and prepolymers. In some embodiments, a copolymer of base-polymer-unit with a non-acrylic monomer(s) can be used in which the copolymer has a Tg below about 20° C., for example, from about −30° C. to about 18° C., alternatively, from about −15° C. to about 18° C., for example, about 15° C. Examples of non-acrylic monomers that can be copolymerized with a base-polymer-unit to form such a copolymer include those shown in Table II. The copolymers of a base-polymer-unit with a non-acrylic monomer(s) that can be used can be of any kind, e.g., random, alternating, or block-copolymers. The copolymers of a base-polymer-unit with a non-acrylic monomer(s) can be designed by those having ordinary skill in the art so that the copolymers have a predetermined value of Tg, as described above for the a base-polymer-unit copolymers having the formula (III-A) to formula (III-D). In some embodiments, physical blends of base polymer with at least one non-acrylic polymer can be used for any or all layers of the stent coating, where the Tg of the blend is lower than that the Tg of pure base polymer. The Tg of a blend can be below about 20° C., for example, from about −30° to about 20° C., more narrowly, from about −15° C. to about 18° C., for example, about 15° C. TABLE II Examples of non-acrylic polymers No. Polymer Tg, K 1 Poly(4-methoxycarbonyl-3-methyl-1-butenylene) 326 2 Poly(2-cyclohexylethylethylene) 313 3 Poly(hexadecylethylene) 328 4 Poly(iso-butylethylene) 302 5 Poly(iso-propylethylene), atactic 323 6 Poly(3,3-dimethylbutylethylene) 326 7 Poly(1,1,2-trimethylethylene) 310 8 Poly(4,4 dimethylpentylethylene) 313 9 Poly(propyl-2-propylene) 300 10 Poly(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxytrifluoroethylene) 308 11 Poly(4-methoxybenzoylethylene) 319 12 Poly(3,4-dimethoxybenzoylethylene) 315 13 Poly(vinyl fluoride) 314 14 Poly(vinyl acetate) 305 15 Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol)(EVAL) 328 16 Poly(cyclopentanoyloxyethylene) 309 17 Poly(formyloxyethylene), 60% syndiotactic 310 18 Poly(formyloxyethylene), 50% syndiotactic 306 19 Poly(4-(sec-butoxymethyl) styrene) 313 20 Poly(4-butoxystyrene) 320 21 Poly(3-ethylstyrene) 303 22 Poly(n-octyl acrylamide) 220 23 Poly(4-butylstyrene) 279 24 Poly(4-octylstyrene) 228 25 Poly(butoxyethylene) 218 26 Poly(butylene adipate) 223 27 Poly(oxybutylene) 185 28 Poly(vinylidene fluoride) 244 As in a of copolymers of a base-polymer-unit with non-acrylic monomers, for a blend of base polymer with individual non-acrylic polymers, the Tg of the blend (on the Kelvin scale) is generally the mass-fraction-weighted average of the polymers comprising the blend as given by the Fox equation. Accordingly, a physical blend of base polymer with at least one other non-acrylic polymer can have a predetermined value of Tg, for example 15° C. Examples of blends that can be used include a blend containing about 29 mass % of base polymer and 71 mass % of poly(4-butylstyrene) and a blend containing about 82 mass % of base polymer and 18 mass % of poly(vinylidene fluoride). At least one of the drug-polymer layer or the topcoat layer can include a base-polymer-unit- or PBMA-based polymer or blend having Tg that falls within the previously described ranges. However, other polymers can also be used for the primer, drug-polymer, or top-coat layers so long as the polymer or a polymer blend forming either the drug-polymer layer or the topcoat layer have the Tg within the specified ranges. Representative examples of alternative polymers that can be used for making the primer, drug-polymer, or topcoat layers are shown below. polyvinyl ethers polyvinyl methyl ether polyvinylidene halides polyvinylidene fluoride polyvinylidene chloride polyvinyl aromatics polystyrene polyamides Nylon 66 polycaprolactam biomolecules fibrin fibrinogen cellulose starch collagen hyaluronic acid poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) polydioxanone polyorthoester polyanhydride poly(glycolic acid) poly(D,L-lactic acid) poly(glycolic acid-co-trimethylene carbonate) polyphosphoester polyphosphoester urethane poly(amino acids) polycyanoacrylates poly(trimethylene carbonate) poly(iminocarbonate) co-poly(ether-esters) polyalkylene oxalates polyphosphazenes polyurethanes silicones polyesters polyolefins polyisobutylene ethylene-alphaolefin copolymers polyvinyl chloride poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene) polyacrylonitrile polyvinyl ketones polyvinyl esters acrylonitrile-styrene copolymers ABS resins ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers alkyd resins polycarbonates polyoxymethylenes polyimides polyethers epoxy resins polyurethanes rayon rayon-triacetate cellulose cellulose acetate cellulose butyrate cellulose acetate butyrate cellophane cellulose nitrate cellulose propionate cellulose ethers carboxymethyl cellulose The coating of the present invention has been described in conjunction with a stent. However, the coating can also be used with a variety of other medical devices. Examples of implantable medical device that can be used in conjunction with the embodiments of this invention include stent-grafts, grafts (e.g., aortic grafts), artificial heart valves, cerebrospinal fluid shunts, pacemaker electrodes, axius coronary shunts and endocardial leads (e.g., FINELINE and ENDOTAK, Guidant Corporation). The underlying structure of the device can be of virtually any design. The device can be made of a metallic material or an alloy such as, but not limited to, cobalt-chromium alloys (e.g., ELGILOY), stainless steel (316L), “MP35N,” “MP20N,” ELASTINITE (Nitinol), tantalum, tantalum-based alloys, nickel-titanium alloy, platinum, platinum-based alloys such as, e.g., platinum-iridium alloy, iridium, gold, magnesium, titanium, titanium-based alloys, zirconium-based alloys, or combinations thereof. Devices made from bioabsorbable or biostable polymers can also be used with the embodiments of the present invention. “MP35N” and “MP20N” are trade names for alloys of cobalt, nickel, chromium and molybdenum available from Standard Press Steel Co. of Jenkintown, Pa. “MP35N” consists of 35% cobalt, 35% nickel, 20% chromium, and 10% molybdenum. “MP20N” consists of 50% cobalt, 20% nickel, 20% chromium, and 10% molybdenum. The active agent, therapeutic substance or drug, the terms, which are used interchangeably, can include any substance capable of exerting a therapeutic or prophylactic effect for a patient. The drug may include small molecule drugs, peptides, proteins, oligonucleotides, and the like. The drug could be designed, for example, to inhibit the activity of vascular smooth muscle cells. It can be directed at inhibiting abnormal or inappropriate migration or proliferation of smooth muscle cells to inhibit restenosis. Examples of drugs include antiproliferative substances such as actinomycin D, or derivatives and analogs thereof (manufactured by Sigma-Aldrich of Milwaukee, Wis., or COSMEGEN available from Merck). Synonyms of actinomycin D include dactinomycin, actinomycin IV, actinomycin I1, actinomycin X1, and actinomycin C1. The active agent can also fall under the genus of antineoplastic, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, anticoagulant, antifibrin, antithrombin, antimitotic, antibiotic, antiallergic and antioxidant substances. Examples of such antineoplastics or antimitotics include paclitaxel (e.g. TAXOL® by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Stamford, Conn.), docetaxel (e.g. Taxotere®, from Aventis S. A., Frankfurt, Germany) methotrexate, azathioprine, vincristine, vinblastine, fluorouracil, doxorubicin hydrochloride (e.g. Adriamycin® from Pharmacia & Upjohn, Peapack N.J.), and mitomycin (e.g. Mutamycin® from Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Stamford, Conn.). Examples of such antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrin, and antithrombins include sodium heparin, low molecular weight heparins, heparinoids, hirudin, argatroban, forskolin, vapiprost, prostacyclin and prostacyclin analogues, dextran, D-phe-pro-arg-chloromethylketone (synthetic antithrombin), dipyridamole, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa platelet membrane receptor antagonist antibody, recombinant hirudin, and thrombin inhibitors such as Angiomax™ (Biogen, Inc., Cambridge, Mass.). Examples of such cytostatic or antiproliferative agents include angiopeptin, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors such as captopril (e.g. Capoten® and Capozide® from Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Stamford, Conn.), cilazapril or lisinopril (e.g. Prinivil® and Prinzide® from Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, N.J.); calcium channel blockers (such as nifedipine), colchicine, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) antagonists, fish oil (omega 3-fatty acid), histamine antagonists, lovastatin (an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, a cholesterol lowering drug, brand name Mevacor® from Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, N.J.), monoclonal antibodies (such as those specific for Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF) receptors), nitroprusside, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, prostaglandin inhibitors, suramin, serotonin blockers, steroids, thioprotease inhibitors, triazolopyrimidine (a PDGF antagonist), and nitric oxide. An example of an antiallergic agent is permirolast potassium. Other therapeutic substances or agents which may be appropriate include alpha-interferon, genetically engineered epithelial cells, tacrolimus, dexamethasone, and rapamycin and structural derivatives or finctional analogs thereof, such as 40-O-(2-hydroxy)ethyl-rapamycin (known by the trade name of EVEROLIMUS available from Novartis), 40-O-(3-hydroxy)propyl-rapamycin, 40-O-[2-(2-hydroxy)ethoxy]ethyl-rapamycin, and 40-O-tetrazole-rapamycin. EXAMPLES Some embodiments of the present invention are further illustrated by the following examples. Prophetic Example 1 A polymer solution containing from about 0.1 mass % to about 15 mass %, for example, about 2.0 mass % of EVAL and the balance, a solvent mixture of DMAC and ethanol, the solvent mixture containing about 80 mass % of DMAC to about 20 mass % of ethanol can be prepared. The solution can be applied onto a stent to form a primer layer. To apply the primer layer, a spray apparatus, such as an EFD 780S spray nozzle with a VALVEMATE 7040 control system (EFD, Inc. of East Providence, R.I.) can be used. The EFD 780S spray nozzle is an air-assisted external mixing atomizer. The composition is atomized by air and applied to the stent surfaces. During the process of applying the composition, the stent can optionally be rotated about its longitudinal axis, at a speed of about 50 to about 150 rpm. The stent can also be moved linearly along the same axis during the application. The EVAL solution can be applied to a 13-mm TETRA stent (Guidant Corporation) in a series of 10-second passes, to deposit, for example, 10 μg of coating per spray pass. Instead of the 13-mm TETRA stent, another suitable stent can be used, for example, a 12-mm VISION stent (also Guidant Corporation). Between the spray passes, the stent can be dried for about 10 seconds using flowing air with a temperature of about 60° C. Five spray passes can be applied, followed by baking the primer layer at about 110° C. for about 1-hour. As a result, a primer layer can be formed having a solids content of about 50 μg. “Solids” means the amount of the dry residue deposited on the stent after all volatile organic compounds (e.g., the solvent) have been removed. A drug-containing formulation can be prepared comprising: (a) from about 0.1 mass % to about 15 mass %, for example, about 2.0 mass % of EVAL; (b) from about 0.1 mass % to about 2 mass %, for example, about 1.0 mass % of an active agent, for example, EVEROLIMUS; and (c) the balance, a solvent mixture of DMAC and pentane, the solvent mixture containing about 80 mass % of DMAC and about 20 mass % of pentane. In a manner identical to the application of the primer layer, five spray passes can be performed, followed by baking the drug-polymer layer at about 50° C. for about 2 hours, to form the drug-polymer layer having a solids content from about 30 μg and 750 μg, for example, about 90 μg, and a drug content of from about 10 μg to about 250 μg, for example, 30 μg. Finally, a topcoat composition can be prepared, comprising: (a) from about 1 mass % to about 10 mass %, for example, about 2 mass % of poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) having weight average molecular weight of about 500,000; and (b) the balance, a solvent mixture of acetone and cyclohexanone, the solvent mixture containing about 70 mass % of acetone and about 30 mass % of cyclohexanone. In a manner identical to the application of the primer layer and the drug-polymer layer, a number of spray passes are performed followed by final baking at about 50° C. for about 1 hour. As a result, the topcoat membrane can be formed with a solids content of from about 40 μg to about 150 μg, for example, about 60 μg. Prophetic Example 2 A stent can be coated as described in Prophetic Example 1, where PBMA in the topcoat can have a polydispersity index of about 4. The weight average molecular weight of PBMA can be from about 150,000 Daltons to about 400,000 Daltons. Prophetic Example 3 A stent can be coated as described in Prophetic Example 1, except that in the topcoat layer PBMA can be replaced by the same amount of poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-lauryl methacrylate) [P(BMA-LMA)] having from about 2 mass % to about 25 mass %, for example, about 10 mass % of units derived from lauryl methacrylate, and the balance of units derived from n-butyl methacrylate. The solvent that can be used for dissolving Poly(BMA-LMA) prior to forming the topcoat layer can be a solvent mixtaure of acetone and cyclohexanone, the solvent mixture containing about 70 mass % of acetone and about 30 mass % of cyclohexanone. Prophetic Example 4 A stent can be coated with a primer layer and a drug-polymer layer as described in Prophetic Example 1. A topcoat composition can be prepared, comprising: (a) from about 1 mass % to about 10 mass %, for example, about 1.8 mass % PBMA; (b) from about 0.1 mass % to about 10 mass %, for example, about 0.2 mass % poly(lauryl methacrylate) (PLMA); and (c) the balance, a solvent mixture of acetone and xylene, the solvent mixture containing about 50 mass % of acetone and about 50 mass % of xylene. In a manner like the application of the primer layer and the drug-polymer layer, a number of spray passes are performed followed by final baking at about 60° C. for about 1 hour. As a result, the topcoat membrane can be formed, the membrane having a solids content of from about 40 μg to about 120 μg, for example, about 75 μg. Prophetic Example 5 A polymer solution containing from about 0.1 mass % to about 15 mass %, for example, about 2.0 mass % of PBMA and, the balance, a solvent mixture of acetone and cyclohexanone containing about 70 mass % of acetone to about 30 mass % of cyclohexanone can be prepared. The solution can be applied onto a stent to form a primer layer. To apply the primer layer, a spray apparatus, such as an EFD 780S spray nozzle with a VALVEMATE 7040 control system (EFD, Inc. of East Providence, R.I.) can be used. The EFD 780S spray nozzle is an air-assisted external mixing atomizer. The composition is atomized by air and applied to the stent surfaces. While applying the composition, the stent can optionally be rotated about its longitudinal axis, at a speed of about 50 to about 150 rpm. The stent can also be linearly moved along the same axis during the application. The PBMA solution can be applied to a 12-mm small VISION stent (Guidant Corporation) in a series of 10-second passes, to deposit, for example, 10 μg of coating per spray pass. Between the spray passes, the stent can be dried for about 10 seconds using flowing air with a temperature of about 60° C. Five spray passes can be applied, followed by baking the primer layer at about 80° C. for about 1 hour. As a result, a primer layer can be formed having a solids content of about 50 μg. “Solids” means the amount of the dry residue deposited on the stent after all volatile organic compounds (e.g., the solvent) have been removed. A drug-containing formulation can be prepared comprising: (a) from about 0.1 mass % to about 15 mass %, for example, about 2.0 mass % of poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-4-butylstyrene) wherein 66% of the mass is derived from BMA units and 34% of the mass is derived from 4-butylstyrene units; (b) from about 0.1 mass % to about 2 mass %, for example, about 0.8 mass % of an active agent, for example, SIROLIMUS; and (c) the balance, a solvent mixture of acetone and 4-methyl-2-pentanone, the solvent mixture containing about 50 mass % of acetone and about 50 mass % of 4-methyl-2-pentanone. In a manner identical to the application of the primer layer, nineteen spray passes can be performed, followed by baking the drug-polymer layer at about 50° C. for about 2 hours, to form the drug-polymer reservoir layer having a solids content from about 30 μg and 750 μg, for example, about 190 μg, and a drug content of from about 10 μg to about 250 μg, for example, 50 μg. Prophetic Example 6 A stent can be coated with a primer layer as described in Prophetic Example 5. A drug reservoir composition can be prepared comprising: (a) from about 1 mass % to about 10 mass %, for example, about 1.8 mass % PBMA; (b) from about 0.1 mass % to about 10 mass %, for example, about 0.2 mass % poly(butylene adipate); and (c) from about 0.1 mass % to about 2 mass %, for example, about 0.5 mass % of an active agent, for example, PACLITAXEL (c) the balance, a solvent mixture of acetone and xylene, the solvent mixture containing about 50 mass % of acetone and about 50 mass % of xylene. In a manner identical to the application of the primer layer, a number of spray passes are performed followed by final baking at about 60° C. for about 1 hour. As a result, a drug reservoir layer can be formed having a solids content of about 40 μg to about 200 μg, for example, about 125 μg. While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications can be made without departing from the embodiments of this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the embodiments of this invention. Additionally, various embodiments have been described above. For convenience's sake, combinations of aspects composing invention embodiments have been listed in such a way that one of ordinary skill in the art may read them exclusive of each other when they are not necessarily intended to be exclusive. But a recitation of an aspect for one embodiment is meant to disclose its use in all embodiments in which that aspect can be incorporated without undue experimentation. In like manner, a recitation of an aspect as composing part of an embodiment is a tacit recognition that a supplementary embodiment exists in that specifically excludes that aspect. All patents, test procedures, and other documents cited in this specification are fully incorporated by reference to the extent that this material is consistent with this specification and for all jurisdictions in which such incorporation is permitted. Moreover, some embodiments recite ranges. When this is done, it is meant to disclose the ranges as a range, and to disclose each and every point within the range, including end points. For those embodiments that disclose a specific value or condition for an aspect, supplementary embodiments exist that are otherwise identical, but that specifically exclude the value or the conditions for the aspect. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>1. Field of the Invention This invention is directed to coatings for implantable medical devices, such as drug eluting vascular stents. 2. Description of the State of the Art Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is a procedure for treating heart disease. A catheter assembly having a balloon portion is introduced percutaneously into the cardiovascular system of a patient via the brachial or femoral artery. The catheter assembly is advanced through the coronary vasculature until the balloon portion is positioned across the occlusive lesion. Once in position across the lesion, the balloon is inflated to a predetermined size to radially compress the atherosclerotic plaque of the lesion to remodel the lumen wall. The balloon is then deflated to a smaller profile to allow the catheter to be withdrawn from the patient's vasculature. A problem associated with the above procedure includes formation of intimal flaps or torn arterial linings, which can collapse and occlude the conduit after the balloon is deflated. Moreover, thrombosis and restenosis of the artery may develop over several months after the procedure, which may require another angioplasty procedure or a surgical by-pass operation. To reduce the partial or total occlusion of the artery by the collapse of arterial lining, and to re-duce the chance of the development of thrombosis and restenosis, a stent is implanted in the lumen to maintain vascular patency. Stents are used not only as a mechanical intervention but also as a vehicle for providing biological therapy. As a mechanical intervention, stents act as scaffoldings, functioning to physically hold open and, if desired, to expand the passageway. Typically, stents are capable of being compressed, so that they can be inserted through small vessels using catheters, and then expanded to a larger diameter once they are at the desired location. Examples in the patent literature disclosing stents that have been applied in PTCA procedures include stents illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,665 issued to Palmaz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,882 issued to Gianturco, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,062 issued to Wiktor. Pharmacological therapy can be achieved by medicating the stents. Medicated stents provide for the local administration of a therapeutic substance at the diseased site. In order to provide an effective concentration at the treated site, systemic administration of such medication often produces adverse or toxic side effects for the patient. Local delivery is a preferred treatment method in that smaller total medication levels are administered compared to systemic dosages, but are concentrated at a specific site. Local delivery thus produces fewer side effects and achieves better results. One proposed method for medicating stents involves using a polymeric carrier coated onto the stent's surface. A solution, which includes a solvent, a polymer dissolved in the solvent, and a therapeutic substance dispersed in the blend is applied to the stent. The solvent is allowed to evaporate, leaving a coating of the polymer and the therapeutic substance impregnated in the polymer on the stent surface. One polymer that can be used for making stent coatings is poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA). This polymer is durable, and biologically compatible, and can be used either as a polymeric matrix carrying the drug, or as a topcoat membrane regulating the release rate of the drug. However, PBMA has properties that can be improved. In particular, the release rate of some hydrophobic, medium-molecular-weight drugs, such as EVEROLIMUS, from the PBMA-based stent coatings can be too low. As a result, a higher drug-to-polymer ratio may be required, which is undesirable. At high drug-to-polymer ratios, some of the PBMA-based drug and polymer compositions can have insufficient elongation at high strains that expansion of the stent creates in the coating. The embodiments of the invention provide stent coatings that are free of the above-described deficiencies and possess other beneficial properties. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>Various embodiments encompass medical articles comprising a polymer derived from a base polymer comprising residues of a base monomer (which when polymerized yields the base polymer), wherein the base polymer has a degree of elongation at failure of from 20-500%. In some of these embodiments, the polymer comprises a base polymer with a weight-average molecular weight of about 200 k-1000 k Daltons. In these or other embodiments, the base polymer has a polydispersity index of about 3 to about 6. In these or other embodiments, the polymer has a glass transition temperature of below about 20° C.; alternatively from −30 to 20° C. In these or other embodiments, the polymer includes at least a first acrylic monomer. Some embodiments select the polymer to be a mixture of at least a first acrylic monomer and the base polymer; some select the polymer to be a copolymer of base monomers and first acrylic monomers. In these or other embodiments, the first acrylic monomer is at least one of n-hexyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, lauryl methacrylate (dodecyl methacrylate), n-octyl methacrylate, n-heptyl methacrylate, n-nonyl methacrylate, 2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate, 2-methoxyethyl methacrylate, pentyl methacrylate, iso-decyl methacrylate, n-decyl methacrylate, n-dodecyl methacrylate), 1-hexadecyl methacrylate, undecyl methacrylate, 3,5,5-trimethylhexyl methacrylate or an combination of these monomers. In some embodiments, the first acrylic monomer is chosen from a group that specifically excludes any one or any combination of these monomers. In some embodiments, the polymer has one of the following formulas: wherein X and X 1 are each, independently, a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, R and R 1 are each, independently, a C 1- to-C 1-2 straight-chained or branched aliphatic radical, and m, n, and p are each integers in which m>0, n>0, and p≧0. In these or other embodiments, the base polymer comprises at least one of or any combination of poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), or poly(n-propyl methacrylate). In some embodiments, the base polymer is chosen from a group that specifically excludes any one or any combination of these. In these or other embodiments, the polymer comprises poly(n-butyl methacrylate) and a second polymeric material wherein the polymer has a substantially single, glass transition temperature. In some of these embodiments, that substantially single, glass transition temperature is below about 20° C.; alternatively from −30° C. to about 20° C. In these or other embodiments, the second polymeric material is at least one of poly(n-hexyl methacrylate), poly(n-heptyl methacrylate), poly(2-ethylhexyl methacrylate), poly(n-octyl methacrylate), poly(n-nonyl methacrylate), poly(2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate), poly(2-methoxyethyl methacrylate), poly(pentyl methacrylate), poly(iso-decyl methacrylate), poly(n-decyl methacrylate), poly(1-hexadecyl methacrylate), poly(undecyl methacrylate), poly(3,5,5-trimethylhexyl methacrylate, poly(lauryl methacrylate), or an combination of these. In some embodiments, the second acrylic monomer is chosen from a group that specifically excludes any one or any combination of these monomers. In these or other embodiments, the second polymeric material comprises a non-acrylic polymer with a Tg below that of the base polymer. In these or other embodiments, the medical device additionally comprises one or any combination of these agents: vascular-smooth-muscle-cell-activity inhibitors, antiproliferatives, antineoplastics, antimitotics, anti-inflammatories, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrins, antithrombins, antibiotics, antiallergics, antioxidants, and any prodrugs, metabolites, analogs, homologues, congeners, derivatives, or salts of these. In some embodiments, the agents are chosen from a group that specifically excludes any one or any combination of these categories. Methods of making the embodiments discussed above are also within the scope of this invention. In some invention embodiments, the implantable medical device is a stent. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | 20040922 | 20120207 | 20060323 | 90264.0 | A61F200 | 0 | HELM, CARALYNNE E | MEDICATED COATINGS FOR IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES INCLUDING POLYACRYLATES | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | A61F | 2,004 |
|
10,948,187 | ACCEPTED | Manufacturing a dental implant drill guide and a dental implant superstructure | Dental implant drill holes and the shape of a dental implant superstructure are chosen by creating a computer model giving jawbone structural details, gum surface shape information and proposed teeth or dental prosthesis shape information. The computer model shows the bone structure, gum surface and teeth images properly referenced to one another so that implant drill hole positions can be selected taking into consideration proper positioning within the bone as well as proper positioning with respect to the dental prosthesis. Similarly, manufacture of the dental implant superstructure used for fixed dental prosthesis or overdentures can be designed based on knowledge of the actual implant positions referenced to an image of the gum surface and proposed dental prosthesis. | 1. A method of manufacturing a dental implant drill guide, comprising the steps of: a) imaging a jawbone and tissue structure with a reference to a known anatomical reference to produce a three-dimensional computer graphics model; b) selecting at least one implant drill hole position for at least one dental implant using said model, said position being specified in three dimensions, including a hole termination point and orientation, and being referenced to said anatomical reference, c) entering at least one set of implant drill hole position coordinates into a computer controlled precision manufacturing device; d) providing a drill template body having a first surface adapted to overlie a gum surface of the jawbone in a single predetermined position; e) using said precision manufacturing device to provide a fixed orientation drill guide socket in said template body for each one of said at least one drill hole position entered in step (c) with a corresponding position and orientation. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising imaging denture prosthesis and including an image of said denture prosthesis in said model such that a position of said prosthesis with respect to said jawbone can be seen, whereby said at least one implant drill hole position can be selected taking into account a position of said denture prosthesis with respect to said jawbone and tissue structure. 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said drill guide socket receives drill guide tubes having a variable internal diameter. 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step (e) comprises drilling said implant drill holes into the drill guide supported on a physical model, and forming abutment surfaces on said drill guide on the basis of said implant drill hole position coordinates. 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said anatomical reference is said gum surface, and wherein said step (a) comprises preparing a scanner reference guide and carrying out radiographic imaging of said jawbone and tissue structure with said scanner reference guide secured with respect to said gum surface, and converting said radiographic imaging into data to produce said three-dimensional computer graphics model. 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises selecting at least two implant drill hole positions for at least two dental implants using said model, step (c) comprises entering at least two sets of implant drill hole position coordinates, and step (e) comprises using said precision manufacturing device to provide a fixed orientation drill guide socket in said template body for each one of said at least two drill hole positions. 7. A dental implant drill guide manufactured according to the method defined in claim 1. 8. The dental implant drill guide as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a plurality of holes for transitionally securing the drill guide to the patient's jawbone during surgery. 9. A method for allowing the reconstruction of an edentulous jawbone in a single surgical operation, comprising the steps of: a) creating a three-dimensional graphic computer model of a patient's gum, jawbone and tissue structure, and of a dental prosthesis to be placed over the gum; b) selecting a number of virtual implant drill holes positions for corresponding implants using said model; c) entering data related to the virtual implant drill hole positions into a computer controlled precision manufacturing device; d) providing a rigid drill template body; e) using said precision manufacturing device to provide a fixed orientation socket in said drill template body for each one of said implant drill hole positions selected in step b); f) prior to the surgical operation, using said data on said virtual implant drill hole positions and said precision manufacturing device to make a dental implant superstructure having a number of dental implant abutting flanges interconnected by a bridge in a fixed configuration in which said dental abutting flanges are positioned in accordance with the virtual implant drill hole positions; g) using said drill guide to drill pilot holes in the patient's jawbone at said virtual implant drill hole positions; h) inserting an implant in each of said pilot holes; and i) installing the dental implant superstructure prefabricated in step f) on the implants inserted in the patients' jawbone. 10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the implants are inserted with the drill guide remaining in place over the patient's gum, and further comprising fixedly securing each implant to the drill guide after each implant has been inserted into the patient's jawbone. 11. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein step h) is effected by providing a screwdriver, and screwing each implant into the patient's jawbone until an abutment on the screwdriver abuts a cooperating abutment at an entry of each socket of said drill guide. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation of U.S. Continuation-In-Part patent application Ser. No. 10/086,893 filed on Mar. 4, 2002, which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,975 filed on Jun. 16, 2000 and issued on May 7, 2002, which is a continuation of PCT Application No. PCT/CA97/00984 designating the United States of America, and of U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,376 filed on Feb. 26, 1997 and issued on Mar. 10, 1998, and claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/012,325 filed on Feb. 27, 1996. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a dental implant drill guide. The invention also relates to a method for the reconstruction of an edentulous jawbone. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known in the art to secure dental prostheses using dental implants secured in the upper or lower jawbone. It is also known in the art to mount a framework or superstructure to a number of implants, the superstructure being used to evenly support a set of false teeth or denture prostheses. Accurate placement within the jawbone of the implants is a difficult task. In International Patent Application No. PCT/IT94/00059, published 24 Nov. 1994 as WO 94/26200, there is described an adjustable guiding device for positioning dental implants in which it is possible for the dental surgeon to adjust a drill axis for each implant before proceeding to use the guiding device or drill template to guide the surgeon's drill for the purposes of preparing the drill hole for the implant. The guiding device disclosed in the International publication helps the dental surgeon to decide on the drill axis after viewing radiographic images of the radio-opaque tubular drill guide superposed the bone structure. In the known prior art, the oral surgeon typically has difficulty deciding on a drill axis for the implants since the ideal position for the implants should be decided with knowledge of the jawbone structure into which the implant is to be inserted, knowledge of the position within the jawbone structure of the nerve tissue, the gum surface and the required position and dimensions of the false teeth or dentures to be supported by the dental implant. Of course, in the conventional manner of selecting the implant axis, the dentist or dental surgeon simply makes a best guess in light of his knowledge of the patient. Of course, this leads, in certain cases, to imperfections in the dental prosthesis. The imperfections may be lack of ideal support, unfavorable angulation of an implant causing a weakness in the implant which may cause failure over time, or a visually perceptible defect in the appearance of the prosthesis. In the conventional method for the construction of the superstructure, a physical model of the patient's gums and dental implant heads is prepared on which the superstructure is built manually using molding and other techniques known in the art. The craftsman or technician skilled at manufacturing such dental superstructures takes into consideration the size and shape of the desired dentures to be placed over the superstructure when crafting the same. The procedure for manufacturing dental implant superstructures as is conventionally known in the art is time-consuming and sometimes results in imperfect structures or defects in the visual appearance of the dentures to be placed over the superstructure. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,170 granted Mar. 28, 1995 to Nonomura, there is disclosed a method and apparatus for measuring by camera image the implant heads of the implants in the patient's mouth for the purposes of cutting a frame on which the prosthetic teeth will be arranged and baked. In the method disclosed, the construction of the frame or superstructure is carried out in the absence of a reference to the shape and position of the patient's ideal teeth position. Thus, as the dentures or artificial teeth are crafted on the frame or superstructure, care would be required during the manual process to ensure that the position of the teeth on the frame will match the opposed set of teeth in the patient's mouth. Known techniques also have the disadvantage of necessitating two separate sessions to install the implants and the superstructure. It would be highly beneficial to be able to prepare the superstructure prior to the surgery so that the implants and the superstructure are installed during the same surgical procedure. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is a first object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a dental implant drill guide or drill template which will result in a precise and accurate drill guide for selected drill holes. It is furthermore an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a dental implant superstructure in which information concerning the position of a plurality of dental implants mounted in a jawbone, the gum surface covering the jawbone and the fixed denture shape is all taken into consideration during the specification of the shape of the superstructure before the superstructure is precision made. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such methods which provide better accuracy and faster results than conventional methods. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a dental implant drill guide which is precise and easy to use such that drilling of the dental implant holes does not require expert skill and knowledge beyond the skill of basic dental surgery. It is furthermore an object of the present invention to provide tools which will reduce the number of visits a patient needs to make to the dental surgeon in order to have dental implants and a dental implant superstructure inserted. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a dental implant drill guide, comprising the steps of: imaging a jawbone and tissue structure with a reference to a known anatomical reference to produce a three-dimensional computer graphics model; selecting at least one implant drill hole position for at least one dental implant using said model, said position being specified in three dimensions, including a hole termination point and orientation, and being referenced to said anatomical reference, entering at least one set of implant drill hole position coordinates into a computer controlled precision manufacturing device; providing a drill template body having a first surface adapted to overlie a gum surface of the jawbone in a single predetermined position; using said precision manufacturing device to provide a fixed orientation drill guide socket in said template body for each one of said at least one drill hole position with a corresponding position and orientation. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for allowing the reconstruction of an edentulous jawbone in a single surgical operation, comprising the steps of: a) creating a three-dimensional graphic computer model of a patient's gum, jawbone and tissue structure, and of a dental prosthesis to be placed over the gum; b) selecting a number of virtual implant drill holes positions for corresponding implants using said model; c) entering data related to the virtual implant drill hole positions into a computer controlled precision manufacturing device; d) providing a rigid drill template body; e) using said precision manufacturing device to provide a fixed orientation socket in said drill template body for each one of said implant drill hole positions selected in step b); f) prior to the surgical operation, using said data on said virtual implant drill hole positions and said precision manufacturing device to make a dental implant superstructure having a number of dental implant abutting flanges interconnected by a bridge in a fixed configuration in which said dental abutting flanges are positioned in accordance with the virtual implant drill hole positions; g) using said drill guide to drill pilot holes in the patient's jawbone at said virtual implant drill hole positions; h) inserting an implant in each of said pilot holes; and i) installing the dental implant superstructure prefabricated in step f) on the implants inserted in the patient's jawbone. In the method of manufacturing a dental implant drill guide according to the present invention, the patient is typically edentured, namely, the patient has had all teeth pulled from the jawbone, and the jawbone has been given time to heal since the teeth were pulled. If the patient decides to proceed with dental implants and the placement of a superstructure for solidly securing dentures over the gum, a period of about 1 month is provided for from the time of pulling any remaining teeth from the jawbone before proceeding with the operation of inserting implants into the jawbone. A medical image of the jawbone and tissue structure is obtained by using x-ray imaging, MRI or possibly nuclear imaging techniques to produce a three-dimensional computer graphics model which has a reference to the gum surface or some other fixed reference with respect to the patient's jawbone. Preferably, a radiographic scanner guide is used which is molded to conform to the shape of the patient's gums and which includes radio-opaque spheres whose positions with respect to the gum surface is known. The primary advantage of the invention is that the oral surgeon may select the optimum position for dental implants using the three-dimensional computer graphics model of the jawbone and tissue structure. Selection of the drill hole positions using the computer graphics model is transferred to a CNC device for the purposes of providing fixed drill guide sockets in the template body for each one of the drill hole positions or position selected using the computer graphics model. While the model is three-dimensional, it may be convenient for the purposes of selecting the drill hole axis to use a two-dimensional representation of the jawbone and tissue structure, the two-dimensional view being displayed with a user controlled slice angle. Preferably, the dental surgeon will select the position for each implant drill hole, not only to position the implant in the optimum location within the jawbone, but also to result in a position of support which is suitable for supporting the dentures. Therefore, it is preferred to display, in addition to the three-dimensional computer graphics model of the jawbone and tissue structure, the patient's dentures in the proper spatial relationship with respect to the jawbone and tissue structure. This requires imaging the patient's dentures or teeth, and possibly gum structure, in addition to the jawbone and tissue structure, in such a way that all images are referenced with respect to one another to be integrated into the same three-dimensional computer graphics model. While it would be possible to prepare the drill template body and provide it with the drill guide sockets using the CNC device, the drill template body is preferably molded on a physical model of the gum surface into which model the CNC device has previously drilled the desired implant drill holes. The drill holes in the physical model are used to build a mold for the drill guide sockets. This prevents the need to use the CNC device to produce fine details except for the precision drilling of the drill holes. Imaging of the dentures or teeth to be placed over the gum surface and the imaging of the gum surface can be carried out by using laser camera imaging techniques known in the art. These images are preferably obtained using a physical model of the patient's gum surface, and the physical model is imaged in such a way that the images can be referenced accurately to the jawbone and tissue structure images. According to one method of manufacturing the dental implant superstructure, the actual dental implant position data is obtained by taking an imprint using transfers connected to the implants. Preferably, the imprint is taken using the same drill guide with the sockets of the drill guide being large enough to receive the transfers and surrounding imprint material. Preferably, the positions and orientations of the transfers are physically measured along with a reference to the drill guide which will permit the relative positions of the implants to be known with a reference to a standard frame of reference. Using the standard frame of reference, it is possible to generate a computer graphics model of the gum surface, dentures or teeth and dental implants which allows the dental surgeon or technician to select the best shape for the overlying bridge of the superstructure. According to a further general aspect of the present invention, the implant drill hole positions selected using the computer graphics model can also be used to make the superstructure. By so using the planned implant positions, instead of taking an imprint of the implants inserted in the patient's jawbone to precisely determine their actual locations in relation to the jawbone, the superstructure can be made prior to the surgical operation, i.e. prior to the insertion of the implants into the patient's jawbone. This advantageously provides for the installation of the implants and the superstructure in a single surgical operation. This novel approach of creating a superstructure on the basis of the virtual positions of the dental implants selected using the three-dimensional computer graphic model of the jawbone and the dental prosthesis has the following advantages for the surgeon: no need for taking imprints of the implants to determine their positions in the jawbone; no need for a second surgical procedure to expose the head of the implants; improved stability of the implants, as they are immediately interconnected to each other by the superstructure; improved protection of the implants, since they are better stabilized; less sessions with a patient, thus, higher profitability; and the following advantages for the patient: only one operation and, thus, less traumatism; accelerated healing because of the protection afforded by the superstructure; In the case of a fixed dental prosthesis which is implant mounted (i.e. porcelain on metal), the ideal form of the superstructure can be automatically designed using the computer model taking into consideration the form of the laser camera imaged teeth and by subtracting a thickness of porcelain which the technician requires to recreate the shape of the imaged teeth. In the case of a dental prosthesis supported by a superstructure (overdenture), the shape of the superstructure can be automatically determined by taking into account the external shape of the prosthesis and by circulating the superstructure inside the prosthesis, making sure that the necessary thickness of prosthesis material (e.g. acrylic) will be available all around in order to provide a adequately strong prosthesis. When precision forming the superstructure, it is possible to use various techniques. In one embodiment, the entire superstructure is cut using a CNC milling machine programmed to cut according to the shape data specified using the computer model. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and features of the present invention will be better understood by way of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an articulator supporting a physical model of a patient's upper and lower gums with dentures in place; FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 in which the dentures have been replaced by a radiographic scanning guide; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the radiographic scanning guide; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a three-dimensional computer model of a patient's lower jawbone shown partly broken away with the radio-opaque reference spheres and reference coordinate superimposed; FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of the method of manufacturing the dental implant drill guide according to the preferred embodiment; FIG. 6 is a panoramic view of a lower jawbone of a patient with the gum line and dentures superimposed; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view about line 7 of FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the CNC drill device and data entry terminal; FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a five axis CNC drill device; FIG. 10 is a front view of a physical model with four drill axes shown; FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 in which a drill guide has been molded with the fixed drill sockets formed by pins inserted in the drill holes; FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the drill guide according to the preferred embodiment; FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the drill guide being used to drill a patient's jawbone; FIG. 14 is an enlarged sectional view of a jawbone having received an implant with the drill guide placed on top of the gum surface to act as an impression tray for the purposes of taking an exact imprint of the implant position using a transfer; FIG. 15 is a sectional view of a computer model illustrating the denture fit over the patient's gums with the implant head in correct relative position; FIG. 16 illustrates a similar computer graphics image as in FIG. 15 for a position between two implants; FIG. 17 illustrates a perspective view of lower dentures and a lower perstructure; and FIG. 18 is a view from underneath the assembled components illustrated in FIG. 17. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As illustrated in FIG. 1, an articulator 20 as is known in the art is set up to support a lower physical model 21 and an upper physical model 22 of a patient's mouth with lower and upper dentures 23 and 24 supported by the physical model with the teeth of the dentures in proper alignment. The articulator is adjusted using the adjustment means 25 and 26 as is known in the art. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the dentures 23 and 24 are removed and a scanner guide 27 is made by hand to fit exactly the space occupied by the upper and lower denture. Radio-opaque reference spheres 28 having a known diameter are bonded to the guide 27 with one sphere on each side at the rear and one in the front. In the illustration in the preferred embodiment, the spheres are shown near the lower jaw surface since it is the lower jaw that is to be imaged. The spheres could likewise be placed near the upper jaw surface as the case may be. The separated scanner guide body 27 is illustrated in FIG. 3. The particular advantage of the scanner guide 27 according to the present invention is that during radiographic scanning of the patient's jaw, the patient may comfortably hold the scanner guide 27 in place by closing down on the same. As can be appreciated, the lower jaw could move during imaging and must be secured by means such as the scanner guide 27. The patient's head is held in place during radiographic scanning using a suitable brace as is known in the art. As shown in FIG. 4, the result of the radiographic scanning is to obtain a three-dimensional computer graphics model 29 of the patient's lower jaw. Images of the reference spheres 28 appear as 33 and provide a reference to a coordinate axes 32. The dental surgeon is capable of viewing with the model 29 the nerve 37 which extends from the base of the jaw until it exits the jawbone at each side of the chin. A drill axis 31 for each proposed drill hole 34 is selected on the computer model. The end point of the drill hole 36 is also selected. For ease of selection of the drill axis 31, namely the position in space of the end point and the angular orientation of the drill axis 31, it may be possible to present slices of the computer model 29 to the dental surgeon or technician which would make it easier to select the parameters. As can be appreciated, two angles are required to specify the orientation of the drill axis 31, for example, a first angle θ may define an angle of the drill axis 31 with respect to the x-z plane and a second angular parameter φ may define the angle between the drill axis 31 in the z-y plane. In the preferred embodiment, selection of the drill axes 31 for the drill holes 34 is done with knowledge of the relative position of the gum surface and the relative position of the dentures or teeth. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the 3-D computer model 29 is built up using the radiographic 3-D imaging data as well as referenced gum surface image data and referenced denture image data. In FIG. 6, there is shown a panoramic slice view of the 3-D model 29 showing the gum surface 44 and dentures 43 superposed the cortical bone structure 41 and the marrow 42. As illustrated in FIG. 7, in the preferred embodiment, it is possible to view for a selected drill axis 31 the resulting implant position 49 and how this relates to the bone structure 41 and 42, the nerve 37, if present, as well as the lower and upper denture structure 44 and 43. As can be appreciated, if the desired angle and position of the dentures with respect to the gum surface 46 would require an adjustment of the position and angle of the implant 49, the dental surgeon is able to select the optimum depth, position and angular orientation for the implant 49 relying entirely on the computer model. Once the hole termination position and angular orientation data for each of the drill holes is selected using the computer model, the data is entered through a data entry device 51 to control a CNC drill 52 in accordance with FIG. 8 and as better illustrated in FIG. 9. The CNC drill 52 has a drill bit 53 which is capable of moving and drilling along a first vertical direction 54. The physical model 21 is mounted in such a way that it is able to turn about two directions 55 and 56 on a platform which is able to move in directions 57 and 60. The CNC drill 52 is capable of moving about five axes. In order for the CNC drill device to be properly referenced with respect to the physical model 21, the scanner guide may be placed on top of the physical model 21 and a coordinates measuring machine (CMM) connected to CNC drill 52 is used to accurately locate the position of each one of the position reference spheres and reference these to the CNC drill's reference frame. The CNC drill 52 is then programmed to convert the hole position and orientation data as referenced to the frame of reference of the computer model to the reference frame of the CNC drill so that the drill holes may be prepared in the physical model 21. As illustrated in FIG. 10, four drill holes 58 are cut into the physical model 21 which is mounted on a base 59. The drill hole axes 31 as shown are in different positions and orientations. As shown in FIG. 11, rods 62 are inserted into the holes 58. The socket forming mold parts 63 are placed over the rods 62 and a surrounding mold structure (not shown) is placed around the physical model 21 to allow for the molded guide body 61 to be formed. Since the holes 58 are of different heights, the socket forming mold parts 63 are adjusted in size such that the distance between the circular flange edge and the end of the rods 102 is a constant. In this way, the circular flange edge 64 of the drill guide sockets is at a fixed distance with respect to the desired end point of the drill hole. As shown in FIG. 12, the finished molded drill guide body 61 has a plurality of drill guide tubes 66 inserted into the drill guide sockets 68, and three holes 67 are additionally provided for transitionally securing the drill guide 61 to the patient's jawbone during surgery. The drill guide tubes 66 may be removed and reinserted into the drill guide sockets 68 in order to change the internal diameter of the drill guide tubes as is required during surgery since the implant drill hole is started with a very small diameter drill bit and subsequently larger drill bits are used until the full size implant drill hole is obtained. As shown in FIG. 13, the drill used in surgery is provided with a collar 69 for abutting against the upper surface of the guide tube 66 in such a way that the distance between the bottom of the collar 69 and the end of the drill bit 71 is fixed as required. In the preferred embodiment, the collar 69 is integral with the drill bit 71. As can be appreciated, the oral surgeon prepares the implant holes using the drill guide 61 by removing circular portions of the gum (gingival taps) at the implant sites. In the conventional method of drilling implant holes, a procedure known as “flap surgery” is carried out in which a piece of the gum covering the jawbone where the implant hole is to be drilled is cut and peeled back so that the oral surgeon has clear access to the jawbone surface. Using the present invention, the surgeon has the option of doing flap surgery if required or circumferential surgery as needed. Of course, if a conventional flap surgery is to be done, a modification of the surgical guide should be done, i.e. the guide should be removable as needed for flap surgery. In order to put the guide back at the same location, the use of transitional implants is needed to seat the guide after the flap is done. If the circular approach is chosen, there is no need to remove the guide during surgery, and by avoiding flap surgery, post operation healing time should be reduced. As illustrated in FIG. 14, the oral surgeon screws in an implant 72 into the hole made using drill guide 61. This can be done with the drill guide 61 remaining in place, the implants being inserted through the sockets 68. The upper surface of the implant 72 is approximately flush with the upper surface of the cortical exterior 41 of the jawbone. The implant 72 has a hollow threaded core. Since the implant 72 has been inserted into the jawbone tissue 42 by hand, its exact position may not be perfectly defined by the drill hole formed using the drill guide 61. It has been found that this problem can be overcome by leaving the drill guide 61 in place during the implant insertion and by rigidly connecting each implant 72 to the guide 61 once fully inserted in the patient's jawbone. The screwdriver (not shown) used by the surgeon to screw the implants 72 into the implant holes is provided with a collar for abutting against a corresponding abutting surface (not shown) at the entry of each socket 68 in such a way that the distance between the abutting surface and the bottom of the socket 68 be precisely fixed as required. In this way, the surgeon will insert a first implant 72 in one of the sockets 68 located at a first end of the drill guide 61 and screw the implant 72 into the corresponding drill hole until the abutment on the screwdriver contacts the abutment at the entry of the socket 68. Once fully inserted, the implant 72 is securely fixed to the drill guide 61 by means of an anchoring screw tightened into the implant 72. Then, a second implant 72 is inserted into another socket 68 located at a second end of the drill guide 61 opposite the first end thereof and is screwed into the corresponding drill hole in the same manner as for the first implant 72. A second anchoring screw is then screwed into the second implant 72 to rigidly connect the same to the drill guide 61. The other implants are subsequently installed following the same procedure. Once all the implants 72 have been inserted, the relative position of each implant 72 with respect to its neighbors should not have changed as long as the drill guide 61 was not subject to any deformations during the installation of the implants 72. Indeed, it is important that the drill guide 61 be capable of sustaining elevated torsion forces in order to ensure that the actual position of the implants 72 precisely corresponds to that selected on the computer model. For instance, the drill guide 61 could be made from a rigid metallic structure or from any other structural material offering a high level of rigidity. By so using a rigid drill guide in the installation of the implants, it becomes possible to precisely insert the implants in the patient's jawbone at the positions selected on the computer model. This advantageously obviates the need for taking an imprint of the implants to determine their actual positions in view of the fabrication of the superstructure to be attached to the implants. Due to this new level of precision in the positioning of the implants, the superstructure can be fabricated prior to the surgery using the implant positions selected on the 3-D computer model of the patient's jawbone, gum and dental prosthesis. As shown in FIG. 16, the implant head 49 will receive a superstructure consisting of an abutment foot 47 extending down to the top of the implant and having an upper bridge-like structure 48 extending inside the lower portion 44 of the denture structure and even possibly into the upper portion 43 of the denture structure. In between two implants, as illustrated in FIG. 17, the bridge structure 48 is designed to be located above the gum surface 46 and within the denture structure. As can be appreciated, due to the confines and configuration of the patient's mouth, it may be necessary to shape the bridge structure 48 such that it passes close to either an inner or outer side wall of the denture structure 43, 44. In this way, the denture technician is capable of viewing in the computer model how the bridge structure and superstructure is best constructed. Once the denture technician has selected the shape for the dental implant superstructure and the position of the implants using the computer model, the shape data is passed on together with the data on the selected implant positions to a precision forming device for shaping the superstructure. In the preferred embodiment, a CNC milling machine similar to the CNC drill device illustrated in FIG. 9 is used. The result is a superstructure, as illustrated in FIG. 17, that can be fastened directly to the dental implants in a one-stage surgical procedure. That is to say, the implants and the pre-manufactured superstructure can be installed during the same surgical procedure. Since the abutment feet 47 of the superstructure and the sockets 68 in the drill guide 61 are machined using the same virtual implant position data and since the implants 72 are prevented from moving in the patient's jawbone by the drill guide 61, the abutment feet 47 will fit perfectly on the implants 72 screwed into the patient's jawbone, thereby allowing the superstructure to be prepared before the implants 72 are actually inserted into the patient's jawbone The superstructure illustrated in FIG. 17 is of the type which receives dentures by snap-fit. The superstructure is prepared from a solid piece of commercially pure titanium or any biocompatible material such as porcelain, preventing corrosion between implants and superstructure. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is known in the art to secure dental prostheses using dental implants secured in the upper or lower jawbone. It is also known in the art to mount a framework or superstructure to a number of implants, the superstructure being used to evenly support a set of false teeth or denture prostheses. Accurate placement within the jawbone of the implants is a difficult task. In International Patent Application No. PCT/IT94/00059, published 24 Nov. 1994 as WO 94/26200, there is described an adjustable guiding device for positioning dental implants in which it is possible for the dental surgeon to adjust a drill axis for each implant before proceeding to use the guiding device or drill template to guide the surgeon's drill for the purposes of preparing the drill hole for the implant. The guiding device disclosed in the International publication helps the dental surgeon to decide on the drill axis after viewing radiographic images of the radio-opaque tubular drill guide superposed the bone structure. In the known prior art, the oral surgeon typically has difficulty deciding on a drill axis for the implants since the ideal position for the implants should be decided with knowledge of the jawbone structure into which the implant is to be inserted, knowledge of the position within the jawbone structure of the nerve tissue, the gum surface and the required position and dimensions of the false teeth or dentures to be supported by the dental implant. Of course, in the conventional manner of selecting the implant axis, the dentist or dental surgeon simply makes a best guess in light of his knowledge of the patient. Of course, this leads, in certain cases, to imperfections in the dental prosthesis. The imperfections may be lack of ideal support, unfavorable angulation of an implant causing a weakness in the implant which may cause failure over time, or a visually perceptible defect in the appearance of the prosthesis. In the conventional method for the construction of the superstructure, a physical model of the patient's gums and dental implant heads is prepared on which the superstructure is built manually using molding and other techniques known in the art. The craftsman or technician skilled at manufacturing such dental superstructures takes into consideration the size and shape of the desired dentures to be placed over the superstructure when crafting the same. The procedure for manufacturing dental implant superstructures as is conventionally known in the art is time-consuming and sometimes results in imperfect structures or defects in the visual appearance of the dentures to be placed over the superstructure. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,170 granted Mar. 28, 1995 to Nonomura, there is disclosed a method and apparatus for measuring by camera image the implant heads of the implants in the patient's mouth for the purposes of cutting a frame on which the prosthetic teeth will be arranged and baked. In the method disclosed, the construction of the frame or superstructure is carried out in the absence of a reference to the shape and position of the patient's ideal teeth position. Thus, as the dentures or artificial teeth are crafted on the frame or superstructure, care would be required during the manual process to ensure that the position of the teeth on the frame will match the opposed set of teeth in the patient's mouth. Known techniques also have the disadvantage of necessitating two separate sessions to install the implants and the superstructure. It would be highly beneficial to be able to prepare the superstructure prior to the surgery so that the implants and the superstructure are installed during the same surgical procedure. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a dental implant drill guide, comprising the steps of: imaging a jawbone and tissue structure with a reference to a known anatomical reference to produce a three-dimensional computer graphics model; selecting at least one implant drill hole position for at least one dental implant using said model, said position being specified in three dimensions, including a hole termination point and orientation, and being referenced to said anatomical reference, entering at least one set of implant drill hole position coordinates into a computer controlled precision manufacturing device; providing a drill template body having a first surface adapted to overlie a gum surface of the jawbone in a single predetermined position; using said precision manufacturing device to provide a fixed orientation drill guide socket in said template body for each one of said at least one drill hole position with a corresponding position and orientation. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for allowing the reconstruction of an edentulous jawbone in a single surgical operation, comprising the steps of: a) creating a three-dimensional graphic computer model of a patient's gum, jawbone and tissue structure, and of a dental prosthesis to be placed over the gum; b) selecting a number of virtual implant drill holes positions for corresponding implants using said model; c) entering data related to the virtual implant drill hole positions into a computer controlled precision manufacturing device; d) providing a rigid drill template body; e) using said precision manufacturing device to provide a fixed orientation socket in said drill template body for each one of said implant drill hole positions selected in step b); f) prior to the surgical operation, using said data on said virtual implant drill hole positions and said precision manufacturing device to make a dental implant superstructure having a number of dental implant abutting flanges interconnected by a bridge in a fixed configuration in which said dental abutting flanges are positioned in accordance with the virtual implant drill hole positions; g) using said drill guide to drill pilot holes in the patient's jawbone at said virtual implant drill hole positions; h) inserting an implant in each of said pilot holes; and i) installing the dental implant superstructure prefabricated in step f) on the implants inserted in the patient's jawbone. In the method of manufacturing a dental implant drill guide according to the present invention, the patient is typically edentured, namely, the patient has had all teeth pulled from the jawbone, and the jawbone has been given time to heal since the teeth were pulled. If the patient decides to proceed with dental implants and the placement of a superstructure for solidly securing dentures over the gum, a period of about 1 month is provided for from the time of pulling any remaining teeth from the jawbone before proceeding with the operation of inserting implants into the jawbone. A medical image of the jawbone and tissue structure is obtained by using x-ray imaging, MRI or possibly nuclear imaging techniques to produce a three-dimensional computer graphics model which has a reference to the gum surface or some other fixed reference with respect to the patient's jawbone. Preferably, a radiographic scanner guide is used which is molded to conform to the shape of the patient's gums and which includes radio-opaque spheres whose positions with respect to the gum surface is known. The primary advantage of the invention is that the oral surgeon may select the optimum position for dental implants using the three-dimensional computer graphics model of the jawbone and tissue structure. Selection of the drill hole positions using the computer graphics model is transferred to a CNC device for the purposes of providing fixed drill guide sockets in the template body for each one of the drill hole positions or position selected using the computer graphics model. While the model is three-dimensional, it may be convenient for the purposes of selecting the drill hole axis to use a two-dimensional representation of the jawbone and tissue structure, the two-dimensional view being displayed with a user controlled slice angle. Preferably, the dental surgeon will select the position for each implant drill hole, not only to position the implant in the optimum location within the jawbone, but also to result in a position of support which is suitable for supporting the dentures. Therefore, it is preferred to display, in addition to the three-dimensional computer graphics model of the jawbone and tissue structure, the patient's dentures in the proper spatial relationship with respect to the jawbone and tissue structure. This requires imaging the patient's dentures or teeth, and possibly gum structure, in addition to the jawbone and tissue structure, in such a way that all images are referenced with respect to one another to be integrated into the same three-dimensional computer graphics model. While it would be possible to prepare the drill template body and provide it with the drill guide sockets using the CNC device, the drill template body is preferably molded on a physical model of the gum surface into which model the CNC device has previously drilled the desired implant drill holes. The drill holes in the physical model are used to build a mold for the drill guide sockets. This prevents the need to use the CNC device to produce fine details except for the precision drilling of the drill holes. Imaging of the dentures or teeth to be placed over the gum surface and the imaging of the gum surface can be carried out by using laser camera imaging techniques known in the art. These images are preferably obtained using a physical model of the patient's gum surface, and the physical model is imaged in such a way that the images can be referenced accurately to the jawbone and tissue structure images. According to one method of manufacturing the dental implant superstructure, the actual dental implant position data is obtained by taking an imprint using transfers connected to the implants. Preferably, the imprint is taken using the same drill guide with the sockets of the drill guide being large enough to receive the transfers and surrounding imprint material. Preferably, the positions and orientations of the transfers are physically measured along with a reference to the drill guide which will permit the relative positions of the implants to be known with a reference to a standard frame of reference. Using the standard frame of reference, it is possible to generate a computer graphics model of the gum surface, dentures or teeth and dental implants which allows the dental surgeon or technician to select the best shape for the overlying bridge of the superstructure. According to a further general aspect of the present invention, the implant drill hole positions selected using the computer graphics model can also be used to make the superstructure. By so using the planned implant positions, instead of taking an imprint of the implants inserted in the patient's jawbone to precisely determine their actual locations in relation to the jawbone, the superstructure can be made prior to the surgical operation, i.e. prior to the insertion of the implants into the patient's jawbone. This advantageously provides for the installation of the implants and the superstructure in a single surgical operation. This novel approach of creating a superstructure on the basis of the virtual positions of the dental implants selected using the three-dimensional computer graphic model of the jawbone and the dental prosthesis has the following advantages for the surgeon: no need for taking imprints of the implants to determine their positions in the jawbone; no need for a second surgical procedure to expose the head of the implants; improved stability of the implants, as they are immediately interconnected to each other by the superstructure; improved protection of the implants, since they are better stabilized; less sessions with a patient, thus, higher profitability; and the following advantages for the patient: only one operation and, thus, less traumatism; accelerated healing because of the protection afforded by the superstructure; In the case of a fixed dental prosthesis which is implant mounted (i.e. porcelain on metal), the ideal form of the superstructure can be automatically designed using the computer model taking into consideration the form of the laser camera imaged teeth and by subtracting a thickness of porcelain which the technician requires to recreate the shape of the imaged teeth. In the case of a dental prosthesis supported by a superstructure (overdenture), the shape of the superstructure can be automatically determined by taking into account the external shape of the prosthesis and by circulating the superstructure inside the prosthesis, making sure that the necessary thickness of prosthesis material (e.g. acrylic) will be available all around in order to provide a adequately strong prosthesis. When precision forming the superstructure, it is possible to use various techniques. In one embodiment, the entire superstructure is cut using a CNC milling machine programmed to cut according to the shape data specified using the computer model. | 20040924 | 20080219 | 20050217 | 69815.0 | 5 | LEWIS, RALPH A | MANUFACTURING A DENTAL IMPLANT DRILL GUIDE AND A DENTAL IMPLANT SUPERSTRUCTURE | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,948,501 | ACCEPTED | Wireless video surveillance system and method with two-way locking of input capture devices | A method for locking communication between at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) and/or another ICD, including the steps of providing base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via user interface either directly or remotely; the DIR and/or ICD searching for signal from the ICD(s) and establishing communication with them; and locking the ICDs to send wireless data exclusively to that DIR and/or ICD; and/or the DIR and/or ICD locking itself for exclusive communication with the locked ICDs, thereby providing a secure surveillance system for a target environment. | 1. A method for locking communication between at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) or another ICD forming a base system, comprising the steps of: providing the base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via a user interface either directly or remotely; the DIR searching for signal from the ICD(s) and establishing communication with them; and locking communication between the ICD(s) and DIR, thereby providing a secure surveillance system for a target environment. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of locking communication between the ICD(s) and DIR further comprises the step of the DIR locking the ICDs to send wireless data exclusively to that DIR. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of locking communication between the ICD(s) and DIR further comprises the DIR locking itself for exclusive communication with the ICDs. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of locking communication between the ICD(s) and DIR further comprises the DIR locking itself for exclusive communication with the ICDs. 5. The method of claim 1, further including the step of the user renaming the ICD(s). 6. The method of claim 1, further including the step of the ICD(s) sending a still image to the DIR for display to the user for confirmation of the identity of the ICD(s). 7. The method of claim 1, further including the step of the DIR and ICD(s) optimizing the wireless signal to the DIR to ensure the greatest information throughput between the ICD(s) and the DIR. 8. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of: the DIR instructing the ICD(s) to initiate encryption of the data stream according to an encryption method; and the ICD(s) encrypting the data stream. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the encryption method is selected from the group consisting of digital signing, stream cipher encryption, block cipher encryption, public key encryption, and combinations thereof. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the encryption method is selected from the group consisting of WAP, 802.11i, AES, SSL and combinations thereof. 11. The method of claim 1, further including the step of the DIR indicating the lock status. 12. The method of claim 11, further including the step of displaying the lock status via a lock indicator. 13. The method of claim 1, further including the step of the DIR sending a lock status signal to an entity outside the present system. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the entity outside the present system is selected from the group consisting of controller/server, alarm system, security software, and combinations thereof. 15. The method of claim 1, further including the step of the DIR refusing signals from new ICD(s) that are not locked to the DIR. 16. The method of claim 1, further including the step of the DIR accepting signals from new ICD(s) not locked to the DIR. 17. The method of claim 1, further including the step of the user instructing the DIR to search for new ICD(s). 18. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of: the user instructing the DIR to removing ICD(s) from the system; and the DIR removing the device. 19. A method for locking communication between at least one wireless digital input capture device (ICD(s)) and a corresponding wireless digital input recorder (DIR) forming a wireless surveillance system comprising the steps of: a) providing the wireless surveillance system having at least one ICD constructed and configured for wireless digital communication with a corresponding wireless DIR, wherein the DIR has a memory and a data processor for running software is operable for transmitting instructions to and receiving and recording data inputs from the ICD(s); b) at least one user interfacing with the DIR and establishing or adjusting settings; c) the DIR searching for signal from at least one selected ICD; d) the DIR establishing communication with the selected ICD(s); e) the DIR creating a named representation of each of the selected ICD(s) identified; f) the DIR validating the device approval status for communication with each selected ICD; g) the DIR locking the selected ICD(s) to only send wireless data to the DIR; h) the DIR confirming detection of signals from the ICD(s); i) the DIR confirming the establishment of communication with each detected capture device; j) the DIR locking itself to communicate exclusively with the found devices; thereby providing a method for secure communication in the surveillance system between at least one ICD and corresponding DIR. 20. The method of claim 19, further including the step of the user renaming the ICD(s). 21. The method of claim 19, further including the step of the ICD(s) sending a still image to the DIR for display to the user for confirmation of the identity of the ICD(s). 22. The method of claim 19, further including the step of the DIR and ICD(s) optimizing the wireless signal to the DIR to ensure the greatest information throughput between the ICD(s) and the DIR. 23. The method of claim 19, further including the steps of: the DIR instructing the ICD(s) to initiate encryption of the data stream according to an encryption method; and the ICD(s) encrypting the data stream. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the encryption method is selected from the group consisting of digital signing, stream cipher encryption, block cipher encryption, public key encryption, and combinations thereof. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the encryption method is selected from the group consisting of WAP, 802.11i, AES, SSL and combinations thereof. 26. The method of claim 19, further including the step of the DIR indicating the lock status. 27. The method of claim 26, further including the step of displaying the lock status via a lock indicator. 28. The method of claim 19, further including the step of the DIR sending a lock status signal to an entity outside the present system. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the entity outside the present system is selected from the group consisting of controller/server, alarm system, security software, and combinations thereof. 30. The method of claim 19, further including the step of the DIR refusing signals from new ICD(s) that are not locked to the DIR. 31. The method of claim 19, further including the step of the DIR accepting signals from new ICD(s) not locked to the DIR. 32. The method of claim 19, further including the step of the user instructing the DIR to search for new ICD(s). 33. The method of claim 19, further including the steps of: the user instructing the DIR to removing ICD(s) from the system; and the DIR removing the device. 34. A method for locking communication between at least two wireless input capture device ICD(s) capable of wireless cross-communication, the ICDs forming a base system, comprising the steps of: providing the base system; at least one user accessing the at least one ICD via a user interface; the ICD(s) and establishing communication with each other; and locking the communication between the ICD(s), thereby providing a secure wireless surveillance system for a target environment. 35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the base system further includes a wireless digital input recorder (DIR) operable for wireless communication with the ICDs. 36. The method according to claim 34, wherein the user is capable of accessing the ICDs via a user interface either directly or remotely; 37. A surveillance system for wireless communication between components comprising: a base system including at least two wireless input capture devices (ICDs), the ICDs having at least one sensor and at least one input component for detecting and recording inputs, a processor, a memory, a transmitter/receiver, all constructed and configured in electronic connection; wherein the ICDs are operable for wireless cross-communication with each other, and wherein the ICDs are further operable for locking communication with each other for providing a secure surveillance system for a target environment. 38. The system according to claim 37, wherein the cross-communication of ICDs includes data exchange, wherein the data exchange includes information about the surveillance environment, settings, inputs, and combinations thereof. 39. The system according to claim 37, wherein the cross-communication of ICDs provides for extension of the useful range of the wireless surveillance system. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to surveillance technology and equipment and, more particularly, to a wireless video surveillance system and methods associated therewith. (2) Background of the Invention While video surveillance systems have existed in the prior art, typically they are wired devices that are difficult, time-consuming, and costly to install and operate. Also, generally, they do not provide for wireless systems that are secure from wireless interception or Internet enabled interception and permit remote user access for viewing, reviewing stored information, and controlling the system's components, in particular via Internet connection to a remote controller computer or cellular phone or other Internet connected device. Thus, there remains a need in the art for a wireless surveillance system and methods of operating same, providing simple setup and controls for high quality input capture by surveillance input capture devices (ICD), including but not limited to video inputs, and digital input recorder device(s) (DIR) associated with the ICDs, the DIRs data transfer, storage, and control, including systems and methods providing for remote viewing and controls of the ICDs and DIRs via a remote server computer (RSC) and/or Internet access through the RSC. Examples of prior art may include: U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20040136388 published Jul. 15, 2004, for Schaff, for Video-monitor/recording/playback system, describes a stand-alone video recording, playback and Monitoring system. It has network switches, non-volatile storage devices, IP cameras, video servers, and NTSC cameras. The system uses communication channels that are WAN/LAN based and can be hard-wired or wireless. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20020186180 published Dec. 12, 2002, for Duda, William, for Hands free solar powered cap/visor integrated wireless multi-media apparatus, describes an apparatus whereby the functional electronics components of popular consumer communications and entertainment products can be repackaged in a molded plastic module that would be mounted underneath and follow the contour of the visor of a head wearable cap/visor providing the user with a hands free, continuous power, virtually invisible multi-media capability. The module would feature, a drop down visual display, drop down camera lens for low resolution digital photography, rechargeable battery, stereo speakers and earphones, a microphone and microphone boom, manual push button controls and LED indicator lights, input/output jacks, and an interactive voice capability. A flexible solar cell and antenna would be mounted on the upper surface of the head wearable cap/visor providing the wireless link and continuous power to the electronics module. All components would be secured to the head wearable cap visor via two active pins that protrude from the upper surface of the electronic module, pierce the visor, and mate up with the solar cell and antenna on the upper surface of the visor. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20020026636 published Feb. 28, 2002, for LeComte, for Video interfacing and distribution system and method for delivering video programs, describes a video interfacing arrangement for connecting at least one display device to at least one video source composed of a module including a dedicated and programmed digital processing unit adapted to decode and descramble video flow according to a preloaded decoding or descrambling program, in order to display, in real time or delayed in time, to store, to record and/or to send over a telecommunication network, and on at least one screen interface, at least one storage or recording interface, a local or wide area network connecting interface and a user communication and controlling interface, the interfaces being linked to and driven by the processing unit and preferably mounted in or on the module. The invention also concerns a distribution system and a method for transferring encoded video programs and sequences over a wide area network. U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,742 issued Jan. 1, 2002, to Takemoto, for Apparatus for file management and manipulation using graphical displays and textual descriptions, describes a processor-based display processing apparatus, method and user interface allows for easy understanding of the contents of respective files by present a portion of the respective files as a graphics image along with other associated attributes of the respective files. A computer readable recording medium with a program recorded therein is provided for enabling a computer to function as the apparatus and perform the method. In the display processing apparatus, when an operator selects a folder from a folder display area on a browser screen, a processor controls the selected folder to be identified and displayed, and graphics images of image files contained in the selected folder are displayed in a predetermined display area. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20040008255 published Jan. 15, 2004, for Lewellen, for Vehicle video system and method, describes a vehicle video system includes a small camera in the passenger area that uses illumination in the non-visible spectrum to illuminate the passenger area. The vehicle video system records video information on a digital video recorder that uses digital media such as a hard disk drive, recordable CD (CD-R), rewritable CD (CR-RW), or writable Digital Video Disc (DVD). The vehicle video system includes a local wireless interface, such as a Bluetooth-compatible interface, that automatically connects to a compatible device in the parking area of the vehicle that is coupled to a database. In this manner, the digital video information collected by the vehicle video system is automatically transferred to the database when the vehicle is parked, removing the need for any human intervention for the logging and cataloging of video tapes. The local wireless interface of the vehicle video system also allows other devices, such as a handheld device or a vehicle video system in a different vehicle, to access the stored digital video information. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20040165546 published Aug. 26, 2004, for Roskind, for Time based wireless access provisioning, describes a method and apparatus for the time-based provisioning of wireless devices. A network access point monitors operation of wireless devices within a service region. When provisioning logic is activated at the network access point, the access point determines if the tracked parameter (such as power on or the onset of signal transmission) of the wireless device occurs within a designated time interval from the time of the provisioning activation. If the tracked device qualifies, the network access point proceeds with provisioning the device. In one system embodiment, the network access point tracks the power on time of wireless devices. When a wireless device to be authorized is powered on, the provisioning logic at the network access point notes the power on time. The user then activates the provisioning access at the network access point, and the network access point provisions the wireless device if it is recently powered on. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20030188320 published Oct. 2, 2003, for Shing, for Method and system for a distributed digital video recorder, describes a system and method, for remote display and control of an audio/video data stream from a capture device, e.g., a TV capture card, audio/visual capture card or digital camera capture card in a PC. In an exemplary embodiment there are some components of a software DVR player executing on at least one client device and other components on at least one server device. Users can view and/or control the audio/video data from a server device, having a capture device, on client devices located anywhere as long as they are connected to the server through a network. In addition, a server device with a capture device can support display of the video data at multiple client devices at the same time. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20020188955 published Dec. 12, 2002, for Thompson et al., for Digital video recording and playback system for television, describes a system and apparatus for digitally recording and playing back videos from either an Internet website or a TV broadcast or cablecast is disclosed herein. The system comprises a set-top box, along with the necessary cables and remote control units, that connects between a television set and an Internet hook-up and allows a viewer to digitally record TV shows and/or download video from the Internet and store said video on the set-top box's hard drive for later viewing (using video encoding technology). In addition to the recording and playback capabilities, the disclosed system allows the viewer to pause, rewind, slo-mo, and instant replay live television without videotapes or VCR programming. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20040168194 published Aug. 26, 2004 , for Hughes, for Internet tactical alarm communication system, describes an Internet tactical alarm communication (ITAC) system includes at least one sensor, at least one video camera, and an ITAC computer delivery unit, wherein the at least one sensor, the at least one video camera, and the ITAC computer delivery unit are communicatively interconnected, and the ITAC system provides real-time data regarding a particular condition. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20020100052 published Jul. 25, 2002, for Daniels, for Methods for enabling near video-on-demand and video-on-request services using digital video recorders, describes a near video-on-demand (VOD) service enabled using a digital video recorder (DVR) for the simultaneous storage and playback of multimedia data. A DVR is connected over a network to a multimedia network source. A VOD selection is requested by the DVR from the network source. A multimedia data signal is received by the DVR from the network source. The data signal contains the requested VOD selection. A first received portion of the received data signal is stored on the DVR. The first received segment is played by the DVR for display on a display device. Simultaneously during the playing of the first received segment, a second received segment of the received data signal is received from the network source and stored on the DVR while the first received segment is played the display device. Thus, the requested VOD selection begins playing on the display device prior to the reception of the entire compressed multimedia data signal so that a requested VOD selection can begin being displayed nearly instantaneously after the request for it is made. A video-on-request (VOR) service is also enabled using a DVR. VOR selection data is received by a centralized database device, such as a network server, from a plurality of users. Each VOR selection data includes at least one requested video selection and video recorder identifying information for identifying each particular video recorder. A transmission priority of requested video selections is determined dependent on the frequency of requests sup.1received from the plurality of users. A transmission channel and time is determined based on the transmission priority. DVR control signals are transmitted to automatically tune in the determined transmission channel at the determined transmission time and record the particular video selection. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a wireless surveillance system and methods of operating same, providing simple setup and controls for high quality input capture by surveillance input capture devices (ICD), including but not limited to video inputs, and digital input recorder device(s) (DIR) associated with the ICDs, the DIRs data transfer, storage, and control, more particularly, the present invention is directed toward a method for controlling communication between ICD(s) and corresponding DIR. The present invention is further directed toward systems and methods providing for remote viewing and controls of the ICDs and DIRs via a remote server computer (RSC) and/or Internet access through the RSC, the systems and methods having controllable communication between the ICD(s) and corresponding DIR. In a preferred embodiment, there is at least one ICD associated with a corresponding DIR for providing a system for capturing inputs of a target environment via the at least one ICD and transferring those inputs via two-way controllable wireless communication with the DIR for electronic, digital storage and remote access thereof. In another preferred embodiment, the system further includes an RSC, which is directly or Internet-remotely accessed by at least one authorized user of the system, when control settings permit. Such controllable remote access includes user viewing of captured inputs of the target environment, including live and/or historical/recorded data, storing, editing, retrieving or otherwise reviewing said inputs, and controlling the system settings and activities, and combinations thereof. The present invention is further directed to a method for installing and operating the system and various embodiments and combinations thereof. Thus, the present invention provides systems and methods for wireless surveillance of predetermined environments, in particular with remote access and controls of the system components. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for surveillance of a predetermined environment having at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) for receiving, storing, editing, and/or retrieving stored input from the at least one ICD and controlling the ICD via wireless, remote communication therewith. Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for surveillance of a predetermined environment having at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) for receiving, storing, editing, and/or retrieving stored input from the at least one ICD and controlling the ICD, and a remote server computer (RSC) for providing at least one authorized user remote, wireless access to the at least one ICD and DIR, where the ICD, DIR, and RSC are in wireless digital communication with each other and where the RSC may be accessed directly by the user or through the Internet. Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide methods of using the system embodiments set forth herein, such as a method for locking communication between at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR), including the steps of providing base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via user interface either directly or remotely; the DIR searching for signal from the ICD(s) and establishing communication with them; and locking the ICDs to send wireless data exclusively to that DVR; and/or the DVR locking itself for exclusive communication with the locked ICDs, thereby providing a secure surveillance system for a target environment. These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the following description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment constructed according to the present invention, showing an input capture device and a digital input recorder juxtapositioned each other. FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a back view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 shows a back, side, and front view of the input capture device component of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a schematic showing the interconnection of remote units of the system. FIG. 8 is a user interface view of inputs to the system viewable by a user. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views. Also in the following description, it is to be understood that such terms as “forward,” “rearward,” “front,” “back,” “right,” “left,” “upwardly,” “downwardly,” and the like are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms. Referring now to the drawings in general, the illustrations are for the purpose of describing a preferred embodiment of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention thereto. As best seen in FIG. 1, the two base elements of a system constructed according to the present invention are shown side-by-side, including a wireless input capture device and a corresponding digital input recorder. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment constructed according to the present invention, showing an input capture device (“ICD”), generally referred to as 30, and a digital input recorder (“DIR”), generally referred to as 10, juxtapositioned. The DIR 10 has a plastic case 11 with a metal plate 12 affixed thereto and a removable tilt adjustable base 13 removably attached to the bottom of the DIR. Antennas 14, near the top of the DIR provide wireless communication for the present invention. A green power led and button 15 is near the top of the DIR. The button 15 can turn on the motion detection and/or record all functions of the present invention. The status indicator LEDS 26 are placed on the front of the DIR and can illuminate either red or green. Similarly, the ICD 30 has a plastic case 31 with a metal plate 32 affixed thereto and a removable tilt adjustable base 33 removably attached to the bottom of the ICD. Antennas 34, near the top of the ICD provide wireless communication for the present invention. A power/motion detection LED 35 is positioned near the bottom of the front of the ICD and can illuminate either red or green. A microphone 36 is also positioned on the front of the ICD to detect sound. The camera lens 37 is positioned near the top front of the ICD. FIG. 2 shows a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing an ICD 30 and a DIR 10 juxtapositioned. FIG. 3 shows a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing an ICD 30 and a DIR 10 juxtapositioned. FIG. 4 shows a back view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing an ICD 30 and a DIR 10 juxtapositioned. The ICD 30 has air vents 41 to facilitate cooling of the device. FIG. 4 also illustrates the various ports that are available on the two devices. The ICD 30 has the following ports: RJ-45 42; Alarm I/O Out 43; Microphone In 44; RCA Video Out 45; and DC In 46. Similarly, the DIR 10 has air vents 21 to facilitate cooling. Some of the ports may differ between the ICD and DIR. The DIR 10 has the following ports: RJ-45 22; Alarm I/O Out 23; Audio Out 24; RCA Video Out 25; DC In 26; and USB 27. FIG. 5 shows a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing an ICD 30 and a DIR 10 juxtapositioned. This demonstrates the possible footprints of the devices. FIG. 6 shows a back, side, and front view of an alternative embodiment of the ICD 30 component of FIG. 1. The ICD 30 is similar to that previously described except the air vents 41 have been removed and the antennas 34 have been positioned to the back of the ICD. Additionally, FIG. 6 illustrates the ICD with the removable tilt adjustable base 33 removed. FIG. 7 shows a schematic showing the interconnection of remote units of the system. FIG. 8 shows a user interface view of inputs to the system viewable by a user. The wireless surveillance system according to the present invention includes at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) for sensing, capturing and transmitting surveillance inputs from a predetermined input capture location, and a digital input recorder device (DIR) for receiving the surveillance inputs from the at least one wireless ICD and storing those inputs, which are capable of being reviewed by a system user on a controller/server computer, wherein the server computer is optionally used for communication with the ICDs and DIRs. In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least one ICD and corresponding DIR device are used to form the system without requiring a separate server computer. The DIR itself has full capabilities when arranged for communication wirelessly with ICDs for recording and controlling inputs to the system, as well as settings for each of the at least one ICD, including activation of each. Input Capture Device(s) (ICDs) On the front end of the system, the at least one wireless ICD further includes a power source, a power converter; soft power down component which provides for a gentle power down so that ICD settings are preserved and not lost. Preferably, while the ICD is wireless, it further includes an optional network connection at a back side of the ICD also, so it can be hardwired into a network. The ICD also includes at least one sensor and at least one input component for detecting and recording inputs, a processor, a memory, a transmitter/receiver, and optionally, at least indicator light for indicating camera activities, all constructed and configured in electronic connection. By way of example and not limitation, the at least one input component may include a microphone, and/or a camera. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one wireless ICD includes two antennas for providing a wireless signal for receiving and/or transmitting data with the DIR device or another ICD(s). The ICDs are operable for cross-communication with each other, including data exchange, wherein the data exchange includes information about the surveillance environment, settings, inputs, and combinations thereof. The at least one wireless ICD further includes a housing having a removable casing around the lens to make lens adjustments or settings; ICD adjustments and settings are preferably optional, and are not usually required in preferred embodiments of the present invention, as the DIR device automatically establishes and controls the ICD settings and activities for each of the at least one wireless ICDs associated with the particular DIR device. For the preferred embodiments where the ICD includes a digital video camera (DVC) having a lens and corresponding camera components, the camera further includes a computer chip providing for capabilities of performing video compression within the ICD itself. The ICD as a wireless digital video camera is capable of capturing video within its range within the surveillance environment and compressing the captured video into a data stream, the capture occurring at predetermined dates and times, during activity detection, and/or on command from the wireless DIR associated therewith. In the case of video, the images are adjustable to capture at different sizes, different frame rates, and/or to include the display of the name of the device (determined by the user and/or the system), the date, the time, and combinations thereof. The ICD including a DVC is capable of capturing images that are combinable and/or integratable with the video data stream and/or compressible into an individual image data stream, all at predetermined dates and times, when activity such as motion or audio are detected, on command from the wireless DVR, and combinations thereof. As with video capture, image capture is adjustable to capture at different sizes, different frame rates, and/or to include the display of the name of the device (determined by the user and/or the system), the date, the time, and combinations thereof. A data stream of images is transmittable wirelessly to the wireless DVR. Similarly, where the at least one ICD has audio capabilities, the captured audio, which is combinable and/or integratable with other inputs captured by the ICD sensors, is compressible into an individual audio data stream, which is transmittable wirelessly to the DIR. The activity of audio ICD is activatable at predetermined dates and times, during activity detection, and/or on command from the wireless DIR associated therewith. The audio ICD is further adjustable to capture audio at different or variable rates. Preferably, since the ICD generates heat during operation, the ICD housing includes a cooling system having a vent and a low noise cooling fan. Since the video components of ICDs generate heat that must be dissipated for optimal performance of the system, preferred embodiments of the present invention include housing units with components that operate at lower temperatures, i.e., which generate less heat during operation, and include housing units formed of materials that dissipate heat well, and may include a combination of materials, such as metals and synthetic plastics or composites. While ICDs are preferably used for indoor applications, waterproofing and weather proofing housing units and other components for sealing the housing against water and weather are used for outdoor applications of the present invention. By way of example, sealed or gasketed casing, weatherproof venting and fan components to prevent water blowing into or being sucked into the case, are used for outdoor ICD units. Other components optional to the housing unit but preferred for ease of use of the system include a removable filter collar on a front end of the camera lens, which facilitates user access for changing the filter and/or to provide a different filter, such as a polarization filter or a specialty filter, for example, to reduce light input or camera aperture. The ICDs of the present invention are capable of detecting motion, capturing video, detecting and/or capturing audio, providing at least one data stream capability, including video, compressed video, audio, and combinations thereof. The at least one ICD is capable of capturing video, which is compressible into a data stream, and transmittable wirelessly to the DIR device, with the ICD audio data or other input data, such as temperature, humidity, chemical presence, radiation, and other input data, depending upon the sensors and intake means of each ICD, being combinable and/or integratable with the video data stream. Thus, while the ICDs each include at least one sensor for detection and at least one capture input means, preferably each of the ICDs include at least two sensors and input means for image and/or video, and audio capture. In a preferred embodiment, at least two sensor types are used, audio and image or video sensors. The at least one indicator is included with the ICD to indicate that the power is “on”, and to indicate that motion and/or audio being detected. The indicator is activatable when motion and/or audio is detected in a predetermined area and/or in a predetermined amount within the environment. Each of the at least one ICDs is constructed for configuration that is capable of wireless communication (2-way) with the corresponding DIR device and/or any other ICD(s), which when configured provide a system for wireless electronic surveillance of an environment. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ICDs are provided with multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless capability. Other wireless communication may be provided instead of MIMO. Night vision for ICD video input capture may be provided using an infrared (IR) light source, so that the video recorded may be effective in low- to no-light conditions. Image or video input capture may be provided in a range of resolution, in black/white, in color, and sized based upon inputs from the DIR device and/or controller/server computer by an authorized user of the system, and are modifiable after setup of the system by modifying controls remotely, and/or by modifying hardware. The ICD further includes at least one chip that makes the device an intelligent appliance, permitting functions to be performed by the ICD itself without requiring software installation or the DIR, including but not limited to sensor and input controls, such as camera digital zoom, pan left and right, tilt up and down; image or video brightness, contrast, saturation, resolution, size, motion and audio detection settings, recording settings, communication with other ICDs; and single chip video compression (single DSP). The ICD also includes a sensor with ability for high dynamic range for inputs. Preferred embodiments of a system according to the present invention includes video technology commercially provided by PIXIM, such as set forth under U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,791,611; 6,788,237; 6,778,212; 6,765,619; 6,737,626; 6,726,103; 6,693,575; 6,680,748; 6,665,012; 6,552,746; 6,545,258; 6,542,189; 6,518,909; 6,507,083; 6,498,576; 6,498,336; 6,452,152; 6,380,880; and 6,310,571. The ICD further includes a stand to support the device; the stand may be included with, integral with, or attached to the housing. The stand is constructed and configured to be mountable to a wall, suspend from ceiling, and provide a variety of stable positions for the ICD to capture as much data from a given environment as appropriate, given the space, conditions, and input capture type desired. Importantly, the stand serves as a stable base to tilt the ICD for camera direction up and down, and/or side to side. The stand is movable between positions but retains a fixed position by a predetermined friction to ensure so that the ICD stays in place wherever the positioning was last stopped. The base and stand of the ICD is constructed such that it does not require mounting to a surface to provide stability. The adjustability and mobility of the device are significant features of the present invention to ensure optimal surveillance and easy setup. Furthermore, the stand is weight balanced for good center of gravity to support the adjustment on the stand for stability on the entire range of motion for the ICD on its stand; since motion of the ICD is adjustable and provides for dynamic range of motion when the ICD is in use, the stand construction enables remote modification of settings without requiring the user of the system to readjust or optimize the ICD positioning in person. The ICD preferably is constructed and configured for a range of coverage, which can vary depending upon the conditions and limitations of a particular target environment. In a preferred embodiment of the system, the ICD has a range of coverage with a target range of at least up to 250 ft. The ICDs are capable of having a range of up to 300 meters, with an active wireless range from 1-1000 ft linear feet indoors. Advantageously, the ICD can be configured and activated quickly for quick start up of a surveillance system in the target environment. Additionally, the ICDs have the ability to communicate with one another to act as a data repeater and extend the usable wireless range to 3,000 meters and more. Significantly, no adjustments to camera settings, such as focus and focal length, are required after camera installation; ICD settings are preadjusted and further controllable remotely by the DIR and/or RSC and/or other ICD(s). By contrast, in the prior art, adjustments are usually always required for surveillance cameras following installation. Preprogrammed settings may be provided, with automatic and remote adjustment capabilities. Where the ICD is a video camera, the settings may include focus, resolution, etc. Each of the at least one ICD is constructed to optimally reduce heat from particular heat-generating components. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ICD includes a plastic case with metal sides to reduce heat while the system is running. Also, a back plate of the ICD or camera is all metal to increase heat dissipation, and to optimize weight and heat management, which important where there is a lot of power involved, as with wireless video input devices. Also, significantly, the ICDs and/or DIR devices are constructed with a separate chamber for imaging components to reduce heat. It is known that heat is not good for imaging sensors or equipment; however, cooling fans can generate noise, which is preferably minimized with security systems and components therein. The camera is configured to communicate with an imaging board with a flexible electronics communication cable, which permits the camera to have a separate chamber for optimized heat reduction. This is a problem specific to wireless cameras that has not been successfully addressed in the prior art. The ICD also includes at least one and preferably two antenna that are removable, including standard antennae, which may be substituted for a patch antenna and/or a long range antenna. The inputs captured by ICDs are provided to the DIR for which output for RCA viewing is available, such as connecting a monitor with a user interface for remote viewing of video from video cameras. In this case the setup easier because the remote user can see what the camera views from the monitor, which is removably connectable to the system. The ICD and DIR also have an optional network connection at the back side, so the devices can be hardwired into the network, if appropriate; however, wireless connections are preferred. Additionally, the ICDs have inputs, such as video and microphone, and at least one indicator light. In the case of a wireless video camera, the housing includes an easily removable casing around the lens to make lens adjustments or settings, which optional, and not usually required. Additionally, the ICDs have the ability to communicate with one another to exchange data about the environment and all control settings and other settings of any other ICDs. Digital Input Recorder Device (DIR device) The wireless DIR device communicates directly with the at least one ICD, and, in embodiments where the controller/server is included in the system, the DIR device also communicates with the controller server to send data streams to the server and receive data or instruction from the controller/server to control its properties. In the case of a video camera for at least one ICD, the DIR may also be referred to as a digital video recorder device (DVR). Surprisingly, compared with prior art surveillance systems, the DIR device functions as an appliance, which permits a rapid setup of the system. Significantly, since the DIR device operates as an appliance, there is no software installation involved in the basic system setup. The preferred embodiments of the present invention including at least one ICD and a corresponding DIR device permit for setup and recordation of inputs to the system from the observation or surveillance environment with one click activation by the user/installer, generally in less than ten minutes from start to finish. Such rapid setup, including installation and activation to recording of the system, is not possible with prior art systems, given their complex components, interactivity via transmission lines, and/or software installations, which typically require an expert or trained specialist to ensure proper setup, installation, activation, and testing of the system prior to ongoing operation. By sharp contrast, the preferred embodiments of the present invention provide for one click activation for receiving and recording inputs to the at least one wireless ICD, i.e., for activating the ICD capability to record designated dates and times, when a surveillance event, a motion event or an audio event is detected by at least one of the at least one ICDs in the system, immediately after the rapid setup is complete. Furthermore, the system provides for rapid settings adjustment, including settings for sensitivity of ICD motion and audio detection; preferably, the settings adjustment is made by the user through the DIR device. The user simply sets a surveillance area for observation and data capture by each ICD of the at least one wireless ICD; for video capture, using an ICD with a digital camera, the camera may be set to focus on a predetermined location within the area, such as a window, a door, and the like. While the settings are practically a function of the ICD itself, the DIR device, which is also wireless, functions to control the settings of each of the corresponding ICDs associated with that DIR device. Other functions performed by the DIR device include, but are not limited to printing, saving or storing recorded inputs from the ICDs, transferring data to a removable storage device, such as a USB storage key device. Also, a power supply and a soft power down function is provided, similar to the ICD soft power down, to preserve the settings of the DIR device in the event of power termination to the device. The DIR is capable of running software for managing input from the at least one wireless ICD associated with or corresponding to a particular DIR device after installation. With the software, the DIR is capable of intaking and managing up to 10 data streams simultaneously; allowing the user to control the ICD unit, including allowing the user to zoom, pan, and tilt the camera, as well as managing microphone sensitivity. Sensitivity controls for other ICD input means, such as heat or temperature, chemical substance presence, radiation detection, and the like may be controlled remotely from the wireless DIR device as well. Other DIR device control functions for controlling the ICDs include but are not limited to controlling brightness, contrast, color saturation, where images and video are involved. Other software-based functions capable of being performed by the DIR include sending text message, sending still image, sending email or other communication to a user on a remote communications device; usually, these functions are programmed to occur upon the occurrence of an event. DIR data recordation and storage overwrite may be based on settings that enable newer data to overwrite older data. Additionally, the DIR may be programmed to include overwrite protection to prevent overwriting of event video, audio, or other input data captured by the ICD and transmitted to the DIR device. Preferably, the DIR includes capabilities of data search and display, data archiving to external device, network, computer, server, and combinations thereof, data printing, data exporting, data deletion, data playback, and combinations thereof. Data playback includes play, fast forward, rewind or reverse, frame by frame step forward or backward, pause, and combinations thereof. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a DIR device running software that is capable of automatically upgrading its own software, which eliminates user maintenance, upgrading, or other activity to optimize system performance. The DIR's capabilities of adjusting settings and/or controls for the at least one ICDs includes any functions of the ICDs, including but not limited to zoom pan and tilt, color brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, frame rate, video and/or image size, audio rate, wireless control data, encryption and security data, set motion and/or audio detection area and/or levels, set recording, set triggers, record on command, and combinations thereof. The DIR is preferably capable of connecting directly to a computer or a computer network, more specifically connecting to a personal computer via a USB or similar connection and to a network using a network cable or similar connector, with the DIR interface being accessible after such connection through a user interface or a web browser, respectively; and capable of sending data and/or alert or warning to a cell phone or computer via a signal or message such as by voice or email. Also, the DIR is capable of performing a backup of the ICD inputs, including video, to a network, a personal computer (PC), computer readable medium (CRM) or other storage device. The DIR may be programmed to lock to predetermined ICDs having cameras, to maintain integrity of camera signal to DIR device. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the user interface of the ICD inputs on the DIR device include at least one visual cue on the video to tell whether video is being recorded, e.g., a red and/or green dot is shown on the image. Also, preferably, the DIR device has a front with indicator lights that match or correspond to these same visual cues. For quality checking purposes, similarities such as these provide ease of use for the system user to confirm system functionality upon inspection. The DIR device is programmable for wireless communication with input capture device, including both transmitting data, settings, controlling instructions and receiving input captured from the ICD, like images, video, audio, temperature, humidity, chemical presence, radiation, and the like. Thus, the DIR device is capable of receiving wireless data from the wireless input capture device(s), indicating which of the ICDs is active, recording data and storing data, searching through recorded data, transmitting data and instructions to the ICD, adjusting ICD settings and/or controls, communicating with the controller/server computer to send and/or receive data, and other functions, depending upon the specifications of the system setup, the environment under surveillance, and whether or not remote access is used via the controller/server computer and Internet. The DIR device's data recordation and storage capability permit inputs from a multiplicity of ICDs to be associated with each DIR device to be singularly received, recorded, stored, and researched by a remote user from the ICDs. The user can search historically recorded data by date, time, event type, or any other means of selecting a setting or event corresponding to the each or any of the ICDs and the environment under surveillance by the system. Each of the ICDs is capable of individualized settings control by a single DIR device; a multiplicity of DIR devices may be controlled and managed by the controller/server, either within a given surveillance environment or in different locations. Other components of the DIR device include, but are not limited to having a base that may be optionally adjustable for optimized mounting on a surface; having a long range MIMO wireless component; having a one-chip video compression component for resizing video data, recompressing it, and streaming it; having a USB port connectable to a computer, or for storage key, or removable hard drive for data storage; having an ethernet port to connect to a network; having RCA video output like the ICDs; having 2 or 3 USB ports for data output as well as for a USB based security key, having at least one antenna, preferably three antennae, which may be removable and replaceable; having a power control button on the housing; having a recessed reset button in the housing, accessible on the backside of the housing; having a low noise fan; having a hard drive for recording inputs; and/or having at least one, preferably a multiplicity of indicators, preferably light emitting diodes (LEDs), that are viewable by a user on the outside of the housing of the DIR device. By way of example, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the DIR device has ten LEDs on the front of the housing, each of which correspond to an individual ICD. Significantly, these indicators, in particular as LEDs, provide content dense visual information with a quick glance from the user. There are five modes that represent ICD status, illustrated for one embodiment in the following table, Table 1: LED INDICATOR CORRESPONDING STATUS Off ICD off Green ICD connected to DIR device Flashing Green DIR recording inputs from the ICD Flashing Red ICD detecting at least one event Red Error warning The error warning may be due to a variety of conditions, such as, by way of example and not limitation, lost connection between the ICD and DIR device, data loss, throughput reduction, etc. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each LED that represents an ICD has a light color and flash as described hereinabove, but also shows a number to indicate which camera has the activity and its corresponding section of the target environment, e.g., camera #1 shows the front entrance doorway view. The optional remote controller or server computer (RSC) runs software providing for remote access and control, and is separate from the wireless DIR. Users log in with a username and password from any Internet connected PC, web enabled cell phone, or other Internet enabled or network communicable device, to remotely access or review the wireless input or camera video and/or image(s). The user accesses the system through a user interface operating in connection with a web browser. The RSC communicates directly with the wireless DIR and enables users to remotely configure wireless DIR properties and the ICD properties, and, preferably to perform any of the functions that are directly performable for any DIR or ICD, such functions being set forth in the foregoing. The RSC may provide an electronic commerce function such as providing a user to pay for remote access service. The RSC provides an authorized user remote from the target surveillance environment the option of logging into the system, selecting any ICD for monitoring, e.g., select any camera input from any DIR, print, save, email image from the input, such as a video clip, and zoom, pan and tilt live video through the DIR, similar control and/or access activities, and combinations thereof. The RSC functions as a remote monitoring station like a personal computer and is capable of providing a user interface that is accessible through a web browser; the RSC is thus any Internet connectable device, including computer, PDA, cell phone, watch, any network accessible device, and the like, which provides access for at least one remote user. The at least one remote user is preferably a predetermined, authorized user. Users of the system are preferably authorized, whether access is direct or remote. Apart from direct access, authorization may also determine levels of access for each user. While all capabilities of the DIR and ICDs are controllable remotely, either by the DIR itself or by an Internet communicable device in communication with a server computer that communicates with the DIR(s), the number and type of devices may be limited based upon authorization level of a user. The RSC provides for user remote access to live and/or recorded audio and/or video for any camera on any DVR; furthermore, control functions permit this user(s) to adjust and to make changes to any DVR or ICD settings remotely. Also, off-line archiving is operable via the user selecting to remotely record to the RSC. DIR and ICD Communication Locking Methods In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for locking communication between at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) or other ICD(s), either one-way and/or two-way, is provided, including the steps of providing base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via user interface either directly or remotely; the DIR and/or ICD(s) searching for signal from the ICD(s) and establishing communication with them; and locking the ICDs to send wireless data exclusively to that DIR or ICD; and/or the DIR or ICD locking itself for exclusive communication with the locked ICDs, thereby providing a secure surveillance system for a target environment. Additional steps in a method for locking communication, one-way and/or two-way, between at least one ICD and a corresponding DIR or other ICD, according to another embodiment of the present invention, include locking communication in a wireless surveillance system including the steps of: a) providing wireless surveillance system having at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) constructed and configured for wireless digital communication with a corresponding wireless digital input recorder (DIR), wherein the DIR has a memory and a data processor for running software is operable for transmitting instructions to and receiving and recording data inputs from the ICD(s); b) at least one user interfacing with the DIR and establishing or adjusting settings; c) the DIR searching for signal from at least one selected ICD; d) the DIR establishing communication with the selected ICD(s); e) the DIR creating a named representation of each of the selected ICD(s) identified; f) the DIR validating the device approval status for communication with each selected ICD; g) the DIR locking the selected ICD(s) to only send wireless data to the DIR; h) the DIR confirming detection of signals from the ICD(s); i) the DIR confirming the establishment of communication with each detected capture device; j) the DIR locking itself to communicate exclusively with the found devices; thereby providing a method for secure communication in a surveillance system between at least one ICD and corresponding DIR. The method may further include the steps of: k) the user renaming the ICD(s); l) the ICD(s) sending a still image to the DIR for display to the user for confirmation of the identity of the ICD(s); m) the DIR and ICD(s) optimizing the wireless signal to the DIR to ensure the greatest information throughput between the ICD(s) and the DIR; n) the DIR instructing the ICD(s) to initiate encryption of the data stream according to an encryption method; o) the ICD(s) encrypting the data stream, wherein the encryption method is selected from the group consisting of digital signing, stream cipher encryption, block cipher encryption, public key encryption, and combinations thereof; or wherein the encryption method is selected from the group consisting of WAP, 802.11i, AES, SSL and combinations thereof; p) the DIR indicating the locked status; q) displaying the lock status via a lock indicator on the DIR and/or the ICD(s); r) the DIR sending a lock status signal to an entity outside the system, wherein the entity outside the present system is selected from the group consisting of controller/server, alarm system, security software, and combinations thereof; s) the DIR refusing signals from new ICD(s) that are not locked to the DIR; t) the DIR accepting signals from new ICD(s) not locked to the DIR; u) the user instructing the DIR to search for new ICD(s); v) the user instructing the DIR to removing ICD(s) from communication with the system; w) the DVR removing selected ICD(s) from communication with the system; wherein the foregoing steps are operable individually and selectively in combination with each other, as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art. DIR Activation and ICD Searching The ICD two-way locking function is activated when at least one user accesses the DIR software by either launching the software directly or launching the DIR device or by clicking on an activation or start button for triggering activity steps within the software and hardware system to lock communication between predetermined DIRs and their corresponding selected ICDs. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the at least one ICD includes a wireless digital camera and the corresponding DIR is a DVR; however, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the two-way locking functionality applies to a range of ICDs and corresponding DIRs, with or without video capabilities in each case. When any of these events occur, the DVR initiates checking for signals from prior configured capture devices. If the DVR starts without any prior configured capture devices, then the DVR automatically begins searching for wireless signals from capture devices. If the DVR starts with prior configured capture devices and the user wants to add additional devices, the user clicks on a search button, and the DVR begins searching for wireless signals from capture devices not already configured and communicating with the DVR. Communication In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the DVR is operable to identify signal(s) from the at least one ICD corresponding thereto, and the DVR automatically establishes communication with the identified capture device and creates a named representation 220, such as an icon or image with a name that represents the active ICD. Also, the DVR is operable to create a named representation for each of the corresponding ICDs associated with that DVR that are identified but not in active communication with the DVR at that time. The non-communication status of these devices is denoted in the representation, for example by at least one indicator having at least one status, as set forth in the foregoing (see, e.g., Table 1). Then, the wireless digital video camera as ICD is operable to send a still image to the DVR interface for the user to confirm identity of the ICD sending the image. The user may rename the ICD at that time or at a subsequent time. Importantly, no additional user steps are required to establish the monitoring set-up. Camera Validation/Communication Optimization The DVR is further operable to validate the device approval status for communication with the specific DVR and optimizes the wireless signal to the DVR to ensure the greatest information throughput. Camera Locking/Security Establishment Preferably, security functionality is operable when a DIR automatically locks a specific ICD, such as to permit sending wireless data only to that specific DIR and automatically initiating security on the data stream. The security methods may include cryptographic methods such as digital signing, stream cipher encryption, block cipher encryption, and public key encryption or hardware based encryption in which each device has a hardware device for encryption included. By way of example and not limitation, WAP, 802.11i, AES, SSL, stream cipher, Trojan, DES, any other type of security protocol, and combinations thereof may be used. DIR Locking Any of the DIRs operable within the system and having at least one ICD associated therewith are further operable to be locked to prevent setting changes or data manipulation from any device apart from the DIR with which each ICD is locked into communication. In one embodiment of the present invention having video cabilities, the DVR as DIR, upon confirming detection of all the signal(s) from ICD(s) associated therewith, confirms the establishment of communication with each detected ICD, in particular wireless digital video camera, and locks the DVR to only communicate with the found device(s), unless it receives instruction from the user to look for other signal(s). The DVR indicates such a locked status, for example, by displaying a lock indicator on the DVR and/or on the ICD to provide an external visual status indication that the ICD(s) are locked and also sends a lock status signal to an entity outside the present system, such as to the RSC and/or an alarm system or security software. Once searching and locking is complete, the DVR will not accept signals from capture devices that are not locked to the DVR, unless directed to search for capture devices by the user by click-selecting the search button 210. Alternatively, the system can notify the user of new ICDs that come into communication with the system during operation and/or after initial setup has occurred. Camera Removal ICDs may be removed from operation and/or operational communication or interaction with the system. To remove a capture device from the DVR system, the user click-selects from the user interface on an image and/or name 220 that represents the capture device they want removed and then click-selects a single removal button 230. The DIR then removes that capture device from the system. Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the foregoing description. All modifications and improvements have been deleted herein for the sake of conciseness and readability but are properly within the scope of the claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>(1) Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to surveillance technology and equipment and, more particularly, to a wireless video surveillance system and methods associated therewith. (2) Background of the Invention While video surveillance systems have existed in the prior art, typically they are wired devices that are difficult, time-consuming, and costly to install and operate. Also, generally, they do not provide for wireless systems that are secure from wireless interception or Internet enabled interception and permit remote user access for viewing, reviewing stored information, and controlling the system's components, in particular via Internet connection to a remote controller computer or cellular phone or other Internet connected device. Thus, there remains a need in the art for a wireless surveillance system and methods of operating same, providing simple setup and controls for high quality input capture by surveillance input capture devices (ICD), including but not limited to video inputs, and digital input recorder device(s) (DIR) associated with the ICDs, the DIRs data transfer, storage, and control, including systems and methods providing for remote viewing and controls of the ICDs and DIRs via a remote server computer (RSC) and/or Internet access through the RSC. Examples of prior art may include: U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20040136388 published Jul. 15, 2004, for Schaff, for Video-monitor/recording/playback system, describes a stand-alone video recording, playback and Monitoring system. It has network switches, non-volatile storage devices, IP cameras, video servers, and NTSC cameras. The system uses communication channels that are WAN/LAN based and can be hard-wired or wireless. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20020186180 published Dec. 12, 2002, for Duda, William, for Hands free solar powered cap/visor integrated wireless multi-media apparatus, describes an apparatus whereby the functional electronics components of popular consumer communications and entertainment products can be repackaged in a molded plastic module that would be mounted underneath and follow the contour of the visor of a head wearable cap/visor providing the user with a hands free, continuous power, virtually invisible multi-media capability. The module would feature, a drop down visual display, drop down camera lens for low resolution digital photography, rechargeable battery, stereo speakers and earphones, a microphone and microphone boom, manual push button controls and LED indicator lights, input/output jacks, and an interactive voice capability. A flexible solar cell and antenna would be mounted on the upper surface of the head wearable cap/visor providing the wireless link and continuous power to the electronics module. All components would be secured to the head wearable cap visor via two active pins that protrude from the upper surface of the electronic module, pierce the visor, and mate up with the solar cell and antenna on the upper surface of the visor. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20020026636 published Feb. 28, 2002, for LeComte, for Video interfacing and distribution system and method for delivering video programs, describes a video interfacing arrangement for connecting at least one display device to at least one video source composed of a module including a dedicated and programmed digital processing unit adapted to decode and descramble video flow according to a preloaded decoding or descrambling program, in order to display, in real time or delayed in time, to store, to record and/or to send over a telecommunication network, and on at least one screen interface, at least one storage or recording interface, a local or wide area network connecting interface and a user communication and controlling interface, the interfaces being linked to and driven by the processing unit and preferably mounted in or on the module. The invention also concerns a distribution system and a method for transferring encoded video programs and sequences over a wide area network. U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,742 issued Jan. 1, 2002, to Takemoto, for Apparatus for file management and manipulation using graphical displays and textual descriptions, describes a processor-based display processing apparatus, method and user interface allows for easy understanding of the contents of respective files by present a portion of the respective files as a graphics image along with other associated attributes of the respective files. A computer readable recording medium with a program recorded therein is provided for enabling a computer to function as the apparatus and perform the method. In the display processing apparatus, when an operator selects a folder from a folder display area on a browser screen, a processor controls the selected folder to be identified and displayed, and graphics images of image files contained in the selected folder are displayed in a predetermined display area. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20040008255 published Jan. 15, 2004, for Lewellen, for Vehicle video system and method, describes a vehicle video system includes a small camera in the passenger area that uses illumination in the non-visible spectrum to illuminate the passenger area. The vehicle video system records video information on a digital video recorder that uses digital media such as a hard disk drive, recordable CD (CD-R), rewritable CD (CR-RW), or writable Digital Video Disc (DVD). The vehicle video system includes a local wireless interface, such as a Bluetooth-compatible interface, that automatically connects to a compatible device in the parking area of the vehicle that is coupled to a database. In this manner, the digital video information collected by the vehicle video system is automatically transferred to the database when the vehicle is parked, removing the need for any human intervention for the logging and cataloging of video tapes. The local wireless interface of the vehicle video system also allows other devices, such as a handheld device or a vehicle video system in a different vehicle, to access the stored digital video information. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20040165546 published Aug. 26, 2004, for Roskind, for Time based wireless access provisioning, describes a method and apparatus for the time-based provisioning of wireless devices. A network access point monitors operation of wireless devices within a service region. When provisioning logic is activated at the network access point, the access point determines if the tracked parameter (such as power on or the onset of signal transmission) of the wireless device occurs within a designated time interval from the time of the provisioning activation. If the tracked device qualifies, the network access point proceeds with provisioning the device. In one system embodiment, the network access point tracks the power on time of wireless devices. When a wireless device to be authorized is powered on, the provisioning logic at the network access point notes the power on time. The user then activates the provisioning access at the network access point, and the network access point provisions the wireless device if it is recently powered on. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20030188320 published Oct. 2, 2003, for Shing, for Method and system for a distributed digital video recorder, describes a system and method, for remote display and control of an audio/video data stream from a capture device, e.g., a TV capture card, audio/visual capture card or digital camera capture card in a PC. In an exemplary embodiment there are some components of a software DVR player executing on at least one client device and other components on at least one server device. Users can view and/or control the audio/video data from a server device, having a capture device, on client devices located anywhere as long as they are connected to the server through a network. In addition, a server device with a capture device can support display of the video data at multiple client devices at the same time. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20020188955 published Dec. 12, 2002, for Thompson et al., for Digital video recording and playback system for television, describes a system and apparatus for digitally recording and playing back videos from either an Internet website or a TV broadcast or cablecast is disclosed herein. The system comprises a set-top box, along with the necessary cables and remote control units, that connects between a television set and an Internet hook-up and allows a viewer to digitally record TV shows and/or download video from the Internet and store said video on the set-top box's hard drive for later viewing (using video encoding technology). In addition to the recording and playback capabilities, the disclosed system allows the viewer to pause, rewind, slo-mo, and instant replay live television without videotapes or VCR programming. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20040168194 published Aug. 26, 2004 , for Hughes, for Internet tactical alarm communication system, describes an Internet tactical alarm communication (ITAC) system includes at least one sensor, at least one video camera, and an ITAC computer delivery unit, wherein the at least one sensor, the at least one video camera, and the ITAC computer delivery unit are communicatively interconnected, and the ITAC system provides real-time data regarding a particular condition. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 20020100052 published Jul. 25, 2002, for Daniels, for Methods for enabling near video-on-demand and video-on-request services using digital video recorders, describes a near video-on-demand (VOD) service enabled using a digital video recorder (DVR) for the simultaneous storage and playback of multimedia data. A DVR is connected over a network to a multimedia network source. A VOD selection is requested by the DVR from the network source. A multimedia data signal is received by the DVR from the network source. The data signal contains the requested VOD selection. A first received portion of the received data signal is stored on the DVR. The first received segment is played by the DVR for display on a display device. Simultaneously during the playing of the first received segment, a second received segment of the received data signal is received from the network source and stored on the DVR while the first received segment is played the display device. Thus, the requested VOD selection begins playing on the display device prior to the reception of the entire compressed multimedia data signal so that a requested VOD selection can begin being displayed nearly instantaneously after the request for it is made. A video-on-request (VOR) service is also enabled using a DVR. VOR selection data is received by a centralized database device, such as a network server, from a plurality of users. Each VOR selection data includes at least one requested video selection and video recorder identifying information for identifying each particular video recorder. A transmission priority of requested video selections is determined dependent on the frequency of requests sup.1received from the plurality of users. A transmission channel and time is determined based on the transmission priority. DVR control signals are transmitted to automatically tune in the determined transmission channel at the determined transmission time and record the particular video selection. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention is directed to a wireless surveillance system and methods of operating same, providing simple setup and controls for high quality input capture by surveillance input capture devices (ICD), including but not limited to video inputs, and digital input recorder device(s) (DIR) associated with the ICDs, the DIRs data transfer, storage, and control, more particularly, the present invention is directed toward a method for controlling communication between ICD(s) and corresponding DIR. The present invention is further directed toward systems and methods providing for remote viewing and controls of the ICDs and DIRs via a remote server computer (RSC) and/or Internet access through the RSC, the systems and methods having controllable communication between the ICD(s) and corresponding DIR. In a preferred embodiment, there is at least one ICD associated with a corresponding DIR for providing a system for capturing inputs of a target environment via the at least one ICD and transferring those inputs via two-way controllable wireless communication with the DIR for electronic, digital storage and remote access thereof. In another preferred embodiment, the system further includes an RSC, which is directly or Internet-remotely accessed by at least one authorized user of the system, when control settings permit. Such controllable remote access includes user viewing of captured inputs of the target environment, including live and/or historical/recorded data, storing, editing, retrieving or otherwise reviewing said inputs, and controlling the system settings and activities, and combinations thereof. The present invention is further directed to a method for installing and operating the system and various embodiments and combinations thereof. Thus, the present invention provides systems and methods for wireless surveillance of predetermined environments, in particular with remote access and controls of the system components. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for surveillance of a predetermined environment having at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) for receiving, storing, editing, and/or retrieving stored input from the at least one ICD and controlling the ICD via wireless, remote communication therewith. Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for surveillance of a predetermined environment having at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) for receiving, storing, editing, and/or retrieving stored input from the at least one ICD and controlling the ICD, and a remote server computer (RSC) for providing at least one authorized user remote, wireless access to the at least one ICD and DIR, where the ICD, DIR, and RSC are in wireless digital communication with each other and where the RSC may be accessed directly by the user or through the Internet. Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide methods of using the system embodiments set forth herein, such as a method for locking communication between at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR), including the steps of providing base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via user interface either directly or remotely; the DIR searching for signal from the ICD(s) and establishing communication with them; and locking the ICDs to send wireless data exclusively to that DVR; and/or the DVR locking itself for exclusive communication with the locked ICDs, thereby providing a secure surveillance system for a target environment. These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the following description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the drawings. | 20040923 | 20101026 | 20060406 | 87028.0 | H04N718 | 0 | AN, SHAWN S | WIRELESS VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH TWO-WAY LOCKING OF INPUT CAPTURE DEVICES | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H04N | 2,004 |
|
10,948,527 | ACCEPTED | Corner building block, system and method | A block has a finished surface that provides an attractive appearance. The block is relatively large in size, allowing the quick construction of a wall, such as a retaining wall, using the block. The block includes one or more lift and alignment devices in the block that allow the block to be lifted using a suitable lifting apparatus, such as a crane, forklift, backhoe, etc. The block includes one or more recessed portions in the bottom surface of the block positioned to receive the protruding lift and alignment device of a previously-laid block underneath, thereby helping to align the block with the previously-laid block. The block includes one or more voids that extend from the top surface to the bottom surface of the block, and that align with each other when the blocks are stacked into a wall, thereby allowing fill material to be placed in the voids to strengthen the wall. The preferred embodiments also include a wall system with various different blocks that may be used to build a wall. | 1. A corner block comprising: a back surface; first and second side surfaces coupled to the back surface; a top surface coupled to the back surface and to the first and second side surfaces, wherein the top surface includes at least one alignment device, each alignment device comprising a device for lifting the block when the block is being placed; and a bottom surface coupled to the back surface and to the first and second side surfaces, the bottom surface including at least one recess positioned to receive at least one alignment device of a previously-placed block to align the block with respect to the previously-placed block. 2. The block of claim 1 wherein each alignment device comprises a substantially semicircular portion of material protruding from the top surface. 3. The block of claim 2 wherein the semicircular portion of material is attached to a reinforcing structure within the block. 4. The block of claim 2 wherein the semicircular portion of material comprises rebar. 5. The block of claim 1 further comprising at least one void extending from the top surface to the bottom surface. 6. The block of claim 1 wherein the block comprises a mixture of sand, gravel, water, and cement in a mix rated at approximately 4000 pounds per square inch (280 kilograms per square centimeter). 7. The block of claim 1 wherein an angle between the first and second side surfaces is chosen from a group consisting of: 30, 45 and 60 degrees. 8. The block of claim 1 wherein the top surface and bottom surface of the block are both substantially square. 9. A corner block comprising: a back surface; first and second side surfaces coupled to the back surface; a top surface coupled to the back surface and to the first and second side surfaces, wherein the top surface includes at least one alignment device, each alignment device comprising a device for lifting the block when the block is being placed; a bottom surface coupled to the back surface and to the first and second side surfaces, the bottom surface including at least one recess positioned to receive at least one alignment device of a previously-placed block to align the block with respect to the previously-placed block; and wherein an angle between the first and second side surfaces is chosen from a group consisting of: 30, 45 and 60 degrees. 10. A corner block comprising: a back surface; first and second side surfaces coupled to the back surface; a top surface coupled to the back surface and to the first and second side surfaces, wherein the top surface includes at least one alignment device, each alignment device comprising a device for lifting the block when the block is being placed; a bottom surface coupled to the back surface and to the first and second side surfaces, the bottom surface including at least one recess positioned to receive at least one alignment device of a previously-placed block to align the block with respect to the previously-placed block; and wherein the top surface and bottom surface of the block are both substantially square. 11. A wall system for building a wall comprising: a main block having a height and a width; a corner block; wherein the main block and the corner block each comprise: a back surface; a first side surface and a second side surface coupled to the back surface; a top surface coupled to the back surface and to the first side surface and the second side surface, wherein the top surface includes at least one lift and alignment device for lifting the block when the block is being placed, each lift and alignment device aligning a subsequently-placed block with respect to the block; and a bottom surface coupled to the back surface and to the first and second side surfaces, the bottom surface including at least one recess positioned to receive at least one lift and alignment device of a previously-placed block. 12. The wall system of claim 11 wherein the corner block has an angle between the first side surface and the second side surface chosen from a group consisting of: 30, 45 and 60 degrees. 13. The wall system of claim 11 wherein the top surface and bottom surface of the corner block are both substantially square. 14. The wall system of claim 11 wherein the corner block is approximately half the height of the main block and approximately one fourth of the width of the main block. 15. The wall system of claim 11 wherein the back surface of the corner block has a finished surface. 16. The wall system of claim 11 wherein the back and front surface of the corner block has a finished surface. 17. The wall system of claim 11 wherein the front surface and the first side surface of the corner block has a finished surface. 18. The wall system of claim 11 further comprising: a top block that is used to finish the top of the wall; a half block that is approximately half the height of the main block and approximately half the width of the main block; and a quarter block that is approximately half the height of the main block and approximately one fourth of the width of the main block. 19. The wall system of claim 11 further comprising a substantially solid transition block that is approximately half the height of the main block and approximately half the width of the main block. 20. The wall system of claim 11 further comprising a footing block that has a back-to-back distance that is greater than the main block. 21. A wall system for building a wall comprising: a main block having a height and a width; a corner block; wherein the main block and the corner block each comprise: a back surface; a first side surface and a second side surfaces coupled to the back surface; a top surface coupled to the back surface and to the first side surface and the second side surface, wherein the top surface includes at least one lift and alignment device for lifting the block when the block is being placed, each lift and alignment device aligning a subsequently-placed block with respect to the block; and a bottom surface coupled to the back surface and to the first and second side surfaces, the bottom surface including at least one recess positioned to receive at least one lift and alignment device of a previously-placed block; and wherein the corner block has an angle between the first side surface and the second side surface chosen from a group consisting of: 30, 45 and 60 degrees. 22. A wall system for building a wall comprising: a main block having a height and a width; a corner block; wherein the main block and the corner block each comprise: a back surface; a first side surface and a second side surfaces coupled to the back surface; a top surface coupled to the back surface and to the first side surface and the second side surface, wherein the top surface includes at least one lift and alignment device for lifting the block when the block is being placed, each lift and alignment device aligning a subsequently-placed block with respect to the block; and a bottom surface coupled to the back surface and to the first and second side surfaces, the bottom surface including at least one recess positioned to receive at least one lift and alignment device of a previously-placed block; and wherein the top surface and bottom surface of the corner block are substantially square. 23. A method for building a block wall comprising the steps of: (A) laying a first course of blocks having a corner block disposed between a first and a second main block, each main block and corner block in the first course comprising: (1) a back surface; (2) first and second side surfaces coupled to the back surface; (3) a top surface coupled to the back surface and to the first and second side surfaces, wherein the top surface includes at least one lift and alignment device for lifting the block when the block is being placed, each lift and alignment device aligning a subsequently-placed block with respect to the block; and (4) a bottom surface coupled to the back surface and to the first and second side surfaces, the bottom surface including at least one recess positioned to receive at least one lift and alignment device of a previously-placed block; wherein the step of laying the first course of blocks comprises the steps of: (A1) lifting each block by at least one lift and alignment device; and (A2) placing the block in a desired location in the wall; (B) laying subsequent courses of blocks, each block in each subsequent course being aligned with at least one previously-laid block by placing the recess of the bottom surface of the block being laid in a position to receive at least one lift and alignment device on at least one previously-laid block. 24. The method of claim 23 wherein an angle between the first side surface of the first main block and the first side surface of the second main block is an angle other than 90 degrees. 25. The method of claim 23 wherein an angle between the first side surface of the first main block and the first side surface of the second main block is an angle chosen from the group consisting of 105, 150, 210, 112.5, 225, 120 and 240 degrees. 26. The method of claim 23 further comprising the steps of: preparing a foundation; and laying a plurality of footing blocks on the foundation, wherein the first course of blocks in step (A) is laid atop the footing blocks. 27. The method of claim 23 further comprising the steps of: (C) installing a material separator fabric on the back surfaces of the blocks; (D) filling at least one void in the blocks with a filler material; and (E) backfilling against the blocks. 28. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of laying the first course of blocks includes placing the first side surface of the first main block in contact with the first side surface of the corner block, and placing the first side surface of the second main block in contact with the second side surface of the corner block. 29. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of laying the first course of blocks includes placing the first side surface of the first main block in contact with the back surface of the corner block, and placing the first side surface of the second main block in contact with the first side surface of the corner block. | PARENT APPLICATION This application is a Continuation-In-Part (CIP) of the patent application “BUILDING BLOCK, SYSTEM AND METHOD”, Ser. No. 10/375,769 filed on Feb. 27, 2003, which is a CIP of “BUILDING BLOCK”, Ser. No. 09/978,609 filed on Oct. 16, 2001, which are both incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field This invention generally relates to construction materials and techniques, and more specifically relates to a building block wall system and method that may be used to construct a wall or support. 2. Background Art Building blocks have been used for centuries to construct homes, office buildings, churches, and many other structures. Early building blocks were hewn from stone into appropriate shapes that were assembled together, typically using mortar, to form a wall. In modern times, various types of concrete blocks have been developed, which are typically formed by pouring a cement-based concrete mixture into a form and allowing the concrete to cure. This type of concrete block is strong and makes for a sturdy wall, but installing a traditional concrete block requires a skilled mason that must manually lift each block, and set each block using mortar to secure the blocks in place. This process is very labor-intensive. One application for concrete blocks is the construction of retaining walls. Retaining walls are required when there is a body of earth that needs to be held in place. While several different block designs have been used in the art, most of these are relatively small blocks that a construction worker must manually lift and put in place. Most require mortar. What is needed is a large block that is especially well-suited for retaining walls that has a large surface, and that may be lifted into place using a crane or other suitable equipment, and that may be stacked into a wall without mortar. This allows a wall to be quickly and efficiently constructed using much less skilled labor. It would also be desirable for the block to have an attractive, finished look that does not require covering or painting, but that also could be stained to look like many different types of rocks or stones or to match a desired color scheme. Further, it would be desirable to have corner blocks that allow the wall to have a variety of angles to produce various wall contours. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION According to the preferred embodiments, a system of blocks has a finished surface that provides an attractive appearance. The blocks are relatively large in size, allowing the quick construction of a wall, such as a retaining wall, using the blocks. The blocks include one or more lift and alignment devices in the block that allow the block to be lifted using a suitable lifting apparatus, such as a crane, forklift, backhoe, etc. The blocks include one or more recessed portions in the bottom surface of the block positioned to receive the protruding lift and alignment device of a previously-laid block underneath, thereby helping to align the block with the previously-laid block. Some embodiments of the blocks includes one or more voids that extend from the top surface to the bottom surface of the block, and that align with each other when the blocks are stacked into a wall, thereby allowing fill material to be placed in the voids to strengthen the wall. The preferred embodiments also include a wall system with various different blocks that may be used to build a wall, including corner blocks that allow abruptly changing the direction of the wall. The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The preferred embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, where like designations denote like elements, and: FIG. 1 is a top view of a block in accordance with the preferred embodiments; FIG. 2 is front view of the block of FIG. 1 taken along the lines 1-1; FIG. 3 is a side view of the block of FIGS. 1 and 2 taken along the lines 3-3 in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a back view of the block of FIG. 1 taken along the lines 4-4 in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the lifting device 142 shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 6 is a top view of the block of FIG. 1 showing a reinforcing structure that adds strength to the block; FIG. 7 is cross-sectional view of the block in FIG. 6 taken along the lines 7-7 that shows the connection of lift and alignment ring 170 to the reinforcing structure; FIG. 8 is a top view of a footing block in accordance with the preferred embodiments; FIG. 9 is a side view of the block in FIG. 8 taken along the line 9-9; FIG. 10 is a side view of a retaining wall constructed using the block shown in FIGS. 1-7 and the footing block shown in FIGS. 8 and 9; FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a channel in the block in FIGS. 10 and 24 that may be used to secure a material separator fabric to the top of a wall; FIG. 12 is a front view of the voids created by the block in FIG. 1 when stacked with a running bond in accordance with the preferred embodiments; FIG. 13 is a top view of a straight wall with a portion of the second course of blocks in phantom to illustrate the continuity of voids in a wall constructed with the block in FIG. 1; FIG. 14 is a top view that illustrates how a wall constructed of the block in FIG. 1 can create an outer curve and still maintain alignment of the voids, lift and aligning rings, and alignment channels; FIG. 15 is a top view that illustrates how a wall constructed of the block in FIG. 1 can create an inner curve and still maintain alignment of the voids, lift and aligning rings, and alignment channels; FIG. 16 is a top view of a half block in accordance with preferred embodiments; FIG. 17 is a side view of the block in FIG. 16 taken along the lines 17-17; FIG. 18 is a first front view of the block in FIGS. 16 and 17; FIG. 19 is an alternative front view of the block in FIGS. 16 and 17; FIG. 20 is a top view of a transition block in accordance with the preferred embodiments; FIG. 21 is a top view of a half block that includes two finished sides; FIG. 22 is a top view of a quarter block in accordance with the preferred embodiments; FIG. 23 is a front view of the quarter block in FIG. 22 taken along the lines 23-23; FIG. 24 is a side view of a first top block in accordance with the preferred embodiments; FIG. 25 is a side view of a second top block in accordance with the preferred embodiments; FIG. 26 is a top view of a square corner block in accordance with preferred embodiments; FIG. 27 is a bottom view of the square corner block in FIG. 26; FIG. 28 is a side view of the square corner block in FIG. 26 taken along the lines 28-28; FIG. 29 is a top view of a 30 degree corner block in accordance with preferred embodiments; FIG. 30 is a bottom view of the 30 degree corner block in FIG. 29; FIG. 31 is a side view of the 30 degree corner block in FIG. 29 taken along the lines 31-31; FIG. 32 is a top view of a 45 degree corner block in accordance with preferred embodiments; FIG. 33 is a bottom view of the 45 degree corner block in FIG. 32; FIG. 34 is a side view of the 45 degree corner block in FIG. 32 taken along the lines 34-34; FIG. 35 is a top view of a 60 degree corner block in accordance with preferred embodiments; FIG. 36 is a bottom view of the 60 degree corner block in FIG. 35; FIG. 37 is a side view of the 60 degree corner block in FIG. 35 taken along the lines 37-37; FIG. 38 is a top view of a wall built in accordance with the wall system and method of the preferred embodiments showing the square corner block in the wall system; FIG. 39 is a top view of a wall built in accordance with the wall system and method of the preferred embodiments showing various uses of the 30 degree corner block in the wall system; FIG. 40 is a top view of a wall built in accordance with the wall system and method of the preferred embodiments showing the 45 degree corner block in the wall system; FIG. 41 is a top view of a wall built in accordance with the wall system and method of the preferred embodiments showing the 60 degree corner block in the wall system; FIG. 42 is a front view of a wall built in accordance with the wall system and method of the preferred embodiments showing the various different blocks in the wall system and how they are used in building a wall; and FIG. 43 is a flow diagram of a method for constructing a wall using the blocks of the preferred embodiments. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, a building block 100 in accordance with the preferred embodiment includes a front surface 110, a left side surface 120, a right side surface 130, and a back surface 140, all coupled together via a top surface 150 and a bottom surface 160. The front surface 110 is preferably wider than the back surface 140. In the specific configuration in the drawings there is a 4.5° taper from front surface 110 to back surface 140. The preferred embodiments extend to any taper angle, no taper angle, or a negative taper angle that would make the back surface 140 wider than the front surface 110. In the preferred embodiments, any or all of the front surface 110 and the side surfaces 120 and 130 could have a finished, decorative surface. In the specific embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, we assume that front surface 110 has a decorative surface as shown in FIG. 2. Front surface 110 has the appearance of stone that has been stacked together using mortar joints. Each rectangular panel 210, 211, 212, 213, and 214 represent a stone, while the lines between the panels 220, 221, 222 and 223 represent mortar joints between the stones. Each panel 210-214 preferably has a textured finish that gives the panels a stone-like appearance. Note, however, that any suitable finish may be used for any of the front surface 110 and side surfaces 120 and 130, and that the block material may be colored and the finished surface may be stained or painted to achieve a desired look. The preferred embodiments expressly extend to any type of finished surface on block 100. Further note that the references to “front surface” and “back surface” are used for reference only, and may be interchanged one for the other. Referring to FIG. 3, for the specific configuration shown in the drawings, the front surface 110 has an uneven surface comprised of a lower finished surface 314 and an offset upper finished surface 312. The offset upper finished surface 312 gives the appearance of a separate course of stone, and enhances the look of a finished wall that is built using the block 100. The preferred embodiments, however, expressly extend to a block that has an even finished surface and that is placed in a wall to provide a straight, vertical wall surface. Block 100 preferably includes one or more voids that extend from the top surface to the bottom surface of the block. Examples of suitable voids are shown in FIG. 1 to include a fully enclosed void 180 and two partially enclosed voids 182 and 184. When blocks 100 are laid next to each other, partially enclosed voids 182 and 184 of adjacent blocks combine to form a void similar in size to void 180. These voids are designed to align with voids of other blocks when the blocks are stacked to form a wall. The voids may be filled with an appropriate filler material, such as recycled concrete, gravel, concrete, etc. Filling the voids with an appropriate filler material increases the shear strength of a wall built using the block 100. The preferred embodiments also extend to a block 100 that is solid, and thus has no voids. Block 100 is shown in FIG. 1 to include a first hole 186 that communicates between the back 140 of the block and the center void 180, and a second hole 188 that communicates between the front 110 of the block and the center void 180. These holes are shown as examples of suitable openings that may be optionally included in a block in accordance with the preferred embodiments. Hole 186 allows groundwater that would normally build up on the back side of a retaining wall to instead drain into the inner void 180. Hole 188 allows the water flowing in inner void 180 to exit the wall and drain away. In addition, these holes 186 and 188 could be used to run conduit, plumbing, or other items within a wall. The preferred embodiments extend to any geometry of openings. The preferred embodiments also extend to a block where the hole 188 does not go completely through the exterior of front surface 110, but could be opened after the block is in a wall by a suitable tool, such as a hammer, drill, etc. This configuration is shown in FIG. 2, where hole 188 is shown in phantom because it does not extend through the front face 110 of block 100. The presence of holes 186 and 188 in block 100 is optional, because the cracks between blocks may allow water to flow into the voids in sufficient quantity to provide the required drainage for a retaining wall. Block 100 preferably includes one or more devices that allow lifting the block 100. For example, block 100 in the figures includes two semicircular lift and alignment rings 170 (best shown in FIG. 3) that protrude from the top surface 150 of the block that allow the block to be lifted using a suitable lifting apparatus, such as a crane, forklift, backhoe, etc. Block 100 preferably includes one or more alignment channels 162 (FIG. 3) in the bottom surface 160 of the block that helps align the block 100 with a previously-laid block underneath. The alignment channel 162 is recessed into bottom surface 160, as shown in FIG. 3. In the case where the block does not have one or more voids, then alignment channel 162 would preferably run the entire width of block 100. In the most preferred implementation, the radius of the outside of the lift and alignment rings 170 is preferably 4 inches (10.2 cm), and the alignment channel 162 is configured to receive a lift and alignment ring with a radius of 4.5 inches (11.4 cm). The lift and alignment rings 170 may be made of any suitable material that provides sufficient strength to allow lifting the block 100 using the lift and alignment rings 170. In the preferred embodiments, lift and alignment rings 170 are made of No. 6 rebar with a non-corrosive coating, such as fiberglass resin. No. 6 rebar refers to a specific rebar diameter; however, the preferred embodiments include any suitable rebar diameter and any suitable coating. In addition, lift and alignment rings 170 may be made of stainless steel or other non-corrosive material which could be used in a corrosive environment, such as on an ocean shoreline. Additionally, the preferred embodiments include any suitable radius of the lift and alignment rings 170 and any suitable geometric configuration for channel 162 to receive the lift and alignment rings 170. The semicircular shape of protruding portion of the lift and alignment rings 170 shown in FIG. 3 and the shape of the alignment channels 162 provide a mechanism for easily aligning a block on top of a previously-laid block. The block 100 of FIG. 1 is preferably heavy enough that it will typically be set in place using suitable equipment, such as a crane. The lift and alignment rings 170 provide easy loops for attaching hooks to lift the block 100. As the block is lowered into place on previously-set blocks, the shape of the alignment channel 162 has an aligning effect on the block as it is lowered onto the lift and alignment rings 170 of one or more previously-laid blocks. If the block is slightly too far to the front or back, the weight of the block will cause the block to shift as it is lowered until the lift and alignment rings 170 lie within the alignment channels 162. This is the how the lift and alignment rings 170 perform their aligning function. The lift and alignment rings thus provide a dual function. They provide lift hooks that allow lifting the block and placing it in a wall. They also provide an alignment mechanism to align the alignment channel of a subsequently-placed block with one or more lift and alignment devices of one or more blocks that have been previously placed. This dual function for lift and alignment rings 170 provide significant advantages over known building blocks. While lift and alignment rings 170 are shown herein in a semicircle shape, and alignment channel is shown as a channel with beveled sides, the preferred embodiments expressly extend to any and all suitable geometries for lift and alignment rings 170 and alignment channel 162. For example, a semicircular lift and alignment ring 170 could be used with a rectangular or square alignment channel 162. In the alternative, both lift and alignment ring 170 and alignment channel 162 may be triangular in shape. Any suitable geometric shape for the lift and alignment ring 170 may be used with any compatible geometric shape for the alignment channel within the scope of the preferred embodiments. FIG. 4 shows the back surface 140 of the block 100, including the hole 186, and the one or more lifting devices 142. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the lifting device 142 (shown in the orientation of FIG. 3). In the preferred embodiments, lifting device 142 comprises piece of rebar bent in a U-shape as shown in FIG. 5 that is embedded in the block 100. The preferred embodiments expressly extend to any suitable configuration for a lifting device 142 or a number of different lifting devices 142 that are capable of supporting the weight of the block 100. In the preferred embodiments the lifting devices 142 are used to remove the block 100 from a form used to create the block, while the lift and alignment rings 170 are used to lift the block and place the block in its final position in a wall. Of course, other variations are within the scope of the preferred embodiments. Referring now to FIG. 6, the block 100 preferably includes a reinforcing structure within the block that provides structural strength to the block. A suitable reinforcing structure 610 is shown in FIG. 6 to include a front piece 610 that runs the width of the front surface 110, a back piece 620 that runs the width of the back surface 140, a left side piece 630, and a right side piece 640. Each of these pieces preferably provide a grid-like structure that reinforces the concrete in the block. In the preferred embodiments, D4 metal wire mesh, grade 80 with a spacing of 4 inches (10.2 cm) is used. Each piece is secured to the adjacent other pieces using any suitable technique, such as tying with wire, welding, etc. In the preferred embodiments, the different pieces of the reinforcing structure 610 are attached to each other using wire that is tied around both adjacent pieces. Of course, the preferred embodiments extend to any suitable reinforcing structure that adds structural strength to the block, regardless of its composition or configuration. For example, rebar may be used instead of wire mesh. The reinforcing structure 610 provides structural reinforcement that allows the block 100 to be used in tall walls or in load-bearing applications, if required. For the preferred implementation that uses 4 inch (10.2 cm) metal wire mesh, a cross-sectional side view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 6 is shown in FIG. 7. Note that the block 100 is shown in phantom in FIG. 7 to more clearly show how the lift and alignment ring 170 is attached to the left side piece 630 of the reinforcing structure 610. One specific way to attach the lift and alignment ring 170 to the left side piece 630 of the reinforcing structure 610 is to wire the two together at the points indicated with small circles in FIG. 7. Of course, welding or any type of fastener could also be used. By attaching the lift and alignment rings 170 to the reinforcing structure 610 of the block, the lift and alignment rings 170 will not pull out of the block 100 under the weight of lifting the block 100. Note that the size and properties of the reinforcing structure 610 and lift and alignment rings 170 may vary according to the engineering requirements for a wall constructed using the block 100. For some walls, such as relatively short, non-load bearing retaining walls, the reinforcing structure 610 may be omitted altogether. Block 100 is preferably comprised of a mixture of sand, gravel, cement, and water that is poured around the reinforcing structure 610 and the attached lift and alignment rings 170 to form a block. The cement is preferably Portland cement, type 1, ASTM designation C150 or similar. The resulting mix is preferably denoted L4000, which represents a mixture of sand, gravel, cement, and water in proportions that results in a finished product capable of bearing approximately 4000 pounds per square inch (280 kilograms per square centimeter). L4000 mix preferably includes entrained air, which helps the block withstand freeze and thaw cycles. Note that L4000 is a common expression in the concrete art that denotes specific proportions of the ingredients. While L4000 is the preferred block material, the preferred embodiments also extends to any other suitable block material. Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, a footing block 800 in accordance with the preferred embodiment includes a front surface 810, a left side surface 820, a right side surface 830, and a back surface 840, all coupled together via a top surface 850 and a bottom surface 860. In the specific embodiment shown in FIGS. 8-9, we assume that none of the surfaces are finished. Of course, any of the exposed surfaces could have a finished, decorative surface within the scope of the preferred embodiments. The top surface 850 of footing block 800 includes a raised front portion 852 coupled to a recessed center portion 854 that is, in turn, coupled to a raised rear portion 856. The width of recessed center portion 854 is preferably larger than the width of a block 100 shown in FIG. 1, which allows a block 100 to fit within the recessed portion 854 when placed atop the footing block 800. The bottom portion 860 of footing block 800 preferably includes one or more retaining mechanisms that prevent the footing block 800 from moving once in place. In FIG. 9, the retaining mechanisms are shown as triangular cleats 962 that run the width of the footing block 800. Triangular cleats 962 provide resistance to the footing block 800 moving, especially in a forward direction. Of course, any suitable configuration for retaining mechanisms that help to anchor the footing block 800 in place are within the scope of the preferred embodiments. Note that stakes could also be installed within the voids 880, 882 and 884 of footing block 800 against any of the inside surfaces of the footing block to keep the footing block 800 in place. Note that the voids 880, 882 and 884 preferably align with the one or more void 180, 182 and 184 of a block 100. However, the footing block 800 could be used with any type of building block, included those not mentioned herein. Footing block 800 has a depth (i.e., distance from front to back) that is substantially greater than the depth of block 100, thereby providing a solid foundation for a wall built using blocks 100. FIG. 10 illustrates a profile view of a wall 1000 that includes a first row of footing blocks 800, followed by three rows of block 100 (shown as 100A, 100B and 100C), and topped off with a row of top blocks 2400 (described in more detail below with respect to FIG. 24). In the preferred embodiments the wall is constructed by first preparing the ground upon which the wall will be built. In the preferred implementation, a 12 inch (30.5 cm) gravel foundation, shown as 1010, is prepared; however, the preferred embodiments extend to any foundation suitable for the purposes for which the blocks are used, or to no foundation at all. Next, a footing block 800 is laid, and a row of blocks 100, shown as 100A, is placed on the footing block 800. The preferred embodiments also extend to placing block 100A on the gravel foundation 1010 without the use of a footing block 200, and to placing block 100A directly on the ground if the ground is sufficiently stable and flat to accommodate the blocks 100A. After a row of blocks 100A is placed the voids are filled with filler material if desired, and the blocks 100A in the row are backfilled, shown as 1030 in FIG. 10. Next, the row of blocks 100B is laid on top of the blocks 100A. The lift and aligning rings 170 (FIG. 1) of the blocks 100A guide the placement of the blocks 100B via the alignment channels 162 (FIG. 3) of the blocks 100B, as shown in FIG. 10. Next the voids may be filled, and the wall is backfilled just as with the blocks 100A. This continues with successive rows of blocks 100 to the level of one course below the desired height of the wall. Each additional row of blocks is offset from the row beneath so that the front face of the wall is staggered away from the bottom block, as shown in FIG. 10. This staggered surface provides an attractive wall, and provides enhanced structural properties for the wall because it pushes the weight and center of gravity of the wall back into the slope. In other words, each block is partially supported by the backfilled slope, giving the wall greater strength. The preferred embodiments extend to any amount of offset suitable for a particular application for the block, or to no offset at all. In the specific configuration shown in the drawings, the offset between blocks is such that finished surface 312 of the lower block is offset from the finished surface 314 of the block above the same amount that the finished surface 312 is offset from the finished surface 314 on the same block. Therefore the offset between the blocks matches the finished offset on each block 100, as illustrated in FIG. 10. Of course, if a straight vertical wall is desired, the offset between blocks may be zero, thereby aligning the front finished surface of all blocks to provide a straight, vertical wall. In FIG. 10, a row of top blocks 2400 is placed on the top course to finish the wall. Note that a material separator fabric 1020 is preferably placed on the back side of the wall as the wall is constructed to prevent dirt from entering into the cracks between the blocks 100, but to allow water to flow through to assure adequate drainage. The term “material separator fabric” is used herein to denote that the fabric creates a permeable barrier between the backfill material and the blocks, thereby allowing water to flow through while providing separation between the backfill material and the gravel or other fill material in the voids of the blocks. Material separator fabric 1020 preferably comprises a rolled sheet of non-woven polyester fabric that resists soil corrosion and is water permeable, similar to weed blocker fabric that is available at most home and garden stores. The preferred embodiments extend to any type of fabric material that will allow water to pass but keep the backfill 1030 out of the voids in the wall. The manner of applying the material separator fabric 1020 depends on whether or not the wall requires reinforcement. For walls 12 feet (3.66 m) high or more, a reinforcing fabric 1022 may be used to anchor the wall to the soil behind it. One suitable reinforcing fabric that is commercially available is known as geogrid, which is a polyester fabric weave designed to anchor walls to backfilled soil. The wall of FIG. 10 includes reinforcing fabric between the blocks to anchor the blocks to the soil behind the wall. For example, reinforcing fabric 1022A is placed atop the first course of main blocks 100A before lowering the second course of blocks 100B in place. Once the second course 100B is in place, the weight of the blocks 100B keep the reinforcing fabric between the courses, and the other end of the reinforcing fabric is the extended away from the wall (left in FIG. 10) into the backfill to reinforce the wall 1000. In similar fashion, reinforcing fabric 1022B is shown between blocks 100B and blocks 100C, and reinforcing fabric 1022C is shown between blocks 100C and blocks 2400. When reinforcing fabric is used as shown in FIG. 10, the material separator fabric 1020 is placed after each course, resulting in separate pieces 1020A, 1020B, 1020C and 1020D. Of course, when reinforcing fabric is not used, the material separator fabric 1020 may be run in a solid sheet behind the wall without breaks. In this situation, the material separator fabric 1020 is unrolled enough to cover the entire back surface 140 before the backfill 1030 is applied. The material separator fabric 1020 continues to be unrolled with each successive row of blocks. The material separator fabric may be optionally secured to the top block at location 1040, which is shown in detail in FIG. 11. In the specific configuration shown in FIG. 11, a channel 1110 runs along the width of the top block 2400. The material separator fabric 1020 is wrapped around two rebar rods 1050, as shown in FIG. 11, that rest in channel 1110 and that span channels 1110 on many contiguous blocks. The rebar rods 1050 with the material separator fabric 1020 wrapped around them within the channel 1110 are then buried by the backfill 1030. The preferred embodiments extend to any type of securing device that would suitably hold the material separator fabric 1020 in place. The material separator fabric may simply be laid against the back of the blocks without attaching the material separator fabric to the top row of blocks. Thus, the preferred embodiments include blocks that do not include channel 1110. The blocks 100A, 100B, 100C and 2400 shown in FIG. 10 may optionally include one or more holes 186 that allow groundwater to flow from the backfill material 1030 into the voids of the blocks. Each block in the bottom course of blocks 100A may also optionally include a hole 188 that allows water that flows in the block's inner void to exit the block and drain away. The flow of groundwater is shown in FIG. 10 by dotted arrows. Groundwater may flow through any of the holes 186 or through cracks between blocks into the inner void of each block or into the void between blocks. We assume for this particular application that the voids are filled with coarse gravel, which allows water to drain through the voids. Water may flow on the back side of the wall, and may enter at any hole 186 into the interior of the wall, and may also enter at the cracks between the blocks. Once the water reaches the bottom course, it exits out of the front hole 188. Note that hole 188 may be a simple drainage hole, or may include a drain tile or other coupling that allows a drainage pipe to be attached to the block. In the alternative, it is also within the scope of the preferred embodiments to embed any suitable pipe or conduit within the blocks for draining of groundwater or for running electricity, water, or other items within the wall. The combination of the material separator fabric, joints between blocks, and aggregate fill material in the voids of the blocks results in a substantial advantage over the prior art. Known wall systems require a layer of gravel or other aggregate (typically a foot) be placed behind the wall to allow for drainage of groundwater. This results in a complicated backfill process, because soil must be pushed to within a foot of the wall, and gravel may then be place in the foot space behind the wall. This process continues up the wall, with some backfill being pushed into place, followed by filling the gap between the backfill and the wall with gravel. The wall system of the preferred embodiments does not require any gravel backfill in the wall, because gravel placed in the voids of the block can serve the drainage function as described above. As a result, the backfilling process is greatly simplified, allowing an operator of heavy equipment to simply push the soil against the material separator fabric on the back side of the wall with no need of adding gravel behind the wall for drainage. Referring now to FIGS. 12-15, the voids in the wall system are generally aligned. FIG. 12 illustrates how the side areas 182 and 184 of two blocks 100 form a void that generally aligns with the void 180 of the block 100 beneath the two side areas. Note that only the voids of the blocks are shown in FIG. 12. FIGS. 13-15 show a bird's eye view of a wall with a first course shown in solid lines and part of a second course shown in phantom. This illustrates how the voids remain aligned regardless of whether the wall is straight (FIG. 13), or has an outside curve (FIG. 14) or an inside curve (FIG. 15). In the specific configuration in the drawings the blocks 100 may be used to make a wall that turns as much as a 50 foot (15.2 m) radius arc. The voids remain generally aligned when footing blocks 800 are used as the foundation for a wall. The voids 880, 882, and 884 (FIG. 8) and the adjoining side surfaces 820 and 830 (FIG. 8) of the footing blocks 800 align with the voids 180, 182 and 184 (FIG. 1) of the block 100. The preferred embodiments extend to adding additional holes to the back surface 140 of a block 100. For example, a hole could be added that communicates between the back surface 140 and the void 182. Likewise, a hole could be added that communicates between the back surface 140 and the void 184. In addition, the preferred embodiments also extend to changing the relative widths of the front surface 110 and the back surface 140 on the block 100. Thus, the back surface 140 could be made wider than the front surface 110 when building the inside curve of a wall. The preferred embodiments expressly extend to any and all configurations and combination of front surface 110 and back surface 140. The block 100 of FIGS. 1-7 and the footing block 800 of FIGS. 8 and 9 have been presented to this point. We refer to block 100 herein as the “main block”. Now we present additional blocks that combine with the main block and footing block to create a wall system that allows for building a wide variety of different walls using the blocks. Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, a half block 1600 preferably has a width that is half of the width of the main block 100 in FIG. 1, and preferably has a height that is half of the height of the main block 100. Half block 1600 includes a front surface 1610, a left side surface 1620, a right side surface 1630, a back surface 1640, a top surface 1650 and a bottom surface 1660. Half block 1600 preferably includes lift and alignment rings 170 and one or more alignment channels 162. The front face of the half block may be made with two alternative decorative faces. The first face is shown in FIG. 18, where the entire front face has the look of a single piece of stone. The second face is shown in FIG. 19, where the front face is divided in two to present the appearance of two different panels 1910 and 1920 of stone. Because the half block 1600 is half the height and half the width of the main block, these two different options of front face configuration shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 are necessary to keep a uniform appearance along a wall. Essentially, four small blocks 1600 with two on the bottom and two on the top could have the same appearance as one block 100 viewed from the front (see FIG. 2). The preferred embodiments extend to any finished surface on the half blocks 1600. Another block that is part of the overall wall system is referred to as a “transition block”. One suitable implementation for a transition block 2000 is shown in FIG. 20, and preferably has the same dimensions as the half block 1600 of FIGS. 16-19. Transition block 2000 includes a front face 2010, a left side face 2020, a right side face 2030 a rear face 2040, and a top face 2050. The primary difference between transition block 2000 in FIG. 20 and half block 1600 in FIG. 16 is that the transition block 2000 has no inner void, but instead has a solid top surface 2050. This block is referred to herein as a “transition block” because it is used to make the transition from the main block 100 to a half block 1600, and vice versa. The transition block 2000 preferably does not have a center void because the lift and alignment rings 170 of the block below may fall within the void area of a transition block 2000. As a result, the transition block 2000 has a substantially solid bottom surface that includes an alignment channel in the form of a half-pipe that runs along the width of the transition block 2000. Note that the side view of the transition block 2000 is not shown separately because it is preferably identical to the side view of the half block 1600 shown in FIG. 17. Any of the blocks in the wall system disclosed herein may have finished, decorative surfaces on any of their faces or sides. Thus, as shown in FIG. 21, a special form of the half block 1600 is an end block 2100 that includes two finished surfaces, one on the front face 2110 and the other on the side face 2130. In this particular example, the left side surface 2120 and the back surface 2140 remain unfinished. Such a block could be used, for example, when the end of a wall is exposed. Yet another block that is part of the overall wall system is shown in FIGS. 22 and 23. This block 2200 is referred to as a “quarter block”, and preferably has a width that is one fourth the width of main block 100, and a height that is half of the height of the main block 100. Quarter block 2200 includes a front surface 2210, a left side surface 2220, a right side surface 2230, a rear surface 2240, a top surface 2250, and a bottom surface 2260. Quarter block 2200 also preferably includes a single lift and alignment ring 170, and a corresponding alignment channel on its bottom surface. The side surfaces 2220 and 2230 also match up with the side surfaces 1620 and 1630 of half blocks 1600 and with the side surfaces 2020 and 2030 of the transition blocks 2000 to form voids when the blocks are side by side. The front face 2210 of quarter block 2200 preferably has the appearance of a single stone, as shown in FIG. 23. Note that the side view of the quarter block 2200 is not shown separately because it is preferably identical to the side view of the half block 1600 shown in FIG. 17. Top blocks may also be used in the wall system of the preferred embodiments to top off a wall. Two examples of top blocks within the scope of the preferred embodiments are shown in FIGS. 24 and 25. FIG. 24 shows a side view for one specific implementation of a top block 2400. Note that block 2400 preferably does not have the lift and aligning rings 170, and has a top surface 2450 that includes a raised portion 2452 and a recessed portion 2454 connected by a step 2456. Recessed portion 2454 may optionally include a channel 1110 that runs the entire width of the block. Channel 1110 may be used to attach a material separator fabric to the top block, as discussed in detail above with reference to FIG. 11. Top block 2400 could be used with gravel, dirt, or concrete as the backfill material (shown as 2490 in FIG. 24) that overlies the recessed portion 2454 of top surface 2450, but does not overlie the raised portion 2452. This block could be used, for example, to provide a finished shore line for a lake or pond. Note that in the preferred embodiments of this block, the vertical portion of the step 2456 and the top surface 2452 could have a finished decorative surface in addition to the front surface 2410, thereby providing an attractive way to top off a retaining wall. Furthermore, the top block 2400 of FIG. 24 could be provided without voids, eliminating the need of filling the voids before the wall may be finished. A second implementation of a top block is shown as block 2500 in FIG. 25. Top block 2500 includes a front face 2510, a left side face 2520, a right side face (not shown), a rear face 2540, a top face 2550, and a bottom face 2560. The bottom face 2560 preferably includes an alignment channel 162 positioned to receive the lift and alignment rings 170 from a block underneath. Any or all of the front surface 2510, left side face 2520, right side surface (not shown), and rear face 2540 could have a finished, decorative look that preferably matches the blocks underneath. The alignment channel 162 preferably runs the entire width of the block. Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 25 shows a top block 2500 that is approximately one fourth the height of the main block 100. Note, however, that top block 2500 may be any suitable height within the scope of the preferred embodiments. Example heights for top block 2500 that would be useful in a wall system include half the height of the main block 100 and the same height as the main block 100. Of course, the top block 2500 could be any other height within the scope of the preferred embodiments. Another type of block that is part of the overall wall system is referred to as a “corner block.” The corner blocks preferably have many of the same features as described above for the main block 100. Corner blocks in the present invention include a variety of angles between the side faces of the corner blocks. This variety of angles allows a wall to be built with a multiple contours as described further below. The angles illustrated in the following paragraphs are not all inclusive of the possible angles for corner blocks. The present invention expressly includes other angles for the corner blocks. FIGS. 26 through 28 show a square corner block according to preferred embodiments. FIG. 26 shows a top view of a square corner block 2600. The square corner block 2600 preferably has a length and width that are the same as the front face 1610 of the quarter block 1600 of FIGS. 16-19. The square corner block 2600 includes a front face 2610, a left side face 2620, a right side face 2630 a rear face 2640, a top face 2650, and a bottom face 2660. Any or all of the front surface 2610, left side face 2620, right side face 2630, and rear face 2640 could have a finished, decorative look that preferably matches the other surrounding blocks. In the preferred embodiment at least two of the blocks faces are finished. The square corner block 2600 includes lift and alignment rings 170 (best shown in side view FIG. 28) that protrude from the top face 2650. FIG. 27 shows a bottom view of the square corner block 2600. The square corner block 2600 preferably has a void 2680 through the center of the block from the top face 2650 to the bottom face 2660. The bottom face 2660 preferably includes alignment channels 2662 positioned to receive the lift and alignment rings 170 from a block underneath. The bottom face in the square block preferably also has four alignment channels 2662 positioned to receive the lift and alignment rings 170 when the top block is rotated 90 degrees. In this way, an upper square corner block 2600 in a wall can be positioned at any 90 degree rotation and the bottom face has appropriate alignment channels 2662 to receive the alignment rings 170 of a lower square block 2600. Note that the alignment channels 2662 are shown in phantom in FIGS. 26 and 28. FIGS. 29 through 31 show a 30 degree corner block according to preferred embodiments. FIG. 29 shows a top view of a 30 degree corner block 2900. The 30 degree corner block 2900 includes a front face 2910, a left side face 2920, a right side face 2930 a rear face 2940, a top face 2950, and a bottom face 2960. The angle between the left side face 2920 and the right side face 2930 is 30 degrees as shown in FIG. 29. Any or all of the front surface 2910, left side face 2920, right side face 2930, and rear face 2940 could have a finished, decorative look that preferably matches the other surrounding blocks. In the preferred embodiment at least the block's front face 2910 is finished. The 30 degree corner block 2900 includes lift and alignment rings 170 (best shown in side view FIG. 31) that protrude from the top face 2950. FIG. 30 shows a bottom view of the 30 degree corner block 2900. The 30 degree corner block 2900 preferably has a void 2980 through the center of the block from the top face 2950 to the bottom face 2960. The bottom face 2960 preferably includes alignment channels 2962 positioned to receive the lift and alignment rings 170 from a block underneath. FIGS. 32 through 35 show a 45 degree corner block according to preferred embodiments. FIG. 32 shows a top view of a 45 degree corner block 3200. The 45 degree corner block 3200 includes a front face 3210, a left side face 3220, a right side face 3230 a rear face 3240, a top face 3250, and a bottom face 3260. The angle between the left side face 3220 and the right side face 3230 is 45 degrees as shown in FIG. 32. Any or all of the front surface 3210, left side face 3220, right side face 3230, and rear face 3240 could have a finished, decorative look that preferably matches the other surrounding blocks. In the preferred embodiment at least the block's front face 3210 is finished. The 45 degree corner block 3200 includes lift and alignment rings 170 (best shown in side view FIG. 34) that protrude from the top face 3250. FIG. 33 shows a bottom view of the 45 degree corner block 3200. The 45 degree corner block 3200 preferably does not include any voids that extend from the top face 3250 to the bottom face 3260. The bottom face 3260 preferably includes alignment channels 3262 positioned to receive the lift and alignment rings 170 from a block underneath. FIGS. 35 through 37 show a 60 degree corner block according to preferred embodiments. FIG. 35 shows a top view of a 60 degree corner block 3500. The 60 degree corner block 3500 includes a front face 3510, a left side face 3520, a right side face 3530 a rear face 3540, a top face 3550, and a bottom face 3560. The angle between the left side face 3520 and the right side face 3530 is 60 degrees as shown in FIG. 35. Any or all of the front surface 3510, left side face 3520, right side face 3530, and rear face 3540 could have a finished, decorative look that preferably matches the other surrounding blocks. In the preferred embodiment at least the block's front face 3510 is finished. The 60 degree corner block 3500 includes lift and alignment rings 170 (best shown in side view FIG. 37) that protrude from the top face 3550. FIG. 36 shows a bottom view of the 60 degree corner block 3500. The 60 degree corner block 3500 preferably does not inlcude any voids that extend from the top face 3550 to the bottom face 3560. The bottom face 3560 preferably includes alignment channels 3562 positioned to receive the lift and alignment rings 170 from a block underneath. FIG. 36 also shows an alternate embodiment of the 60 degree corner block 3500 having a triangular shape without a front face. This embodiment is illustrated by the dotted lines showing the 60 degree pointed surface 3564 between the first side surface 3510 and second side surface 3520 in FIG. 36. FIG. 38 shows a wall 3800 that includes a square corner block 2600 in the wall system of the preferred embodiments. This wall system illustrates the use of the square corner block 2600 described above and shown in FIG. 26 through FIG. 28. A square corner block 2600 is placed between two main blocks 100. One side of the two main blocks is disposed on a side of the corner block 2600 and preferably comes in contact with a side surface of the square corner block 2600. The corner block can be used to produce an inside corner 3810 or an outside corner 3820. In FIG. 38, the fill dirt is assumed to be above the wall in the upper portion of the drawing. Square corner block 2600 preferably has at least two finished surfaces, the front surface 2610 and a side surface 2630. The square corner block can be rotated so that the two finished surfaces on the front surface 2610 and a side surface 2630 face the desired direction. This is made possible since the square corner block includes alignment channels 2662 positioned at each 90 degree rotation to receive the lift and alignment rings 2670 from a block underneath as described above with reference to FIG. 26 through FIG. 28. FIG. 39 shows another wall 3900 that includes a 30 degree block 2900 in the wall system of the preferred embodiments. This wall system illustrates the use of the 30 degree corner block 2900 described above and shown in FIG. 29 through FIG. 31. In FIG. 39, the fill dirt is assumed to be above the wall in the upper portion of the drawing. A 30 degree corner block 2900 is placed between two main blocks 100. One side of the two main blocks is disposed on both sides of the 30 degree block 2900 and preferably comes in contact with both side surfaces 2920, 2930 of the 30 degree corner block 2900. When the front face 2910 of the 30 degree block 2900 is placed toward the front of the wall (away from the dirt), the angle between the faces of the two main blocks is 150 degrees. When the back surface 2940 of the 30 degree block 2900 is placed toward the front of the wall (away from the dirt), the angle between the faces of the two main blocks is 210 degrees. The 30 degree corner block 2900 can be used in a second configuration. In the second configuration, the 30 degree corner block 2900 is placed with the back surface 2940 next to the side surface of the main block and a side surface 2920 next to the next main block 100. This second configuration is used to produce an inside corner 3910 of 105 degrees or an outside corner 3920 of 255 degrees 3920. The 30 degree corner block 2900 preferably has a finished front surface 2910, and may also have a finished side surface 2920. FIG. 40 shows another wall 4000 that includes a 45 degree corner block 3200 in the wall system of the preferred embodiments. This wall system illustrates the use of the 45 degree corner block 3200 described above and shown in FIG. 32 through FIG. 34. In FIG. 40, the fill dirt is assumed to be above the wall in the upper portion of the drawing. A 45 degree corner block 3200 is placed between two main blocks 100. One side of the two main blocks is disposed on both sides of the 45 degree block 3200 and preferably comes in contact with both side surfaces 2920, 2930 of the 45 degree corner block 3200. When the front face 3210 of the 45 degree block 3200 is placed toward the front of the wall (away from the dirt), the angle between the faces of the two main blocks is 112.5 degrees. When the back surface 3240 of the 45 degree block 3200 is placed toward the front of the wall (away from the dirt), the angle between the faces of the two main blocks is 225 degrees. The 45 degree corner block 3200 preferably has a finished front surface 3210, and a finished back surface 3240. FIG. 41 shows another wall 4100 that includes a 60 degree corner block 3500 in the wall system of the preferred embodiments. This wall system illustrates the use of the 60 degree corner block 3500 described above and shown in FIG. 35 through FIG. 37. In FIG. 41, the fill dirt is assumed to be above the wall in the upper portion of the drawing. A 60 degree corner block 3500 is placed between two main blocks 100. One side of the two main blocks is disposed on both sides of the 60 degree block 3500 and preferably comes in contact with both side surfaces 3520, 3530 of the 60 degree corner block 3500. When the front face 3510 of the 60 degree block 3500 is placed toward the front of the wall (away from the dirt), the angle between the faces of the two main blocks is 120 degrees. When the back surface 3540 of the 60 degree block 3500 is placed toward the front of the wall (away from the dirt), the angle between the faces of the two main blocks is 240 degrees. The 60 degree corner block 3500 preferably has a finished front surface 3510, and a finished back surface 3540. FIG. 42 shows another wall 4200 in the wall system of the preferred embodiments using various blocks described above. This wall system does not show the use of corner blocks, but the features of this wall can be combined with the corner blocks as shown in the wall systems of FIG. 38 through FIG. 41. The letters on the blocks in FIG. 42 identify their type. The blocks labeled “A” are full blocks, such as block 100 in FIGS. 1-7. The blocks labeled “B” are half blocks, such as block 1600 in FIGS. 16-19. The blocks labeled “C” are transition blocks, such as block 2000 in FIG. 20. The blocks labeled “D” are quarter blocks, such as block 2200 in FIGS. 22-23. The blocks labeled “E” are top blocks, such as block 2400 in FIG. 24. The blocks labeled “F” are footing blocks, such as block 800 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. And the block labeled “G” represents half of a footing block, such as half of block 800 in FIGS. 8 and 9. The wall 4200 shows the use of different types of blocks disclosed herein. A quarter block D is used in conjunction with a transition block C when the wall transitions from full blocks A to half blocks B, or vice versa. In addition, a quarter block D may be used at the end of a wall of half blocks B, as shown at the left end of wall 4200 in FIG. 42. Top block E finishes off the wall. In this particular example, we assume that dirt will be backfilled and grass will be planted in the dirt on the back side of the top block. For this example, the middle top blocks would have a finished front, top and back. The top blocks on each end will also have a finished front, top and back, but may additionally have another finished end at the edge of the wall if the edge of the wall is exposed. The wall 4200 shown in FIG. 42 includes many of the different blocks described herein. Note, however, that a wall system of the preferred embodiments does not necessarily include all of these blocks. For the wall system to work well, it must include the main block, half block, and quarter block. The transition block is also preferably included, but could be omitted if required. The footing block and top blocks are optional, and depend on the specific application. However, the combination of the footing block, main block, half block, quarter block, transition block, and top block as shown in FIG. 42 provides a complete wall system with significant advantages over the prior art. Note that the inclusion of a half block and quarter block in the wall system of the preferred embodiments allows building walls with turns that have a much smaller radius than is possible using only the main block 100. For example, half blocks may be used to create an inside or outside turn with a radius of approximately 15 feet (4.6 m). Quarter blocks may be used to create an inside or outside turn with a radius of approximately 8 feet (2.4 m). Providing turns in retaining walls is very common, and the wall system of the preferred embodiments gives a designer substantial flexibility in deciding where the retaining wall can go. Referring now to FIG. 43, a method 4300 is used to construct a wall using the wall system disclosed herein. In most applications, a 12 inch bed of gravel (represented as 1010 in FIG. 10) is prepared as the foundation for the wall (step 4310). A row of footing blocks is then placed on the gravel foundation (step 4320). A first row of blocks is then set in place by using the lift and aligning rings to lift the block, and lowering the block within the recess in the footing blocks while keeping block tight against the adjacent block (step 4330). If more rows of blocks are needed (step 4340=YES), another row of blocks is then set in place (step 4350). Note, however, that step 4350 is different than step 4330. Instead of fitting the bottom of the block within the recess in the footing blocks, the alignment channel on the bottom of the block is aligned with the lift and alignment rings on the block below as the block is lowered into position. Once the full row of blocks has been set in place, the voids in the blocks are filled with suitable filler material (step 4360). Material separator fabric is then installed (step 4370). The back of the wall is then backfilled (step 4380). Steps 4350, 4360, 4370 and 4380 are repeated until there are no more rows that need to be placed (step 4340=NO). At this point, the top blocks are set (step 4390), and the final backfill is performed (step 4392). Note that FIGS. 38-41 described above only show the first course for the sake of clarity. Additional courses could be used and have staggered blocks as shown in FIG. 10, but corner blocks are not staggered. Note that the steps shown in method 4300 of FIG. 43 are not all required in the method of the preferred embodiments. For example, if no footing blocks are needed, step 4320 may be omitted. If no foundation is required, step 4310 may be omitted. If no top blocks are needed, steps 4390, 4393 and 4394 may be omitted. The preferred embodiments extends to any and all methods for building a wall using the wall system described herein. Furthermore, variations in method 4300 are also within the scope of the preferred embodiments. For example, more than one row, and even the entire wall, could be built before filling voids (step 4360), installing material separator fabric (step 4370) or backfilling (step 4380). Note that the drawings herein do not show any dimensions for the various blocks. The preferred embodiments expressly extend to any size and dimension for the blocks disclosed herein. In the most preferred application, the blocks have particular dimensions, listed below. The main block 100 has a height of 3.0 feet (91 cm), a width of 8.0 feet (244 cm), and a depth of 44 inches (112 cm). The footing block 800 has a height of 12 inches (30.5 cm), a width of 92 inches (2.3 m), and a depth of 60.75 inches (1.5 m). The half block 1600 and transition block 2000 have a height of 1.5 feet (46 cm), a width of 4.0 feet (122 cm), and a depth of 44 inches (112 cm). The quarter block 2200 has a height of 1.5 feet (46 cm), a width of 2.0 feet (61 cm), and a depth of 44 inches (112 cm). The top block 2400 and 2500 has a preferred height of 9 inches (23 cm), 1.5 feet (46 cm), or 3.0 feet (91 cm) with a preferred width of 4.0 feet (122 cm) or 8.0 feet (244 cm). The square corner block 2600 has a height of 1.5 feet (46 cm), a width of 4.0 feet (122 cm), and a depth of 4.0 feet (122 cm). The 30 deg. corner block 2900 has a height of 1.5 feet (46 cm), a back face 2940 of 4.0 feet (122 cm), a depth of 4.0 feet (122 cm), and a front face 2910 of 22.25 inches. The 45 deg. corner block 3200 has a height of 1.5 feet (46 cm), a back face 3240 of 4.0 feet (122 cm), a depth of 4.0 feet (122 cm) and a front face 3210 of 8.25 inches. The 60 deg. corner block 3500 has a height of 1.5 feet (46 cm), a back face 3540 of 4.0 feet (61 cm), a depth of 4.0 feet (122 cm) and a front face 3510 of 2 inches, or the 60 deg. corner block can be triangular shaped with 4.0 feet (122 cm) sides and not have a front face. Note that the dimensions of the block and its internal reinforcing structure may be scaled to accommodate different load-bearing requirements. An individual block or the entire system may be either enlarged or reduced as necessary. Thus, if a bridge that must bear a freight train needs to be supported by the block of the present invention, its dimensions could be scaled up to provide for larger voids, into which rebar and concrete could be placed to provide a very strong wall capable of bearing substantial loads. Also a precast, prestress fitting could be formed into the blocks to allow for use in a cabling system to add additional strength to a wall. Such a cabling system could be used, for example, to hold parallel retaining walls on a roadway approach. Additionally the blocks can be specially cast to form fit sewage pipes and other structures with the blocks. The units herein are expressed in both English and metric units. The preferred embodiments are implemented in English units, and any variation between the stated English units and their metric equivalents is due to rounding errors, with the English units being the more correct measurement of the two. While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, a block may be made in a variety of different sizes, as discussed above. In addition, the size, number and geometries of the block surfaces and voids in the block may vary from that disclosed herein. Furthermore, while the block herein is described as being used for retaining walls, it is equally within the scope of the preferred embodiments to use the building block for other purposes, such as building construction. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Technical Field This invention generally relates to construction materials and techniques, and more specifically relates to a building block wall system and method that may be used to construct a wall or support. 2. Background Art Building blocks have been used for centuries to construct homes, office buildings, churches, and many other structures. Early building blocks were hewn from stone into appropriate shapes that were assembled together, typically using mortar, to form a wall. In modern times, various types of concrete blocks have been developed, which are typically formed by pouring a cement-based concrete mixture into a form and allowing the concrete to cure. This type of concrete block is strong and makes for a sturdy wall, but installing a traditional concrete block requires a skilled mason that must manually lift each block, and set each block using mortar to secure the blocks in place. This process is very labor-intensive. One application for concrete blocks is the construction of retaining walls. Retaining walls are required when there is a body of earth that needs to be held in place. While several different block designs have been used in the art, most of these are relatively small blocks that a construction worker must manually lift and put in place. Most require mortar. What is needed is a large block that is especially well-suited for retaining walls that has a large surface, and that may be lifted into place using a crane or other suitable equipment, and that may be stacked into a wall without mortar. This allows a wall to be quickly and efficiently constructed using much less skilled labor. It would also be desirable for the block to have an attractive, finished look that does not require covering or painting, but that also could be stained to look like many different types of rocks or stones or to match a desired color scheme. Further, it would be desirable to have corner blocks that allow the wall to have a variety of angles to produce various wall contours. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS <EOH>The preferred embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, where like designations denote like elements, and: FIG. 1 is a top view of a block in accordance with the preferred embodiments; FIG. 2 is front view of the block of FIG. 1 taken along the lines 1 - 1 ; FIG. 3 is a side view of the block of FIGS. 1 and 2 taken along the lines 3 - 3 in FIG. 2 ; FIG. 4 is a back view of the block of FIG. 1 taken along the lines 4 - 4 in FIG. 1 ; FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the lifting device 142 shown in FIG. 3 ; FIG. 6 is a top view of the block of FIG. 1 showing a reinforcing structure that adds strength to the block; FIG. 7 is cross-sectional view of the block in FIG. 6 taken along the lines 7 - 7 that shows the connection of lift and alignment ring 170 to the reinforcing structure; FIG. 8 is a top view of a footing block in accordance with the preferred embodiments; FIG. 9 is a side view of the block in FIG. 8 taken along the line 9 - 9 ; FIG. 10 is a side view of a retaining wall constructed using the block shown in FIGS. 1-7 and the footing block shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 ; FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a channel in the block in FIGS. 10 and 24 that may be used to secure a material separator fabric to the top of a wall; FIG. 12 is a front view of the voids created by the block in FIG. 1 when stacked with a running bond in accordance with the preferred embodiments; FIG. 13 is a top view of a straight wall with a portion of the second course of blocks in phantom to illustrate the continuity of voids in a wall constructed with the block in FIG. 1 ; FIG. 14 is a top view that illustrates how a wall constructed of the block in FIG. 1 can create an outer curve and still maintain alignment of the voids, lift and aligning rings, and alignment channels; FIG. 15 is a top view that illustrates how a wall constructed of the block in FIG. 1 can create an inner curve and still maintain alignment of the voids, lift and aligning rings, and alignment channels; FIG. 16 is a top view of a half block in accordance with preferred embodiments; FIG. 17 is a side view of the block in FIG. 16 taken along the lines 17 - 17 ; FIG. 18 is a first front view of the block in FIGS. 16 and 17 ; FIG. 19 is an alternative front view of the block in FIGS. 16 and 17 ; FIG. 20 is a top view of a transition block in accordance with the preferred embodiments; FIG. 21 is a top view of a half block that includes two finished sides; FIG. 22 is a top view of a quarter block in accordance with the preferred embodiments; FIG. 23 is a front view of the quarter block in FIG. 22 taken along the lines 23 - 23 ; FIG. 24 is a side view of a first top block in accordance with the preferred embodiments; FIG. 25 is a side view of a second top block in accordance with the preferred embodiments; FIG. 26 is a top view of a square corner block in accordance with preferred embodiments; FIG. 27 is a bottom view of the square corner block in FIG. 26 ; FIG. 28 is a side view of the square corner block in FIG. 26 taken along the lines 28 - 28 ; FIG. 29 is a top view of a 30 degree corner block in accordance with preferred embodiments; FIG. 30 is a bottom view of the 30 degree corner block in FIG. 29 ; FIG. 31 is a side view of the 30 degree corner block in FIG. 29 taken along the lines 31 - 31 ; FIG. 32 is a top view of a 45 degree corner block in accordance with preferred embodiments; FIG. 33 is a bottom view of the 45 degree corner block in FIG. 32 ; FIG. 34 is a side view of the 45 degree corner block in FIG. 32 taken along the lines 34 - 34 ; FIG. 35 is a top view of a 60 degree corner block in accordance with preferred embodiments; FIG. 36 is a bottom view of the 60 degree corner block in FIG. 35 ; FIG. 37 is a side view of the 60 degree corner block in FIG. 35 taken along the lines 37 - 37 ; FIG. 38 is a top view of a wall built in accordance with the wall system and method of the preferred embodiments showing the square corner block in the wall system; FIG. 39 is a top view of a wall built in accordance with the wall system and method of the preferred embodiments showing various uses of the 30 degree corner block in the wall system; FIG. 40 is a top view of a wall built in accordance with the wall system and method of the preferred embodiments showing the 45 degree corner block in the wall system; FIG. 41 is a top view of a wall built in accordance with the wall system and method of the preferred embodiments showing the 60 degree corner block in the wall system; FIG. 42 is a front view of a wall built in accordance with the wall system and method of the preferred embodiments showing the various different blocks in the wall system and how they are used in building a wall; and FIG. 43 is a flow diagram of a method for constructing a wall using the blocks of the preferred embodiments. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | 20040923 | 20060711 | 20050317 | 60361.0 | 1 | NGUYEN, CHI Q | CORNER BUILDING BLOCK, SYSTEM AND METHOD | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,949,255 | ACCEPTED | Combined toothpick and mint dispenser | A thin, plastic dispenser for discharging toothpicks, and/or mints through distinct discharge passages in the dispenser. The dispenser has a body comprising a first housing and a second housing that are aligned and snapped together to form the body of the dispenser. A well is defined in the body for storing toothpicks, and a first discharge passage is provided in the well. A larger chamber is defined in the body for storing mints, and a second discharge passage is provided in the chamber. Locking levers, integrally formed with one of the housings, normally seal the discharge passages in the well and the chamber. When the user wishes to discharge a toothpick and/or mint, the manually engages a locking lever and pivots same about its hinge line to expose the adjacent discharge passage. The contents of the well and/or chamber can then be discharged, through the exposed discharge passages vacated by the movement of the locking lever. Guides, ramps, and abutments in the well and chamber limit the width of the discharge passages and insure that the toothpicks are mints are discharged, one at a time, when the dispenser is tilted. | 1. A combined toothpick and mint dispenser comprising: a) a first housing including a planar base, b) spaced end walls and spaced side walls projecting from said base of said first housing an extending around the perimeter of said base, c) a second housing including a planar base, d) spaced end walls and spaced side walls projecting from said base of said second housing and extending around the perimeter of said base, e) said first and second housings joined together along said end walls and said side walls to form the body of said dispenser, f) a well defined within said body, said well adapted to receive and retain toothpicks therein, g) a first discharge passage in said well for allowing toothpicks to pass therethrough, to the exterior of said body, h) a first locking lever for normally sealing the first discharge passage, i) a chamber defined within said body, j) a second discharge passage in aid chamber for allowing mints to pass therethrough to the exterior of said body, k) a second locking lever, integrally formed with one of said housings, for normally sealing the second discharge passage, l) said first and second locking levers being pivoted out of sealing engagement with said discharge passages to allow the contents of the well and chamber to be discharged therethrough upon tilting the dispenser. 2. A combined toothpick and mint dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein said locking levers are integrally formed with one of said housings and are pivotable about hinge lines formed in said planar base of one of said housings. 3. A combined toothpick and mint dispenser as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said locking levers terminates, at the end remote from its hinge line, in a projecting flange. 4. A combined toothpick and mint dispenser as defined in claim 3, wherein recesses are formed in the body of said dispenser to receive said projecting flanges and retain said housings in joined condition. 5. A combined toothpick and mint dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein said housings are substantially rectangular in shape. 6. A combined toothpick and mint dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein said well is formed in one of said housings by a pair of spaced, parallel transversely extending interior walls and a pair of spaced end walls, said interior walls and said end walls defining a well of rectangular shape. 7. A combined toothpick and mint dispenser as defined in claim 6, wherein barrier means are located within said well to limit the width of said first discharge passage and allow only one toothpick at a time to enter said first discharge passage. 8. A combined toothpick and mint dispenser as defined in claim 7, wherein said barrier mans comprises an abutment extending from one of said transverse walls toward the other of said transverse walls. 9. A combined toothpick and mint dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein said chamber is formed in one of said housings, said chamber being rectangular in shape and larger in size than said well, said chamber and said well being formed in the same housing. 10. A combined toothpick and mint dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein barriers are located within said chamber to limit the width of said second discharge opening, and allow only one mint at a time to enter said second discharge passage. 11. A combined toothpick and mint dispenser as defined in claim 10, wherein said barrier means comprises a pair of spaced ramps, said ramps guiding the mints toward said second discharge opening when said dispenser is tilted. 12. A combined toothpick and mint dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein pins on one of said housings cooperates with sockets on the other said housings to align said housing prior to joining same together. 13. A combined toothpick and mint dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein a first cylindrical collar is formed in said first housing, and a second, cylindrical collar is formed in said second housing, said collars contacting each other when said housings are jointed together, said collars forming a bore through the body of said dispenser. 14. A combined toothpick and mint dispenser as defined in claim 13, wherein said collars contact each other in line-to-line contact to define a bore that is isolated from said chamber, said bore being adapted to receive a split-ring therein. | This application claims priority based on provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/536,728, filed Jan. 15, 2004. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention pertains to a molded plastic dispenser that discharges mints and/or toothpicks, stored within the dispenser, through different discharge apertures, or openings, one at a time. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Various dispensers are known for dispensing mints, tablets, pills, and the like, stored within the interior of the dispenser. The dispenser must retain the product stored therein in a safe and dry environment, so that the mints, tablets, pills, etc. are not adversely influenced by ambient conditions, and retain a useful storage life that enables discharge of the product, in small quantities, over an extended period of time. Some of the known dispensers are discussed below. To illustrate, U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,619, Wipperman et al disclose a flat container 1 comprising complementary housings 2, 3 adapted to be secured together to form a dispenser for tablets 4. Container 1 dispenses tablets, one at a time, by allowing same to pass through funnel shaped sorting trough 5 and into drop-out chamber 6, as shown in FIG. 3. Lower wall section 2′ is then slid laterally to expose drop-out opening 18 which allows a single tablet to fall therethrough, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Horizontal ribs 7 and 8, in the complementary housings slide relative t one another, to limit the size of the sorting trough; curved ramps or ledges 9, 10 on the ribs maintain the pills in the desired orientation as they enter the sorting trough. Spring blade 21 opposes the displacement of the housings relative to one another. U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,215, Makarevitzu, discloses a dispenser for tablets, pills, candies, etc. in the form of a covered box 10. A portion 15 of the wall 13 of the box is resilient and deflectable inwardly to open, in combination with baffle 14, a dispensing opening, as shown in dotted outline in FIG. 3. Baffle 14 and interior wall 16 allow the discharge of one or more tablets, depending upon the size of the discharge opening, while retaining the remainder of the mints or candies in the dispenser. U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,774, Dominguez, discloses a flat tablet dispenser comprising a bottom half 30 assuming the form of a rectangular tray, and a top half 10 having a complementary shape. Studs 21-25 are formed on the top half and fit into the sockets 41-45, on the bottom half. A hinged cap 50 controls the discharge of pills from the dispenser. While diverse dispensers for pills, candies, tablets, etc. are known, dispensers for toothpicks are far from commonplace, particularly dispensers for discharging a single toothpick at a time. Toothpicks are usually sold, in relatively large quantities, in a paperboard box with a removable panel. Upon tearing the panel away, the contents of the box are exposed, and the toothpicks may be extracted, as needed. The contents of the box are susceptible of spilling out, if not properly handled. In some instances, smaller quantities of toothpicks are sold in metal tins. In both instances, no mechanism is provided for discharging the toothpicks one at a time, in a reliable manner, without spillage. Combined dispensers for discharging individual toothpicks and/or mints, candies, pills, or the like, are not readily available. Thus, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a combined toothpick and mint dispenser, capable of selectively dispensing toothpicks and/or mints, or candies, one at a time. It is another object of the instant invention to provide a combined toothpick and mint dispenser capable of storing a large supply of toothpicks and mints, prior to discharge, in a sealed environment that keeps the toothpicks and mints isolated from dirt, lint, moisture, atmospheric conditions, etc. The toothpicks are stored in a well, while the mints are stored in a somewhat larger chamber; both the well and the chamber are defined within the interior of the body of the dispenser. The toothpicks are discharged through a first discharge passage in the dispenser, while mints, candies, or the like are discharged through a second discharge passage. The passages are normally sealed by pivotally mounted locking levers. Each lever is pivoted away from its sealing position, as needed, to expose a discharge passage in the body of the dispenser. Furthermore, it is another object of the invention to provide a dispenser comprised of an upper and lower housing, of generally rectangular shape, defined by upstanding end walls and side walls. Pins and receptacles are formed on opposing faces of the housings, so that the housings are aligned and then secured together. The locking levers fit into recesses on the opposing housing and assist in retaining the housings secured together. The dispenser is formed of a molded plastic that may be transparent or translucent, and may be colored, so that the resulting dispenser is aesthetically pleasing, and is thin or sleek enough to be carried in one's pocket or purse. A clear-through aperture may be formed in one corner of the body of the dispenser. A split-ring may be slipped through the aperture, and a key chain may be joined to the split-ring so that the dispenser may be worn on a key chain. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objects recited above, and other objects, are realized by the instant combined toothpick and mint dispenser which comprises a first housing and a second housing, with upstanding walls, and cooperating pins and receptacles that properly align the housings. After alignment, the two housings, which are generally rectangular in shape, are snapped or pressed together to form a sleek body for a dispenser that can fit easily into one's pocket or purse. The body may be formed of transparent or translucent plastic of different colors, so that the dispenser is esthetically pleasing, and may be embellished by the logo of the business, or person, distributing the combined dispenser. Parallel, transverse walls extend between the end walls of one of the housings, and define the boundaries of a well adapted to receive a supply of toothpicks. An abutment in the well guides the toothpicks toward a first discharge passage in an end wall of the dispenser. A first locking lever, integrally formed with one of the housings and pivotable about a first hinge line, normally seals the discharge passage in the well. A chamber is defined within the body of the dispenser to receive a supply of mints, candies, or the like. Ramps within the chamber guide the mints toward a second discharge opening. A second locking lever, integrally formed with one of the housings and pivotable about a second hinge line, normally seals the second discharge passage in the chamber. The locking levers also fit into recesses in the opposing housing to retain the body o the dispenser securely joined together, in addition to sealing the discharge passages. Ramps, guides, and abutments, within the well and the chamber insure that only one toothpick and one mint are in position to be discharged at one time. Pivoting a locking lever about its hinge line, to expose the contents of the well and chamber, and then tilting the dispenser, allows the discharge of one toothpick and/or mint, at a time. The contents of the dispenser are not susceptible to inadvertent discharge or spillage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a dispenser constructed in accordance with the principles of applicant's invention, such dispenser discharging a mint; FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the dispenser discharging a toothpick; FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the dispenser of FIGS. 1 and 2; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the upper housing of applicant's dispenser; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the lower housing of applicant's dispenser; FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the upper and lower housings of FIGS. 4 and 5 being joined together; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the alternative embodiment of applicant's dispenser, wherein a slip ring is passed through a bore in the dispenser body; and FIG. 8 is a partial, vertical cross-sectional view of the dispenser of FIG. 7, such view being taken along line 8-8 in FIG. 7 and in the direction indicated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIGS. 1-3 depict dispenser 10, constructed in accordance with the principles of applicant's invention. Dispenser 10 comprises upper housing 12 and lower housing 14, which are joined together after proper alignment. The contents of container 10 can be observed through transparent, or translucent, housing 12. Housings 12 and 14 are substantially rectangular in shape, and may be formed from a colored plastic. Toothpicks 16 are retained in well 18 defined within the interior of dispenser 10. Well 18 is substantially rectangular in shape, as shown in FIG. 3. Discharge passage 20 is situated in one side of well 18, and is sized to allow the discharge of one toothpick, at a time. A larger, generally rectangular chamber 22 is also defined within the interior of housing 10. Mints 24, or similarly shaped candies, are stored within chamber 22. A first, vertically oriented ramp 26, directs mints 24 in vertical direction, while a second, horizontally oriented ramp 28, directs mints 22 in the horizontal, or lateral, direction across the vertical dimension of chamber 22. Discharge passage 30 is determined by the spacing between the lower edge of ramp 26 and the upper edge of ramp 28. The vertical dimension of discharge passage 30 is correlated with the diameter of mint 22 to be discharged. Stepped ledge 32 is formed proximate to discharge opening 30. Locking lever 34, with projecting flange 36, normally seals discharge opening 30, for flange 36 is seated upon ledge 32. Nub 38 is engaged by the user's finger, or finger nail, when one wishes to expose discharge passage 30. Well 18, which receives toothpicks 18, is rectangular in shape and stores several toothpicks. Well 18 is defined, in the lateral direction, by spaced, parallel internal walls 40, 42, and on its height dimension, by end walls 44, 46. Interior barrier 48 maintains the toothpicks in proper alignment. Discharge passage 20 is define between the upper surface of barrier 48 and interior wall 42, so that only one toothpick is in position to be discharged through passage 20, at any time. Second locking lever 50 includes projecting flange 52 which usually engages ledges 54, to seal discharge opening 20. Discharge passages 20 and 30 are spaced along an end wall of the dispenser. Nib 56 is engaged by the user's finger, or finger nail, to pivot locking lever 50 out of engagement with ledge 54. The pivoted movement of locking lever 50 exposes opening 20 and allows the discharge of a single toothpick 16, as shown in FIG. 2. FIGS. 4-8 show an alternative embodiment of applicant's unique dispenser. While the preferred embodiment of the dispenser may utilize upper and lower housings that are glued, welded or otherwise secured together, the alternative embodiment of the dispenser relies upon a series of cooperating pins and sockets to properly align the housings, and to permit same to be snapped together. Also, dispenser 110 may utilize a transparent upper housing, joined to a translucent lower housing, so that the contents of the dispenser may be readily observed. lastly, dispenser 110 is formed with a clear-through aperture in one corner; a key chain or ring may be passed through the aperture so that the dispenser 110 may be suspended from a belt, or key chain. The structural details of dispenser 110 may be gleaned from appended FIGS. 4-8. As shown in FIG. 4, upper housing 112 of dispenser 110 comprises a planar base 116 surrounded by upstanding side walls 118, 120 and end walls 122, 124. Cylindrical sockets 126, 128, 130, 132, 134 and 136 are distributed about base 116 in proximity to the end walls and side walls, and extend upwardly above the end walls and side walls. Locking levers 138, 140 interrupt end wall 124 at spaced locations. Lever 138 is joined to base 116 along hinge line 142, while lever 140 is joined to base 116 along hinge line 144. Collar 146 is situated in the corner of base 116, proximate to the intersection of side wall 120 and end wall 122. As shown in FIG. 5, lower housing 114 comprises a planar base 148 surrounded by upstanding side walls 150, 152 and end walls 154, 156. Interior walls 158, 160 and spaced transverse walls 162, 164 define rectangular well 166 within the confines of housing 114. Well 166 is adapted to toothpicks or similar slender articles. Chamber 168, which is rectangular in shape and larger than well 166, is situated adjacent thereto. Side wall 150, end walls 154, 156, interior wall 148, and base 148 define the dimensions of chamber 168. Pins 170, 172, 174, 176, 178 and 180 are distributed about base 148 of housing 114 in a pattern corresponding to the distribution of the sockets on housing 112. First vertical ramp 182 is situated within chamber 168 in proximity to pin 176, while second horizontal ramp 184 is situated within chamber 148 in proximity to pin 178. Ramps 182, 184 extend upwardly above end wall 154 and are separated by a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the mints or candies stored in chamber 168. Collar 185 is located in a corner of housing 114. FIG. 6 shows housing 112 being joined to, or secured to, housing 114. Sockets 126, 128, 130, 132, 134 and 136 are brought into engagement with pins 170, 172, 174, 176, 178 and 180 or vice versa. The interaction between the pins and the sockets aligns housings 112 and 114. Collars 146, 185 are also aligned. Side walls 118, 120 and end walls 112, 124 of housing 112 rest upon end walls 150, 152 and side walls 154, 156 of housing 114. Projecting flange 186 on locking lever 138 snaps into a recess (not shown) in housing 114, while projecting flange 188 on locking lever 140 snaps into a recess (now shown) adjacent discharge opening 82, in the end wall 154 of chamber 168. The engagement of projecting flanges 186, 188 in recesses, or upon the ledges, of housing 114 snaps the housings 112, 114 together to define the body of dispenser 110. Collars 146, 185 are pressed together in line-to-line contact so that dust, pocket line, etc. can not gain entry to chamber 168 and adversely impact upon the mints, candies, etc. stored therein. After the assembly process shown in FIGS. 4-6 is completed, dispenser 110 assumes the same form shown in FIGS. 1-3. Toothpicks are retained in well 166. The distance between transverse interior barrier 190 and transverse wall 160, which defines the first discharge passage, is selected so that only one toothpick may fit therein and be discharged therefrom. Locking lever 138 normally blocks the outer end of the discharge passage for toothpicks. However, when locking lever 138 is posited out of the way by the user, one toothpick at a time, may be discharged through the discharge passage. The adjacent toothpick in the well is advanced into the discharge passage by tilting the body of the dispenser. After the desired number of toothpicks has been discharged, locking lever 136 is pivoted about hinge line 142 into locking engagement with housing 114 to seal the discharge passage. Toothpicks are not shown in FIGS. 4-6, but are identified by reference numeral 16 in FIGS. 1-3. Mints are not shown in FIGS. 4-6; however, mints 24 are shown in FIGS. 1-3 and are stored in chamber 62 within the body of dispenser 10. Ramps 182, 184 guide the mints toward a discharge passage in chamber 166. The distance between the rams is selected so that only one mint at a time can fit into the discharge passage and pass over side wall 154. Locking lever 138 normally blocks the discharge passage leading from chamber 168. However, when the user desires a mint, he, or she, pivots lever 138 about hinge 142 and allow a mint to pass through the discharge passage. The mints are discharged, one at a time, by tilting the dispenser 10 so that the mints clear the end wall of the housing of dispenser 110. FIGS. 7 and 8 show that split ring 190 may be passed through bore 192 formed by the engagement of collars 146 and 169 in one corner of dispenser 110. A chain may be passed through bore 192, in lieu of a split ring, or the chain may be used in combination with the split ring. Dispenser 110 may be worn on a key chain, or positioned about a belt, or retained in a pocket or purse. Numerous modifications and revisions may occur to the artisan from the description set forth above. For example, the locking levers may define discharge openings in the end walls or side walls of the dispenser. Other mechanical arrangements may be used to join the first and second housings together. Diverse plastics may be used. Consequently, the appended claims should be broadly construed in a fashion consistent with the spirit and scope of applicant's unique invention, and should not be limited to their literal terms. Parts List—FIGS. 1-3 10 dispenser (general) 12 upper housing 14 lower housing 16 toothpicks 18 well 20 discharge passage in well 22 rectangular chamber 24 mints 26 first, vertically oriented ramp 28 second, horizontally oriented ramp 30 discharge passage in chamber 32 ledge 34 first locking lever 36 projecting flange on lever 34 38 nub 40/42 spaced, parallel internal walls for well 18 44/46 end walls 48 interior barrier 50 second locking lever 52 projecting flange on lever 50 54 ledge Parts List—FIG. 4 Alternative Embodiment—Dispenser 110 112 upper housing 116 planar base 118/120 side walls 122/124 end walls 126, 128, 130, 132, 134 & 136 cylindrical sockets 138, 140 locking levers 142 hinge line for lever 138 144 hinge line for lever 140 146 collar Parts List—FIG. 5 114 lower housing 148 planar base 150/152 side walls 154/156 end walls 158/160 interior walls 162/164 transverse walls 166 rectangular well 168 chamber 170, 172, 174, 176, 178 & 180 pins on base 148 182 first vertical ramp 184 second horizontal ramp 185 collar Parts List—FIG. 6 186 flange on locking lever 138 188 flange on locking lever 140 Parts List—FIGS. 7 and 8 190 slip ring 192 bore | <SOH> FIELD OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The invention pertains to a molded plastic dispenser that discharges mints and/or toothpicks, stored within the dispenser, through different discharge apertures, or openings, one at a time. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The objects recited above, and other objects, are realized by the instant combined toothpick and mint dispenser which comprises a first housing and a second housing, with upstanding walls, and cooperating pins and receptacles that properly align the housings. After alignment, the two housings, which are generally rectangular in shape, are snapped or pressed together to form a sleek body for a dispenser that can fit easily into one's pocket or purse. The body may be formed of transparent or translucent plastic of different colors, so that the dispenser is esthetically pleasing, and may be embellished by the logo of the business, or person, distributing the combined dispenser. Parallel, transverse walls extend between the end walls of one of the housings, and define the boundaries of a well adapted to receive a supply of toothpicks. An abutment in the well guides the toothpicks toward a first discharge passage in an end wall of the dispenser. A first locking lever, integrally formed with one of the housings and pivotable about a first hinge line, normally seals the discharge passage in the well. A chamber is defined within the body of the dispenser to receive a supply of mints, candies, or the like. Ramps within the chamber guide the mints toward a second discharge opening. A second locking lever, integrally formed with one of the housings and pivotable about a second hinge line, normally seals the second discharge passage in the chamber. The locking levers also fit into recesses in the opposing housing to retain the body o the dispenser securely joined together, in addition to sealing the discharge passages. Ramps, guides, and abutments, within the well and the chamber insure that only one toothpick and one mint are in position to be discharged at one time. Pivoting a locking lever about its hinge line, to expose the contents of the well and chamber, and then tilting the dispenser, allows the discharge of one toothpick and/or mint, at a time. The contents of the dispenser are not susceptible to inadvertent discharge or spillage. | 20040927 | 20060627 | 20050721 | 77866.0 | 1 | NOLAND, KENNETH W | COMBINED TOOTHPICK AND MINT DISPENSER | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,949,264 | ACCEPTED | Vehicle suspension systems | A wheel suspension system having under powered acceleration a squat response that begins in the realm of anti squat and passes through a point of lessened anti squat at a further point in the travel. | 1. A suspension system for a rear wheel suspension comprising a damper unit, a pivot, and a suspended wheel, wherein said suspension system is designed to result in a squat curve with a negative slope in the beginning of suspension travel, in the interim of suspension travel and in the end of suspension travel, and wherein the slope in the beginning of suspension travel and in the end of suspension travel are more negative than the slope in the interim of suspension travel. | This application is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/669,412, filed Sep. 25, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND This invention relates to suspension systems capable of reducing or eliminating a squat response. Automobiles, bicycles, motorcycles, all terrain vehicles, and other wheel driven vehicles are used for various purposes, including transportation and leisure. These vehicles are designed to use a power source to drive through a power transmission system to a wheel or wheels, which transfers rotary motion to the ground via tractive force between a wheel or wheels and the ground. Vehicles are also used to traverse even terrain like paved streets, and uneven terrain like off-road dirt trails. Off road trails are generally bumpier and allow for less wheel traction than paved roads. A bumpier terrain is best navigated with a vehicle that has a suspension system. A suspension system in a vehicle is aimed to provide a smoother ride for an operator or rider, and increase wheel traction over varied terrain. Vehicle suspension systems for the front wheel and for the back wheel are available. One undesirable effect of suspension systems is the loss of energy in the way of suspension compression or extension during powered acceleration. Such energy loss is particularly notable in vehicles that are driven by low energy power sources, for example, bicycles and solar vehicles. For example, the average rider of a bicycle can exert only a limited amount of power or energy for a short period of time and an even lesser amount for an extended period of time. Therefore, even a very small power loss can have a significant effect on rider performance and comfort. Suspension travel is the distance a suspended wheel travels when the suspension is moved from a fully extended state to a fully compressed state. In bicycles, suspension travel has been increased for many designs and with these increases in suspension travel; the aforementioned energy loss has become even more apparent to riders. But even for a vehicle with a high power energy source, any loss in energy reduces the vehicle's efficiency, for example its fuel efficiency. Where vehicles are used in a manner that requires frequent accelerations, including positive and negative accelerations, the efficiency of the vehicle is particularly affected by any loss of energy resulting from the vehicles geometry, including the geometry and design of its suspension systems. Thus, by minimizing energy loss resulting from the design of a vehicle's suspension system, the efficiency of the vehicle is improved and thereby its environmental impact. The need for a suspension system that can better preserve a vehicles efficiency and energy has therefore become more pressing. The present invention provides suspension system designs for vehicles that reduce these energy losses. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1a is a side view of a chain driven vehicle using a driven wheel suspension system that achieves a squat curve according to certain embodiments of the current invention. The vehicle is shown with the driven wheel suspension system in an uncompressed state. FIG. 1b is a side view of a chain driven vehicle as shown in FIG. 1a with the driven wheel suspension system in a completely compressed state. FIG. 1c is an enlarged section of the side view of the chain driven vehicle shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b with the driven wheel suspension system in a completely uncompressed state. FIG. 1d is an enlarged section of the side view of the chain driven vehicle shown in FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c with the driven wheel suspension system in a completely compressed state. FIG. 2a is a side view of a shaft driven vehicle using a driven wheel suspension system that achieves a squat curve according to certain embodiments of the current invention. The vehicle is shown with the driven wheel suspension system in an uncompressed state. FIG. 2b is a side view of a shaft driven vehicle as shown in FIG. 2a with the driven wheel suspension system in a completely compressed state. FIG. 2c is an enlarged section of the side view of the shaft driven vehicle shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b with the driven wheel suspension system in a completely uncompressed state. FIG. 2d is an enlarged section of the side view of the shaft driven vehicle shown in FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 2c with the driven wheel suspension system in a completely compressed state. FIGS. 3 and 4 show squat curves for suspension systems according to certain embodiments of the invention graphed on a squat curve graph as disclosed herein. FIGS. 5-13 show alternative embodiments of suspension systems comprising a squat curve of the invention. Each embodiment shown includes a spring/damper unit (small irregular box) and different frame members (thicker lines) interconnected through pivots (small circles). SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The current invention relates to new suspension systems for vehicles, for example, bicycles, motorcycles, cars, SUVs, trucks, two wheel vehicles, four wheel vehicles, front wheel suspension vehicles, driven wheel suspension vehicles, and any other kind of vehicle with a suspension system. In certain embodiments of the invention, a suspension system of the invention is capable of facilitating a squat response that lowers the energy loss resulting from squat. In certain preferred embodiments, a suspension system of the invention is capable of lowering energy loss resulting from squat by producing an anti-squat response. An anti-squat response of a suspension system of the invention, in certain embodiments, varies along suspension travel of the vehicle and preferably is higher at the beginning of suspension travel and less thereafter. Certain embodiments of the invention comprise a wheel suspension design that uses a tuned squat response to reduce powered acceleration induced suspension movement at tactical points during the driven wheel suspension travel. A vehicle designed to use the preferred embodiment of the invention can accelerate under power with a lower amount of energy loss and a more stable vehicle chassis than known systems. Suspension systems of the invention are useful for a variety of vehicles and preferably in human powered vehicles. The average rider of a bicycle or other human powered vehicle can exert only a limited amount of power or energy for a short period of time and an even lesser amount for an extended period of time. Therefore, even a very small power loss can have a significant detrimental effect on rider performance and comfort. The need for a suspension system that can better preserve the rider's energy has therefore become more pressing. The present invention provides suspension system designs for vehicles that reduce energy loss during powered acceleration. In certain embodiments of the invention, a wheel suspension system comprises a wheel connected to a wheel carrier unit and said wheel carrier unit connected to spring damper means; and isolating said wheel from a frame structure with the wheel suspension system having an squat curve with said squat curve having a decreasing rate of squat as the suspension system moves from a beginning point in the wheel travel to an ending point in the wheel travel. In certain embodiments of the invention, a compressible wheel suspension system comprises a wheel connected to a wheel carrier unit and said wheel carrier unit connected to spring damper means; and isolating said wheel from a frame structure with the wheel suspension system having a squat curve with said squat curve having a decreasing squat amount and without said squat amount increasing as the suspension system moves from a beginning point in the wheel travel towards an ending point in the wheel travel increase. In certain embodiments of the invention, a compressible vehicle suspension system comprises a defined squat curve, with said squat curve having a maximum value at the lowest amount of suspension compression, and a minimum value at a further point in the travel, and a continuously decreasing amount of squat throughout the wheel travel. In certain embodiments of the invention, a vehicle suspension system comprises a defined squat curve, with said squat curve having a slope that is generally negative at an earlier point in the suspension travel, and a slope that is less negative at a interim point in the suspension travel, and a slope that is then more negative at a latter point in the suspension travel. In certain embodiments of the invention, a compressible wheel suspension system comprises a wheel connected to a wheel carrier unit and said wheel carrier unit connected to a top link and a bottom link, with a top link connected to spring damper means; With said top and bottom links rotating together in a clockwise direction, and said top and bottom links connecting said wheel carrier to a frame structure, isolating said wheel from the frame structure. Said top link and said bottom link having projected link force lines and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link projected force line at a point in the beginning of the suspension travel and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link at a point later in the travel. In certain embodiments of the invention, a compressible wheel suspension system comprises a wheel connected to a wheel carrier unit and said wheel carrier unit connected to a top link and a bottom link, with said wheel carrier connected to spring damper means; with said top and bottom links rotating together in a clockwise direction, and said top and bottom links connecting said wheel carrier to a frame structure, isolating said wheel from the frame structure. Said top link and said bottom link having projected link force lines and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link projected force line at a point in the beginning of the suspension travel and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link at a point later in the travel. In certain embodiments of the invention, a compressible wheel suspension system comprises a wheel connected to a wheel carrier unit and said wheel carrier unit connected to a top link and a bottom link, with said bottom link connected to spring damper means; with said top and bottom links rotating together in a clockwise direction, and said top and bottom links connecting said wheel carrier to a frame structure, isolating said wheel from the frame structure, said top link and said bottom link having projected link force lines and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link projected force line at a point in the beginning of the suspension travel and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link at a point later in the travel. In certain embodiments of the invention, a compressible wheel suspension system comprises a wheel connected to a wheel carrier unit and said wheel carrier unit connected to a top link and a bottom link, with said top and bottom links connected to spring damper means; with said top and bottom links rotating together in a clockwise direction, and said top and bottom links connecting said wheel carrier to a frame structure, isolating said wheel from the frame structure. Said top link and said bottom link having projected link force lines and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link projected force line at a point in the beginning of the suspension travel and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link at a point later in the travel. In practice, precisely controlling squat in a suspension system can allow for very little suspension movement during powered acceleration with favorable bump compliance. The further a vehicle suspension is compressed, the higher the spring force at the wheel rotational axis. Most powered acceleration happens within the first 40 percent of the suspension travel. Because spring force is lowest in the beginning of a suspension travel, a suspension is more susceptible to manipulation due to squat forces at that time. If enough anti squat force is not present to inhibit mass transfer in the beginning of the suspension travel, the suspension will compress, and when it rebounds, energy will be lost through the damper. The low spring force in the beginning of the suspension travel allows for higher levels of movement than at later points in the suspension travel. Minimizing suspension movement due to mass transfer during powered acceleration reduces the amount of damper movement that occurs at that time. With lower amounts of damper movement comes a lower amount of energy that the damper must dissipate, and therefore more of the acceleration force provided by a power source can be used to accelerate the vehicle. The amount of energy consumed to produce enough anti-squat force to reduce movement earlier in the suspension travel is less than the amount of energy that would be lost in the damper during suspension movement. As a driven wheel suspension system is compressed through its travel, spring force increases, and therefore driven wheel resistance to movement increases. At this later point in the suspension travel, because of the increased spring force, squat force has less of manipulating effect on a wheel suspension. A lower amount of anti squat can be used so that more energy can be transferred to forward movement. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Vehicles must be accelerated against their environment to propel an operator or rider across terrain. In order to accelerate these vehicles, a certain amount of energy must be exerted and transformed into rotary motion at a wheel or plurality of wheels. Suspended wheeled vehicle energy conversion types are widely varied. Some vehicles like bicycles, tricycles, and pedal cars use converted human energy as the drive unit. Other vehicles use electric motors or combustion engines, as their drive unit. These electric motors and combustion engines extract rotary motion through the controlled release of chemically stored energy. Almost all vehicle types use some sort of rotary motion transmission system to transfer rotational force from a drive unit to a wheel or plurality of wheels. A simple bicycle or motorcycle or all terrain vehicle uses a chain or belt to transfer power from a drive unit to a wheel. These chain or belt drive transmissions typically use one sprocket in the front which is coupled to a drive system and one sprocket in the rear which is coupled to a wheel. More complex bicycles, motorcycles, all terrain vehicles, and automobiles use a shaft drive system to transfer power from a drive system to a driven wheel or wheels. These shaft drive systems transfer power through a rotating shaft that is usually reasonably perpendicular to the driven wheel spinning axis, with power transferred to the driven wheel via a bevel, spiral bevel, hypoid, worm gear drivetrain, or some other means. These single sprocket chain and belt, and shaft driven vehicles can use a direct driven single speed arrangement, where drive unit output shaft speed and torque is transferred to the driven wheel at a constant unchanging ratio. These single sprocket chain and belt, and shaft driven vehicles can also use a commonly found multi speed arrangement, where drive unit output shaft speed and torque is transferred to the driven wheel at a variable ratio through operator selected or automatically selected ratio changing mechanisms. A bicycle with a more advanced design includes gear changing systems that have clusters of selectable front chainrings and rear sprockets. These gear changing systems give the bicycle rider a selectable mechanical advantage for use during powered acceleration. The mechanical advantage selection, allows a rider spinning a front sprocket cluster via crank arms, to attain lower revolution speed and higher torque values, or conversely, higher revolution speed and lower torque values at a driven wheel. The current invention, in certain embodiments, is directed at suspension systems that can maintain low energy loss under powered acceleration of the vehicle, for example, a bicycle, a motorcycle, a car, an SUV, a truck, or any other kind of vehicle. Suspension systems of the current invention are useful for a large variety of vehicles, including, but not limited to, human powered vehicles, off road use vehicles with long displacement suspension, high efficiency road going vehicles, and other vehicles. A vehicle suspension system isolates a vehicle chassis from forces imparted on the vehicle when traversing terrain by allowing the vehicle's ground contact points to move away from impacts at the terrain level and in relation to the vehicle chassis by a compressible suspension movement. The compressible suspension movement that isolates a chassis from these impacts is called suspension displacement or suspension travel. Compressible suspension travel has a beginning point where the suspension is in a completely uncompressed state, and an ending point of displacement, where the suspension is in a completely compressed state. Suspension travel displacement is measured in a direction parallel to and against gravity. In certain preferred embodiments, a suspension system of the invention uses a tuned squat curve to provide an amount of squat closer to or higher in the range of the squat condition known as anti squat in the beginning of a suspension travel displacement, and an amount of squat closer to the range of the squat condition known as anti squat than the initial measurement at a later point in the suspension travel displacement. As a suspension system of the invention is compressed, a spring or damper unit is compressed. As this spring or damper unit is compressed, the force output from the unit rises. As the suspended wheel moves through its axle path, spring force at the wheel rises. A suspended wheel has a compressible wheel suspension travel distance that features a beginning travel point where the suspension is completely uncompressed to a point where no further suspension extension can take place, and an end travel point where a suspension is completely compressed to a point where no further suspension compression can take place. At the beginning of the wheel suspension travel distance, when the suspension is in a completely uncompressed state, the spring is in a state of least compression, and the suspension is easily compressed. In certain preferred embodiments, a higher amount of anti squat in the beginning of the suspension travel is needed to keep the suspension from compressing due to mass transfer under acceleration. As the suspension compresses, spring force at the wheel rises. When spring force rises to levels present in the middle of the suspension travel, mass transfer due to acceleration has a much smaller effect on vehicle traction or chassis attitude because the mass transfer is not capable of significantly compressing the suspension system. At this point, in certain preferred embodiments, the present invention decreases anti squat amount so that a greater amount of mass transfer towards the wheel can occur. This mass transfer allows increased wheel traction while transferring more energy towards forward propulsion. FIG. 1a shows certain embodiments of the invention and it presents a graphical method useful to attain a squat point measurement, and a graphical method to attain suspension geometry kinematical layout from an existing desired measured squat point. Shown in FIG. 1a are the following: driven wheel (1); swinging wheel carrier link (2); upper carrier manipulation link (3); lower carrier manipulation link (4); chain force vector (5); driving force vector (6); squat force vector (7); upper carrier manipulation link force vector (8); lower carrier manipulation link force vector (9); squat definition point (10); squat layout line (11); lower squat measurement definition line (12); measured squat distance (13); driven wheel axle path (14); driven wheel suspension travel distance (15); vehicle chassis (16); center of the driven wheel tire to ground contact patch (31). FIG. 1a exemplifies that as the driven wheel 1 suspension system is completely uncompressed in its driven wheel suspension travel distance 15, its squat force vector 7 is shown in relation to the vehicle chassis 16. The squat force vector's 7 measured squat distance 13 which is measured as the perpendicular distance between the lower squat measurement definition line 12 and the squat definition point 10, is also shown in FIG. 1a. As the suspension system is compressed through its driven wheel suspension travel distance 15, change in measured squat distance 13 over the driven wheel suspension travel distance 15 is used to create a squat curve 17. FIG. 1b shows a side view of a chain driven vehicle as shown in FIG. 1a with the driven wheel suspension system in a completely compressed state. Certain embodiments are further exemplified, for example, vectors useful to a graphical method to attain a squat point measurement are shown. Also exemplified is a graphical method useful to attain suspension geometry kinematical layout from an existing desired measured squat point. Shown in FIG. 1b in addition to what is presented in FIG. 1a, are the following: upper link fixed pivot (20); lower link fixed pivot (21); upper link floating pivot (22); lower link floating pivot (23); instant force center (24); driven wheel rotation axis (25); chain force vector and driving force vector intersection point (26); driving cog (27); driven cog (28); driving cog rotation axis (29). FIG. 1b exemplifies that as the driven wheel 1 suspension system is completely compressed through its driven wheel suspension travel distance 15, its squat force vector 7 moves in relation to the vehicle chassis 16. The squat force vector's 7 measured squat distance 13, which is measured as the perpendicular distance between the lower squat measurement definition line 12 and the squat definition point 10, decreases in relation to the measured squat distance 13 shown in FIG. 1a. This change in measured squat distance 13 over the driven wheel suspension travel distance 15, in certain preferred embodiments, is used to create a squat curve 17. FIG. 1b shows the graphical method used to obtain a squat curve 17 from chain driven vehicle geometry, or chain driven vehicle geometry from a squat curve 17. In the vehicle shown in FIG. 1b, a driven wheel 1 is attached to a swinging wheel carrier link 2, which pivots at one end of an upper carrier manipulation link 3. The upper carrier manipulation link 3 is pivotally attached to the vehicle chassis 16 at the upper link fixed pivot 20. A lower carrier manipulation link 4 is also attached to the swinging wheel carrier link 2. This lower carrier manipulation link 4 is attached to the vehicle chassis 16 at a lower link fixed pivot 21. An upper carrier manipulation link force vector 8 is graphed coincident to the swinging wheel carrier link 2 upper pivot and the upper link fixed pivot 20. The upper carrier manipulation link force vector 8 is graphed so that it intersects a lower carrier manipulation link force vector 9, which is graphed coincident to the swinging wheel carrier link 2 lower pivot and the lower link fixed pivot 21. The intersection point of the upper carrier manipulation link force vector 8, and the lower carrier manipulation link force vector 9 is called the instant force center 24. A driving force vector 6 is graphed beginning at the driven wheel rotation axis 25, and passes through the instant force center 24. A chain force vector 5 is drawn tangent to the tops of the driving cog 27 and driven cog 28, and intersects the driving force vector 6 at a chain force vector and driving force vector intersection point 26. The squat force vector 7 is graphed from a beginning point at the center of the driven wheel tire to ground contact patch 31, and passes through the chain force vector and driving force vector intersection point 26, before it terminates on a squat layout line 11. The intersection of the squat force vector 7 and the squat layout line is called the squat layout point 10. The squat layout line 11 is graphed at a perpendicular angle to gravitational force. A lower squat measurement definition line 12 is graphed beginning at the center of the driven wheel tire to ground contact patch 31 and terminating perpendicular and coincident to the squat layout line 11. The perpendicular measurement from the lower squat measurement definition line 12 to the squat layout point 10 is called the measured squat distance 13. This measured squat distance 13 changes as driven wheel suspension travel distance 15 compresses, and is used to create a squat curve 17 in a squat curve graph as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 1c shows an enlarged section of the side view of the chain driven vehicle shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b with the driven wheel suspension system in a completely uncompressed state. FIG. 1d shows an enlarged section of the side view of the chain driven vehicle shown in FIGS. 1a , 1b, and 1c with the driven wheel suspension system in a completely compressed state. FIGS. 1c and 1d further exemplify certain embodiments, for example, points and vectors useful for a graphical method used to attain a squat point measurement, and a graphical method to attain suspension geometry kinematical layout from an existing desired measured squat point. FIG. 2a shows certain embodiments of the invention and it presents a graphical method useful to attain a squat point measurement, and a graphical method to attain suspension geometry kinematical layout from an existing desired measured squat point. Shown in FIG. 2a are the following: driven wheel (1); swinging wheel carrier link (2); upper carrier manipulation link (3); lower carrier manipulation link (4); squat force vector (7); upper carrier manipulation link force vector (8); lower carrier manipulation link force vector (9); squat definition point (10); squat layout line (11); lower squat measurement definition line (12); measured squat distance (13); driven wheel axle path (14); driven wheel suspension travel distance (15); vehicle chassis (16); center of the driven wheel tire to ground contact patch (31). FIG. 2a exemplifies that as the driven wheel 1 suspension system is completely uncompressed in its driven wheel suspension travel distance 15, its defined squat force vector 7 is shown in relation to the vehicle chassis 16. The squat force vector's 7 measured squat distance 13, which is measured as the perpendicular distance between the lower squat measurement definition line 12 and the squat definition point 10, is shown in FIG. 2a. As the suspension system is compressed through its driven wheel suspension travel distance 15, change in measured squat distance 13 over the driven wheel suspension travel distance 15 is used to create a squat curve 17. FIG. 2b shows a side view of a shaft driven vehicle as shown in FIG. 2a with the driven wheel suspension system in a completely compressed state. Certain embodiments are further exemplified, for example, vectors useful to a graphical method to attain a squat point measurement are shown. Also exemplified is a graphical method useful to attain suspension geometry kinematical layout from an existing desired measured squat point. Shown in FIG. 2b in addition to what is presented in FIG. 2a, are the following: upper link fixed pivot (20); lower link fixed pivot (21); upper link floating pivot (22); lower link floating pivot (23); instant force center (24); driven wheel rotation axis (25); chain force vector and driving force vector intersection point (26); driving cog (27); driven cog (28); driving cog rotation axis (29). FIG. 2b exemplifies that as the driven wheel 1 suspension system is completely compressed through its driven wheel suspension travel distance 15, its defined squat force vector 7 moves in relation to the vehicle chassis 16. The squat force vector's 7 measured squat distance 13 which is measured as the perpendicular distance between the lower squat measurement definition line 12 and the squat definition point 10, decreases in relation to the measured squat distance 13 shown in FIG. 2a. This change in measured squat distance 13 over the driven wheel suspension travel distance 15 is used to create a squat curve 17. FIG. 2b shows the graphical method used to obtain a squat curve 17 from shaft driven vehicle geometry, or shaft driven vehicle geometry from a squat curve 17. In the vehicle shown in FIG. 2b, a driven wheel 1 is attached to a swinging wheel carrier link 2, which pivots at one end of an upper carrier manipulation link 3. The upper carrier manipulation link 3 is pivotally attached to the vehicle chassis 16 at the upper link fixed pivot 20. A lower carrier manipulation link 4 is also attached to the swinging wheel carrier link 2. This lower carrier manipulation link 4 is attached to the vehicle chassis 16 at a lower link fixed pivot 21. An upper carrier manipulation link force vector 8 is graphed coincident to the swinging wheel carrier link 2 upper pivot and the upper link fixed pivot 20. The upper carrier manipulation link force vector 8 is graphed so that it intersects a lower carrier manipulation link force vector 9, which is graphed coincident to the swinging wheel carrier link 2 lower pivot and the lower link fixed pivot 21. The intersection point of the upper carrier manipulation link force vector 8, and the lower carrier manipulation link force vector 9 is called the instant force center 24. The squat force vector 7 is graphed from a beginning point at the center of the driven wheel tire to ground contact patch 31, and passes through the instant force center 24, before it terminates on a squat layout line 11. The intersection of the squat force vector 7 and the squat layout line is called the squat layout point 10. The squat layout line 11 is graphed at a perpendicular angle to gravitational force. A lower squat measurement definition line 12 is graphed beginning at the center of the driven wheel tire to ground contact patch 31 and terminating perpendicular and coincident to the squat layout line 11. The perpendicular measurement from the lower squat measurement definition line 12 to the squat layout point 10 is called the measured squat distance 13. This measured squat distance 13 changes as driven wheel suspension travel distance 15 compresses, and is used to create a squat curve 17 in a squat curve graph as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 2c shows an enlarged section of the side view of the shaft driven vehicle shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b with the driven wheel suspension system in a completely uncompressed state. FIG. 2d shows an enlarged section of the side view of the shaft driven vehicle shown in FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 2c with the driven wheel suspension system in a completely compressed state. FIGS. 2c and 2d further exemplify certain embodiments, for example, points and vectors useful for a graphical method used to attain a squat point measurement, and a graphical method to attain suspension geometry kinematical layout from an existing desired measured squat point. FIG. 3 shows a squat curve for suspension systems according to certain embodiments of the invention graphed on a squat curve graph as disclosed herein. The percent of total suspension travel is shown on the x-axis, and the percent of total squat is shown on the y-axis. FIG. 3 exemplifies a squat curve (17). The slope and shape of the squat curve shown in FIG. 3 exemplifies a squat curve produced by suspension systems of the invention, for example, suspension systems including features as illustrated in FIGS. 1a-1d and FIGS. 2a-2d. FIG. 3 also exemplifies a graphical method useful to obtain a squat curve graph. FIG. 4 shows a squat curve for suspension systems according to certain embodiments of the invention. The percent of total suspension travel is shown on the x-axis, and the percent of total squat is shown on the y-axis. FIG. 4 exemplifies a squat curve 17 with tangent lines depicting a slope of the curve at certain points along the squat curve. The slopes exemplified by the tangent lines are the first squat curve slope 18, the second squat curve slope 19, and the third squat curve slope 30. FIG. 4 exemplifies a slope of the squat curve 17 as produced by a suspension system of certain embodiments of the current invention, for example, a suspension system including features as illustrated in FIGS. 1a-1d and FIGS. 2a-2d, and that the slope varies as the vehicle suspension travel distance increases. The squat curve 17 produced has a first squat curve slope 18 that has a negative value at the beginning point in the suspension travel, and a second squat curve slope 19 at an interim point that is higher, or less negative, than the first squat curve slope 18 in the suspension travel, and a third squat curve slope 30 at the ending point in the suspension travel that has a lower, or more negative, value than the second squat curve slope 19. FIGS. 5-13 show alternative embodiments of suspension systems comprising a squat curve of the invention. Each embodiment shown includes a spring/damper unit (small irregular box) and different frame members (thicker lines) interconnected through pivots (small circles). Mass transfer is discussed. All vehicles have mass. The mass of a suspended static vehicle system can be modeled as shown in the FIG. 1. Mass in all vehicles with a suspension system can be divided into sprung and unsprung mass. Unsprung mass is comprised of the sum of all vehicle parts that move with a suspended wheel. Sprung mass is comprised of the sum of vehicle parts that can remain stationary as a suspended wheel is moved. The dynamic center of the sprung mass as shown in FIG. 2 is a combination of rider and/or passenger mass and the vehicle mass. The combination of a rider's mass and the sprung mass of the bicycle are always supported fully by the combination of the vehicle's tires. Powered forward acceleration transfers mass from the vehicle's front wheel(s) to the vehicle's driven wheel(s), braking transfers mass from the vehicle's front wheel(s) to the vehicle's driven wheel(s). Riding on the driven wheel(s) only transfers all of the mass to the driven wheel(s), and riding on the front wheel(s) only transfers all of the mass to the front wheel(s). Due to their combination of short wheelbase (WB) and high center of gravity (CG), motorcycles and bicycles experience the affects of load transfer to a much greater extent than other vehicles in existence. The ratio of the distance from the ground to the CG and the distance between the points where the wheels touch the ground (WB) illustrates this point. For example, a common bicycle will exhibit a center of gravity to wheelbase ratio of nearly 100%, motorcycles are typically near 50%, and passenger cars are typically near 25%. Mass transfer is sometimes also referred to as load transfer. Energy loss through mass transfer is discussed. One undesirable effect of driven wheel suspension systems is the loss of energy in the way of extreme suspension compression or extension during powered acceleration. This suspension compression or extension is categorized as squat. A suspension system's geometry and positional relationships between the vehicle drive system components can greatly affect the internal distribution of forces within the vehicle chassis. As a suspension system cycles through its suspension travel, the positional relationships between the suspension system and the vehicle drive system can change, and at the same time, the suspension geometry itself will change. These fluctuations of internal forces are what govern suspension response to powered acceleration and braking. Vehicle attitude in relation to gravity, and sprung weight center of mass change will also govern suspension response to powered acceleration and braking. These external forces are considered stationary and equal when comparing like vehicles in order to determine squat characteristics. Squat is the result of internal chassis forces that can cause a rear suspension to extend or compress during powered acceleration. Squat is an instantaneous condition that can vary throughout the suspension travel. Instantaneous squat response is governed by sprung mass CG placement, suspension geometry, powertrain component location, and grade in relation to gravity that the vehicle is traveling on. Sprung mass CG placement only defines the amount of squat present in a suspension, and does not change the squat conditions. The squat conditions define the direction of squat force in relation to gravity. There are three squat conditions that must be considered. The first condition is pro-squat, and describes the condition present when a rear suspension is forced to compress by internal suspension forces under powered acceleration. The second condition is anti-squat. Anti-squat describes the condition present when a rear suspension compression is counteracted by internal suspension forces under powered acceleration. The third condition is zero-squat. Zero-squat occurs only at the instant in between pro-squat and anti-squat, where no suspension manipulating forces are present under powered acceleration. A vehicle suspension operating at the point of zero-squat will not use acceleration forces to manipulate suspension reaction in any way. Squat force works independent of the spring force that supports a suspended vehicle. Because the squat force is independent of the vehicle spring force, when under acceleration, a vehicle suspension is acted upon by its spring and the squat force together. Suspended vehicles use springs to support the vehicle chassis and dampers to dissipate impact energy when the suspension system is compressed and extended while the vehicle travels over rough terrain. Springs can be in the form of compressive gas springs, leaf springs, or coil springs, and dampers can use fluid or friction to dissipate energy. When a vehicle is at rest, suspended wheels are compressed a certain amount so that the suspended wheel can follow irregular road surfaces with both bumps and dips. The spring that supports a wheel suspension acts as an energy storage device. Vehicle suspensions use the damper units to dissipate energy stored in a spring after the spring is compressed. The further a spring is compressed, the more energy is stored, and the more energy will be dissipated by the damper when the spring rebounds. Because spring force increases as a wheel is compressed into its suspension travel, force at the suspended wheel also increases. Squat curve graphing is discussed. A squat curve graph is a representation of the squat produced by a compressible suspension system under powered acceleration. The squat curve graph is laid out so that the percentage of suspension travel is graphed on the X axis, and escalating in a positive direction. The minimum suspension travel, which is zero percent suspension compression, is shown at the far left of the x-axis, and the maximum suspension travel, which is represented by 100 percent suspension compression, is shown at the far right of the x-axis. Percent suspension compression is measured and graphed in minimum increments of 5 percent total suspension compression; measured Percent total squat is graphed on the y-axis in an escalating amount. The highest amount of squat is defined as 100 percent, and is represented at the top of the y-axis. These values are taken directly from the squat points which are measured from graphed squat points on the squat layout line. Measurement is taken at a perpendicular distance from the lower squat measurement definition line. Zero percent squat is always measured at the point of zero squat condition. This zero squat condition is measured when the squat point lies directly on the lower squat measurement definition line. At this point, the squat measurement has no value. Any measurement of a squat point that lies below the lower squat definition line is equal to a pro squat amount, and must be graphed as a negative percentage of the 100 percent squat value. The amount of squat closer to or highest in the range of the squat condition known as anti squat is listed as the highest positive squat value, and lower amounts of anti squat, zero squat, and pro-squat are listed as lower percentages of the highest anti squat value. Zero squat is shown when the squat curve crosses or terminates at zero value on the y-axis, and pro squat is graphed as a negative y-axis percentage below the x-axis. For example, if a squat curve begins with a measurement that is measured 100 millimeters above the lower squat measurement definition line, at a point of zero suspension compression, this point will be graphed at a value of 1 on the y-axis, and 0 on the x-axis. If a later point is measured 100 millimeters below the lower squat measurement definition line, at a point of 100 percent suspension compression, this point will be graphed at a value of −1 on the y-axis, and 1 on the x-axis. In the squat curve graph, the distance set to equal 100 percent suspension travel and the distance set to equal 100 percent squat should be set as equal distances. Therefore, the distance between zero value for squat to maximum value for squat will be equal to the graphed distance between zero value for suspension compression to maximum value for suspension compression. When desired squat point values are known and graphed versus their corresponding percent measured suspension compression values, the points can be connected from point to point using typical graphing method A curve can then be fit to the point to point graph so that the curve represents a smoothed best fit version of the point to point graph. The most efficient method to obtain such a curve is to use a computer program such as Microsoft Excel, available from Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Wash. 98052-6399, USA. Using Microsoft Excel, a user can input the escalating suspension travel measurements beginning with the zero percent measurement and ending with the 100 percent measurement, and can input the measured or preferred squat point measurements that coincide with their percent suspension travel measurements. Microsoft Excel then can be used to create a graph of the points with a curve fit to the graphed points. This graphed curve is the discussed squat curve. Slope of a squat curve between two points on a curve is defined by the standard coordinate geometry equation: slope=rise/run. A squat curve that has a squat amount at zero suspension travel, with 20 percent less squat at a point 10 percent into the wheel suspension travel compression will have a slope of −2, because per the equation slope=rise/run, −0.2/0.1=−2. A squat curve that has a pro squat amount at zero suspension travel, with 20 percent more pro squat at a point 10 percent into the wheel suspension travel compression will have a slope of −2, because per the equation slope=rise/run, −0.2/0.1=−2. A squat curve can be produced for any wheel suspension system by graphing the percent of squat throughout the suspension travel. In certain embodiments, a suspension system according to the invention has a squat curve with a negative, or decreasing, slope. In certain preferred embodiments, the slope of the squat curve is more negative at the beginning of suspension travel than in the interim, or mid range, of suspension travel. In certain other preferred embodiments, the slope of the squat curve is more negative at the end of suspension travel than in the interim, or mid range, of suspension travel. In certain other preferred embodiments, the slope of the squat curve is more negative at the beginning of suspension travel than at the end of suspension travel. In certain embodiments, the beginning of the suspension travel is 0 to 50 percent, or about 0 to about 50 percent, of suspension travel; or 0 to 40 percent, or about 0 to about 40 percent, of suspension travel; or 0 to 30 percent, or about 0 to about 30 percent, of suspension travel; or 0 to 20 percent, or about 0 to about 20 percent, of suspension travel; or 0 to 10 percent, or about 0 to about 10 percent, of suspension travel; or 0 to 5 percent, or about 0 to about 5 percent, of suspension travel; or 0 or about 0 percent of suspension travel. In certain embodiments, the interim, or mid range, of the suspension travel is 25 to 75 percent, or about 25 to about 75 percent, of suspension travel; or 30 to 70 percent, or about 30 to about 70 percent, of suspension travel; or 35 to 65 percent, or about 35 to about 65 percent, of suspension travel; or 40 to 60 percent, or about 40 to about 60 percent, of suspension travel; or 45 to 55 percent, or about 45 to about 55 percent, of suspension travel; or 50 percent or about 50 percent, of suspension travel; or 60 to 80 percent, or about 60 to about 80 percent, of suspension travel; or 65 to 75 percent, or about 65 to about 75 percent, of suspension travel; or 70 percent or about 70 of suspension travel; or 50 to 60 percent, or about 50 to about 60 percent, of suspension travel. In certain embodiments, the end of the suspension travel is 70 to 100 percent, or about 70 to about 100 percent, of suspension travel; or 75 to 100 percent, or about 75 to about 100 percent, of suspension travel; or 80 to 100 percent, or about 80 to about 100 percent, of suspension travel; or 85 to 100 percent, or about 85 to about 100 percent, of suspension travel; or 90 to 100 percent, or about 90 to about 100 percent, of suspension travel; or 95 to 100 percent, or about 95 to about 100 percent, of suspension travel; or 100 or about 100 percent of suspension travel. In certain embodiments, a suspension system of the invention has a squat curve with a slope in the beginning of suspension travel of −0.2 to −5, or about −0.2 to about −5; of −0.5 to −4.5, or about −0.5 to about −4.5; of −0.75 to −4.0, or about −0.75 to about −4.0; of −1.0 to −3.5, or about −1.0 to about −3.5; of −1.5 to −3.0, or about −1.5 to about −3.0; of −2.0 to −2.5, or about −2.0 to about −2.5. In certain embodiments, a suspension system of the invention has a squat curve with a slope in the interim, or mid range, of suspension travel of −0.0001 to −5, or about −0.0001 to about −5; of −0.01 to −4.0, or about −0.01 to about −4.0; of −0.1 to −3.0, or about −0.1 to about −3.0; of −0.2 to −2.0, or about −0.2 to about −2.0; of −0.3 to −1.2, or about −0.3 to about −1.2; of −0.4 to −0.8, or about −0.4 to about −0.8. In certain embodiments, a suspension system of the invention has a squat curve with a slope in the end of suspension travel of −0.0002 to −1000, or about −0.0002 to about −1000; of −0.1 to −500, or about −0.1 to about −500; of −0.2 to −50, or about −0.2 to about −50; of −0.3 to −10, or about −0.3 to about −10; of −0.4 to −5.0, or about −0.4 to about −5.0; of −0.6 to −2.0, or about −0.6 to about −2.0. Graphical kinematical squat curves are discussed. Graphical methods can be used to determine suspension kinematical layout used to attain a desired squat curve for a suspension. For shaft drive and chain drive vehicles, graphical layout is identical until factoring in the unique features of each powertrain. Any suspended wheel in a vehicle has an axle path that a wheel follows when a suspension is moved through suspension travel. The curvature of this axle path and its layout in relation to specific powertrain components define a squat curve. A squat curve is a measurement of the changing magnitude and direction of squat developed under powered acceleration as suspension system is cycled through suspension travel from its beginning uncompressed point to its ending fully compressed point. Every instantaneous point in a suspension travel has a corresponding instantaneous amount of squat present. These instantaneous squat points can be measured or graphed as a point on the squat layout line at a perpendicular distance from the lower squat layout line. When the desired instantaneous amounts of squat at instantaneous points in the suspension travel are known, squat definition points can be graphed in conjunction with each other, beginning when a suspension is in its uncompressed state and ending in its fully compressed state, and in relation to the vehicle geometry to obtain a suspension kinematical layout which will attain the desired squat curve. The squat curve beginning value is measured at the point where the suspension system is in its completely uncompressed state. As the suspension is cycled further through suspension travel towards complete compression pausing at a minimum of 5 percent total suspension travel increments, further squat points are measured and graphed versus their correlating escalating percent total suspension travel increments. Suspension travel displacement is measured in a direction parallel to and against gravity, and parallel to the instantaneous squat point measurements. Critical and known preexisting defining points such as vehicle wheelbase, powertrain location, and center of mass are graphed alongside the squat definition points to obtain a clear picture of vehicle squat performance. Vehicle graphs for obtaining and defining squat performance are always laid out with the vehicle viewed in the side elevational view. A squat layout line is drawn parallel to and against gravitational force through center of the front wheel contact patch between the tire and the ground and terminating at further points. A squat definition point, which is taken directly from the aforementioned squat curve will be graphed on this squat layout line. A squat lower measurement definition line is drawn from the center of the driven wheel tire to ground contact patch perpendicular to and terminating on the squat layout line. Squat definition points are drawn on the squat definition line in relation to one another, and in relation to the squat lower measurement definition line. A squat definition point drawn above the squat lower measurement definition line will correlate with a squat amount. A squat definition point drawn coincident with the squat lower measurement definition line will correlate with a zero squat amount. A squat definition point drawn below the squat lower measurement definition line will correlate with a pro squat amount. A squat force vector is drawn from the center of the driven wheel tire to ground contact patch to the squat point on the squat layout line. As the suspension is moved through instantaneous measured points through suspension travel, the squat force vector is drawn with a beginning point at the center of the rear tire to ground contact patch, and an ending point at its corresponding measured instantaneous squat point graphed on the squat layout line. Diversion in graphical method to obtain specific suspension system kinematical layouts from a desired squat curve must occur when factoring in specifics for different types of power transfer systems such as shaft drive or chain drive. A shaft drive system generally uses a power transmission system that can transmit power via rotary motion from a power unit output shaft to a wheel shaft. The two shafts are generally fixed at close to a perpendicular angle in one plane. Power transmission systems can vary from gears to cogs to friction wheels and other types of systems, all herein referred to universally as cogs. These shaft drive systems feature a driving cog which is rotatably attached to the power unit output, a first intermediate cog, which transfers rotational motion from the driving cog to a relatively perpendicular shaft, a second intermediate cog, which transfers rotational motion from the shaft to a driven cog which is rotatably attached to the rotation axis of a wheel. Shaft drive vehicle powertrains and suspensions typically take one of two forms. These are, a single pivot system, or a multi link system. A simple single pivot system features a driven cog that is fixed to and housed within a swinging wheel carrier link which pivots around a single pivot. In this arrangement, there is only one pivot connecting the swinging wheel carrier link to the vehicle frame structure. The rotating drive torque is acted against by the driven cog housing, which is part of the swinging wheel carrier link. Action against the drive torque in the swinging wheel carrier link causes a torque about the ling single frame pivot. The addition of this torque plus the driving force imparted through the wheel tire combination to the ground through a tire to ground contact patch totals a squat response. An instantaneous pivot location for a single pivot shaft drive system can be found at any point on a drawn squat force vector that correlates with the desired instantaneous squat response. These single pivot systems produce a linear squat curve. A multi pivot linkage can be used to alter squat characteristics and obtain a variable squat curve in a shaft driven wheel suspension system. A multi link shaft drive suspension system isolates the torque passed through the driven cog in the system from the swinging link system. In a 4-bar variation, the driven cog is attached to a swinging wheel carrier link, which pivots at one end of a first swinging link. The first carrier manipulation link is pivotally attached to the vehicle chassis at the end opposite of the swinging wheel carrier link pivot. A torque reaction, like the one discussed in the single pivot shaft drive system works to rotate the swinging wheel carrier link against the first carrier manipulation link. A second carrier manipulation link is also attached to the swinging wheel carrier link. This second carrier manipulation link is attached to the vehicle chassis at a different location from the first swinging carrier manipulation link. The second carrier manipulation link works to inhibit free rotation of the swinging wheel carrier link against the first carrier manipulation link. To find instantaneous carrier manipulation link pivot points which will give a desired instantaneous squat amount, its correlating desired squat force vector must be graphed. The two swinging wheel carrier link pivots are next defined. Carrier manipulation link force lines are drawn so that a force line passes directly through the center of the rearward pivots which are coincident with the pivots on the swinging wheel carrier link. The carrier manipulation link force lines are drawn so that they intersect on the desired squat force vector. The first and second vehicle chassis pivots can be positioned upon the corresponding first and second carrier manipulation link force lines to attain the desired instantaneous squat response. Graphing the carrier manipulation link force lines and desired squat force vectors together overlaid at multiple points in the suspension travel will allow the designer to choose pivot point locations and kinematical suspension layout that can attain a desired variable squat curve. A chain drive powertrain system uses a chain or belt to transmit power between two reasonably parallel shafts. Chain drive systems are very common in motorcycle, ATV, and bicycle applications because of their light weight, robustness, and simplicity in both manufacturing and use. The chain drive systems feature a driving cog and a driven cog, with the driving cog attached to a power source, and a driven cog rotatably attached to the rotation axis of a wheel. The driven wheel or wheels is/are attached to a swinging link or linkage system via a bearing or bushing system, which allows rotational motion of the driven wheel or wheels in relation to the swinging link or linkage system. Chain drive suspensions typically take one of several forms. These include single pivot systems, multi link systems, cam/track type systems, and flexure type systems. The suspensions can also feature variable chainline type designs, which manipulate a chain force vector line through the use of a pulley system that moves with the suspension. A single pivot system uses a single pivoting suspension link to transmit force between a suspended wheel and a chassis. A multi link system uses an arrangement of pivoting suspension links to transmit force between a suspended wheel and a chassis. A cam/track type system that uses sliding elements but does not use links to attain force transfer from a wheel axle to a chassis is also possible but uncommon in practice. Flexure type systems use flexing elements to transmit power from a suspended wheel to a chassis structure. In all types of the chain driven wheel suspension system mentioned above, the driving force can be represented as a vector drawn perpendicular to the driven wheel axle path. In a chain driven suspension, driving force is always the major force component when compared to chain pull. There are two internal forces present within a chain driven vehicle chassis that together create a squat response. These two forces are driving force, and chain pull force. When a chain driven vehicle is accelerated, force is transferred from a power source to a driving cog. This driving cog transmits its force through a chain to a driven cog. The force direction and magnitude present in the tensioned chain are referred to as chain pull force. Fixed chainline type designs are present where at any instantaneous point, a single driving cog is fixed rotationally on a chassis structure, and a driven cog is attached to a suspension member, and force is transmitted from the driving cog to the driven cog through a chain. In this fixed chainline type design, the chainline force vector is always located at one end by the tensioned chainline tangent point where the chain is fixed in relation to the vehicle chassis structure, and by the tensioned chainline tangent point of the moving pulley at the opposite end. In variable chainline type designs, which manipulate a chain force vector line through the use of a pulley system that moves with the suspension, the chainline force vector is always located at one end by the tensioned chainline tangent point where the chain is fixed in relation to the vehicle chassis structure, and by the tensioned chainline tangent point of the moving pulley at the opposite end. Sliding elements can also be substituted for pulleys in this application. In the chain drive powertrain, the driven cog is rotatably attached to a wheel/tire combination. The wheel pushes against the ground resulting in friction. As the wheel rotates a driving force transmitted from the contact patch through the wheel structure and a force is imparted at the rear hub axle. This pushing force can be transferred to the chassis via a wheel suspension system, ultimately pushes the vehicle forward. This pushing force is referred to as driving force. The driving force direction is measured and represented graphically as a driving force vector drawn from the driven wheel rotation axis, perpendicular to the driven axle path, where the axle path is defined as a line that a suspended wheel rotational axis travels as a suspension is moved through suspension travel. This axle path can be a constant curvature or changing curvature line depending on suspension layout. A simple single pivot system features a driven cog that is rotatably attached to a wheel, which is rotatably attached to a swinging wheel carrier link which pivots around a singular pivot. In this arrangement, the suspended wheel travels in a constant radius arc. To find the instantaneous swinging link pivot point for a single pivot chain drive system, which will give a desired instantaneous squat amount, its correlating desired squat force vector must be graphed. Because there is only one link in the single pivot suspension, the swinging link pivot will lie coincident with the driving force line. Desired vehicle geometry is graphed in a side view. This vehicle geometry will include the size, location, and center points of vehicle tires, powertrain component layout, and the direction of gravitational force. A squat layout line is graphed first. A desired squat force vector is drawn from the center of a rear wheel contact patch to the desired squat layout point on a squat layout line as described previously. Next, the chain force vector is graphed in relation to the powertrain components as described previously. The chain force vector is drawn so that it intersects the squat force vector. Finally, the driving force vector is drawn from the center of the rear wheel axis to the intersection point of the squat force vector and chain pull force vector. The pivot point for the single pivot swinging link suspension arm will lie at any point along the driving force vector to achieve the desired instantaneous squat amount. Graphing the chain pull force vector, and squat force vectors together overlaid at multiple points in the suspension travel will allow the designer to find driving force vectors at multiple points through the suspension travel. The crossing point of the overlaid driving force vectors for different points in the suspension travel define the single pivot point location and kinematical suspension layout that can attain the desired squat curve. Multi link systems, cam/track (sliding link) type systems, and flexure type systems feature a driven cog that is rotatably attached to a wheel, which is rotatably attached to a swinging wheel carrier link which moves the wheel along an axle path that is defined by a multi element system. To aid the analysis of multi-element systems, it is simplest to define or measure an axle path which will guide a wheel, and then define the elements that will give the desired axle path later, as opposed to trying to define elements first and measure axle path as a byproduct later to attain a desired result. Multi element systems do not have a single hardware defined pivot point like a single fixed pivot system does. The multi element systems use combinations of links or cams to project a virtual or instantaneous pivot point. This pivot point can always be found at a point along a driving force vector, which is drawn perpendicular to a driven wheel axle path as previously described. To find the axle path which will give a desired instantaneous squat amount, its correlating desired squat force vectors must be graphed. Desired vehicle geometry is graphed in a side view. This vehicle geometry will include the size, location, and center points of vehicle tires, vehicle ground plane, powertrain component layout, and the direction of gravitational force. A vehicle wheel suspension system always has a minimum suspension travel point, where the suspended wheel is at its zero compressed suspension travel point, and a maximum suspension travel point, where the suspended wheel is at its 100 percent compressed suspension travel point. Several overlaid graphs must be made to obtain a squat curve. The minimum increment in suspension compression displacement that can be used to graph an accurate squat curve from the graphical method using squat force vectors as presented has been found to be 5 percent of total suspension compression displacement between graphed squat force vectors. A squat layout line is graphed first. A desired squat force vector is drawn from the center of a driven wheel contact patch to the desired squat layout point on a squat layout line as described previously. Next, the chain force vector is graphed in relation to the powertrain components as described previously. The chain force vector is drawn so that it intersects the squat force vector. Finally, the driving force vector is drawn from the center of the driven wheel axis to the intersection point of the squat force vector and chain pull force vector. The instantaneous pivot point for the single pivot swinging link suspension arm will lie at any point along the driving force vector to achieve the desired instantaneous squat amount. Graphing the chain pull force vector, and squat force vectors together overlaid at multiple points in the suspension travel will allow the designer to find driving force vectors at multiple points through the suspension travel. The crossing point of the overlaid driving force vectors for different points in the suspension travel define the instantaneous pivot point movement through the suspension travel, and kinematical suspension layout that can attain the desired squat curve. For multi element systems, there are several methods that can define element layout based on a desired axle path, for example, by using kinematical analysis computer software. Software that can perform this specific function is marketed under the names SyMech, which is available from SyMech Inc, 600 Townsend Street, San Francisco, Calif., 94107, USA, and SAM, which is available from ARTAS—Engineering Software, Het Puyven 162, NL-5672 RJ Nuenen, The Netherlands. This software allows a user to define an axle path, and set parameters such as mechanical element type, number of mechanical elements, and desired location of anchor components. The software will then suggest multiple link layout choices that will meet all of the set forth parameters. Graphical analysis can also be performed by hand. In a hand graphical analysis, the mechanical components of a multi element system are measured at multiple points through the suspension travel. At each point in the suspension travel, the instant center of the link system is graphed. A common 4-bar linkage suspension system features a driven cog that is rotatably attached to a driven wheel, which is rotatably attached to a swinging wheel carrier link which is pivotably attached to two separate carrier manipulation links. The swinging links are pivotably attached to a vehicle chassis at their other ends. The instant center in a 4 bar pivoting linkage system such as shown in FIG. 1a, is found by projecting individual link force lines through both pivots of each of the two carrier manipulation links that support the swinging wheel carrier. The two carrier manipulation link force lines are projected so that they intersect each other. This intersection point is commonly known at the instant force center. A driving force line can be drawn directly from the rotation axis of the driven wheel to this instant force center. As the carrier manipulation links rotate on their pivots, the instant center position changes in relation to the driven wheel rotation axis and the vehicle chassis. This causes the driving force line to move in relation to the chain force line. Because the squat force line is defined in part by the location of the driven wheel contact patch, and the intersection between the driving force vector and the chain force vector, a change in squat vector direction can occur. The perpendicular distance from the lower squat definition line to the point at which this squat direction vector intersects the drawn squat layout line to is measured and recorded. Four bar sliding link suspension systems are analyzed identically to 4 bar pivoting systems, but the identification of the instant center is performed in a slightly different manner due to the constraints of the sliding link system. Four bar sliding link systems feature a driven cog that is rotatably attached to a driven wheel, which is rotatably attached to a swinging wheel carrier link which is pivotably attached to two separate sliding carrier manipulation sliding blocks. The individual carrier manipulation sliding blocks move on individual sliding rails. The instant center in a 4 bar sliding linkage system is found by projecting individual sliding link force lines centered at the pivots of each of the two carrier manipulation sliding block that support the swinging wheel carrier. The carrier manipulation sliding block force lines are projected perpendicular to the sliding rail so that the two carrier manipulation sliding black force lines intersect each other. This intersection can be referred to as the instant force center. A driving force line can be drawn directly from the rotation axis of the driven wheel to this instant force center. As the carrier manipulation sliding blocks slide on their respective sliding rails, the instant center position changes in relation to the driven wheel rotation axis and the vehicle chassis. This causes the driving force line to move in relation to the chain force line. Because the squat force line is defined in part by the location of the driven wheel contact patch, and the intersection between the driving force vector and the chain force vector, a change in squat vector direction can occur. The perpendicular distance from the the lower squat definition line to the point at which this squat direction vector intersects the drawn squat layout line to is measured and recorded. Measurement of multi element systems to determine axle path can be done graphically, or by using measurement equipment. Using measurement equipment, the vehicle can be rigidly mounted and oriented so that the suspended wheel can be moved freely through measured points in its suspension travel while the chassis stays stationary. In a side view orientation, the horizontal and vertical distance from the suspended wheel rotation axis to a fixed point on the vehicle frame at multiple points in the suspension travel is taken. As the suspension is cycled through suspension travel, the corresponding measurements of horizontal and vertical distance form a wheel rotation axis travel path in relation to the vehicle chassis. This path is referred to as the axle path. Analysis has shown that a vehicle with a compressible suspension system using a chain driven suspended wheel achieves the squat curve 17 of the current invention by having a layout that features a driven cog that is rotatably attached to a driven wheel, which is rotatably attached to a swinging wheel carrier link which is pivotably attached to separate upper and lower carrier manipulation links. The upper and lower carrier manipulation links are pivotably attached to a vehicle chassis at their other ends. The upper and lower carrier manipulation links rotate in the same rotational direction about their respective fixed axis at the vehicle chassis. The upper carrier manipulation link is arranged in relation to the lower carrier manipulation link so that the instant center projected by the two carrier manipulation links, when measured at zero percent suspension compression, is at a point that is beyond the outer limits of the two pivots of the lower carrier manipulation link. This condition is shown in FIGS. 1a and 1c. As the suspension is compressed towards a point of full compression, the rotation of the upper and lower carrier manipulation links in relation to each other causes the instant center of the linkage system to lie at points on the lower carrier manipulation link in between the lower carrier manipulation link fixed vehicle chassis pivot, and moving pivot attached to the swinging wheel carrier link. This condition is shown in FIGS. 1b and 1d. Analysis has shown that a vehicle with a compressible suspension system using a shaft driven suspended wheel achieves the squat curve 17 of the current invention by having a layout that features a driven cog that is rotatably attached to a driven wheel, which is rotatably attached to a swinging wheel carrier link which is pivotably attached to separate upper and lower carrier manipulation links. The upper and lower carrier manipulation links are pivotably attached to a vehicle chassis at their other ends. The upper and lower carrier manipulation links rotate in a contra rotational direction about their fixed axes at the vehicle chassis. The upper carrier manipulation link is arranged in relation to the lower carrier manipulation link so that the instant center projected by the two carrier manipulation links, when measured at zero percent suspension compression, lies at a point on the lower carrier manipulation link in between the lower carrier manipulation link fixed vehicle chassis pivot, and moving pivot attached to the swinging wheel carrier link. This condition is shown in FIGS. 2a and 2c. As the suspension is compressed towards a point of full compression, the rotation of the upper and lower carrier manipulation links in relation to each other causes the instant center of the linkage system to lie at a point that is beyond the outer limits of the two pivots of the lower carrier manipulation link. This condition is shown in FIGS. 2a and 2d. The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein, which are intended as single illustrations of individual aspects of the invention, and functionally equivalent methods and components are within the scope of the invention. Indeed, various modifications of the invention, in addition to those shown and described herein, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. All cited publications, patents, and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>This invention relates to suspension systems capable of reducing or eliminating a squat response. Automobiles, bicycles, motorcycles, all terrain vehicles, and other wheel driven vehicles are used for various purposes, including transportation and leisure. These vehicles are designed to use a power source to drive through a power transmission system to a wheel or wheels, which transfers rotary motion to the ground via tractive force between a wheel or wheels and the ground. Vehicles are also used to traverse even terrain like paved streets, and uneven terrain like off-road dirt trails. Off road trails are generally bumpier and allow for less wheel traction than paved roads. A bumpier terrain is best navigated with a vehicle that has a suspension system. A suspension system in a vehicle is aimed to provide a smoother ride for an operator or rider, and increase wheel traction over varied terrain. Vehicle suspension systems for the front wheel and for the back wheel are available. One undesirable effect of suspension systems is the loss of energy in the way of suspension compression or extension during powered acceleration. Such energy loss is particularly notable in vehicles that are driven by low energy power sources, for example, bicycles and solar vehicles. For example, the average rider of a bicycle can exert only a limited amount of power or energy for a short period of time and an even lesser amount for an extended period of time. Therefore, even a very small power loss can have a significant effect on rider performance and comfort. Suspension travel is the distance a suspended wheel travels when the suspension is moved from a fully extended state to a fully compressed state. In bicycles, suspension travel has been increased for many designs and with these increases in suspension travel; the aforementioned energy loss has become even more apparent to riders. But even for a vehicle with a high power energy source, any loss in energy reduces the vehicle's efficiency, for example its fuel efficiency. Where vehicles are used in a manner that requires frequent accelerations, including positive and negative accelerations, the efficiency of the vehicle is particularly affected by any loss of energy resulting from the vehicles geometry, including the geometry and design of its suspension systems. Thus, by minimizing energy loss resulting from the design of a vehicle's suspension system, the efficiency of the vehicle is improved and thereby its environmental impact. The need for a suspension system that can better preserve a vehicles efficiency and energy has therefore become more pressing. The present invention provides suspension system designs for vehicles that reduce these energy losses. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The current invention relates to new suspension systems for vehicles, for example, bicycles, motorcycles, cars, SUVs, trucks, two wheel vehicles, four wheel vehicles, front wheel suspension vehicles, driven wheel suspension vehicles, and any other kind of vehicle with a suspension system. In certain embodiments of the invention, a suspension system of the invention is capable of facilitating a squat response that lowers the energy loss resulting from squat. In certain preferred embodiments, a suspension system of the invention is capable of lowering energy loss resulting from squat by producing an anti-squat response. An anti-squat response of a suspension system of the invention, in certain embodiments, varies along suspension travel of the vehicle and preferably is higher at the beginning of suspension travel and less thereafter. Certain embodiments of the invention comprise a wheel suspension design that uses a tuned squat response to reduce powered acceleration induced suspension movement at tactical points during the driven wheel suspension travel. A vehicle designed to use the preferred embodiment of the invention can accelerate under power with a lower amount of energy loss and a more stable vehicle chassis than known systems. Suspension systems of the invention are useful for a variety of vehicles and preferably in human powered vehicles. The average rider of a bicycle or other human powered vehicle can exert only a limited amount of power or energy for a short period of time and an even lesser amount for an extended period of time. Therefore, even a very small power loss can have a significant detrimental effect on rider performance and comfort. The need for a suspension system that can better preserve the rider's energy has therefore become more pressing. The present invention provides suspension system designs for vehicles that reduce energy loss during powered acceleration. In certain embodiments of the invention, a wheel suspension system comprises a wheel connected to a wheel carrier unit and said wheel carrier unit connected to spring damper means; and isolating said wheel from a frame structure with the wheel suspension system having an squat curve with said squat curve having a decreasing rate of squat as the suspension system moves from a beginning point in the wheel travel to an ending point in the wheel travel. In certain embodiments of the invention, a compressible wheel suspension system comprises a wheel connected to a wheel carrier unit and said wheel carrier unit connected to spring damper means; and isolating said wheel from a frame structure with the wheel suspension system having a squat curve with said squat curve having a decreasing squat amount and without said squat amount increasing as the suspension system moves from a beginning point in the wheel travel towards an ending point in the wheel travel increase. In certain embodiments of the invention, a compressible vehicle suspension system comprises a defined squat curve, with said squat curve having a maximum value at the lowest amount of suspension compression, and a minimum value at a further point in the travel, and a continuously decreasing amount of squat throughout the wheel travel. In certain embodiments of the invention, a vehicle suspension system comprises a defined squat curve, with said squat curve having a slope that is generally negative at an earlier point in the suspension travel, and a slope that is less negative at a interim point in the suspension travel, and a slope that is then more negative at a latter point in the suspension travel. In certain embodiments of the invention, a compressible wheel suspension system comprises a wheel connected to a wheel carrier unit and said wheel carrier unit connected to a top link and a bottom link, with a top link connected to spring damper means; With said top and bottom links rotating together in a clockwise direction, and said top and bottom links connecting said wheel carrier to a frame structure, isolating said wheel from the frame structure. Said top link and said bottom link having projected link force lines and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link projected force line at a point in the beginning of the suspension travel and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link at a point later in the travel. In certain embodiments of the invention, a compressible wheel suspension system comprises a wheel connected to a wheel carrier unit and said wheel carrier unit connected to a top link and a bottom link, with said wheel carrier connected to spring damper means; with said top and bottom links rotating together in a clockwise direction, and said top and bottom links connecting said wheel carrier to a frame structure, isolating said wheel from the frame structure. Said top link and said bottom link having projected link force lines and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link projected force line at a point in the beginning of the suspension travel and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link at a point later in the travel. In certain embodiments of the invention, a compressible wheel suspension system comprises a wheel connected to a wheel carrier unit and said wheel carrier unit connected to a top link and a bottom link, with said bottom link connected to spring damper means; with said top and bottom links rotating together in a clockwise direction, and said top and bottom links connecting said wheel carrier to a frame structure, isolating said wheel from the frame structure, said top link and said bottom link having projected link force lines and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link projected force line at a point in the beginning of the suspension travel and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link at a point later in the travel. In certain embodiments of the invention, a compressible wheel suspension system comprises a wheel connected to a wheel carrier unit and said wheel carrier unit connected to a top link and a bottom link, with said top and bottom links connected to spring damper means; with said top and bottom links rotating together in a clockwise direction, and said top and bottom links connecting said wheel carrier to a frame structure, isolating said wheel from the frame structure. Said top link and said bottom link having projected link force lines and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link projected force line at a point in the beginning of the suspension travel and said top link projected force line intersecting said lower link at a point later in the travel. In practice, precisely controlling squat in a suspension system can allow for very little suspension movement during powered acceleration with favorable bump compliance. The further a vehicle suspension is compressed, the higher the spring force at the wheel rotational axis. Most powered acceleration happens within the first 40 percent of the suspension travel. Because spring force is lowest in the beginning of a suspension travel, a suspension is more susceptible to manipulation due to squat forces at that time. If enough anti squat force is not present to inhibit mass transfer in the beginning of the suspension travel, the suspension will compress, and when it rebounds, energy will be lost through the damper. The low spring force in the beginning of the suspension travel allows for higher levels of movement than at later points in the suspension travel. Minimizing suspension movement due to mass transfer during powered acceleration reduces the amount of damper movement that occurs at that time. With lower amounts of damper movement comes a lower amount of energy that the damper must dissipate, and therefore more of the acceleration force provided by a power source can be used to accelerate the vehicle. The amount of energy consumed to produce enough anti-squat force to reduce movement earlier in the suspension travel is less than the amount of energy that would be lost in the damper during suspension movement. As a driven wheel suspension system is compressed through its travel, spring force increases, and therefore driven wheel resistance to movement increases. At this later point in the suspension travel, because of the increased spring force, squat force has less of manipulating effect on a wheel suspension. A lower amount of anti squat can be used so that more energy can be transferred to forward movement. | 20040924 | 20061031 | 20050331 | 67930.0 | 1 | LUM VANNUCCI, LEE SIN YEE | VEHICLE SUSPENSION SYSTEMS | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,949,371 | ACCEPTED | Nail polish container and applicator cap | A nail polish container and applicator cap comprising a reservoir for containing nail polish to be applied, an opening into the reservoir, an applicator cap for sealing engagement with the opening, the applicator cap operatively associated with an applicator brush, the brush formed from bristles that are aligned in substantially the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the applicator cap, and an overshell of compressible material surrounding the applicator cap, the overshell providing a finger gripping surface on the applicator cap. | 1. A nail polish container and applicator cap comprising: a) a reservoir for containing nail polish, said reservoir having an opening; b) an applicator cap adapted for sealing engagement with said reservoir opening, said applicator cap having a side wall and a top surface; c) an applicator brush, said applicator brush having brush bristles aligned in substantially the same direction as the longitudinal axis of said applicator cap, and c) an overshell of compressible material substantially overlying said applicator cap side wall, said overshell adapted to provide a finger gripping surface on said applicator cap. 2. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 1 and wherein; a) said applicator cap having a non-angular transverse cross-section. 3. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 1 and wherein: a) said overshell having a durometer ratio of about twenty-nine to about ninety-six shore. 4. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 1 and wherein: a) said overshell has a thickness between about 1 mm to about 3 mm. 5. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 1 and wherein: a) said overshell is a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic elastomers and silicon rubber. 6. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 1 and wherein: a) said applicator cap is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, ABS copolymers and nylon. 7. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 1 and wherein: a) said overshell having an exterior surface provided with a concave configuration. 8. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 1 and wherein: a) said reservoir opening provided with male threads; and b) said applicator cap provided with female threads for threaded engagement with said male threads. 9. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 1 and wherein: a) at least a portion of said applicator cap top surface extends though said overshell. 10. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 1 and wherein: a) said applicator cap having a flange provided at one end thereof. 11. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 1 and wherein: a) said overshell having dimples extending within an exterior surface thereof. 12. A nail polish container and applicator cap comprising: a) a reservoir for containing nail polish to be dispensed, said reservoir having an opening for access to the interior thereof, b) an applicator cap adapted for sealing engagement with said reservoir opening, c) a brush for applying nail polish to a surface, said brush formed from bristles, d) a shaft, said shaft connecting said cap to said brush so that said brush bristles are aligned in substantially the same direction as the longitudinal axis of each of said cap and said shaft; and e) an overshell of compressible material, said overshell surrounding said cap to provide a finger gripping surface thereon. 13. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 12 and wherein: a) said applicator cap having a side wall and a top surface. 14. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 12 and wherein: a) at least a portion of said applicator cap top surface is not covered by said overshell. 15. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 12 and wherein; a) said applicator cap having a non-angular transverse cross-section. 16. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 12 and wherein: a) said overshell constructed from a material having a durometer ratio of about twenty-nine to about ninety-six shore. 17. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 12 and wherein: a) said overshell has a thickness between about 1 mm to about 3 mm. 18. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 12 and wherein: a) said overshell is a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic elastomers and silicon rubber. 19. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 12 and wherein: a) said applicator cap is constructed from a material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, ABS copolymers and nylon. 20. A nail polish container and applicator cap as in claim 12 and wherein: a) said overshell having an exterior surface provided with a concave configuration. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/960,948 filed on Sep. 25, 2001 and claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/236,150 filed on Sep. 29, 2000. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to cosmetics and more particularly, a combination nail polish container and applicator cap. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known to combine the screw cap of a nail polish bottle with an applicator brush. The cap functions as a closure for the bottle and as a handle for the applicator brush. However, prior art nail polish bottle caps are not well suited for use as the handle of an applicator brush. In particular, the relatively small size of the cap compromises handling and control of the applicator brush. A small cap may only be grasped between the fingertips of the user and as a result, translational slip of the fingertips along the longitudinal axis of the cap occurs. This type of slip makes it difficult for the user to uniformly apply a detailed brush stroke onto the small surface area of a fingernail. In addition, the applicator cap of prior art nail polish bottles will have a non-angular transverse cross section i.e. it is round or otherwise provided with a curved surface. This curvature contributes to rotational slip of the fingertips as the cap is twisted onto or off of the bottle. Threading the cap on the bottle is especially difficult when nail polish applied to the users nails has not fully dried and the cap is being held lightly between the users fingertips. Anatomical differences among users may also contribute to a poor grip on the applicator cap. Variation in finger size and shape means different users grasp the cap at different locations along the length of the cap in an effort to optimize their grip. A user having short and thin fingers is more likely to grasp and squeeze the cap near the end secured to the brush whereas a user having larger fingers may find it necessary to grip the cap at a more central location or further away from the end secured to the brush. As is apparent, grasping the cap at different locations along the length of the cap affects the grip on the cap and therefore control of the brush stroke. Fatigue is yet another problem. To achieve a smooth brush stroke and uniform application of a coating of polish, a user tends to squeeze the cap. This application of pressure by the fingertips against the cap functions to stabilize the users hold as the user effects a sweeping motion with their hand. Repeatedly applying and releasing pressure against the cap will eventually cause fatigue and discomfort. The material from which the cap is constructed also contributes to fatigue and a poor grip. Nail polish bottle caps are constructed from rigid and hard plastics. The exterior surface of a cap constructed from hard and inflexible materials is uncomfortable to hold over any extended period of time and as noted earlier, when the cap is repeatedly squeezed between the fingertips during use, the hard surfaces accelerate the feeling of discomfort and fatigue. Although the exterior surface of some prior art caps may be provided with ridges or similar raised structures in an effort to improve the grip against the hard and smooth surface of the cap, such efforts are known to diminish comfort. OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a container for nail polish having an applicator cap the exterior of which is provided with a nonrigid material adapted to eliminate rotational and translational slip during grasping of the cap, increase comfort during use, improve the quality of the brush stroke by improving dexterity and also reduce fatigue. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container for nail polish having a applicator cap exterior surface that is compressible so as to provide increased control of the brush stroke. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method for applying nail polish to a surface. The present invention is directed to a container and cooperating applicator cap comprising a bottle for containing a material to be dispensed, the bottle having an opening for access to material contained therein and a cap for sealing engagement with the opening of the bottle, the cap comprising a rigid base member, an applicator brush fixed to the base member and aligned along the longitudinal axis thereof, an overshell of compressible material disposed on the base member, the overshell providing a gripping surface on said cap. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an applicator cap of the present invention in combination with a nail polish bottle; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1 with portions of the applicator brush broken away; FIG. 3 is a partially exploded view of the cap shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is perspective view of another embodiment of the cap and bottle according to the present invention; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4 with portions of the applicator brush broken away; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the applicator cap and bottle according to the present invention; and FIG. 7 is a partially exploded view of the cap shown in FIG. 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the combination bottle and applicator cap according to the present invention, the cap C shown in alignment for interconnection with the neck of a nail polish bottle B. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, cap C is provided with a generally non angular transverse cross section and includes a base member 2 preferably constructed from a material having sufficient rigidity so that the cap C may be firmly threaded onto the neck of a nail polish bottle B. In a preferred embodiment, the base member 2 is constructed from ABS copolymers, polypropylene, nylon or another rigid, inflexible material. ABS, polypropylene and nylon are preferred materials not only because they are relatively rigid and inflexible, but also because they have been found to form a good bond with the soft overshell material discussed below. Suitable polypropylene material may be obtained from BASF of Germany. The base member 2 includes an exterior side wall 16, a flange member 18 is provided at a lower end of the base member and a top surface 10 is provided at an opposite, upper end of the base member. Raised indicia 6 extends from top surface 10 and may take the form of a decorative marking such as a company logo or other printing. As is apparent, the raised indicia 6 is optional. An interior side wall 20 extends upwardly within base member 2 and terminates at an interior top surface 24. A portion of interior side wall 20 is provided with female threads 22 adapted to interconnect with the male threads of bottle B. It is within the scope of the present invention to vary the length of interior side wall 20. For example, the interior side wall 20 may be lengthened so that interior top surface 24 is disposed adjacent top surface 10 of base member 2. Interior top surface 24 is shown in the drawings to include a transversely extending post member 26 configured to be fixedly received within an end 28 of shaft 30. The opposite end of shaft 30 is provided with a brush 32. Various other embodiments for securing the shaft of the applicator brush to the base member 2 are within the scope of the present invention. For example, rather than rendering the shaft end 28 integral with the shaft 30 as shown in the drawings, a separate connector may be provided that is adapted to be press fitted against the interior side wall 20 of base member 2 and connected to an end of shaft 30. The overshell member 34 provides a highly tactile and soft material disposed between the user and the rigid portions of the cap and applicator brush. This non-rigid exterior surface enhances the users grip with the cap to reduce or eliminate rotational and translational slippage, provides a damping effect which improves application of the polish from the brush to the nail surface and can be combined with a generally concave surface contour to reduce fatigue during use of the brush. The improvement in overall manual dexterity when using the cap of the present invention will result in a higher quality of brush stroke and application of polish that is substantially improved over that provided by the rigid prior art applicator cap devices. The non-rigid overshell member is preferably formed from a thermoplastic elastomer material and in at least one embodiment has a shore value of about twenty-nine to about ninety-six and a thickness of about 1 mm to about 3 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the overshell will have a shore value of about forty-five and a thickness between about 1.5 mm to about 3.0 mm. As is apparent, a variety of thicknesses for the overshell material can be provided. For example, the overshell may be applied in a uniform thickness or varied in thickness along the length of the cap. The soft overshell may also be constructed from silicon rubber or other materials adapted to provide the shore values listed and/or function in the manner as required in this disclosure. Applicant has discovered that a thermoplastic elastomer material will form a good bond with the above noted materials used to form the rigid base member. The thermoplastic elastomer as set forth above provides an applicator cap having an exterior surface of sufficient feel and resiliency so that not only is surface friction increased and the users grip on the cap improved; but also, unsteady or unwanted movement of the brush as it contacts the surface will be caused to be damped and minimized. The damping is effected by the slight deflection of the thermoplastic elastomer material forming the overshell. That is, as the cap is held and the brush is stroked against the surface of a nail, the overshell material is adapted to slightly compress against the users fingers to moderate movement of the brush on the nail surface and thereby provide a more steady and uniform brush stroke. The overshell function to reduce translational slip of the cap between the users fingers as the brush is used to apply polish to a surface and rotational slip as in the case where the cap is being twisted onto or off of a bottle. In a preferred embodiment, the thermoplastic elastomer obtained (Advanced Elastomer Systems) is sold and marketed under the trademark SANTOPRENE. Another preferred thermoplastic elastomer may be obtained from Gummiwerk Kraiburg of Germany and is sold and marketed under the trademark THERMOLAST K. A material other than a thermoplastic elastomer is within the scope of the present invention so long as it provides the softness and damping characteristics as set forth above and achieves a high quality bond with the material comprising the underlying base member 2. Overshell member 34 is preferably adhered to the rigid base member 2 using injection molding and in particular, injection molding in accordance with a co-extrusion process. This process employs a mold adapted to receive and cure two separate materials. For example, a polypropylene material is injected into a rotating mold (not shown) to form the rigid base member 2, the mold is then rotated to a second position and a thermoplastic elastomer is injected to form the overshell member. Other processes are within the scope of the present invention provided good adhesion is obtained between the overshell and the base member. Returning to the drawings and in particular FIG. 2, overshell 34 is shown to not entirely cover the exterior of the rigid base member 2. That is, raised indicia 6 on base member 2 extends through openings 36 of overshell 34. As noted above, this indicia may take the form of a logo or other writing and is of course optional. The exterior surface of flange member 18 is likewise shown to not be covered by overshell 34 and as shown in the drawings, forms a continuous or coplanar surface with the exterior surface of the overshell. Flange member 18 is shown to extend laterally from the bottom 38 of cap C to provide an end that is rigid; however, it is within the scope of the present invention to remove or otherwise modify the flange in view of aesthetic or functional requirements. In another embodiment of the present invention as best shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the exterior sidewall 39 of overshell 34 has a concave shape so that the overall thickness of the overshell is variable along the longitudinal axis of cap C. Arrows 40 and 42 indicate the regions of the overshell having increased thickness whereas arrow 44 indicates the region of the overshell having a lesser thickness. At least one advantage provided by the concave configuration is an ergonomic fit against the fingertips of a user. If the cap is grasped centrally (at about arrow 44) between a pair of opposed fingers (or ends thereof) of the users hand, and a stoke of the brush is effected against the fingernail surface, the thicker regions of the overshell (at about arrows 40 and 42) are caused to be compressed and/or flexed thereby damping the brush stroke and promoting smoother more uniform application of the polish. The compression and/or flexing of the overshell may also occur when the user grasps the cap at or near the end portions identified by arrows 40 and 42 as in the case with a user having a larger or smaller than average finger size. The overshell also functions to diminish translational and rotational slip of the cap as the concave sidewall of the cap is grasped between the ends of the users fingers. Rotational slip is a significant problem since nail polish caps almost uniformly are provided with a non-angular transverse cross section. Although the base member 2 is shown in the drawings to have substantially cylindrical shape, it is within the scope of the present invention to provide a concave or other shape for the surface of the exterior side wall 16. Turning to FIGS. 4 and 5, another embodiment of the present invention is shown. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, base member 2 is preferably constructed from a material having sufficient rigidity so that the cap C may be firmly threaded onto the neck of the cooperating nail polish bottle (not shown). As in the earlier embodiments, the base member 2 is preferably constructed from ABS plastic, polypropylene, nylon or another rigid, inflexible material that is compatible with the overshell. The base member 2 includes an exterior side wall 16, a flange member 18 is provided at a lower end of the base member and a top surface 10 is provided at an opposite, upper end of the base member. Optional raised indicia 6 is shown to extend from top surface 10 and may take the form of a decorative marking such as a company logo or other printing. An interior side wall 20 extends upwardly within base member 6 and terminates at an interior top surface 24. A portion of interior side wall 20 is provided with female threads 22 adapted to interconnect with the male threads of a bottle (not shown). As in the earlier embodiments, it is within the scope of the present invention to vary the length of interior side wall 20. Also note in this embodiment, the cap does not have a concave shape but is provided with a uniform diameter throughout. Interior top surface 24 is shown in the figure to include a transversely extending post member 26 configured to be fixedly received within an end 28 of shaft 30. The opposite end of shaft 30 is provided with a brush 32. Other embodiments for securing the shaft of the applicator brush to the base member are within the scope of the present invention. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, a non-rigid overshell member 35 is provided on the exterior of rigid base member 2. As in the other embodiments, the overshell member 35 provides a highly tactile and soft material disposed between the fingers of the user and the relatively rigid remaining portions of the cap and applicator brush. The non-rigid exterior surface of the overshell 35 enhances the users grip on the cap by reducing translational and rotational slip as well as improves application of polish from the brush to the nail surface and also functions to reduce fatigue while holding the cap. The exterior of the overshell 35 is provided with indentations or dimples 46 to further enhance the users grip on cap C. It is within the scope of the present invention to provide different surface modification, including but not limited to raised bumps or the like. While it is understood provision of indentations 46 will provide a variable thickness for overshell 35, it is within the scope of this embodiment to eliminate the indentations (as in the FIG. 2) and provide an overshell 35 having substantially uniform thickness. In such an embodiment, it is understood that the overshell 35 may be sufficiently thick so as to provide the compression and/or flexing as set forth above together with the improved grip surface. In the alternative, the overshell thickness can be lessened and rendered not compressible or flexible in which case the overshell will function to enhance the grip on the cap by providing the anti-slip characteristic. FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate another embodiment of the invention whereby at least a portion of the exterior side wall 16 is shown to project through the exterior side wall 39 of overshell 34. That is, projection or flange 19 extends from the exterior side wall 16 such that a portion 21 remains uncovered by overshell 25. Various other configurations showing discontinuous side wall surfaces of alternating rigid and non-rigid material are within the scope of the present embodiment. In addition to the above, the flange 19 which does not fully extend around the circumference of base member 2, provides an abutment 23 against which overshell portion 34 will contact. The contact of the overshell against the flange reduces the likelihood of separation of the overshell from the base member due to torque generated during twisting of the cap onto and off of a bottle. It is also within the teaching of the present invention to provide a separable base member 2 and overshell 34 which may be separately formed and then glued together or otherwise joined together to provide a unitary cap C. Further, it is within the scope of the present invention to provide the indicia 6 or some other design on the side walls 16 thereby providing a discontinuous side wall surface having discrete areas of soft and compressible material and separate discrete areas of rigid material continuous with the underlying base cap. This would of course provide a cap C having an enhanced gripping surface limited to certain exterior portions of the cap. It is also within the scope of the present invention to provide other materials for use as the overshell. Although the cap may be injection molded with separate materials as set forth above, it may also be injection molded from a single material that increases in density or softness from the interior cap to the exterior surface to thereby provide a rigid underside for support and a good connection with the bottle and the soft and resilient exterior having the gripping and damping characteristics of the present invention. While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, and uses and/or adaptations of the invention and following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention or limits of the claims appended hereto. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is known to combine the screw cap of a nail polish bottle with an applicator brush. The cap functions as a closure for the bottle and as a handle for the applicator brush. However, prior art nail polish bottle caps are not well suited for use as the handle of an applicator brush. In particular, the relatively small size of the cap compromises handling and control of the applicator brush. A small cap may only be grasped between the fingertips of the user and as a result, translational slip of the fingertips along the longitudinal axis of the cap occurs. This type of slip makes it difficult for the user to uniformly apply a detailed brush stroke onto the small surface area of a fingernail. In addition, the applicator cap of prior art nail polish bottles will have a non-angular transverse cross section i.e. it is round or otherwise provided with a curved surface. This curvature contributes to rotational slip of the fingertips as the cap is twisted onto or off of the bottle. Threading the cap on the bottle is especially difficult when nail polish applied to the users nails has not fully dried and the cap is being held lightly between the users fingertips. Anatomical differences among users may also contribute to a poor grip on the applicator cap. Variation in finger size and shape means different users grasp the cap at different locations along the length of the cap in an effort to optimize their grip. A user having short and thin fingers is more likely to grasp and squeeze the cap near the end secured to the brush whereas a user having larger fingers may find it necessary to grip the cap at a more central location or further away from the end secured to the brush. As is apparent, grasping the cap at different locations along the length of the cap affects the grip on the cap and therefore control of the brush stroke. Fatigue is yet another problem. To achieve a smooth brush stroke and uniform application of a coating of polish, a user tends to squeeze the cap. This application of pressure by the fingertips against the cap functions to stabilize the users hold as the user effects a sweeping motion with their hand. Repeatedly applying and releasing pressure against the cap will eventually cause fatigue and discomfort. The material from which the cap is constructed also contributes to fatigue and a poor grip. Nail polish bottle caps are constructed from rigid and hard plastics. The exterior surface of a cap constructed from hard and inflexible materials is uncomfortable to hold over any extended period of time and as noted earlier, when the cap is repeatedly squeezed between the fingertips during use, the hard surfaces accelerate the feeling of discomfort and fatigue. Although the exterior surface of some prior art caps may be provided with ridges or similar raised structures in an effort to improve the grip against the hard and smooth surface of the cap, such efforts are known to diminish comfort. | <SOH> OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is an object of the invention to provide a container for nail polish having an applicator cap the exterior of which is provided with a nonrigid material adapted to eliminate rotational and translational slip during grasping of the cap, increase comfort during use, improve the quality of the brush stroke by improving dexterity and also reduce fatigue. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container for nail polish having a applicator cap exterior surface that is compressible so as to provide increased control of the brush stroke. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method for applying nail polish to a surface. The present invention is directed to a container and cooperating applicator cap comprising a bottle for containing a material to be dispensed, the bottle having an opening for access to material contained therein and a cap for sealing engagement with the opening of the bottle, the cap comprising a rigid base member, an applicator brush fixed to the base member and aligned along the longitudinal axis thereof, an overshell of compressible material disposed on the base member, the overshell providing a gripping surface on said cap. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and claims. | 20040927 | 20051122 | 20050310 | 62225.0 | 1 | WALCZAK, DAVID J | NAIL POLISH CONTAINER AND APPLICATOR CAP | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,949,430 | ACCEPTED | Temporary cosmetic dental surface coating | A temporary cosmetic dental coating has a transparent resin matrix containing embedded glass microspheres. The refractive index of the microspheres is at least 0.03 greater than the refractive index of the transparent resin matrix. Incoming light is reflected back in the same direction as it was emanated, providing a lustrous dental coating that is cosmetically appealing and covers dental defects and discoloration. The transparent resin matrix with glass microspheres is formed by mixing together a methacrylate based liquid monomer of methyl methacrylate or BIS-GMA and glass microspheres coated with activators/catalysts. The user applies the mixed composition to the teeth to form a temporary cosmetic dental coating, which is readily removed using a dental pick. A lac resin dissolved in ethyl alcohol is optionally mixed with glass microspheres and applied to teeth surfaces. The coating is hardened by alcohol evaporation and removed by alcohol dissolution. | 1. A temporary cosmetic dental coating, comprising: a. a transparent resin matrix formed from a liquid composition; b. a plurality of glass microspheres embedded within said transparent resin matrix by mixing glass microspheres into said liquid composition to thereby form a mixture adapted to be painted onto unetched teeth surfaces; c. said glass microspheres having a refractive index greater than that of said transparent resin matrix, and effectively reflecting incident light by total internal reflection; whereby said temporary cosmetic dental coating can be readily applied and removed by the user. 2. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 1, wherein said transparent resin matrix is formed from a liquid composition of methyl methacrylate monomer hardened by glass microspheres coated with benzoyl peroxide. 3. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 1, wherein said transparent resin matrix is formed from a liquid composition of methyl methacrylate monomer diluted with ethyl alcohol hardened by glass microspheres coated with benzoyl peroxide. 4. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 1, wherein said transparent resin matrix is formed from a liquid composition of BIS-GMA monomer hardened by glass microspheres coated with activators selected from the group consisting of N,N-dimethyl-para-toluidine, para-tolemenesulfinic acid and N,N-dialkylanilines and benzoyl peroxide. 5. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 1, wherein said transparent resin matrix is formed from a liquid composition of BIS-GMA monomer diluted with ethyl alcohol hardened by glass microspheres coated with activators selected from the group consisting of N,N-dimethyl-para-toluidine, para-tolemenesulfinic acid, N,N-dialkylanilines and benzoyl peroxide. 6. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 1, wherein said transparent resin matrix is formed from lac or bleached shellac dissolved in ethyl alcohol and hardened by evaporation of ethyl alcohol. 7. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 1, wherein said glass microspheres have a diameter of 30 to 150 microns. 8. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 3, wherein said glass microspheres are embedded as a single array reflecting incident light formed by a less viscous liquid composition diluted by 40 to 60% ethyl alcohol 9. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 3, wherein said glass microspheres are embedded as multiple arrays reflecting incident light formed by a viscous liquid composition diluted by 5 to 30% ethyl alcohol. 10. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 3, wherein said temporary cosmetic dental coating is removed by a dental pick. 11. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 5, wherein said glass microspheres are embedded as a single array reflecting incident light formed by a less viscous liquid composition diluted by 40 to 60% ethyl alcohol 12. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 5, wherein said glass microspheres are embedded as multiple arrays reflecting incident light formed by a viscous liquid composition diluted by 5 to 30% ethyl alcohol. 13. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 5, wherein said temporary cosmetic dental coating is removed by a dental pick. 14. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 6, wherein said glass microspheres are embedded as a single array reflecting incident light formed by a less viscous lac liquid composition diluted by 40 to 60% ethyl alcohol. 15. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 6, wherein said glass microspheres are embedded as multiple arrays reflecting incident light formed by a viscous lac liquid composition diluted by 5 to 30% ethyl alcohol. 16. A temporary cosmetic dental coating as recited by claim 6, wherein said temporary cosmetic dental coating is removed by dissolution in ethyl alcohol. 17. A process for applying a temporary cosmetic dental coating, comprising the steps of: a. selecting a liquid composition selected from a methyl metacrylate monomer or BIS-GMA methacryltic monomer; b. mixing the liquid composition with ethyl alcohol to control viscosity of said temporary cosmetic dental coating; c. adding glass microspheres coated with resin hardeners appropriate to the methacrylate resin; d. mixing the liquid composition comprising glass microspheres to initiate the resin hardening reaction; e. coating the surfaces of the teeth with the mixed liquid composition; f. smoothening the coating surface; and g. immobilizing the coated teeth surfaces for a few minutes to facilitate completion of the hardening reaction and production of the temporary cosmetic dental coating, said temporary cosmetic dental coating being readily applied to unetched teeth and removed by prying with a dental pick. 18. A process for applying a temporary cosmetic dental coating, comprising the steps of: a. selecting a liquid composition comprising dissolved lac in ethyl alcohol; b. adding glass microspheres to said liquid composition; c. mixing said liquid composition comprising said glass microspheres; d. coating teeth surfaces with said mixed liquid composition; e. smoothening the coating to provide a continuous, even coating surface; and f. immobilizing said coated teeth surfaces for a few minutes to facilitate evaporation of ethyl alcohol and produce the temporary cosmetic dental coating. said temporary cosmetic dental coating being readily applied to unetched teeth and removed by dissolution in ethyl alcohol. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to temporary coatings for teeth, that enhance their cosmetic appearance; and more particularly, to a coating comprising non-toxic components that is applied by the user. 2. Description Of The Prior Art Dentist applied procedures have long been available for improving the cosmetic appearance of teeth. Such procedures are recognized by the American Dental Association. They are typically applied at the dentist's office using commercially available preparations; and the cosmetic treatments are generally permanent. Such treatments include bleaching as discussed at http://www.ada.org/public/topics/whitening.asp using chairside bleaching procedures wherein the dentist applies a chemically oxidizing solution. The dentist may optionally use a special light or a laser light beam to activate the painted oxidizing agent. This chairside treatment takes typically 30 minutes, and several chairside procedures may be needed to achieve adequate teeth whitening. In an alternate bleaching procedure, the dentist prepares a custom fitted mouth guard that holds a bleaching gel suited for nighttime bleaching. This nighttime bleaching procedure may require repeated applications over several nights to achieve adequate teeth whitening. Bonding techniques are commonly employed by the dentist wherein a matching tooth colored commercial preparation is applied to an etched enamel surface of the tooth to bond and cover discoloration, repair chips, breaks or cracks and fill in gaps as discussed at http://www.ada.org/public/topics/veneers.asp. With these bonding techniques a composite resin is shaped and hardened, using special ultraviolet light or chemical processes. The tooth with the hardened composite resin is smoothened and polished to appear natural. When properly applied such a bonding typically has a life expectancy of three to five years. Representative patents that disclose bonding procedures are discussed below. Veneer is another technique used by dentists. It involves the use of a custom made shell that matches the color of the tooth, as discussed at http://www.ada.org/public/topics/veneers.asp. The veneer is fabricated by a dental technician or a commercial dental laboratory from a model provided by the dentist. Veneers are used to close gaps or cover teeth that are stained, poorly shaped or slightly crooked. Placing veneer is often an irreversible process, because small amounts of enamel are usually removed to accommodate the thickness of the veneer shell. The teeth underneath the veneer sometimes begin to decay, at which point a new replacement veneer is needed. Prior art teachings related to veneers wherein a glue or cement is used to attach a veneer and are discussed below. U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,959 to Faunce discloses composite laminate dental veneer containing color systems. A composite laminate dental veneer is provided for attachment to the labial enamel surface of a human tooth. The dental veneer comprises an outer lamination composed of stain-resistant, chemical-resistant and erosion-resistant material, and an inner lamination composed of a material having the capability of efficient bonding to the labial enamel surface of the tooth. The inner lamination is adapted for permanent attachment to the outer lamination in such manner as to define an integral veneer mass. The laminate veneer also employs a color system embodying an additive color system which includes color pigments of an enamel blend and a subtractive color system which includes color pigments of a dentin color blend. These color pigments are distributed in color centers or microdots of color that are layered within a matrix. The veneer is glued to a prepared tooth surface. It does not form a coating applied by the user to unetched teeth. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,473,353, 4,822,279 to Greggs disclose a method for cosmetic restoration of anterior teeth, wherein a glazed porcelain veneer is bonded to a patient's tooth. A method and article for the cosmetic restoration of anterior teeth is provided whereby a glazed porcelain labial veneer is custom-made for a patient's tooth and thereafter chemically and mechanically bonded to such tooth, so as to provide a healthful and long-lasting cosmetic restoration of desired color, shape and esthetic appearance. This veneer is glued to a prepared tooth surface; it does not form a coating applied by user to unetched teeth. U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,950 to Dragan discloses a device and method of bonding and veneering dental material to a tooth. An applicating device is used to cosmetically bond and veneer the teeth with composite dental material. A disposable syringe tip defines a reservoir that contains a predetermined amount of composite dental material. Connected to the syringe tip is a discharge end portion which narrows to a rectangularly shaped discharge orifice having a width of approximately 0.5 mm and a length of approximately 4 to 6 mm. The '950 patent discloses a permanent veneer of a thick strip, which is applied over surfaces of the teeth. No disclosure is contained therein concerning a temporary cosmetic coating for the teeth. U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,049 to Weissman discloses a method for applying a veneer facing to a tooth. A veneer is secured onto a tooth substrate by a method comprising the steps of: 1) removing enamel in a matrix pattern, to a predetermined depth, from the lingual or buccal surfaces of the tooth; 2) removing the remaining outer enamel layer intermediate the matrix pattern, to the predetermined minimum depth, to provide a first, substantially level excavated enamel surface; 3) further excavating a plurality of compact areas on the first excavated enamel surface to an additional predetermined depth therebelow, but without exposing dentin, to form an indexed enamel surface; 4) taking an impression of such indexed enamel surface; and 5) obtaining from the mold a dental veneer, which can mate with such indexed excavated enamel surface and adhering the indexed veneer surface to the indexed enamel surface so as to accurately place the veneer on a tooth as an attractive outer labial or buccal surface. Preferably, the indexing grooves are undercut to improve adhesion. This veneer requires substantial preparation of tooth surface including excavation. The veneer application is permanent. It does not form a temporary cosmetic coating, which can be applied by the user. Polymeric compositions have been proposed for use in dental applications. Representative patents disclosing such polymeric compositions are discussed below. U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,112 to Bowen discloses dental filling material comprising vinyl silane treated fused silica and a binder consisting of BIS phenol and glycidyl acrylate. The composition has 70% of fused silica and 30% of polymer. Also disclosed are binder systems composed of the monomers, referred to in the art as BIS-GMA, admixed with other active monomers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,994 to Reaville et al discloses a dental restorative composition containing glycidyl methacrylate derivative of bisphenol-A, sometimes referred to as bisphenol-A-bis-(3-methacrylato-2-hydroxypropyl) ether or, more conveniently, as oligomeric BIS-GMA resin and a ultraviolet photosensitizer, 4,4′-bis (dimethylamino) benzophenone, which also is known as Michler's ketone. Also disclosed is a dental restorative composition and tooth coating comprising the combination of an adhesive resin of the oligomeric BIS-GMA type, a low molecular weight reactive extender or diluent acrylate, an organic peroxide catalyst or free radical initiator and, as a photosensitizer, Michler's ketone. A rapidly photopolymerizable composition of the oligomeric BIS-GMA type suitable for dental restorative and tooth coating purposes is provided. Cure to a tack-free surface is obtained by the use of a particular ultraviolet sensitizer together with a peroxide catalyst. Exposure of the composition to actinic radiation produces singlet oxygen, which enters into the cross-linking reaction. However, because polymerization also takes place in the absence of oxygen, it is believed that an additional mechanism is operative. This BIS-GMA adhesive with ultraviolet sensitizer and peroxide catalyst requires UV radiation to effectively cure and harden the resin. U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,973 to Hasegawa, et al. discloses a dental cold-polymerizing resin composition. In a powder-liquid type of dental cold-polymerizing resin composition, the powder component comprises a specific polymer such as polymethylmethacrylate containing a pyrimidinetrione derivative and an organometallic compound mixed at a specific proportion. The liquid component comprises a radical polymerizable compound containing an organic halogen compound and an aromatic tertiary amine mixed at a specific proportion used with a polymerization inhibitor. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,583,164 and 5,968,998 to Jochum, et al discloses dental compositions comprising bifunctional or polyfunctional acrylic-acid esters or methacrylic-acid esters. The dental compositions are based on an at least bifunctional or polyfunctional acrylic-acid and/or methacrylic-acid esters, which contain an initiator system for radical polymerization and which additionally contain a compound (1) of the general formula in which: Ar represents aryl or substituted aryl, R1, R2 and R3 represent hydrogen, aryl or substituted aryl, straight-chain or branched chain C1-18-alkyl, C1-18-alkoxyl or C1-17-alkoxycarbonyl, in which alkyl and alkoxyl can be substituted by halogen or aryl, in which, R1 or R2, when represented by aryl or substituted aryl, C1-18-alkyl or C1-18-alkoxyl, can be linked with Ar by a single-bond and in which, Ar, when represented by phenyl, C1-18-alkylphenyl, C1-18-alkoxylphenyl, carboxyl-C1-17-alkylphenyl or halogenphenyl, R2 can be represented by —O—, which is linked with the phenyl or phenyl moiety of Ar to a benzofuran, and in which at least one of R1 to R3 represents H, and at least one of R1 to R3 represents aryl or aryl substituted by a straight-chain or branched-chain C1-18-alkyl, C1-18-alkoxyl, carboxyl-C1-17-alkyl or halogen. As a result of the content of a compound (I) the setting phase of the dental compositions is lengthened. U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,584 to Cooper, et al. discloses multilayer light-reflecting film having a high refractive index thermoplastic polyester as the component of a system in which two or more resinous materials form a plurality of layers. A transparent thermoplastic resinous laminate film has at least 10 very thin layers of substantially uniform thickness. The layers are generally parallel, the contiguous adjacent layers are of different transparent thermoplastic resinous materials one of which is a thermoplastic polyester or copolyester resin having a refractive index of 1.55-1.61, and the adjacent resinous material has a refractive index which is lower by at least about 0.03. The contiguous adjacent layers differ in refractive index by at least about 0.03. Representative patents disclosing application of a whitening coating to the surfaces of teeth are discussed below. U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,627 to Suchan, et al. discloses a tooth whitening cosmetic composition. The tooth whitening covering cosmetic composition comprises Zinc Oxide, Water, Concentrated Ammonium Hydroxide and Ammonium Carbonate. It is used to form a complex system to cross-link the acrylic film forming resin Carboset Resin 514-A (B. F. Goodrich Chemical Co., of Cleveland, Ohio), which is used as a film former. After cross-linking and hardening of the resin, the free excess ammonium hydroxide is removed. Methyl cellulose (Methocel HG) is also disclosed for use as a film forming and pigment suspending agent. Ethanol is used as a solvent. The compound is said to have an extended wearing time. In practice, however, the composition is readily worn off by the abrasive action of food eaten after the compound is applied to the teeth, due to inherent softness of zinc oxide and cross-linked Carboset resin. The softness of the resin is also affected by the inability of the user to remove all the excess ammonium hydroxide following the cross-linking reaction of the Carboset Resin 514-A. U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,144 to Lustgarten discloses a dental material and method for controlling tooth lustre. The dental material comprises a polymerizable binder, a polymerization agent and an additive comprising finely divided flakes of muscovite mica in a range of from about 1 to 20 percent by weight of the dental material for direct dental filling and restoration applications and in a range of from about 1 to 30 percent for cosmetically treating the surface of a tooth as a veneer or paint-on. The polymerizable resinous binder is 2,2-bis[4-3-methacryloxy-2-hydroxypropoxy)-phenyl]propane (BIS-GMA) with a reactive diluent; an activator and a peroxide catalyst. The use of muscovite mica provides a cosmetic treatment that is not durable due to the inherently low hardness of muscovite mica. U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,743 to Santuchi et al. discloses a method for masking discoloration of teeth. The tooth surface is first etched with phosphoric acid to allow bonding to the composition. The polymerizable masking composition comprises liquid polymerizable acrylic monomer, a polymerization initiator for the monomer, sub-micron silica, and pigments, and is employed as a dental veneer to mask tooth discoloration. The polymerizable composition is a peroxide-catalyzed liquid difunctional acrylic ester composition comprising BIS-GMA, triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDM), fumed silica, pigments, a peroxide catalyst, and an accelerator for the catalyst. The monomer BIS-GMA is the diglycidyl dimethacrylate derivative of bisphenol-A; more precisely: 2,2-bis[4-(3-methacryloxy-2-hydroxypropoxy)phenyl]propane. The procedure is carried out in a dentist office; is not amenable to implementation by the user, since surface etching of teeth is involved. The fumed silica is extremely fine and does not reflect incident light with sufficient lustre. U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,494 to Cohen discloses a composition and method for improving, altering, and treating teeth. The tooth is etched to create a bond with the composition, which covers discolorations or stains on the tooth's surface. The composition contains BIS-GMA polymer, an activator or catalyst such as benzoyl peroxide, and silica or titanium dioxide pigments. The tooth can be coated without etching procedure using glass ionomeric compound, which comprises pulverized fluoroaluminosilicate glass powder, carboxylic acid polymer, polymerizable unsaturated organic compound, and a polymerization catalyst. This glass ionomeric compound is light cured as discussed in Silverman E, et al., “A New Light-Cured Glass Ionomer Cement That Bonds Brackets To Teeth Without Etching In The Presence Of Saliva”. Am. Jorthod Dentofac Orthop 1995; 108:231-6. and Silverman E. et al., “Bonding Of Orthodontic Attachments Using Ultraviolet Light Polymerized Adhesives”. Buonocore M G (Ed.), “The Use Of Adhesives In Dentistry”, Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, Springfield, Ill., 1975:372-88. Both procedures require assistance of a dentist to apply the dental coating, since etching is involved in the first procedure and ultraviolet curing is needed in the second procedure. The glass ionomeric compound in these procedures is crushed fine powder of fluoroaluminosilicate glass, which is opaque and does not reflect light. U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,163 to Cohen discloses a composition and method for cosmetically improving and altering the appearance of teeth. The teeth are first etched by the user. Weak acids such as citric acid and/or polyacrylic acid prepare the teeth surface to receive the lac based coloring compound. The lac based covering composition comprises a pigment compound selected from titanium dioxide, pulverized fluroaluminosilicate glass particles colorized by food coloring dye covered with a lac composition. This lac-based covering composition is opaque and covers stains or disclorations of the teeth. No disclosure is contained by the '163 patent concerning a composition containing a transparent glass which reflects light, thereby providing a lustrous coating for the teeth, and which can be applied to the teeth without need for etching or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,280, to Cohen discloses a composition and method for improving, altering, and treating teeth. The teeth are first etched by the user with weak acids such as citric acid and/or polyacrylic acid, thereby preparing the teeth surfaces to receive a lac based coloring compound containing sodium fluoride to protect teeth dentin. The lac based covering composition comprises a pigment compound selected from titanium dioxide, pulverized fluroaluminosilicate glass particles colorized by food coloring dye covered with a fluoride containing lac composition. This lac based covering composition is opaque and covers stains or disclorations of the teeth. The composition does not contain a transparent glass, which reflects light, providing a lustrous coating to the teeth; it is not applied to the teeth without any etching requirement. U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,281 to Eckhardt, et al. discloses dental materials. The dental materials contain monomers and/or prepolymers that can be subjected to a polymer-forming reaction. The dental materials comprise at least one initiating system and optionally comprise fillers, colorants, flow modifiers, stabilizers, ion-releasing substances as well as compounds which increase X-ray capacity or other modifiers. The dental materials are characterized by the presence of an initiating system proportioned such that the dental materials are sufficiently capable of flowing for at least 10 seconds after exposure to oxygen, whereupon they subsequently harden into a solid material. Polymer hardening occurs by oxidation. The dental material does not form a temporary surface coating for the teeth. U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,271 to Yin, et al. discloses a low shrinkage dental composite, dental composite compositions, restorative compositions, and methods for their use. The compositions can contain (a) from about 1 to about 35 weight percent of a monomer portion capable of undergoing polymerization; (b) from about 75 to about 95 weight percent of a filler portion, the filler portion containing at least a spherical filler portion having at least one spherical filler particle component; and (c) from about 0.01 to about 10 weight percent of a polymerization catalyst portion capable of assisting in the polymerization and hardening of the composite. The spherical filler portion is present in an amount sufficient to reduce shrinkage of the composite after polymerization to about 1.8 percent or less. Compositions according to the invention are useful in Class I, II, IV, V, Core build-ups, and other types of dental restorations where maximum strength and polishability are desired. The spherical particles do not provide reflectivity of the incident light, and the composition is a permanent buildup composition, effected by cross-linking. It does not produce a temporary coating on the teeth surfaces. Internet documents “Make Me Smile, Tooth Colored Fillings”, www.smiledentalcare.net/makemesmiletoothcoloredfillings.htm, and www.dochowell.com/2whitfil.htm, disclose that white fillings are made from a tooth colored plastic mixture filled with microscopic glass beads (silicon dioxide) called composite resin. Such Internet documents teach a teeth-filling composition; but do not disclose or suggest a temporary cosmetic teeth coating, especially suited for application by the user. Notwithstanding the efforts of prior art workers to provide cosmetic improvements to the teeth, the methods and means heretofore developed require tooth etching procedures that must be performed in a dentist office and result in permanent bonding of applied materials. It would be particularly desirable if a temporary coating could be safely applied by the user, at home, in a matter of minutes, to enhance reflectivity and appearance of the teeth. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a user applied temporary cosmetic dental coating composition especially suited for application by the user in a few minutes without need for etching the surfaces of the teeth. Generally stated, the coating composition comprises a polymerizable or hardenable transparent based resin composition into which are incorporated a plurality of nearly spherical retro reflective glass microspheres, the refractive index of the resin composition being less than that of the glass microspheres. Preferably, the refractive index of the polymerizable or hardenable resin is less than that of the glass microspheres by at least 0.03, whereby any light that is incident on the dental coating is reflected back by total internal reflection within the retro reflective glass microspheres. The dental coating composition is readily applied to the teeth surfaces by the user in a matter of minutes. It comprises a mixture of the resin and glass microspheres that can be mixed by the user immediately prior to application. The resin composition is preferably diluted with ethyl alcohol to retard the curing or hardening reaction of the resin. This provides the user sufficient time to mix and apply the temporary cosmetic dental coating composition to the unetched teeth. Application of the hardenable or curable temporary cosmetic dental coating composition to an unetched tooth prevents permanent bond formation between the coating and the teeth's dentin surface. As a result, the cured and hardened coating can be removed by the user at any time after application. Specifically, following application, the coating can be readily pried away by a dental pick or dissolved by application of ethyl alcohol. In any case, following a few weeks of usage, gradual seepage of saliva between the cured and hardened coating and the teeth surface lifts out the temporary cosmetic dental coating without causing damage to the teeth's dentin surface. Glasses are considered to be solutions, rather than chemical compounds. About 95% of all glasses are of the “soda-lime” type, containing silicon dioxide (silica), Na2O (soda), and CaO (lime). Crown glass is a typical soda-lime-silica composition, and has a refractive index of 1.52-1.62. Flint glasses have a higher density and refractive index but are unsuitable for dental application since they contain 45-65% lead oxide. Barium glasses contain barium oxide instead of lead oxide. These barium glasses have a refractive index in the range of 1.55 to 1.82, comparable to lead-containing flint glasses. Schott 8235 is a barium glass marked by Schott Corporation for dental application and has a refractive index of 1.55. The composition of this Schott 8235 barium glass is SiO250, BaO30, SrO8, B2O310, Al2O310. This glass is available in a standard grade K1. It has a mean diameter of 30±10 microns for 50% of the grains, and 100% of the glass microspheres have a diameter less than 150 microns. Other suppliers of glass microspheres for reflective coatings include Swarko Industriers, P.O. Box 89, 907 N. James Campbell Blvd, Columbia, Tenn. 38402. Industrial size 9 of the glass microspheres marketed by Swarko industries has 95-100% of spherical particles in the size range of 150 microns. Industrial size 11 of the glass microspheres has 95-100% of the spherical glass particles in the 125 micron range. These particles are most suitable for the temporary cosmetic dental coating application. Such glass microsphere compositions are non-toxic and based on silica and other non-toxic oxides, which are not dissolved by the human digestive system The resin binders used to anchor the glass microspheres to the dental surface must be non-toxic and should harden within a reasonable period of time, preferably within 5 minutes, to facilitate application of the cosmetic dental composition by the user. The resin composition should not dissolve in or be attacked by saliva, so that its integrity is maintained. In addition, the resin composition must have a refractive index that is at least 0.03 less than the refractive index of the glass microsphere composition. The first embodiment of the invention uses methacrylate based resins for attaching glass microspheres to unetched teeth surfaces. Unfilled methyl methacrylate resin has been in use for dental practice since 1950. Problems inherent to the unfilled resins, based on methyl methacrylate, include profound shrinkage during hardening, insufficient stiffness, and an excessive coefficient of thermal expansion as compared to the tooth structure. These very properties make methyl methacrylate resin and a resin binder suitable for temporary cosmetic dental coating. Polymethylmethacrylate, PMMA, has been approved by FDA for bone implant and is extensively used in dental molding and crown compositions. In its elementary form, the methyl methacrylate monomer polymerizes by additive polymerization. Methacrylate based polymeric coatings are designed to cure within 1 to 3 minutes so that the dentist can apply fillings, crowns or bridges without undue discomfort to the patient. During cure, a carbon double bond is broken to join with an adjoining monomer molecule. This addition polymerization is catalyzed and assisted by several peroxides, including benzoyl peroxide and other additives, including catalysts. These additives are then mixed with glass microsphere powder. When the powder is added to the resin and mixed, the polymerization of methyl methacrylate to polymethyl methacrylate occurs, creating a bond. The hardening reaction occurs so rapidly that the user has insufficient time to mix and apply a smooth coating on the tooth surface. It is desirable to extend the curing or hardening time of the methacrylate based resins, so that the user is provided sufficient time. It has surprisingly been found that 95% ethyl alcohol, also known as grain alcohol, mixes readily with the methyl methacrylate monomer. When glass microsphere powder containing benzoyl peroxide is added to ethyl alcohol-diluted methyl methacrylate monomer, the polymerization reaction occurs slowly as the ethyl alcohol evaporates. This provides sufficient time for the user to mix glass microspheres containing hardening additives with diluted methacrylate monomer and apply the temporary cosmetic dental composition to the teeth surfaces with a brush. Furthermore, when the methacrylate based resin is sufficiently thinned with ethyl alcohol, for example, 40-60 percent level, the glass microsphere particle mixes more uniformly in the diluted resin mixture. This allows the final coating to be a single array of glass microspheres attached to the teeth, thereby providing a lustrous coating. If the methacrylate based resin is mixed with 5-30% of ethyl alcohol, the temporary cosmetic dental coating is generally thicker. A higher viscosity results, causing thicker multilayered coating of the arrays of glass microspheres on the teeth surfaces. In either case, the glass microspheres protrude beyond the cured and hardened layer of the temporary cosmetic dental coating, thereby reflecting incident light. A lustrous dental coating is thereby created, which provides a more cosmetically appealing dental surface especially suited to hide teeth discoloration or teeth faults. Polymethylmethacrylate has a refractive index of 1.49, which is clearly at least 0.03 less than that of crown glass (refractive index 1.52) and 0.09 less than that of barium glass (refractive index 1.55). More generally, the polymer component of the composition can be any methyl(meth)acrylate polymer such as methyl(meth)acrylate homopolymers and copolymers of methyl(meth)acrylate with alpha, beta-ethylenically unsaturated compounds such as vinyl acetate, alkyl (e.g., C2.-C6) (meth)acrylates and multi-functional acrylic monomers such as alkylene dimethacrylate and alkylene diacrylates and triacrylates. These polymers generally have a molecular weight between 500,000 and 2,000,000. Methylmethacrylate homopolymers and copolymers are preferred. The reactive monomer component is preferably methyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate, although the C2-C4 alkyl(meth)acrylates, such as ethyl(meth)acrylate, propyl(meth)acrylate or (n-, or iso-)butyl(meth)acrylate, can also be used. These resin materials, which are themselves well known and commercially available, are usually provided with mixtures of the finely divided polymer and liquid monomer, and are characterized as being self-polymerizable when mixed, together with a polymerization catalyst, such as dibenzoyl peroxide, and polymerization accelerator, such as dimethyl-p-toluidine. The pasty mass will harden in situ, at room temperature (via an exothermic reaction) within a few minutes. There is another group of methacrylates based on BIS-GMA (bisphenol A-glycidyl methacrylate)system (an aromatic or urethane diacrylate oligomer) that are also suitable for the temporary cosmetic dental coating. The “BIS-GMA” is the condensation product of two moles of methacrylic acid and the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A or alternatively two moles of glycidyl methacrylate with one mole of bisphenol A and has the following chemical nomenclature; 2,2-bis[4-(3-methacryloxy-2-hydroxypropxy)-phenyl]-propane. A bisphenol A dimethacrylate can also be added to BIS-GMA, if desired. The polymerization of BIS-GMA requires suitable activators, for example, N,N-dimethyl-para-toluidine, para-tolemenesulfinic acid and N,N-dialkylanilines and benzoyl peroxide or persulfate catalyst. The activators and the catalyst are coated on the glass microsphere powder, which is added to the BIS-GMA resin to formulate the temporary cosmetic dental composition. The viscosity of BIS-GMA is reduced by the addition of a reaction diluent such as, for example, methyl methacrylate, ethylene or triethylene glycol dimethacrylate and tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate. It has been found that 95% ethyl alcohol, also known as grain alcohol, may be used as a diluent to retard the polymerization reaction and provide sufficient time for the application of the temporary cosmetic dental composition to the teeth. In a second embodiment, bleached shellac, also known as “lac”, is used as the resin retaining glass microspheres in the temporary cosmetic dental coating. Lac is soluble in ethyl alcohol and quickly dries as ethyl alcohol evaporates, forming a hardenable resin matrix. Shellac is safe for human use. It is certified by FDA as a food additive, and shellac based coatings are not dissolved or affected by saliva. The lac coating can be easily removed by the application of ethyl alcohol. Shellac or bleached lac is disclosed at http://www.shellacepc.com/properties.html as having a refractive index of 1.52, and is therefore suitable for use with glass microspheres of barium glass powder to form the temporary cosmetic dental coating of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be more fully understood and further advantages will become apparent when reference is had to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a temporary cosmetic dental coating having a single array of glass microspheres embedded in a lower refractive index resin, showing the reflection of incident light; and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a temporary cosmetic dental coating having a multiple array of glass microspheres embedded in a lower refractive index resin, showing the reflection of incident light. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Improving the cosmetic appearance of the teeth by application of a dental composition requires that the composition have appropriate viscosity to be easily paintable with a brush. The composition should also harden in a short period of time, producing a temporary cosmetic dental coating that is unaffected by saliva and is also non-toxic. These requirements are met by compositions that contain glass microspheres and a resin composition of the polymerized methyl methacrylate type or lac resin. The lustrous appearance of the cosmetic composition coated teeth is primarily due to the retro reflective character of the cosmetic dental coating. The glass microspheres incorporated within the cosmetic dental coating redirects any incoming light back to the source due to internal total reflection, which occurs when light enters a glass microsphere. This phenomenon is extensively used in street markings and highways signs. A key requirement involves incorporation of the glass microsphere within a resin having a lower refractive index than that of the glass microsphere. The refractive index of the resin must be 0.03 less than that of the glass microspheres or better, to provide this total internal reflection effect. However, the light which is incident normal to the surface penetrates the glass microsphere without being affected. Thus the underlying teeth surfaces are seen as white surfaces when a single array of glass microspheres is present. When multiple arrays of glass microspheres are stacked one above the other, any incoming light is effectively scattered and returned back, providing a white appearance. Advantageously, the effect created by this process completely covers and masks any defects in the teeth. Glass microspheres are non toxic, since they contain silicon dioxide and other oxides forming nearly a complete solution. None of these oxides can be dissolved by human digestive system. The high hardness of the glass provides extreme wear resistance for the cosmetic dental coating when a variety of food materials are chewed. The resin binder suitable for use with glass microspheres to form the composition of the present invention may include any conventional binder used in the field of dental work. The most frequently used binders include, for example, acrylic monomers or comonomers alone or in combination, such as methacrylate esters, i.e. methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate and the higher methacrylate esters such as n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl or glycol di-methacrylate, polymethacrylates, and/or methyl, ethyl or isopropyl cyanoacrylates. In its most simple form, polymerized methyl methacrylate is a common polymer used in dental profession from 1950. The polymethyl methacrylate is formed by additive polymerization as shown below wherein a carbon double bond is broken to polymerize the methyl methacrylate moleculae as shown below. This reaction is assisted by free radical initiators such as benzyol peroxide. The methyl methacrylate liquid monomer polymerizes when benzoyl peroxide is added forming a solid hardened mass. The glass microspheres may be coated with benzoyl peroxide and when the liquid is mixed with the glass microspheres the hardening reaction begins. Since this reaction can be rapid, it is difficult to judge the time available for coating the teeth surface using a brush. If the resin hardens prematurely, rough coating is produced. It has been surprisingly found that addition of 95% ethyl alcohol to the methyl methacruylate monomer liquid slows down the curing or hardening time providing ht use more controlled application time. It is presumed that the evaporation of the ethyl alcohol occurs before the benzoyl peroxide can break down the double bond of the methyl methacrylate monomer. Since ethyl alcohol is non-toxic, the overall temporary cosmetic dental composition is non-toxic. More generally, the polymer component of the composition can be any methyl(meth)acrylate polymer such as methyl(meth)acrylate homopolymers and copolymers of methyl(meth)acrylate with alpha, beta-ethylenically unsaturated compounds such as vinyl acetate, alkyl (e.g., C2-C6) (meth)acrylates and multi-functional acrylic monomers such as alkylene dimethacrylate and alkylene diacrylates and triacrylates. These polymers generally have a molecular weight between 500,000 and 2,000,000. Methylmethacrylate homopolymers and copolymers are preferred. The reactive monomer component is preferably methyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate although the C2-C4 alkyl(meth)acrylates, such as ethyl(meth)acrylate, propyl(meth)acrylate or (n-, or iso-)butyl(meth)acrylate, can also be used. These resin materials, which are themselves well known and commercially available, are usually provided with mixtures of the finely divided polymer and liquid monomer, and are characterized as being self-polymerizable when mixed, together with a polymerization catalyst, such as dibenzoyl peroxide, and polymerization accelerator, such as dimethyl-p-toluidine. The pasty mass will harden in situ, at room temperature (via an exothermic reaction) within a few minutes. Epoxies harden by a ring opening mechanism at room temperature and adhere to teeth. But amine cured epoxies do not harden quickly enough for dental use. Development of quick-curing epoxies with acidic catalysts has not worked, since teeth surfaces function as a buffer producing poorly polymerized coatings. A monomer that resembles epoxies but has methacrylate groups, as discussed U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,112 to Bowen, provides an ideal methacrylate composition which hardens effectively. These methacrylates based on the BIS-GMA (“bisphenol A-glycidyl methacrylate”) system or other aromatic or urethane diacrylate oligomer are also suitable for the temporary cosmetic dental coating. The polymer consists of a reaction product of bisphenol A and glycidyl methacrylate thinned with tetraethyleneglycol dimethacrylate and activated with dimethyl-para-toluidene. It hardens at room temperature in about 3 minutes, when mixed with glass microspheres containing benzoyl peroxide. Typically 5 parts of benzoyl peroxide is used for 100 parts of the resin. The “BIS-GMA” is the condensation product of two moles of methacrylic acid and the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A or alternatively two moles of glycidyl methacrylate with one mole of bisphenol A and has the following chemical nomenclature; 2,2-bis[4-(3-methacryloxy-2-hydroxypropxy)-phenyl]-propane. A bisphenol-A dimethacrylate can also be added to BIS-GMA if desired. The polymerization of BIS-GMA requires suitable activators, for example, N,N-dimethyl-para-toluidine, para-tolemenesulfinic acid and N,N-dialkylanilines and benzoyl peroxide or persulfate catalyst. The activators and the catalyst are coated on the glass microsphere powder, which is added to the BIS-GMA resin to formulate the temporary cosmetic dental composition. The viscosity of BIS-GMA is reduced by the addition of a reaction diluent such as, for example, methyl methacrylate, ethylene or triethylene glycol dimethacrylate and tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate. It has been found that 95% ethyl alcohol, also known as grain alcohol, may be used as a diluent to retard the polymerization reaction and provide sufficient time for the application of the temporary cosmetic dental composition to the teeth. The present method provides for the application of a BIS-GMA polymer mixed with glass microspheres to the surface of a tooth to cover discoloration which is present on the teeth surfaces. The covering compound is applied by a brush and hardens within a few minutes due to the polymerization reaction of the BIS-GMA. The BIS-GMA compound is manufactured by Bisco, Inc., of Itasca, Ill., under the name AELITESEAL.™. Pit and Fissure Sealant. This material is sold for filling posterior teeth and specifically for filling fissures in the teeth. In a second embodiment, the temporary cosmetic dental coating composition includes a lac material, which is provided with a colorizing compound or substance to match with the desired shade of the teeth dissolved in a solvent such as ethyl alcohol. Lac is a natural resinous substance excreted by an insect, Laccifer Lacca, and has been used in dentistry. (See A. Azucca, R. Huggett, and A. Harrison, “The Production of Shellac and its General and Dental Uses: A review.” Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 1993, vol. 20, pp. 393-400; and I. Klineberg and R. Earnshaw, “Physical Properties of Shellac Baseplate Materials.” Australian Dental Journal, October, 1967, vol. 12 no. 5, pp. 468-475.) Another use of shellac in dentistry includes treatment of a cavity with a hydrophilic shellac film placement of a polystyrene liner. (See M. Blixt and P. Coli, “The Influence of Lining Techniques on the Marginal Seals of Class II Composite Resin Restorations” Quintessence International, vol. 24, no. 3, 1993). Shellac has also been prepared and used in dentistry for the use of a bead adhesive for securing a composite resin veneer cast restoration. (See C. Lee, H. Pierpont, and E. Strickler, “The Effect of Bead Attachment Systems on Casting Patterns and Resultant Tensile Bond Strength of Composite Resin Veneer Cast Restorations”, The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, November, 1991, vol. 66, no. 5, pp. 623-630.) Therefore shellac or lac compositions are non-toxic and may be used as a resin incorporating glass microspheres to produce a temporary cosmetic dental coating. A refined bleached food grade dewaxed lac resin available commercially from Mantrose-Haeuser Company 1175 Post Road East, Westport, Conn. 06880, USA and is dissolved in ethyl alcohol. The glass microspheres with appropriate refractive index such as barium glass is added by the user to the ethyl alcohol formulation. This temporary cosmetic dental coating composition is applied by the user to the teeth surface using a paint brush. Ethyl alcohol evaporates, producing a cosmetic coating that has glass microspheres entrapped in a lac matrix. Depending on the dilution of the ethyl alcohol and the concentration of glass microspheres added, the coating may have a single layer or multiple layers of glass microspheres. The temporary cosmetic dental coating is durable due to the high hardness of glass beads and degradation resistance of lac compositions. The temporary cosmetic dental coating is readily removed by the user using ethyl alcohol, preferably applied by a brush, and wiping the cosmetic coating off. The lac in the cosmetic coating is dissolved by ethyl alcohol. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram 10 of the temporary cosmetic dental coating placed on a dental surface 11. The temporary cosmetic dental coating 12 comprises a resin matrix 13 with a single array of glass microsphers 14. The incident light along path 15 is reflected back as shown by the arrows due to internal reflection within the glass microsphere. This internal reflection occurs when the refractive index of the glass in the glass microsphere 14 is greater than that of the resin matrix 13 surrounding the glass microsphere. When a ray of light is incident normally as shown at 16, it illuminates the white teeth and is also internally reflected. As a result, the overall whiteness appearance of the teeth is enhanced providing a lustrous appearance. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram 20 of the temporary cosmetic dental coating placed on a dental surface 11. The temporary cosmetic dental coating 12 comprises a resin matrix 13 with a multiple array of glass microspheres 14. The incident light along path 15 is reflected back as shown by the arrows due to internal reflection within the glass microsphere. This internal reflection occurs when the refractive index of the glass in the glass microsphere 14 is greater than that of the resin matrix 13 surrounding the glass microsphere. When a ray of light is incident normally as shown at 16, it illuminates the array of glass microspheres underneath and is scattered and eventually reflected back. As a result, any imperfections of the teeth are completely covered and the overall whiteness of the teeth is enhanced providing a lustrous appearance. The key features of the temporary cosmetic dental surface coating includes, in combination, the features set forth below: 1. a cosmetic dental coating applied by the user without any etching of the teeth dentin surface; 2. the bond of the temporary cosmetic dental coating is weak and can be flaked off or dissolved at will without damaging the teeth dentin surface; 3. the temporary cosmetic dental coating comprises a liquid composition and glass microspheres which are mixed by the user to apply the cosmetic dental coating to the teeth and hardens to form a lustrous coating; 4. the glass microspheres reflect incident light back since the refractive index of the glass microsphere is greater than that of surrounding resin matrix by at least 0.03, thereby creating a lustrous cosmetic dental coating; 5. the glass microspheres have a diameter of 30 to 150 microns; 6. the resin matrix is formulated from methyl methacrylate monomer, which polymerizes, and the user mixes monomer liquid with glass microspheres coated with activators such as benzoyl peroxide; 7. the polymerization rate of methyl methacryalte and glass microsphere mix is reduced by dilution with ethyl alcohol; 8. the resin matrix is formulated from BIS-GMA monomer, which polymerizes, and the user mixes monomer liquid with glass microspheres coated with activators such as N,N-dimethyl-para-toluidine, para-tolemenesulfinic acid, N,N-dialkylanilines and benzoyl peroxide; 9. the polymerization rate of BIS-GMA and glass microsphere mix is reduced by dilution with ethyl alcohol; 10. the methacrylate temporary cosmetic dental coating is readily removed by flaking the coating off with a dental pick; 11. the resin matrix formulated from lac is dissolved in ethyl alcohol, and the user mixes glass microspheres to form temporary cosmetic dental surface coating composition which, when applied to the teeth surfaces, forms a coating that dries by the evaporation of ethyl alcohol; 12. the lac formulated coating is readily removed by an ethyl alcohol coating. Having thus described the invention in rather full detail, it will be understood that such detail need not be strictly adhered to, but that additional changes and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, all falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to temporary coatings for teeth, that enhance their cosmetic appearance; and more particularly, to a coating comprising non-toxic components that is applied by the user. 2. Description Of The Prior Art Dentist applied procedures have long been available for improving the cosmetic appearance of teeth. Such procedures are recognized by the American Dental Association. They are typically applied at the dentist's office using commercially available preparations; and the cosmetic treatments are generally permanent. Such treatments include bleaching as discussed at http://www.ada.org/public/topics/whitening.asp using chairside bleaching procedures wherein the dentist applies a chemically oxidizing solution. The dentist may optionally use a special light or a laser light beam to activate the painted oxidizing agent. This chairside treatment takes typically 30 minutes, and several chairside procedures may be needed to achieve adequate teeth whitening. In an alternate bleaching procedure, the dentist prepares a custom fitted mouth guard that holds a bleaching gel suited for nighttime bleaching. This nighttime bleaching procedure may require repeated applications over several nights to achieve adequate teeth whitening. Bonding techniques are commonly employed by the dentist wherein a matching tooth colored commercial preparation is applied to an etched enamel surface of the tooth to bond and cover discoloration, repair chips, breaks or cracks and fill in gaps as discussed at http://www.ada.org/public/topics/veneers.asp. With these bonding techniques a composite resin is shaped and hardened, using special ultraviolet light or chemical processes. The tooth with the hardened composite resin is smoothened and polished to appear natural. When properly applied such a bonding typically has a life expectancy of three to five years. Representative patents that disclose bonding procedures are discussed below. Veneer is another technique used by dentists. It involves the use of a custom made shell that matches the color of the tooth, as discussed at http://www.ada.org/public/topics/veneers.asp. The veneer is fabricated by a dental technician or a commercial dental laboratory from a model provided by the dentist. Veneers are used to close gaps or cover teeth that are stained, poorly shaped or slightly crooked. Placing veneer is often an irreversible process, because small amounts of enamel are usually removed to accommodate the thickness of the veneer shell. The teeth underneath the veneer sometimes begin to decay, at which point a new replacement veneer is needed. Prior art teachings related to veneers wherein a glue or cement is used to attach a veneer and are discussed below. U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,959 to Faunce discloses composite laminate dental veneer containing color systems. A composite laminate dental veneer is provided for attachment to the labial enamel surface of a human tooth. The dental veneer comprises an outer lamination composed of stain-resistant, chemical-resistant and erosion-resistant material, and an inner lamination composed of a material having the capability of efficient bonding to the labial enamel surface of the tooth. The inner lamination is adapted for permanent attachment to the outer lamination in such manner as to define an integral veneer mass. The laminate veneer also employs a color system embodying an additive color system which includes color pigments of an enamel blend and a subtractive color system which includes color pigments of a dentin color blend. These color pigments are distributed in color centers or microdots of color that are layered within a matrix. The veneer is glued to a prepared tooth surface. It does not form a coating applied by the user to unetched teeth. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,473,353, 4,822,279 to Greggs disclose a method for cosmetic restoration of anterior teeth, wherein a glazed porcelain veneer is bonded to a patient's tooth. A method and article for the cosmetic restoration of anterior teeth is provided whereby a glazed porcelain labial veneer is custom-made for a patient's tooth and thereafter chemically and mechanically bonded to such tooth, so as to provide a healthful and long-lasting cosmetic restoration of desired color, shape and esthetic appearance. This veneer is glued to a prepared tooth surface; it does not form a coating applied by user to unetched teeth. U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,950 to Dragan discloses a device and method of bonding and veneering dental material to a tooth. An applicating device is used to cosmetically bond and veneer the teeth with composite dental material. A disposable syringe tip defines a reservoir that contains a predetermined amount of composite dental material. Connected to the syringe tip is a discharge end portion which narrows to a rectangularly shaped discharge orifice having a width of approximately 0.5 mm and a length of approximately 4 to 6 mm. The '950 patent discloses a permanent veneer of a thick strip, which is applied over surfaces of the teeth. No disclosure is contained therein concerning a temporary cosmetic coating for the teeth. U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,049 to Weissman discloses a method for applying a veneer facing to a tooth. A veneer is secured onto a tooth substrate by a method comprising the steps of: 1) removing enamel in a matrix pattern, to a predetermined depth, from the lingual or buccal surfaces of the tooth; 2) removing the remaining outer enamel layer intermediate the matrix pattern, to the predetermined minimum depth, to provide a first, substantially level excavated enamel surface; 3) further excavating a plurality of compact areas on the first excavated enamel surface to an additional predetermined depth therebelow, but without exposing dentin, to form an indexed enamel surface; 4) taking an impression of such indexed enamel surface; and 5) obtaining from the mold a dental veneer, which can mate with such indexed excavated enamel surface and adhering the indexed veneer surface to the indexed enamel surface so as to accurately place the veneer on a tooth as an attractive outer labial or buccal surface. Preferably, the indexing grooves are undercut to improve adhesion. This veneer requires substantial preparation of tooth surface including excavation. The veneer application is permanent. It does not form a temporary cosmetic coating, which can be applied by the user. Polymeric compositions have been proposed for use in dental applications. Representative patents disclosing such polymeric compositions are discussed below. U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,112 to Bowen discloses dental filling material comprising vinyl silane treated fused silica and a binder consisting of BIS phenol and glycidyl acrylate. The composition has 70% of fused silica and 30% of polymer. Also disclosed are binder systems composed of the monomers, referred to in the art as BIS-GMA, admixed with other active monomers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,994 to Reaville et al discloses a dental restorative composition containing glycidyl methacrylate derivative of bisphenol-A, sometimes referred to as bisphenol-A-bis-(3-methacrylato-2-hydroxypropyl) ether or, more conveniently, as oligomeric BIS-GMA resin and a ultraviolet photosensitizer, 4,4′-bis (dimethylamino) benzophenone, which also is known as Michler's ketone. Also disclosed is a dental restorative composition and tooth coating comprising the combination of an adhesive resin of the oligomeric BIS-GMA type, a low molecular weight reactive extender or diluent acrylate, an organic peroxide catalyst or free radical initiator and, as a photosensitizer, Michler's ketone. A rapidly photopolymerizable composition of the oligomeric BIS-GMA type suitable for dental restorative and tooth coating purposes is provided. Cure to a tack-free surface is obtained by the use of a particular ultraviolet sensitizer together with a peroxide catalyst. Exposure of the composition to actinic radiation produces singlet oxygen, which enters into the cross-linking reaction. However, because polymerization also takes place in the absence of oxygen, it is believed that an additional mechanism is operative. This BIS-GMA adhesive with ultraviolet sensitizer and peroxide catalyst requires UV radiation to effectively cure and harden the resin. U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,973 to Hasegawa, et al. discloses a dental cold-polymerizing resin composition. In a powder-liquid type of dental cold-polymerizing resin composition, the powder component comprises a specific polymer such as polymethylmethacrylate containing a pyrimidinetrione derivative and an organometallic compound mixed at a specific proportion. The liquid component comprises a radical polymerizable compound containing an organic halogen compound and an aromatic tertiary amine mixed at a specific proportion used with a polymerization inhibitor. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,583,164 and 5,968,998 to Jochum, et al discloses dental compositions comprising bifunctional or polyfunctional acrylic-acid esters or methacrylic-acid esters. The dental compositions are based on an at least bifunctional or polyfunctional acrylic-acid and/or methacrylic-acid esters, which contain an initiator system for radical polymerization and which additionally contain a compound (1) of the general formula in which: Ar represents aryl or substituted aryl, R 1 , R 2 and R 3 represent hydrogen, aryl or substituted aryl, straight-chain or branched chain C 1-18 -alkyl, C 1-18 -alkoxyl or C 1-17 -alkoxycarbonyl, in which alkyl and alkoxyl can be substituted by halogen or aryl, in which, R 1 or R 2 , when represented by aryl or substituted aryl, C 1-18 -alkyl or C 1-18 -alkoxyl, can be linked with Ar by a single-bond and in which, Ar, when represented by phenyl, C 1-18 -alkylphenyl, C 1-18 -alkoxylphenyl, carboxyl-C 1-17 -alkylphenyl or halogenphenyl, R 2 can be represented by —O—, which is linked with the phenyl or phenyl moiety of Ar to a benzofuran, and in which at least one of R 1 to R 3 represents H, and at least one of R 1 to R 3 represents aryl or aryl substituted by a straight-chain or branched-chain C 1-18 -alkyl, C 1-18 -alkoxyl, carboxyl-C 1-17 -alkyl or halogen. As a result of the content of a compound (I) the setting phase of the dental compositions is lengthened. U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,584 to Cooper, et al. discloses multilayer light-reflecting film having a high refractive index thermoplastic polyester as the component of a system in which two or more resinous materials form a plurality of layers. A transparent thermoplastic resinous laminate film has at least 10 very thin layers of substantially uniform thickness. The layers are generally parallel, the contiguous adjacent layers are of different transparent thermoplastic resinous materials one of which is a thermoplastic polyester or copolyester resin having a refractive index of 1.55-1.61, and the adjacent resinous material has a refractive index which is lower by at least about 0.03. The contiguous adjacent layers differ in refractive index by at least about 0.03. Representative patents disclosing application of a whitening coating to the surfaces of teeth are discussed below. U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,627 to Suchan, et al. discloses a tooth whitening cosmetic composition. The tooth whitening covering cosmetic composition comprises Zinc Oxide, Water, Concentrated Ammonium Hydroxide and Ammonium Carbonate. It is used to form a complex system to cross-link the acrylic film forming resin Carboset Resin 514-A (B. F. Goodrich Chemical Co., of Cleveland, Ohio), which is used as a film former. After cross-linking and hardening of the resin, the free excess ammonium hydroxide is removed. Methyl cellulose (Methocel HG) is also disclosed for use as a film forming and pigment suspending agent. Ethanol is used as a solvent. The compound is said to have an extended wearing time. In practice, however, the composition is readily worn off by the abrasive action of food eaten after the compound is applied to the teeth, due to inherent softness of zinc oxide and cross-linked Carboset resin. The softness of the resin is also affected by the inability of the user to remove all the excess ammonium hydroxide following the cross-linking reaction of the Carboset Resin 514-A. U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,144 to Lustgarten discloses a dental material and method for controlling tooth lustre. The dental material comprises a polymerizable binder, a polymerization agent and an additive comprising finely divided flakes of muscovite mica in a range of from about 1 to 20 percent by weight of the dental material for direct dental filling and restoration applications and in a range of from about 1 to 30 percent for cosmetically treating the surface of a tooth as a veneer or paint-on. The polymerizable resinous binder is 2,2-bis[4-3-methacryloxy-2-hydroxypropoxy)-phenyl]propane (BIS-GMA) with a reactive diluent; an activator and a peroxide catalyst. The use of muscovite mica provides a cosmetic treatment that is not durable due to the inherently low hardness of muscovite mica. U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,743 to Santuchi et al. discloses a method for masking discoloration of teeth. The tooth surface is first etched with phosphoric acid to allow bonding to the composition. The polymerizable masking composition comprises liquid polymerizable acrylic monomer, a polymerization initiator for the monomer, sub-micron silica, and pigments, and is employed as a dental veneer to mask tooth discoloration. The polymerizable composition is a peroxide-catalyzed liquid difunctional acrylic ester composition comprising BIS-GMA, triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDM), fumed silica, pigments, a peroxide catalyst, and an accelerator for the catalyst. The monomer BIS-GMA is the diglycidyl dimethacrylate derivative of bisphenol-A; more precisely: 2,2-bis[4-(3-methacryloxy-2-hydroxypropoxy)phenyl]propane. The procedure is carried out in a dentist office; is not amenable to implementation by the user, since surface etching of teeth is involved. The fumed silica is extremely fine and does not reflect incident light with sufficient lustre. U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,494 to Cohen discloses a composition and method for improving, altering, and treating teeth. The tooth is etched to create a bond with the composition, which covers discolorations or stains on the tooth's surface. The composition contains BIS-GMA polymer, an activator or catalyst such as benzoyl peroxide, and silica or titanium dioxide pigments. The tooth can be coated without etching procedure using glass ionomeric compound, which comprises pulverized fluoroaluminosilicate glass powder, carboxylic acid polymer, polymerizable unsaturated organic compound, and a polymerization catalyst. This glass ionomeric compound is light cured as discussed in Silverman E, et al., “A New Light-Cured Glass Ionomer Cement That Bonds Brackets To Teeth Without Etching In The Presence Of Saliva”. Am. Jorthod Dentofac Orthop 1995; 108:231-6. and Silverman E. et al., “Bonding Of Orthodontic Attachments Using Ultraviolet Light Polymerized Adhesives”. Buonocore M G (Ed.), “The Use Of Adhesives In Dentistry”, Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, Springfield, Ill., 1975:372-88. Both procedures require assistance of a dentist to apply the dental coating, since etching is involved in the first procedure and ultraviolet curing is needed in the second procedure. The glass ionomeric compound in these procedures is crushed fine powder of fluoroaluminosilicate glass, which is opaque and does not reflect light. U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,163 to Cohen discloses a composition and method for cosmetically improving and altering the appearance of teeth. The teeth are first etched by the user. Weak acids such as citric acid and/or polyacrylic acid prepare the teeth surface to receive the lac based coloring compound. The lac based covering composition comprises a pigment compound selected from titanium dioxide, pulverized fluroaluminosilicate glass particles colorized by food coloring dye covered with a lac composition. This lac-based covering composition is opaque and covers stains or disclorations of the teeth. No disclosure is contained by the '163 patent concerning a composition containing a transparent glass which reflects light, thereby providing a lustrous coating for the teeth, and which can be applied to the teeth without need for etching or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,280, to Cohen discloses a composition and method for improving, altering, and treating teeth. The teeth are first etched by the user with weak acids such as citric acid and/or polyacrylic acid, thereby preparing the teeth surfaces to receive a lac based coloring compound containing sodium fluoride to protect teeth dentin. The lac based covering composition comprises a pigment compound selected from titanium dioxide, pulverized fluroaluminosilicate glass particles colorized by food coloring dye covered with a fluoride containing lac composition. This lac based covering composition is opaque and covers stains or disclorations of the teeth. The composition does not contain a transparent glass, which reflects light, providing a lustrous coating to the teeth; it is not applied to the teeth without any etching requirement. U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,281 to Eckhardt, et al. discloses dental materials. The dental materials contain monomers and/or prepolymers that can be subjected to a polymer-forming reaction. The dental materials comprise at least one initiating system and optionally comprise fillers, colorants, flow modifiers, stabilizers, ion-releasing substances as well as compounds which increase X-ray capacity or other modifiers. The dental materials are characterized by the presence of an initiating system proportioned such that the dental materials are sufficiently capable of flowing for at least 10 seconds after exposure to oxygen, whereupon they subsequently harden into a solid material. Polymer hardening occurs by oxidation. The dental material does not form a temporary surface coating for the teeth. U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,271 to Yin, et al. discloses a low shrinkage dental composite, dental composite compositions, restorative compositions, and methods for their use. The compositions can contain (a) from about 1 to about 35 weight percent of a monomer portion capable of undergoing polymerization; (b) from about 75 to about 95 weight percent of a filler portion, the filler portion containing at least a spherical filler portion having at least one spherical filler particle component; and (c) from about 0.01 to about 10 weight percent of a polymerization catalyst portion capable of assisting in the polymerization and hardening of the composite. The spherical filler portion is present in an amount sufficient to reduce shrinkage of the composite after polymerization to about 1.8 percent or less. Compositions according to the invention are useful in Class I, II, IV, V, Core build-ups, and other types of dental restorations where maximum strength and polishability are desired. The spherical particles do not provide reflectivity of the incident light, and the composition is a permanent buildup composition, effected by cross-linking. It does not produce a temporary coating on the teeth surfaces. Internet documents “Make Me Smile, Tooth Colored Fillings”, www.smiledentalcare.net/makemesmiletoothcoloredfillings.htm, and www.dochowell.com/2whitfil.htm, disclose that white fillings are made from a tooth colored plastic mixture filled with microscopic glass beads (silicon dioxide) called composite resin. Such Internet documents teach a teeth-filling composition; but do not disclose or suggest a temporary cosmetic teeth coating, especially suited for application by the user. Notwithstanding the efforts of prior art workers to provide cosmetic improvements to the teeth, the methods and means heretofore developed require tooth etching procedures that must be performed in a dentist office and result in permanent bonding of applied materials. It would be particularly desirable if a temporary coating could be safely applied by the user, at home, in a matter of minutes, to enhance reflectivity and appearance of the teeth. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention provides a user applied temporary cosmetic dental coating composition especially suited for application by the user in a few minutes without need for etching the surfaces of the teeth. Generally stated, the coating composition comprises a polymerizable or hardenable transparent based resin composition into which are incorporated a plurality of nearly spherical retro reflective glass microspheres, the refractive index of the resin composition being less than that of the glass microspheres. Preferably, the refractive index of the polymerizable or hardenable resin is less than that of the glass microspheres by at least 0.03, whereby any light that is incident on the dental coating is reflected back by total internal reflection within the retro reflective glass microspheres. The dental coating composition is readily applied to the teeth surfaces by the user in a matter of minutes. It comprises a mixture of the resin and glass microspheres that can be mixed by the user immediately prior to application. The resin composition is preferably diluted with ethyl alcohol to retard the curing or hardening reaction of the resin. This provides the user sufficient time to mix and apply the temporary cosmetic dental coating composition to the unetched teeth. Application of the hardenable or curable temporary cosmetic dental coating composition to an unetched tooth prevents permanent bond formation between the coating and the teeth's dentin surface. As a result, the cured and hardened coating can be removed by the user at any time after application. Specifically, following application, the coating can be readily pried away by a dental pick or dissolved by application of ethyl alcohol. In any case, following a few weeks of usage, gradual seepage of saliva between the cured and hardened coating and the teeth surface lifts out the temporary cosmetic dental coating without causing damage to the teeth's dentin surface. Glasses are considered to be solutions, rather than chemical compounds. About 95% of all glasses are of the “soda-lime” type, containing silicon dioxide (silica), Na2O (soda), and CaO (lime). Crown glass is a typical soda-lime-silica composition, and has a refractive index of 1.52-1.62. Flint glasses have a higher density and refractive index but are unsuitable for dental application since they contain 45-65% lead oxide. Barium glasses contain barium oxide instead of lead oxide. These barium glasses have a refractive index in the range of 1.55 to 1.82, comparable to lead-containing flint glasses. Schott 8235 is a barium glass marked by Schott Corporation for dental application and has a refractive index of 1.55. The composition of this Schott 8235 barium glass is SiO 2 50, BaO30, SrO8, B 2 O 3 10, Al 2 O 3 10. This glass is available in a standard grade K1. It has a mean diameter of 30±10 microns for 50% of the grains, and 100% of the glass microspheres have a diameter less than 150 microns. Other suppliers of glass microspheres for reflective coatings include Swarko Industriers, P.O. Box 89, 907 N. James Campbell Blvd, Columbia, Tenn. 38402. Industrial size 9 of the glass microspheres marketed by Swarko industries has 95-100% of spherical particles in the size range of 150 microns. Industrial size 11 of the glass microspheres has 95-100% of the spherical glass particles in the 125 micron range. These particles are most suitable for the temporary cosmetic dental coating application. Such glass microsphere compositions are non-toxic and based on silica and other non-toxic oxides, which are not dissolved by the human digestive system The resin binders used to anchor the glass microspheres to the dental surface must be non-toxic and should harden within a reasonable period of time, preferably within 5 minutes, to facilitate application of the cosmetic dental composition by the user. The resin composition should not dissolve in or be attacked by saliva, so that its integrity is maintained. In addition, the resin composition must have a refractive index that is at least 0.03 less than the refractive index of the glass microsphere composition. The first embodiment of the invention uses methacrylate based resins for attaching glass microspheres to unetched teeth surfaces. Unfilled methyl methacrylate resin has been in use for dental practice since 1950. Problems inherent to the unfilled resins, based on methyl methacrylate, include profound shrinkage during hardening, insufficient stiffness, and an excessive coefficient of thermal expansion as compared to the tooth structure. These very properties make methyl methacrylate resin and a resin binder suitable for temporary cosmetic dental coating. Polymethylmethacrylate, PMMA, has been approved by FDA for bone implant and is extensively used in dental molding and crown compositions. In its elementary form, the methyl methacrylate monomer polymerizes by additive polymerization. Methacrylate based polymeric coatings are designed to cure within 1 to 3 minutes so that the dentist can apply fillings, crowns or bridges without undue discomfort to the patient. During cure, a carbon double bond is broken to join with an adjoining monomer molecule. This addition polymerization is catalyzed and assisted by several peroxides, including benzoyl peroxide and other additives, including catalysts. These additives are then mixed with glass microsphere powder. When the powder is added to the resin and mixed, the polymerization of methyl methacrylate to polymethyl methacrylate occurs, creating a bond. The hardening reaction occurs so rapidly that the user has insufficient time to mix and apply a smooth coating on the tooth surface. It is desirable to extend the curing or hardening time of the methacrylate based resins, so that the user is provided sufficient time. It has surprisingly been found that 95% ethyl alcohol, also known as grain alcohol, mixes readily with the methyl methacrylate monomer. When glass microsphere powder containing benzoyl peroxide is added to ethyl alcohol-diluted methyl methacrylate monomer, the polymerization reaction occurs slowly as the ethyl alcohol evaporates. This provides sufficient time for the user to mix glass microspheres containing hardening additives with diluted methacrylate monomer and apply the temporary cosmetic dental composition to the teeth surfaces with a brush. Furthermore, when the methacrylate based resin is sufficiently thinned with ethyl alcohol, for example, 40-60 percent level, the glass microsphere particle mixes more uniformly in the diluted resin mixture. This allows the final coating to be a single array of glass microspheres attached to the teeth, thereby providing a lustrous coating. If the methacrylate based resin is mixed with 5-30% of ethyl alcohol, the temporary cosmetic dental coating is generally thicker. A higher viscosity results, causing thicker multilayered coating of the arrays of glass microspheres on the teeth surfaces. In either case, the glass microspheres protrude beyond the cured and hardened layer of the temporary cosmetic dental coating, thereby reflecting incident light. A lustrous dental coating is thereby created, which provides a more cosmetically appealing dental surface especially suited to hide teeth discoloration or teeth faults. Polymethylmethacrylate has a refractive index of 1.49, which is clearly at least 0.03 less than that of crown glass (refractive index 1.52) and 0.09 less than that of barium glass (refractive index 1.55). More generally, the polymer component of the composition can be any methyl(meth)acrylate polymer such as methyl(meth)acrylate homopolymers and copolymers of methyl(meth)acrylate with alpha, beta-ethylenically unsaturated compounds such as vinyl acetate, alkyl (e.g., C 2 .-C 6 ) (meth)acrylates and multi-functional acrylic monomers such as alkylene dimethacrylate and alkylene diacrylates and triacrylates. These polymers generally have a molecular weight between 500,000 and 2,000,000. Methylmethacrylate homopolymers and copolymers are preferred. The reactive monomer component is preferably methyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate, although the C 2 -C 4 alkyl(meth)acrylates, such as ethyl(meth)acrylate, propyl(meth)acrylate or (n-, or iso-)butyl(meth)acrylate, can also be used. These resin materials, which are themselves well known and commercially available, are usually provided with mixtures of the finely divided polymer and liquid monomer, and are characterized as being self-polymerizable when mixed, together with a polymerization catalyst, such as dibenzoyl peroxide, and polymerization accelerator, such as dimethyl-p-toluidine. The pasty mass will harden in situ, at room temperature (via an exothermic reaction) within a few minutes. There is another group of methacrylates based on BIS-GMA (bisphenol A-glycidyl methacrylate)system (an aromatic or urethane diacrylate oligomer) that are also suitable for the temporary cosmetic dental coating. The “BIS-GMA” is the condensation product of two moles of methacrylic acid and the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A or alternatively two moles of glycidyl methacrylate with one mole of bisphenol A and has the following chemical nomenclature; 2,2-bis[4-(3-methacryloxy-2-hydroxypropxy)-phenyl]-propane. A bisphenol A dimethacrylate can also be added to BIS-GMA, if desired. The polymerization of BIS-GMA requires suitable activators, for example, N,N-dimethyl-para-toluidine, para-tolemenesulfinic acid and N,N-dialkylanilines and benzoyl peroxide or persulfate catalyst. The activators and the catalyst are coated on the glass microsphere powder, which is added to the BIS-GMA resin to formulate the temporary cosmetic dental composition. The viscosity of BIS-GMA is reduced by the addition of a reaction diluent such as, for example, methyl methacrylate, ethylene or triethylene glycol dimethacrylate and tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate. It has been found that 95% ethyl alcohol, also known as grain alcohol, may be used as a diluent to retard the polymerization reaction and provide sufficient time for the application of the temporary cosmetic dental composition to the teeth. In a second embodiment, bleached shellac, also known as “lac”, is used as the resin retaining glass microspheres in the temporary cosmetic dental coating. Lac is soluble in ethyl alcohol and quickly dries as ethyl alcohol evaporates, forming a hardenable resin matrix. Shellac is safe for human use. It is certified by FDA as a food additive, and shellac based coatings are not dissolved or affected by saliva. The lac coating can be easily removed by the application of ethyl alcohol. Shellac or bleached lac is disclosed at http://www.shellacepc.com/properties.html as having a refractive index of 1.52, and is therefore suitable for use with glass microspheres of barium glass powder to form the temporary cosmetic dental coating of the invention. | 20040923 | 20070508 | 20060323 | 95539.0 | A61K6083 | 0 | KOSLOW, CAROL M | TEMPORARY COSMETIC DENTAL SURFACE COATING | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | A61K | 2,004 |
|
10,949,489 | ACCEPTED | Wireless video surveillance system and method with external removable recording | A surveillance system and method with wireless communication between components for providing an external removable data storage device capable of recording digital representation of inputs captured by the system through at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and recorded by a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) and/or another ICD, thereby providing removable data transfer or copying for inputs from a secure surveillance system for monitoring a target environment. | 1. A method for removing data from a surveillance system, the system including at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) or another ICD, the method comprising the steps of: providing the base system, which further includes an external removable data storage device; the system permitting at least one user to access the DIR and/or ICD(s) via a user interface either directly or remotely; the system capturing inputs via the ICD(s); the system responding to the occurrence of a trigger event; transferring data associated with the captured inputs to an external removable data storage device connected to the DIR and/or ICD(s), thereby providing for data storage and transfer from the surveillance system. 2. A method for activating communication between at least one wireless digital input capture device (ICD(s)) and a corresponding wireless digital input recorder (DIR) forming a wireless surveillance system comprising the steps of: a) providing the wireless surveillance system having at least one ICD constructed and configured for wireless digital communication with a corresponding wireless DIR, wherein the DIR has a memory and a data processor for running software is operable for transmitting instructions to and receiving and recording data inputs from the ICD(s); and an external removable data storage device connected to the DIR or ICD(s); b) at least one user interfacing with the DIR and establishing or adjusting settings; c) the DIR searching for a signal from at least one selected ICD; d) the DIR establishing communication with the selected ICD(s); e) the ICD(s) capturing inputs associated with a target environment; f) the system responding to occurrence of a trigger event; g) transferring or copying data associated with the captured inputs to the external removable data storage device; thereby providing a method for secure communication in the surveillance system between at least one ICD and corresponding DIR. 3. The method according to claim 2, further including the step of: h) removing the external removable data storage device. 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the user establishes the trigger event. 5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the trigger event is predetermined. 6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the trigger event is the detection of inputs by the ICD(s). 7. A surveillance system having removable data storage comprising: a base system including at least one wireless input capture device (ICD), the ICD(s) having at least one sensor and at least one input component for detecting and recording inputs, a processor, a memory, a transmitter/receiver, all constructed and configured in electronic connection; wherein the ICDs are operable for wireless cross-communication with each other and a digital input recorder (DIR); an external removable storage device connected to the DIR and/or ICD(s), operable to receive transferred or copied data associated with inputs captured by the ICD(s), thereby providing for data storage and transfer from the surveillance system. 8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the external removable storage device is portable. 9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the external removable storage device is a USB key. 10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the data is tagged based upon the occurrence of a trigger event. 11. The system according to claim 7, wherein the cross-communication of ICDs and DIR includes data exchange, wherein the data exchange includes information about the surveillance environment, settings, inputs, and combinations thereof. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS U.S. application Ser. No. ______, entitled “Wireless Video Surveillance System and Method With Two-Way Locking of Input Capture Devices,” filed on Sep. 23, 2004. U.S. application Ser. No. ______, entitled “Wireless video surveillance system & method with DVR-based querying,” filed on the same date herewith. U.S. application Ser. No. ______, entitled “Wireless Video Surveillance System and Method with Emergency Video Access,” filed on the same date herewith. U.S. application Ser. No. ______, entitled “Wireless Video Surveillance System and Method with Remote Viewing,” filed on the same date herewith. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to surveillance technology and equipment and, more particularly, to a wireless video surveillance system and methods associated therewith. (2) Background of the Invention While video surveillance systems have existed in the prior art, typically they are wired devices that are difficult, time-consuming, and costly to install and operate. Also, generally, they do not provide for wireless systems that are secure from wireless interception or Internet enabled interception and permit remote user access for viewing, reviewing stored information, and controlling the system's components, in particular via Internet connection to a remote controller computer or cellular phone or other Internet connected device. Thus, there remains a need in the art for a wireless surveillance system and methods of operating same, providing simple setup and controls for high quality input capture by surveillance input capture devices (ICD), including but not limited to video inputs, and digital input recorder device(s) (DIR) associated with the ICDs, the DIRs data transfer, storage, and control, including systems and methods providing for remote viewing and controls of the ICDs and DIRs via a remote server computer (RSC) and/or Internet access through the RSC. Examples of prior art may include: U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040136388 published Jul. 15, 2004, for Schaff, for Video-monitor/recording/playback system, describes a stand-alone video recording, playback and Monitoring system. It has network switches, non-volatile storage devices, IP cameras, video servers, and NTSC cameras. The system uses communication channels that are WAN/LAN based and can be hard-wired or wireless. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020186180 published Dec. 12, 2002, for Duda, William, for Hands free solar powered cap/visor integrated wireless multi-media apparatus, describes an apparatus whereby the functional electronics components of popular consumer communications and entertainment products can be repackaged in a molded plastic module that would be mounted underneath and follow the contour of the visor of a head wearable cap/visor providing the user with a hands free, continuous power, virtually invisible multi-media capability. The module would feature, a drop down visual display, drop down camera lens for low resolution digital photography, rechargeable battery, stereo speakers and earphones, a microphone and microphone boom, manual push button controls and LED indicator lights, input/output jacks, and an interactive voice capability. A flexible solar cell and antenna would be mounted on the upper surface of the head wearable cap/visor providing the wireless link and continuous power to the electronics module. All components would be secured to the head wearable cap visor via two active pins that protrude from the upper surface of the electronic module, pierce the visor, and mate up with the solar cell and antenna on the upper surface of the visor. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020026636 published Feb. 28, 2002, for LeComte, for Video interfacing and distribution system and method for delivering video programs, describes a video interfacing arrangement for connecting at least one display device to at least one video source composed of a module including a dedicated and programmed digital processing unit adapted to decode and descramble video flow according to a preloaded decoding or descrambling program, in order to display, in real time or delayed in time, to store, to record and/or to send over a telecommunication network, and on at least one screen interface, at least one storage or recording interface, a local or wide area network connecting interface and a user communication and controlling interface, the interfaces being linked to and driven by the processing unit and preferably mounted in or on the module. The invention also concerns a distribution system and a method for transferring encoded video programs and sequences over a wide area network. U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,742 issued Jan. 1, 2002, to Takemoto, for Apparatus for file management and manipulation using graphical displays and textual descriptions, describes a processor-based display processing apparatus, method and user interface allows for easy understanding of the contents of respective files by present a portion of the respective files as a graphics image along with other associated attributes of the respective files. A computer readable recording medium with a program recorded therein is provided for enabling a computer to function as the apparatus and perform the method. In the display processing apparatus, when an operator selects a folder from a folder display area on a browser screen, a processor controls the selected folder to be identified and displayed, and graphics images of image files contained in the selected folder are displayed in a predetermined display area. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040008255 published Jan. 15, 2004, for Lewellen, for Vehicle video system and method, describes a vehicle video system includes a small camera in the passenger area that uses illumination in the non-visible spectrum to illuminate the passenger area. The vehicle video system records video information on a digital video recorder that uses digital media such as a hard disk drive, recordable CD (CD-R), rewritable CD (CR-RW), or writable Digital Video Disc (DVD). The vehicle video system includes a local wireless interface, such as a Bluetooth-compatible interface, that automatically connects to a compatible device in the parking area of the vehicle that is coupled to a database. In this manner, the digital video information collected by the vehicle video system is automatically transferred to the database when the vehicle is parked, removing the need for any human intervention for the logging and cataloging of video tapes. The local wireless interface of the vehicle video system also allows other devices, such as a handheld device or a vehicle video system in a different vehicle, to access the stored digital video information. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040165546 published Aug. 26, 2004, for Roskind, for Time based wireless access provisioning, describes a method and apparatus for the time-based provisioning of wireless devices. A network access point monitors operation of wireless devices within a service region. When provisioning logic is activated at the network access point, the access point determines if the tracked parameter (such as power on or the onset of signal transmission) of the wireless device occurs within a designated time interval from the time of the provisioning activation. If the tracked device qualifies, the network access point proceeds with provisioning the device. In one system embodiment, the network access point tracks the power on time of wireless devices. When a wireless device to be authorized is powered on, the provisioning logic at the network access point notes the power on time. The user then activates the provisioning access at the network access point, and the network access point provisions the wireless device if it is recently powered on. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20030188320 published Oct. 2, 2003, for Shing, for Method and system for a distributed digital video recorder, describes a system and method, for remote display and control of an audio/video data stream from a capture device, e.g., a TV capture card, audio/visual capture card or digital camera capture card in a PC. In an exemplary embodiment there are some components of a software DVR player executing on at least one client device and other components on at least one server device. Users can view and/or control the audio/video data from a server device, having a capture device, on client devices located anywhere as long as they are connected to the server through a network. In addition, a server device with a capture device can support display of the video data at multiple client devices at the same time. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020188955 published Dec. 12, 2002, for Thompson et al., for Digital video recording and playback system for television, describes a system and apparatus for digitally recording and playing back videos from either an Internet website or a TV broadcast or cablecast is disclosed herein. The system comprises a set-top box, along with the necessary cables and remote control units, that connects between a television set and an Internet hook-up and allows a viewer to digitally record TV shows and/or download video from the Internet and store said video on the set-top box's hard drive for later viewing (using video encoding technology). In addition to the recording and playback capabilities, the disclosed system allows the viewer to pause, rewind, slo-mo, and instant replay live television without videotapes or VCR programming. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040168194 published Aug. 26, 2004, for Hughes, for Internet tactical alarm communication system, describes an Internet tactical alarm communication (ITAC) system includes at least one sensor, at least one video camera, and an ITAC computer delivery unit, wherein the at least one sensor, the at least one video camera, and the ITAC computer delivery unit are communicatively interconnected, and the ITAC system provides real-time data regarding a particular condition. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020100052 published Jul. 25, 2002, for Daniels, for Methods for enabling near video-on-demand and video-on-request services using digital video recorders, describes a near video-on-demand (VOD) service enabled using a digital video recorder (DVR) for the simultaneous storage and playback of multimedia data. A DVR is connected over a network to a multimedia network source. A VOD selection is requested by the DVR from the network source. A multimedia data signal is received by the DVR from the network source. The data signal contains the requested VOD selection. A first received portion of the received data signal is stored on the DVR. The first received segment is played by the DVR for display on a display device. Simultaneously during the playing of the first received segment, a second received segment of the received data signal is received from the network source and stored on the DVR while the first received segment is played the display device. Thus, the requested VOD selection begins playing on the display device prior to the reception of the entire compressed multimedia data signal so that a requested VOD selection can begin being displayed nearly instantaneously after the request for it is made. A video-on-request (VOR) service is also enabled using a DVR. VOR selection data is received by a centralized database device, such as a network server, from a plurality of users. Each VOR selection data includes at least one requested video selection and video recorder identifying information for identifying each particular video recorder. A transmission priority of requested video selections is determined dependent on the frequency of requests .sup.1received from the plurality of users. A transmission channel and time is determined based on the transmission priority. DVR control signals are transmitted to automatically tune in the determined transmission channel at the determined transmission time and record the particular video selection. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a wireless surveillance system and methods of operating same, providing simple setup and controls for high quality input capture by surveillance input capture devices (ICD), including but not limited to video inputs, and digital input recorder device(s) (DIR) associated with the ICDs, the DIRs data transfer, storage, and control, more particularly, the present invention is directed toward a method for controlling communication between ICD(s) and corresponding DIR. The present invention is further directed toward systems and methods providing for remote viewing and controls of the ICDs and DIRs via a remote server computer (RSC) and/or Internet access through the RSC, the systems and methods having controllable communication between the ICD(s) and corresponding DIR. In a preferred embodiment, there is at least one ICD associated with a corresponding DIR for providing a system for capturing inputs of a target environment via the at least one ICD and transferring those inputs via two-way controllable wireless communication with the DIR for electronic, digital storage and remote access thereof. In another preferred embodiment, the system further includes an RSC, which is directly or Internet-remotely accessed by at least one authorized user of the system, when control settings permit. Such controllable remote access includes user viewing of captured inputs of the target environment, including live and/or historical/recorded data, storing, editing, retrieving or otherwise reviewing said inputs, and controlling the system settings and activities, and combinations thereof. The present invention is further directed to a method for installing and operating the system and various embodiments and combinations thereof. Thus, the present invention provides systems and methods for wireless surveillance of predetermined environments, in particular with remote access and controls of the system components. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for surveillance of a predetermined environment having at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) for receiving, storing, editing, and/or retrieving stored input from the at least one ICD and controlling the ICD via wireless, remote communication therewith. Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for surveillance of a predetermined environment having at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) for receiving, storing, editing, and/or retrieving stored input from the at least one ICD and controlling the ICD, and a remote server computer (RSC) for providing at least one authorized user remote, wireless access to the at least one ICD and DIR, where the ICD, DIR, and RSC are in wireless digital communication with each other and where the RSC may be accessed directly by the user or through the Internet. Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide methods of using the system embodiments set forth herein, such as a method for locking communication between at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR), including the steps of providing base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via user interface either directly or remotely; the DIR searching for signal from the ICD(s) and establishing communication with them; and locking the ICDs to send wireless data exclusively to that DVR; and/or the DVR locking itself for exclusive communication with the locked ICDs, thereby providing a secure surveillance system for a target environment. These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the following description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment constructed according to the present invention, showing an input capture device and a digital input recorder juxtapositioned each other. FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a back view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 shows a back, side, and front view of the input capture device component of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a schematic showing the interconnection of remote units of the system. FIG. 8 is a user interface view of inputs to the system viewable by a user. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views. Also in the following description, it is to be understood that such terms as “forward,” “rearward,” “front,” “back,” “right,” “left,” “upwardly,” “downwardly,” and the like are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms. Referring now to the drawings in general, the illustrations are for the purpose of describing a preferred embodiment of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention thereto. As best seen in FIG. 1, the two base elements of a system constructed according to the present invention are shown side-by-side, including a wireless input capture device and a corresponding digital input recorder. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment constructed according to the present invention, showing an input capture device (“ICD”), generally referred to as 30, and a digital input recorder (“DIR”), generally referred to as 10, juxtapositioned. The DIR 10 has a plastic case 11 with a metal plate 12 affixed thereto and a removable tilt adjustable base 13 removably attached to the bottom of the DIR. Antennas 14, near the top of the DIR provide wireless communication for the present invention. A green power led and button 15 is near the top of the DIR. The button 15 can turn on the motion detection and/or record all functions of the present invention. The status indicator LEDS 26 are placed on the front of the DIR and can illuminate either red or green. Similarly, the ICD 30 has a plastic case 31 with a metal plate 32 affixed thereto and a removable tilt adjustable base 33 removably attached to the bottom of the ICD. Antennas 34, near the top of the ICD provide wireless communication for the present invention. A power/motion detection LED 35 is positioned near the bottom of the front of the ICD and can illuminate either red or green. A microphone 36 is also positioned on the front of the ICD to detect sound. The camera lens 37 is positioned near the top front of the ICD. FIG. 2 shows a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing an ICD 30 and a DIR 10 juxtapositioned. FIG. 3 shows a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing an ICD 30 and a DIR 10 juxtapositioned. FIG. 4 shows a back view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing an ICD 30 and a DIR 10 juxtapositioned. The ICD 30 has air vents 41 to facilitate cooling of the device. FIG. 4 also illustrates the various ports that are available on the two devices. The ICD 30 has the following ports: RJ-45 42; Alarm I/O Out 43; Microphone In 44; RCA Video Out 45; and DC In 46. Similarly, the DIR 10 has air vents 21 to facilitate cooling. Some of the ports may differ between the ICD and DIR. The DIR 10 has the following ports: RJ-45 22; Alarm I/O Out 23; Audio Out 24; RCA Video Out 25; DC In 26; and USB 27. FIG. 5 shows a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing an ICD 30 and a DIR 10 juxtapositioned. This demonstrates the possible footprints of the devices. FIG. 6 shows a back, side, and front view of an alternative embodiment of the ICD 30 component of FIG. 1. The ICD 30 is similar to that previously described except the air vents 41 have been removed and the antennas 34 have been positioned to the back of the ICD. Additionally, FIG. 6 illustrates the ICD with the removable tilt adjustable base 33 removed. FIG. 7 shows a schematic showing the interconnection of remote units of the system. FIG. 8 shows a user interface view of inputs to the system viewable by a user. The wireless surveillance system according to the present invention includes at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) for sensing, capturing and transmitting surveillance inputs from a predetermined input capture location, and a digital input recorder device (DIR) for receiving the surveillance inputs from the at least one wireless ICD and storing those inputs, which are capable of being reviewed by a system user on a controller/server computer, wherein the server computer is optionally used for communication with the ICDs and DIRs. In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least one ICD and corresponding DIR device are used to form the system without requiring a separate server computer. The DIR itself has full capabilities when arranged for communication wirelessly with ICDs for recording and controlling inputs to the system, as well as settings for each of the at least one ICD, including activation of each. Input Capture Device(s) (ICDs) On the front end of the system, the at least one wireless ICD further includes a power source, a power converter; soft power down component which provides for a gentle power down so that ICD settings are preserved and not lost. Preferably, while the ICD is wireless, it further includes an optional network connection at a back side of the ICD also, so it can be hardwired into a network. The ICD also includes at least one sensor and at least one input component for detecting and recording inputs, a processor, a memory, a transmitter/receiver, and optionally, at least indicator light for indicating camera activities, all constructed and configured in electronic connection. By way of example and not limitation, the at least one input component may include a microphone, and/or a camera. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one wireless ICD includes two antennas for providing a wireless signal for receiving and/or transmitting data with the DIR device or another ICD(s). The ICDs are operable for cross-communication with each other, including data exchange, wherein the data exchange includes information about the surveillance environment, settings, inputs, and combinations thereof. The at least one wireless ICD further includes a housing having a removable casing around the lens to make lens adjustments or settings; ICD adjustments and settings are preferably optional, and are not usually required in preferred embodiments of the present invention, as the DIR device automatically establishes and controls the ICD settings and activities for each of the at least one wireless ICDs associated with the particular DIR device. For the preferred embodiments where the ICD includes a digital video camera (DVC) having a lens and corresponding camera components, the camera further includes a computer chip providing for capabilities of performing video compression within the ICD itself. The ICD as a wireless digital video camera is capable of capturing video within its range within the surveillance environment and compressing the captured video into a data stream, the capture occurring at predetermined dates and times, during activity detection, and/or on command from the wireless DIR associated therewith. In the case of video, the images are adjustable to capture at different sizes, different frame rates, and/or to include the display of the name of the device (determined by the user and/or the system), the date, the time, and combinations thereof. The ICD including a DVC is capable of capturing images that are combinable and/or integratable with the video data stream and/or compressible into an individual image data stream, all at predetermined dates and times, when activity such as motion or audio are detected, on command from the wireless DVR, and combinations thereof. As with video capture, image capture is adjustable to capture at different sizes, different frame rates, and/or to include the display of the name of the device (determined by the user and/or the system), the date, the time, and combinations thereof. A data stream of images is transmittable wirelessly to the wireless DVR. Similarly, where the at least one ICD has audio capabilities, the captured audio, which is combinable and/or integratable with other inputs captured by the ICD sensors, is compressible into an individual audio data stream, which is transmittable wirelessly to the DIR. The activity of audio ICD is activatable at predetermined dates and times, during activity detection, and/or on command from the wireless DIR associated therewith. The audio ICD is further adjustable to capture audio at different or variable rates. Preferably, since the ICD generates heat during operation, the ICD housing includes a cooling system having a vent and a low noise cooling fan. Since the video components of ICDs generate heat that must be dissipated for optimal performance of the system, preferred embodiments of the present invention include housing units with components that operate at lower temperatures, i.e., which generate less heat during operation, and include housing units formed of materials that dissipate heat well, and may include a combination of materials, such as metals and synthetic plastics or composites. While ICDs are preferably used for indoor applications, waterproofing and weather proofing housing units and other components for sealing the housing against water and weather are used for outdoor applications of the present invention. By way of example, sealed or gasketed casing, weatherproof venting and fan components to prevent water blowing into or being sucked into the case, are used for outdoor ICD units. Other components optional to the housing unit but preferred for ease of use of the system include a removable filter collar on a front end of the camera lens, which facilitates user access for changing the filter and/or to provide a different filter, such as a polarization filter or a specialty filter, for example, to reduce light input or camera aperture. The ICDs of the present invention are capable of detecting motion, capturing video, detecting and/or capturing audio, providing at least one data stream capability, including video, compressed video, audio, and combinations thereof. The at least one ICD is capable of capturing video, which is compressible into a data stream, and transmittable wirelessly to the DIR device, with the ICD audio data or other input data, such as temperature, humidity, chemical presence, radiation, and other input data, depending upon the sensors and intake means of each ICD, being combinable and/or integratable with the video data stream. Thus, while the ICDs each include at least one sensor for detection and at least one capture input means, preferably each of the ICDs include at least two sensors and input means for image and/or video, and audio capture. In a preferred embodiment, at least two sensor types are used, audio and image or video sensors. The at least one indicator is included with the ICD to indicate that the power is “on”, and to indicate that motion and/or audio being detected. The indicator is activatable when motion and/or audio is detected in a predetermined area and/or in a predetermined amount within the environment. Each of the at least one ICDs is constructed for configuration that is capable of wireless communication (2-way) with the corresponding DIR device and/or any other ICD(s), which when configured provide a system for wireless electronic surveillance of an environment. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ICDs are provided with multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless capability. Other wireless communication may be provided instead of MIMO. Night vision for ICD video input capture may be provided using an infrared (IR) light source, so that the video recorded may be effective in low- to no-light conditions. Image or video input capture may be provided in a range of resolution, in black/white, in color, and sized based upon inputs from the DIR device and/or controller/server computer by an authorized user of the system, and are modifiable after setup of the system by modifying controls remotely, and/or by modifying hardware. The ICD further includes at least one chip that makes the device an intelligent appliance, permitting functions to be performed by the ICD itself without requiring software installation or the DIR, including but not limited to sensor and input controls, such as camera digital zoom, pan left and right, tilt up and down; image or video brightness, contrast, saturation, resolution, size, motion and audio detection settings, recording settings, communication with other ICDs; and single chip video compression (single DSP). The ICD also includes a sensor with ability for high dynamic range for inputs. Preferred embodiments of a system according to the present invention includes video technology commercially provided by PIXIM, and set forth under U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,791,611; 6,788,237; 6,778,212; 6,765,619; 6,737,626; 6,726,103; 6,693,575; 6,680,748; 6,665,012; 6,552,746; 6,545,258; 6,542,189; 6,518,909; 6,507,083; 6,498,576; 6,498,336; 6,452,152; 6,380,880; and 6,310,571. The ICD further includes a stand to support the device; the stand may be included with, integral with, or attached to the housing. The stand is constructed and configured to be mountable to a wall, suspend from ceiling, and provide a variety of stable positions for the ICD to capture as much data from a given environment as appropriate, given the space, conditions, and input capture type desired. Importantly, the stand serves as a stable base to tilt the ICD for camera direction up and down, and/or side to side. The stand is movable between positions but retains a fixed position by a predetermined friction to ensure so that the ICD stays in place wherever the positioning was last stopped. The base and stand of the ICD is constructed such that it does not require mounting to a surface to provide stability. The adjustability and mobility of the device are significant features of the present invention to ensure optimal surveillance and easy setup. Furthermore, the stand is weight balanced for good center of gravity to support the adjustment on the stand for stability on the entire range of motion for the ICD on its stand; since motion of the ICD is adjustable and provides for dynamic range of motion when the ICD is in use, the stand construction enables remote modification of settings without requiring the user of the system to readjust or optimize the ICD positioning in person. The ICD preferably is constructed and configured for a range of coverage, which can vary depending upon the conditions and limitations of a particular target environment. In a preferred embodiment of the system, the ICD has a range of coverage with a target range of at least up to 250 ft. The ICDs are capable of having a range of up to 300 meters, with an active wireless range from 1-1000 ft linear feet indoors. Advantageously, the ICD can be configured and activated quickly for quick start up of a surveillance system in the target environment. Additionally, the ICDs have the ability to communicate with one another to act as a data repeater and extend the usable wireless range to 3,000 meters and more. Significantly, no adjustments to camera settings, such as focus and focal length, are required after camera installation; ICD settings are preadjusted and further controllable remotely by the DIR and/or RSC and/or other ICD(s). By contrast, in the prior art, adjustments are usually always required for surveillance cameras following installation. Preprogrammed settings may be provided, with automatic and remote adjustment capabilities. Where the ICD is a video camera, the settings may include focus, resolution, etc. Each of the at least one ICD is constructed to optimally reduce heat from particular heat-generating components. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ICD includes a plastic case with metal sides to reduce heat while the system is running. Also, a back plate of the ICD or camera is all metal to increase heat dissipation, and to optimize weight and heat management, which important where there is a lot of power involved, as with wireless video input devices. Also, significantly, the ICDs and/or DIR devices are constructed with a separate chamber for imaging components to reduce heat. It is known that heat is not good for imaging sensors or equipment; however, cooling fans can generate noise, which is preferably minimized with security systems and components therein. The camera is configured to communicate with an imaging board with a flexible electronics communication cable, which permits the camera to have a separate chamber for optimized heat reduction. This is a problem specific to wireless cameras that has not been successfully addressed in the prior art. The ICD also includes at least one and preferably two antenna that are removable, including standard antennae, which may be substituted for a patch antenna and/or a long range antenna. The inputs captured by ICDs are provided to the DIR for which output for RCA viewing is available, such as connecting a monitor with a user interface for remote viewing of video from video cameras. In this case the setup easier because the remote user can see what the camera views from the monitor, which is removably connectable to the system. The ICD and DIR also have an optional network connection at the back side, so the devices can be hardwired into the network, if appropriate; however, wireless connections are preferred. Additionally, the ICDs have inputs, such as video and microphone, and at least one indicator light. In the case of a wireless video camera, the housing includes an easily removable casing around the lens to make lens adjustments or settings, which optional, and not usually required. Additionally, the ICDs have the ability to communicate with one another to exchange data about the environment and all control settings and other settings of any other ICDs. Digital Input Recorder Device (DIR Device) The wireless DIR device communicates directly with the at least one ICD, and, in embodiments where the controller/server is included in the system, the DIR device also communicates with the controller server to send data streams to the server and receive data or instruction from the controller/server to control its properties. In the case of a video camera for at least one ICD, the DIR may also be referred to as a digital video recorder device (DVR). Surprisingly, compared with prior art surveillance systems, the DIR device functions as an appliance, which permits a rapid setup of the system. Significantly, since the DIR device operates as an appliance, there is no software installation involved in the basic system setup. The preferred embodiments of the present invention including at least one ICD and a corresponding DIR device permit for setup and recordation of inputs to the system from the observation or surveillance environment with one click activation by the user/installer, generally in less than ten minutes from start to finish. Such rapid setup, including installation and activation to recording of the system, is not possible with prior art systems, given their complex components, interactivity via transmission lines, and/or software installations, which typically require an expert or trained specialist to ensure proper setup, installation, activation, and testing of the system prior to ongoing operation. By sharp contrast, the preferred embodiments of the present invention provide for one click activation for receiving and recording inputs to the at least one wireless ICD, i.e., for activating the ICD capability to record designated dates and times, when a surveillance event, a motion event or an audio event is detected by at least one of the at least one ICDs in the system, immediately after the rapid setup is complete. Furthermore, the system provides for rapid settings adjustment, including settings for sensitivity of ICD motion and audio detection; preferably, the settings adjustment is made by the user through the DIR device. The user simply sets a surveillance area for observation and data capture by each ICD of the at least one wireless ICD; for video capture, using an ICD with a digital camera, the camera may be set to focus on a predetermined location within the area, such as a window, a door, and the like. While the settings are practically a function of the ICD itself, the DIR device, which is also wireless, functions to control the settings of each of the corresponding ICDs associated with that DIR device. Other functions performed by the DIR device include, but are not limited to printing, saving or storing recorded inputs from the ICDs, transferring data to a removable storage device, such as a USB storage key device. Also, a power supply and a soft power down function is provided, similar to the ICD soft power down, to preserve the settings of the DIR device in the event of power termination to the device. The DIR is capable of running software for managing input from the at least one wireless ICD associated with or corresponding to a particular DIR device after installation. With the software, the DIR is capable of intaking and managing up to 10 data streams simultaneously; allowing the user to control the ICD unit, including allowing the user to zoom, pan, and tilt the camera, as well as managing microphone sensitivity. Sensitivity controls for other ICD input means, such as heat or temperature, chemical substance presence, radiation detection, and the like may be controlled remotely from the wireless DIR device as well. Other DIR device control functions for controlling the ICDs include but are not limited to controlling brightness, contrast, color saturation, where images and video are involved. Other software-based functions capable of being performed by the DIR include sending text message, sending still image, sending email or other communication to a user on a remote communications device; usually, these functions are programmed to occur upon the occurrence of an event. DIR data recordation and storage overwrite may be based on settings that enable newer data to overwrite older data. Additionally, the DIR may be programmed to include overwrite protection to prevent overwriting of event video, audio, or other input data captured by the ICD and transmitted to the DIR device. Preferably, the DIR includes capabilities of data search and display, data archiving to external device, network, computer, server, and combinations thereof, data printing, data exporting, data deletion, data playback, and combinations thereof. Data playback includes play, fast forward, rewind or reverse, frame by frame step forward or backward, pause, and combinations thereof. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a DIR device running software that is capable of automatically upgrading its own software, which eliminates user maintenance, upgrading, or other activity to optimize system performance. The DIR's capabilities of adjusting settings and/or controls for the at least one ICDs includes any functions of the ICDs, including but not limited to zoom pan and tilt, color brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, frame rate, video and/or image size, audio rate, wireless control data, encryption and security data, set motion and/or audio detection area and/or levels, set recording, set triggers, record on command, and combinations thereof. The DIR is preferably capable of connecting directly to a computer or a computer network, more specifically connecting to a personal computer via a USB or similar connection and to a network using a network cable or similar connector, with the DIR interface being accessible after such connection through a user interface or a web browser, respectively; and capable of sending data and/or alert or warning to a cell phone or computer via a signal or message such as by voice or email. Also, the DIR is capable of performing a backup of the ICD inputs, including video, to a network, a personal computer (PC), computer readable medium (CRM) or other storage device. The DIR may be programmed to lock to predetermined ICDs having cameras, to maintain integrity of camera signal to DIR device. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the user interface of the ICD inputs on the DIR device include at least one visual cue on the video to tell whether video is being recorded, e.g., a red and/or green dot is shown on the image. Also, preferably, the DIR device has a front with indicator lights that match or correspond to these same visual cues. For quality checking purposes, similarities such as these provide ease of use for the system user to confirm system functionality upon inspection. The DIR device is programmable for wireless communication with input capture device, including both transmitting data, settings, controlling instructions and receiving input captured from the ICD, like images, video, audio, temperature, humidity, chemical presence, radiation, and the like. Thus, the DIR device is capable of receiving wireless data from the wireless input capture device(s), indicating which of the ICDs is active, recording data and storing data, searching through recorded data, transmitting data and instructions to the ICD, adjusting ICD settings and/or controls, communicating with the controller/server computer to send and/or receive data, and other functions, depending upon the specifications of the system setup, the environment under surveillance, and whether or not remote access is used via the controller/server computer and Internet. The DIR device's data recordation and storage capability permit inputs from a multiplicity of ICDs to be associated with each DIR device to be singularly received, recorded, stored, and researched by a remote user from the ICDs. The user can search historically recorded data by date, time, event type, or any other means of selecting a setting or event corresponding to the each or any of the ICDs and the environment under surveillance by the system. Each of the ICDs is capable of individualized settings control by a single DIR device; a multiplicity of DIR devices may be controlled and managed by the controller/server, either within a given surveillance environment or in different locations. Other components of the DIR device include, but are not limited to having a base that may be optionally adjustable for optimized mounting on a surface; having a long range MIMO wireless component; having a one-chip video compression component for resizing video data, recompressing it, and streaming it; having a USB port connectable to a computer, or for storage key, or removable hard drive for data storage; having an ethernet port to connect to a network; having RCA video output like the ICDs; having 2 or 3 USB ports for data output as well as for a USB based security key, having at least one antenna, preferably three antennae, which may be removable and replaceable; having a power control button on the housing; having a recessed reset button in the housing, accessible on the backside of the housing; having a low noise fan; having a hard drive for recording inputs; and/or having at least one, preferably a multiplicity of indicators, preferably light emitting diodes (LEDs), that are viewable by a user on the outside of the housing of the DIR device. By way of example, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the DIR device has ten LEDs on the front of the housing, each of which correspond to an individual ICD. Significantly, these indicators, in particular as LEDs, provide content dense visual information with a quick glance from the user. There are five modes that represent ICD status, illustrated for one embodiment in the following table, Table 1: LED INDICATOR CORRESPONDING STATUS Off ICD off Green ICD connected to DIR device Flashing Green DIR recording inputs from the ICD Flashing Red ICD detecting at least one event Red Error warning The error warning may be due to a variety of conditions, such as, by way of example and not limitation, lost connection between the ICD and DIR device, data loss, throughput reduction, etc. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each LED that represents an ICD has a light color and flash as described hereinabove, but also shows a number to indicate which camera has the activity and its corresponding section of the target environment, e.g., camera #1 shows the front entrance doorway view. The optional remote controller or server computer (RSC) runs software providing for remote access and control, and is separate from the wireless DIR. Users log in with a username and password from any Internet connected PC, web enabled cell phone, or other Internet enabled or network communicable device, to remotely access or review the wireless input or camera video and/or image(s). The user accesses the system through a user interface operating in connection with a web browser. The RSC communicates directly with the wireless DIR and enables users to remotely configure wireless DIR properties and the ICD properties, and, preferably to perform any of the functions that are directly performable for any DIR or ICD, such functions being set forth in the foregoing. The RSC may provide an electronic commerce function such as providing a user to pay for remote access service. The RSC provides an authorized user remote from the target surveillance environment the option of logging into the system, selecting any ICD for monitoring, e.g., select any camera input from any DIR, print, save, email image from the input, such as a video clip, and zoom, pan and tilt live video through the DIR, similar control and/or access activities, and combinations thereof. The RSC functions as a remote monitoring station like a personal computer and is capable of providing a user interface that is accessible through a web browser; the RSC is thus any Internet connectable device, including computer, PDA, cell phone, watch, any network accessible device, and the like, which provides access for at least one remote user. The at least one remote user is preferably a predetermined, authorized user. Users of the system are preferably authorized, whether access is direct or remote. Apart from direct access, authorization may also determine levels of access for each user. While all capabilities of the DIR and ICDs are controllable remotely, either by the DIR itself or by an Internet communicable device in communication with a server computer that communicates with the DIR(s), the number and type of devices may be limited based upon authorization level of a user. The RSC provides for user remote access to live and/or recorded audio and/or video for any camera on any DVR; furthermore, control functions permit this user(s) to adjust and to make changes to any DVR or ICD settings remotely. Also, off-line archiving is operable via the user selecting to remotely record to the RSC. DIR and ICD Communication Locking In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for locking communication between at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) or other ICD(s), either one-way and/or two-way, is provided, including the steps of providing base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via user interface either directly or remotely; the DIR and/or ICD(s) searching for signal from the ICD(s) and establishing communication with them; and locking the ICDs to send wireless data exclusively to that DIR or ICD; and/or the DIR or ICD locking itself for exclusive communication with the locked ICDs, thereby providing a secure surveillance system for a target environment. DIR Activation and ICD Searching The ICD is activated when at least one user accesses the DIR software by either launching the software directly or launching the DIR device or by clicking on an activation or start button for triggering activity steps within the software and hardware system to activate communication including data exchange between predetermined DIRs and their corresponding selected ICDs. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the at least one ICD includes a wireless digital camera and the corresponding DIR is a DVR; however, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the functionality applies to a range of ICDs and corresponding DIRs, with or without video capabilities in each case. When any of these events occur, the DVR initiates checking for signals from prior configured capture devices. If the DVR starts without any prior configured capture devices, then the DVR automatically begins searching for wireless signals from capture devices. If the DVR starts with prior configured capture devices and the user wants to add additional devices, the user clicks on a search button, and the DVR begins searching for wireless signals from capture devices not already configured and communicating with the DVR. Communication In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the DIR is operable to identify signal(s) from the at least one ICD corresponding thereto, and the DIR automatically establishes communication with the identified capture device and creates a named representation, such as an icon or image with a name that represents the active ICD. Also, the DVR is operable to create a named representation for each of the corresponding ICDs associated with that DVR that are identified but not in active communication with the DVR at that time. The non-communication status of these devices is denoted in the representation, for example by at least one indicator having at least one status, as set forth in the foregoing (see, e.g., Table 1). Then, the wireless digital video camera as ICD is operable to send a still image to the DVR interface for the user to confirm identity of the ICD sending the image. The user may rename the ICD at that time or at a subsequent time. Importantly, no additional user steps are required to establish the monitoring set-up. Camera Validation/Communication Optimization The DVR is further operable to validate the device approval status for communication with the specific DVR and optimizes the wireless signal to the DVR to ensure the greatest information throughput. Camera Locking/Security Establishment Preferably, security functionality is operable when a DIR automatically locks a specific ICD, such as to permit sending wireless data only to that specific DIR and automatically initiating security on the data stream. The security methods may include cryptographic methods such as digital signing, stream cipher encryption, block cipher encryption, and public key encryption or hardware based encryption in which each device has a hardware device for encryption included. By way of example and not limitation, WAP, 802.11i, AES, SSL, stream cipher, Trojan, DES, any other type of security protocol, and combinations thereof may be used. DIR Locking Any of the DIRs operable within the system and having at least one ICD associated therewith are further operable to be locked to prevent setting changes or data manipulation from any device apart from the DIR with which each ICD is locked into communication. In one embodiment of the present invention having video cabilities, the DVR as DIR, upon confirming detection of all the signal(s) from ICD(s) associated therewith, confirms the establishment of communication with each detected ICD, in particular wireless digital video camera, and locks the DVR to only communicate with the found device(s), unless it receives instruction from the user to look for other signal(s). The DVR indicates such a locked status, for example, by displaying a lock indicator on the DVR and/or on the ICD to provide an external visual status indication that the ICD(s) are locked and also sends a lock status signal to an entity outside the present system, such as to the RSC and/or an alarm system or security software. Once searching and locking is complete, the DVR will not accept signals from capture devices that are not locked to the DVR, unless directed to search for capture devices by the user by click-selecting the search button. Alternatively, the system can notify the user of new ICDs that come into communication with the system during operation and/or after initial setup has occurred. Camera Removal ICDs may be removed from operation and/or operational communication or interaction with the system. To remove a capture device from the DVR system, the user click-selects from the user interface on an image and/or name that represents the capture device they want removed and then click-selects a single removal button. The DIR then removes that capture device from the system. External Removable Data Storage Device In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system is capable of and operable to permit DIR and/or ICD interface activity, including captured inputs and data to be transferable and/or copy-able to an external removable data storage device. The captured inputs and data include any inputs captured by any, selective, and/or all ICDs and/or the DIR, by way of example and not limitation, video and/or snapshot image(s). Preferably, the external removable data storage device is portable, such as a USB key or other portable removable data storage medium to permit a variety of data management functions, including quick and easy transfer of specific video and/or image(s), data backup, and transfer of data to a third party, such as, for instance, an emergency service provider like police and insurance companies. In addition to merely transferring or copying data for storage or backup, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system is operable to provide image tagging or flagging based upon the occurrence of a trigger event, which can mark the start of a subset of the input captured by ICD(s) and/or stored by the DIR for facilitating analysis and review at a later time. A subset may include any digital representation of any type of ICD input, including but not limited to video and snapshot or still images immediately following the trigger event or for a predetermined period thereafter. As set forth hereinabove, a trigger event may be selected from the start of inputs detection at any or predetermined ICD(s); a click-select option selection by an authorized user; the occurrence of a predetermined date and time; a significant change in input values or levels; and the like. In a method according to the present invention, a system is provided to permit removable data storage, including providing a removable external data storage device connected to a DIR or each of the at least one ICD; following a trigger event, such as input detected by at least one ICD(s), the data input is tagged to indicate the occurrence of the trigger event; the data input is recorded to a DIR corresponding to the ICD(s) and/or an external removable data storage device; after recording the inputs, the external removable data storage device is removed from its connection to the DIR or ICD(s). Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the foregoing description. All modifications and improvements have been deleted herein for the sake of conciseness and readability but are properly within the scope of the claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>(1) Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to surveillance technology and equipment and, more particularly, to a wireless video surveillance system and methods associated therewith. (2) Background of the Invention While video surveillance systems have existed in the prior art, typically they are wired devices that are difficult, time-consuming, and costly to install and operate. Also, generally, they do not provide for wireless systems that are secure from wireless interception or Internet enabled interception and permit remote user access for viewing, reviewing stored information, and controlling the system's components, in particular via Internet connection to a remote controller computer or cellular phone or other Internet connected device. Thus, there remains a need in the art for a wireless surveillance system and methods of operating same, providing simple setup and controls for high quality input capture by surveillance input capture devices (ICD), including but not limited to video inputs, and digital input recorder device(s) (DIR) associated with the ICDs, the DIRs data transfer, storage, and control, including systems and methods providing for remote viewing and controls of the ICDs and DIRs via a remote server computer (RSC) and/or Internet access through the RSC. Examples of prior art may include: U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040136388 published Jul. 15, 2004, for Schaff, for Video-monitor/recording/playback system, describes a stand-alone video recording, playback and Monitoring system. It has network switches, non-volatile storage devices, IP cameras, video servers, and NTSC cameras. The system uses communication channels that are WAN/LAN based and can be hard-wired or wireless. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020186180 published Dec. 12, 2002, for Duda, William, for Hands free solar powered cap/visor integrated wireless multi-media apparatus, describes an apparatus whereby the functional electronics components of popular consumer communications and entertainment products can be repackaged in a molded plastic module that would be mounted underneath and follow the contour of the visor of a head wearable cap/visor providing the user with a hands free, continuous power, virtually invisible multi-media capability. The module would feature, a drop down visual display, drop down camera lens for low resolution digital photography, rechargeable battery, stereo speakers and earphones, a microphone and microphone boom, manual push button controls and LED indicator lights, input/output jacks, and an interactive voice capability. A flexible solar cell and antenna would be mounted on the upper surface of the head wearable cap/visor providing the wireless link and continuous power to the electronics module. All components would be secured to the head wearable cap visor via two active pins that protrude from the upper surface of the electronic module, pierce the visor, and mate up with the solar cell and antenna on the upper surface of the visor. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020026636 published Feb. 28, 2002, for LeComte, for Video interfacing and distribution system and method for delivering video programs, describes a video interfacing arrangement for connecting at least one display device to at least one video source composed of a module including a dedicated and programmed digital processing unit adapted to decode and descramble video flow according to a preloaded decoding or descrambling program, in order to display, in real time or delayed in time, to store, to record and/or to send over a telecommunication network, and on at least one screen interface, at least one storage or recording interface, a local or wide area network connecting interface and a user communication and controlling interface, the interfaces being linked to and driven by the processing unit and preferably mounted in or on the module. The invention also concerns a distribution system and a method for transferring encoded video programs and sequences over a wide area network. U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,742 issued Jan. 1, 2002, to Takemoto, for Apparatus for file management and manipulation using graphical displays and textual descriptions, describes a processor-based display processing apparatus, method and user interface allows for easy understanding of the contents of respective files by present a portion of the respective files as a graphics image along with other associated attributes of the respective files. A computer readable recording medium with a program recorded therein is provided for enabling a computer to function as the apparatus and perform the method. In the display processing apparatus, when an operator selects a folder from a folder display area on a browser screen, a processor controls the selected folder to be identified and displayed, and graphics images of image files contained in the selected folder are displayed in a predetermined display area. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040008255 published Jan. 15, 2004, for Lewellen, for Vehicle video system and method, describes a vehicle video system includes a small camera in the passenger area that uses illumination in the non-visible spectrum to illuminate the passenger area. The vehicle video system records video information on a digital video recorder that uses digital media such as a hard disk drive, recordable CD (CD-R), rewritable CD (CR-RW), or writable Digital Video Disc (DVD). The vehicle video system includes a local wireless interface, such as a Bluetooth-compatible interface, that automatically connects to a compatible device in the parking area of the vehicle that is coupled to a database. In this manner, the digital video information collected by the vehicle video system is automatically transferred to the database when the vehicle is parked, removing the need for any human intervention for the logging and cataloging of video tapes. The local wireless interface of the vehicle video system also allows other devices, such as a handheld device or a vehicle video system in a different vehicle, to access the stored digital video information. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040165546 published Aug. 26, 2004, for Roskind, for Time based wireless access provisioning, describes a method and apparatus for the time-based provisioning of wireless devices. A network access point monitors operation of wireless devices within a service region. When provisioning logic is activated at the network access point, the access point determines if the tracked parameter (such as power on or the onset of signal transmission) of the wireless device occurs within a designated time interval from the time of the provisioning activation. If the tracked device qualifies, the network access point proceeds with provisioning the device. In one system embodiment, the network access point tracks the power on time of wireless devices. When a wireless device to be authorized is powered on, the provisioning logic at the network access point notes the power on time. The user then activates the provisioning access at the network access point, and the network access point provisions the wireless device if it is recently powered on. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20030188320 published Oct. 2, 2003, for Shing, for Method and system for a distributed digital video recorder, describes a system and method, for remote display and control of an audio/video data stream from a capture device, e.g., a TV capture card, audio/visual capture card or digital camera capture card in a PC. In an exemplary embodiment there are some components of a software DVR player executing on at least one client device and other components on at least one server device. Users can view and/or control the audio/video data from a server device, having a capture device, on client devices located anywhere as long as they are connected to the server through a network. In addition, a server device with a capture device can support display of the video data at multiple client devices at the same time. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020188955 published Dec. 12, 2002, for Thompson et al., for Digital video recording and playback system for television, describes a system and apparatus for digitally recording and playing back videos from either an Internet website or a TV broadcast or cablecast is disclosed herein. The system comprises a set-top box, along with the necessary cables and remote control units, that connects between a television set and an Internet hook-up and allows a viewer to digitally record TV shows and/or download video from the Internet and store said video on the set-top box's hard drive for later viewing (using video encoding technology). In addition to the recording and playback capabilities, the disclosed system allows the viewer to pause, rewind, slo-mo, and instant replay live television without videotapes or VCR programming. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040168194 published Aug. 26, 2004, for Hughes, for Internet tactical alarm communication system, describes an Internet tactical alarm communication (ITAC) system includes at least one sensor, at least one video camera, and an ITAC computer delivery unit, wherein the at least one sensor, the at least one video camera, and the ITAC computer delivery unit are communicatively interconnected, and the ITAC system provides real-time data regarding a particular condition. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020100052 published Jul. 25, 2002, for Daniels, for Methods for enabling near video-on-demand and video-on-request services using digital video recorders, describes a near video-on-demand (VOD) service enabled using a digital video recorder (DVR) for the simultaneous storage and playback of multimedia data. A DVR is connected over a network to a multimedia network source. A VOD selection is requested by the DVR from the network source. A multimedia data signal is received by the DVR from the network source. The data signal contains the requested VOD selection. A first received portion of the received data signal is stored on the DVR. The first received segment is played by the DVR for display on a display device. Simultaneously during the playing of the first received segment, a second received segment of the received data signal is received from the network source and stored on the DVR while the first received segment is played the display device. Thus, the requested VOD selection begins playing on the display device prior to the reception of the entire compressed multimedia data signal so that a requested VOD selection can begin being displayed nearly instantaneously after the request for it is made. A video-on-request (VOR) service is also enabled using a DVR. VOR selection data is received by a centralized database device, such as a network server, from a plurality of users. Each VOR selection data includes at least one requested video selection and video recorder identifying information for identifying each particular video recorder. A transmission priority of requested video selections is determined dependent on the frequency of requests .sup.1received from the plurality of users. A transmission channel and time is determined based on the transmission priority. DVR control signals are transmitted to automatically tune in the determined transmission channel at the determined transmission time and record the particular video selection. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention is directed to a wireless surveillance system and methods of operating same, providing simple setup and controls for high quality input capture by surveillance input capture devices (ICD), including but not limited to video inputs, and digital input recorder device(s) (DIR) associated with the ICDs, the DIRs data transfer, storage, and control, more particularly, the present invention is directed toward a method for controlling communication between ICD(s) and corresponding DIR. The present invention is further directed toward systems and methods providing for remote viewing and controls of the ICDs and DIRs via a remote server computer (RSC) and/or Internet access through the RSC, the systems and methods having controllable communication between the ICD(s) and corresponding DIR. In a preferred embodiment, there is at least one ICD associated with a corresponding DIR for providing a system for capturing inputs of a target environment via the at least one ICD and transferring those inputs via two-way controllable wireless communication with the DIR for electronic, digital storage and remote access thereof. In another preferred embodiment, the system further includes an RSC, which is directly or Internet-remotely accessed by at least one authorized user of the system, when control settings permit. Such controllable remote access includes user viewing of captured inputs of the target environment, including live and/or historical/recorded data, storing, editing, retrieving or otherwise reviewing said inputs, and controlling the system settings and activities, and combinations thereof. The present invention is further directed to a method for installing and operating the system and various embodiments and combinations thereof. Thus, the present invention provides systems and methods for wireless surveillance of predetermined environments, in particular with remote access and controls of the system components. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for surveillance of a predetermined environment having at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) for receiving, storing, editing, and/or retrieving stored input from the at least one ICD and controlling the ICD via wireless, remote communication therewith. Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for surveillance of a predetermined environment having at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) for receiving, storing, editing, and/or retrieving stored input from the at least one ICD and controlling the ICD, and a remote server computer (RSC) for providing at least one authorized user remote, wireless access to the at least one ICD and DIR, where the ICD, DIR, and RSC are in wireless digital communication with each other and where the RSC may be accessed directly by the user or through the Internet. Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide methods of using the system embodiments set forth herein, such as a method for locking communication between at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR), including the steps of providing base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via user interface either directly or remotely; the DIR searching for signal from the ICD(s) and establishing communication with them; and locking the ICDs to send wireless data exclusively to that DVR; and/or the DVR locking itself for exclusive communication with the locked ICDs, thereby providing a secure surveillance system for a target environment. These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the following description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the drawings. | 20040924 | 20120626 | 20060330 | 65980.0 | H04N718 | 1 | ANYIKIRE, CHIKAODILI E | WIRELESS VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH EXTERNAL REMOVABLE RECORDING | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H04N | 2,004 |
|
10,949,700 | ACCEPTED | Method and device for enhancing ring tones in mobile terminals | A method and device for producing ring tones in high polyphony in real-time in a network component such as a mobile terminal or a server of a service provider. The network component has one or more ring tones in MIDI files of high polyphony, and a MIDI player of lower polyphony for producing sounds from the scaled down version of the MIDI files in real-time. In order to produce sounds indicative of the high-polyphony ring tones in real-time, the high-polyphony MIDI files are converted to compressed files in a non real-time manner. The converted files are stored in a storage so as to allow a compressed file player (such as Truetone, MP3, wav, AAC, RealAudio, Vorbis) to produce sounds from the converted files. A file lock is provided to the converted files so that they cannot be forwarded, thereby protecting the copyrights of the ring tone composer. | 1. A method for improving sound quality of synthesized tones produced on an audio producing component in an electronic device, the electronic device comprising: a first player; a first file storage for storing one or more data files so as to allow the first player to produce one or more tones for playing on the audio producing component, wherein the first player is capable of producing said tones based on said one or more data files in a real-time manner up to M-polyphony and wherein the tones so produced contain characteristics of a sound synthesizer, where M is a positive integer; a different second player; and a second file storage for storing one or more recording files so as to allow the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing component in a real-time manner, wherein the sounds produced by the second player based on one or more recording files contain characteristics of a recorded sound, said method comprising: converting at least one of said one or more data files for producing in a non real-time manner at least one converted file having a second player compatible format; and providing the converted file to the second player so as to produce sounds on the audio producing component in a real-time manner, wherein the sounds produced by the second player based on the converted file contain some characteristics of a sound synthesizer of N-polyphony, wherein N is a positive integer greater than M. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first player comprises a MIDI player. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second player comprises a Truetone player. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second player comprises an AAC player. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the data files are copyright protected and wherein the converted files converted from the at least some data files are provided with a file lock. 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the converted file in the second file storage so as to allow the second player to produce sounds based on the converted file at a later time. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said converting further comprises packing audio signals into frames. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing LED and Vibra control signals. 9. An electronic device, comprising: a first player; a first file storage for storing one or more data files so as to allow the first player to produce one or more tones for playing on an audio producing device, wherein the first player is capable of producing said tones based on said one or more data files in a real-time manner up to M-polyphony and wherein the tones so produced contain characteristics of a sound synthesizer, where M is a positive integer; a different second player; a second file storage for storing one or more recording files so as to allow the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing device in a real-time manner, wherein the sounds produced by the second player based on one or more recording files contain characteristics of a recorded sound; a converter for converting at least one of said one or more data files for producing in a non real-time manner at least one converted file having a second player compatible format so as to allow the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing device in a real-time manner based on the converted file, wherein the sounds so produced contain some characteristics of a sound synthesizer of N-polyphony, wherein N is a positive integer greater than M. 10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first player comprises a MIDI player. 11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the second player comprises a Truetone player. 12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the second player comprises an AAC player. 13. The electronic device of claim 9, comprising a mobile terminal. 14. The electronic device of claim 9, comprising a network element. 15. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the sounds produced based on the converted file comprise a ring tone. 16. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the sounds produced based on the converted file comprise a message alert tone. 17. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising: means for accessing an external storage medium for downloading further data files from the storage medium. 18. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein at least some of the data files are copyright protected and wherein the converted files converted from said at least some data files are provided with a file lock so that said converted files are also copyright protected. 19. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the data files are scalable so as to allow the first player to produce the tones based on the scaled data files in a real-time manner. 20. A computer program product for converting one or more MIDI-files into compressed files in an electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises a MIDI player capable of producing one or more tones based on the MIDI-files in a real-time manner up to M-polyphony, the computer program product comprising a software code for realizing following steps when running in one or more of the components of the electronic device: converting at least one of the one or more MIDI-files to a converted file in a compressed file format; and outputting the converted file so as to allow the compressed file player to produce sounds on the audio producing device in a real-time manner based on the converted file, wherein the sounds so produced contain some characteristics of a sound synthesizer of N-polyphony, wherein N is a positive integer greater than M. 21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein at least some of the MIDI files are copyright protected and wherein the converted files converted from the at least some data files are provided with a file lock. 22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein compressed file format comprises a Truetone format. 23. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein compressed file format comprises an AAC format. 24. A file conversion module for use in an electronic device, the electronic device comprising: a first player; and a different second player, s file conversion module comprising: a first file storage for storing one or more data files, wherein the data files can be used by the first player to produce one or more tones to be played on an audio producing component in a real-time manner up to M-polyphony, and wherein the tones so produced contain characteristics of a sound synthesizer and M is a positive integer; a second file storage for storing one or more recording files, wherein the recording files can be used by the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing component in a real-time manner, and wherein the sounds produced by the second player contain characteristics of a recorded sound; and a converter for converting at least one of said one or more data files for producing in a non real-time manner at least one converted file having a second player compatible format so as to allow the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing component in a real-time manner based on the converted file, wherein the sounds so produced contain some characteristics of a sound synthesizer of N-polyphony, wherein N is a positive integer greater than M. 25. The file conversion module of claim 24, wherein the converter comprises a PCM to ADPCM converter. 26. The file conversion module of claim 24, wherein the converter provides audio signals in said converting, the module further comprising: a frame packing device, operatively connected to the converter, for packing the audio signal into frames. 27. The file conversion module of claim 24, wherein the converter is operatively connected to a first player for receiving compressed samples for converting PCM signals to ADPCM signals. 28. The file conversion module of claim 26, wherein the frame packing device is also operatively connected to the first player for receiving signals therefrom in order to produce a visual effect based on said one or more tones. 29. The file conversion module of claim 26, wherein the frame packing device is also operatively connected to the first player for receiving signals therefrom in order to produce a vibration signal based on said one or more tones. | FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to ring tone generation in mobile terminals or in the server of the service provider and, more particularly, to the use of Truetone or AAC (Advance Audio Coding) technology in such devices. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) enables the creation polyphonic musical composition with a wide variety of different sounds. This means that multiple tones can be played at the same time using predefined instrument sounds such as piano, guitar, violin and drum. MIDI has been used in mobile terminals to generate ring tones, message alert tones and in games, background music and sound effects. In general, wavetable sound synthesis technology with sampled sounds from real instruments is used for MIDI sound synthesis. The quality of MIDI polyphony for ring tones depends largely on the number of sounds generated expressed as 2n sound polyphony. For example, the sound quality of 64-sound polyphony is superior to that of 16 sound polyphony. In general, generating higher polyphony samples in real-time requires higher processing and computational power. That also means higher costs in manufacturing. In low-end and mid-end mobile terminals, the processing power is generally insufficient to generate high polyphony ring tones and message alert tones. It is advantageous and desirable to enhance the ring tones and message alert tones in a mobile terminal or in a server where signal processing power is not enough to generate high MIDI polyphony samples in real-time. Presently, Truetone technology is also used in mobile terminals for producing ring tones or other tones. As it is known in the art, Truetone technology makes it possible to use actual recorded sounds as ring tones and other tones. Truetone technology is based on the Adaptive Multi-rate Wideband (AMR-WB). ABR-WB represents state-of-the-art technology in low bit rate wideband speech coding. Like AMR, it is a multi-rate speech codec. AMR-WB technology uses nine-bit rates between 6.6 and 23.85 kbits/s at 16 kHz sampling rate. The speech processing is performed on 20 ms frames, so each AMR-WB encoded frame represents 320 speech samples. The technology has been optimized for a high-quality natural sound while still keeping the file sizes reasonably small. Small file size makes it possible to deliver the tones over the air making the purchase of Truetone ring tones similar to the purchase of MIDI ring tones. However, Truetone technology that is presently used in a mobile terminal or in a server of a service provider is meant to be a complementary technology to MIDI ring tone generation. It is also possible to use different compressed file formats like MP3, wav, AAC, RealAudio, Vorbis etc for ringing tone. As shown in exemplary FIG. 1, a Truetone player is used, along with a MIDI player, in a mobile device. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention makes use of compression components in a electronic device to generate tones and sounds from MIDI files. The network component has one or more ring tones in MIDI files of high polyphony, and a MIDI player of lower polyphony for producing sounds from the scaled down version of the MIDI files in real-time. In order to produce sounds indicative of the high-polyphony ring tones in real-time, the high-polyphony MIDI files are converted to compressed sample files in a non real-time manner. The compressed sample files are stored in storage so as to allow a compression file player to produce sounds from the compressed sample files. A file lock may be provided to the compressed sample files so that they cannot be forwarded, thereby protecting the copyrights of the ring tone composer. Thus, the first aspect of the present invention provides a method for improving sound quality of synthesized tones produced on an audio producing component in an electronic device, the electronic device comprising: a first player; a first file storage for storing one or more data files so as to allow the first player to produce one or more tones for playing on an audio producing component, wherein the first player is capable of producing said tones based on said one or more data files in a real-time manner up to M-polyphony and wherein the tones so produced contain characteristics of a sound synthesizer, where M is a positive integer; a different second player; and a second file storage for storing one or more recording files so as to allow the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing component in a real-time manner, wherein the sounds produced by the second player based on one or more recording files contain characteristics of a recorded sound. The method comprises: converting at least one of said one or more data files for producing in a non real-time manner at least one converted file having a second player compatible format; and providing the converted file to the second player so as to produce sounds on the audio producing component in a real-time manner, wherein the sounds produced by the second player based on the converted file contain some characteristics of a sound synthesizer of N-polyphony, wherein N is a positive integer greater than M. According to the present invention, the first player comprises a MIDI player, and the second player may comprise, but is not limited to: a Truetone player, an MP3 player, a wav player, an ADPCM player, a RealAudio, a Vorbis or an AAC player. According to the present invention, the method further comprising the step of storing the converted file in the second file storage so as to allow the second player to produce sounds based on the converted file at a later time. According to the present invention, the converting of files comprises converting audio signals to PCM samples, compressed samples, and packing compressed samples into frames. The second aspect of the present invention provides an electronic device. The electronic device comprises: a first player; a first file storage for storing one or more data files so as to allow the first player to produce one or more tones for playing on an audio producing device, wherein the first player is capable of producing said tones based on said one or more data files in a real-time manner up to M-polyphony and wherein the tones so produced contain characteristics of a sound synthesizer, where M is a positive integer; a different second player; a second file storage for storing one or more recording files so as to allow the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing device in a real-time manner, wherein the sounds produced by the second player based on one or more recording files contain characteristics of a recorded sound; a converter for converting at least one of said one or more data files for producing in a non real-time manner at least one converted file having a second player compatible format so as to allow the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing device in a real-time manner based on the converted file, wherein the sounds so produced contain some characteristics of a sound synthesizer of N-polyphony, wherein N is a positive integer greater than M. According to the present invention, the first player comprises a MIDI player, and the second player may comprise, but is not limited to a Truetone player, an MP3 player, a wav player, an ADPCM player, an AAC player, a vorbis player or a RealAudio player. According to the present invention, the electronic device comprises a mobile terminal or a server of a service provider. According to the present invention, the sounds produced based on the converted file comprises a ring tone or a message alert tone. According to the present invention, the electronic device further comprises: means for accessing an external storage medium for downloading further data files from the storage medium. According to the present invention, at least one of the data files are copyright protected and wherein the converted files converted from said at least one data file is provided with a file lock so that said converted files are also copyright protected. According to the present invention, the data files are scalable so as to allow the first player to produce the tones based on the scaled data files in a real-time manner. The third aspect of the present invention provides a software program product for use in an electronic device in which a software code for converting an audio file is stored, the electronic device comprising the following components: a MIDI player; a MIDI file storage for storing one or more MIDI files so as to allow the MIDI player to produce one or more tones for playing on an audio producing device, wherein the MIDI player is capable of producing said tones based on one or more MIDI files in a real-time manner up to M-polyphony and wherein the tones so produced contain characteristics of a sound synthesizer, where M is a positive integer; a compressed file player; a compressed file storage for storing one or more compressed sample files so as to allow the compressed file player to produce sounds on the audio producing device in a real-time manner, wherein the sounds produced by the compressed file player based on one or more compressed sample files contain characteristics of a recorded sound. The software program comprises a software code for realizing the following steps when running in one or more of the components of the electronic device: converting at least one of said one or more MIDI files to a converted file in a compressed file player compatible format; and outputting the converted file so as to allow the compressed file player to produce sounds on the audio producing device in a real-time manner based on the converted file, wherein the sounds so produced contain some characteristics of a sound synthesizer of N-polyphony, wherein N is a positive integer greater than M. The fourth aspect of the present invention provides a file conversion module for use in an electronic device, the electronic device comprising: a first player; and a different second player. The file conversion module comprises: a first file storage for storing one or more data files, wherein the data files can be used by the first player to produce one or more tones to be played on the audio producing component in a real-time manner up to M-polyphony, and wherein the tones so produced contain characteristics of a sound synthesizer and M is a positive integer; a second file storage for storing one or more recording files, wherein the recording files can be used by the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing component in a real-time manner, and wherein the sounds produced by the second player contain characteristics of a recorded sound; and a converter for converting at least one of said one or more data files for producing in a non real-time manner at least one converted file having a second player compatible format so as to allow the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing component in a real-time manner based on the converted file, wherein the sounds so produced contain some characteristics of a sound synthesizer of N-polyphony, wherein N is a positive integer greater than M. According to the present invention, the converter comprises a MIDI generator, a PCM sampling module, and a compression module. According to the present invention, the converter provides audio data in the converting, and the module further comprises: a frame packing device, operatively connected to the converter, for packing the audio data into frames. The present invention will become apparent upon reading the description taken in conjunction with FIGS. 2 to 8. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the use of Truetone technology along with MIDI technology in prior art. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the use of Truetone technology for generating real-time tone samples, according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the processing of sounds in a communications device, according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic representation illustrating a mobile terminal that uses the sound enhancement method and device, according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic representation illustrating a communications network having a server of a service provider that uses the sound enhancement method and device, according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic representation illustrating a server of a service provider that uses the sound enhancement method and device, according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is flowchart showing various steps in MIDI to compressed sample file conversion. FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a general converter for converting MIDI files to compressed sample files. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT According to one embodiment of the present invention, Truetone components in a mobile terminal are used to generate tones and sounds from MIDI files. It should be noted that MIDI technology is based on sound synthesis based on a wavetable having sampled sounds from real instruments, for example. Truetone technology is based on actually recorded sounds, such as human voices and animal sounds, for example. As shown in FIG. 1, the MIDI player synthesizes ring tones or other tones using stored MIDI files in a storage medium. The Truetone player retrieves recorded sounds from a Truetone file storage. While both players use the same audio output device, they are unrelated. While Truetone technology is suitable for real-time sound producing applications, low MIDI polyphony components may not be adequate for such real-time applications. The present invention takes advantage of the existing Truetone components in a communications device so the MIDI sounds can also be produced in a low-end or mid-end mobile terminal where MIDI components are not adequate for real-time ring tone generation, for example. As shown in FIG. 2, a communications network component 10, such as a mobile terminal or a server of a service provider, comprises a sound producing part 20. The sound producing part 20 comprises a MIDI file storage 30 containing one or more MIDI files for producing ring tones or other tones, and a real-time MIDI player 32, which can synthesize MIDI tones up to 16 polyphony in real-time using the stored MIDI files. However, the MIDI player 32 is not adequate in synthesizing MIDI 64 sound polyphony in real-time, for example. The sound producing part 20 also comprises a Truetone file storage 40 to store pre-recorded sounds and a Truetone player 42 to produce the recorded sounds. Both players 32, 42 share a common audio output device 50. However, in order to produce high quality sound in real-time, the present invention uses a MIDI-to-Truetone converter 60 to convert MIDI files 38 to Truetone files 68 and stores the converted files in the Truetone file storage 40. For example, if the converter 60 can support up to 128 polyphony, the sounds produced from the converted files by the Truetone player 42 in real-time would be similar to that of MIDI 128 polyphony. Thus, a communication device 10 having a MIDI player for 16 polyphony can produce MIDI-like sounds of 128 polyphony. This is especially beneficial in the case of low-end or mid-end mobile terminals wherein the computational and processing power is insufficient to synthesize MIDI sounds of very large number of polyphony. Furthermore, in a mobile terminal that is equipped with a MIDI player, the mobile terminal is made compatible with existing vast MIDI ring tone libraries. For example, the sound producing part 20 can be operatively linked to a MIDI archive 70 for transferring therefrom additional MIDI files if so desired. The conversion from MIDI to Truetone can be carried out by a software program 62 associated with the converter 60. For example, the software program 62 has a code for retrieving or receiving a MIDI file 38 from the storage 30, a code for the MIDI-Truetone conversion, and a code for conveying the converted file 68 to the storage 40. It should be noted that it is desirable and advantageous that the MIDI files are scalable in that a user of the mobile phone is able to use the MIDI player 32 to listen a scaled down version of MIDI high polyphony tones. As such, the user can browse (listen to) the MIDI ring tones in the mobile phone in real-time without the conversion from MIDI to Truetone. It is known that Digital Rights Management (DRM) information may be attached to the content of downloadable MIDI files in order to prevent unauthorized copying, distributing, etc., of the downloaded files. In conversion, however, the DRM information is lost. As a consequence, the Truetone files that are converted from the copyright-protected MIDI files are no longer protected by the DRM information. It is possible to provide a code in the converted and compressed files as a lock so that these files cannot be forwarded in order to protect the copyrights of the MIDI ring tone provider. Furthermore, the control signals for LEDs and Vibra can be generated from the original MIDI files in the conversion phase. LEDs are used to provide a visual effect of a ring tone, and Vibra is a “ringing” mode that causes the device to vibrate. The control signals may be, but are not limited to on/off type signals that turn the LED display or the vibrator on and off according to the played MIDI tone. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the components used in generating and using the control signals in the conversion phase, according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, a MIDI control unit (MCU) 100 and a digital signal processor (DSP) 200 are used to convert MIDI files to LED and Vibra control signals. In the MCU 100, a non real-time MIDI player 110 is operatively connected to the MIDI file storage 30 for retrieving MIDI files therefrom. The non real-time player 110 can support up to 64 or 128 polyphony, for example. In this embodiment 16 bit 16 kHz PCM samples 112 are compressed by an ADPCM (adaptive delta pulse code modulation) module 115 at a rate of 32 kB/s, and an ADPCM stream 116 is provided to a frame-packing device 120. At the same time, Vibra and LED control side-information 114 may be provided to the frame-packing device 120 directly from the non real-time MIDI player 110. The packed 10/20 ms frames and the Vibra/LED control signal 124 are stored in a ring tone file storage 130. When the packed frames and the control signal are used, they can be retrieved from the storage 130 and conveyed to the DSP 200. In the DSP 200, a frame-unpacking device 210 is used to unpack the packed frames. The unpacked frames 212 are provided to an ADPCM-PCM converter 220 for producing PCM streams 222. The audio interface 52 and an audio transducer 54 can be a part of the audio output device 50, as shown in FIG. 2. At the same time, LED and Vibra control signal 214 is provided to an LED and Vibra interface 230 to produce the desired effects. The advantages of the present invention include that a mobile phone having low computational and signal processing power can provide MIDI-like ring tones at a high number polyphony in real-time based on MIDI files without using a MIDI player that can support a high number polyphony. FIG. 4 is a schematic representation illustrates such a mobile terminal. As shown, the mobile terminal 1 comprises a plurality of sound producing components such as an audio output device 50, a real-time MIDI player 32, a MIDI file storage 30, a Truetone player 42, a Truetone file storage 40, and a MIDI to Truetone converter 60. Furthermore, the mobile terminal 1 may also comprise some of the components in the MCU 100 and DSP 200 to generate Vibra and LED control signals and effects. It is known that the mobile terminal 1 also has a Tx/Rx front-end for transmitting and receiving RF signals. It should be noted that ring tones can also be downloaded to a mobile terminal from a service provider of a communications network, as shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the communications system 5 comprises a plurality of service providers 600 and a plurality of mobile operators 700. The service providers 600 can provide data services, for example. The service providers 600 can also provide ring tones, through their servers 610, to allow an end user 710 of a mobile operator 700 to purchase one or more ring tones through the Internet 500, for example. It is possible that the server 610 is equipped with the necessary components for MIDI to compressed sample file conversion so as to allow the end user 710 to obtain ring tones in a Truetone format instead of MIDI format. As shown in FIG. 6, the server 610 of a service provider comprises a MIDI file storage 30 for storing a plurality of MIDI ring tone data files 38. The MIDI data files 38 can be converted into ring tones in the Truetone format by a software program 62 in a MIDI-to-compressed sample file converter 60. The converted files 68 can be stored in a compressed sample file storage 40 so that one or more stored Truetone files 41 can be incorporated into a bitstream 43 for transmission by a transceiver. The present invention has been disclosed in reference to MIDI to Truetone and ADPCM conversion of ring tones in a mobile terminal or a server of a service provider. It is should be noted that the mobile terminal and the server are only examples of network components in a communications network. More generally, the present invention provides a method and device for the conversion of data files for sound synthesis to recording-like files so that the converted files can be played in real-time, wherein the recording-like files can be played in real-time with higher polyphony than the number of polyphony that can be synthesized from the data files in real-time. In general, MIDI file to compressed sample file conversion involves in a number of steps, as shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 7, a non-realtime MIDI (high polyphony) is used to generate synthesized signals from MIDI files. The synthesized signals are then converted to PCM samples. In the compression stage, any one of the compression modules (Truetone, ADPCM, wav, MP3, RealAudio, Vorbis, AAC and the like) can be used to compress the PCM samples into compressed sample files. Similarly, a converter which is used to convert MIDI files into compressed sample files comprises a number of components or modules. As shown in FIG. 8, the converter 60′ comprises a non-realtime MIDI player (N polyphony) 110′ for generating synthesized signals, a sample module 140 for providing raw PCM samples from the synthesized signals, and a compression module 150 for compressing the PCM samples into compressed data files 68′. The compression module can be, but is not limited to, a Truetone player, an ADPCM converter, a wav player, an MP3 player, a RealAudio player, a Vorbis player, an AAC player or the like. Thus, although the invention has been described with respect to one or more embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and various other changes, omissions and deviations in the form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the scope of this invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) enables the creation polyphonic musical composition with a wide variety of different sounds. This means that multiple tones can be played at the same time using predefined instrument sounds such as piano, guitar, violin and drum. MIDI has been used in mobile terminals to generate ring tones, message alert tones and in games, background music and sound effects. In general, wavetable sound synthesis technology with sampled sounds from real instruments is used for MIDI sound synthesis. The quality of MIDI polyphony for ring tones depends largely on the number of sounds generated expressed as 2 n sound polyphony. For example, the sound quality of 64-sound polyphony is superior to that of 16 sound polyphony. In general, generating higher polyphony samples in real-time requires higher processing and computational power. That also means higher costs in manufacturing. In low-end and mid-end mobile terminals, the processing power is generally insufficient to generate high polyphony ring tones and message alert tones. It is advantageous and desirable to enhance the ring tones and message alert tones in a mobile terminal or in a server where signal processing power is not enough to generate high MIDI polyphony samples in real-time. Presently, Truetone technology is also used in mobile terminals for producing ring tones or other tones. As it is known in the art, Truetone technology makes it possible to use actual recorded sounds as ring tones and other tones. Truetone technology is based on the Adaptive Multi-rate Wideband (AMR-WB). ABR-WB represents state-of-the-art technology in low bit rate wideband speech coding. Like AMR, it is a multi-rate speech codec. AMR-WB technology uses nine-bit rates between 6.6 and 23.85 kbits/s at 16 kHz sampling rate. The speech processing is performed on 20 ms frames, so each AMR-WB encoded frame represents 320 speech samples. The technology has been optimized for a high-quality natural sound while still keeping the file sizes reasonably small. Small file size makes it possible to deliver the tones over the air making the purchase of Truetone ring tones similar to the purchase of MIDI ring tones. However, Truetone technology that is presently used in a mobile terminal or in a server of a service provider is meant to be a complementary technology to MIDI ring tone generation. It is also possible to use different compressed file formats like MP3, wav, AAC, RealAudio, Vorbis etc for ringing tone. As shown in exemplary FIG. 1 , a Truetone player is used, along with a MIDI player, in a mobile device. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention makes use of compression components in a electronic device to generate tones and sounds from MIDI files. The network component has one or more ring tones in MIDI files of high polyphony, and a MIDI player of lower polyphony for producing sounds from the scaled down version of the MIDI files in real-time. In order to produce sounds indicative of the high-polyphony ring tones in real-time, the high-polyphony MIDI files are converted to compressed sample files in a non real-time manner. The compressed sample files are stored in storage so as to allow a compression file player to produce sounds from the compressed sample files. A file lock may be provided to the compressed sample files so that they cannot be forwarded, thereby protecting the copyrights of the ring tone composer. Thus, the first aspect of the present invention provides a method for improving sound quality of synthesized tones produced on an audio producing component in an electronic device, the electronic device comprising: a first player; a first file storage for storing one or more data files so as to allow the first player to produce one or more tones for playing on an audio producing component, wherein the first player is capable of producing said tones based on said one or more data files in a real-time manner up to M-polyphony and wherein the tones so produced contain characteristics of a sound synthesizer, where M is a positive integer; a different second player; and a second file storage for storing one or more recording files so as to allow the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing component in a real-time manner, wherein the sounds produced by the second player based on one or more recording files contain characteristics of a recorded sound. The method comprises: converting at least one of said one or more data files for producing in a non real-time manner at least one converted file having a second player compatible format; and providing the converted file to the second player so as to produce sounds on the audio producing component in a real-time manner, wherein the sounds produced by the second player based on the converted file contain some characteristics of a sound synthesizer of N-polyphony, wherein N is a positive integer greater than M. According to the present invention, the first player comprises a MIDI player, and the second player may comprise, but is not limited to: a Truetone player, an MP3 player, a wav player, an ADPCM player, a RealAudio, a Vorbis or an AAC player. According to the present invention, the method further comprising the step of storing the converted file in the second file storage so as to allow the second player to produce sounds based on the converted file at a later time. According to the present invention, the converting of files comprises converting audio signals to PCM samples, compressed samples, and packing compressed samples into frames. The second aspect of the present invention provides an electronic device. The electronic device comprises: a first player; a first file storage for storing one or more data files so as to allow the first player to produce one or more tones for playing on an audio producing device, wherein the first player is capable of producing said tones based on said one or more data files in a real-time manner up to M-polyphony and wherein the tones so produced contain characteristics of a sound synthesizer, where M is a positive integer; a different second player; a second file storage for storing one or more recording files so as to allow the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing device in a real-time manner, wherein the sounds produced by the second player based on one or more recording files contain characteristics of a recorded sound; a converter for converting at least one of said one or more data files for producing in a non real-time manner at least one converted file having a second player compatible format so as to allow the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing device in a real-time manner based on the converted file, wherein the sounds so produced contain some characteristics of a sound synthesizer of N-polyphony, wherein N is a positive integer greater than M. According to the present invention, the first player comprises a MIDI player, and the second player may comprise, but is not limited to a Truetone player, an MP3 player, a wav player, an ADPCM player, an AAC player, a vorbis player or a RealAudio player. According to the present invention, the electronic device comprises a mobile terminal or a server of a service provider. According to the present invention, the sounds produced based on the converted file comprises a ring tone or a message alert tone. According to the present invention, the electronic device further comprises: means for accessing an external storage medium for downloading further data files from the storage medium. According to the present invention, at least one of the data files are copyright protected and wherein the converted files converted from said at least one data file is provided with a file lock so that said converted files are also copyright protected. According to the present invention, the data files are scalable so as to allow the first player to produce the tones based on the scaled data files in a real-time manner. The third aspect of the present invention provides a software program product for use in an electronic device in which a software code for converting an audio file is stored, the electronic device comprising the following components: a MIDI player; a MIDI file storage for storing one or more MIDI files so as to allow the MIDI player to produce one or more tones for playing on an audio producing device, wherein the MIDI player is capable of producing said tones based on one or more MIDI files in a real-time manner up to M-polyphony and wherein the tones so produced contain characteristics of a sound synthesizer, where M is a positive integer; a compressed file player; a compressed file storage for storing one or more compressed sample files so as to allow the compressed file player to produce sounds on the audio producing device in a real-time manner, wherein the sounds produced by the compressed file player based on one or more compressed sample files contain characteristics of a recorded sound. The software program comprises a software code for realizing the following steps when running in one or more of the components of the electronic device: converting at least one of said one or more MIDI files to a converted file in a compressed file player compatible format; and outputting the converted file so as to allow the compressed file player to produce sounds on the audio producing device in a real-time manner based on the converted file, wherein the sounds so produced contain some characteristics of a sound synthesizer of N-polyphony, wherein N is a positive integer greater than M. The fourth aspect of the present invention provides a file conversion module for use in an electronic device, the electronic device comprising: a first player; and a different second player. The file conversion module comprises: a first file storage for storing one or more data files, wherein the data files can be used by the first player to produce one or more tones to be played on the audio producing component in a real-time manner up to M-polyphony, and wherein the tones so produced contain characteristics of a sound synthesizer and M is a positive integer; a second file storage for storing one or more recording files, wherein the recording files can be used by the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing component in a real-time manner, and wherein the sounds produced by the second player contain characteristics of a recorded sound; and a converter for converting at least one of said one or more data files for producing in a non real-time manner at least one converted file having a second player compatible format so as to allow the second player to produce sounds on the audio producing component in a real-time manner based on the converted file, wherein the sounds so produced contain some characteristics of a sound synthesizer of N-polyphony, wherein N is a positive integer greater than M. According to the present invention, the converter comprises a MIDI generator, a PCM sampling module, and a compression module. According to the present invention, the converter provides audio data in the converting, and the module further comprises: a frame packing device, operatively connected to the converter, for packing the audio data into frames. The present invention will become apparent upon reading the description taken in conjunction with FIGS. 2 to 8 . | 20040923 | 20080408 | 20060323 | 72614.0 | G10H700 | 0 | BRINEY III, WALTER F | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ENHANCING RING TONES IN MOBILE TERMINALS | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | G10H | 2,004 |
|
10,949,776 | ACCEPTED | Wireless video surveillance system and method with dual encoding | A surveillance system and method for activating communication between at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) and/or another ICD, including providing a base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via user interface remotely; the DIR and/or ICD searching for signal from the ICD(s) and receiving inputs in dual encoded formats, thereby providing a secure surveillance system having wireless communication for monitoring a target environment with optimized remote viewing. | 1. A method for dual encoding of system inputs, with at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) having a software running on an embedded DSP chip, and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) or another ICD forming a base system, comprising the steps of: providing the base system, and the ICDs capturing inputs from a target environment; the ICD(s) transmitting inputs to the DIR, wherein the inputs are encoded to provide multiple formats; and at least one user remotely accessing the DIR or the ICDs via a user interface with a remote viewing device, thereby providing a secure surveillance system for a target environment with remote access by the user to the dual encoded inputs. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple formats are dual formats. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple formats include visual representations of the data. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the visual representations of the data include video and a series of still images that correspond to the video. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple formats are generated simultaneously. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the system further includes a remote server computer (RSC) through which the user interfaces with the system remotely. 7. A surveillance system for wireless communication between components comprising: a base system including at least one wireless input capture device (ICD); a DIR having a processor, a memory, a transmitter/receiver, and operable for wireless communication with the ICD(s) and a remote server computer (RSC); wherein the ICD(s) having at least one sensor and at least one input component for detecting and recording inputs, a processor, a memory, a transmitter/receiver, all constructed and configured in electronic connection; wherein the ICDs are operable for wireless cross-communication with each other and with the DIR; and wherein the ICD is operable to encode inputs in two formats simultaneously via a DSP running software. 8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the cross-communication of ICD(s) and DIR includes data exchange, wherein the data exchange includes information about the surveillance environment, settings, inputs, and combinations thereof. 9. The system of claim 7, wherein the multiple formats are dual formats. 10. The system of claim 7, wherein the multiple formats include visual representations of the data. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the visual representations of the data include video and a series of still images that correspond to the video. 12. The system of claim 7, wherein the multiple formats are generated simultaneously. 13. The system of claim 7, wherein the inputs include a video stream that the DSP converts into an encoded video and a series of still images, wherein the still images provide a simulated video that corresponds to the encoded video. 14. The system of claim 7, further including a remote viewing device (RVD) upon which the user reviews the inputs captured by the ICD(s). 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the RSC determines a bandwidth communication associated with the RVD and optimizes the transmission of ICD inputs data accordingly. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the optimized transmission of ICD inputs data includes a series of still images that simulate the inputs, wherein the inputs are a streaming video. 17. The system according to claim 7, wherein the DIR and RSC are operable to provide previewing of images from multiple ICDs. 18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the images correspond to videos from a multiplicity of ICDs. 19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the images from multiple ICDs are viewable by a user simultaneously. 20. The system according to claim 15, wherein the DSP generates video at an optimized frame rate and/or size based on connection speed of the RVD. 21. The system according to claim 15, wherein the DSP generates still images at an optimized rate and/or size based on connection speed of the RVD. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This non-provisional utility patent application is related to one or more prior filed co-pending non-provisional applications: U.S. application Ser. No. ______, entitled “Wireless Video Surveillance System and Method With Two-Way Locking of Input Capture Devices,” filed on Sep. 23, 2004. U.S. application Ser. No. ______, entitled “Wireless video surveillance system & method with DVR-based querying,” filed on Sep. 24, 2004. U.S. application Ser. No. ______, entitled “Wireless Video Surveillance System and Method with Emergency Video Access,” filed on. Sep. 24, 2004 U.S. application Ser. No. ______, entitled “Wireless Video Surveillance System and Method with Remote Viewing,” filed on. Sep. 24, 2004 U.S. application Ser. No. ______, entitled “Wireless Video Surveillance System and Method with External Removable Recording,” filed on. Sep. 24, 2004. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to surveillance technology and equipment and, more particularly, to a wireless video surveillance system and methods associated therewith. (2) Background of the Invention While video surveillance systems have existed in the prior art, typically they are wired devices that are difficult, time-consuming, and costly to install and operate. Also, generally, they do not provide for wireless systems that are secure from wireless interception or Internet enabled interception and permit remote user access for viewing, reviewing stored information, and controlling the system's components, in particular via Internet connection to a remote controller computer or cellular phone or other Internet connected device. Thus, there remains a need in the art for a wireless surveillance system and methods of operating same, providing simple setup and controls for high quality input capture by surveillance input capture devices (ICD), including but not limited to video inputs, and digital input recorder device(s) (DIR) associated with the ICDs, the DIRs data transfer, storage, and control, including systems and methods providing for remote viewing and controls of the ICDs and DIRs via a remote server computer (RSC) and/or Internet access through the RSC. Examples of prior art may include: U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040136388 published Jul. 15, 2004, for Schaff, for Video-monitor/recording/playback system, describes a stand-alone video recording, playback and Monitoring system. It has network switches, non-volatile storage devices, IP cameras, video servers, and NTSC cameras. The system uses communication channels that are WAN/LAN based and can be hard-wired or wireless. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020186180 published Dec. 12, 2002, for Duda, William, for Hands free solar powered cap/visor integrated wireless multi-media apparatus, describes an apparatus whereby the functional electronics components of popular consumer communications and entertainment products can be repackaged in a molded plastic module that would be mounted underneath and follow the contour of the visor of a head wearable cap/visor providing the user with a hands free, continuous power, virtually invisible multi-media capability. The module would feature, a drop down visual display, drop down camera lens for low resolution digital photography, rechargeable battery, stereo speakers and earphones, a microphone and microphone boom, manual push button controls and LED indicator lights, input/output jacks, and an interactive voice capability. A flexible solar cell and antenna would be mounted on the upper surface of the head wearable cap/visor providing the wireless link and continuous power to the electronics module. All components would be secured to the head wearable cap visor via two active pins that protrude from the upper surface of the electronic module, pierce the visor, and mate up with the solar cell and antenna on the upper surface of the visor. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020026636 published Feb. 28, 2002, for LeComte, for Video interfacing and distribution system and method for delivering video programs, describes a video interfacing arrangement for connecting at least one display device to at least one video source composed of a module including a dedicated and programmed digital processing unit adapted to decode and descramble video flow according to a preloaded decoding or descrambling program, in order to display, in real time or delayed in time, to store, to record and/or to send over a telecommunication network, and on at least one screen interface, at least one storage or recording interface, a local or wide area network connecting interface and a user communication and controlling interface, the interfaces being linked to and driven by the processing unit and preferably mounted in or on the module. The invention also concerns a distribution system and a method for transferring encoded video programs and sequences over a wide area network. U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,742 issued Jan. 1, 2002, to Takemoto, for Apparatus for file management and manipulation using graphical displays and textual descriptions, describes a processor-based display processing apparatus, method and user interface allows for easy understanding of the contents of respective files by present a portion of the respective files as a graphics image along with other associated attributes of the respective files. A computer readable recording medium with a program recorded therein is provided for enabling a computer to function as the apparatus and perform the method. In the display processing apparatus, when an operator selects a folder from a folder display area on a browser screen, a processor controls the selected folder to be identified and displayed, and graphics images of image files contained in the selected folder are displayed in a predetermined display area. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040008255 published Jan. 15, 2004, for Lewellen, for Vehicle video system and method, describes a vehicle video system includes a small camera in the passenger area that uses illumination in the non-visible spectrum to illuminate the passenger area. The vehicle video system records video information on a digital video recorder that uses digital media such as a hard disk drive, recordable CD (CD-R), rewritable CD (CR-RW), or writable Digital Video Disc (DVD). The vehicle video system includes a local wireless interface, such as a Bluetooth-compatible interface, that automatically connects to a compatible device in the parking area of the vehicle that is coupled to a database. In this manner, the digital video information collected by the vehicle video system is automatically transferred to the database when the vehicle is parked, removing the need for any human intervention for the logging and cataloging of video tapes. The local wireless interface of the vehicle video system also allows other devices, such as a handheld device or a vehicle video system in a different vehicle, to access the stored digital video information. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040165546 published Aug. 26, 2004, for Roskind, for Time based wireless access provisioning, describes a method and apparatus for the time-based provisioning of wireless devices. A network access point monitors operation of wireless devices within a service region. When provisioning logic is activated at the network access point, the access point determines if the tracked parameter (such as power on or the onset of signal transmission) of the wireless device occurs within a designated time interval from the time of the provisioning activation. If the tracked device qualifies, the network access point proceeds with provisioning the device. In one system embodiment, the network access point tracks the power on time of wireless devices. When a wireless device to be authorized is powered on, the provisioning logic at the network access point notes the power on time. The user then activates the provisioning access at the network access point, and the network access point provisions the wireless device if it is recently powered on. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20030188320 published Oct. 2, 2003, for Shing, for Method and system for a distributed digital video recorder, describes a system and method, for remote display and control of an audio/video data stream from a capture device, e.g., a TV capture card, audio/visual capture card or digital camera capture card in a PC. In an exemplary embodiment there are some components of a software DVR player executing on at least one client device and other components on at least one server device. Users can view and/or control the audio/video data from a server device, having a capture device, on client devices located anywhere as long as they are connected to the server through a network. In addition, a server device with a capture device can support display of the video data at multiple client devices at the same time. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020188955 published Dec. 12, 2002, for Thompson et al., for Digital video recording and playback system for television, describes a system and apparatus for digitally recording and playing back videos from either an Internet website or a TV broadcast or cablecast is disclosed herein. The system comprises a set-top box, along with the necessary cables and remote control units, that connects between a television set and an Internet hook-up and allows a viewer to digitally record TV shows and/or download video from the Internet and store said video on the set-top box's hard drive for later viewing (using video encoding technology). In addition to the recording and playback capabilities, the disclosed system allows the viewer to pause, rewind, slo-mo, and instant replay live television without videotapes or VCR programming. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040168194 published Aug. 26, 2004 , for Hughes, for Internet tactical alarm communication system, describes an Internet tactical alarm communication (ITAC) system includes at least one sensor, at least one video camera, and an ITAC computer delivery unit, wherein the at least one sensor, the at least one video camera, and the ITAC computer delivery unit are communicatively interconnected, and the ITAC system provides real-time data regarding a particular condition. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020100052 published Jul. 25, 2002, for Daniels, for Methods for enabling near video-on-demand and video-on-request services using digital video recorders, describes a near video-on-demand (VOD) service enabled using a digital video recorder (DVR) for the simultaneous storage and playback of multimedia data. A DVR is connected over a network to a multimedia network source. A VOD selection is requested by the DVR from the network source. A multimedia data signal is received by the DVR from the network source. The data signal contains the requested VOD selection. A first received portion of the received data signal is stored on the DVR. The first received segment is played by the DVR for display on a display device. Simultaneously during the playing of the first received segment, a second received segment of the received data signal is received from the network source and stored on the DVR while the first received segment is played the display device. Thus, the requested VOD selection begins playing on the display device prior to the reception of the entire compressed multimedia data signal so that a requested VOD selection can begin being displayed nearly instantaneously after the request for it is made. A video-on-request (VOR) service is also enabled using a DVR. VOR selection data is received by a centralized database device, such as a network server, from a plurality of users. Each VOR selection data includes at least one requested video selection and video recorder identifying information for identifying each particular video recorder. A transmission priority of requested video selections is determined dependent on the frequency of requests .sup.1received from the plurality of users. A transmission channel and time is determined based on the transmission priority. DVR control signals are transmitted to automatically tune in the determined transmission channel at the determined transmission time and record the particular video selection. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a wireless surveillance system and methods of operating same, providing simple setup and controls for high quality input capture by surveillance input capture devices (ICD), including but not limited to video inputs, and digital input recorder device(s) (DIR) associated with the ICDs, the DIRs data transfer, storage, and control, more particularly, the present invention is directed toward a method for controlling communication between ICD(s) and corresponding DIR. The present invention is further directed toward systems and methods providing for remote viewing and controls of the ICDs and DIRs via a remote server computer (RSC) and/or Internet access through the RSC, the systems and methods having controllable communication between the ICD(s) and corresponding DIR. In a preferred embodiment, there is at least one ICD associated with a corresponding DIR for providing a system for capturing inputs of a target environment via the at least one ICD and transferring those inputs via two-way controllable wireless communication with the DIR for electronic, digital storage and remote access thereof. In another preferred embodiment, the system further includes an RSC, which is directly or Internet-remotely accessed by at least one authorized user of the system, when control settings permit. Such controllable remote access includes user viewing of captured inputs of the target environment, including live and/or historical/recorded data, storing, editing, retrieving or otherwise reviewing said inputs, and controlling the system settings and activities, and combinations thereof. The present invention is further directed to a method for installing and operating the system and various embodiments and combinations thereof. Thus, the present invention provides systems and methods for wireless surveillance of predetermined environments, in particular with remote access and controls of the system components. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for surveillance of a predetermined environment having at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) for receiving, storing, editing, and/or retrieving stored input from the at least one ICD and controlling the ICD via wireless, remote communication therewith. Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for surveillance of a predetermined environment having at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) for receiving, storing, editing, and/or retrieving stored input from the at least one ICD and controlling the ICD, and a remote server computer (RSC) for providing at least one authorized user remote, wireless access to the at least one ICD and DIR, where the ICD, DIR, and RSC are in wireless digital communication with each other and where the RSC may be accessed directly by the user or through the Internet. Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide methods of using the system embodiments set forth herein, such as a method for locking communication between at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR), including the steps of providing base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via user interface either directly or remotely; the DIR searching for signal from the ICD(s) and establishing communication with them; and locking the ICDs to send wireless data exclusively to that DVR; and/or the DVR locking itself for exclusive communication with the locked ICDs, thereby providing a secure surveillance system for a target environment. These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the following description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment constructed according to the present invention, showing an input capture device and a digital input recorder juxtapositioned each other. FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a back view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 shows a back, side, and front view of the input capture device component of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a schematic showing the interconnection of remote units of the system. FIG. 8 is a user interface view of inputs to the system viewable by a user. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views. Also in the following description, it is to be understood that such terms as “forward,” “rearward,” “front,” “back,” “right,” “left,” “upwardly,” “downwardly,” and the like are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms. Referring now to the drawings in general, the illustrations are for the purpose of describing a preferred embodiment of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention thereto. As best seen in FIG. 1, the two base elements of a system constructed according to the present invention are shown side-by-side, including a wireless input capture device and a corresponding digital input recorder. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment constructed according to the present invention, showing an input capture device (“ICD”), generally referred to as 30, and a digital input recorder (“DIR”), generally referred to as 10, juxtapositioned. The DIR 10 has a plastic case 11 with a metal plate 12 affixed thereto and a removable tilt adjustable base 13 removably attached to the bottom of the DIR. Antennas 14, near the top of the DIR provide wireless communication for the present invention. A green power led and button 15 is near the top of the DIR. The button 15 can turn on the motion detection and/or record all functions of the present invention. The status indicator LEDS 26 are placed on the front of the DIR and can illuminate either red or green. Similarly, the ICD 30 has a plastic case 31 with a metal plate 32 affixed thereto and a removable tilt adjustable base 33 removably attached to the bottom of the ICD. Antennas 34, near the top of the ICD provide wireless communication for the present invention. A power/motion detection LED 35 is positioned near the bottom of the front of the ICD and can illuminate either red or green. A microphone 36 is also positioned on the front of the ICD to detect sound. The camera lens 37 is positioned near the top front of the ICD. FIG. 2 shows a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing an ICD 30 and a DIR 10 juxtapositioned. FIG. 3 shows a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing an ICD 30 and a DIR 10 juxtapositioned. FIG. 4 shows a back view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing an ICD 30 and a DIR 10 juxtapositioned. The ICD 30 has air vents 41 to facilitate cooling of the device. FIG. 4 also illustrates the various ports that are available on the two devices. The ICD 30 has the following ports: RJ-45 42; Alarm I/O Out 43; Microphone In 44; RCA Video Out 45; and DC In 46. Similarly, the DIR 10 has air vents 21 to facilitate cooling. Some of the ports may differ between the ICD and DIR. The DIR 10 has the following ports: RJ-45 22; Alarm I/O Out 23; Audio Out 24; RCA Video Out 25; DC In 26; and USB 27. FIG. 5 shows a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing an ICD 30 and a DIR 10 juxtapositioned. This demonstrates the possible footprints of the devices. FIG. 6 shows a back, side, and front view of an alternative embodiment of the ICD 30 component of FIG. 1. The ICD 30 is similar to that previously described except the air vents 41 have been removed and the antennas 34 have been positioned to the back of the ICD. Additionally, FIG. 6 illustrates the ICD with the removable tilt adjustable base 33 removed. FIG. 7 shows a schematic showing the interconnection of remote units of the system. FIG. 8 shows a user interface view of inputs to the system viewable by a user. The wireless surveillance system according to the present invention includes at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) for sensing, capturing and transmitting surveillance inputs from a predetermined input capture location, and a digital input recorder device (DIR) for receiving the surveillance inputs from the at least one wireless ICD and storing those inputs, which are capable of being reviewed by a system user on a controller/server computer, wherein the server computer is optionally used for communication with the ICDs and DIRs. In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least one ICD and corresponding DIR device are used to form the system without requiring a separate server computer. The DIR itself has full capabilities when arranged for communication wirelessly with ICDs for recording and controlling inputs to the system, as well as settings for each of the at least one ICD, including activation of each. Input Capture Device(s) (ICDs) On the front end of the system, the at least one wireless ICD further includes a power source, a power converter; soft power down component which provides for a gentle power down so that ICD settings are preserved and not lost. Preferably, while the ICD is wireless, it further includes an optional network connection at a back side of the ICD also, so it can be hardwired into a network. The ICD also includes at least one sensor and at least one input component for detecting and recording inputs, a processor, a memory, a transmitter/receiver, and optionally, at least indicator light for indicating camera activities, all constructed and configured in electronic connection. By way of example and not limitation, the at least one input component may include a microphone, and/or a camera. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one wireless ICD includes two antennas for providing a wireless signal for receiving and/or transmitting data with the DIR device or another ICD(s). The ICDs are operable for cross-communication with each other, including data exchange, wherein the data exchange includes information about the surveillance environment, settings, inputs, and combinations thereof. The at least one wireless ICD further includes a housing having a removable casing around the lens to make lens adjustments or settings; ICD adjustments and settings are preferably optional, and are not usually required in preferred embodiments of the present invention, as the DIR device automatically establishes and controls the ICD settings and activities for each of the at least one wireless ICDs associated with the particular DIR device. For the preferred embodiments where the ICD includes a digital video camera (DVC) having a lens and corresponding camera components, the camera further includes a computer chip providing for capabilities of performing video compression within the ICD itself. The ICD as a wireless digital video camera is capable of capturing video within its range within the surveillance environment and compressing the captured video into a data stream, the capture occurring at predetermined dates and times, during activity detection, and/or on command from the wireless DIR associated therewith. In the case of video, the images are adjustable to capture at different sizes, different frame rates, and/or to include the display of the name of the device (determined by the user and/or the system), the date, the time, and combinations thereof. The ICD including a DVC is capable of capturing images that are combinable and/or integratable with the video data stream and/or compressible into an individual image data stream, all at predetermined dates and times, when activity such as motion or audio are detected, on command from the wireless DVR, and combinations thereof. As with video capture, image capture is adjustable to capture at different sizes, different frame rates, and/or to include the display of the name of the device (determined by the user and/or the system), the date, the time, and combinations thereof. A data stream of images is transmittable wirelessly to the wireless DVR. Similarly, where the at least one ICD has audio capabilities, the captured audio, which is combinable and/or integratable with other inputs captured by the ICD sensors, is compressible into an individual audio data stream, which is transmittable wirelessly to the DIR. The activity of audio ICD is activatable at predetermined dates and times, during activity detection, and/or on command from the wireless DIR associated therewith. The audio ICD is further adjustable to capture audio at different or variable rates. Preferably, since the ICD generates heat during operation, the ICD housing includes a cooling system having a vent and a low noise cooling fan. Since the video components of ICDs generate heat that must be dissipated for optimal performance of the system, preferred embodiments of the present invention include housing units with components that operate at lower temperatures, i.e., which generate less heat during operation, and include housing units formed of materials that dissipate heat well, and may include a combination of materials, such as metals and synthetic plastics or composites. While ICDs are preferably used for indoor applications, waterproofing and weather proofing housing units and other components for sealing the housing against water and weather are used for outdoor applications of the present invention. By way of example, sealed or gasketed casing, weatherproof venting and fan components to prevent water blowing into or being sucked into the case, are used for outdoor ICD units. Other components optional to the housing unit but preferred for ease of use of the system include a removable filter collar on a front end of the camera lens, which facilitates user access for changing the filter and/or to provide a different filter, such as a polarization filter or a specialty filter, for example, to reduce light input or camera aperture. The ICDs of the present invention are capable of detecting motion, capturing video, detecting and/or capturing audio, providing at least one data stream capability, including video, compressed video, audio, and combinations thereof. The at least one ICD is capable of capturing video, which is compressible into a data stream, and transmittable wirelessly to the DIR device, with the ICD audio data or other input data, such as temperature, humidity, chemical presence, radiation, and other input data, depending upon the sensors and intake means of each ICD, being combinable and/or integratable with the video data stream. Thus, while the ICDs each include at least one sensor for detection and at least one capture input means, preferably each of the ICDs include at least two sensors and input means for image and/or video, and audio capture. In a preferred embodiment, at least two sensor types are used, audio and image or video sensors. The at least one indicator is included with the ICD to indicate that the power is “on”, and to indicate that motion and/or audio being detected. The indicator is activatable when motion and/or audio is detected in a predetermined area and/or in a predetermined amount within the environment. Each of the at least one ICDs is constructed for configuration that is capable of wireless communication (2-way) with the corresponding DIR device and/or any other ICD(s), which when configured provide a system for wireless electronic surveillance of an environment. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ICDs are provided with multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless capability. Other wireless communication may be provided instead of MIMO. Night vision for ICD video input capture may be provided using an infrared (IR) light source, so that the video recorded may be effective in low- to no-light conditions. Image or video input capture may be provided in a range of resolution, in black/white, in color, and sized based upon inputs from the DIR device and/or controller/server computer by an authorized user of the system, and are modifiable after setup of the system by modifying controls remotely, and/or by modifying hardware. The ICD further includes at least one chip that makes the device an intelligent appliance, permitting functions to be performed by the ICD itself without requiring software installation or the DIR, including but not limited to sensor and input controls, such as camera digital zoom, pan left and right, tilt up and down; image or video brightness, contrast, saturation, resolution, size, motion and audio detection settings, recording settings, communication with other ICDs; and single chip video compression (single DSP). The ICD also includes a sensor with ability for high dynamic range for inputs. Preferred embodiments of a system according to the present invention includes video technology commercially provided by PIXIM, and set forth under U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,791,611; 6,788,237; 6,778,212; 6,765,619; 6,737,626; 6,726,103; 6,693,575; 6,680,748; 6,665,012; 6,552,746; 6,545,258; 6,542,189; 6,518,909; 6,507,083; 6,498,576; 6,498,336; 6,452,152; 6,380,880; and 6,310,571. The ICD further includes a stand to support the device; the stand may be included with, integral with, or attached to the housing. The stand is constructed and configured to be mountable to a wall, suspend from ceiling, and provide a variety of stable positions for the ICD to capture as much data from a given environment as appropriate, given the space, conditions, and input capture type desired. Importantly, the stand serves as a stable base to tilt the ICD for camera direction up and down, and/or side to side. The stand is movable between positions but retains a fixed position by a predetermined friction to ensure so that the ICD stays in place wherever the positioning was last stopped. The base and stand of the ICD is constructed such that it does not require mounting to a surface to provide stability. The adjustability and mobility of the device are significant features of the present invention to ensure optimal surveillance and easy setup. Furthermore, the stand is weight balanced for good center of gravity to support the adjustment on the stand for stability on the entire range of motion for the ICD on its stand; since motion of the ICD is adjustable and provides for dynamic range of motion when the ICD is in use, the stand construction enables remote modification of settings without requiring the user of the system to readjust or optimize the ICD positioning in person. The ICD preferably is constructed and configured for a range of coverage, which can vary depending upon the conditions and limitations of a particular target environment. In a preferred embodiment of the system, the ICD has a range of coverage with a target range of at least up to 250 ft. The ICDs are capable of having a range of up to 300 meters, with an active wireless range from 1-1000 ft linear feet indoors. Advantageously, the ICD can be configured and activated quickly for quick start up of a surveillance system in the target environment. Additionally, the ICDs have the ability to communicate with one another to act as a data repeater and extend the usable wireless range to 3,000 meters and more. Significantly, no adjustments to camera settings, such as focus and focal length, are required after camera installation; ICD settings are preadjusted and further controllable remotely by the DIR and/or RSC and/or other ICD(s). By contrast, in the prior art, adjustments are usually always required for surveillance cameras following installation. Preprogrammed settings may be provided, with automatic and remote adjustment capabilities. Where the ICD is a video camera, the settings may include focus, resolution, etc. Each of the at least one ICD is constructed to optimally reduce heat from particular heat-generating components. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ICD includes a plastic case with metal sides to reduce heat while the system is running. Also, a back plate of the ICD or camera is all metal to increase heat dissipation, and to optimize weight and heat management, which important where there is a lot of power involved, as with wireless video input devices. Also, significantly, the ICDs and/or DIR devices are constructed with a separate chamber for imaging components to reduce heat. It is known that heat is not good for imaging sensors or equipment; however, cooling fans can generate noise, which is preferably minimized with security systems and components therein. The camera is configured to communicate with an imaging board with a flexible electronics communication cable, which permits the camera to have a separate chamber for optimized heat reduction. This is a problem specific to wireless cameras that has not been successfully addressed in the prior art. The ICD also includes at least one and preferably two antenna that are removable, including standard antennae, which may be substituted for a patch antenna and/or a long range antenna. The inputs captured by ICDs are provided to the DIR for which output for RCA viewing is available, such as connecting a monitor with a user interface for remote viewing of video from video cameras. In this case the setup easier because the remote user can see what the camera views from the monitor, which is removably connectable to the system. The ICD and DIR also have an optional network connection at the back side, so the devices can be hardwired into the network, if appropriate; however, wireless connections are preferred. Additionally, the ICDs have inputs, such as video and microphone, and at least one indicator light. In the case of a wireless video camera, the housing includes an easily removable casing around the lens to make lens adjustments or settings, which optional, and not usually required. Additionally, the ICDs have the ability to communicate with one another to exchange data about the environment and all control settings and other settings of any other ICDs. Digital Input Recorder Device (DIR Device) The wireless DIR device communicates directly with the at least one ICD, and, in embodiments where the controller/server is included in the system, the DIR device also communicates with the controller server to send data streams to the server and receive data or instruction from the controller/server to control its properties. In the case of a video camera for at least one ICD, the DIR may also be referred to as a digital video recorder device (DVR). Surprisingly, compared with prior art surveillance systems, the DIR device functions as an appliance, which permits a rapid setup of the system. Significantly, since the DIR device operates as an appliance, there is no software installation involved in the basic system setup. The preferred embodiments of the present invention including at least one ICD and a corresponding DIR device permit for setup and recordation of inputs to the system from the observation or surveillance environment with one click activation by the user/installer, generally in less than ten minutes from start to finish. Such rapid setup, including installation and activation to recording of the system, is not possible with prior art systems, given their complex components, interactivity via transmission lines, and/or software installations, which typically require an expert or trained specialist to ensure proper setup, installation, activation, and testing of the system prior to ongoing operation. By sharp contrast, the preferred embodiments of the present invention provide for one click activation for receiving and recording inputs to the at least one wireless ICD, i.e., for activating the ICD capability to record designated dates and times, when a surveillance event, a motion event or an audio event is detected by at least one of the at least one ICDs in the system, immediately after the rapid setup is complete. Furthermore, the system provides for rapid settings adjustment, including settings for sensitivity of ICD motion and audio detection; preferably, the settings adjustment is made by the user through the DIR device. The user simply sets a surveillance area for observation and data capture by each ICD of the at least one wireless ICD; for video capture, using an ICD with a digital camera, the camera may be set to focus on a predetermined location within the area, such as a window, a door, and the like. While the settings are practically a function of the ICD itself, the DIR device, which is also wireless, functions to control the settings of each of the corresponding ICDs associated with that DIR device. Other functions performed by the DIR device include, but are not limited to printing, saving or storing recorded inputs from the ICDs, transferring data to a removable storage device, such as a USB storage key device. Also, a power supply and a soft power down function is provided, similar to the ICD soft power down, to preserve the settings of the DIR device in the event of power termination to the device. The DIR is capable of running software for managing input from the at least one wireless ICD associated with or corresponding to a particular DIR device after installation. With the software, the DIR is capable of intaking and managing up to 10 data streams simultaneously; allowing the user to control the ICD unit, including allowing the user to zoom, pan, and tilt the camera, as well as managing microphone sensitivity. Sensitivity controls for other ICD input means, such as heat or temperature, chemical substance presence, radiation detection, and the like may be controlled remotely from the wireless DIR device as well. Other DIR device control functions for controlling the ICDs include but are not limited to controlling brightness, contrast, color saturation, where images and video are involved. Other software-based functions capable of being performed by the DIR include sending text message, sending still image, sending email or other communication to a user on a remote communications device; usually, these functions are programmed to occur upon the occurrence of an event. DIR data recordation and storage overwrite may be based on settings that enable newer data to overwrite older data. Additionally, the DIR may be programmed to include overwrite protection to prevent overwriting of event video, audio, or other input data captured by the ICD and transmitted to the DIR device. Preferably, the DIR includes capabilities of data search and display, data archiving to external device, network, computer, server, and combinations thereof, data printing, data exporting, data deletion, data playback, and combinations thereof. Data playback includes play, fast forward, rewind or reverse, frame by frame step forward or backward, pause, and combinations thereof. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a DIR device running software that is capable of automatically upgrading its own software, which eliminates user maintenance, upgrading, or other activity to optimize system performance. The DIR's capabilities of adjusting settings and/or controls for the at least one ICDs includes any functions of the ICDs, including but not limited to zoom pan and tilt, color brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, frame rate, video and/or image size, audio rate, wireless control data, encryption and security data, set motion and/or audio detection area and/or levels, set recording, set triggers, record on command, and combinations thereof. The DIR is preferably capable of connecting directly to a computer or a computer network, more specifically connecting to a personal computer via a USB or similar connection and to a network using a network cable or similar connector, with the DIR interface being accessible after such connection through a user interface or a web browser, respectively; and capable of sending data and/or alert or warning to a cell phone or computer via a signal or message such as by voice or email. Also, the DIR is capable of performing a backup of the ICD inputs, including video, to a network, a personal computer (PC), computer readable medium (CRM) or other storage device. The DIR may be programmed to lock to predetermined ICDs having cameras, to maintain integrity of camera signal to DIR device. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the user interface of the ICD inputs on the DIR device include at least one visual cue on the video to tell whether video is being recorded, e.g., a red and/or green dot is shown on the image. Also, preferably, the DIR device has a front with indicator lights that match or correspond to these same visual cues. For quality checking purposes, similarities such as these provide ease of use for the system user to confirm system functionality upon inspection. The DIR device is programmable for wireless communication with input capture device, including both transmitting data, settings, controlling instructions and receiving input captured from the ICD, like images, video, audio, temperature, humidity, chemical presence, radiation, and the like. Thus, the DIR device is capable of receiving wireless data from the wireless input capture device(s), indicating which of the ICDs is active, recording data and storing data, searching through recorded data, transmitting data and instructions to the ICD, adjusting ICD settings and/or controls, communicating with the controller/server computer to send and/or receive data, and other functions, depending upon the specifications of the system setup, the environment under surveillance, and whether or not remote access is used via the controller/server computer and Internet. The DIR device's data recordation and storage capability permit inputs from a multiplicity of ICDs to be associated with each DIR device to be singularly received, recorded, stored, and researched by a remote user from the ICDs. The user can search historically recorded data by date, time, event type, or any other means of selecting a setting or event corresponding to the each or any of the ICDs and the environment under surveillance by the system. Each of the ICDs is capable of individualized settings control by a single DIR device; a multiplicity of DIR devices may be controlled and managed by the controller/server, either within a given surveillance environment or in different locations. Other components of the DIR device include, but are not limited to having a base that may be optionally adjustable for optimized mounting on a surface; having a long range MIMO wireless component; having a one-chip video compression component for resizing video data, recompressing it, and streaming it; having a USB port connectable to a computer, or for storage key, or removable hard drive for data storage; having an ethernet port to connect to a network; having RCA video output like the ICDs; having 2 or 3 USB ports for data output as well as for a USB based security key, having at least one antenna, preferably three antennae, which may be removable and replaceable; having a power control button on the housing; having a recessed reset button in the housing, accessible on the backside of the housing; having a low noise fan; having a hard drive for recording inputs; and/or having at least one, preferably a multiplicity of indicators, preferably light emitting diodes (LEDs), that are viewable by a user on the outside of the housing of the DIR device. By way of example, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the DIR device has ten LEDs on the front of the housing, each of which correspond to an individual ICD. Significantly, these indicators, in particular as LEDs, provide content dense visual information with a quick glance from the user. There are five modes that represent ICD status, illustrated for one embodiment in the following table, Table 1: LED INDICATOR CORRESPONDING STATUS Off ICD off Green ICD connected to DIR device Flashing Green DIR recording inputs from the ICD Flashing Red ICD detecting at least one event Red Error warning The error warning may be due to a variety of conditions, such as, by way of example and not limitation, lost connection between the ICD and DIR device, data loss, throughput reduction, etc. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each LED that represents an ICD has a light color and flash as described hereinabove, but also shows a number to indicate which camera has the activity and its corresponding section of the target environment, e.g., camera #1 shows the front entrance doorway view. The optional remote controller or server computer (RSC) runs software providing for remote access and control, and is separate from the wireless DIR. Users log in with a username and password from any Internet connected PC, web enabled cell phone, or other Internet enabled or network communicable device, to remotely access or review the wireless input or camera video and/or image(s). The user accesses the system through a user interface operating in connection with a web browser. The RSC communicates directly with the wireless DIR and enables users to remotely configure wireless DIR properties and the ICD properties, and, preferably to perform any of the functions that are directly performable for any DIR or ICD, such functions being set forth in the foregoing. The RSC may provide an electronic commerce function such as providing a user to pay for remote access service. The RSC provides an authorized user remote from the target surveillance environment the option of logging into the system, selecting any ICD for monitoring, e.g., select any camera input from any DIR, print, save, email image from the input, such as a video clip, and zoom, pan and tilt live video through the DIR, similar control and/or access activities, and combinations thereof. The RSC functions as a remote monitoring station like a personal computer and is capable of providing a user interface that is accessible through a web browser; the RSC is thus any Internet connectable device, including computer, PDA, cell phone, watch, any network accessible device, and the like, which provides access for at least one remote user. The at least one remote user is preferably a predetermined, authorized user. Users of the system are preferably authorized, whether access is direct or remote. Apart from direct access, authorization may also determine levels of access for each user. While all capabilities of the DIR and ICDs are controllable remotely, either by the DIR itself or by an Internet communicable device in communication with a server computer that communicates with the DIR(s), the number and type of devices may be limited based upon authorization level of a user. The RSC provides for user remote access to live and/or recorded audio and/or video for any camera on any DVR; furthermore, control functions permit this user(s) to adjust and to make changes to any DVR or ICD settings remotely. Also, off-line archiving is operable via the user selecting to remotely record to the RSC. DIR and ICD Communication Locking In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for locking communication between at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) or other ICD(s), either one-way and/or two-way, is provided, including the steps of providing base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via user interface either directly or remotely; the DIR and/or ICD(s) searching for signal from the ICD(s) and establishing communication with them; and locking the ICDs to send wireless data exclusively to that DIR or ICD; and/or the DIR or ICD locking itself for exclusive communication with the locked ICDs, thereby providing a secure surveillance system for a target environment. DIR Activation and ICD Searching The ICD is activated when at least one user accesses the DIR software by either launching the software directly or launching the DIR device or by clicking on an activation or start button for triggering activity steps within the software and hardware system to activate communication including data exchange between predetermined DIRs and their corresponding selected ICDs. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the at least one ICD includes a wireless digital camera and the corresponding DIR is a DVR; however, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the functionality applies to a range of ICDs and corresponding DIRs, with or without video capabilities in each case. When any of these events occur, the DVR initiates checking for signals from prior configured capture devices. If the DVR starts without any prior configured capture devices, then the DVR automatically begins searching for wireless signals from capture devices. If the DVR starts with prior configured capture devices and the user wants to add additional devices, the user clicks on a search button, and the DVR begins searching for wireless signals from capture devices not already configured and communicating with the DVR. Communication In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the DIR is operable to identify signal(s) from the at least one ICD corresponding thereto, and the DIR automatically establishes communication with the identified capture device and creates a named representation, such as an icon or image with a name that represents the active ICD. Also, the DVR is operable to create a named representation for each of the corresponding ICDs associated with that DVR that are identified but not in active communication with the DVR at that time. The non-communication status of these devices is denoted in the representation, for example by at least one indicator having at least one status, as set forth in the foregoing (see, e.g., Table 1). Then, the wireless digital video camera as ICD is operable to send a still image to the DVR interface for the user to confirm identity of the ICD sending the image. The user may rename the ICD at that time or at a subsequent time. Importantly, no additional user steps are required to establish the monitoring set-up. Camera Validation/Communication Optimization The DVR is further operable to validate the device approval status for communication with the specific DVR and optimizes the wireless signal to the DVR to ensure the greatest information throughput. Camera Locking/Security Establishment Preferably, security functionality is operable when a DIR automatically locks a specific ICD, such as to permit sending wireless data only to that specific DIR and automatically initiating security on the data stream. The security methods may include cryptographic methods such as digital signing, stream cipher encryption, block cipher encryption, and public key encryption or hardware based encryption in which each device has a hardware device for encryption included. By way of example and not limitation, WAP, 802.11i, AES, SSL, stream cipher, Trojan, DES, any other type of security protocol, and combinations thereof may be used. DIR Locking Any of the DIRs operable within the system and having at least one ICD associated therewith are further operable to be locked to prevent setting changes or data manipulation from any device apart from the DIR with which each ICD is locked into communication. In one embodiment of the present invention having video cabilities, the DVR as DIR, upon confirming detection of all the signal(s) from ICD(s) associated therewith, confirms the establishment of communication with each detected ICD, in particular wireless digital video camera, and locks the DVR to only communicate with the found device(s), unless it receives instruction from the user to look for other signal(s). The DVR indicates such a locked status, for example, by displaying a lock indicator on the DVR and/or on the ICD to provide an external visual status indication that the ICD(s) are locked and also sends a lock status signal to an entity outside the present system, such as to the RSC and/or an alarm system or security software. Once searching and locking is complete, the DVR will not accept signals from capture devices that are not locked to the DVR, unless directed to search for capture devices by the user by click-selecting the search button. Alternatively, the system can notify the user of new ICDs that come into communication with the system during operation and/or after initial setup has occurred. Camera Removal ICDs may be removed from operation and/or operational communication or interaction with the system. To remove a capture device from the DVR system, the user click-selects from the user interface on an image and/or name that represents the capture device they want removed and then click-selects a single removal button. The DIR then removes that capture device from the system. Dual Encoding In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, dual encoding is provided for the system via a dual encoding software running on an embedded DSP chip or a computer. The software encodes inputs captured by the ICD(s) in multiple formats simultaneously. For example, in the case of visual inputs captured by at least one ICD having camera capture capabilities, a video stream is converted into encoded video and a series of still images, which provides a simulated video for low bandwidth communications for remote viewing devices such as cell phones with Internet connectability. The series of still images provides previewing of the images from multiple ICDs in the wireless DVR, which provides a method for efficient previewing for multiple ICDs. Advantageously, the series of still images provides for the use of less expensive processors, thereby reducing costs and permitting low band multi-ICD viewing by the system user. Also, the dual encoding of inputs captured by the ICDs makes the system operable to display video from a multiplicity of ICDs simultaneously for viewing by the user. Since the low band multi-ICD viewing includes rapidly updating still images, the system requires small amount of processing and bandwidth to display the visual inputs relating to captured data of the ICDs. Preferably, the RSC determines or detects a connection speed of a remote viewing device and, based on connection speed, sends control data to the DIR and/or the ICD(s), and, in the case of the DIR, it sends control data to the ICD(s), which control the embedded DSP. If the connection speed is above a certain, predetermined rate, the RSC notifies the DIR, which in turn notifies the ICD(s), which in turn notifies the DSP to generate video at an optimized frame rate and/or size based on the detected connection speed of the remote viewing device; the system is operable to permit delivery of a higher frame rate and/or higher size where high speed connection exists. If the connection speed is below a certain, predetermined rate, the RSC notifies the DIR, which in turn notifies the ICD(s), which in turn notifies the DSP to generate still images at an optimized rate and/or size based on connection speed of the remote viewing device; the system is operable to permit delivery of the data at a higher rate of still images and/or higher size. Preferably, the ICD(s) optionally notifiy the DSP to generate both captured video at a specific frame rate and size, and captured images at a specific rate and size at the same time. Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the foregoing description. All modifications and improvements have been deleted herein for the sake of conciseness and readability but are properly within the scope of the claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>(1) Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to surveillance technology and equipment and, more particularly, to a wireless video surveillance system and methods associated therewith. (2) Background of the Invention While video surveillance systems have existed in the prior art, typically they are wired devices that are difficult, time-consuming, and costly to install and operate. Also, generally, they do not provide for wireless systems that are secure from wireless interception or Internet enabled interception and permit remote user access for viewing, reviewing stored information, and controlling the system's components, in particular via Internet connection to a remote controller computer or cellular phone or other Internet connected device. Thus, there remains a need in the art for a wireless surveillance system and methods of operating same, providing simple setup and controls for high quality input capture by surveillance input capture devices (ICD), including but not limited to video inputs, and digital input recorder device(s) (DIR) associated with the ICDs, the DIRs data transfer, storage, and control, including systems and methods providing for remote viewing and controls of the ICDs and DIRs via a remote server computer (RSC) and/or Internet access through the RSC. Examples of prior art may include: U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040136388 published Jul. 15, 2004, for Schaff, for Video-monitor/recording/playback system, describes a stand-alone video recording, playback and Monitoring system. It has network switches, non-volatile storage devices, IP cameras, video servers, and NTSC cameras. The system uses communication channels that are WAN/LAN based and can be hard-wired or wireless. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020186180 published Dec. 12, 2002, for Duda, William, for Hands free solar powered cap/visor integrated wireless multi-media apparatus, describes an apparatus whereby the functional electronics components of popular consumer communications and entertainment products can be repackaged in a molded plastic module that would be mounted underneath and follow the contour of the visor of a head wearable cap/visor providing the user with a hands free, continuous power, virtually invisible multi-media capability. The module would feature, a drop down visual display, drop down camera lens for low resolution digital photography, rechargeable battery, stereo speakers and earphones, a microphone and microphone boom, manual push button controls and LED indicator lights, input/output jacks, and an interactive voice capability. A flexible solar cell and antenna would be mounted on the upper surface of the head wearable cap/visor providing the wireless link and continuous power to the electronics module. All components would be secured to the head wearable cap visor via two active pins that protrude from the upper surface of the electronic module, pierce the visor, and mate up with the solar cell and antenna on the upper surface of the visor. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020026636 published Feb. 28, 2002, for LeComte, for Video interfacing and distribution system and method for delivering video programs, describes a video interfacing arrangement for connecting at least one display device to at least one video source composed of a module including a dedicated and programmed digital processing unit adapted to decode and descramble video flow according to a preloaded decoding or descrambling program, in order to display, in real time or delayed in time, to store, to record and/or to send over a telecommunication network, and on at least one screen interface, at least one storage or recording interface, a local or wide area network connecting interface and a user communication and controlling interface, the interfaces being linked to and driven by the processing unit and preferably mounted in or on the module. The invention also concerns a distribution system and a method for transferring encoded video programs and sequences over a wide area network. U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,742 issued Jan. 1, 2002, to Takemoto, for Apparatus for file management and manipulation using graphical displays and textual descriptions, describes a processor-based display processing apparatus, method and user interface allows for easy understanding of the contents of respective files by present a portion of the respective files as a graphics image along with other associated attributes of the respective files. A computer readable recording medium with a program recorded therein is provided for enabling a computer to function as the apparatus and perform the method. In the display processing apparatus, when an operator selects a folder from a folder display area on a browser screen, a processor controls the selected folder to be identified and displayed, and graphics images of image files contained in the selected folder are displayed in a predetermined display area. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040008255 published Jan. 15, 2004, for Lewellen, for Vehicle video system and method, describes a vehicle video system includes a small camera in the passenger area that uses illumination in the non-visible spectrum to illuminate the passenger area. The vehicle video system records video information on a digital video recorder that uses digital media such as a hard disk drive, recordable CD (CD-R), rewritable CD (CR-RW), or writable Digital Video Disc (DVD). The vehicle video system includes a local wireless interface, such as a Bluetooth-compatible interface, that automatically connects to a compatible device in the parking area of the vehicle that is coupled to a database. In this manner, the digital video information collected by the vehicle video system is automatically transferred to the database when the vehicle is parked, removing the need for any human intervention for the logging and cataloging of video tapes. The local wireless interface of the vehicle video system also allows other devices, such as a handheld device or a vehicle video system in a different vehicle, to access the stored digital video information. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040165546 published Aug. 26, 2004, for Roskind, for Time based wireless access provisioning, describes a method and apparatus for the time-based provisioning of wireless devices. A network access point monitors operation of wireless devices within a service region. When provisioning logic is activated at the network access point, the access point determines if the tracked parameter (such as power on or the onset of signal transmission) of the wireless device occurs within a designated time interval from the time of the provisioning activation. If the tracked device qualifies, the network access point proceeds with provisioning the device. In one system embodiment, the network access point tracks the power on time of wireless devices. When a wireless device to be authorized is powered on, the provisioning logic at the network access point notes the power on time. The user then activates the provisioning access at the network access point, and the network access point provisions the wireless device if it is recently powered on. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20030188320 published Oct. 2, 2003, for Shing, for Method and system for a distributed digital video recorder, describes a system and method, for remote display and control of an audio/video data stream from a capture device, e.g., a TV capture card, audio/visual capture card or digital camera capture card in a PC. In an exemplary embodiment there are some components of a software DVR player executing on at least one client device and other components on at least one server device. Users can view and/or control the audio/video data from a server device, having a capture device, on client devices located anywhere as long as they are connected to the server through a network. In addition, a server device with a capture device can support display of the video data at multiple client devices at the same time. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020188955 published Dec. 12, 2002, for Thompson et al., for Digital video recording and playback system for television, describes a system and apparatus for digitally recording and playing back videos from either an Internet website or a TV broadcast or cablecast is disclosed herein. The system comprises a set-top box, along with the necessary cables and remote control units, that connects between a television set and an Internet hook-up and allows a viewer to digitally record TV shows and/or download video from the Internet and store said video on the set-top box's hard drive for later viewing (using video encoding technology). In addition to the recording and playback capabilities, the disclosed system allows the viewer to pause, rewind, slo-mo, and instant replay live television without videotapes or VCR programming. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20040168194 published Aug. 26, 2004 , for Hughes, for Internet tactical alarm communication system, describes an Internet tactical alarm communication (ITAC) system includes at least one sensor, at least one video camera, and an ITAC computer delivery unit, wherein the at least one sensor, the at least one video camera, and the ITAC computer delivery unit are communicatively interconnected, and the ITAC system provides real-time data regarding a particular condition. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20020100052 published Jul. 25, 2002, for Daniels, for Methods for enabling near video-on-demand and video-on-request services using digital video recorders, describes a near video-on-demand (VOD) service enabled using a digital video recorder (DVR) for the simultaneous storage and playback of multimedia data. A DVR is connected over a network to a multimedia network source. A VOD selection is requested by the DVR from the network source. A multimedia data signal is received by the DVR from the network source. The data signal contains the requested VOD selection. A first received portion of the received data signal is stored on the DVR. The first received segment is played by the DVR for display on a display device. Simultaneously during the playing of the first received segment, a second received segment of the received data signal is received from the network source and stored on the DVR while the first received segment is played the display device. Thus, the requested VOD selection begins playing on the display device prior to the reception of the entire compressed multimedia data signal so that a requested VOD selection can begin being displayed nearly instantaneously after the request for it is made. A video-on-request (VOR) service is also enabled using a DVR. VOR selection data is received by a centralized database device, such as a network server, from a plurality of users. Each VOR selection data includes at least one requested video selection and video recorder identifying information for identifying each particular video recorder. A transmission priority of requested video selections is determined dependent on the frequency of requests .sup.1received from the plurality of users. A transmission channel and time is determined based on the transmission priority. DVR control signals are transmitted to automatically tune in the determined transmission channel at the determined transmission time and record the particular video selection. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention is directed to a wireless surveillance system and methods of operating same, providing simple setup and controls for high quality input capture by surveillance input capture devices (ICD), including but not limited to video inputs, and digital input recorder device(s) (DIR) associated with the ICDs, the DIRs data transfer, storage, and control, more particularly, the present invention is directed toward a method for controlling communication between ICD(s) and corresponding DIR. The present invention is further directed toward systems and methods providing for remote viewing and controls of the ICDs and DIRs via a remote server computer (RSC) and/or Internet access through the RSC, the systems and methods having controllable communication between the ICD(s) and corresponding DIR. In a preferred embodiment, there is at least one ICD associated with a corresponding DIR for providing a system for capturing inputs of a target environment via the at least one ICD and transferring those inputs via two-way controllable wireless communication with the DIR for electronic, digital storage and remote access thereof. In another preferred embodiment, the system further includes an RSC, which is directly or Internet-remotely accessed by at least one authorized user of the system, when control settings permit. Such controllable remote access includes user viewing of captured inputs of the target environment, including live and/or historical/recorded data, storing, editing, retrieving or otherwise reviewing said inputs, and controlling the system settings and activities, and combinations thereof. The present invention is further directed to a method for installing and operating the system and various embodiments and combinations thereof. Thus, the present invention provides systems and methods for wireless surveillance of predetermined environments, in particular with remote access and controls of the system components. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for surveillance of a predetermined environment having at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) for receiving, storing, editing, and/or retrieving stored input from the at least one ICD and controlling the ICD via wireless, remote communication therewith. Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for surveillance of a predetermined environment having at least one wireless input capture device (ICD) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) for receiving, storing, editing, and/or retrieving stored input from the at least one ICD and controlling the ICD, and a remote server computer (RSC) for providing at least one authorized user remote, wireless access to the at least one ICD and DIR, where the ICD, DIR, and RSC are in wireless digital communication with each other and where the RSC may be accessed directly by the user or through the Internet. Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide methods of using the system embodiments set forth herein, such as a method for locking communication between at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR), including the steps of providing base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via user interface either directly or remotely; the DIR searching for signal from the ICD(s) and establishing communication with them; and locking the ICDs to send wireless data exclusively to that DVR; and/or the DVR locking itself for exclusive communication with the locked ICDs, thereby providing a secure surveillance system for a target environment. These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the following description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the drawings. | 20040925 | 20110503 | 20060330 | 70192.0 | H04N718 | 1 | SENFI, BEHROOZ M | WIRELESS VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH DUAL ENCODING | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H04N | 2,004 |
|
10,949,962 | ACCEPTED | Component specific machine wear determination with x-ray fluorescence spectrometry | X-ray florescence analysis is used to determine wear of machine parts on a component-specific basis. The individual wetted wear surfaces of the machine are provided with a signature tagant composition, and as the components wear, the amounts of each tagant in the lubricating fluid are determined by the x-ray florescence analysis. An analysis system tracks the amounts of the tagants in the lubricating fluid, and with information of the signature tagant composition of each wear surface, calculates wear rate information for each of the wear surface. This component-specific wear information is then used in scheduling maintenance and predicting failures of the machine. | 1. A method comprising: monitoring wear of wear surfaces of machine parts by detecting an x-ray fluorescence response of a lubricating fluid to determine amounts of a plurality of tagants in the lubricating fluid, wherein each of wear surfaces contains one or more of the tagants and the tagant composition of each wear surface is different. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wear surfaces are on components of an engine. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the engine is a gas turbine engine. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the tagants include at least one of vanadium, chromium, cobalt, gold, silver tungsten, and indium. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least two of the wear surfaces each includes at least two different tagants. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein tagants are initially present in an unworn state of at least one wear surface in a local concentration of between about 1 and 5 atomic percent. 7. A method for detecting wear of a family of components of a machine comprising: determining values corresponding to amounts of tagants in a lubricating fluid of a machine by detecting an x-ray fluorescence response of the lubricating fluid; wherein each member of the family of components has a signature composition of tagants in a wear surface. 8. The method of claim 7 wherein a wear surface of a first component in the family includes at least one tagant not found in a wear surface of a second component in the family. 9. The method of claim 7 wherein a wear surface of the first component includes at least two different tagants not found in the wear surface of the second component. 10. The method of claim 7 wherein tagants are substantially uniformly distributed in the wear surface of at least one of the components. 11. The method of claim 7 wherein tagants are provided in a laminated layer in the wear surface of at least one of the components. 12. The method of claim 7 wherein the wear surface of at least one of the components includes a localized concentration of tagants at a predetermined wear depth. 13. The method of claim 7 further comprising determining values corresponding to wear rates of the wear surfaces from the values corresponding to amounts of the tagants. 14. A method for monitoring wear of machine components comprising: interrogating a lubricating fluid of a machine with x-rays, wherein the machine has a plurality of wear surfaces each with a signature tagant composition; and detecting a fluorescence response to the interrogating to identify amounts of the tagants in the lubricating fluid. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein detecting fluorescence response includes quantitatively determining photon counts at different energy levels. 16. The method of claim 14 wherein the interrogating the lubricating fluid occurs on-board the machine. 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the lubricating fluid is analyzed in a sample passage that is in fluid communication with the machine. 18. The method of claim 14 further comprising mathematically determining values corresponding to wear rate of each of the wear surfaces from the detected fluorescence response as a function of time. 19. A method for individually determining wear of various machine components comprising: providing a machine having a plurality of machine components, wherein each of the components has a wear surface of substantially identical material composition save that each wear surface has been doped with small amounts of at least one doping element, wherein the amounts of the doping elements in each of the wear surfaces is different; and determining the values corresponding to amounts of each doping element in a lubricating fluid of the machine by detecting a fluorescence response to x-ray interrogation of the lubricating fluid. 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the doping elements include at least one of vanadium, chromium, cobalt, gold, silver, tungsten, and indium. 21. The method of claim 19 wherein the wear surfaces are on components of a turbine. 22. The method of claim 19 wherein detecting the fluorescence response occurs on board the machine. 23. The method of claim 22 further comprising wirelessly transmitting signals representing the values to a remote observer of machine health. 24. A system for determining machine health comprising: a machine having a plurality of components each with a wear surface containing tagants, wherein the tagant composition of each of the components is different; an x-ray fluorescence analysis device constructed and arranged to produce output signals representing amounts of the tagants in a lubricating fluid of the machine; and a processing device constructed and arranged to provide an indication of machine health based on the output signals from the x-ray fluorescence analysis device. 25. The system of claim 24 wherein the x-ray fluorescence analysis device is located on board the machine. 26. The system of claim 25 wherein the x-ray fluorescence analysis device is in fluid communication with the machine. 27. The system of claim 24 wherein the processing device is operable to calculate values corresponding to wear rates for each of the plurality of machine components based on the output signals from the x-ray fluorescence analysis device as a function of time. 28. The system of claim 24 wherein the tagants are substantially uniformly distributed in the wear surfaces. 29. The system of claim 24 wherein the tagants are provided in a laminated layer of at least one of the wear surfaces. 30. The system of claim 24 wherein at least one wear surface includes a localized concentration of the tagants at a predetermined wear depth. 31. The system of claim 24 wherein the processing device includes a computer programmed to calculate wear rates of the plurality of components. 32. A method comprising: determining surface-specific wear of a plurality of machine surfaces by detecting tagants in a lubricating fluid with x-ray fluorescence spectrometer, wherein the tagants are provided in the machine surfaces in signature amounts. 33. The method of claim 32 further comprising generating a warning signal when the determined wear of at least one machine surface exceeds a predetermined limit. 34. A system comprising: a machine having a plurality of machine surfaces each containing a signature tagant composition; an x-ray fluorescence analysis device for detecting the tagants in a fluid of the machine; and a processing device operable to determine values corresponding to surface-specific wear of the plurality of machine surfaces based on an output of the x-ray fluorescence analysis device. | BACKGROUND The present invention relates generally to machine wear detection, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to component-specific wear determination by analysis of a lubricating fluid. Machines perform a variety of valuable functions in industry, but they require ongoing maintenance. Because of the costs associated with performing both preventative and corrective maintenance, significant attention is given to developing and implementing efficient maintenance programs. The general goal of most maintenance programs is to protect the machine and prolong its useful life while minimizing down time and other maintenance expenses. Some maintenance programs are schedule-based. In these, intervals are established for certain preventative maintenance tasks, such as inspection or replacement of certain components or groups of components, and the task is performed upon the expiration of the interval. However, too frequent preventative maintenance is costly, in terms of labor, materials and the loss of use during the needed machine down time. Conversely, increasing the preventative maintenance intervals increases the chance a machine will fail during use, which itself can be costly as well as dangerous and inconvenient. Furthermore, some failures, such as where a component malfunctions due to damage, an inherent defect, improper installation, etc. are often unpredictable and therefore are difficult to head off with preventative maintenance performed solely on a calendar based or use based schedule. Condition-based maintenance programs are attempts to efficiently address these concerns and to reduce the risks of machine failures by determining maintenance, at least in part, based on measurements of the actual condition of the machine. In a condition-based maintenance program, data is gathered in an effort to ascertain the physical condition of the machine and its various components. This data is then used to guide the scheduling of maintenance, for example by establishing safe limits for a certain measured parameter and then determining the need for maintenance when the measured value exceeds those limits. Since the condition of the machine's fluids can provide information about the condition of the machine, measurements performed on the machine's fluids are a useful source of input data for condition-based maintenance programs. For example, when the moving parts of a machine experience wear, fine particles are typically dispersed into the machine's lubricating fluid. A determination of the amount of these fine particles in the fluid therefore can be used to assess the amount of the machine wear. However, the simple quantification of fine particles in the lubricating fluid is a non-specific indication of wear. In other words, the fine particles may have originated from various sources, each of which can be experiencing wear. As a result, particle count measurements can fail to capture the true state of the machine, and this potential for error increases as the number of wearing parts increases. For example, a gas turbine engine may have several bearings along a drive shaft. Accordingly, a situation could arise where one of these bearing wears at an abnormally high rate, putting the engine at risk of failure. However, the remaining bearings could wear at sufficiently low rates that the overall quantity of wear material in the lubricating fluid of the bearings does not indicate any impending failure. Unfortunately, the ability to detect such a condition or to otherwise provide component-specific wear information in machines is limited. Accordingly, there is a need for systems and techniques that obtain more specific machine wear information, and in certain forms, the present invention addresses this need. In these or in other forms the present invention provides useful and cost effective improvements for the condition-based maintenance of machines. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides systems and techniques for component specific wear determinations through the x-ray florescence analysis of machine fluids. While the actual nature of the invention covered herein can only be determined with reference to the claims appended hereto, certain aspects of the invention that are characteristic of the embodiments disclosed herein are described briefly as follows. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for monitoring wear of the wear surfaces of machine parts. The wear surfaces are provided with tagants, and x-ray florescence analysis of the lubricating fluid is employed to determine amounts of the tagants in the lubricating fluid. Each of the wear surfaces of the machine contains one or more of the tagants and the tagant composition of each wear surface is different. Thus, from the results of the x-ray florescence analysis, wear can be determined on a component specific basis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself, and the manner in which it may be made and used, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying figures forming a part thereof. FIG. 1 flow diagram of a method for detecting wear of machine components. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system for determining the wear of engine components. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a flow through x-ray florescence spectrometer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same, where like reference numerals are used to describe like structures. Nevertheless, as it is the claims that define the invention, it is to be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended by any specific language used to describe the illustrated embodiments. Alterations and further modifications in the illustrated embodiments and further applications of the principles of the invention are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Briefly, in one aspect the present invention provides for the determination of machine component wear through the detection of tagants in a lubricating fluid. Tagants are material that has been provided in signature amounts in each of the wear surfaces of the various components. The tagants are not intended to influence the component's function, but rather are chosen to be detectable as the respective component wears via elemental analysis of the lubricating fluid. Because the signature tagant composition of each wear surface is different, the amounts of the tagants detected in the lubricating fluid can be associated with the individual wear surfaces to provide component specific wear information. This component-specific wear information may then be tracked and utilized in scheduling maintenance and predicting and preventing failures of the machine. It is to be understood that tagants are elements or compounds that are incorporated into a wear surface for purposes of identification. A variety of materials could be employed, but substances that would cause significant deterioration in the mechanical wear properties of the wear surface are not good candidates for the tagants. Rather, in a typical application, these tagants will be materials that, while not ordinarily present in the wear surface, are compatible with the wear surfaces and do not lead to significant degradation of the performance of the wear surfaces, at least when incorporated in small amounts, e.g. around 1 atomic %. For example, where the wear surface is metallic, the tagants should be metallurgically compatible with the wear surface. An example would be metal atoms that fit into the metal matrix of the wear surface. In a preferred embodiment, the tagants are selected such that, as the tagants are released into the lubricating as an incident to machine component wear, the tagants are detectable in the lubricating fluid via x-ray florescence analysis (XRF). It is to be appreciated that the use of x-ray florescence analysis allows the accurate determination of wear and wear rates even with only trace levels of the tagants in the lubricating fluid. As a result, the concentration of the tagants initially in the wear surfaces need not be very large, and in most cases will be very small. While the precise concentration of tagants in the wear surfaces will depend on the nature of the wear surface and the particular application, it is expected that useful tagant concentrations in the wear surface may be less than about 5 atomic %, for example between about 1 and 5 atomic %. Elements suitable for detection via XRF include those having an atomic number above 20 (calcium) and/or any of the metals in row 5 or higher of the periodic table. While any suitable compound or element may be employed in a given application, particularly suitable elements for use as tagants according to the present invention include vanadium, chromium, cobalt, gold, silver, tungsten and indium. Referring to FIG. 1, a method for detecting wear of a machine on a component specific basis is depicted. The method involves providing the components with wear surfaces bearing tagants 60. The tagants may be uniformly distributed throughout the wear surfaces. Where a wear surface is composed of multiple layers, the tagants may be uniformly distributed in one or more of the layers of the wear surface. For example, the tagants can be dispersed in a laminated layer of a machine part. Alternatively, or in addition to uniform distribution throughout the wear surface, tagants can be confined to a discrete localized area or depth within the wear surface. This can be in the form of a pill or plug positioned beneath the initial wear surface or by confining the tagants to a layer (such as a laminated layer) beneath the surface that would be exposed after a certain amount of wear. Thus, the tagants are positioned at a predetermined wear depth and provide a means to determine when a particular level of wear has occurred. It is to be understood that any of a variety of conventional mechanisms of material construction can be employed to incorporate, or dope, the tagants into the wear surfaces. For example, to achieve uniform distribution, the tagants can be added to the wear surfaces during initial construction of the wear surface by appropriate metallurgic alteration of the surface material. Tagants may also be doped into the surface, or a layer of the surface, via a deposition process, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD). To achieve a discrete localized concentration of the tagants, a pill or plug containing the tagants can be machined into the wear surface. Suitable parts constructed with the tagant-bearing wear surfaces can be a family of similar wear parts of an engine, for example a series of bearings or a series of pistons in an engine. This family of components, e.g. each of the bearings, will typically be of substantially identical material compositions save the difference in their composition of tagants. These parts are then incorporated into the machine to be monitored, and as the machine is used the lubricating fluid, which is in fluid communication with each of the parts, is sampled 64. The sampling is preferably continuous or substantially continuous, such as with an in-line sensor, but intermittent or batch sampling can also be employed. The presence of tagants in the lubricating fluid is the detected 66 over time using a suitable XRF device. A suitable in-line and on-board XRF is depicted in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,039. U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,847 to Nelson depicts another suitable flow-through x-ray florescence meter for on-board fluid analysis. The principal of operation of an XRF device is generally known and is described herein with reference to FIG. 3 which schematically illustrates a flow-through x-ray florescence meter 11. In the XRF meter 11, a sample fluid flows through conduit 17 and x-rays 16 from an x-ray source 15 interrogate the sample. When interrogated by the x-rays 16, atoms in the sample are excited, and as they relax from their excited energy levels they produce a florescence response 18. This response 18 is detected by a detector 19, which is typically a multi-channel detector. The detected response is then analyzed to determine the elemental content of the sample. A typical method of analysis is to quantitatively determine fluorescent photon counts for photons having different energy levels to determine a florescence spectrum. Then, knowing a priori the florescence spectrum for various atomic materials potentially in the sample, the detected florescence spectrum is mathematically resolved so as to determine the amounts of different atomic materials in the sample. Having determined the amounts of the tagants in the lubricating fluid over time, the wear rates of the various tagant bearing components of the machine are then determined 68. These wear rates are calculated by calculating the changes in the detected levels of the tagants in the lubricating fluid on a tagant-by-tagant basis. The individual changes in each tagant level are then correlated with wear rates for each of the components based on the know initial concentration of each tagant in each of the wear surfaces. Preferably, the number of different tagants used in all of the parts together is equal to or greater than the number of tagant-bearing parts, for example with each individual part including at least one tagant not found in any other part. For example, in a simplified case, each wear surface contains a single, unique tagant uniformly dispersed in the wear surface. Accordingly, an increase in one tagant in the lubricating fluid directly corresponds to an increase in wear of a the corresponding component. Where a tagant is found in more than one part, a series of multi-variable equations may be constructed and mathematically solved where the change in concentration of each tagant in the lubricating fluid is modeled as a linear combination of the wear rates of each tagant-bearing part multiplied by the concentration of the respective tagant in the part. While embodiments are contemplated where each wear surface would include multiple tagants, it is to be understood that for individualized monitoring to be effective, each surface should have a signature tagant composition. Turning now to FIG. 2, a system for machine health determination is schematically depicted. A machine, depicted as block 100, has on board, a system 101 for monitoring lubricating oil from an engine 111. The engine 111 has a lubricating oil pump 112 with a pump intake line 113 and discharge line 114. The discharge line has a tee junction at 116 to split the flow for supplying the engine on line 117 and supplying oil for sampling on line 118 to master valve 119. When valve 119 is open, a portion of the oil flowing in line 114 passes through valve 119, line 121 and oil cooler 122 into the oil sample line 47, which passes the oil through the x-ray florescence meter 11. Oil exiting the meter 11 on line 48 then passes through a one-way valve 123 before re-joining oil flow from the engine to the pump inlet at tee junction 124. A signal processor 34 receives and amplifies the signals from the detector 19 of XRF meter 11 (see FIG. 3) under control of computer 39. Computer 39, receiving signals from the analyzer 37 and from any desired manual inputs, includes signal processing electronics and programming instructions operable to determine the presence and the amount of the tagants in line 47 based on the signals received from the detector 19. The computer 39 can be any of many general purpose computers commercially available and programmed to cooperate with the analyzer 37 to perform the tasks normally related to x-ray florescence analysis according to the present invention. Alternatively, special purpose computers designed specifically to accomplish one or more of the tasks to implement the present invention can also be used. Tasks to be performed include collecting fluorescent x-ray intensity data, subtracting background data, and converting fluorescent x-ray data into concentration values for the tagants. Additional tasks to be performed by computer 39 include storing the tagant concentration data, determining changes in the tagant levels, and mathematically correlating those changes to wear and/or wear rates of specific parts. Results determined by the computer are transmitted to a user interface 43 and then to a controller 131, for example, or to a viewing screen 133. These results can include a warning signal when the wear of one of the components exceeds a predetermined limit. An output signal line 136 is shown from controller 131 to the engine 111. The signal on such line could be used to control speed or load or to shut-down an engine in response to detection of a dangerous wear condition or impending failure of the engine due to excessive wear or destruction of one or more engine components. Other outputs from the computer 39 can be used to do any of a variety of things. For example a wireless transmitter 132 may be used to transmit the results to a remote observer or remote computer (not shown). This remote observe or computer (or the onboard computer) can collect the component-specific wear information and use it in scheduling maintenance and predicting failures of the machine. In the illustrated embodiment, the flowing oil sampler is connected to oil line 116 separately from the main oil line 117, and thus interrogates oil selectively diverted from the main line. It is also contemplated that the sampler can be provided in oil line 114, 117 and thus be operable to interrogate all engine oil from pump 112 rather than a portion oil selectively diverted therefrom. The machine components whose wear can be detected according to the present invention include bearings, shafts, journals, and any other wetted mechanical component. These components can be metallic or composite. A particular application of the present invention is in determining wear rates of different bearings in a turbine engine, for example a gas turbine engine or jet engine. CLOSURE While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. Only certain embodiments have been shown and described, and all changes, equivalents, and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention described herein are desired to be protected. Any experiments, experimental examples, or experimental results provided herein are intended to be illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered limiting or restrictive with regard to the invention scope. Further, any theory, mechanism of operation, proof, or finding stated herein is meant to further enhance understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way to such theory, mechanism of operation, proof, or finding. Thus, the specifics of this description and the attached drawings should not be interpreted to limit the scope of this invention to the specifics thereof. Rather, the scope of this invention should be evaluated with reference to the claims appended hereto. In reading the claims it is intended that when words such as “a”, “an”, “at least one”, and “at least a portion” are used there is no intention to limit the claims to only one item unless specifically stated to the contrary in the claims. Further, when the language “at least a portion” and/or “a portion” is used, the claims may include a portion and/or the entire items unless specifically stated to the contrary. Likewise, where the term “input” or “output” is used in connection with an electric device or fluid processing unit, it should be understood to comprehend singular or plural and one or more signal channels or fluid lines as appropriate in the context. Finally, all publications, patents, and patent applications cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the extent not inconsistent with the present disclosure as if each were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference and set forth in its entirety herein. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The present invention relates generally to machine wear detection, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to component-specific wear determination by analysis of a lubricating fluid. Machines perform a variety of valuable functions in industry, but they require ongoing maintenance. Because of the costs associated with performing both preventative and corrective maintenance, significant attention is given to developing and implementing efficient maintenance programs. The general goal of most maintenance programs is to protect the machine and prolong its useful life while minimizing down time and other maintenance expenses. Some maintenance programs are schedule-based. In these, intervals are established for certain preventative maintenance tasks, such as inspection or replacement of certain components or groups of components, and the task is performed upon the expiration of the interval. However, too frequent preventative maintenance is costly, in terms of labor, materials and the loss of use during the needed machine down time. Conversely, increasing the preventative maintenance intervals increases the chance a machine will fail during use, which itself can be costly as well as dangerous and inconvenient. Furthermore, some failures, such as where a component malfunctions due to damage, an inherent defect, improper installation, etc. are often unpredictable and therefore are difficult to head off with preventative maintenance performed solely on a calendar based or use based schedule. Condition-based maintenance programs are attempts to efficiently address these concerns and to reduce the risks of machine failures by determining maintenance, at least in part, based on measurements of the actual condition of the machine. In a condition-based maintenance program, data is gathered in an effort to ascertain the physical condition of the machine and its various components. This data is then used to guide the scheduling of maintenance, for example by establishing safe limits for a certain measured parameter and then determining the need for maintenance when the measured value exceeds those limits. Since the condition of the machine's fluids can provide information about the condition of the machine, measurements performed on the machine's fluids are a useful source of input data for condition-based maintenance programs. For example, when the moving parts of a machine experience wear, fine particles are typically dispersed into the machine's lubricating fluid. A determination of the amount of these fine particles in the fluid therefore can be used to assess the amount of the machine wear. However, the simple quantification of fine particles in the lubricating fluid is a non-specific indication of wear. In other words, the fine particles may have originated from various sources, each of which can be experiencing wear. As a result, particle count measurements can fail to capture the true state of the machine, and this potential for error increases as the number of wearing parts increases. For example, a gas turbine engine may have several bearings along a drive shaft. Accordingly, a situation could arise where one of these bearing wears at an abnormally high rate, putting the engine at risk of failure. However, the remaining bearings could wear at sufficiently low rates that the overall quantity of wear material in the lubricating fluid of the bearings does not indicate any impending failure. Unfortunately, the ability to detect such a condition or to otherwise provide component-specific wear information in machines is limited. Accordingly, there is a need for systems and techniques that obtain more specific machine wear information, and in certain forms, the present invention addresses this need. In these or in other forms the present invention provides useful and cost effective improvements for the condition-based maintenance of machines. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention provides systems and techniques for component specific wear determinations through the x-ray florescence analysis of machine fluids. While the actual nature of the invention covered herein can only be determined with reference to the claims appended hereto, certain aspects of the invention that are characteristic of the embodiments disclosed herein are described briefly as follows. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for monitoring wear of the wear surfaces of machine parts. The wear surfaces are provided with tagants, and x-ray florescence analysis of the lubricating fluid is employed to determine amounts of the tagants in the lubricating fluid. Each of the wear surfaces of the machine contains one or more of the tagants and the tagant composition of each wear surface is different. Thus, from the results of the x-ray florescence analysis, wear can be determined on a component specific basis. | 20040924 | 20070227 | 20060330 | 99394.0 | G01N23223 | 0 | SONG, HOON K | COMPONENT SPECIFIC MACHINE WEAR DETERMINATION WITH X-RAY FLUORESCENCE SPECTROMETRY | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | G01N | 2,004 |
|
10,949,972 | ACCEPTED | Speech recognition using automatic recognition turn off | Large vocabulary speech recognition can automatically turn recognition off in one or more ways. A user command can turn on recognition that is automatically turned off after the next end of utterance. A plurality of buttons can each be associated with a different speech mode and the touch of a given button can turn on, and then automatically turn off, the given button's associated speech recognition mode. These selectable modes can include large vocabulary and alphabetic entry modes, or continuous and discrete modes. A first user input can start recognition that allows a sequence of vocabulary words to be recognized and a second user input can start recognition that turns off after one word has been recognized. A first user input can start recognition that allows a sequence of utterances to be recognized and a second user input can start recognition that allows only a single utterance to be recognized. | 1. A computerized method of performing speech recognition comprising: responding to a command input from a user to start recognition by: turning large vocabulary speech recognition on after the receipt of the command; subsequently automatically turning the large vocabulary speech recognition off and leaving it off until receiving another command input from a user to start the recognition; wherein the turning off a speech recognition occurs automatically in response to the first end of utterance detected after said turning on of the speech recognition. 2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the command input which causes the turning on of speech recognition is a non-acoustic input. 3. A method as in claim 2 wherein the speech recognition is continuous speech recognition. 4. A method as in claim 2 wherein the speech recognition is discrete speech recognition. 5. A method as in claim 2 further comprising: outputting a user perceivable representation of the one or more words recognized as a best choice for the utterance preceding the end of utterance detection; then providing a user interface allowing a user to provide correction input to correct errors in the best choice output in response to the recognition of an utterance; and then responding to another of said start recognition command inputs generated after the outputting of the best choice recognized for an utterance before any correction input has been received for said best choice by: confirming said best choice as correct; and repeating said method again for a new utterance starting with receipt of the start recognition command. 6. A method as in claim 5 further including responding to such a confirmation of a best choice by including one or more of the recognized words in said best choice as being part of the current language context used to calculate a language model score for use in subsequent speech recognition. 7. A method as in claim 5 further include responding to such a confirmation of a best choice by using one or more of the recognized words in the best choice as data for altering a language model. 8. A method as in claim 5 further including responding to such a confirmation of a best choice containing a given recognized word by labeling acoustic data from the best choice's corresponding utterance for use in updating one or more acoustic models used in the recognition in of the given recognized word. 9. A method as in claim 2 further including allowing a user to select between a first mode in which recognition turns off after the next end of utterance that is detected after receiving the non-acoustic input, and second mode which does not turn off recognition after said next end of utterance detection. 10. A method as in claim 9 wherein, in said second mode, recognition is automatically turned off in response to a lapse of time of multiple seconds. 11. A method as in claim 2 wherein: the method is performed by software running on a handheld computing device; and the non-acoustic input is the pressing of a button this is either a hardware button or a software created GUI button. 12. A method as in claim 11 wherein the handheld computing device is a cellphone; and the buttons are cellphone buttons. 13. A method as in claim 2 wherein the method is performed by software running on a computer which is part of an automotive vehicle. 14. A method as in claim 2 wherein: said method provides a user interface having a plurality of speech mode selection buttons, which are either hardware or software buttons, each for selecting a respective one from a plurality of different speech recognition modes, which are distinguished from one another by characteristics other than recognition duration and which are all available for selection by the user at one time; and the non-acoustic input which causes the turning on of speech recognition is the pressing of one of said buttons; and the method responds to the pressing of a given speech mode button by turning on speech recognition in the given button's associated mode and then subsequently automatically turning off said recognition in said mode. 15. A method as in claim 14 wherein: the speech recognition mode associated with one of said buttons is a mode that performs said large vocabulary recognition; and the recognition mode associated with another of said buttons is an alphabetic entry mode which performs recognition with a vocabulary for alphabetic entry. 16. A method as in claim 14 wherein: the speech recognition mode associated with one of said buttons is a large vocabulary continuous recognition mode; and the recognition mode associated with another of said buttons is a large vocabulary discrete recognition mode. 17. A method as in claim 14 wherein the handheld computing device is a cellphone; and the buttons are cellphone buttons. 18. A method as in claim 2 wherein: said method responds to a touch of a given button as said start recognition command input from the user and responds to such a touch lasting less than a first duration as a click, and to such a touch lasting longer than a second duration as a press; said method responds to a press by causing speech recognition to be performed on sound for a duration that varies as a function of the length of the press; and said method responds to a click by causing speech recognition to be performed on sound until said first end of utterance after said click is detected. 19. A method as in claim 18 wherein recognition performed in response to a click is discrete recognition and recognition performed in response to a press is continuous recognition. 20. A method as in claim 19 wherein the user interface allows a user to select between: a mode in which recognition in response to a click and recognition in response to a press are both either continuous or discrete; and a mode wherein recognition performed in response to a click is discrete recognition and recognition performed in response to a press is continuous recognition. 21. A method as in claim 18 wherein: the method is practiced on a cellphone; and numbered cellphone buttons act as said mode buttons. 22. A computerized method of performing speech recognition comprising: providing a user interface having a plurality of speech mode selection buttons, each being either a hardware or software button that is associated with a respective one from a plurality of different speech recognition modes, which modes are distinguished from one another by characteristics other than recognition duration, and which buttons are all available for selection by the user at one time; and responding to the pressing of a given one of said speech mode buttons by turning on speech recognition in the given button's associated mode and then subsequently automatically turning off said recognition; wherein: the speech recognition mode associated with one of said buttons is a mode that performs large vocabulary recognition; and the recognition mode associated with another of said buttons is an alphabetic entry mode which performs recognition with a vocabulary for alphabetic entry. 23. A method as in claim 22 wherein: said method responds to a touch of a given speech mode selection button lasting less than a first duration as a click, and to such a touch lasting longer than a second duration as a press; said method responds to a press by causing speech recognition in the given button's associated mode to be performed on sound for a duration that varies as a function of the length of the press; and said method responds to a click by causing speech recognition in the given button's associated mode to be performed on sound for a duration that is independent of the particular duration of the touch that has been responded to as said click. 24. A method as in claim 22 wherein: the method is practiced on a cellphone; and numbered cellphone buttons act as said speech mode selection buttons. 25. A computerized method of performing speech recognition comprising: providing a user interface having a plurality of speech mode selection buttons, each being either a hardware or software button that is associated with a respective one from a plurality of different speech recognition modes, which modes are distinguished from one another by characteristics other than recognition duration, and which buttons are available for selection by the user at one time; and responding to the pressing of a given one of said speech mode buttons by turning on speech recognition in the given button's associated mode and then subsequently automatically turning off said recognition; wherein: the speech recognition mode associated with one of said buttons is a mode that performs discrete speech recognition; and the recognition mode associated with another of said buttons is a mode which performs continuous speech recognition. 26. A method as in claim 25 wherein: said method responds to a touch of a given speech mode selection button lasting less than a first duration as a click, and to such a touch lasting longer than a second duration as a press; said method responds to a press by causing speech recognition in the given button's associated mode to be performed on sound for a duration that varies as a function of the length of the press; and said method responds to a click by causing speech recognition in the given button's associated mode to be performed on sound for a duration that is independent of the particular duration of the touch that has been responded to as said click. 27. A method as in claim 25 wherein: the method is practiced on a cellphone; and numbered cellphone buttons act as said speech mode selection buttons. 28. A computerized method of performing speech recognition comprising: responding to a first user input by starting a first speech recognition mode that allows a sequence of vocabulary words to be recognized in response to said first input; and responding to a second user input by starting a second speech recognition mode that allows only one vocabulary words to be recognized in response to said second input. 29. A computerized method of performing speech recognition comprising: responding to a first user input by starting a first speech recognition mode that allows a sequence of utterances to be recognized in response to said first input; and responding to a second user input by starting a second speech recognition mode that allows only one utterance to be recognized in response to said second input. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims the priority of, a parent application, i.e., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/227,653, entitled “Methods, Systems, and Programming For Performing Speech Recognition”, filed on Sep. 6, 2002 by Daniel L. Roth et al. This parent application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims the priority of, a grandparent application, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/302,053, which has the same title as the parent application (i.e., “Methods, Systems, and Programming For Performing Speech Recognition”) and was filed one day before the parent application (i.e., on Sep. 5, 2002), by Daniel L. Roth et al. The grandparent application claims the priority of the following United States provisional applications, all of which were filed on Sep. 5, 2001, and all of which were referenced in priority claims contained in the parent and grandparent applications as well as this current application: U.S. Provisional Patent App. 60/317,333, entitled “Systems, Methods, and Programming for Speech Recognition Using Selectable Recognition Modes” by Daniel L. Roth et al. U.S. Provisional Patent App. 60/317,433, entitled “Systems, Methods, and Programming for Speech Recognition Using Automatic Recognition Turn Off” by Daniel L. Roth et al. U.S. Provisional Patent App. 60/317,431, entitled “Systems, Methods, and Programming for Speech Recognition Using Ambiguous Or Phone Key Spelling And/Or Filtering” by Daniel L. Roth et al. U.S. Provisional Patent App. 60/317,329, entitled “Systems, Methods, and Programming For Phone Key Control Of Speech Recognition” by Daniel L. Roth et al. U.S. Provisional Patent App. 60/317,330, entitled “Systems, Methods, and Programming for Word Recognition Using Choice Lists” by Daniel L. Roth et al. U.S. Provisional Patent App. 60/317,331, entitled “Systems, Methods, and Programming For Word Recognition Using Word Transformation Commands” by Daniel L. Roth et al. U.S. Provisional Patent App. 60/317,423, entitled “Systems, Methods, and Programming For Word Recognition Using Filtering Commands” by Daniel L. Roth et al. U.S. Provisional Patent App. 60/317,422, entitled “Systems, Methods, and Programming For Speech Recognition Using Phonetic Models” by Daniel L. Roth et al. U.S. Provisional Patent App. 60/317,421, entitled “Systems, Methods, and Programming For Large Vocabulary Speech Recognition In Handheld Computing Devices” by Daniel L. Roth et al. U.S. Provisional Patent App. 60/317,430, entitled “Systems, Methods, and Programming For Combined Speech And Handwriting Recognition” by Daniel L. Roth et al. U.S. Provisional Patent App. 60/317,432, entitled “Systems, Methods, and Programming For Performing Re-Utterance Recognition” by Daniel L. Roth et al. U.S. Provisional Patent App. 60/317,435, entitled “Systems, Methods, and Programming For Combined Speech Recognition And Text-To-Speech Generation” by Daniel L. Roth et al. U.S. Provisional Patent App. 60/317,434 entitled “Systems, Methods, and Programming For Sound Recording” by Daniel L. Roth et al. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to methods, systems, and programming for performing speech recognition. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Discrete large-vocabulary speech recognition systems have been available for use on desktop personal computers for approximately twelve years by the time of the writing of this patent application. Discrete speech recognition can only recognize a single set of one or more recognition candidates, each consisting of one vocabulary word, per utterance, where a vocabulary word, for example, can correspond to a single word, a letter name, or even a multiword phrase the system treats as one word. Continuous speech recognition, on the other hand, can produce a sequence of sets of one or more recognition candidates, each consisting of one or more vocabulary words in response to a single utterance. Continuous large-vocabulary speech recognition systems have been available for use on such computers for approximately seven years by this time. Such speech recognition systems have proven to be of considerable worth. In fact, much of the text of the present patent application has been prepared by the use of a large-vocabulary continuous speech recognition system. As used in this specification and the claims that follow, when we refer to a large-vocabulary speech recognition system, we mean one that has the ability to recognize a given utterance as being any one of at least two thousand different vocabulary words at one time, with the recognition depending upon which of those words has corresponding phonetic or acoustic models that most closely match the given spoken word. As indicated by FIG. 1, large-vocabulary speech recognition typically functions by having a user 100 speak into a microphone 102, which in the example of FIG. 1 is a microphone of a cellular telephone 104. The microphone transduces the variation in air pressure over time caused by the utterance of one or more words into a corresponding waveform represented by an electronic signal 106. In many speech recognition systems this waveform signal is converted, by digital signal processing performed either by a computer processor or by a special digital signal processor 108, into a time domain representation. Often the time domain representation comprises a plurality of parameter frames 112, each of which represents properties of the sound represented by the waveform 106 at each of a plurality of successive time periods, such as every one-hundredth of a second. As indicated in FIG. 2, the time domain, or frame, representation of an utterance to be recognized is then matched against a plurality of possible sequences of phonetic models 200 corresponding to different words in a large vocabulary. In most large-vocabulary speech recognition systems, individual words 202 are each represented by a corresponding phonetic spelling 204, similar to the phonetic spellings found in most dictionaries. Each phoneme in a phonetic spelling has one or more phonetic models 200 associated with it. In many systems the models 200 are phoneme-in-context models, which model the sound of their associated phoneme when it occurs in the context of the preceding and following phoneme in a given word's phonetic spelling. The phonetic models are commonly composed of the sequence of one or more probability models, each of which represents the probability of different parameter values for each of the parameters used in the frames of the time domain representation 110 of an utterance to be recognized. One of the major trends in personal computing in recent years has been the increased use of smaller and often more portable computing devices. Originally most personal computing was performed upon desktop computers of the general type represented by FIG. 3. Then there was an increase in usage of even smaller personal computers in the form of laptop computers, which are not shown in the drawings because laptop computers have roughly the same type of computational capabilities and user interface as desktop computers. Most current large-vocabulary speech recognition systems have been designed for use on such systems. Recently there has been an increase in the use of new types of computers such as the tablet computer shown in FIG. 4, the personal digital assistant computer shown in FIG. 5, cell phones which have increased computing power, shown in FIG. 6, wrist phone computers represented in FIG. 7, and a wearable computer which provides a user interface with a screen and eye tracking and/or audio output provided from a head wearable device as indicated in FIG. 8. Because of recent increases in computing power, such new types of devices can have computational power equal to that of the first desktops on which discrete large-vocabulary recognition systems were provided and, in some cases, as much computational power as was provided on desktop computers that first ran large vocabulary continuous speech recognition. The computational capacities of such smaller and/or more portable personal computers will only grow as time goes by. One of the more important challenges involved in providing effective large-vocabulary speech recognition on ever more portable computers is that of providing a user interface that makes it easier and faster to create, edit, and use speech recognition on such devices. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to speech recognition that can automatically turn recognition off in one or more ways. One aspect of the invention includes using large vocabulary speech recognition with a user command that turns on recognition that is then automatically turned off after the next end of utterance detection and stays off until receiving another command to turn recognition back on. Another aspect of the invention includes using large vocabulary speech recognition with a plurality of buttons, each associated with a different speech mode, and responding to a touch of a given button by automatically turning on its speech mode and then automatically turning that mode off until receiving another command to turn it on. In one such aspect of the invention the button selectable modes include large vocabulary and alphabetic entry speech recognition mode; in another they include continuous and discrete speech recognition modes. One aspect of the invention include speech recognition in which a first user input starts large vocabulary recognition mode that allows a sequence of multiple vocabulary words to be recognized and a second user input starts a large vocabulary recognition mode that allows only a single vocabulary word to be recognized. This means that in response to a single first input recognition can continue for multiple successive words and that in respond to a single second input recognition will stop after the recognition of one word (i.e., the recognition stops the scoring, selecting, and outputting words from the large vocabulary after one such word has been selected and produced as an output). Another aspect of the invention includes speech recognition which responds to a single user input of a first type by starting a large vocabulary speech recognition mode that allows a sequence of utterances to be recognized and responds to a single user input of a second type by starting a large vocabulary speech recognition mode that allows only a single utterance to be recognized. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other aspects of the present invention will become more evident upon reading the following description of the preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings: FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of how spoken sound can be converted into acoustic parameter frames for use by speech recognition software. FIG. 2 a schematic illustration of how speech recognition, using phonetic spellings, can be used to recognize words represented by a sequence of parameter frames such as those shown in FIG. 1, and how the time alignment between phonetic models of the word can be used to time align those words against the original acoustic signal from which the parameter frames have been derived. FIGS. 3 through 8 show a progression of different types of computing platforms upon which many aspects of the present invention can be used, illustrating the trend toward smaller and/or more portable computing devices. FIG. 9 illustrates a personal digital assistant, or PDA, device having a touch screen displaying a software input panel, or SIP, embodying many aspects of the present invention, that allows entry by speech recognition of text into application programs running on such a device. FIG. 10 is a highly schematic illustration of many of the hardware and software components that can be found in a PDA of the type shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a blowup of the screen image shown in FIG. 9, used to point out many of the specific elements of the speech recognition SIP shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 12 is similar to FIG. 11 except that it also illustrates a correction window produced by the speech recognition SIP and many of its graphical user interface elements. FIGS. 13 through 17 provide a highly simplified pseudocode description of the responses that the speech recognition SIP makes to various inputs, particularly inputs received from its graphical user interface. FIG. 18 is a highly simplified pseudocode description of the recognition duration logic used to determine the length of time for which speech recognition is turned on in response to the pressing of one or more user interface buttons, either in the speech recognition SIP shown in FIG. 9 or in the cellphone embodiment shown starting at FIG. 59. FIG. 19 is a highly simplified pseudocode description of a help mode that enables a user to see a description of the functions associated with each element of the speech recognition SIP of FIG. 9 merely by touching it. FIGS. 20 and 21 are screen images produced by the help mode described in FIG. 19. FIG. 22 is a highly simplified pseudocode description of a displayChoiceList routine used in various forms by both the speech recognition SIP of FIG. 9 and the cellphone embodiment of FIG. 59 to display correction windows. FIG. 23 is a highly simplified pseudocode description of the getChoices routine used in various forms by both the speech recognition SIP and the cellphone embodiment to generate one or more choice list for use by the displayChoiceList routine of FIG. 22. FIGS. 24 and 25 illustrate the utterance list data structure used by the getChoices routine of FIG. 23. FIG. 26 is a highly simplified pseudocode description of a filter Match routine used by the getChoices routine to limit correction window choices to match filtering input, if any, entered by a user. FIG. 27 is a highly simplified pseudocode description of a word Form List routine used in various forms by both the speech recognition SIP and the cellphone embodiment to generate a word form correction list that displays alternate forms of a given word or selection. FIGS. 28 and 29 provided a highly simplified pseudocode description of a filterEdit routine used in various forms by both the speech recognition SIP and cellphone embodiment to edit a filter string used by the filter Match routine of FIG. 26 in response to alphabetic filtering information input from a user. FIG. 30 provides a highly simplified pseudocode description of a filtercharacterchoice routine used in various forms by both the speech recognition SIP and cellphone embodiment to display choice lists for individual characters of a filter string. FIGS. 31 through 35 illustrate a sequence of interactions between a user and the speech recognition SIP, in which the user enters and corrects the recognition of words using a one-at-a-time discrete speech recognition method. FIG. 36 shows how a user of the SIP can correct a mis-recognition shown at the end of FIG. 35 by a scrolling through the choice list provided in the correction window until finding a desired word and then using a capitalized button to capitalize it before entering it into text. FIG. 37 shows how a user of the SIP can correct such a mis-recognition by selecting part of an alternate choice in the correction window and using it as a filter for selecting the desired speech recognition output. FIG. 38 shows how a user of the SIP can select two successive alphabetically ordered alternate choices in the correction window to cause the speech recognizer's output to be limited to output starting with a sequence of characters alphabetically located between the two selected choices. FIG. 39 illustrates how a user of the SIP can use the speech recognition of letter names (i.e., of “a”, “b”, “c”, etc.) to input filtering characters and how a filter character choice list can be used to correct errors in the recognition of such filtering characters. FIG. 40 illustrates how a user of the SIP recognizer can enter one or more characters of a filter string using the international communication alphabets and how the SIP interface can show the user the words out of that alphabet. FIG. 41 shows how a user can select an initial sequence of characters from an alternate choice in the correction window and then use international communication alphabets to add characters to that sequence so as to complete the spelling of a desired output. FIGS. 42 through 44 illustrate a sequence of user interactions in which the user enters and edits text into the SIP using continuous speech recognition. FIG. 45 illustrates how the user can correct a mis-recognition by spelling all or part of the desired output using continuous letter name recognition as an ambiguous (or multivalued) filter, and how the user can use filter character choice lists to rapidly correct errors produced in such continuous letter name recognition. FIG. 46 illustrates how the speech recognition SIP also enables a user to input characters by handwritten character recognition. —FIG. 47 is a highly simplified pseudocode description of a character recognition mode used by the SIP when performing handwritten character recognition of the type shown in FIG. 46. FIG. 48 illustrates how the speech recognition SIP lets a user input text using another type of handwriting recognition. FIG. 49 is a highly simplified pseudocode description of the handwriting recognition mode used by the SIP when performing handwriting recognition of the type shown in FIG. 48. FIG. 50 illustrates how the speech recognition system enables a user to input text with a software keyboard. FIG. 51 illustrates a filter entry mode menu that can be selected to choose from different methods of entering filtering information, including speech recognition, character recognition, handwriting recognition, and software keyboard input. FIGS. 52 through 54 illustrates how either character recognition, handwriting recognition, or software keyboard input can be used to filter speech recognition choices produced by in the SIP's correction window. FIGS. 55 and 56 illustrate how the SIP allows speech recognition of words or filtering characters to be used to correct handwriting recognition input. FIG. 57 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the SIP in which there are two separate top-level buttons to select between discrete and continuous speech recognition. FIG. 58 is a highly simplified description of an alternate embodiment of the displayChoiceList routine of FIG. 22 in which the choice list produced orders choices only by recognition score, rather than by alphabetical ordering as in FIG. 22. FIG. 59 illustrates a cellphone that embodies many aspects of the present invention. FIG. 60 provides a highly simplified block diagram of the major components of a typical cellphone such as that shown in FIG. 59. FIG. 61 is a highly simplified block diagram of various programming and data structures contained in one or more mass storage devices on the cellphone of FIG. 59. FIG. 62 illustrates that the cellphone of FIG. 59 allows traditional phone dialing by the pressing of numbered phone keys. FIG. 63 is a highly simplified pseudocode description of the command structure of the cellphone of FIG. 59 when in its top level phone mode, as illustrated by the screen shown in the top of FIG. 62. FIG. 64 illustrates how a user of the cellphone of FIG. 59 can access and quickly view the commands of a main menu by pressing the menu key on the cellphone. FIGS. 65 and 66 provide a highly simplified pseudocode description of the operation of the main menu illustrated in FIG. 64. FIGS. 67 through 74 illustrate command mappings of the cellphone's numbered keys in each of various important modes and menus associated with a speech recognition text editor that operates on the cellphone of FIG. 59. FIG. 75 illustrates how user of the cellphone's text editing software can rapidly see the function associated with one or more keys in a non-menu mode by pressing the menu button and scrolling through a command list that can be used substantially in the same manner as a menu of the type shown in FIG. 64. FIGS. 76 through 78 provide a highly simplified pseudocode description of the responses of the cellphone's speech recognition program when in its text window editor mode. FIGS. 79 and 80 provide a highly simplified pseudocode description of an entry mode menu, which can be accessed from various speech recognition modes to select among various ways to enter text. FIGS. 81 through 83 provide a highly simplified pseudocode description of the correction Window routine used by the cellphone to display a correction window and to respond to user input when such correction window is shown. FIG. 84 is a highly simplified pseudocode description of an edit navigation menu that allows a user to select various ways of navigating with the cellphone's navigation keys when the edit mode's text window is displayed. FIG. 85 is a highly simplified pseudocode description of a correction window navigation menu that allows the user to select various ways of navigating with the cellphone's navigation keys when in a correction window, and also to select from among different ways the correction window can respond to the selection of an alternate choice in a correction window. FIGS. 86 through 88 provide highly simplified pseudocode descriptions of three slightly different embodiments of the key Alpha mode, which enables a user to enter a letter by saying a word starting with that letter and which responds to the pressing of a phone key by substantially limiting such recognition to words starting with one of the three or four letters associated with the pressed key. FIGS. 89 and 90 provide a highly simplified pseudocode description of some of the options available under the edits options menu that is accessible from many of the modes of the cellphone's speech recognition programming. FIGS. 91 and 92 provide a highly simplified description of a word type menu that can be used to limit recognition choices to a particular type of word, such as a particular grammatical type of word. FIG. 93 provides a highly simplified pseudocode description of an entry preference menu that can be used to set default recognition settings for various speech recognition functions, or to set recognition duration settings. FIG. 94 provides a highly simplified pseudocode description of text-to-speech playback operation available on the cellphone. FIG. 95 provides a highly simplified pseudocode description of how the cellphone's text to speech generation uses programming and data structures also used by the cellphone's speech recognition. FIG. 96 is a highly simplified pseudocode description of the cellphone's transcription mode that makes it easier for a user to transcribe audio recorded on the cellphone using the device's speech recognition capabilities. FIG. 97 is a highly simplified pseudocode description of programming that enables the cellphone's speech recognition editor to be used to enter and edit text in dialogue boxes presented on the cellphone, as well as to change the state of controls such as list boxes, check boxes, and radio buttons in such dialog boxes. FIG. 98 is a highly simplified pseudocode description of a help routine available on the cellphone to enable a user to rapidly find descriptions of various locations in the cellphone's command structure. FIGS. 99 and 100 illustrate examples of help menus of the type that are displayed by the programming of FIG. 98. FIGS. 101 and 102 illustrate how a user can use the help programming of FIG. 98 to rapidly search for, and receive descriptions of, the functions associated with various portions of the cellphone's command structure. FIGS. 103 and 104 illustrate a sequence of interactions between a user and the cellphone's speech recognition editor's user interface in which the user enters and corrects text using continuous speech recognition. FIG. 105 illustrates how a user can scroll horizontally in a correction window displayed on the cellphone. FIG. 106 illustrates how the KeyAlpha recognition mode can be used to enter alphabetic input into the cellphone's text editor window. FIG. 107 illustrates operation of the key Alpha mode shown in FIG. 86. FIGS. 108 and 109 illustrate how the cellphone's speech recognition editor allows the user to address and enter and edit text in an e-mail message that can be sent by the cellphone's wireless communication capabilities. FIG. 110 illustrates how the cellphone's speech recognition can combine scores from the discrete recognition of one or more words with scores from a prior continuous recognition of those words to help produce the desired output. FIG. 111 illustrates how the cellphone speech recognition software can be used to enter a URL for the purposes of accessing a World Wide Web site using the wireless communication capabilities of the cellphone. FIGS. 112 and 113 illustrate how elements of the cellphone's speech recognition user interface can be used to navigate World Wide Web pages and to select items and enter and edit text in the fields of such web pages. FIG. 114 illustrates how elements of the cellphone speech recognition-user interface can be used to enable a user to more easily read text strings too large to be seen at one time in a text field displayed on the cellphone screens, such as a text fields of a web page or dialogue box. FIG. 115 illustrates the cellphone's find dialog box, how a user can enter a search string into that dialog box by speech recognition, how the find function then performs a search for the entered string, and how the found text can be used to label audio recorded on the cellphone. FIG. 116 illustrates how the dialog box editor programming shown in FIG. 97 enable speech recognition to be used to select from among possible values associated with a list boxes. FIG. 117 illustrates how speech recognition can be used to dial people by name, and how the audio playback and recording capabilities of the cellphone can be used during such a cellphone call. FIG. 118 illustrates how speech recognition can be turned on and off when the cellphone is recording audio to insert text labels or text comments into recorded audio. FIG. 119 illustrates how the cellphone enables a user to have speech recognition performed on portions of previously recorded audio. FIG. 120 illustrates how the cellphone enables a user to strip text recognized for a given segment of sound from the audio recording of that sound. FIG. 121 illustrates how the cellphone enables the user to either turn on or off an indication of which portions of a selected segment of text have associated audio recording. FIGS. 122 through 125 illustrate how the cellphone speech recognition software allows the user to enter telephone numbers by speech recognition and to correct the recognition of such numbers when wrong. FIG. 126 illustrates how many aspects of the cellphone embodiment shown in FIG. 59 through 125 can be used in an automotive environment, including the TTS and duration logic aspects of the cellphone embodiment. FIGS. 127 and 128 illustrate that most of the aspects of the cellphone embodiment shown in FIG. 59 through 125 can be used either on cordless phones or landline phones. FIG. 129 provides a highly simplified pseudocode description of the name dialing programming of the cellphone embodiment, which is partially illustrated in FIG. 117. FIG. 130 provides a highly simplified pseudocode description of the cellphone's digit dial programming illustrated in FIGS. 122 through 125. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 9 illustrates the personal digital assistant, or PDA, 900 on which many aspects of the present invention can be used. The PDA shown is similar to the Compaq iPAQ H3650 Pocket PC, the Casio Cassiopeia, and the Hewlett-Packard Jornado 525. The PDA 900 includes a relatively high resolution touch screen 902, which enables the user to select software buttons as well as portions of text by means of touching the touch screen, such as with a stylus 904 or a finger. The PDA also includes a set of input buttons 906 and a two-dimensional navigational control 908. In this specification and the claims that follow, a navigational input device that allows a user to select discrete units of motion on one or more dimensions will normally be considered to be included in the definition of a “button”. This is particularly true with regard to telephone interfaces, in which the Up, Down, Left, and Right inputs of a navigational device will be considered “phone keys” or “phone buttons”. FIG. 10 provides a schematic system diagram of a PDA 900. It shows the touch screen 902 and input buttons 906 (which include the navigational input 908). It also shows that the device has a central processing unit such as a microprocessor 1002. The CPU 1002 is connected over one or more electronic communication buses 1004 with read-only memory 1006 (often flash ROM); random access memory 1008; one or more I/O devices 1010; a video controller 1012 for controlling displays on the touch screen 902; and an audio device 1014 for receiving input from a microphone 1015 and supplying audio output to a speaker 1016. The PDA also includes a battery 1018 for providing it with portable power; a headphone-in and headphone-out jack 1020, which is connected to the audio circuitry 1014; a docking connector 1022 for providing a connection between the PDA and another computer, such as a desktop; and an add-on connector 1024 for enabling a user to add circuitry to the PDA such as additional flash ROM, a modem, a wireless transceiver 1025, or a mass storage device. FIG. 10 shows a mass storage device 1017. In actuality, this mass storage device could be any type of mass storage device, including all or part of the flash ROM 1006 or a miniature hard disk. In such a mass storage device the PDA would normally store an operating system 1026 for providing much of the basic functionality of the device. Commonly it would include one or more application programs, such as a word processor, a spreadsheet, a Web browser, or a personal information management system, in addition to the operating system and in addition to the speech recognition related functionality explained next. When the PDA 900 is used with the present invention, it will normally include speech recognition programming 1030. It includes programming for performing word matching of the general type described above with regard to FIGS. 1 and 2. The speech recognition programming will also normally include one or more vocabularies or vocabulary groupings 1032 including a large vocabulary that includes at least two thousand words. Many large vocabulary systems have a vocabulary of fifty thousand to several hundred thousand words. For each vocabulary word, the vocabulary will normally have a text spelling 1034 and one or more vocabulary groupings 1036 to which the word belongs (for example, the text output “.” might actually be in both a large-vocabulary recognition vocabulary, a spelling vocabulary, and a punctuation vocabulary grouping in some systems). Each vocabulary word will also normally have an indication of the one or more parts of speech 1038 in which the word can be classified, and the phonetic spelling 1040 for the word for each of those parts of speech. The speech recognition programming commonly includes a pronunciation guesser 1042 for guessing the pronunciation of new words that are added to the system and, thus, which do not have a predefined phonetic spelling. The speech recognition programming commonly includes one or more phonetic lexical trees 1044. A phonetic lexical tree is a tree-shaped data structure that groups together in a common path from the tree's root all phonetic spellings that start with the same sequence of phonemes. Using such lexical trees improves recognition performance because it enables all portions of different words that share the same initial phonetic spelling to be scored together. Preferably the speech recognition programming will also include a polygram language model 1045 that indicates the probability of the occurrence of different words in text, including the probability of words occurring in text given one or more preceding and/or following words. Commonly the speech recognition programming will store language model update data 1046, which includes information that can be used to update the polygram language model 1045 just described. Commonly this language model update data will either include or contain statistical information derived from text that the user has created or that the user has indicated is similar to the text that he or she wishes to generate. In FIG. 10 the speech recognition programming is shown storing contact information 1048, which includes names, addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and phonetic spellings for some or all of such information. This data is used to help the speech recognition programming recognize the speaking of such contact information. In many embodiments such contact information will be included in an external program, such as one of the application programs 1028 or accessories to the operating system 1026, but, even in such cases, the speech recognition programming would normally need access to such names, addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and phonetic representations for them. The speech recognition programming will also normally include phonetic acoustic models 1050 which can be similar to the phonetic models 200 shown in FIG. 2. Commonly the speech recognition programming also stores acoustic model update data 1052, which includes information from acoustic signals that have been previously recognized by the system. Commonly such acoustic model update data will be in the form of parameter frames, such as the parameter frames 110 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or in the form of statistical data that has been abstracted from such frames. FIG. 11 provides a close-up view of the user interface provided by the touch screen 902 shown in FIG. 9, with the PDA using a software input panel (or SIP) 1100 embodying many aspects of the present invention. FIG. 12 is similar to FIG. 11 except it shows the touch screen 902 when the speech recognition SIP is displaying a correction window 1200. FIGS. 13 through 17 are successive pages of a pseudocode description of how the speech recognition SIP responds to various inputs on its graphical user interface. For purposes of simplicity this pseudocode is represented as one main event loop 1300 in the SIP program which responds to user input. In FIGS. 13 through 17 this event loop is described as having two major switch statements: a switch statement 1301 in FIG. 13 that responds to inputs on the user interface that can be generated whether or not the correction window 1200 is displayed, and a switch statement 1542 in FIG. 15 that responds to user inputs that can only be generated when the correction window 1200 is displayed. If the user presses the Talk button 1102 shown in FIG. 11, function 1302 of FIG. 13 causes functions 1304 through 1308 to be performed. Function 1304 tests to see if there is any text in the SIP buffer shown by the window 1104 in FIG. 11. In the SIP embodiment shown in the figures, the SIP buffer is designed to hold a relatively small number of lines of text, for which the SIP's software will keep track of the acoustic input and best choices associated with the recognition of each word, and the linguistic context created by such text. Such a text buffer is used because the speech recognition SIP often will not have knowledge about the text in the remote application shown in the window 1106 in FIG. 11 into which the SIP outputs text at the location of the remote application's current cursor 1108. In other embodiments of the invention a much larger SIP buffer could be used. In other embodiments many of the aspects of the present invention will be used as part of an independent speech recognition text creation application that will not require the use of a SIP for the inputting of text. The major advantage of using a speech recognizer that functions as a SIP is that it can be used to provide input for almost any application designed to run on a PDA. Returning to FIG. 13, function 1304 clears any text from the SIP buffer 1104 because the Talk button 1102 is provided as a way for a user to indicate to the SIP that he or she is dictating text in a new context. Thus, if the user of the SIP has moved the cursor 1108 in the application window 1106 of FIG. 11, he should start the next dictation by pressing the Talk button 1102. When function 1304 clears text from the SIP buffer no deletion are sent to the OS text inputs. This is because such clearing of the SIP buffer does not indicate a desire to delete any text in the SIP buffer that may have been sent to the OS text input by the SIP, but rather only a desire to start new dictation. Function 1305 sets a variable or a structure named priorSipBufferLangContext to null. This structure indicates the prior language context, if any, which is to be used for recognition at the start of the SIP buffer. By pressing the Talk button, the user has selected that no prior language context be used at the start of the SIP buffer. Function 1306 in FIG. 13 responds to the pressing of the Talk button removing any correction window, such as the correction window 1200 shown in FIG. 12, that may be currently displayed. If the SIP was in the correction mode at the time the removed correction window was displayed, correction mode is also exited. The SIP shown in the figures has two modes in which it can display a correction window. In the first, used in a one-at-a-time mode before a user has explicitly selected to use the correction window, the SIP is not in correction mode when a correction window is displayed, and the correction window is not selected to receive inputs from most buttons of the main SIP interface. In the second mode, used other than in the circumstances just described, the SIP is in correction mode when the correction window is displayed and it is selected to receive inputs from many of the SIP buttons. This distinction is desirable because the particular SIP shown can be selected to operate in the above mentioned one-at-a-time mode in which words are spoken and recognized discreetly, and in which a correction window is displayed for each word as it is recognized to enable a user to more quickly see the choice list or provide correction input. In one-at-a-time mode most forms of user input not specifically related to making corrections are used to affect or effect the input of subsequent text, as well as to perform the additional function of confirming the first choice displayed in the current choice list as the desired word. In one at a time mode the user can explicitly select to use the correction window, in which case correction mode is entered. When the system is not in one-at-a-time mode, the correction window is usually displayed only when the user has provided input indicating a desire to correct previous input. In such cases the correction window is opened with the SIP in correction mode, because it is assumed that, since the user has chosen to make a correction, most forms of input should be directed to the correction window. It should be appreciated that in systems that only use one-at-a-time recognition, or those that do not use it at all, there would be no need to have the added complication of being able to display correction windows either with or without being in correction mode. Returning to function 1306, it removes any current correction window because the pressing of the Talk button 1302 indicates a desire to start new dictation, rather than an interest in correcting old dictation. Function 1308 of FIG. 13 responds to the pressing of the Talk button by causing SIP buffer recognition to start according to a previously selected current recognition duration mode. Because function 1305 has nulled the priorSipBufferLangContex this recognition takes place without any prior language context for the first word in the SIP buffer. Preferably language model context will be derived from words recognized in response to one pressing of the Talk button and used to provide a language context for the recognition of the second and subsequent words in such recognition. FIG. 18 is a schematic representation of the recognition duration programming 1800 that enables a user to select different modes of activating speech recognition in response to the pressing or clicking of any button in the SIP interface that can be used to start speech recognition. In the shown embodiment there are a plurality of buttons, including the Talk button, each of which can be used to start speech recognition. This enables a user to both select a given mode of recognition and to start recognition in that mode with a single pressing of a button. Function 1802 helps determine which functions of FIG. 18 are performed, depending on the current recognition duration mode. The mode can have been set in multiple different ways, including by default and by selection under the Entry Preference option in the function menu shown in FIG. 46. If the PressOnly recognition duration type has been selected, function 1804 will cause functions 1806 and 1808 to recognize speech sounds that are uttered during the pressing of a speech button. This recognition duration type is both simple and flexible because it enables a user to control the length of recognition by one simple rule: recognition occurs during and only during the pressing of a speech button. Preferably utterance and/or end of utterance detection is used during any recognition mode, to decrease the likelihood that background noises will be recognized as utterances. If the current recognition duration type is the PressAndClickToUtteranceEnd type, function 1810 will cause functions 1812 and 1814 to respond to the pressing of a speech button by recognizing speech during that press. In this case the “pressing” of a speech button is defined as the pushing of such a button for longer than a given duration, such as, for example, longer than one-quarter or one-third of a second. If the user pushes on a speech button for a shorter period of time, that push will be treated as a “click” rather than as a “press,” and functions 181-6 and 1818 will initiate recognition starting from the time of that click until the next end of utterance detection. The PressAndClickToUtteranceEnd recognition duration type has the benefit of enabling the use of one button to rapidly and easily select between a mode that allows a user to select a variable length extended recognition, and a mode that recognizes only a single utterance. If the current recognition duration type is the Press-Continuous,ClickDiscreteToUtterances End type, function 1820 causes functions 1822 through 1828 to be performed. If the speech button is clicked, as just defined, functions 1822 and 1824 perform discrete recognition until the next end of utterance. If, on the other hand, the speech button is pressed, as previously defined, functions 1826 and 1828 perform continuous recognition as long as the speech button remains pressed. This recognition duration type has the benefit of making it easy for users to quickly switch between continuous and discrete recognition merely by using different types of presses on a given speech button. In the SIP embodiment shown, the other recognition duration types do not switch between continuous and discrete recognition. If the current recognition duration type is the ClickToTimeout type, function 1830 causes functions 1832 to 1840 to be performed. If the speech button is clicked, functions 1833 through 1836 normally toggle recognition between off and on. Function 1834 responds to a click by testing to see whether or not speech recognition is currently on. If so, and if the speech button being clicked is other than one that changes vocabulary, it responds to the click by turning off speech recognition. If the two conditions of function 183-4 are not met, function 1836 turns recognition on, or if it already is on (in the case of a vocabulary change) leaves it on, until a timeout duration has elapsed. The length of this timeout duration can be set by the user under the Entry Preferences option in the function menu 4602 shown in FIG. 46. If the speech button is pressed for longer than a given duration, as described above, functions 1838 and 1840 will cause recognition to be on during the press but to be turned off at its end. This recognition duration type provides a quick and easy way for users to select with one button between toggling speech recognition on and off, and causing speech recognition to be turned on only during an extended press of a speech button. Returning to function 1308 of FIG. 13, it can be seen that the selection of different recognition duration types can allow the user to select how the Talk button and other speech buttons initiate recognition. If the user selects the Clear button 1112 shown in FIG. 11, functions 1310 through 1314 are performed. Function 1312 removes any correction window which might be displayed. Function 1313 sets the priorSipBufferLangContext to reflect the last one or more words of the SIP buffer. This is done so that if a user presses the Continue or any other buttons for starting speech recognition without first pressing the Talk button, the language context from the end of the SIP buffer being cleared can be used to improve the recognition accuracy of the next next word or words dictated. Function 1314 clears the contents of the SIP buffer without sending any deletions to the operating system's text input. As stated above, in the speech SIP shown, the SIP text window 1104, shown in FIG. 11, is designed to hold a relatively small body of text. As text is entered or edited in the SIP buffer, characters are supplied to the operating system of the PDA, causing corresponding changes to be made to text in the application window 1106 shown in FIG. 11. The Clear button enables a user to clear text from the SIP buffer, to prevent it from being overloaded, without causing corresponding deletions to be made to text in the application window. The Continue button 1114 shown in FIG. 11 is intended to be used when the user wants to dictate a continuation of the last dictated text, or text which is to be inserted at the current location in the SIP buffer window 1104, shown in FIG. 11. When this button is pressed, function 1316, of FIG. 13, causes functions 1318 through 1330 to be performed. Function 1318 removes any correction window, because the pressing of the Continue button indicates that the user has no interest in using the correction window. Next, function 1132 tests if the current cursor in the SIP buffer window has a prior language context that can be used to help in predicting the probability of the first word or words of any utterance recognized as a result of the pressing of the Continue button. If so, it causes that language context to be used. If not, function 1326 uses the priorSipBufferLangContext as the language context at the start of recognition initiated by the Continue button. Next, function 1330 starts SIP buffer recognition, that is, recognition of text to be output to the cursor in the SIP buffer, using the current recognition duration mode. The Continue button allows the user to select recognition in which the first word of the recognition is recognized with whatever prior language context is available. Unless the user has pressed the Talk button since a prior SIP buffer was cleared by use of the Clear button, this can include a language context carried over, through use of priorSipBufferLangContext, from such a previously cleared SIP buffer. It should be appreciated that in some embodiments of the invention a button could be provided that combined the functions of the Clear and Continue buttons. One press of such a button would both clear the SIP buffer and start new recognition using the language context from the end of the SIP buffer before it was cleared. If language contexts is useful for recognition in their respective vocabularies, the other buttons which start recognition in the SIP buffer—such as the Names, Punctuation, Number, Alphabravo, Abc, Large Vocabulary, and Continuous/discrete buttons described with regard to functions 1350 through 1418 in FIGS. 13 and 14—function similarly to the Continue button with regard to their use of language context. That is, they cause dictation to start using either the language context defined by words before the cursor in the SIP buffer, or if there are no words before them in the SIP buffer, the language context, if any, defined by the priorSipBufferLangContext. If complex language models are used functions related to priorSipBufferLangContext would have to be changed accordingly. For example, if trigram language models are used the priorSipBufferLangContext would store the last two words in a prior SIP buffer, and would effect not only the recognition of the first but the second word in a new SIP buffer. If the user selects the Backspace button 1116 shown in FIG. 11, functions 1332 through 1336 will be performed. Function 1334 tests if the SIP is currently in the correction mode. If so, it enters the backspace into the filter editor of the correction window. The correction window 1200 shown in FIG. 12 includes a first choice window 1202. As will be described below in greater detail, the correction window interface allows the user to select and edit one or more characters in the first choice window as being part of a filter string which identifies a sequence of initial characters belonging to the desired recognition word or words. If the SIP is in the correction mode, pressing backspace will delete from the filter string any characters currently selected in the first choice window, and if no characters are so selected, will delete the character to the left of the filter cursor 1204. If the SIP is not currently in the correction mode, function 1336 will respond to the pressing of the Backspace button by entering a backspace character into the SIP buffer and outputting that same character to the operating system so the same change can be made to the corresponding text in the application window 1106 shown in FIG. 11. When the backspace is supplied to the operating system, the OS is also supplied with any additional characters necessary to make an external text, such as the text in the application window 1106 of FIG. 11, that receives such input correspond to the changes in the SIP buffer. As is explained below with regard to Functions 1520 through 1528, such additional characters are necessary when an edit is made other than at the end of the SIP buffer. This is because an edit other than at the end of the SIP buffer changes text that has already been sent to the OS for use in an external text. In such a case, backspaces have to be sent to the OS to delete back to the location in the external text corresponding to the position of the edit in the SIP buffer. After the changed text is inserted or deleted, any portion of SIP buffer text following the change has to then be sent to the OS for re-insertion into the external text. If the user changes his cursor location in the external program and then wants to create new text in the SIP buffer, he or she should use the TALK button, which will cause the SIP buffer to start in a cleared state. Once subsequent dictation occurs, any words located in the SIP buffer will correspond to text that has been sent to the OS for insertion at the new location. This will cause any subsequent SIP buffer changes made other than at the end of that buffer to delete and change only text located immediately before the current cursor in the external program that corresponds to the text currently in the SIP buffer. If the user selects the New Paragraph button 1118 shown in FIG. 11, functions 1338 through 1342 of FIG. 13 will exit correction mode, if the SIP is currently in it, and they will enter a New Paragraph character into the SIP buffer and provide corresponding output to the operating System. As indicated by functions 1344 through 1348, the SIP responds to user selection of a Space button 1120 in substantially the same manner that it responds to a backspace, that is, by entering it into the filter editor if the SIP is in correction mode, and otherwise outputting it to the SIP buffer and the operating system. If the user selects one of the Vocabulary Selection buttons 1122 through 1132 shown in FIG. 11, functions 1350 through 1370 of FIG. 13, and functions 1402 through 1416 FIG. 14, will set the appropriate recognition mode's vocabulary to the vocabulary corresponding to the selected button and start speech recognition in that mode according to the current recognition duration mode and other settings for the recognition mode. If the user selects the Name Recognition button 1122, functions 1350 and 1356 set the current mode's recognition vocabulary to the name recognition vocabulary and start recognition according to the current recognition duration settings and other appropriate speech settings. With all of the vocabulary buttons besides the Name and Large Vocabulary buttons, these functions will treat the current recognition mode as either filter or SIP buffer recognition, depending on whether the SIP is in correction mode. This is because these other vocabulary buttons are associated with vocabularies used for inputting sequences of characters that are appropriate either for defining a filter string or for direct entry into the SIP buffer. The large vocabulary and the name vocabulary, however, are often inappropriate for filter string editing and, thus, in the disclosed embodiment when either large vocabulary or name vocabulary are selected the current recognition mode will be either re-utterance or SIP buffer recognition, depending on whether the SIP is in correction mode. In other embodiments, name and large vocabulary recognition could be used for editing a multiword filter. In addition to the standard response associated with the pressing of a vocabulary button, if the AlphaBravo Vocabulary button is pressed or double-clicked, functions 1404 through 1406 cause a list of all the words used by the International Communication Alphabet (or ICA) to be displayed, as is illustrated in window 4002 in FIG. 40. Normally a single press or click of the AlphaBravo Vocabulary button will cause this list to be displayed. But if users desire to see this list only when specifically desired, they can set a Display_Alpha_On_Double_Click flag, which will cause the list to be displayed only when the user double-clicks the AlphaBravo Vocabulary button. If a user wants to take more than a short fraction of a second to read the list of ICA alphabet words, functions 1404 and 1406 will require that she or he push on the Alphabravo button long enough (either as the single push of a single press or click or the second push of a double click) that it will be considered a continuous “press” by duration logic of FIG. 18. Often this is not a problem, since press recognition is often appropriate for alphabravo spelling, and even when it is not, in many cases, the user can end the press without dictating anything, and then click for alphabravo dictation with the duration logic using a click-related duration. The need to wait for a double click if Display_Alpha_On_Double_Click flag is set will not slow down the user interface significantly, as long as the activity started by the initial click of a double click is compatible with the activity selected by the recognition duration logic of FIG. 18 in response whether the second click of the double click is a click or a continuous press. This will be the case for Alphabravo recognition if (1) its discrete and continuous recognition are the same, except that discrete recognition only considers single vocabulary word recognition candidates; and (2) it ignores function 1834 of FIG. 18. This is true because the time duration between the first and second presses of a double click is shorter than the length of time required for an end of utterance detection, and, thus, the decision about which of FIG. 18's durations should apply can be delayed until after that double-click time. In other embodiments, other methods could be used to determine when and how the ICA alphabet words are displayed, such as, for example, by use of the help button. If the user selects the Continuous/Discrete Recognition button 1134 shown in FIG. 11, functions 1418 through 1422 of FIG. 14 are performed. Function 1420 toggles between continuous recognition mode, which uses continuous speech acoustic models and allows multiple vocabulary word recognition candidates to match a given single utterance, and a discrete recognition mode, which uses discrete recognition acoustic models and only allows single vocabulary word recognition candidates to be recognized for a single utterance. Function 1422 then starts speech recognition using either discrete or continuous recognition, as has just been selected by the toggling of function 1420. If the user selects the function key 1110 by pressing it, functions 1424 and 1426 call the function menu 4602 shown in FIG. 46. This function menu allows the user to select from other options besides those available directly from the buttons shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. If the user selects the Help button 1136 shown in FIG. 11, functions 1432 and 1434 of FIG. 14 call help mode. As shown in FIG. 19, when the help mode is entered in response to an initial pressing of the Help button, a function 1902 displays a help window 2000 providing information about using the help mode, as illustrated in FIG. 20. During subsequent operation of the help mode, if the user touches a portion of the SIP interface, functions 1904 and 1906 display a help window with information about the touched portion of the interface that continues to be displayed as long as the user continues that touch. This is illustrated in FIG. 21, in which the user has used the stylus 904 to press the Filter button 1218 of the correction window. In response, a help window 2100 is shown that explains the function of the Filter button. If during the help mode a user double-clicks on a portion of the display, functions 1908 and 1910 display a help window that stays up until the user presses another portion of the interface. This enables the user to use the scroll bar 2102 shown in the help window of FIG. 21 to scroll through and read help information too large to fit on the help window 2102 at one time. Although not shown in FIG. 19, help windows can also have a Keep Up button 2104 to which a user can drag from an initial down press on a portion of the SIP user interface of interest to also select to keep the help window up until the touching of a another portion of the SIP user interface. When, after the initial entry of the help mode, the user again touches the Help button 1136 shown in FIGS. 11, 20, and 21, functions 1912 and 1914 remove any help windows and exit the help mode, turning off the highlighting of the Help button. If a user taps on a word in the SIP Buffer, functions 1436 through 1438 of FIG. 14 make the selected word the current selection and call the displayChoiceList routine shown in FIG. 22 with the tapped word as the current selection and with acoustic data associated with the recognition of the tapped word, if any, the first entry in an utterance list, which holds acoustic data associated with the current selection. As shown in FIG. 22, the displayChoiceList routine is called with the following parameters: a selection parameter; a filter string parameter; a filter range parameter; a word type parameter; and a notChoiceList pointer. The selection parameter indicates the selected text in the SIP buffer for which the routine has been called. The filter string indicates a sequence of one or more characters indicating elements that define the set of one or more possible spellings with which the desired recognition output begins. The filter range parameter defines two character sequences, which bound a section of the alphabet in which the desired recognition output falls. The word type parameter indicates that the desired recognition output is of a certain type, such as a desired grammatical type. The NotChoiceList pointer, if non-null, points to a list of one or more words that the user's actions indicate are not a desired word. Function 2202 of the displayChoiceList routine calls a getChoices routine, shown in FIG. 23, with the filter string and filter range parameters with which the displayChoiceList routine has been called and with an utterance list associated with the selection parameter. As shown in FIGS. 24 and 25, the utterance list 2404 stores sound representations of one or more utterances that have been spoken as part of the desired sequence of one or more words associated with the current selection. As previously stated, when function 2202 of FIG. 22 calls the getChoices routine, it does so with a representation, such as 2400 shown in FIG. 24, of that portion of the sound 2402 from which the word or words of the current selection have been recognized. As was indicated in FIG. 2, the process of speech recognition time-aligns acoustic models against representations of an audio signal. The recognition system preferably stores these time alignments so that when corrections or playback of selected text are desired it can find the corresponding audio representations from such time alignments. In FIG. 24 the first entry 2400 in the utterance list is part of a continuous utterance 2402. The present invention enables a user to add additional utterances of a desired sequence of one or more words to a selection's utterance list, and recognition can be performed on all these utterance together to increase the chance of correctly recognizing a desired output. As shown in FIG. 24, such additional utterances can include both discrete utterances, such as entry 2400A, as well as continuous utterances, such as entry 2400B. Each additional utterance contains information as indicated by the numerals 2406 and 2408 that indicates whether it is a continuous or discrete utterance and the vocabulary mode in which it was dictated. In FIGS. 24 and 25, the acoustic representations of utterances in the utterance list are shown as waveforms. It should be appreciated that in many embodiments, other forms of acoustic representation will be used, including parameter frame representations such as the representation 110 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 25 is similar to FIG. 24, except that in it, the original utterance list entry is a sequence of discrete utterances. It shows that additional utterance entries used to help correct the recognition of an initial sequence of one or more discrete utterances can also include either discrete or continuous utterances, 2500A and 2500B, respectively. As shown in FIG. 23, the getChoices routine 2300 includes a function 2302 which tests to see if there has been a prior recognition for the selection for which this routine has been called that has been performed with the current utterance list and filter values (that is, filter string and filter range values). If so, it causes function 2304 to return with the choices from that prior recognition, since there have been no changes in the recognition parameters since the time the prior recognition was made. If the test of function 2302 is not met, function 2306 tests to see if the filter range parameter is null. If it is not null, function 2308 tests to see if the filter range is more specific than the current filter string, and, if so, it changes the filter string to the common letters of the filter range. If not, function 2312 nulls the filter range, since the filter string contains more detailed information that it does. As will be explained below, a filter range is selected when a user selects two choices on a choice list as an indication that the desired recognition output-falls between them in the alphabet. When the user selects two choices that share initial letters, function 2310 causes the filter string to correspond to those shared letters. This is done so that when the choice list is displayed, the shared letters will be indicated to the user as one which has been confirmed as corresponding to the initial characters of the desired output. If the utterance list is not empty and there are any candidates from a prior recognition of the current utterance list, function 2316 causes function 2318 and 2320 to be performed. Function 2318 calls a filterMatch routine shown in FIG. 26 for each such prior recognition candidate with the candidate's prior recognition score and the current filter definitions, and function 2320 deletes those candidates returned as a result of such calls that have scores below a certain threshold. As indicated in FIG. 26, the filterMatch routine 2600 performs filtering upon word candidates. In the embodiment of the invention shown, this filtering process is extremely flexible, since it allows filters to be defined by filter strings, filter range, or word type. It is also flexible because it allows a combination of word type and either filter string or filter range specifications, and because it allows ambiguous filtering, including ambiguous filters where elements in a filter string are not only ambiguous as to the value of their associated characters but also ambiguous as to the number of characters in their associated character sequences. When we say a filter string or a portion of a filter string is ambiguous, we mean that a plurality of possible character sequences can be considered to match it. Ambiguous filtering is valuable when used with a filter string input, which, although reliably recognized, does not uniquely defined a single character, such as is the case with ambiguous phone key filtering of the type described below with regard to a cellphone embodiment of many aspects of the present invention. Ambiguous filtering is also valuable with filter string input that cannot be recognized with a high degree of certainty, such as recognition of letter names, particularly if the recognition is performed continuously. In such cases, not only is there a high degree of likelihood that the best choice for the recognition of the sequence of characters will include one or more errors, but also there is a reasonable probability that the number of characters recognized in a best-scoring recognition candidate might differ from the number spoken. But spelling all or the initial characters of a desired output is a very rapid and intuitive way of inputting filtering information, even though the best choice from such recognition will often be incorrect, particularly when dictating under adverse conditions. The filterMatch routine is called for each individual word candidate. It is called with that word candidate's prior recognition score, if any, or else with a score of 1. It returns a recognition score equal to the score with which it has been called multiplied by the probability that the candidate matches the current filter values. Functions 2602 through 2606 of the filterMatch routine test to see if the word type parameter has been defined, and, if so and if the word candidate is not of the defined word type, it returns from the filterMatch function with a score of 0, indicating that the word candidate is clearly not compatible with current filter values. Functions 2608 through 2614 test to see if a current value is defined for the filter range. If so, and if the current word candidate is alphabetically between the starting and ending words of that filter range, they return with an unchanged score value. Otherwise they return with a score value of 0. Note that functions 2306 through 2313 of the getChoices routine of FIG. 23 cause the filterMatch routine to only be called with a non-null filter range if the filter range is more specific than the filter string. Thus, if filterMatch is called with a non-null filter range, it can ignore the filter string and return with either function 2612 or 2614. Function 2616 determines if there is a defined filter string. If so, it causes functions 2618 through 2653 to be performed. Function 2618 sets the current candidate character, a variable that will be used in the following loop, to the first character in the word candidate for which filterMatch has been called. Next, a loop 2620 is performed until the end of the filter string is reached by its iterations. This loop includes functions 2622 through 2652. The first function in each iteration of this loop is the test by step 2622 to determine the nature of the next element in the filter string. In the embodiment shown, three types of filter string elements are allowed: an unambiguous character, an ambiguous character, and an ambiguous element representing a set of ambiguous character sequences, which can be of different lengths. An unambiguous character unambiguously identifies a letter of the alphabet or other character, such as a space. It can be produced by unambiguous recognition of any form of alphabetic input, but it is most commonly associated with letter or ICA word recognition, keyboard input, or non-ambiguous phone key input in phone implementations. Any recognition of alphabetic input can be treated as unambiguous merely by accepting a single best scoring spelling output by the recognition as an unambiguous character sequence. An ambiguous character is one which can have multiple letter values, but which has a definite length of one character. As stated above, this can be produced by the ambiguous pressing upon keys in a telephone embodiment, or by speech or character recognition of letters. It can also be produced by continuous recognition of letter names in which all the best scoring character sequences have the same character length. An ambiguous length element is commonly associated with the output of continuous letter name recognition or handwriting recognition. It represents multiple best-scoring letter sequences against handwriting or spoken input, some of which sequences can have different lengths. If the next element in the filter string is an unambiguous character, function 2624 causes functions 2626 through 2630 to be performed. Function 2626 tests to see if the current candidate character matches the current unambiguous character. If not, the call to filterMatch returns with a score of 0 for the current word candidate. If so, function 2630 increments the position of the current candidate character. If the next element in the filter string is an ambiguous character, function 2632 causes functions 2634 through 2642 to be performed. Function 2634 tests to see if the current character fails to match one of the recognized values of the ambiguous character. If so, function 2636 returns from the call to filterMatch with a score of 0. Otherwise, functions 2638 through 2642 alter the current word candidate's score as a function of the probability of the ambiguous character matching the current candidate character's value, and then increment the current candidate character's position. If the next element in the filter string is an ambiguous length element, function 2644 causes a loop 2646 to be performed for each character sequence represented by the ambiguous length element. This loop comprises functions 2648 through 2650. Function 2648 tests to see if there is a matching sequence of characters starting at the current candidate's character position that matches the current character sequence of the loop 2646. If so, function 2649 alters the word candidate's score as a function of the probability of the recognized matching sequence represented by the ambiguous length element, function 2650 increments the current position of the current candidate character by the number of the characters in the matching ambiguous length sequence, and then function 2650 breaks out of the for loop 2646 and cause program flow to advance to the next iternation of the until loop 2620, either by starting another iteration of that loop, or if the current candidate character points to the end of the current filter string, by advancing to function 2653. If the for 2646 is completed without any sequence of characters starting at the current word candidate's character position that match any of the sequences of characters associated with the ambiguous length element, functions 2651 and 2652 return from the call to filterMatch with a score of 0. If the until loop 2620 is completed, the current word candidate will have matched against the entire filter string. In this case, function 2653 returns from filterMatch with the current word's score produced by the loop 2620. If the test of step 2616 finds that there is no filter string defined, step 2654 merely returns from filterMatch with the current word candidate's score unchanged. Returning now to function 2318 of FIG. 23, it can be seen that the call to filterMatch for each word candidate will return a score for the candidate. These are the scores that are used to determine which word candidates to delete in function 2320. Once these deletions have taken place, function 2322 tests to see if the number of prior recognition candidates left after the deletions, if any, of function 2320 is below a desired number of candidates. Normally this desired number would represent a desired number of choices for use in a choice list. If the number of prior recognition candidates is below such a desired number, functions 2324 through 2336 are performed. Function 2324 performs speech recognition upon every one of the one or more entries in the utterance list 2404, shown in FIGS. 24 and 25. As indicated by functions 2326 and 2328, this recognition process includes a test to determine if there are both continuous and discrete entries in the utterance list, and, if so, it limits the number of possible word candidates in recognition of the continuous entries to a number corresponding to the number of individual utterances detected in one or more of the discrete entries. The recognition of function 2324 also includes recognizing each entry in the utterance list with either continuous or discrete recognition, depending upon the respective mode that was in effect when each was received, as indicated by the continuous or discrete recognition indication 2406 shown in FIGS. 24 and 25. As indicated by 2332, the recognition of each utterance list entry also includes using the filterMatch routine previously described and using a language model in selecting a list of best-scoring acceptable candidates for the recognition of each such utterance. In the filterMatch routine, the vocabulary indicator 2408 shown in FIGS. 24 and 25 for the most recent utterance in the utterance list is used as a word type filter to reflect any indication by the user that the desired word sequence is limited to one or more words from a particular vocabulary. The language model used is a PolyGram language model, such as a bigram or trigram language model, which uses any prior language contexts that are available in helping to select the best-scoring candidates. After the recognition of one or more entries in the utterance list has been performed, if there is more than one entry in the utterance list, functions 2334 and 2336 pick a list of best scoring recognition candidates for the utterance list based on a combination of scores from different recognitions. It should be appreciated that in some embodiments of this aspect of the invention, combination of scoring could be used from the recognition of the different utterances so as to improve the effectiveness of the recognition using more than one utterance. If the number of recognition candidates produced by functions 2314 through 2336 is less than the desired number, and if there is a non-null filter string or filter range definition, functions 2338 and 2340 use filterMatch to select a desired number of additional choices from the vocabulary associated with the most recent entry in the utterance list, or the current recognition vocabulary if there are no entries in the utterance list. If there are no candidates from either recognition or the current vocabulary by the time the getChoices routine of FIG. 23 reaches function 2342, function 2344 uses the best-scoring character sequences that match the current filter string as choices, up to the desired number of choices. When the filter string contains nothing but unambiguous characters, only the single character sequence that matches those unambiguous characters will be selected as a possible choice. However, where there are ambiguous characters and ambiguous length elements in the filter string, there will be a plurality of such character sequence choices. And where ambiguous characters with ambiguous length elements have different probabilities associated with different possible corresponding sequences of one or more characters, the choices produced by function 2344 will be scored correspondingly by a scoring mechanism corresponding to that shown in functions 2616 through 2606 the three of FIG. 26. When the call to getChoices returns, a list of choices produced by recognition, by selection from a vocabulary according to filter, or by selection from a list of possible filters will normally be returned. Returning now to FIG. 22, when the call to getChoices in function 2202 returns to the displayChoiceList routine, function 2204 tests to see if the following three conditions currently exits: no filter has been defined for the current selection, there has not been any re-utterance added to the current selection's utterance list, and the selection for which displayChoiceList has been called is not in the notChoiceList, which includes a list of one or more words the user's inputs have indicated are not desired as recognition candidates. If these three negative conditions are met, function 2206 makes the current selection the first choice for display in the correction window, which the routine is to create. Next, function 2210 removes any other candidates from the list of candidates produced by the call to the getChoices routine that are contained in the notChoiceList. Next, if the first choice has not already been selected by function 2206, function 2212 makes the best-scoring candidate returned by the call to getChoices the first choice for the subsequent correction window display. If there is no single best-scoring recognition candidate, alphabetical order can be used to select the candidate which is to be the first choice. Next, if there is a filter, function 2214 causes functions 2218 and 2220 to be performed. Function 2218 selects those characters of the first choice which correspond to the filter string, if any, for special display. As will be described below, in the preferred embodiments, characters in the first choice which correspond to an unambiguous filter are indicated in one way, and characters in the first choice which correspond to an ambiguous filter are indicated in a different way so that the user can appreciate which portions of the filter string correspond to which type of filter elements. Next, function 2220 places a filter cursor before the first character of the first choice that does not correspond to the filter string. When there is no filter string defined, this cursor will be placed before the first character of the first choice. Next, function 2222 causes steps 2224 through 2228 to be performed if the getChoices routine returned any candidates other than the current first choice. In this case, function 2224 creates a first character-ordered (e.g., alphabetically and/or numerically ordered) choice list from a set of the best-scoring such candidates that will all fit in the correction window at one time. If there are any more recognition candidates, functions 2226 and 2228 create a second character-ordered choice list of up to a preset number of screens for all such choices from the remaining best-scoring candidates. When all this has been done, function 2230 displays a correction window showing the current first choice, an indication of which of its characters, if any, are in the filter, an indication of the current filter cursor location, and with the first choice list, as shown in FIG. 12. Then function 2232 turns on correction mode. In FIG. 12 the first choice, “this”, 1206 is shown in the first choice window 1202, the filter cursor 1204 is shown before the first character of the first choice (since no filter has yet been defined), and the first choice list 1208 is shown in the correction window 1200. It should be appreciated that the displayChoiceList routine can be called with a null value for the current selection as well as with a text selection which has no associated utterances. In either case, it will respond to alphabetic filtering input by performing word completion based on the operation of functions 2338 and 2344 of FIG. 23. The combination of the display_choice_list and the getChoices routines allow great flexibility. It allows (a) selection of choices for the recognition of an utterance without the use of filtering or re-utterances, (b) use of filtering and/or re-utterances to help correct a prior recognition, (c) performing word completion upon alphabetic filtering input (and, if desired, to help such alphabetic completion process by entering a subsequent utterance), (d) spelling a word which is not in the current vocabulary with alphabetic input, and (e) mixing and matching different forms of alphabetic input including forms which are unambiguous, ambiguous with regard to characters and ambiguous with regard to both characters and length. Returning now to FIG. 14, we've explained how functions 1436 and 1438 respond to a tap on a word in the SIP buffer by calling the display Choice List routine, which in turn, causes a correction window such as the correction window 1200 shown in FIG. 12 to be displayed. The ability to display a correction window with its associated choice list merely by tapping on a word provides a fast and convenient way for enabling a user to correct single word errors. If the user double taps on a selection in the SIP buffer, functions 1440 through 1444 escape from any current correction window that might be displayed, and start SIP buffer recognition according to current recognition duration modes and settings using the current language context of the current selection. The recognition duration logic responds to the duration of the key press type associated with the second tap of such a double-click in determining whether to respond as if there has been either a press or a click for the purposes described above with regard to FIG. 18. The output of any such recognition will replace the current selection. Although not shown in the figures, if the user double taps on a word in the SIP buffer that was not previously selected or part of a selection, it is treated as the current selection for the purpose of function 1444 If the user taps in any portion of the SIP buffer which does not include text, such as between words or before or after the text in the buffer, function 1446 causes functions 1448 to 1452 to be performed. Function 1448 plants a cursor at the location of the tap. If the tap is located at any point in the SIP buffer window which is after the end of the text in the SIP buffer, the cursor will be placed after the last word in that buffer. If the tap is a double tap, functions 1450 1452 start SIP buffer recognition at the new cursor location according to the current recognition duration modes and other settings, using the duration of the second touch of the double tap for determining whether it is to be responded to as a press or a click. FIG. 15 is a continuation of the pseudocode described above with regard to FIGS. 13 and 14. If the user drags across part of one or more words in the SIP buffer, functions 1502 and 1504 call the display Choice List routine described above with regard to FIG. 22 with all of the words that are all or partially dragged across as the current selection and with the acoustic data associated with the recognition of those words, if any, as the first entry in the utterance list. If the selection involves more than a certain number of words, it may be preferred to merely mark the selected text as selected and forego the display of a correction window, because it is unlikely a user would want to use a correction window to correct text of more than a given length. If the user drags across an initial part of an individual word in the SIP buffer, functions 1506 and 1508 call the displayChoiceList function with that word as the selection, with that word added to the notChoiceList, with the dragged initial portion of the word as the filter string, and with the acoustic data associated with that word as the first entry in the utterance list. This programming interprets the fact that a user has dragged across only the initial part of a word as an indication that the entire word is not the desired choice, as indicated by the fact that the word is added to the notChoiceList. If a user drags across the ending of an individual word in the SIP buffer, functions 1510 and 1512 call the displayChoiceList routine with the word as a selection, with the selection added to the notChoiceList, with the undragged initial portion of the word as the filter string, and with the acoustic data associated with a selected word as the first entry in the utterance list. If an indication is received that the SIP buffer has more than a certain amount of text, functions 1514 and 1516 display a warning to the user that the buffer is close to full. In the disclosed embodiment this warning informs the user that the buffer will be automatically cleared if more than an additional number of characters are added to the buffer, and requests that the user verify that the text currently in the buffer is correct and then press talk or continue, which will clear the buffer. If an indication is received that the SIP buffer has received text input, such as in response to any speech recognition, function 1518 causes functions 1520 through 1528 to be performed. Function 1520 tests to see if the cursor is currently at the end of the SIP buffer. If not, function 1522 outputs to the operating system a number of backspaces equal to the distance from the last letter of the SIP buffer to the current cursor position within that buffer. Next, function 1526 causes the text input, which can be composed of one or more characters, to be output into the SIP buffer at its current cursor location. Steps 1527 and 1528 output the same text sequence and any following text in the SIP buffer to the text input of the operating system. The fact that function 1522 feeds backspace to the operating system before the recognized text is sent to the OS as well as the fact that function 1528 feed any text following the received text to the operating system causes any change made to the text of the SIP buffer that corresponds to text previously supplied to the application window to also be made to that text in the application window. If any of the user inputs described above in FIGS. 13 through 15 is received when the system is in one-at-a-time mode when a correction window is displayed but the system is not in correction mode, functions 1530 and 1532 confirms the recognition of the first choice in the correction window. This causes the display of the correction window to be removed, and the first choice in the correction window to remain as the output for the prior recognition, both in the SIP buffer and the text output to the OS. It also causes the correction window's first choice to be treated as the correct recognition for purposes of updating the current language context for the recognition of one or more subsequent words; for the purpose of providing data for use in updating the language model; and for the purpose of providing data for updating acoustic models. The operation of functions 1530 and 1532 enables a user to confirm the prior recognition of the word in one-at-a-time mode by any one of a large number of inputs which can be used to also advance the recognition process. If any text input is received from speech recognition when the SIP program is in one-at-a-time mode, functions 1536 through 1538 call the displayChoiceList routine for the recognized text, and turn off correction mode. When displayChoiceList is called, its function 2232, shown in FIG. 22, switches the system to correction mode, but function 1538 undoes the effect of function 2232 when displayChoiceList is called by function 1537 in one-at-a-time mode. As has been described above, correction mode is turned off because in one-at-a-time mode, a correction window is displayed automatically each time speech recognition is performed upon an utterance of a word, and thus there is a relatively high likelihood that a user intends input supplied to the non-correction window aspects of the SIP interface to be used for purposes other than input into the correction window. On the other hand, when the correction window is being displayed as a result of specific user input indicating a desire to correct one or more words, correction mode is entered so that certain non-correction window inputs will be directed to the correction window. One-At-A-Time mode allows a user to enter a series of utterances; see the choice list produced by the recognition of each; and confirm the current first choice, when it is correct, by merely entering the utterance of the next word or by entering another non-correction window input. Thus, once functions 1530 and 1532 use a non-correction window input to confirm a first choice in One-At-A-Time mode, the non-correction window input is then used to cause the one or more functions associated it in the portion of FIGS. 13 through 15 above functions 1530 and 1532 to be performed. Thus, although functions 1530 and 1532 are shown below functions 1302 through 1528 in FIGS. 13 through 15, in most actual programming, their actual code would be performed before such other functions. It should be appreciated that if the user is in one-at-a-time mode and generates inputs indicating a desire to correct the word shown in a choice list, the SIP will be set to the correction mode, and subsequent input during the continuation of that mode will not cause operation of function 1532. Function 1542 in FIG. 15 indicates the start of the portion of the main response loop of the SIP program that relates to inputs received when a correction window is displayed. This portion extends through the remainder of FIG. 15 and all of FIGS. 16 and 17. If the Escape button 1210 of a correction window shown in FIG. 12 is pressed, functions 1544 and 1546 cause the SIP program to exit the correction window and correction mode without changing the current selection. If the Delete button 1212 of the correction window shown in FIG. 12 is pressed, functions 1548 and 1550 exit the correction window, delete the current selection in the SIP buffer, and send an output to the operating system, which causes a corresponding change to be made to any text in the application window corresponding to that in the SIP buffer. If the New button 1214 shown in FIG. 12 is pressed, function 1552 causes functions 1553 to 1556 to be performed. Function 1553 exits the correction window, deletes the current selection in the SIP buffer corresponding to the correction window, and sends output to the operating system so as to cause a corresponding change to text in the application window. Function 1554 sets the recognition mode to the new utterance default, which will normally be the large vocabulary recognition mode, and can be set by the user to be either continuous or discrete recognition mode. Function 1556 starts SIP buffer recognition using the current recognition duration mode and other recognition settings. SIP buffer recognition is recognition that provides an input to the SIP buffer, according to the operation of functions 1518 to 1528, described above. FIG. 16 continues the illustration of the response of the main loop of the SIP program to input received during the display of a correction window. If the re-utterance button 1216 of FIG. 12 is pressed, function 1602 causes functions 1603 through 1610 to be performed. Function 1603 sets the SIP program to the correction mode if it is not currently in it. This will happen if the correction window has been displayed as a result of a discrete word recognition in one-at-a-time mode and the user responds by pressing a button in the correction window, in this case the Re-utterance button, indicating an intention to use the correction window for correction purposes. Next, function 1604 sets the recognition mode to the current recognition mode associated with re-utterance recognition. Then function 1606 receives one or more utterances according to the current re-utterance recognition duration mode and other recognition settings, including vocabulary. Next function 1608 adds the one or more utterances received by function 1606 to the utterance list for the correction window selection, along with an indication of the vocabulary mode at the time of those utterances, and whether continuous or discrete recognition is in effect. This causes the utterance list 2004 shown in FIGS. 24 and 25 to have an additional utterance. Then function 1610 calls the displayChoiceList routine of FIG. 22, described above. This in turn will call the getChoices function described above regarding FIG. 23 and will cause functions 2306 through 2336 of that figure to perform re-utterance recognition using the new utterance list entry. If the Filter button 1218 shown in FIG. 12 is pressed, function 1612 of FIG. 16 causes functions 1613 to 1620 to be performed. Function 1613 enters the correction mode, if the SIP program is not currently in it, as described above with regard to Function 1603. Function 1614 tests to see whether the current entry mode is a speech recognition mode and, if so, causes function 1616 to start filter recognition according to the current filter recognition duration mode and settings. This causes any input generated by such recognition to be directed to the cursor of the current filter string. If on the other hand the current filter entry mode is a non-speech recognition entry window mode functions 1618 and 1620 call the appropriate entry window. As described below, in the embodiment of the invention shown, these non-speech entry window modes correspond to a character recognition entry mode, a handwriting recognition entry mode, and a keyboard entry mode. If the user presses the Word Form button 1220 shown in FIG. 12, functions 1622 through 1624 cause the correction mode to be entered if the SIP program is not currently in it, and cause the word form list routine of FIG. 27 to be called for the current first choice word. Until a user provides input to the correction window that causes a redisplay of the correction window, the current first choice will normally be the selection for which the correction window has been called. This means that by selecting one or more words in the SIP buffer and by pressing the Word Form button in the correction window, a user can rapidly select a list of alternate forms for any such a selection. FIG. 27 illustrates the function of the wordFormList routine. If a correction window is already displayed when it is called, functions 2702 and 2704 treat the current best choice as the selection for which the word form list will be displayed. If the current selection is one word, function 2706 causes functions 2708 through 2714 to be performed. If the current selection has any homonyms, function 2708 places them at the start of the word form choice list. Next, step 2710 finds the root form of the selected word, and function 2712 creates a list of alternate grammatical forms for the word. Then function 2714 alphabetically orders all these grammatical forms in the choice list after any homonyms, which may have been added to the list by function 2708. If, on the other hand, the selection is composed of multiple words, function 2716 causes functions 2718 through functions 2728 to be performed. Function 2718 tests to see if the selection has any spaces between its words. If so, function 2720 adds a copy of the selection to the choice list, which has no such spaces between its words, and function 2222 adds a copy of the selection with the spaces replaced by hyphens. Although not shown in FIG. 27, additional functions can be performed to replace hyphens with spaces or with the absence of spaces. If the selection has multiple elements subject to the same spelled/non-spelled transformation function, 2726 adds a copy of the selection and all prior choices transformations to the choice list. For example, this will transform a series of number names into a numerical equivalent, or reoccurrences of the word “period” into corresponding punctuation marks. Next, function 2728 alphabetically orders the choice list. Once the choice list has been created either for a single word or a multiword selection, function 2730 displays a correction window showing the selection as the first choice, the filter cursor at the start of the first choice, and a scrollable choice list and a scrollable list. In some embodiments where the selection is a single word, the filter of which has a single sequence of characters that occurs in all its grammatical forms, the filter cursor could be placed after that common sequence with the common sequence indicated as an unambiguous filter string. In some embodiments of the invention, the word form list provides one single alphabetically ordered list of optional word forms. In other embodiments, options can be ordered in terms of frequency of use, or there could be a first and a second alphabetically ordered choice list, with the first choice list containing a set of the most commonly selected optional forms which will fit in the correction window at one time, and the second list containing less commonly used word forms. As will be demonstrated below, the word form list provides a very rapid way of correcting a very common type of speech recognition error, that is, an error in which the first choice is a homonym of the desired word or is an alternate grammatical form of it. If the user presses the Capitalization button 1222 shown in FIG. 12, functions 1626 through 1628 will enter the correction mode if the system is currently not in it and will call the capitalized cycle function for the correction window's current first choice. The capitalized correction cycle will cause a sequence of one or more words which do not all have initial capitalization to have initial capitalization of each word, will cause a sequence of one or more words which all have initial capitalization to be changed to an all capitalized form, and will cause a sequence of one or more words which have an all capitalized form to be changed to an all lower case form. By repeatedly pressing the Capitalization button, a user can rapidly select between these forms. If the user selects the Play button 1224 shown in FIG. 12, functions 1630 and 1632 cause an audio playback of the first entry in the utterance list associated with the correction window's associated selection, if any such entry exists. This enables a user to hear exactly what was spoken with regard to a mis-recognized sequence of one or more words. Although not shown, the preferred embodiments enable a user to select a setting which automatically causes such audio to be played automatically when a correction window is first displayed. If the Add Word button 1226 shown in FIG. 12 is pressed when it is not displayed in a grayed state, function 1634 and 1636 call a dialog box that allows a user to enter the current first choice word into either the active or backup vocabulary. In this particular embodiment of the SIP recognizer, the system uses a subset of its total vocabulary as the active vocabulary that is available for recognition during the normal recognition using the large vocabulary mode. Function 1636 allows a user to make a word that is normally in the backup vocabulary part of the active vocabulary. It also allows the user to add a word that is in neither vocabulary but which has been spelled in the first choice window by use of alphabetic input, to be added to either the active or backup vocabulary. It should be appreciated that in other embodiments of the invention having greater hardware resources, there would be no need for distinction between an active and a backup vocabulary. The Add Word button 1226 will only be in a non-grayed state when the first choice word is not currently in the active vocabulary. This provides an indication to the user that he or she may want to add the first choice to either the active or backup vocabulary. If the user selects the Check button 1228 shown in FIG. 12, functions 1638 through 1648 remove the current correction window and output its first choice to the SIP buffer and feed to the operating system a sequence of keystrokes necessary to make a corresponding change to text in the application window. If the user taps one of the choices 1230 shown in the correction window of FIG. 12, functions 1650 through 1653 remove the current correction window, and output the selected choice to the SIP buffer and feed the operating system a sequence of keystrokes necessary to make the corresponding change in the application window. If the user taps on one of the ChoiceEdit buttons 1232 shown in FIG. 12, function 1654 causes functions 1656 through 1658 to be performed. Function 1656 changes to correction mode if the system is not already currently in it. Function 1656 makes the choice associated with the tapped ChoiceEdit button the first choice and the current filter string, and then function 1658 calls the displayChoiceList with the new filter string. As will be described below, this enables a user to select a choice word or sequence of words as the current filter string and then to edit that filter string, normally by deleting any characters from its end which disagree with the desired word. If the user drags across one or more initial characters of any choice, including the first choice, functions 1664 through 1666 change the system to correction mode if it is not in it, and call the displayChoiceList with the dragged choice added to the notChoiceList and with the dragged initial portion of the choice as the filter string. These functions allow a user to indicate that a current choice is not the desired first choice but that the dragged initial portion of it should be used as a filter to help find the desired choice. FIG. 17 provides the final continuation of the list of functions which the SIP recognizer makes in response to correction window input. If the user drags across the ending of a choice, including the first choice, functions 1702 and 1704 enter the correction mode if the system is currently not already in it, and call displayChoiceList with the partially dragged choice added to the notChoiceList and with the undragged initial portion of the choice as the filter string. If the user drags across two choices in the choice list, functions 1706 through 1708 enter the correction mode if the system is not currently in it, and call displayChoiceList with the two choices added to the notChoiceList and with the two choices as the beginning and ending words in the definition of the current filter range. If the user taps between characters on the first choice, functions 1710 through 1712 enter the correction mode if the SIP is not already in it, and move the filter cursor to the tapped location. No call is made to displayChoiceList at this time because the user has not yet made any change to the filter. If the user enters a backspace by pressing the Backspace button 1116 shown in FIG. 12 when in correction mode, as described above with regard to function 1334 of FIG. 13, function 1714 causes functions 1718 through 1720 to be performed. Function 1718 calls the filterEdit routine of FIGS. 28 and 29 with a backspace is input. As will be illustrated with regard to FIG. 28, the filterEdit routine 2800 is designed to give the user flexibility in the editing of a filter with a combination of unambiguous, ambiguous, and/or ambiguous length filter elements. This routine includes a function 2801 which copies all the elements of the prior filter string at the time of the call to filterEdit into a data structure named old filter string. As is explained below with regard to functions 2834 through 2922 in FIGS. 28 and 29, old filter string is used to remember any elements of the prior filter which might extend past a new element that is being added to the filter by the call the filterEdit. Then function 2802 tests to see if there are any characters in the choice with which it has been called before the current location of the filter cursor. If so, function 2806 makes the characters in the choice with which the routine has been called before the location of the filter cursor, the new filter string, with all the characters in that string unambiguously defined. This enables a user to define any part of a first choice before the location of an edit to be automatically confirmed as an unambiguously correct filter character sequence. If the test of function 2802 does not find any characters before the current filter cursor position, function 2806 clears the new filter string. Next, the function 2807 tests to see if the input with which filterEdit has been called is a backspace. If so, it causes functions 2808 through 2812 to be performed. Functions 2808 and 2810 delete the last character of the new filter string (if there is one) if the filter cursor is a non-selection cursor. If the filter cursor corresponds to a selection of one or more characters in the current first choice, these characters were already removed from inclusion in the new filter by the operation of function 2805 just described. Then function 2812 returns from the call to filterEdit with the new filter, which will be an unambiguous filter string comprised of the characters, if any, that occurred before the backspaced character in the first choice of the correction window. If the input with which the filterEdit routine is called is one or more unambiguous characters, functions 2814 and 2816 add the one or more unambiguous characters to the end of the new filter string. If the input to the filterEdit routine is a sequence of one or more ambiguous characters of fixed length, functions 2818 and 2820 place an element representing each ambiguous character in the sequence at the end of the new filter. If the input to the filterEdit routine is an ambiguous length element, function 2822 causes functions 2824 through 2832 to be performed. Function 2824 causes a for loop comprised of functions 2826 and 2828 to be performed for each of one or more best scoring character sequences associated with the ambiguous input. Function 2826 tests if the current character sequence from the ambiguous input, when added to the prior unambiguous part of the new filter string (if any) matches all or an initial part of one or more vocabulary words. If so, function 2828 increases the score associated with the character sequence as a function of the probability of the one or more vocabulary words it matches. This is done to favor character sequences which could be part of vocabulary word spellings, because, as a general rule, such character sequences are more likely to have been intended. Next function 2830 selects a set of the best scoring character sequences for association with anew ambiguous filter element which is added to the end of the new filter by function 2832. The selection of function 2830 allows character sequences which cannot be part of the spelling of a vocabulary word to be included in the new ambiguous filter element, provided that have a high enough relative score based on character recognition alone. Next, a loop 2834 is performed for each filter element in the old filter string. This loop contains the functions 2836 through 2850 shown in the remainder of FIG. 28 and the functions 2900 through 2920 shown in FIG. 29. If the current old filter string element of the loop 2834 is an ambiguous, fixed length element that extends beyond a new fixed length element which has been added to the new filter string by functions 2814 through 2820, functions 2836 and 2838 add the portion of the old element, if any, that extends beyond the new element to the end of the new filter string. This is done because editing of a filter string other than by use of the Backspace button is not intended to delete previously entered ambiguous filter information that corresponds to part of the prior filter to the right of the new edit. If the current old element of the loop 2834 is an ambiguous, fixed length element that extends beyond some sequences in a new ambiguous length element that has been added to the end of the new filter string by operation of functions 2822 through 2832, function 2840 causes functions 2842 through 2850 to be performed. Function 2842 performs a loop for each character sequence represented by the new ambiguous length element that has been added to the filter string. The loop performed for each such character sequence of the new ambiguous length element includes a loop 2844 performed for each character sequence in the current old ambiguous fixed length element of the loop 2834. This inner loop 2844 includes a function 2846, which tests to see if the old element matches and extends beyond the current sequence in the new element. If so, function 2848 adds to the list of character sequences represented by the new ambiguous length element a new sequence of characters corresponding to the current sequence from the new element plus the portion of the sequence from the old element that extends beyond that current sequence from the new element. As indicated at function 2850, once the new character sequence is formed by the concatenation of the current sequence from the new element and the extension from the old element, the current sequence from the new element is marked for deletion, since it is being replaced by the concatenated sequence of which it is a part. If the current old element is an ambiguous length element that contains any character sequences that extend beyond a new fixed length element that has been added to the new filter, function 2900 of FIG. 29 causes functions 2902 through 2910 to be performed. Function 2902 is a loop which is performed for each sequence represented by the old ambiguous length element. It is composed of a test 2904 that checks to see if the current sequence from the old element matches and extends beyond any sequence in the new fixed length element. If so, function 2906 creates a new character sequence corresponding to that part of the sequence from the old element that extends beyond the new. After this loop has been completed, a function 2908 tests to see if any new sequences have been created by the function 2906, and if so, they cause function 2910 to add that new ambiguous length element to the end of the new filter, after the new element. This new ambiguous length element represents the possibility of each of the sequences created by function 2906. Preferably a probability score is associated with each such new sequence based on the relative probability scores of each of the character sequences which were found by the loop 2902 to match the current new fixed length element. If the current old element is an ambiguous length element that has some character sequences that extend beyond some character sequences in a new ambiguous length element, function 2912 causes functions 2914 through 2920 to be performed. Function 2914 is a loop that is performed for each character sequence in the new ambiguous length element. It is composed of an inner loop 2916 which is performed for each character sequence in the old ambiguous length element and a function 2922. The inner loop is composed of functions 2918 and 2920, which test to see if the character sequence from the old element matches and extends beyond the current character sequence from the new element. If so, they associate with the new ambiguous length element, a new character sequence corresponding to the current sequence from the new element plus the extension from the current old element character sequence. The function 2922 is performed at the end of the iteration performed by loop 2914 for a current sequence in the new ambiguous length element. If all sequences in old ambiguous length element match and extend beyond the current sequence in new ambiguous length element, function 2922 indicate that the current sequence from the new element is to be replaced, since it has been totally replaced by new elements created by function 2920. Once all the functions in the loop 2834 are completed, function 2924 returns from the call to filterEdit with the new filter string which has been created by that call. It should be appreciated that in many embodiments of various aspects of the invention a different and often more simple filter-editing scheme can be used. But it should be appreciated that one of the major advantages of the filterEdit scheme shown in FIGS. 28 and 29 is that it enables one to enter an ambiguous filter quickly, such as by continuous letter recognition, and then to subsequently edit it by more reliable alphabetic entry modes, or even by subsequent continuous letter recognition. For example, this scheme would allow a filter entered by the continuous letter recognition to be all or partially replaced by input from discrete letter recognition, ICA word recognition, or even handwriting recognition. Under this scheme, when a user edits an earlier part of the filter string, the information contained in the latter part of the filter string is not destroyed unless the user indicates such an intent, which in the embodiment shown is by use of the backspace character. Returning now to FIG. 17, when the call to filterEdit in function 1718 returns, function 1720 calls displayChoiceList for the selection with the new filter string that has been returned by the call to filterEdit. Whenever filtering input is received, either by the results of recognition performed in response to the pressing of the filter key described above with regard to function 1612 of FIG. 16, or by any other means, functions 1722 through 1738 are performed. Function 1724 tests to see if the system is in one-at-a-time recognition mode and if the filter input has been produced by speech recognition. If so, it causes functions 1726 to 1730 to be performed. Function 1726 tests to see if a filtercharacterchoicefiltercharacter window, such as window 3906 shown in FIG. 39, is currently displayed., If so, function 1728 closes that filter choice window and function 1730 calls filterEdit with the first choice filter character as input. This causes all previous characters in the filter string to be treated as an unambiguously defined filter sequence. Regardless of the outcome of the test of function 1726, a function 1732 calls filterEdit for the new filter input which is causing operation of function 1722 and the functions listed below it. Then, function 1734 calls displayChoiceList for the current selection and the new filter string. Then, if the system is in one-at-a-time mode, functions 1736 and 1738 call the filtercharacterchoice routine with the filter string returned by filterEdit and with the newly recognized filter input character as the selected filter character. FIG. 30 illustrates the operation of the filtercharacterchoice subroutine 3000. It includes a function 3002 which tests to see if the selected filter character with which the routine has been called corresponds to an either an ambiguous character or an unambiguous character in the current filter string having multiple best choice characters associated with it. If this is the case, function 3004 sets a filtercharacterchoice list equal to all characters associated with that character. If the number of characters is more than will fit on the filtercharacterchoice list at one time, the choice list can have scrolling buttons to enable the user to see such additional characters. Preferably the choices are displayed in alphabetical order to make it easier for the user to more rapidly scan for a desired character. The filtercharacterchoice routine of FIG. 30 also includes a function 3006 which tests to see if the selected filter character corresponds to a character of an ambiguous length filter string element in the current filter string. If so, it causes functions 3008 through 3014 to be performed. Function 3008 tests to see if the selected filter character is the first character of the ambiguous length element. If so, function 3010 sets the filtercharacterchoice list equal to all the first characters in any of the ambiguous element's associated character sequences. If the selected filter character does not correspond to the first character of the ambiguous length element, functions 3012 and 3014 set the filtercharacterchoice list equal to all characters in any character sequences represented by the ambiguous element that are preceded by the same characters that precede the selected filter character in the current first choice. Once either functions 3002 and 3004 or functions 3006 though 3014 have created a filtercharacterchoice list, function 3016 displays that choice list in a window, such as the window 3906 shown in FIG. 39 If the SIP program receives a selection by a user of a filtercharacterchoice in a filtercharacterchoice window, function 1740 causes functions 1742 through 1746 to be performed. Function 1742 closes the filter choice window in which such a selection has been made. Function 1744 calls the filterEdit function for the current filter string with the character that has been selected in the filter choice window as the new input. Then function 1746 calls the displayChoiceList routine with the new filter string returned by filterEdit. If a drag upward from a character in a filter string, of the type shown in the correction windows 4526 and 4538 of FIG. 45, function 1747 causes functions 1748 through 1750 to be performed. Function 1748 calls the filtercharacterchoice routine for the character which has been dragged upon, which causes a filtercharacterchoice window to be generated for it if there are any other character choices associated with that character. If the drag is released over a filter choice character in this window, function 1749 generates a selection of the filtercharacterchoice over which the release takes place. Thus it causes the operation of the functions 1740 through 1746 which have just been described. If the drag is released other than on a choice in the filtercharacterchoice window, function 1750 closes the filter choice window. If a re-utterance is received other than by pressing of the Re-utterance button, as described above with regard to functions 1602 and 1610, such as by pressing the Large Vocabulary button or the Name Vocabulary button during correction mode, as described above with regard to functions 1350, 1356 and 1414 and 1416 of FIGS. 13 and 14, respectively, function 1752 of FIG. 17 causes functions 1754 and 1756 to be performed. Function 1754 adds any such new utterance to the correction window's selection's utterance list, and function 1756 calls the displayChoiceList routine for the selection so as to perform re-recognition using the new utterance. Turning now to FIGS. 31 through 41, we will provide an illustration of how the user interface which has just been described can be used to dictate a sequence of text. In this particular sequence, the interface is illustrated as being in the one-at-a-time mode, which is a discrete recognition mode that causes a correction window with a choice list to be displayed every time a discrete utterance is recognized. In this, and other examples, showing user inputs and the resulting visual outputs, it should be understood that a given user input in a given state causes the performance of the one or more functions shown in the pseudocode figures in association with that given input and that given state. In FIG. 31, numeral 3100 points to the screenshot of the PDA screen showing the user tapping the Talk button 1102 to commence dictation starting in a new linguistic context. As indicated by the highlighting of the Large Vocabulary button 1132, the SIP recognizer is in the large vocabulary mode. The sequence of separated dots on the Continuous/Discrete button 1134 indicates that the recognizer is in a discrete recognition mode. It is assumed the SIP is in the Press And Click To End Of Utterance Recognition duration mode described with regard to numerals 1810 to 1818 of FIG. 18. As a result, the click of the Talk button causes recognition to take place until the end of the next utterance. Numeral 3102 represents an utterance by the user of the word “this”. Numeral 3104 points to an image of the screen of the PDA after a response to this utterance by placing the recognized text 3106 in the SIP text window 1104, outputting this text to the application window 1106, and by displaying a correction window 1200 which includes the recognized word in the first choice window 1202 and a first choice list 1208. In the example of FIG. 31, the user taps the Capitalization button 1222 as shown in the correction windo 3108. This causes the PDA screen to have the appearance pointed to by numeral 3110 in which the current first choice and the text output in the SIP buffer and the application window is changed to having initial capitalization. In the example the user clicks the Continue button 1104 as pointed to by numeral 3112 and then utters the word “is” as pointed to by numeral 3114. In the example, it is assumed this utterance is mis-recognized as the word “its” causing the PDA screen to have the appearance pointed to by numeral 3116, in which a new correction window 1200 is displayed having the mis-recognized word as its first choice 3118 and a new choice list 1208 for that recognition 1208. FIG. 32 represents a continuation of this example, in which the user clicks the choice word “is” 3200 in the image pointed to by numeral 3202. This causes the PDA screen to have the appearance indicated by the numeral 3204 in which the correction window has been removed, and corrected text appears in both the SIP buffer window and the application window. In the screenshot pointed to by numeral 3206 the user is shown tapping the letter name vocabulary button 1130, which changes the current recognition mode to the letter name vocabulary as is indicated by the highlighting of the button 1130. As is indicated above with regard to functions 1410 and 1412, the tapping of this button commences speech recognition according to the current recognition duration mode. This causes the system to recognize the subsequent utterance of the letter name “e” pointed to by numeral 3208 In order to emphasize the ability of the present interface to quickly correct recognition mistakes, the example assumes that the system mis-recognizes this letter as the letter “p” 3211, as indicated by the correction window that is displayed in one-at-a-time mode in response to the utterance 3208. As can be seen in the correction window pointed to by 3210, the correct letter “e” is, however, one of the choices shown in the correction window. In the view of the correction window pointed to by numeral 3214, the user taps on the choice 3212, which causes the PDA screen to have the appearance pointed to by numeral 3216 in which the correct letter is entered both in the SIP buffer and the application window. FIG. 33 illustrates a continuation of this example, in which the user taps on the Punctuation Vocabulary button 1124 as indicated in the screenshot 3300. This changes the recognition vocabulary to the punctuation vocabulary and starts utterance recognition, causing the subsequent utterance of the word “period” pointed to by the numeral 3300, to give rise to the correction window 3304, in which the punctuation mark “.” is shown in the first choice window followed by that punctuation mark's name to make it easier for the user to recognize. Since, in the example, this is the correct recognition, the user confirms it and starts recognition of a new utterance by pressing the letter name vocabulary button 1130, as shown in the screenshot 3306, and saying the utterance 3308 of the letter “1.” This process of entering letters followed by periods is repeated until the PDA screen has the appearance shown by numeral 3312. At this point it is assumed the user drags across the text “e. l. v. i. s.”, as shown in the screenshot 3314, which causes that text to be selected and which causes the correction window 1200 in the screenshot 3400 in the upper left-hand corner of FIG. 34 to be displayed. Since it is assumed that the selected text string is not in the current vocabulary, there are no alternate choices displayed in this choice list. In the view of the correction window pointed to by 3402, the user taps the Word Form button 1220, which calls the word form list routine described above with regard to FIG. 27. Since the selected text string includes spaces, it is treated as a multiple-word selection causing the portion of the routine shown in FIG. 27 illustrated by functions 2716 through 2728 to be performed. This includes a choice list such as that pointed to by 3404 including a choice 3406 in which the spaces have been removed from the correction window's selection. In the example, the user taps the Edit button 1232 next to the choice 3406. As indicated in the view of the correction window pointed to by numeral 3410, this causes the choice 3406 to be selected as the first choice, as indicated in the view of the correction window pointed to by 3412. The user taps on the Capitalization button 1222 until the first choice becomes all capitalized at which point the correction window has the appearance indicated in the screenshot 3414. At this point the user clicks on the Punctuation Vocabulary button 1124 as pointed to by numeral 3416 and says the utterance “comma” 3418. In the example it is assumed that this utterance is correctly recognized causing a correction window 1200 pointed to by the numeral 3420 to be displayed and the former first choice “E.L.V.I.S.” to be outputted as text. FIG. 35 is a continuation of this example. In it, it is assumed that the user clicks the Large Vocabulary button as indicated by numeral 3500, and then says the utterance “the” 3502. This causes the correction window 3504 to be displayed. The user responds by confirming this recognition by again pressing the large vocabulary button as indicated by 3506 and saying the utterance “embedded” pointed to by 3508. In the example, this causes the correction window 3510 to be displayed in which the utterance has been mis-recognized as the word “indebted” and in which the desired word is not shown on the first choice list. Starting at this point, as is indicated by the comment 3512, a plurality of different correction options will be illustrated. FIG. 36 illustrates the correction option of scrolling through the first and second choice list associated with the mis-recognition. In the view of the correction window pointed to by 3604, the user taps the page down scroll button 3600 in the scroll bar 3602 of the correction window, causing the first choice list 3603 to be replaced by the first screenful of the second choice list 3605 shown in the correction window 3606. As can be seen in this view, the slide bar 3608 of the correction window has moved down below a horizontal bar 3609, which defines the position in the scroll bar associated with the end of the first choice list. In the example, the desired word is not in the portion of the alphabetically ordered second choice list shown in view 3606, and thus the user presses the Page Down button of the scroll bar as indicated by 3610. This causes the correction window to have the appearance shown in view 3612 in which a new screenful of alphabetically listed choices is shown. In the example, the desired word “embedded” is shown on this choice list as is indicated by the 3616. In the example, the user clicks on the choice button 3619 associated with this desired choice as shown in the view 3618. This causes the correction window to have the appearance shown at 3620 in which this choice is displayed in the first choice window. In the example, the user taps the Capitalized button as pointed to by numeral 3622, which causes this first choice to have initial capitalization as shown in the screenshot 3624. Thus it can be seen that the SIP user interface provides a rapid way to allow a user to select from among a relatively large number of recognition choices. In the embodiment shown, the first choice list is composed of up to six choices, and the second choice list can include up to three additional screens of up to 18 additional choices. Since the choices are arranged alphabetically and since all four screens can be viewed in less than a second, this enables the user to select from among up to 24 choices very quickly. FIG. 37 illustrates the method of filtering choices by dragging across an initial part of a choice, as has been described above with regard to functions 1664 through 1666 of FIG. 16. In the example of this figure, it is assumed that the first choice list includes a choice 3702 shown in the view 3700, which includes the first six characters of the desired word “embedded”. As is illustrated in the correction window 3704, the user drags across these initial six letters and the system responds by displaying a new correction window limited to recognition candidates that start with an unambiguous filter corresponding to the six characters, as is displayed in the screenshot 3706. In this screenshot the desired word is the first choice and the first six unambiguously confirmed letters of the first choice are shown highlighted as indicated by the box 3708, and the filter cursor 3710 is also illustrated. Note that in the correction window of screen shot 3706 the word that had been partially dragged across in correction window 3704, “embedding”, is not shown as a choice even though it starts with the newly selected filters string. This is because, as is shown at function 1508 of FIG. 15, the partially selected word “embedding” is added to the notChoiceList, which cause it to be excluded from the list of recognition choices. FIG. 38 illustrates the method of filtering choices by dragging across two choices in the choice list that has been described above with regard to functions 1706 through 1708 of FIG. 17. In the example shown in correction window 3800, the desired choice, “embedded”, occurs alphabetically between the two displayed choices 3802 and 3804. As shown in the view 3806, the user indicates that the desired word falls in this range of the alphabet by dragging across these two choices. This causes a new correction window to be displayed in which the possible choices are limited to words which occur in the selected range of the alphabet, as indicated by the screenshot 3808. In this example, it is assumed that the desired word is selected as a first choice, in part, as a result of the filtering caused by the selection shown in 3806. In screenshot 3808 the portion of the first choice which forms an initial portion of the two choices selected in the view 3806 is indicated as unambiguously confirmed portion of the filter string 3810 and the filter cursor 3812 is placed after that confirmed filter portion. FIG. 39 illustrates a method in which alphabetic filtering is used in one-at-a-time mode to help select the desired word choice. In this example, the user presses the Filter button as indicated in view 3900. It is assumed that the default filter vocabulary is the letter name vocabulary. Pressing the Filter button starts speech recognition for the next utterance and the user says the letter “e” as indicated by 3902. This causes the correction window 3904 to be shown in which it is assumed that the filter character has been mis-recognized as in “p.” In the embodiment shown, in one-at-a-time mode, alphabetic input also has a choice list displayed for its recognition. In this case, it is a filtercharacterchoice list window 3906 of the type described above with regard to the filtercharacterchoice subroutine of FIG. 30. In the example, the user selects the desired filtering character, the letter “e,” as shown in view 3908, which causes a new correction window 3900 to be displayed. In the example, the user decides to enter an additional filtering letter by again pressing the Filter button as shown in the view 3912, and then says the utterance “m” 3914. This causes the correction window 3916 to be displayed, which displays the filtercharacterchoice window 3918. In this correction window, the filtering character has been correctly recognized and the user could either confirm it by speaking an additional filtering character or by selecting the correct letter, “m”, shown in the filtercharacter-choice window 3918. Either confirmation of the desired filtering character causes a new correction window to be displayed with the filter string 3922, “em”, treated as an unambiguously confirmed filter's string. In the example shown in screenshot 3920, this causes the desired word to be recognized. FIG. 40 illustrates a method of alphabetic filtering with AlphaBravo, or ICA word, alphabetic spelling. In the screenshot 4000, the user taps on the AlphaBravo button 1128. This changes the alphabet to the ICA word alphabet, as described above by functions 1402 through 1408 of FIG. 14. In this example, it is assumed that the Display_Alpha_On_Double_Click variable has not been set. Thus the function 1406 of FIG. 14 will display the list of ICA words 4002 shown in the screenshot 4004 during the press of the AlphaBravo button 1128. In the example, the user enters the ICA word “echo,” which represents the letter “e” followed by a second pressing of the AlphaBravo key as shown at 4008 and the utterance of a second ICA word “Mike” which represents the letter “m”. In the example, the inputting of these two alphabetic filtering characters successfully creates an unambiguous filter string composed of the desired letters “em” and produces recognition of the desired word, “embedded”. FIG. 41 illustrates a method in which the user selects part of a choice as a filter and then uses AlphaBravo spelling to complete the selection of a word which is not in the system's vocabulary, in this case the made-up word “embeddedest”. In this example, the user is presented with the correction window 4100 which includes one choice 4102, which includes the first six letters of the desired word. As shown in the correction window 4104, the user drags across these first six letters causing those letters to be unambiguously confirmed characters of the current filter string 4107, as shown in correction window 4106. The screenshot 4108 shows the display of this correction window in which the user drags from the filter button 1218 and releases on the Discrete/Continuous button 1134, changing it from the discrete-filter dictation mode to the continuous-filter dictation mode, as is indicated by the continuous line on that button shown in the screenshot 4108. In screenshot 4110, the user presses the alpha button again and says an utterance containing the following ICA words “Echo, Delta, Echo, Sierra, Tango”. This causes the current filter string to correspond to the spelling of the desired word. Since there are no words in the vocabulary matching this filter string, the filter string itself becomes the first choice as is shown in the correction window 4114. In the view of this window shown at 4116, the user taps on the check button to indicate selection of the first choice, causing the PDA screen to have the appearance shown at 4108. FIGS. 42 through 44 demonstrate the dictation, recognition, and correction of continuous speech. In the screenshot 4200 the user clicks the Clear button 1112 described above with regard to functions 1310 through 1314 of FIG. 13. This causes the text in the SIP buffer 1104 to be cleared without causing any associated change with the corresponding text in the application window 1106, as is indicated by the screenshot 4204. In the screenshot 4204 the user clicks the Continuous/Discrete button 1134, which causes it to change from discrete recognition indicated on the button by a sequence of dots in the screenshot 4200 to a continuous line shown in screenshot 4204. This starts speech recognition according to the current recognition duration mode, and the user says a continuous utterance of the following words “large vocabulary interface system from voice signal technologies period”, as indicated by numeral 4206. The system responds by recognizing this utterance and placing a recognized text in the SIP buffer 1104 and through the operating system to the application window 1106, as shown in the screenshot 4208. Because the recognized text is slightly more than fits within the SIP window at one time, the user scrolls in the SIP window as shown at numeral 4210 and then taps on the word “vocabularies” 4214, to cause functions 1436 through 1438 of FIG. 14 to select that word and generate a correction window for it. In response the correction window 4216 is displayed. In the example the desired word “vocabulary” 4218 is on the choice list of this correction window and in the view of the correction window 4220 the user taps on this word to cause it to be selected, which will replace the word “vocabularies” in both the SIP buffer in the application window with that selected word. Continuing now in FIG. 43, this correction is shown by the screenshot 4300. In the example, the user selects the four mistaken words “enter faces men rum” by dragging across them as indicated in view 4302. This causes functions 1502 and 1504 to display a choice window with the dragged words as the selection, as is indicated by the view 4304. FIG. 44 illustrates how the correction window shown at the bottom of FIG. 43 can be corrected by a combination of horizontal and vertical scrolling of the correction window and choices that are displayed in it. Numeral 4400 points to a view of the same correction window shown at 4304 in FIG. 43. In it not only is a vertical scroll bar 3602 displayed, but also a horizontal scroll bar 4402. The user is shown tapping the page down button 3600 in the vertical scroll bar, which causes the portion of the choice list displayed to move from the display of the one-page alphabetically ordered first choice list shown in the view 4400 to the first page of the second alphabetically ordered choice list shown in the view 4404. In the example none of the recognition candidates in this portion of the second choice list start with a character sequence matching the desired recognition output, which is “interface system from.” Thus the user again taps the page down scroll button 3600 as is indicated by numeral 4408. This causes the correction window to have the appearance shown at 4410 in which two of the displayed choices 4412 start with a character sequence matching the desired recognition output. In order to see if the endings of these recognition candidates matched the desired output, the user scrolls the horizontal scroll bar 4402 as shown in view 4414. This allows the user to see that the choice 4418 matches the desired output. As is shown at is 4420, the user taps on this choice and causes it to be inserted into the dictated text both in the SIP window 1104 and in the application window 1106 as is shown in the screenshot 4422. FIG. 45 illustrates how the use of an ambiguous filter created by the recognition of continuously spoken letter names and edited by filtercharacterchoice windows can be used to rapidly correct an erroneous dictation. In this example, the user presses the talk button 1102 as shown at 4500 and then utters the word “trouble” as indicated at 4502. In the example it is assumed that this utterance is miss-recognized as the word “treble” as indicated at 4504. In the example, the user taps on the word “treble” as indicated 4506, which causes the correction window shown at 4508 to be shown. Since the desired word is not shown as any of the choices, the user taps the filter button 1218 as shown at 4510 and makes a continuous utterance 4512 containing the names of each of the letters in the desired word “trouble.” In this example it is assumed that the filter recognition mode is set to include continuous letter name recognition. In the example the system responds to recognition of the utterance 4512 by displaying the correction window 4518. In this example it is assumed that the result of the recognition of this utterance is to cause a filter string to be created that is comprised of one ambiguous length element. As has been described above with regard to functions 2644 through 2652 of FIG. 26, an ambiguous length filter element allows any recognition candidate that contains in the corresponding portion of its character sequence one of the character sequences represented by that ambiguous length element. In the correction window 4518 the portion of the first choice word 4519 that corresponds to an ambiguous filter element is indicated by the ambiguous filter indicator 4520. Since the filter uses an ambiguous element, the choice list displayed contains best scoring recognition candidates that start with different initial character sequences including ones with length less than the portion of the first choice that corresponds to a matching character sequence represented by the ambiguous element. In the example, the user drags upward from the first character of the first choice, which causes operation of functions 1747 through 1750 described above with regard to FIG. 17. This causes a filter choice window 4526 to be display. As shown in the correction window 4524, the user drags up to the initial desired character the letter “t,” and releases the drag at that location which causes functions 1749 and 1740 through 1746 to be performed. These close the filter choice window, call the filterEdit routine of FIG. 28 with the selected character as an unambiguous correction to the prior ambiguous filter element and causes a new correction window to be displayed with the new filter as is indicated at 4528. As is shown in this correction window the first choice 4530 is shown with an unambiguous filter indicator 4532 for its first letter “t” and an ambiguous filter indicator 4534 for its remaining characters. Next, as is shown in the view of the same correction window shown at 4536 the user drags upward from the fifth letter “p” of the new first choice which causes a new correction window 4538 to be displayed. When the user releases this drag on the character “b”, it causes that character and all the characters that preceded the character it replaces in the first choice to be defined unambiguously in the current filter string, as indicated in the new correction window 4540, in which the first choice 4542 is the desired word, and the unambiguous portion of the filter is indicated by the unambiguous filter indicator 4544 and the remaining portion of the ambiguous filter element, which stays in the filter string by operations of functions 2900 through 2910 shown in FIG. 29. FIG. 46 illustrates that the SIP recognizer allows the user to also input text and filtering information by use of a character recognizer similar to the character recognizer that comes standard with that Windows CE operating system. As shown in the screenshot 4600 of this figure, if the user drags up from the function key functions 1428 and 1430 of FIG. 14 will display a menu 4602 and if the user releases on the menu's character recognition entry 4604 the character recognition mode described in FIG. 47 will be turned on. As shown in FIG. 47, this causes function 4702 to display a single-stroke character recognition window 4608, shown in screen 4606 FIG. 46, and then to enter an input loop 4704 which is repeated until the user selects to exit the window by selecting another input option on the function menu 4602. When in this loop, if the user touches the character recognition window, function 4906 records “ink” during the continuation of such a touch which records the motion if any of the touch across the surface of the portion of the display touch screen corresponding to the character recognition window. If the user releases a touch in this window, functions 4708 through 4714 are performed. Function 4710 performance character recognition on the “ink” currently in the window. Function 4712 clears the character recognition window, as indicated by view 4610 in FIG. 46. And function 4708 supplies the corresponding recognized character to the SIP buffer and the operating system. FIG. 48 illustrates that if the user selects the handwriting recognition option 4612 in the function menu shown in the screenshot 4600, a handwriting recognition entry window 4800 will be displayed in association with the SIP as is shown in screenshot 4802. The operation of the handwriting mode is provided in FIG. 49. When this mode is entered function 4902 displays the handwriting recognition window shown in FIG. 48, and then a loop 4903 is entered until the user selects to use another input option. In this loop, if the user touches the handwriting recognition window in any place other then the delete button 4804 shown in FIG. 48, the motion if any during the touch is recorded as “ink” by function 4904. If the user touches down in the “REC” button area 4806 shown in FIG. 48 function 4905 causes functions 4906 through 4910 to be performed. Function 4906 performs handwriting recognition on any “ink” previously entered in the handwriting recognition window. Function 4908 supplies the recognized output to the SIP buffer and the operating system, and function 4910 clears the recognition window. If the user presses the Delete button 4804 shown in FIG. 48 functions 4912 and 4914 clear the recognition window of any “ink.” It should be appreciated that the use of the recognition button 4806 allows the user to both instruct the system to recognize the “ink” that was previously in the handwriting recognition entry window and, at the same time, start the writing of a new word to be recognized. FIG. 50 shows the keypad 5000, which can be selected from the function menu 4602 by picking the option 4615 shown in FIG. 46. Having character recognition, handwriting recognition, and keyboard input methods rapidly available as part of the speech recognition SIP is often extremely advantageous because it lets the user switch back and forth between these different modes in a fraction of a second depending upon which is most convenient at the current time. And it allows the outputs of all of these modes to be used in editing text in the SIP buffer. As shown in FIG. 51, in one embodiment of the SIP buffer, if the user drags up from the filter button 1218 a window 5100 is display that provides the user with optional filter entry mode options. These include options of using a letter-name speech recognition, AlphaBravo speech recognition, character recognition, handwriting recognition, and the keyboard window, as alternative methods of entering filtering spellings. It also enables a user to select whether any of the speech recognition modes are discrete or continuous and whether the letter name recognition character recognition and handwriting recognition entries are to be treated as ambiguous in the filter string. This user interface enables the user to quickly select the filter entry mode which is appropriate for the current time and place. For example, in a quiet location where one does not have to worry about offending people by speaking, continuous letter name recognition is often very useful. However, in a location where there's a lot of noise, but a user feels that speech would not be offensive to neighbors, AlphaBravo recognition might be more appropriate. In a location such as a library where speaking might be offensive to others silent filter entry methods such as character recognition, handwriting recognition or keyboard input might be more appropriate. FIG. 52 provides an example of how character recognition can be quickly selected to filter a recognition. View 5200 shows a portion of a correction window in which the user has pressed the filter button and dragged up, causing the filter entry mode menu 5100 shown in FIG. 51 to be displayed, and then selected the character recognition option. As is shown in screenshot 5202 this causes the character recognition entry window 4608 to be displayed in a location that allows the user to see the entire correction window. In the screenshot 5202 the user has drawn the character “e” and when he releases his stylus from the drawing of that character the letter “e” will be entered into the filter string causing a correction window 5204 to be displayed in the example. The user then enters an additional character “m” into the character recognition window as indicated at 5206, and when he releases his stylus from the drawing of this letter the recognition of the character “em” causes the filter string to include “e” as shown by the ambiguous filter string indicator 5210 in view 5208. FIG. 53 starts with a partial screenshot 5300 where the user has tapped and dragged up from the filter key 1218 to cause the display of the filter entry mode menu, and has selected the handwriting option. This displays a screen such as 5302 with a handwriting entry window 4800 displayed at a location that does not block a view of the correction window. In the screenshot 5302 the user has handwritten in a continuous cursive script the letters “embed” and then presses the “REC” button to cause recognition of those characters. Once he has tapped that button an ambiguous filter string indicated by the ambiguous filter indicator 5304 is displayed in the first choice window corresponding to the recognized characters as shown by the correction window 5306. FIG. 54 shows how the user can use a keypad window 5000 to enter alphabetic filtering information. FIG. 55 illustrates how speech recognition can be used to collect handwriting recognition. Screenshot 5500 shows a handwriting entry window 4800 displayed in a position for entering text into the SIP buffer window 1104. In this screenshot the user has just finished writing a word. Numerals 5502 through 5510 indicate the handwriting of five additional words. The word in each of these views is started by a touchdown in the “REC” button so as to cause recognition of the prior written word. Numeral 5512 points to a handwriting recognition window where the user makes a final tap on the “REC” button to cause recognition of the last handwritten word “speech”. In the example of FIG. 55, after this sequence of handwriting input has been recognized, the SIP buffer window 1104 in the application window 1106 had the appearance shown in the screenshot 5514 as indicated by 5516. The user drags across the miss-recognized words “snack shower.” This causes the correction window 5518 to be shown. In the example, the user taps the re-utterance button 1216 and discretely re-utters the desired words “much . . . slower.” By operation of a slightly modified version of the “get” choices function described above with regard to FIG. 23 this will cause the recognition scores from recognizing the utterances 5520 to be combined with the recognition results from the handwritten inputs pointed to by numerals 5504 and 5506 to select a best scoring recognition candidate, which in the case of the example is the desired words, as shown at numerals 5522. It should also be appreciated that the user could have pressed the “new” button 1214 in the correction window 5518 instead of the ReUtt button 1218, in which case the output of speech recognition of the utterances 5520 would replace the handwriting outputs that had been selected as shown at 5516. As indicated in FIG. 56, if the user had pressed the filter button 1218 instead of the re-utterance button in the correction window 5518, the user could have used the speech recognition of letter names, such as in the utterance 5600 shown in FIG. 56, to alphabetically filter the handwriting recognition of the two words selected at 5516 in FIG. 55. FIG. 57 illustrates an alternate embodiment 5700 of the SIP speech recognition interface in which there are two separate top-level buttons 5702 and 5704 to select between discrete and continuous speech recognition, respectively. It will be appreciated that it is a matter of design choice which buttons are provided at the top level of a speech recognizes user interface. However, the ability to rapidly switch between the more rapid and more natural continuous speech recognition versus the more reliable although more halting and slow discrete speech recognition is something that can be very desirable, and in some embodiments justifies the allocation of a separate top-level key for the selection of discrete and for the selection of continuous recognition. FIG. 58 displays an alternate embodiment of the displayChoiceList routine shown in FIG. 22. It is similar to the routine of FIG. 22 except that it creates a single scrollable score ordered choice list rather than the two alphabetically ordered choice lists created by the routine in FIG. 22. The only portions of its language that differs from the language contained in FIG. 22 are underlined, with the exception that functions 2226 and 2228 have also been deleted in the version of the routine shown in FIG. 58. FIG. 59 illustrates one possible embodiment of a cellphone which contains a large vocabulary speech recognition capability according to certain aspects of the present invention. It includes a set of phone keys 5902, which includes a basic numbered phone keypad 5904 and a set of additional keys 5906 which are common in many of today's cellphones. These extra keys include the navigational keys 5908 which can actually be formed of one unit which can be tilted either up or down or left or right to enable a user to provide a discrete Up, Down, Left, or Right input. The cellphone also includes a display screen 5910, a speaker 5912, and a microphone 5914, which is located the bottom of the phone in a position that is not shown in FIG. 59. FIG. 60 provides a description of the basic components found in many cellphones. FIG. 61 includes a description of some of the programming and data structures contained on the mass storage device of the cellphone. Like the mass storage device described above with regard to FIG. 10, this mass storage device can be flash ROM, but could in some embodiments include other mass storage devices such as magnetic memories. The programs and data structures stored on the cellphone's mass storage device are somewhat similar to those stored in the PDA's mass storage shown in FIG. 10, and the similar elements are indicated by similar numbering. The mass storage device shown in FIG. 61 also includes cellphone programming 6102, which includes programming for dialing and answering calls and performing other phone functions. It is also shown having audio compression programming 6104, which is used by the cellphone programming to compress audio signals so they can be efficiently communicated by wireless cellphone transmission. In some embodiments of the invention some portions of this audio compression programming are also used to compress audio used by audio record-and-playback programming 6106. In many embodiments of the present invention the cellphone's mass storage also stores text-to-speech programming 6108 for tasks such as providing acknowledgement of the recognition of commands and feedback on speech recognition. FIG. 62 illustrates that the cellphone of FIG. 59 allows traditional phone dialing by the pressing of numbered phone keys. FIG. 63 provides a quick description of the cellphone's top-level mode, “phone mode”. As shown in this figure, if the user presses the Left navigation button on the rocker 5908 in FIG. 59, function 6302 calls a digit dial program, which allows the user to dial phone number by continuous digit recognition. If the user presses the Right navigation button on the same rocker, function 6304 calls the name dial program, which allows the user to dial a phone number by saying the name of a person in his contact list associated with that number. If the user presses the navigational up button on the rocker, function 6306 calls a message program that allows the user to see his phone and e-mail messages. If the user presses the down navigational button on the rocker switch, function 6308 opens up a speech recognition editor for a new item at the end of a textual outline of notes, enabling the user to quickly dictate into text ideas on any subject, which can then later be moved to other locations in the outline or into other text files. This use of navigational keys provides the user with rapid access to the important speech recognition functions of digit dial, named dial, and note taking from the telephone's top-level mode. If the user presses the “Menu” button shown in FIG. 59, function 6312 calls a displayMenu routine for the main menu of the phone. This routine displays the menu for which it is called, in this case, the main menu. If the user double-click's on the menu button, functions 6316 through the 6320 are performed. These functions call the displayMenu function for the main menu, set the recognition vocabulary to the main menu's command vocabulary, and treat the last press of the menu key as a speech key for recognition duration purposes of the type described above with regard to FIG. 18. If the user makes a single press of the Menu key for longer than a certain duration, function 6324 calls the help routine for the main menu. The help routine displays a text which describes the mode or menu for which it is called including all the commands which are available in that mode. These multiple uses of the Menu Key—i.e., the ability of different presses of the Menu key to either display the menu, display the menu and turn on command recognition of the menu's commands, or to evoke help for the current mode or menu—are available across virtually all modes of the particular embodiment of the cellphone that is described in detail in this application. FIG. 63 shows that when the cellphone is in phone mode its response to a pressing of the “Talk” and “End” buttons and keys on the standard phone pad are similar to that found in many prior cellphones. FIG. 64 illustrates at 6400 the appearance of the cellphone's display screen when at the top-level phone mode, such as before dialing has commenced. The notation indicated by numeral 6402 at the bottom of this display indicates to the user the functions associated with the navigational keys by the functions 6302 through 6308 of FIG. 63, discussed above. If the user either presses or double-clicks the Menu button, as shown at 6404, the main menu will be displayed, as described above with regard to functions 6312 and 6316. Once in this menu, the user can display an entire page at a time by pressing either the Left or Right navigational buttons, as is indicated in FIG. 64. If the user presses the Up or Down navigational buttons the current selection 6406 will be scrolled up or down one item at a time. The notation “<P{circumflex over ( )}I” in the title bar of the menu display indicates that the navigational mode moves a page with presses of the Left/Right navigational buttons, and an item at a time with presses of the Up and Down buttons. FIGS. 65 and 66 provide a more detailed description of the functionality that results when a call is made to displayMenu for the main menu, such as by the function 6318 of the top-level phone mode described in FIG. 63. When the displayMenu routine is called for a given menu, it displays the first screen of the given menu and then responds to commands associated with that menu. When displayMenu is called for the main menu, function 6502 displays the first screen of the main menu starting with the menu item numbered “1” in the cellphone screen shot 6408 shown in FIG. 64. If the user presses the Left or Right navigational key or says “Page Left” or “Page Right,” function 6508 scrolls the menu choice list up or down one screen, highlighting the first item in each new screen as indicated in FIG. 64. If the user presses the Up or Down navigational button or says “Item Up” or “Item Down,” function 6512 scrolls the highlight 6406 shown in FIG. 64 up or down by one item, scrolling the display, if necessary, to show newly highlighted items on the screen. If the user presses the OK key or says “OK,” function 6516 selects the currently highlighted choice in the menu, if any, and performs a function associated with that choice. If the user presses the Menu key while already in the menu mode and the press is not part of a double-click, functions 6520 and 6522 return from all currently called menus. Since menus can be hierarchical this has the effect of returning to the last non-menu mode from which a sequence of one or more displayMenu calls originated. As is described below, pressing the “*” or escape key causes a returns from a current menu call that will return to any menu from which a current, lower-level menu has been called. If the user double-click's the Menu key when the main menu is displayed, function 6526 and 6528 set the recognition vocabulary to the commands in the displayed menu, i.e., the main menu in FIG. 65, and treats the last Menu key press of the double-click as a speech key press for recognition duration logic purposes. This allows the user to be able to always turn on command recognition by double-clicking the menu key. If the user makes a sustained press of the Menu button, function 6532 calls the help routine for the currently displayed menu. If the user presses the Talk button, the response is the same as double-clicking on the menu button. If the user presses the End button, function 6542 saves the current state the cellphone is in for a possible return to that state in the future, and function 6544 goes to the phone mode. All of the above items just described with regard to FIG. 65 are shown in bold text in that figure to indicate that they are user interface features which are available in all menus of the particular cellphone interface that is described in detail. In the main menu and all the menus and command structures described below, if a number or key name precedes the name of an option, the user is able to select such an option by (a) pressing the numbered or named key; (b) if command recognition is on, by saying the name of the option; or (c) if in a menu or command list by selecting the option by moving the menu or command list highlight to a displayed command and then selecting it, either by pressing the OK key or, if command recognition is on, by saying “OK”. If any of these methods are used to select “Name Dial” when in the main menu, function 6548 calls the Name Dial program described above briefly. If the user selects “Digit Dial”, function 6552 calls the Digit Dial program. If the user selects “Speed Dial”, function 6556 calls the Speed Dial function. As shown in FIG. 66, if the user selects “Voice Messages”, function 6604 calls a program that allows a user to see a listing of, listen to, annotate, and/or copy selected portions of such voice messages into other documents on the cellphone system. If the user selects “Email”, function 6608 calls an Email function, which allows a user to originate, send, and receive e-mails, including the use of voice recognition to address e-mails and/or to create text in new e-mails or as comments on replies to e-mails sent by others. In FIG. 66 the Email option is preceded by “44”. A double-digit such as this indicates a double-click. The menu structure of the cellphone embodiment shown uses double-clicks liberally to increase the number of functions available to a user at one time through the relatively small number of keys found on most cellphones. If the user selects “Editor”, function 6612 calls editor mode with a new file. As will be described below in greater detail editor mode is the major speech recognition and phone key text entry mode of the disclosed cellphone embodiment. If the user selects “Note Outline”, function 6616 calls editor mode for new item at the bottom of a note outline. This is the same function which is called pressing a Down key when in the top-level phone mode. The note outlined is a hierarchical document structure which enables a sequence of notes to be viewed as if they were part of one document when desired. It allows various levels of the outline to be expanded and collapsed so as to enable more rapid navigation and reading of the outline's major headings. It is good for enabling a user to keep a chronological list of notes. It also is good for grouping certain types of information together such as to-do list information, and information concerning people of interest or subjects of interest. If the user selects “Contacts”, function 6620 calls a contact program which contains name, address, phone number, e-mail, and other information about each of a plurality of people. If the user selects “Schedule”, function 6624 calls the schedule program that allows the user to view, enter, and edit by voice recognition information relating to scheduling. If the user selects “Web browser”, function 6628 calls a Web browser program in which the user can enter values into text fields by speech recognition. If the user selects “Call History”, function 6632 calls a call history program that allows a user to see time, length, and phone number or name information about past calls it been made on the cellphone. If the user selects “Files”, function 6636 calls a file manager program that enables a user to navigate, open, delete, and create text and other types of stored files on the cellphone. If the user selects “Escape”, the call to displayMenu that is displaying the current menu will return. This “escape” option is shown in bold because it is available in all menus. If the currently displayed menu is being displayed in response to a call to displayMenu made by the selection of a command in a higher level menu, selecting “escape” will return to that higher level menu. As mentioned above, the current interface provides two options for returning from a menu. The first is pressing “Menu”, which returns to the top-level phone mode from all currently called menus, and “Escape”, which returns just from the currently displayed menus. This allows the user greater flexibility when using and navigating the cellphone's hierarchical menu structure. If the user selects “Task List”, function 6644 causes the execution to go to a Task List Manager which enables a user to select between all of the currently available tasks, in much the way that a task manager does on many current personal computers. This is an extremely desirable feature on a cellphone in which a user is given the capability to perform significant tasks through speech recognition. This is because having such multitasking on a cellphone allows one to answer a phone while in the middle of the relatively complex task such as composing a multi-line e-mail, without losing work on that task. Note that the Escape and Task List options are shown in bold because they are available in all of the cellphones menus. If the user selects “Main Options Menu”, function 6648 will call displayMenu for the Main Option Menu, which contains phone options that are less commonly used than those that selectable from the Main Menu itself. FIG. 67 through 74 displayed various mapping of a basic phone number keypad to functions used in various modes or menus of the disclosed cellphone speech recognition editor. The phone key mapping in the editor mode is shown in FIG. 67. FIG. 68 shows the phone key portion of the entry mode menu which is selected if the user presses the one key when in the editor mode. The entry mode menu is used to select among various text and alphabetic entry modes available on the system. FIG. 69 displays the functions that are available on the numerical phone key pad when the user has a correction window displayed, which can be caused from the editor mode by pressing the “2” key. FIG. 70 displays the numerical phone key commands available from an edit menu selected by pressing the “3” key when in the edit mode illustrated in FIG. 67. This menu is used to change the navigational functions performed by pressing the navigation keys of the phone keypad. FIG. 71 illustrates a somewhat similar correction navigation menu that displays navigational options available in the correction window by pressing the “3” key when the correction window is displayed. In addition to changing navigational modes while in a correction window, the menu of FIG. 71 also allows the user to vary the function that is performed when a choice is selected. FIG. 72 illustrates the numerical phone key mapping during a key Alpha mode, in which the pressing of a phone key having letters associated with it will cause a prompt to be shown on the cellphone display asking the user to say the ICA word associated with the desired one of the sets of letters associated with the pressed key. This mode is selected by double-clicking the “3” phone key when in the entry mode menu shown in FIG. 68. FIG. 73 shows a basic keys menu, which allows the user to rapidly select from among a set of the most common punctuation and function keys used in text editing, or by pressing the “1” key to see a menu that allows a selection of less commonly used punctuation marks. The basic keys menu is selected by pressing a “9” in the editor mode illustrated in FIG. 67. FIG. 74 illustrates the edit option menu that is selected by pressing “0” in the editor mode, the menu of which is shown in FIG. 67. This contains a menu which allows a user to perform basic tasks associated with use of the editor that are not available in the other modes or menus. At the top of each of the numerical phone key mappings shown in FIGS. 67 through 74 is a title bar that is shown at the top of the cellphone display when that menu or command list is shown. As can be seen from these figures the title bars illustrated in FIGS. 67, 69 and 72 start with the letters “Cmds” to indicate that the displayed options are part of a command list, whereas FIGS. 68, 70, 71, 73 and 74 have title bars which start with “MENU.” This is used to indicate a distinction between the command lists shown in FIGS. 67, 69 and 72 and the menus shown in the others of these figures. A command list displays commands that are available in a corresponding mode even when that command list is not displayed. The commands associated with a menu, on the other hand, are normally only available when the menu is being displayed. For Example, when in the editor mode associated with the command list of FIG. 67 or the key Alpha mode associated with FIG. 72, normally the text editor window will be displayed even though the phone keys have the functional mappings shown in those figures. Normally when in the correction window mode associated with the command list shown in FIG. 69, a correction window is shown on the cellphones display. In all these modes, the user can access the command list to see the current phone key mapping, as illustrated in FIG. 75, by merely pressing the menu key, as indicated by the numerals 7500 in that figure. In the example of FIG. 75, a display screen 7502 shows a window of the editor mode before the pressing of the Menu button. When the user presses the Menu button, the first page of the editor command list is shone, as indicated by 7504, the user then has the option of scrolling up or down in the command list to see not only the commands that are mapped to the numerical phone keys but also the commands mapped to the “Menu”, “Talk” and “End” key, as shown in screen 7506, as well as the navigational key buttons, “OK”, and “Menu” buttons, as shown in screen 7508 As shown in screen 7510, if there are additional options associated with the current mode at the time the command list is entered, they can also be selected from the command list by means of scrolling the highlight 7512 and using the “OK” key. In the example shown in FIG. 75 a phone call indicator 7514 having the general shape of a telephone handset is indicated at the left of each title bar to indicate to the user that the cellphone is currently in a telephone call. In this case extra functions are available in the editor that allow the user to quickly select to mute the microphone of the cell found, to record only audio from the user side of the phone conversation and to play the playback only to the user side of the phone conversation. FIGS. 76 through 78 provide a more detailed pseudocode description of the functions of the editor mode than is shown by the command listings shown in FIGS. 67 and 75. This pseudocode is represented as one input loop 7602 in which the editor responds to various user inputs. If the user inputs one of the navigational commands indicated by numeral 7603, by either pressing one of the navigational keys or speaking a corresponding navigational command, the functions 7604 through 7627 shown indented under that command in FIG. 76 are performed. Function 7604 tests to see if the editor is currently in word/line navigational mode. This is the most common mode of navigation in the editor, and it can be quickly selected by pressing the “3” key twice from the editor. The first press selects the navigational mode menu shown in FIG. 70 and the second press selects the word/line navigational mode from that menu. If the editor is in word-line mode function 7606 through 7624 are performed. If the navigational input is a Word-Left or Word-Right command, function 7606 causes function 7608 through 7617 to be performed. Functions 7608 and 7610 test to see if extended selection is on, and if so, they move the cursor one word to the left or right, respectively, and extend the previous selection to that word. If extended selection is not on, function 7612 causes functions 7614 to 7617 to be performed. Functions 7614 and 7615 test to see if either the prior input was a Word Left/Right command of a different direction than the current command or if the current command would put the cursor before or after the end of text. If either of these conditions is true, the cursor is placed to the left or right out of the previously selected word, and that previously selected word is unselected. If the conditions in the test of function 7614 are not met then function 7617 will move the cursor one word to the left or the right out of its current position and make the word that has been moved to the current selection. The operation of function 7612 through 7617 enable Word Left and Word Right navigation to allow a user to not only move the cursor by a word but also to select the current word at each move if so desired. It also enables the user to rapidly switch between a cursor that corresponds to a selected word and a cursor that represents an insertion point before or after a previously selected word. If the user input has been a line up or a line down command, function 7620 moves the cursor to the nearest word on the line up or down from the current cursor position, and if extended selection is on, function 7624 extends the current selection through that new current word. As indicated by the line 7626, the editor also includes programming for responding to navigational inputs when the editor is in other navigation modes that can be selected from the edit navigation menu shown in FIG. 70. If the user selects “OK” either by pressing the button or using voice command, function 7630 tests to see if the editor has been called to enter text into another program, such as to enter text into a field of a Web document or a dialog box, and if so function 7632 enters the current context of the editor into that other program at the current text entry location in that program and returns. If the test 7630 is not met, function 7634 exits the editor saving its current content and state for possible later use. If the user presses the Menu key when in the editor, function 7638 calls the displayMenu routine for the editor commands which causes a command list to be displayed for the editor as has been described above with regard to FIG. 75. As has been described above, this allows the user to scroll through all the current command mappings for the editor mode within a second or two. If the user double-clicks on the Menu key when in the editor, functions 7642 through 7646 call displayMenu to show the command list for the editor, set the recognition vocabulary to the editor's command vocabulary, and perform command speech recognition using the last press of the double-click to determine the duration of that recognition. If the user makes a sustained press of the menu key, function 7650 enters help mode for the editor. This will provide a quick explanation of the function of the editor mode and allow the user to explore the editor's hierarchical command structure by pressing its keys and having a brief explanation produced for the portion of that hierarchical command structure reached as a result of each such key pressed. If the user presses the Talk button when in the editor, function 7654 turns on recognition according to current recognition settings, including vocabulary and recognition duration mode. The talk button will often be used as the major button used for initiating speech recognition in the cellphone embodiment. If the user selects the End button, function 7658 goes to the phone mode, so as to enable the user to quickly make or answer a phone call. It saves the current state of the editor so that the user can return to it when such a phone call is over. A shown in FIG. 77, if the user selects the entry mode menu, illustrated in FIG. 68, while in edit mode, function 7702 causes that menu to be displayed. As will be described below in greater detail, this menu allows the user to quickly select between dictation modes somewhat as buttons 1122 through 1134 shown in FIG. 11 did in the PDA embodiment. In the embodiment shown, the entry mode menu has been associated with the “1” key because of the “1” key's proximity to the talk key. This allows the user to quickly switch dictation modes and then continue dictation using the talk button. If the user selects “choice list,” functions 7706 and 7708 set the correction window navigational mode to be page/item navigational mode, which is best for scrolling through and selecting recognition candidate choices. They then can call the correction window routine for the current selection, which causes a correction window somewhat similar to the correction window 1200 shown in FIG. 12 to be displayed on the screen of the cellphone. If there currently is no selection, the correction window will be called with an empty selection. A correction window starting with an initially empty selection can be used to select one or more words using alphabetic input, word completion, and/or the addition of one or more utterances. Once such one or more words are selected in such a correction window, they will be inserted into text at the location of the originally empty cursor. The correction window routine will be described in greater detail below. If the user selects “filter choices” such as by double-clicking on the “2” key, function 7712 through 7716 set the correction window navigational mode to the word/character mode used for navigating in a first choice or filter string. They than call the correction window routine for the current selection and treat the second press of the double-click, if one has been entered, as the speech key for recognition duration purposes. In most cellphones, the “2” key is usually located directly below the navigational key. This enables the user to navigate in the editor to a desired word or words that need correction and then single press the nearby “2” key to see a correction window with alternate choices for the selection, or to double-click on the “2” key and immediately start entering filtering information to help the recognizer selects a correct choice. If the user selects the navigational mode menu shown in FIG. 70, function 7720 causes it to be displayed. As will be described in more detail below, this function enables the user to change the navigation that is accomplished by pressing the Left and Right and the Up and-Down navigational buttons. In order to make such changes more easy to make, the navigational button has been placed in the top row of the numbered phone keys, close to the navigation buttons. If the user selects the discrete recognition input by pressing the “4” botton, function 7724 turns on discrete recognition according to the current vocabulary using the press-And-Click-To-Utterance-End duration mode as the current recognition duration setting. This button is provided to enable the user to quickly shift to discrete utterance recognition whenever desired by the pressing of the “4” button. As has been stated before, discrete recognition tends to be substantially more accurate than continuous recognition, although it is more halting. The location of this commands key has been selected to be close to the talk button and the “1” key, which serves in the editor as the entry mode menu button. Because of the availability of the discrete recognition key, the recognition modes normally mapped to the Talk button will be continuous. Such a setting allows the user to switch between continuous and discrete recognition by altering between pressing the Talk button and the “4” key. If the user selects selections start or selections stop as by toggling the “5” key, function 7728 toggles extended selection on and off, depending on whether that mode was currently on or off. Then function 7730 tests to see whether extended selection has just been turned off and if so, function 7732 de-selects any prior selection other than one, if any, at the current cursor. In the embodiment described, the “5” key is selected for the extended selection command because of its proximity to the navigational controls and the “2” key which is used for bringing up correction windows. If the user chooses the select all command, such as by double-clicking on the “5” key, function 7736 selects all the text in the current document. If the user selects the “6” key or any of the associated commands which are currently active (which can include play start, play stop, or records stop), function 7740 tests to see if the system is currently not recording audio. If so, function 7742 toggles between an audio play mode and a mode in which audio play is off. If the cellphone is currently on a phone call and the play only to me option 7513 shown in FIG. 75 has been set to the off mode, function 7746 sends audio from the play over the phone line to the other side of the phone conversation as well as to the speaker or headphone of the cellphone itself. If, on the other hand the system is recording audio when the “6” button is pressed, function 7750 turns recording off. If the user double-click on the “6” key or enters a record command, function 7754 turns audio recording on. Then function 7756 tests to see if the system is currently on a phone call and if the Record-Only-Me setting 7511 shown in FIG. 75 is in the off state. If so, function 7758 records audio from the other side of the phone line as well as from the phone's microphone or microphone input jack. If the user presses the “7” key or otherwise selects the capitalized menu command, function 7762 displays a capitalized menu that offers the user the choice to select between modes that cause all subsequently entered text to be either in all lowercase, all initial caps, or all capitalized. It also allows the user to select to change one or more words currently selected, if any, to all lowercase, all initial caps, or all capitalized form. If the user double-clicks on the “7” key or otherwise selects the capitalized cycle key, the capitalized cycle routine which can be called one or more times to change the current selection, if any, to all initial caps, all capitalized, or all lowercase form. It the user presses the “8” key or otherwise selects the word form list, function 7770 calls the word form list routine described above with regard to FIG. 27. If the user double-click on the “8” key or selects the word type command, function 7774 displays the word type menu. The Word Type menu allows the user to select a word type limitations as described above with regard to the filter match routine of FIG. 26 upon a selected word. In the embodiment shown, this menu is a hierarchical menu having the general form shown in FIGS. 91 and 92, which allows the user to specify word ending types, word start types, word tense types, word part of speech types and other word types such as possessive or non-possessive form, singular or plural nominative forms, singular or plural verb forms, spelled or not spelled forms and homonyms, if any exist. As shown in FIG. 78, if the user presses the “9” key or selects the “Basic Key's Menu” command, function 7802 displays the basic key's menu shown in FIG. 73, which allows the user to select the entry of one of the punctuation marks or input character that can be selected from that menu as text input. If the user double-clicks on the “9” key or selects the “New Paragraph” Command, function 7806 enters a New Paragraph Character into the editor's text. If the user selects the “*” key or the “Escape” command, functions 7810 to 7824 are performed. Function 7810 tests to see if the editor has been called to input or edit text in another program, in which case function 7812 returns from the call to the editor with the edited text for insertion to that program. If the editor has not been called for such purpose, function 7820 prompts the user with the choice of exiting the editor, saving its contents and/or canceling escape. If the user selects to escape, functions 7822 and 7824 escape to the top level of the phone mode described above with regard to FIG. 63. If the user double-clicks on the “*” key or selects the “Task List” function, function 7828 goes to the task list, as such a double-click does in most of the cellphone's operating modes and menus. It the user presses the “0” key or selects the “Edit Options Menu” command, function 7832 calls the edited options menu described above briefly with regard to FIG. 74. If the user double-clicks on the “0” key or selects the “Undo” command, function 7836 undoes the last command in the editor, if any. It the user presses the “#” key or selects the “Backspace” command, function 7840 tests to see if there's a current selection. If so, function 7842 deletes it. If there is no current selection and if the current smallest navigational unit is a character, word, or outline item, functions 7846 and 7848 delete backward by that smallest current navigational unit. FIGS. 79 and 80 illustrate the options provided by the Entry Mode menu discussed above with regard to FIG. 68. When in this menu, if the user presses the “1” key or otherwise selects “Large Vocabulary Recognition”, functions 7906 through 7914 are performed. These set the recognition vocabulary to the large vocabulary. They treat the press of the “1” key as a speech key for recognition duration purposes. They also test to see if a correction window is displayed. If so, they set the recognition mode to discrete recognition, based on the assumption that in a correction window, the user desires the more accurate discrete recognition. They add any new utterance or utterances received in this mode to the utterance list of the type described above, and they call the displayChoiceList routine of FIG. 22 to display a new correction window for any re-utterance received. In the cellphone embodiment shown, the “1” key has been selected for large vocabulary in the entry mode menu because it is the most common recognition vocabulary and thus the user can easily select it by clicking the “1” key twice from the editor. The first click selects the entry mode menu and the second click selects the large vocabulary recognition. If the user presses the “2” key when in entry mode, the system will be set to unambiguous letter-name recognition of the type described above. If the user double-clicks on that key when the entry mode menu is displayed at a time when the user is in a correction window, function 7926 sets the recognition vocabulary to the letter-name vocabulary and indicates that the output of that recognition is to be treated as an ambiguous filter. In the preferred embodiment, the user has the ability to indicate under the entry preference option associated with the “9” key of the menu, shown in FIG. 80, whether or not such filters are to be treated as ambiguous length filters or not. The default setting is to let such recognition be treated as an ambiguous length filter in continuous letter-name recognition, and a fixed length ambiguous filter in response to the discrete letter-name recognition. If the user presses the “3” key, recognition is set to the AlphaBravo mode. If the user double-clicks on the “3” key, recognition is set to the “keyAlpha” mode as described above with regard to FIG. 72. This mode is similar to AlphaBravo mode except that pressing one of the number keys “2” through “9” will cause the user to be prompted to one of the ICA words associated with the letters on the pressed key and recognition will favor recognition of one word from that limited set of ICA words, so as to provide very reliable alphabetic entry even under relatively extreme noise conditions. It the user presses the “41” key, the vocabulary is changed to the digit vocabulary. If the user double-clicks on the “4” key, the system will respond to the subsequent pressing of numbered phone keys by entering the corresponding numbers into the editors text. If the user presses the “5” key, the recognition vocabulary is limited to a punctuation vocabulary. If the user presses the “6” key, the recognition vocabulary is limited to the contact name vocabulary described above. If the user presses the 7 key, the system enters a non-ambiguous phone key spelling mode in which it enables a user to input a sequence of one or more alphabetic characters by pressing a given phone key one or more times for each desired character, with the number of times each key is pressed in quick succession being used to select which of the characters associated with that key is desired. If the user double-clicks on the “7” key, the system enters ambiguous key recognition in which each press of a phone key having a set of letters associated with it causes entry of an ambiguous character, of the type described above in the filterMatch and filterEdit routines of FIGS. 26 and 28, respectively, which represents any one of the pressed phone key's associated letters. If the user selects the “8” key, the system toggles between continuous and discrete recognition. Preferably, as indicated by functions 8020 and 8026, there is an audio indication at each such change between these recognition modes to indicate to the user which of the modes has been selected, so, if the wrong mode has been selected, the user can correct it merely by pressing the key again. If the user double-clicks on the “8” key, the system enters a One-At-A-Time mode similar to that described above with regard to the PDA embodiment. If the user presses the “9” key, the system displays the Entry Preferences menu shown in FIG. 93. As is indicated in that figure, this menu allows the user to select default recognition settings for normal large vocabulary dictation, for the entry of filter strings, and re-utterances. It also allows the user to select the recognition duration mode defaults for dictation, filtering, and reutterances, as well as to select, at the top level of this menu, the temporary duration mode for the current dictation mode. FIGS. 81 through 83 illustrate the operation of the correction window routine in the disclosed cellphone embodiment. In this routine, function 8102 sets the recognition mode to that of the current default for filter recognition, since in the correction window the most likely voice input would be that of a filtering string. However, the current vocabulary would normally also include the capability to recognize commands to choose any of the choices currently shown on the choice list by a “choose N” voice command, where N is the number associated with a desired choice, or a “first choice” voice command to select the current first choice. Next, function 8104 calls the displayChoiceList routine, described above with regard to FIG. 22, for the current selection with which the correction window routine has been called. This causes a correction window to be displayed on the cellphone screen. Once functions 8102 and 8104 have been performed, an input loop 8106 is performed. In this loop, if the current navigational mode is the page/item mode, the functions 8108 to 1818 respond to navigational input. If the input is a Page Left or Page Right command, function 8114 scrolls the choice list up or down a page, respectively, moving the display list's highlighted choice by one page. If the input is an item up/down command, function 8118 scrolls the highlighted choice up or down, respectively, by one choice, scrolling the screen if necessary to display the highlighted choice after such a move. If the correction window is in the word/character navigation mode, functions 8120 through 8162 respond to navigational input. If the input is a Word Left or Word Right input, functions 8124 through 8136 are performed. If there is a first/last character of a word within seven characters to the left or right, respectively, of the filter cursor in the best choice, functions 8124 and 8126 move the filter cursor to that first or last character, and select it. If there is no such word start or word end within such a desired distance, function 8128 tests to see if there is a character 5 characters to the left or right, respectively, of the filter cursor in the best choice. If so, the filter cursor moves to and selects that character. If the filter cursor is on or after the last character in the best choice and if a scroll would not extend beyond the right-most character of all choices, functions 8132 through 8135 scroll the choice list window horizontally left or right by 5 characters' width. This allows a user to see rightward portions of choices that are longer than the first choice. If a 5 character scroll would extend past the rightmost character in the choice list, function 8136 scroll rightward by the numbers of characters, if any, that would expose rightmost character in choice list. If the navigational input received when the correction window is in the word/character navigation mode is a Character Up or Character Down input, functions 1844 through 8150 are performed. Function 8144 tests to see if the filter cursor is after the last character in the best choice. If a scroll would not extend beyond the right-most character in all choices, then function 8147 scrolls the choice list window horizontally left or right by one character's width. If the filter cursor is not currently before or after the start of the best choice at the time the navigational input is received, function 8150 moves the filter cursor left or right by one character. FIG. 81 only describes movement to characters in the current first choice or spaces after it, in which the character moved to is selected by the current cursor after the move. Techniques could easily be designed to allow a user to position a cursor before the first choice or between characters in the first choice if desired. For example, functions 7606 through 7617 of FIG. 76 show how a user can select between cursor movements that selects a word to the left or right, and cursor movements that makes the cursor into a non-selection cursor. In these functions, a non-selection cursor is chosen by a left or right movement immediately followed by the opposite right or left movement, respectively. A similar technique could be used in the correction window if desired. If a new filter string character has been moved to as a result of functions 8126, 8130, 8147 or 8150, function 8151 causes functions 8152 through 8162 to be performed. Function 8152 calls the filterCharacterChoice routine of FIG. 30 for that character, so as to display a filter choice window for the character's position in the filter string, if that position in the filter string is ambiguous. In the cellphone embodiment, this displays an alphabetized choice list of filter characters corresponding to the selected character in the filter string. If the choice list has been displayed and any subsequent input is received from the user, function 8153 causes functions 8154 through 8162 to be performed. Function 8154 tests to see if the input is a choice in the filtercharacterchoice window. If so, function 8156 closes the filter choice window, function 8158 calls the filterEdit routine for the change in the filter string caused by the selection of the filter character, which will unambiguously confirm not only the selected filter character but all characters before it in the current first choice word, then function 8160 calls the displayChoiceList routine to display a new correction window with choices limited to the newly edited filter string. As shown in FIG. 82, if the user presses the “Menu” key, function 8202 calls the displayMenu routine for the correction window's commands. This will cause a display of a command list similar to that shown in FIG. 69. In a manner similar to that shown for the editor mode command list in FIG. 75, this allows the user to quickly see the phone key command mapping available when the correction window is displayed. As shown in FIG. 82, double-clicking the “Menu” key and pressing it for a sustained period of time has corresponding results as the same inputs do in the editor mode and other menu modes. Pressing the “Talk” key initiates speech recognition in the correction window according to the current recognition mode, which will normally be the filter entry mode described above with regard to function 8102. As indicated by functions 8224 through 8232, pressing the “OK” key in the correction window will select the first choice unless another choice is highlighted in that window. As shown by functions 8236 through 8254 near the bottom of FIG. 82, the top row of numbered phone keys performed the same or similar functions in the correction window as they do in the editor mode. In both modes the “1” key displays the entry mode menu. In both modes a single click of the “2” key causes a correction window to be in the page/item navigational mode and a double-click of the “2” key the causes a correction window to be in the word-character navigation mode. And in both modes the “3” key is used for selecting navigational modes. The operation of the “2” key is somewhat different when in the correction window, since a correction window is already displayed at that time. Pressing the two key once in that mode not only sets the navigational mode for the correction window but also removes the display of any filtercharacterchoice window and also plays the audio of the correction window's selection's first utterance, if there is one. Pressing the “3” key in the correction window displays the correction navigation mode menu illustrated below with regard to FIG. 85. This menu also allows the user to switch between the two navigation modes most appropriate for the correction window by use of the 2 and 3 keys. But it also allows the user to define how the correction window will respond to the selection of a given recognition choice displayed in the correction window by means of keys 4 through 6. It also allows the user to change the capitalization of, or to cause a Word Form list to be displayed for, the current best choice. As shown in FIG. 83, if the user inputs a choice number, either by voice command or pressing one of the numbered phone keys corresponding to a choice number, functions 8302 through 8320 are performed. The Choice Filter Mode is selected by pressing the “5” key in the correction navigation menu shown in FIG. 85. If the correction window is currently in this mode when a choice number is received, functions 8302 and 8304 call the displayChoiceList routine with the choice corresponding to the choice number as the filter string, and sets the correction window's navigation mode to word/character mode if the correction window is not currently in that navigation mode. The Pre-Choice Filter Mode can be selected by pressing the “4” key in the correction navigation menu of FIG. 85. If, when a choice number is input, the correction window is in the Pre-Choice Filter Mode, function 8308 causes the correction window to enter the word/character navigation mode, if it is not currently in it, and function 8310 calls the displayChoiceList routine with the selected choice as the end of the current filter range and the prior choice as the beginning of the filter range. If the selected choice is the first choice in an alphabetical list of choices, the first entry in the filter range is the start of the alphabet. If the correction window is in the Post-Choice Filter Mode, which is selected by pressing the “6” key in the correction navigation menu of FIG. 85, functions 8312 through 8316 ensure that the correction window is in the word/character navigation mode appropriate for filter editing, and then call the displayChoiceList routine with the selected choice as the start of the filter range and the next choice or the end of the alphabet as the end of the filter range. Although not shown in functions 8302 through 8316, the Choice Filter, Pre-Choice Filter, and Post-Choice Filter modes are all exited by the selection of a choice in such a mode or by any input other than the selection of a displayed choice. If none of the three choice filter modes described in functions 8302 through 8316 are in effect, function 8320 responds to user input of a choice number by returning to the editor and inserting the selected choice at the current selection or cursor. If the user double-clicks on a choice number, function 8324 causes it to have the same effect as if the user had selected that choice in the choice filter mode described above with regard to function 8302 and 8304. This allows an alternate choice word to be selected as a first choice and then have all or a subset of its letters used as a filter to help rapidly selected a desired word. If the user single-clicks the “Star” key, function 8328 will escape from the correction window without making any changes to the current selection. The responses to “**” or the “Task List” command, “0” or the “Edit Options Menu” command, and “00” or the “Undo” command are the same in the correction window as in the editor window. If the user presses “#” or utters the “Backspace” command function 8350 calls the filterEdit routine of FIG. 28 with any portion of the first choice before the filter cursor as the filter string, with the filter cursor, and with “backspace” as an input. Then Function 8352 calls the displayChoiceList routine of FIG. 22 with the resulting new filter string. If the user enters one or more filtering characters, either by voice recognition or by having previously temporarily entered one of the entry modes that allow the entry of characters by phone keys, function 8356 calls filterEdit with the current choice, filter string, and filter cursor position, and with the newly entered one or more characters as the new filter choice. If the user enters a re-utterance, function 8360 adds the new utterance to the current selection's utterance list, and function 8362 calls the displayChoiceList routine of FIG. 22, which, through its call to the getChoices routine of FIG. 23, causes recognition to be performed using both a prior utterance, if any, and the re-utterance for the current selection, and then displays a new correction window with the resulting best choice if any. FIG., 84 shows the Edit Navigation Menu 8400, which can be entered by pressing the “3” key or saying “Nav. Mode Menu” as indicated in FIG. 77. When in the Edit Nav. Menu, if the user presses the “1” key or the enters the command “Utterance Start” and if there is a current last utterance, functions 8404-8408 cause the text, if any, corresponding first word in that utterance to be selected as the cursor. If a user in the Edit Nav Menu presses the “2” key or enters the command “Word/Char”, functions 8410 and 8412 change the navigation mode to the Word/Char navigation mode, which responds to Left or Right navigation buttons by moving a Word Left or Right, respectively, and to Up or Down navigational buttons by moving a character left or right, respectively. If the user presses the “3” key or enters the command “Word/Line”, functions 8414 and 8416 change the navigation mode to the Word/Line navigation mode, which responds to Left or Right navigation buttons by moving a word left or right, respectively, and to Up or Down navigational buttons by moving a line up or down, respectively. If the user presses the “4” key or enters the command “Doc/Screen”, functions 8418 and 8420 change the navigation mode to the Doc/Screen navigation mode, which responds to Left or Right navigation buttons by moving to the last or next start or end of a document, respectively, and to Up or Down navigational buttons by moving up or down a screen, respectively. If the user presses the “5” key or enters the command “Outline Level/Item”, functions 8422 and 8424 change the navigation mode to the Outline Level/Item navigation mode, which responds to Left or Right navigation buttons by moving to the last parent item or next child item, respectively, in an outline, and to up or down navigational buttons by moving up or down an item at the current level. If a User in the Edit Nav Menu presses the “6” key or enters the command “Audio Item/5 sec”, functions 8426 through 8430 set the display of sound waveforms to high resolution and change the navigation mode to the Audio Item/5 second navigation mode, which responds to Left or Right navigational buttons by moving to the last or next start or end of a recorded audio item, respectively, and to up or down navigation buttons by skipping forward or backward 5 seconds in recorded audio, respectively. If the user double presses the “6” key or enters the command “Audio Item/30 sec”, functions 8432 through 8436 set the display of sound waveforms to low resolution and change the navigation mode to the Audio Item/30 second navigation mode, which responds to Left or Right navigational buttons by moving to the last or next start or end of a recorded audio item, respectively, and to Up or Down navigation buttons by skipping forward or backward 30 seconds in recorded audio, respectively. If the user presses the “7” key or enters the command “Undo List/Item”, functions 8438 and 8440 change the navigation mode to the Undo List/Item navigation mode, which responds to Left or Right navigation buttons by moving to the start or end of the undo list, respectively, and to Up or Down buttons by moving to the last or next item in the undo list, respectively. This form of navigation is used to allow a more flexibility in selecting of which commands to undo. If the user presses the “8” key or enters the command “File Lev/Item”, functions 8442 and 8444 change the navigation mode to the File Lev/Item navigation mode, which responds to Left or Right navigation buttons by moving to the last parent level or next child level, if any, in the directory structure, respectively, and to up or down navigational buttons by moving up or down an item at the current level (i.e., in the current file directory). This form of navigation is used to allow a user to navigate a file structure on the cellphone. If a user in the Edit Nav Menu presses the “9 key or enters the command “Utterance End”, if there is a current last utterance, functions 8448 and 8450 select as the cursor the text corresponding to the last word in that utterance, and then return. If the user presses the “*” key or enters the command “Escape”, functions 8452 and 8454 return to the editor window. If the user double presses the “*” key or enters the command “Task List”, functions 8456 and 8458 go to the Task List routine. FIG. 85 illustrates the Correction Navigation Menu that is accessed by pressing the “3” key when in the correction window, as discussed above with regard to function 8254 of FIG. 82. If a user in the Correction Navigation Menu presses the “2” key or enters the command “Page/Item”, functions 8504 and 8506 change the navigation mode to the Page/Item navigation mode, which responds to Left or Right navigation buttons by moving up or down a page in the current choice list, respectively, and to Up or Down navigational buttons by moving up or down an individual choice in the current choice list, respectively. If the user double presses the “2” key, presses the “3” key, or enters the command “Word/Char”, functions 8508 and 8510 change the navigation mode to the Word/Char navigation mode, which responds to Left or Right navigation buttons by moving a word left or right, respectively, and to Up or Down navigational buttons by moving a character left or right, respectively. If the user presses the “4” key or enters the command “Pre-Choice Filter”, functions 8516 through 8520 set the Correction Window to Pre-Choice Filter Mode and change the navigation mode to the Page/Item mode, described above with regard to functions 8504 and 8506. As was stated above with regard to functions 8306 through 8310 of FIG. 83, the Pre-Choice Filter mode allows a user to select an alphabetic filter range between two adjacent words on a choice list. If the user presses the “5” key or enters the command “Choice Filter”, functions 8522 through 8526 set the Correction Window to Choice Filter Mode and change the navigation mode to the Page/Item mode. As was stated above with regard to functions 8302 and 8304, the Choice Filter mode allows a user to select an alternate choice to be the first choice and the current filter string. Once such a choice is made the user can edit the filter string if only certain characters in the selected word are in the desired word. If the user presses the “6” key or enters the command “Post-Choice Filter”, functions 8528 through 8532 set the Correction Window to Post-Choice Filter Mode and change the navigation mode to the Page/Item mode. As was stated above with regard to functions 8312 through 8316 of FIG. 83, the Post-Choice Filter mode, like the Pre-Choice Filter Mode, allows a user to select an alphabetic filter range between two adjacent words on a choice list. Each time a user in the Correction Navigation Menu presses the “7” key or enters the command “Capitalize”, functions 8534 and 8536 cause the current choice to progress one stage through the capitalization cycle, which changes to initial caps, all caps, and then no caps. If a user in the Correction Navigation Menu presses the “8” key or enters the command “Word Form List”, functions 8538 and 8540 cause the word form list to be displayed for the current choice. The “Escape” and “Task List” commands function substantially the same in the Correction Navigation Menu as in most other menus. FIG. 86 illustrates the keyAlpha mode which has been described above to some extent with regard to FIG. 72. As indicated in FIG. 86, when this mode is entered the navigation mode is set to the word/character navigation mode normally associated with alphabetic entry. Then function 8604 overlays the keys listed below it with the functions indicated with each such key. In this mode, pressing the Talk key turns on recognition with the AlphaBravo vocabulary according to current recognition settings and responding to the key press according to the current recognition duration setting. The “1” key continues to operate as the entry edit mode key so the user can press it to exit the keyAlpha mode. A pressing of the numbered phone keys “2” through “9” causes functions 8618 through 8624 to be performed during such a press. Function 8618 displays a prompt of the ICA words corresponding to the phone key's letters. Function 8620 substantially limits the recognition vocabulary to one of the three or four displayed ICA words. Function 8622 turns on recognition for the duration of the press. And Function 8624 outputs the letter corresponding to the recognized ICA word either into the text of the editor, if in editor mode, or into the filter string, if in filterEdit mode. If the user presses the “0” button, function 8628 enters a key punctuation mode that responds to the pressing of any phone key having letters associated with it by displaying a scrollable list of all punctuation marks that start with one of the set of letters associated with that key, and which favors the recognition of one of those punctuation words. If a user in the KeyAlpha mode double presses “0” button or enters the “Space” command, function 8632 will output a space. If the user press the “#” key or enters the “Backspace” command, function 8636 tests to see if there is a current selection. If so, function 8638 deletes that selection. If not, Functions 8640 and 8642 test to see if the current smallest navigational unit associated with a navigational key is a character, word, or outline item, and if so, it deletes the last such unit before the current cursor position. FIG. 87 represents an alternate embodiment of the keyAlpha mode, which is identical to that of FIG. 86 except for portions of the pseudocode which are underlined in FIG. 87. In this mode, if the user presses the Talk button, large vocabulary recognition will be turned on but only the initial letter of each recognized word will be output, as indicated in function 8608A. As functions 8618A and 8620A indicate, when the user presses a phone key having a set of three or four letters associated with it, the user is prompted to say a word starting with the desired letter and the recognition vocabulary is substantially limited to words that start with one of the key's associated letters, and function 8624A outputs the initial letter corresponding to the recognized word. FIG. 88 represents a second alternate embodiment of the keyAlpha mode, which is identical to that of FIG. 86 except for portions of the pseudocode that are underlined in FIG. 88. As is indicated in FIG. 88, in this second alternative a limited set of words is associated with each letter of the alphabet and during the pressing of the key, recognition is substantially limited to recognition of the set of words associated with the key's associated letters. In some such embodiments, a set of five or fewer words would be associated with each such letter. FIGS. 89 and 90 represent some of the options available in the Edit Options Menu, which is accessed by pressing the 0 button in the editor and correction window modes. In this menu, if the user presses the “1” key, he gets a menu of file options as indicated at function 8902. If the user presses the “2” key, he gets a menu of edit options, such as those that are common in most editing programs, as indicated by function 8904. If the user presses the “3” button, function 8906 displays the same entry preference menu that is accessed by pressing a “9” in the entry mode menu described above with regard to FIGS. 68 and 80. If the user presses the “4” key when in the edit options menu, a text-to-speech or TTS menu will be displayed. In this menu, the “4” key toggles TTS play on or off. The TTS submenu also includes a choice, selected by pressing the “5” key, that allows the user to play the current selection whenever he or she desires to do so, as indicated by functions 8924 and 8926. The Submenu also includes functions 8928 and 8930, which are selected by pressing the “6” key, that allow the user to toggle continuous TTS play on or off. This causes TTS speech synthesis to start at the start of the current cursor and continue until the end of the current document, independently of the state of TTS playback that has resulted from functions 8910 through 8912. As indicated by the top-level choices in the edit options menu at 8932, a double-click of the “4” key toggles text-to-speech on or off, just as if the user had pressed the “4” key, then waited for the text-to-speech menu to be displayed and then again pressed the “4” key. The “5” key in the Edit Options Menu selects the outline menu that includes a plurality of functions that let a user navigate in, and expand and contract, headings in an outline mode. If the user double-clicks on the “5” key, the system toggles between totally expanding and totally contracting the outline element in which the editor's cursor is currently located. If the user selects the “6” key an audio menu is displayed as a submenu, some of the options of which are displayed indented under the audio menu item 8938 in the combination of FIGS. 89 and 90. If a user selects the Audio Navigation option 8940 of the audio menu by pressing the “1” key, an Audio Navigation sub-menu will be displayed which includes options 8942 through 8948 which allow the user more ways navigate with the navigation keys in audio recordings than are provided by the options 8426 and 8432 shown FIG. 84. If the user selects the Playback Settings option by pressing the “2” key, he or she will see a submenu that allows adjustment of audio playback settings, such as volume and speed and whether audio associated with recognized words and/or audio recorded without associated recognized words is to be played. FIG. 90 starts with options selected by the “3”, “4”, “5”, “6” and “7” keys under the audio menu described above, which is displayed in response to selection of the Audio Menu option 8938 in FIG. 89. If the user presses the “3” key, a recognized audio options dialog box 9000 will be displayed that, as is described by numerals 9002 through 9014, gives the user the option to select to perform speech recognition on any audio contained in the current selection in the editor, to recognize all audio in the current document, to decide whether or not previously recognized audio is to be re-recognized, and to set parameters to determine the quality of, and time required by, such recognition. As indicated at line 9012 and 9014, this dialog box provides an estimate of the time required to recognize the current selection with the current quality settings and, if a task of recognizing a selection is currently underway, status on the current job. This dialog box allows the user to perform recognitions on relatively large amounts of audio as a background task or at times when a phone is not being used for other purposes, including times when it is plugged into an auxiliary power supply. If the user selects the delete from selection option by pressing the “4” key in the audio menu, the user is provided with a submenu that allows him to select to delete certain information from the current selection. This includes allowing the user to select to delete all audio that is not associated with recognized words, to delete all audio that is selected with recognized words, to delete all audio, or to delete text from the desired selection. Deleting recognition audio from recognized text greatly reduces the memory associated with the storage of such text and is often a useful thing to do once the user has decided that he does not need the text-associated audio to help him her determine its intended meaning. Deleting text but not audio from a portion of media is often useful where the text has been produced by speech recognition from the audio but is sufficiently inaccurate to be of little use. In the audio menu, the “5” key allows the users to select whether or not text that has associated recognition audio is marked, such as by underlining to allow the user to know if such text has playback that can be used to help understand it or, in some embodiments, will have an acoustic representation from which alternate recognition choices can be generated. The “6” key allows the user to choose whether or not audio against which speech recognition has been performed is to be kept in recorded form in association with the resulting recognized text. In many embodiments, even if the recording of recognition audio is turned off, such audio will be kept for some number of the most recently recognized words so that it will be available for possible correction playback and re-utterance recognition. As indicated by numeral 9030, in the audio menu, the “7” key selects a transcription mode dialog box. If this input is selected a transcription mode dialog box is displayed, that allows the user to select settings to be used in a transcription mode that is described below with regard to FIG. 96. This is a mode that is designed to make it easy for user to transcribe pre-recorded audio by speech recognition. The “7” pointed to by the numeral 9032 can be selected directly from the Edit Options Menu, unlike the “7” described in the paragraph above, which is selected from the Audio Menu, which itself is a submenu of the Edit Options Menu. This difference is indicated by the different level of indentation of the two “7”s. Pressing the “7” key pointed to by numeral 9032 selects the User Menu option. If this option is selected a User Menu is displayed which presents information and choices relating one or more users of the cellphone. If the user presses the “8” key, function 9036 will be performed. It calls a search dialog box with the current selection, if any, as the default search string. As will be illustrated below, the speech recognition text editor can be used to enter a different search string, if so desired. If the user double-clicks on the “8” key, this will be interpreted as a find again command, which will search again for the last search string for which a search was performed using the search dialog box. If the user selects the “9” key in the edit options menu, a vocabulary menu is displayed that allows the user to determine which words are in the current vocabulary, to select between different vocabularies, and to add words to a given vocabulary. If the user either single or double-presses the “0” button when in the edit options menu, an undo function will be performed, that in many cases will undo the last command. A double click of the “0” key accesses the undo function from within the edit options menu to provide similarity with the fact that a double-click on “0” accesses the undo function from the editor or the correction window. In the edit options menu, the “#” key operates as a redo button. FIGS. 91 and 92 illustrate the Word Type Menu 9100, which is accessed by pressing the “8” key in Editor Mode, as shown in FIG. 77. If the user enters the Word Type Menu, function 9102 tests whether the current selection is a multi-word selection. If so, function 9104 prompts the user that word type filtering only works on single word selections and returns to the mode from which the Word Type Menu was called. If the current selection is a single word, function 9106 changes the active vocabulary while in the Word Type Menu to the names of commands available in that menu. Then function 9108 responds to a user selection of one of the phone keys. If the user presses “1” in the Word Type Menu, function 9112 displays a Word-Ending sub-menu that allows a user to select a given word ending, which cause the currently selected word to be changed to a corresponding word having the selected given ending either added or removed. For example, if the user presses the “6” key when in this word ending sub-menu, if the current selection ends in “ly”, the “ly” ending will be removed, and if it does not terminate with an “ly” ending, that ending will be added. If the user presses “2” when in the Word Type Menu, function 9132 displays a prefix sub-menu that allows a user to select to change the currently selected word to a corresponding word having a selected prefix either added or removed. If the user presses “3”, function 9140 displays a Word Tense sub-menu that allows a user to select to change the currently selected word to a corresponding word having a selected tense. If the user presses “4”, function 9202 displays a Part-of-Speech sub-menu that allows a user to display a new choice list for the recognition of the select word in which all the choices are limited to the part-of-speech selected in that sub-menu. For example, if the system misrecognized “and” as “an”, pressing 7 in this submenu would limit recognition of the current word to words that were conjunctions, and, thus, would virtually insure than “and” would be a displayed word choice. If the user, when in the Word Type Menu of FIGS. 91 and 92, presses “5”, function 9224 changes the currently selected word to possessive form if it is non-possessive, and to a non-possessive form if it is in possessive form. If the user presses “6”, function 92268 changes the currently selected word to plural form if it is singular, and to a singular form if it is plural. If the user presses “7”, function 9232 changes the form of a currently selected verb to plural form if it is singular, and to a singular form if it is plural. If the user, in the Word Type Menu of FIGS. 91 and 92, presses “8”, function 9236 changes the currently selected word to a spelled form if it is currently non-spelled, and to a non-spelled form if it is spelled. For example, this would change the word “period” to “.”, the mark “,” to “comma”, and the word “three” to “3”. If the user presses “9”, functions 9240 through 9246 are performed. If the currently selected word has only one homonym, functions 9240 and 9242 cause it to be replaced by that one homonym. If the currently selected word has multiple homonyms, functions 9244 and 9246 display a correction window that lists the current word as the first choice and its homonyms and alternate forms of the selected word, such as corresponding numerals or punctuation marks, as alternate choices. If the word has no homonyms, no change will be made. In the Word Type Menu, and almost all other menus the “*” key can be used to exit the menu and return to the mode from which the menu was called. FIG. 93 describes the Entry Preference Menu 9300 which can be entered by pressing the “9” key in the Entry Mode Menu described above with regard to FIGS. 79 and 80. In this menu, pressing the “1”, “2”, and “3” phone keys will cause a respective submenu to be displayed. In the Entry Preference Menu pressing “1” causes the Dictation Defaults submenu to be displayed. This displays menu options that allow a user to set default attributes for normal dictation. These are the attributes that will be applied to dictation each time dictation mode is entered, until or unless the user first changes such attributes or changes the default values for such attributes. The attributes that can be set by this menu include whether the default dictation mode is continuous or discrete dictation; whether One-At-A-Time discrete dictation is performed, in which a correction window is displayed after the recognition of each word; and the recognition duration modes to be used as the current default for dictation. Pressing “2” causes the Filter Defaults submenu to be displayed. This displays menu options that allow a user to set various settings to be used as defaults for the entering of filter strings in the correction window. These include whether the default filter entry dictation mode is continuous, discrete, discrete One-At-A-Time, letter name, ambiguous letter name, or KeyAlfpha dictation; and what recognition duration mode is to be used as the current default for dictation. Pressing “3” causes the Reutterance Defaults submenu to be displayed. This displays menu options that allow a user to set various settings to be used as defaults for use in reutterance recognition. These include whether such recognition is continuous or discrete and the recognition duration mode to be used as the default for such recognition. In the Entry Preference Menu the phone keys “4” through “8” are used to set the current recognition duration modes, as opposed to the default recognition duration modes described above with regard to the pressing of keys “1” through “3”. Pressing “4” sets the current recognition duration mode to Press-Only; pressing “5” sets it to Press-&-Click-To-Utterance-End; pressing “6” to Press-Continuous,-Click-Discrete-To-Utterance-End mode, and “7” to Click-To-Timeout-mode. Pressing “8” displays a dialog box for setting the length of the timeout duration that is used in the Click-To-Timeout mode. FIG. 94 illustrates the text-to-speech or “TTS” play rules. These are the rules that govern the operation of TTS generation of speech from text when TTS “on” operation has been selected through the text-to-speech options described above with regard to function 8912 or 8932 of FIG. 89. If a TTS keys mode has been turned on by pressing the 1 key in the TTS Menu, as indicated by function 8909 of FIG. 89, function 9404 of FIG. 94 causes functions 9406 to 9414 to provide text-to-speech or recorded audio feedback on the identity and function of each key that is pressed, so as to enable a user to safely select phone keys without being able to see them, such as when driving a car. Preferably this mode is not limited to operation in the speech recognition editor but can also be used in any mode of the cellphone's operation. When any phone key is pressed when TTS Keys mode is on, function 9408 tests to see if the same key has been pressed within a TTS KeyTime, which is a short period of time such as a quarter or a third of a second. For purposes of this test, the time is measured since the release of the last key press of the same key. If the same key has not been pressed within that short period of time, functions 9410 and 9412 cause a text-to-speech or, in some embodiments, a recorded utterance of the number of the key and its current command name. This audio feedback continues only as long as the user continues the press the key. If the key has a double-click command associated with it, it also will be said if the user continues to press the key long enough. If the test of function 9408 finds that the time since the release of the last key press of the same key is less than the TTS key time function 9414 the cellphone's software responds to the key press, including any double-clicks, the same as it would as if the TTS key mode were not on. Thus it can be seen that the TTS keys mode allows the user to find a cellphone key by touch, to press it to hear if it is the desired key and, if so, to quickly press it again one or more times to achieve the key's desired function. Since the press of a key that is responded to by functions 9410 and 9412 does not cause any response other than the saying of the key's name and associated function, this mode allows the user to search for the desired key without causing any undesired consequences. In some cellphone embodiments, the cellphone keys can be designed to sense when they are merely being touched separately from when they are being pushed. In such embodiments the TTS Keys mode could be used to provide audio feedback as to which key is being touched and its current function, similar to the feedback provided by function 9412 of FIG. 94. Such touch sensitivity can be provided, for example, by having the outer surface of the phone keys made of conductive material, and by having other portions of the phone separated from those keys generate a voltage that if conducted through a user's body to a key, can be detected by circuitry associated with the key. Such a system would provide an even faster way for a user to find a desired key by touch, since with it a user could receive feedback as to which keys he was touching merely by scanning a finger over the keypad in the vicinity of the desired key without having to first press a key to hear its name. It would also allow a user to rapidly scan for a desired command name by likewise scanning his fingers over successive keys until the desired command was found. When TTS is on, if the system recognizes or otherwise receives a command input, functions 9416 and 9418 cause TTS or recorded audio playback to say the name of the recognized or otherwise received command. Preferably such audio confirmations of commands have a sound quality, such as a different tone of voice or different associated sound, that distinguishes the saying of command words from the saying of recognized text. When TTS is on, when a text utterance is recognized, functions 9420 through 9424 detect the end of the utterance, and the completion of the utterance's recognition and then use TTS to say the words that have been recognized as the first choice for the utterance. As indicated in functions 9426 through 9430, when TTS is on, it responds to the recognition of a an utterance corresponding to a string of characters, such as one entering a filter string, by waiting until the end of that utterance and then using TTS to say the letters recognized for it. When in TTS, if the user moves the cursor to select a new word or character, functions 9432 to 9438 use TTS to say that newly selected word or character. If such a movement of a cursor to a new word or character position extends an already started selection, after the saying of the word or character corresponding to the new cursor position, functions 9436 and 9438 will say the word “selection” in a manner that indicates that it is not part of recognized text, and then proceed to say the words of the current selection. If the user moves the cursor so it becomes a non-selection cursor, such as is described above with regard to functions 7614 and 7615 of FIG. 76, functions 9440 and 9442 of FIG. 94 use TTS to say a message informing the user of the two words cursor is between. When in TTS mode, if a new correction windows is displayed, functions 9444 and 9446 use TTS to say the first choice in the correction window, then spell the current filter string if any, indicating which parts of it are unambiguous and which parts of it are ambiguous, and then use TTS to say each candidate in the currently displayed portion of the choice list. For purposes of speed, it is best that differences in tone or sound be used to indicate which portions of the filter are absolute or ambiguous. If the user scrolls an item in the correction window, functions 9448 and 9450 use TTS to say the currently highlighted choice and its selection number in response to each such scroll. If the user scrolls a page in a correction window, functions 9452 and 9454 use TTS to say that newly displayed choices as well, as indicating which of them is the currently highlighted choice. When in TTS mode, if the user enters a menu, functions 9456 and 9458 use TTS or recorded audio to say the name of the current menu and all of the choices in the menu and their associated numbers, indicating the current selection position. Preferably this is done with audio cues that indicate to a user that the words being said are menu options. If the user scrolls up or down an item in a menu, functions 9460 and 9462 use TTS or pre-recorded audio to say the highlighted choice and then, after a brief pause, any following selections on the currently displayed page of the menu. FIG. 95 illustrates some aspects of the programming used in TTS generation. If a word to be generated by text-to-speech is in the speech recognition programming's vocabulary of phonetically spelled words, function 9502 causes functions 9504 through 9512 to be performed. Function 9504 tests to see if the word has multiple phonetic spellings associated with different parts of speech, and if it has a current linguistic context indicating its current part of speech. If both these conditions are met, function 9506 uses the speech recognition programming's part-of-speech-indicating code to select the phonetic spelling for the word that is associated with the part of speech found most probable by that part-of-speech-indicating code as the phonetic spelling to be used in the TTS generation for the current word. If, on the other hand, there is only one phonetic spelling associated with the word or there is no context sufficient to identify the most probable part of speech for the word, function 9510 selects the single phonetic spelling for the word or the word's most common phonetic spelling. Once a phonetic spelling has been selected for the word to be generated either by function 9506 or function 9510, function 9512 uses the phonetic spelling selected for the word as a phonetic spelling to be used in the TTS generation. If, as is indicated at 9514, the word to be generated by text-to-speech does not have a phonetic spelling, function 9514 and 9516 use pronunciation guessing software that is used by the speech recognizer to assign a phonetic spelling to names and newly entered words for the text-to-speech generation of the word. FIG. 96 describes the operation of the transcription mode that can be selected by operation of the transcription mode dialog box that is activated by pressing the “7” key to select option 9030 under the Audio Menu submenu of the Edit Options Menu described above in association with FIG. 90. This mode is used to make is easier for a user to transcribe a portion of pre-recorded audio by means of speech recognition. When the transcription mode is entered, function 9602 normally changes navigation mode to an audio navigation mode that navigates forward or backward five seconds in an audio recording in response to Left and Right navigational key input and forward and backward one second in response to Up and Down navigational input. These are default values which can be changed in the transcription mode dialog box. During transcription mode, if the user clicks, rather than presses, the “Play” key, which is the “6” key in the editor, functions 9606 through 9614 are performed. Functions 9607 and 9608 toggle play between on and off. Function 9610 causes functions 9612 to be performed if the toggle is turning play on. If so, if there has been no sound navigation since the last time sound was played, function 9614 starts playback a set period of the time before the last playback ended. This is done so that if the user is performing transcription, each successive playback will start slightly before the last one ended, enabling the user to recognize words that were only partially said in the prior playback and so that the user will better be able to interpret speech sounds as words by being able to perceive more of the preceding language context. If the user presses, rather than clicks, the play key (i.e., if he presses it for more than a specified period of time), such as a third of the second, function 9616 causes functions 9618 through 9622 to be performed. These functions test to see if play is on, and if so they turn it off. They also turn on large vocabulary recognition during the press, in either continuous or discrete mode, according to present settings. They then insert the recognize text into the editor in the location in the audio being transcribed at which the last end of play took place. If the user double-clicks the play button, functions 9624 and 9626 prompt the user that audio recording is not available in transcription mode and that transcription mode can be turned off in the audio menu under the edit options menu. It can be seen that transcription mode enables the user to alternate between playing a portion of previously recorded audio and then transcribing it by use of speech recognition by merely alternating between clicking and making sustained presses of the play key, which is the number “6” phone key. The user is free to use the other functionality of the editor to correct any mistakes that have been made in the recognition during the transcription process, and then merely return to it by again pressing the “6” key to play the next segment of audio to be transcribed. Of course, a user will often not desire to perform a literal transcription of the audio. For example, the user may play back a portion of a phone call and merely transcribe a summary of the more noteworthy portions. FIG. 97 illustrates the operation of a dialogue box editing programming that uses many features of the editor mode described above to enable users to enter text and other information into a dialogue box displayed in the cellphone's screen. When a dialogue box is first entered, function 9702 displays an editor window showing the first portion of the dialog box. FIG. 115 provides an illustration of such a dialog box. If the dialog box is too large to fit on one screen at one time, it will be displayed in a scrollable window, as is shown in FIG. 115. As indicated by function 9704, the dialog box responds to all inputs in the same way that the editor mode described above with regard to FIGS. 76 through 78 does, except as is indicated by the functions 9704 through 9726. As indicated at 9707 and 9708, if the user supplies navigational input when in a dialog box, the cursor movement responds in a manner similar to that in which it would in the editor except that it can normally only move to a control into which the user can supply input. Thus, if the user moved left or right of the start or end of a dialog box control, the cursor would move left or right to the next dialog box control, moving up or down lines if necessary to find such a control. If the user moves up or down a line, the cursor would move to the nearest control in the nearest of the lines above or below the current cursor position. In order to enable the user to read extended portions of text in a dialog box that might not contain any controls, normally a cursor will not move more than a page even if there are no controls within that distance. As indicated by functions 9700 and through 9716, if the cursor has been moved to a control with is a text field and the user provides any input of a type that would input text into the editor, function 9712 displays a separate editor window for the field, which displays the text currently in that field, if any. If the field has any vocabulary limitations associated with it, functions 9714 and 9716 limit the recognition in the editor to that vocabulary. For example, if the field were limited to state names, recognition in that field would be so limited. As long as this field-editing window is displayed, function 9718 will direct all editor commands to perform editing within it. The user can exit this field-editing window by selecting OK, which will cause the text currently in the window at that time to be entered into the corresponding field in the dialog box window. If the cursor in the dialog box is moved to a control that is a choice list and the user selects a text input command, function 9722 displays a correction window showing the current value in the list box as the first choice and other options provided in the list box as other available choices shown in a scrollable choice list. In these scrollable choice lists, the options are not only accessible by selecting an associated number but also are available by speech recognition using a vocabulary substantially limited to those options. If the cursor is in a control that is a check box or a radio button and the user selects any editor text input command, functions 9724 and 9726 change the state of the check box or radio button, by toggling whether the check box or radio button is selected. FIG. 98 illustrates a help routine 9800, which is the cellphone embodiment analog of the help mode described above with regard to FIG. 19 in the PDA embodiments. When this help mode is called when the cellphone is in a given state or mode of operation, function 9802 displays a scrollable help menu for the state that includes a description of the state along with a selectable list of help options and of all of the state's commands. FIG. 99 displays such a help menu for the editor mode described above with regard to FIGS. 67 and 76 through 78. FIG. 100 illustrates such a help menu for the entry mode menu described above with regard to FIG. 68 and FIGS. 79 and 80. As his shown in FIGS. 99 and 100, each of these help menus includes a help options selection 9902, which can be selected by means of a scrollable highlight and operation of the help key. If selected, options will be provided that will allow the user to quickly jump to the various portions of the help menu as well as the other help related functions. Each help menu also includes a brief statement, 9904, of the current command state the cellphone is in. Each help menu also includes a scrollable, selectable menu 9906 listing all the options accessible by phone key. It also includes a section 9908 which contains options that allow the user to access other help functions, including a description of how to use the help function and in some cases help about the function of different portions of the screen that is available in the current mode. As shown in FIG. 101, if the user in the editor mode makes a sustained press on the menu key as indicated at 10100 near the upper left-hand corner of that figure by the downward arrow that extends from the “Menu” key, the help mode will be entered for the editor mode, causing the cellphone to display the screen 10102. This displays the selectable help options, option 9902, and displays the beginning of the brief description of the operation of the other mode 9904 shown in FIG. 99. In help mode the right navigation key of the cellphone functions as a Page Right button, since, in help mode, the navigational mode is a page/line navigational mode, as indicated by the characters “<P{circumflex over ( )}L” shown in screen 10102. If the user presses the Right Arrow in help mode the display will scroll down a page as indicated by screen 10104 of FIG. 101. If the user presses the Page Right key again, the screen will again scroll down a page, causing the screen to have the appearance shown at 10106. In this example, the user has been able to read the summary of the function of the editor mode 9904 shown in FIG. 99 with just two clicks of the Page Right key. If the user clicks the Page Right key again causing the screen to scroll down a page, as shown in the screen shot 10108, the beginning of the command list associated with the editor mode can be seen. The user can use the navigational keys to scroll the entire length of the help menu, if so desired. In the example shown, when the user finds the key number associated with the entry mode menu, he presses that key as shown at 10110 to cause the help mode to display the help menu associated with the entry mode menu as shown at screen 10112. It should be appreciated that whenever the user is in a help menu, he can immediately select the commands listed under the “select by key” line 9910 shown in FIG. 99 by pressing or double-clicking the number associated with each command. Thus, there is no need for a user to scroll down to the portion of the help menu in which commands are listed to press the key associated with a command in order to see its function. In fact, a user who thinks he understands the function associated with the key can merely make a sustained press of the menu key and then type the desired key to see a brief explanation of its function and a list of the commands, if any, that are available under it. The commands listed under the “select by OK” line 9912 shown in FIGS. 99 and 100 have to be selected by scrolling the highlight to the command's line in the menu and then pressing the “OK” key or entering the OK command. This is because the commands listed below the line 9912 are associated with keys that are used in the operation of the help menu itself. This is similar to the commands listed in screen 7506 of the editor mode command list shown in FIG. 75, which are also only selectable by selection with the OK command in that command list. In the example of FIG. 101, it is assumed that the user knows that the entry preference menu can be selected by pressing a “9” in the entry mode menu, and presses that key as soon as he enters help for the entry mode menu as indicated by 10114. This causes the help menu for the entry preference menu to be shown as illustrated at 10116. In the example, the user presses the “1” key followed by the escape key. The “1” key briefly calls the help menu for the dictation defaults option and the escape key returns to the entry preference menu at the location and menu associated with the dictation defaults option, as shown by screen 10118. Such a selection of a key option followed by an escape allows the user to rapidly navigate to a desired portion of the help menu's command list merely by pressing the number of the key in that portion of the command and list followed by an escape. In the example, the user presses the Page Right key as shown at 10120 to scroll down a page in the command list as indicated by screen 10122. In the example, it is assumed the user selects the option associated with the “6” key, by pressing that key as indicated at 10124 to obtain a description of the Press-Continuous,-Click-Discrete-To-Utterance-End option. This causes a help menu for that option to be displayed as shown in screen 10126. In the example, the user scrolls down two more screens to read the brief description of the function of this option and then presses the escape key as shown at 10128 to return back to the help menu for the entry preference menu as shown at screen 10130. As shown in FIG. 102, in the example, when the user returns to help for the entry preference menu, he or she selects the “5” key as indicated by numeral 10200, which causes the help menu for the During-Press-and-Click-To-Utterance-End option, as shown at screen 10202. The user then scrolls down two more screens to read enough of the description of this mode to understand its function and then, as shown at 10204, presses the “*” key to escape back up to help for the entry preference menu as shown at screen 10206. The user then presses escape again to return to the help menu from which the entry preference menu had been called, which is the help menu for the entry mode menu as shown at screen 10210. The user presses escape again to return to the help menu from which help for entry mode had been called, which is the help menu for the editor mode as shown in screen 10214. In the example, it is assumed the user presses the Page Right key six times to scroll down to the bottom portion, 9908, shown in FIG. 99 of the help menu for the editor mode. If the user desires he can use a voice command to access options in this portion of the help menu more rapidly. Once in the “other help” portion of the help menu, the user presses the down line button as shown at 10220 to move the selection highlight down to the editor screen option 10224 shown in the screen 10222. At this point, the user selects the OK button causing help for the editor screen itself to be displayed as is shown in screen 10228. In the mode in which this screen is shown, phone key number indicators 10230 are used to label portions of the editor screen. If the user presses one of these associated phone numbers, a description of the corresponding portion of the screen will be displayed. In the example of FIG. 102, the user presses the “4” key, which causes an editor screen help screen 10234 to be displayed, which describes the function of the navigation mode indicator “<W{circumflex over ( )}L” shown at the top of the editor screen help screen 10228. In the example, the user presses the escape key three times as is shown to numeral 10236. The first of these escapes from the screen 10234 back to the screen 10228, giving the user the option to select explanations of other of the numbered portions of the screen being described. In the example, the user has no interest in making such other selections, and thus has followed the first press of the escape key with two other rapid presses, the first of which escapes back to the help menu for the editor mode and the second of which escapes back to the editor mode itself. As can be seen in the FIGS. 101 and 102, the hierarchical operation of help menus enables the user to rapidly explore the command structure on the cellphone. This can be used either to search for a command that performs a desired function, or to merely learn the command structure in a linear order. FIGS. 103 and 104 describe an example of a user continuously dictating some speech in the editor mode and then using the editor's interface to correct the resulting text output. The sequence starts in FIG. 103 with the user making a sustained press of the talk button as indicated at 10300 during which he says the utterance 10302. This results in the recognition of this utterance, which in the example causes the text shown in screen 10304 to be displayed in the editor's text window 10305. The numeral 10306 points to the position of the cursor at the end of this recognized text. As indicated by the fact that the cursor does not highlight and words or characters, it is currently a non-selection cursor, and it is located at the end of the continuous dictation. It is assumed that the system has been set to a mode that will cause the utterance to be recognized using continuous large vocabulary speech recognition. This is indicated by the characters “_LV” 10307 in the title bar of the editor window shown in screen 10304. In the example, the user presses the “3” key to access the edit navigation menu illustrated in FIGS. 70 and 84 and then presses the “1” button to select the Utterance Start option shown in those figures. This makes the cursor correspond to the first word of the text recognized for the most recent utterance as indicated at 10308 in screen 10310. Next, the user double-clicks the “7” key to select the capitalized cycle function described in FIG. 77. This causes the selected word to be capitalized as shown at 10312. Next, the user presses the Right button, which in the current word/line navigational mode, indicated by the navigational mode indicator 10314, functions as a Word Right button. This causes the cursor to move to the next word to the right, 10316. Next the user presses the “5” key to set the editor to an extended selection mode as described above with regard to functions 7728 through 7732 of FIG. 77. Then the user presses the word right again, which causes the cursor to move to the word 10318 and the extended selection 10320 to include the text “got it”. Next, the user presses the “2” key to select the choice list command of FIG. 77, which causes a correction window 10322 to be displayed with the selection 10320 as the first choice and with a first alphabetically ordered choice list shown, as displayed at 10324. In this choice list, each choice is shown with an associated phone key number that can be used to select it. In the example, it is assumed that the desired choice is not shown in the first choice list, so the user presses the Right key three times to scroll down to the third screen of the second alphabetically ordered choice list, shown in screen 10328, in which the desired word “product” is located. As indicated by function 7706 in FIG. 77, when the user enters the correction window by a single press of the choice list button, the correction window's navigation mode is set to the page/item navigational mode, as is indicated by the navigational mode indicator 10326 shown in screen 10332. In the example, the user presses the “6” key to select the desired choice, which causes it to be inserted into the editor's text window at the location of the cursor selection, causing the editor text window to appear as shown at 10330. Next, the user presses the Word Right key three times to place the cursor at the location shown in screen 10332. In this case, the recognized word is “results” and a desired word is the singular form of that word “result.” For this reason, the user presses the word form list button, which causes a word form list correction window, 10334, to be displayed. In the example, this correction window has the desired alternate form as one of its displayed choices. The user selects the desired choice by pressing its associated phone key, causing the editor's text window to have the appearance shown at 10336. As shown in FIG. 104, the user next presses the line down button to move the cursor down to the location 10400. The user then presses the “5” key to start an extended selection and presses the word key to move the cursor right one word, causing the current selection 10404 to be extended rightward by that one word. Next, the user double-clicks the “2” key to select a filter choices option described above with regard to function 7712 through 7716, in FIG. 77. The second click of the “2” key is an extended click, as indicated by the down arrow 10406. During this extended press, the user continuously utters the letter string, “p, a, i, n, s, t,” which are the initial letters of the desired word, “painstaking.” In the example, it is assumed that the correction window is in the continuous letter name recognition mode as indicated by the characters “abc” 10410 in the title bar of the correction window screen 10412. In the example, the recognition of the utterance 10408 as filter input causes the correction window 10412 to show a set of choices that have been filtered against an ambiguous length filter corresponding to the recognition results from the recognition of that continuously spoken string of letter names. The correction window has a first choice, 10414, that starts with one of the character sequences associated with the ambiguous filter element. The portion of the first choice that corresponds to a sequence of characters associated with the ambiguous filter is indicated by the ambiguous filter indicator 10416. The filter cursor, 10418, is located after the end of this portion of the first choice. At this point, the user presses the Word Right key which, due to the operation of functions 8124 and 8126 at FIG. 81, causes a filter cursor to be moved to and to select the first character, 10420, of the current word. Functions 8151 and 8162 of FIG. 81 cause a filtercharacterchoice window, 10422, to be displayed. Since the desired character is a “p,” the user presses the “7” key to choose it, which causes that character to be made an unambiguous character of the filter string, and causes a new correction window, 10424, to be displayed as a result of that change in the filter. Next, the user presses the character down button four times, which due to the operation of function 8150 in FIG. 81, causes the filter cursor's selection to be moved four characters to the right in the first choice, which in the example is the letter “f,” 10426. Since this is a portion of the first choice that still corresponds to the ambiguous portion of the filter strength as indicated by the ambiguous filter marker 10428, the call to filtercharacterchoice in line 8152 of FIG. 81 will cause another character choice window to be displayed, as shown. In the example, the desired character, the letter “s,” is associated with the “5” phone key in the choice list, and the user presses that key to cause the correct character, 10430, to be inserted into the current filter string and it and all the characters before it to be unambiguously confirmed, as indicated by screen 10432. At this time, the correct choice is shown associated with the phone key “6,” and the user presses that phone key to cause the desired word to be inserted into the editor's text window as shown at 10434. Next, in the example, the user presses the line down and Word Right keys to move the cursor selection down a line and to the right so as to select the text “period” shown at 10436. The user then presses the “8,” or word form list key, which causes a word form list shown in screen 10438 to be displayed. The desired output, a period mark, is associated with the “4” phone key. The user presses that key and causes the desired output to be inserted into the text of the editor window as shown at 10440. FIG. 105 illustrates how the user can use navigation keys to scroll a choice list horizontally right and left by operation of functions 8122 through 8135 described above with regard to FIG. 81. This includes scrolling right past the end of the current first choice word, so the user can read the endings of alternate choices that are longer than the first choice. FIG. 106 illustrates how the KeyAlpha recognition mode can be used to enter alphabetic input into the editor's text window. Screen 10600 shows an editor text window in which the cursor 10602 is shown. In this example, the user presses the “1” key to open the entry mode menu described above with regard to FIGS. 68, 79 and 80, resulting in the screen 10604. Once in this mode, the user double-clicks the “3” key to select the Key Alpha recognition mode option described above with regard to function 7938 of FIG. 79. This causes the system to be set to the Key Alpha mode described above with regard to FIG. 86, and the editor window to display the prompt 10606 shown in FIG. 106. In the example, the user makes an extended press of the “2” key as indicated by the extended downward arrow 10608, which causes a prompt window, 10610 to display the ICA (International Communication Alphabet) words associated with each of the letters on the “2” key that has been pressed. In response, the user makes the utterance “Charley,” 10612. This causes the corresponding letter “c” to be entered into the text window at the former position of the cursor and causes the text window to have the appearance shown in screen 10614. In the example, it is next assumed that the user presses the talk key while continuously uttering two ICA words, “alpha” and “bravo” as indicated at 10616. This causes the letters “a” and “b” associated with these two ICA words to be entered into the text window at the cursor as indicated by screen 10618. Next in the example, the user presses the 8 key, is prompted to say one of the three ICA words associated with that key, and utters the word “uniform” to cause the letter “u” to be inserted into the editor's text window as shown at 10620. FIG. 107 provides an illustration of the same KeyAlpha recognition mode being used to enter alphabetic filtering input. It shows that the KeyAlpha mode can be entered when in the correction window by pressing the “1” key followed by a double-click on the “3” key in the same way it can be from the text editor, as shown in FIG. 106. FIGS. 108 and 109 show how a user can use the interface of the voice recognition text editor described above to address, enter, and correct text and e-mails in the cellphone embodiment. In FIG. 108, screen 10800 shows the e-mail option screen which a user accesses if he selects the e-mail option by double-clicking on the “4” key when in the main menu, as indicated in FIG. 66. In the example shown, it is assumed that the user wants to create a new e-mail message and thus selects the “1” option from the e-mail options menu. This causes a new e-mail message window, 10802, to be displayed with the cursor located at the first editable location in that window. This is the first character in the portion of the e-mail message associated with the addressee of the message. In the example, the user makes an extended press of the talk button and utters the name “Dan Roth” as indicated by the numeral 10804. The default vocabulary for recognition in a contact name field is the contact name vocabulary. In the example, this causes the slightly incorrect name, “Stan Roth,” to be inserted into the message's addressee line as a shown at 10806. The user responds by pressing the “2” key to select a choice list, shown in screen 10807, for the selection. In the example, the desired name is shown on the choice list and the user presses the “5” key to select it, causing the desired name to be inserted into the addressee line as shown at 10808. Next, the user presses the down line button twice to move the cursor down to the start of the subject line, as a shown in screen 10810. The user then presses the talk button while saying the utterance “cellphone speech interface,” 10812. In the example, this is slightly mis-recognized as “sell phone speech interface,” and this text is inserted at the cursor location on the subject line to cause the e-mail edit window to have the appearance shown at 10814. In response, the user presses the line up button and the Word Left button to position the cursor selection at the position 10816. The user then presses the “8” key to cause a word form list correction window, 10818, to be displayed. In the example, the desired output is associated with the “4” key. The user selects that key and causes the desired output to be placed in the cursor's position as indicated in screen 10820. Next, the user presses the line down button twice to place the cursor at the beginning of the body portion of the e-mail message as shown in screen 10822. Once this is done, the user presses the talk button while continuously saying the utterance “the new Elvis interface is working really well”. This causes the somewhat mis-recognized string, “he knew elfish interface is working really well”, to be inserted at the cursor position as indicated by screen 10824. In response, the user presses the line up key once and the Word Left key twice to place the cursor in the position shown by screen 10900 of FIG. 199. The user then presses the “5” key to start an extended selection and presses the Word Left key twice to place the cursor at the position 10902 and to cause the selection to be extended as is shown by 10904. At this point, the user double-clicks on the “2” key to enter the correction window, 10906, for the current selection and, during a continuation of the second press of that double click, continuously says the characters “t, h, e, space, n”. This causes a new correction window, 10908, to be displayed with unambiguous filter 10910 corresponding to be continuously entered letter name character sequence, since it is assumed in this example that unambiguous continuous letter name recognition has previously been selected as the current filter entry mode. Next, the user presses the Word Right key, which moves the filter cursor to the first character of the next word to the right, as indicated by screen 10912. The user then presses the “1” key to enter the entry mode menu and presses the “3” key to select to select the AlphaBravo, or ICA word, input vocabulary. During the continuation of the press of the “3” key, the user says the continuous utterance 10914, i.e., “echo, lima, victor, india, sierra”. This is recognized correctly as the sequence “elvis,” which is inserted, starting with the prior filter cursor position, into the first choice window of the correction window, 10916. In the example shown, it is assumed that AlphaBravo recognition is treated as unambiguous because of its reliability, causing the entered characters and all the characters before it in the first choice window to be treated as unambiguously confirmed, as is indicated by the unambiguous filter string indication 10918 shown in screen 10916. In the example, the user presses the “OK” key to select the current first choice because it is the desired output. FIG. 110 illustrates how re-utterance can be used to help obtain the desired recognition output. It starts with the correction window in the same state as indicated by screen 10906 in FIG. 109. But in the example of FIG. 110, the user responds to the screen by pressing the “1” key twice, once to enter the entry menu mode, and a second time to select a large vocabulary recognition. As indicated by function 7908 through 7914 in FIG. 79, if large vocabulary recognition is selected in the entry mode menu when a correction window is displayed, the system interprets this as an indication that the user wants to perform a re-utterance, that is, to add a new utterance for the desired output into the utterance list for use in helping to select the desired output. In the example, the user continues the second press of the “1” key while using discrete speech to say the three words “the,” “new,” “Elvis” corresponding to the desired output. In the example of FIG. 110, it is assumed the additional acoustic information provided by this new utterance list entry causes the system to correctly recognize the first two of the three words. It does so by performing a re-utterance recognition that uses a combination of acoustic scores from matches against both the original and the new utterance list entries that correspond to the selection for which the correction window is being displayed. In the example it is assumed that the third of the three words is not in the current vocabulary, which will require the user to spell that third word with filtering input, such as was done by the utterance 10914 in FIG. 109. FIG. 111 illustrates how the editor's functionality can be used to enter a URL text string for purposes of accessing a desired web page on a Web browser that is part of the cellphone's software. The browser option screen, 11100, shows the screen that is displayed if the user selects the Web browser option associated with the “7” key in the main menu, shown in FIG. 66. In the example, it is assumed that the user desires to enter the URL of a desired web site and selects the URL window option associated with the “1” key by pressing that key. This causes the screen 11102 to display a brief prompt instructing the user. The user responds by using continuous letter-name spelling to spell the name of a desired web site during a continuous press of the “Talk” button. In the embodiment shown, the URL editor is always in correction mode so that the recognition of the utterance, 11103, causes a correction window, 11104, to be displayed. The user then uses filter string editing techniques of the type described above to correct the originally mis-recognized URL to the desired spelling as indicated at screen 11106, at which time he selects the first choice, causing the system to access the desired web site. FIGS. 112 through 114 illustrate how the editor interface can be used to navigate, and enter text into the fields of, Web pages. Screen 11200 illustrates the appearance of the cellphone's Web browser when it first accesses a new web site. A URL field, 11201, is shown before the top of the web page, 11204, to help the user identify the current web page. This position can be scrolled back to at any time if the user wants to see the URL of the currently displayed web page. When web pages are first entered, they are in a document/page navigational mode in which moving the Left and Right key will act like the Page Back and Page Forward controls on most Web browsers. In this case, the word “document” is substituted for “page” because the word “page” is used in other navigational modes to refer to a screen full of media on the cellphone display. If the user presses the up or down keys, the web page's display will be scrolled by a full display page (or screen). In the example of FIG. 112, the user presses the Page Down screen, which scrolls down one screen in the display of the current web page, causing a new screen, 11208, to be shown. The user then selects the “3” key followed by the “3” key again, which selects the Navigation Menu and the Item/Line mode which is a web page's equivalents of the Word/Line mode associated with the 3 key in the editor's Navigation menu. In this Navigation mode, if the user presses the Left or Right navigational keys, the cursor will move to the next selectable object within the web page to the left or right on the current line, or, if there is not any such item on the current line, to the next such item going to the left and upward or going to the right and downward in the web page, respectively. In the example, this navigation mode is used to place the cursor in the text field, 11210, shown in FIG. 112. The user then presses a text input key, such as the “Talk” key, which causes a field editor window, 11212, to be displayed. The user then says the utterance 11214 during the press of the Talk key, which causes the text recognized for that utterance to be inserted into the field editor window as indicated at 11216. The user then continues to use correction techniques of the types described above until the field edit window has the desired text, as indicated in screen 11300 of FIG. 113. The user then presses the OK button to cause the text in the field edit window to be inserted into the field of the web page for which the field edit window had been evoked, as indicated at 11302. In the example, it is assumed that the current web page is a search engine and that the text which has just been entered is a search string. The user follows the entry of this text by pressing the Item Right button to place the cursor on a “go” button, 11304, to the right of the field into which text had just been entered. The user then presses the OK button to cause the search engine to make the desired search, which results in a new browser screen 11306 showing a search results web page. FIG. 114 illustrates that the field editor window can enable a user to easily read text contained within a web page's or a dialog box's text field that is larger than the space allocated for the text field on the web page or dialog box. Thus, a user can navigate the cursor to a text field, such as the text field 11400 previously shown in the screen 11302 of FIG. 113, press a text input button and cause a field edit window to be displayed that provides room for a substantial amount of field text to be displayed and easily read at one time. When the user is finished reading the text, he can merely click the OK or escape key to return to the screen in which the field was previously shown. FIG. 115 shows how the editor interface can be used to edit text in a dialog box, in this example, the Find Dialog Box evoked by the “Find” option, 9034 in the Edits Option Menu shown in FIG. 90. In the example of FIG. 115, the user presses the “0” key to enter the edit options menu and then the “8” key to select the find option. This results in the find dialog box, 11500, being displayed, with the cursor located at the first editable object in the dialog box, which in this case is the “Find” text field. In response, the user speaks the utterance 11502 while the Talk key is pressed. In the example, this “Find” string is correctly recognized and inserted in the dialog box as indicated at 11504. The user responds by pressing the OK key, which causes the find function to search for the search string in the current document, which in the example is the notes document. When it finds the first occurrence of the string, it provides a notes editor window with that occurrence selected, as is shown in screen 11506. In the example, the text string searched for has been used as a label for recorded audio represented by audio graphics 11508 shown in FIG. 115. In the screen 11506 the audio graphics represent one second of sound for each pixel width, and approximately 60 pixel widths fit on a full line of the sound segment 11508, allowing approximately one minute of sound to be represented on each line. The audio graphics present, in effect, a bar chart representing the amplitude of sound during each second of the recorded speech. This provides useful information in that it enables the user to see periods of silence. The Audio Navigation menu 8940 described above with regard to FIG. 89 provides one method of determining the resolution at which such audio graphics are displayed on a given system. FIG. 116 illustrates how the cellphone embodiment shown allows a special form of correction window to be used as a list box when editing a dialog box of the type described above with regard to FIG. 115. The example of FIG. 116 starts from the find dialog box being in the state shown at screen 11504 in FIG. 115. From this state, the user presses the down line key twice to place the cursor in the “In:” list box, which defines in which portions of the cellphone's data the search conducted in response to the find dialog box is to take place. When the user presses the “Talk” button with the cursor in this window, a list box correction window, 11612, is displayed that shows the current selection in the list box as the current first choice and provides a scrollable list of the other list box choices, with each such other choice being shown with associated phone key number. The user could scroll through this list and choose the desired choice by phone key number or by using a highlighted selection. In the example, the user continues the press of the talk key and says the desired list box value with the utterance, 11614. In list box correction windows, the active vocabulary is substantially limited to list values. With such a limited vocabulary correct recognition is fairly likely, as is indicated in the example where the desired list value is the first choice. The user responds by pressing the OK key, which causes the desired list value to be placed in the list box of the dialog box as is indicated, 11618. FIG. 117 illustrates a series of interactions between a user and the cellphone interface, which display some of the functions the interface allows the user to perform when making phone calls. The screen 6400 in FIG. 117 is the same top-level phone mode screen described above with regard to FIG. 64. If, when it is displayed, the user selects the Right navigation button, which is mapped to be name dial command, the system will enter the name dial mode, the basic functions of which are illustrated in the pseudocode of FIG. 129. As can be seen from that figure, this mode allows a user to select names from a contact list by speaking or spelling them, and if there is a mis-recognition, to correct it by alphabetic filtering and/or by selecting choices from a potentially scrollable choice list in a correction window that is similar to those described above. When the cellphone enters the name dial mode, an initial prompt screen, 11700, is shown as indicated in FIG. 117. In the example, the user utters a name, 11702, during the pressing of the talk key. In name dial, such utterances are recognized with the vocabulary automatically substantially limited to the name vocabulary. The resulting recognition causes a correction window, 11704, to be displayed. In the example, the first choice is correct, so the user selects the “OK” key, causing the phone to initiate a call to the phone number associated with the named party in the user's contact list. When the phone call is connected, a screen, 11706, is displayed having the same ongoing call indicator, 7514, described above with regard to FIG. 75. At the bottom of the screen, as indicated by the numeral 11708, an indication is given of the functions associated with each of the navigation keys during the ongoing call. In the example, the user selects the down button, which is associated with the Notes Outline option 6616 described above with regard to FIG. 66. In response, an editor window, 11710, is displayed for the Notes outline with an automatically created heading item, 11712, being created in the Notes outline for the current call, labeling the party to whom it is made and its start and ultimately its end time. A cursor, 11714, is then placed at a new item indented under the calls heading. In the example, the user says a continuous utterance, 11714, during the pressing of the talk button. This causes recognized text corresponding to that utterance to be inserted into the notes outline at the cursor as indicated in screen 11716. Then the user double-clicks the “6” key to start recording, which causes an audiographic representation of the sound to be placed in the editor window at the current location of the cursor. As indicated at 11718, audio from portions of the phone call in which the cellphone operator is speaking is underlined in the audiographics to make it easier for the user to keep track of who's been talking how long in the call and, if desired, to be able to better search for portions of the recorded audio in which one or the other of the phone call's two parties was speaking. In the example of FIG. 117, the user next double-clicks on the star key to select the task list. This shows a screen, 11720, that lists the currently opened tasks, on the cellphone. In the example, the user selects the task associated with the “4” key, which is another notes editor window displaying a different location in the notes outline. In response, the phone keys display shows a screen, 11722, of that portion of the notes outlined. In the example, the user presses the up key three times to move the cursor to location 11724 and then presses the “6” key to start playing the sound associated with the audio graphics representation at the cursor, as indicated by the motion between the cursors of screens 11726 and 11728. Unless the Play-Only-To-Me option, 7513, shown above with regard to FIG. 75, is on, the playback of the audio in screen 11728 will be played to both sides of the current phone call, enabling the user of the cellphone to share audio recording with the other party during the cellphone call. FIG. 118 illustrates that when an edit window is recording audio, such as is shown in screen 11717 near the bottom middle of FIG. 117, the user can turn on speech recognition during the recording of all or a portion of such audio to cause the audio recorded during that portion to also have speech recognition performed upon it. In the example shown during the recording shown in screen 11717, the user presses the talk button and speaks the utterance 11800. This causes the text associated with that utterance, 11802, to be inserted in the editor window, 11806. Audio recorded after the duration of the recognition is recorded merely with audio graphics. Normally the user would make an effort to speak clearly during an utterance, such as the utterance 11800, which is to be recognized, and then would feel free to talk more casually during portions of conversation or dictation that are being recorded only with audio. Normally audio is recorded in association with speech recognition so that the user could later go back, listened to and correct any dictation that might have been incorrectly recognized during a recording. FIG. 119 illustrates how the system enables the user to select a portion of audio, such as the portion 11900 shown in that figure by a combination of the extended selection key and play or navigation keys, and then to select the recognized audio dialog box discussed above with regard to functions 9000 through 9014 of FIG. 90 to have the selected text recognized as indicated in screen 11902. In the example of FIG. 119, the user has previously selected the Show-Recognized-Audio option, 9026, shown in FIG. 90, which causes the recognized text, 11902, to be underlined, indicating that it has a playable audio associated with it. In FIG. 119 the screen 11902 is shown having an exaggerated height that is roughly equal the height of six actual screens, for the purpose of showing all the text that is associated with a relatively short selected segment 1190 of audio. FIG. 120 illustrates how a user can select a portion, 12000, of recognized text that has associated recorded audio, and then select to have that text stripped from its associated recognized audio by selecting the option 9024, shown in FIG. 90, in a submenu under the edit options menu. This leaves just the audio, 12002, and its corresponding audio graphic representation, remaining in the portion of media where the recognized text previously stood. FIG. 121 illustrates how the function 9020, of FIG. 90, from under the audio menu of the edit options menu allows the user to strip the recognition audio that has been associated with a portion, 12100, of recognized text from that text as indicated at 12102 in FIG. 121. Note that the audio 12104, which has no recognized text associated with it, is not deleted, since such audio is not considered recognition audio. FIGS. 122 through 125 illustrate operation of the digit dial mode described in the pseudocode of FIG. 130. If the user selects the digit dial mode, such as by pressing the “2” phone key when in the main menu, associated with function 6552 of FIG. 65 or by selecting the Left navigational button when the system is in the top-level phone mode shown in screen 6400 and FIG. 64, the system will enter the digital dial mode shown in FIG. 130 and will display a prompt screen, 12202, which prompts the user to say a phone number. When the user says an utterance of a phone number, as indicated at 12204, that utterance will be recognized. If the system is quite confident that the recognition of the phone number is correct, it will automatically dial the recognized phone number as indicated at 12206. If the system is not that confident of the phone number's recognition, it will display a correction window, 12208. If the correction window has the desired number as the first choice as is indicated in screen 12210, the user can merely select it by pressing the OK key, which causes the system to dial the number as indicated at 12212. If the correct choice is on the first choice list as is indicated in screen 12214, the user can merely press the phone key number associated with that choice to cause the system to dial the number, as is indicated at 12216. If the correct number is neither the first choice nor in the first choice list as indicated in the screen 12300, shown at the top of FIG. 123, the user can check to see if the desired number is on one of the screens of the second choice list by either repeatedly pressing the page down key as indicated by the number 12302, or repeatedly pressing the item down key as is indicated at 12304. Pushing the “Page Down” button moves a screen at a time through the second choice list. Pushing “Item Down” moves the highlighted item down one item at a time. If by scrolling through the choice list in either of these methods the user sees the desired number, the user can select it either by pressing its associated phone key or by moving the choice highlight to it and then pressing the OK key. This will cause the system to dial the number as indicated at screen 12308. It should be appreciated that because the phone numbers in the choice list are numerically ordered, the user is able to find the desired number rapidly by scrolling through the list. In the embodiment shown in these figures, digit change indicators, 12310, are provided to indicate the digit column of the most significant digit by which any choice differs from the choice ahead of it on the list. This makes it easier for the eye to scan for the desired phone number. FIG. 124 illustrates how the use of the Filter Nav option, described above with regard to functions 8248 and 8240 of the Correction Window functions shown in FIG. 82 in digit dial mode allows the user to navigate to digit positions in the first choice by use of the navigation keys and correct any error that exists within it. In FIG. 124, this is shown being done by speaking the desired number, but some embodiments the user is also allowed a filter option that can correct the desired number by navigating to digits in a number that need to be corrected and pressing the appropriately numbered phone keys. As illustrated in FIG. 125, the user is also able to edit a misperceived phone number by inserting a missing digit as well as by replacing a mis-recognized one. The user can switch from a selection cursor that will cause an uttered number to replace the number highlighted by the cursor to an insertion cursor which is located between digits by pressing a “Character Up” key immediately followed by pressing a “Character Down” key as indicated by numeral 12502, or vice versa, by pressing a “Character Down” key immediately after pressing a “Character Up” key. FIG. 129 illustrates one possible embodiment of the Name Dial routine 12900. This function can be selected from the top level phone screen 6400 shown at the start of FIG. 117 by pressing the Right button. It allows selection of a phone number by recognition of an associated name in the cellphone's contact information, in a manner similar to that in which an email address is selected by saying an associated name, as is shown in the screens 10800 through 10808 of FIG. 108. As shown in FIG. 129, function 12904 of the Name Dial routine prompts the user to say or spell a name from the contact list. This is illustrated at screen 11700 in FIG. 117. This prompt remains displayed until it is removed either by the detection of an utterance in name recognition mode or of alphabetic input in filter mode, or by the user exiting the name dial function, such as by pressing the “escape” key, “*” (which, for purposes of simplification, is not shown in FIG. 129). Function 12904 also clears the filter string, since at the time of the recognition of the expected name utterance no filter input will have been received, and sets the name dial routine to name recognition mode, which will cause the next utterance to be responded to by functions 12908 through 12916. After function 12904 is performed a loop 12906 iterates over the remaining functions of FIG. 129. This loop is repeated until either a name is selected for dialing or the name dial function is exited. If during this loop, before any step has been taken to remove the name dial routine from the name recognition mode, an utterance is detected, function 12908 causes functions 12909 through 12916 to be performed. Function 12909 removes the prompt of function 12904. Function 12910 calls the getChoices routine of FIG. 23 with the utterance and the current filter string which is empty at this time. GetChoices will perform recognition on the utterance with a vocabulary substantially limited to names from system's contact list. Function 12912 sets the navigation in the name dial mode to the Page/Item navigation mode and sets the name dial function to the choice mode, which favors the recognition of commands for selecting choices from the choice list. In a manner similar to that described above with regard to the displayChoiceList routine of FIG. 22, function 12914 creates a first alphabetically ordered choice list that fits on one screen and a second alphabetically ordered choice list of more poorly scoring words from the recognition results created by the call to getChoices. The second list can be multiple screens in length. Function 12916 then displays the best choice plus the first ordered choice list with the current filter cursor on the first letter of the first choice. If the recognition of functions 12908 through 12916 is triggered by an unintended utterance, the user can, often by merely pressing “*>”, escape from the name dial choice list window and then re-enter the name dial function, if desired. Once in the loop 12906, if the user selects Filter Mode by double-pressing the “2” key, function 12917 sets the navigation mode to the Word/Char mode and enters the Filter Mode In this mode recognition of utterances and key presses related to filtering are favored. After the user has switched to filter mode, he or she can enter alphabetic filtering input, such as by uttering a letter-name or by either ambiguous or unambiguous phone key presses, depending on current settings. If the user enters such alphabetic filtering input while in filter mode, function 12918 causes functions 12919 through 12930 to be performed. Function 12919 removes the prompt of function 12904. Function 12920 calls the filterEdit routine of FIG. 28 with filtering input, and the current first choice, filter string, and filter cursor. Then function 12922 calls getChoices with the filter string produced by the call to filterEdit to create a set of best scoring names based on the current filter string and recognition against the prior utterance of the desired name, if any. Functions 12926 and 12928 show that if there is no prior name utterance, an alphabetically ordered choice list of contact names which have initial letters corresponding to the current filter string will be created. (Actually these choices will be generated by the call to getChoices in function 12922, which, as is shown in FIG. 23 includes functions 2338 and 2340 that can create choices from a filter string even when there is no utterance.) Function 12930 displays a list of choices from the call to getChoices, with the highest scoring word in the list as the best, or first, choice and with the filter cursor before the first letter of the first choice that does not correspond to the filter string. In some embodiments an indication will be made to the user that the phone keys cannot be used to choose any displayed choices other than the first choice when name dial is in the filter mode, during which time such keys are used for entering filtering characters. This can be done, for example by removing the phone key numbers from next to the non-best choices or, if one has a display capable of it, by graying all the choices other than the first choice. Once a choice list is displayed, function 12932 allows functions 12934 through 12960 of the loop 12906 to be performed. If, during the display of a choice list, the user selects a displayed choice candidate, function 12934 causes function 12936 to dial the phone number associated with the chosen name. If the desired name is the current first choice, this can be done by pressing the “OK” key, as shown at 11705 in FIG. 117, in either the filter or choice mode. Choice mode provides more options for selecting choices. It favors recognition of choice-related commands. In choice mode, if the desired name is a displayed alternate choice, it can be selected by pressing the phone key having the number next to that choice. The Page/Item navigation mode used in choice mode, allows a user to scroll the highlighted choice in the choice list from the first choice to another choice and then either press “OK” to select the current highlighted choice or press a phone key associated with a desired choice. If the user selects the Choice Mode by single pressing the “2” key, function, 12938 sets the navigation mode to the Page/Item mode and enters the Choice Mode. During the Page/Item navigation mode of the Choice Mode, function 12940 causes functions 12942 through 12948 to control a response to the pressing of a navigational button. In the Page/Item mode if the user selects Page Left or Right by pressing the Left or Right navigation button, functions 12942 and 12944 respond by scrolling the choice lists by a page up or down, respectively, moving the selection highlight by one page. If, on the other hand, the user selects Item Up or Down by pressing the Up or Down button when in Page/Item navigation mode, functions 12946 and 12948 scroll the highlighted choice up or down, respectively, by one choice, scrolling the screen if necessary to display the new highlighted choice. During the Word/Char navigation mode of the Filter Mode, function 12950 causes functions 12952 through 12960 to control the response to a navigational button. If a user selects Word Left or Right while in Word/Char mode, functions 12952 and 12954 move the current character selection to the first or last character, respectively, of the previous or next word (such as first, middle, or last name) in the displayed best choice. On the other hand if the user selects Character Up or Down when in such a mode, functions 12956 through 12960 move the filter cursor left or right by one character, respectively, provided the move would not place the filter cursor before or after the start or end of the best choice. As shown in FIG. 129, the Name Dial routine allows a user to not only dial calls to a person listed in the cellphone's contact information by saying their name, but it also allows the user to aid such a recognition process by quickly scanning through one or more alphabetically ordered choice lists to look for a desired name listed as an alternate choice when the correct choice is not listed first. It also allows a user to limit recognition candidates to those that match a user specified filter string. In some embodiments, all or a subset of the correction window options specified in FIGS. 81 through 83 could be made available in the Name Dial routine. FIG. 130 illustrates a Digit Dial routine 13000, aspects of which have been described above with regard to FIGS. 122 through 125. Function 13002 of this routine prompts a user to say the digits of a phone number that is to be dialed, as shown in screen 12202 of FIG. 122. Once such an utterance is received, such as the utterance 12204 shown in FIG. 122, function 13004 of FIG. 130 performs continuous digit recognition on it. A call to a routine like getChoices routine of FIG. 23 can be used to perform this recognition and generate a list of best scoring number strings. If the cellphone is in a mode in which confirmation is not required before the dialing of a phone number selected by voice recognition, and if the confidence in the first choice recognized number string is above a required level, functions 13006 and 13008 will dial the recognized number, as is indicated at screen 12206 of FIG. 122. This causes the cellphone to commence a phone call and exit the routine of FIG. 130. In some embodiment the user can be enabled to decide whether the cell phone is to be in a mode in which the voice recognition of all phone numbers requires confirmation, no matter what the recognition confidence, by use of options located under the Main Options Menu referred to briefly at 6648 at the end of FIG. 68. If best choice has a score above a required minimum level sufficient to indicate the recognition has a chance of proving useful, function 13010 causes functions 13012 through 13016 to generate a correction window. Although not shown, it is preferred that if this minimum score is not met the program flow will return to step 13002, which prompts the user to re-say the phone number. If the minimum recognition score is met, function 13012 sets the navigation mode to Page/Item. Function 13014 creates a set of choice lists from the recognition results produced by function 13006 in a manner similar to that described above with regard to the displayChoiceList routine of FIG. 22. This includes generating a first numerically ordered choice list, which will fit on one screen, and a second numerically ordered choice list, which can be multiple screens in length. Then function 13016 displays best choice plus the first ordered choice list with current selection being set to the last digit in best choice. This results in the screen having the appearance shown at 12210 in FIG. 122. Once this Digit Dial choice list is displayed, a loop 13018 is performed. Which repeatedly responds to user inputs, as indicated by the functions 13020 through 13070, until a phone number is selected and dialed or the user otherwise exits the Digit Dial routine. If, when in the loop 13018, a user selects a displayed choice candidate, functions 13020 and 13022 will dial the selected number and then exit the Digit Dial routine. Such a selection can be made by pressing the “OK” key to select the first choice, as indicated at 12211 in FIG. 122, or by pressing a number key associated with a currently displayed choice, as is indicated at 12215 in FIG. 122. If, when in this loop, the user selects Filter Mode by double pressing the “2” key, function 13024 sets the navigation mode to Word/Char Mode and enters Filter Mode. If, on the other hand, the user selects choice mode by single pressing the “2” key, function 13026 sets the navigation mode to Page/Item and enters Choice Mode. If, when in the Page/Item navigational mode of the Choice Mode, the user enters Page Left or Right, functions 13030 and 13032 will scroll the choice list by a page up or down, respectively, moving the highlight by one page, as is indicated on the left hand side of FIG. 123. This will allow the user to quickly scan all the choices in the two numerically ordered lists generated by either function 13014 or 130 13068. If instead, when in this mode, the user selects Item Up or Down, functions 13034 and 13036 scroll the highlighted choice up or down, respectively, by one choice, scrolling the screen if necessary to display the highlighted choice. This choice-at-a-time navigation is indicated on the right hand side of FIG. 123. If either method of navigation places the desired number on the screen, the user can then select it by either pressing the “OK” key (if the highlight is on it) or by pressing an associated choice number key, as described above with regard to functions 13020 and 13022. If, when in the Word/Char navigation mode of the Filter Mode, the user selects Word Left or Right, functions 13040 and 13042 move the current character selection to the first or last digit, respectively of displayed best choice. If instead, when in this mode the user selects Character Up or Down, functions 13046 through 13052 will be performed. Function 13046 tests to see if either (a) the last input was a Character Up or Down command of different direction or (b) the move would put character selection before or after end of the current best choice. If either of these conditions is met, function 13048 changes the current character selection to an insertion cursor immediately before or after, respectively, the prior character selection. If neither of the conditions of function 13046 is met, functions 13050 and 13052 move the current character selection left or right by one digit. If the user inputs one or more digits, function 13054 causes functions 13056 through 13070 to be performed. If the current character selection is one or more digits, functions 13056 and 13058 replace the selected digit or digits with the one or more digits that have just been input by the user. If, on the other hand, the current character selection is an insertion cursor of the type created by the operation of functions 13046 and 13048, then functions 13060 and 13062 will insert the one or more newly entered digits at the cursor position. Once the new digits have been inserted into the best choice, function 13066 filters the phone number choices, using all digits from the start of the first choice up to and including the rightmost newly inserted digit as the filter string. Such filtering can be performed in a manner similar to that described above with regard to FIGS. 23 and 26. Once such recognition has been performed functions 13068 and 13070 create a set of choice lists and display them in a manner similar to that described above with regard to function s13014 and 13016. Thus, it can be seen that the Digit Dial routine of FIG. 130 allows a user to dial calls to a phone number by saying that number's digits. It also allows the user to aid such a recognition process by quickly scanning through one or more numerically ordered choice lists to look for a desired phone number as an alternate choice when the correct choice is not listed first. It also allows a user to limit phone number candidates to those that match a user specified numerical filter string. In some embodiments, many of the correction window options specified in FIGS. 81 through 83 could be made available in the Digit Dial routine. The invention described above has many aspects that can be used for the entering and correcting of speech recognition as well as other forms of recognition on many different types of computing platforms, including all those shown in FIGS. 3 through 8. A lot of the features of the invention described with regard to FIG. 94 can be used in situations where a user desires to enter and/or edit text without having to pay close visual attention to those tasks. For example, this could allow a user to listen to e-mail and dictate responses while walking in a Park, without the need to look closely at his cellphone or other dictation device. One particular environment in which such audio feedback is useful for speech recognition and other control functions, such as phone dialing and phone control, is in an automotive arena, such as is illustrated in FIG. 126. In the embodiment by shown in FIG. 126, the car has a computer, 12600, which is connected to a cellular wireless communication system, 12602, and to the car's audio system 12604. In many embodiments, the car's electronic system will have a short range wireless transceiver such as a Blue Tooth or other short range transceiver, 12606. These can be used to communicate to a wireless headphone, 2608, or the user's cellphone, 12610, so that the user can have the advantage of accessing information stored on his normal cellphone while using his car. Preferably, the cellphone/wireless transceiver, 12602, can be used not only to send and receive cellphone calls but also to send and receive e-mail, digital files, such as text files that can be listened to and edited with the functionality described above, and audio Web pages. The input device for controlling many of the functions described above with regard to the shown cellphone embodiment can be accessed by a phone keypad, 12612, which is preferably located in a position such as on the steering wheel of the automobile, which will enable a user to access its keys without unduly distracting him from the driving function. In fact, with a keypad having a location similar to that shown in FIG. 126, a user can have the forefingers of one hand around the rim of the steering wheel while selecting keypad buttons with the thumb of the same hand. In such an embodiment, preferably the system would have the TTS keys function described above with regard to 9404 through 9414 of FIG. 94 to enable the user to determine which key he is pressing and the function of that key without having to look at the keypad. In other embodiments, the touch sensitive keypad, discussed above with regard to FIG. 94, that responds to a mere touching of its phone keys with such information could also be provided that would be even easier and more rapid to use. FIGS. 127 and 128 illustrate that most of the capabilities described above with regard to the cellphone embodiment can be used on other types of phones, such as on the cordless phone shown in FIG. 127 or on the landline found indicated at FIG. 128. It should be understood that the foregoing description and drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate, and that the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as the interpretation of the appended claims are so limited. Those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention. The invention of the present application, as broadly claimed, is not limited to use with any one type of operating system, computer hardware, or computer network and, thus, other embodiments of the invention could use differing software and hardware systems. Furthermore, it should be understood that the program functions described in the claims below, like virtually all program functions, can be performed by many different programming and data structures, using substantially different organization and sequencing. This is because programming is an extremely flexible art in which a given idea of any complexity, once understood by those skilled in the art, can be manifested in a virtually unlimited number of ways. Thus, the claims are not meant to be limited to the exact functions and/or sequence of functions described in the figures. This is particularly true since the pseudo-code described in the text above has been highly simplified to let it more efficiently communicate that which one skilled in the art needs to know to implement the invention without burdening him or her with unnecessary details. In the interest of such simplification, the structure of the pseudo-code described above often differs significantly from the structure of the actual code that a skilled programmer would use when implementing the invention. Furthermore, many of the programmed behaviors that are shown being performed in software in the specification could be performed in hardware in other embodiments. In the many embodiment of the invention discussed above, various aspects of the invention are shown occurring together which could occur separately in other embodiments of those aspects of the invention. It should be appreciated that the present invention extends to methods, apparatus systems, and programming recorded in machine-readable form, for all the features and aspects of the invention which have been described in this application is filed including its specification, its drawings, and its original claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Discrete large-vocabulary speech recognition systems have been available for use on desktop personal computers for approximately twelve years by the time of the writing of this patent application. Discrete speech recognition can only recognize a single set of one or more recognition candidates, each consisting of one vocabulary word, per utterance, where a vocabulary word, for example, can correspond to a single word, a letter name, or even a multiword phrase the system treats as one word. Continuous speech recognition, on the other hand, can produce a sequence of sets of one or more recognition candidates, each consisting of one or more vocabulary words in response to a single utterance. Continuous large-vocabulary speech recognition systems have been available for use on such computers for approximately seven years by this time. Such speech recognition systems have proven to be of considerable worth. In fact, much of the text of the present patent application has been prepared by the use of a large-vocabulary continuous speech recognition system. As used in this specification and the claims that follow, when we refer to a large-vocabulary speech recognition system, we mean one that has the ability to recognize a given utterance as being any one of at least two thousand different vocabulary words at one time, with the recognition depending upon which of those words has corresponding phonetic or acoustic models that most closely match the given spoken word. As indicated by FIG. 1 , large-vocabulary speech recognition typically functions by having a user 100 speak into a microphone 102 , which in the example of FIG. 1 is a microphone of a cellular telephone 104 . The microphone transduces the variation in air pressure over time caused by the utterance of one or more words into a corresponding waveform represented by an electronic signal 106 . In many speech recognition systems this waveform signal is converted, by digital signal processing performed either by a computer processor or by a special digital signal processor 108 , into a time domain representation. Often the time domain representation comprises a plurality of parameter frames 112 , each of which represents properties of the sound represented by the waveform 106 at each of a plurality of successive time periods, such as every one-hundredth of a second. As indicated in FIG. 2 , the time domain, or frame, representation of an utterance to be recognized is then matched against a plurality of possible sequences of phonetic models 200 corresponding to different words in a large vocabulary. In most large-vocabulary speech recognition systems, individual words 202 are each represented by a corresponding phonetic spelling 204 , similar to the phonetic spellings found in most dictionaries. Each phoneme in a phonetic spelling has one or more phonetic models 200 associated with it. In many systems the models 200 are phoneme-in-context models, which model the sound of their associated phoneme when it occurs in the context of the preceding and following phoneme in a given word's phonetic spelling. The phonetic models are commonly composed of the sequence of one or more probability models, each of which represents the probability of different parameter values for each of the parameters used in the frames of the time domain representation 110 of an utterance to be recognized. One of the major trends in personal computing in recent years has been the increased use of smaller and often more portable computing devices. Originally most personal computing was performed upon desktop computers of the general type represented by FIG. 3 . Then there was an increase in usage of even smaller personal computers in the form of laptop computers, which are not shown in the drawings because laptop computers have roughly the same type of computational capabilities and user interface as desktop computers. Most current large-vocabulary speech recognition systems have been designed for use on such systems. Recently there has been an increase in the use of new types of computers such as the tablet computer shown in FIG. 4 , the personal digital assistant computer shown in FIG. 5 , cell phones which have increased computing power, shown in FIG. 6 , wrist phone computers represented in FIG. 7 , and a wearable computer which provides a user interface with a screen and eye tracking and/or audio output provided from a head wearable device as indicated in FIG. 8 . Because of recent increases in computing power, such new types of devices can have computational power equal to that of the first desktops on which discrete large-vocabulary recognition systems were provided and, in some cases, as much computational power as was provided on desktop computers that first ran large vocabulary continuous speech recognition. The computational capacities of such smaller and/or more portable personal computers will only grow as time goes by. One of the more important challenges involved in providing effective large-vocabulary speech recognition on ever more portable computers is that of providing a user interface that makes it easier and faster to create, edit, and use speech recognition on such devices. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention relates to speech recognition that can automatically turn recognition off in one or more ways. One aspect of the invention includes using large vocabulary speech recognition with a user command that turns on recognition that is then automatically turned off after the next end of utterance detection and stays off until receiving another command to turn recognition back on. Another aspect of the invention includes using large vocabulary speech recognition with a plurality of buttons, each associated with a different speech mode, and responding to a touch of a given button by automatically turning on its speech mode and then automatically turning that mode off until receiving another command to turn it on. In one such aspect of the invention the button selectable modes include large vocabulary and alphabetic entry speech recognition mode; in another they include continuous and discrete speech recognition modes. One aspect of the invention include speech recognition in which a first user input starts large vocabulary recognition mode that allows a sequence of multiple vocabulary words to be recognized and a second user input starts a large vocabulary recognition mode that allows only a single vocabulary word to be recognized. This means that in response to a single first input recognition can continue for multiple successive words and that in respond to a single second input recognition will stop after the recognition of one word (i.e., the recognition stops the scoring, selecting, and outputting words from the large vocabulary after one such word has been selected and produced as an output). Another aspect of the invention includes speech recognition which responds to a single user input of a first type by starting a large vocabulary speech recognition mode that allows a sequence of utterances to be recognized and responds to a single user input of a second type by starting a large vocabulary speech recognition mode that allows only a single utterance to be recognized. | 20040924 | 20100511 | 20050224 | 74423.0 | 1 | MCFADDEN, SUSAN IRIS | SPEECH RECOGNITION USING AUTOMATIC RECOGNITION TURN OFF | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,950,199 | ACCEPTED | Operating system transfer and launch without performing post | A device operating method includes saving initial state information of an electronic device. Next, transferring control of the electronic device to a principal operating system. After transferring control and upon receiving an operating system shut down indication signal, transferring control of the electronic device to an alternate operating system without performing a power on self test. An electronic device includes a processor and at least one memory. The memory maintains instructions, in the form of program code, that when executed by the processor causes the processor to save the initial state information of the electronic device. Next, control of the electronic device is transferred to a principal operating system. After the principal operating system has been launched and upon receiving an operating system shut down indication signal, transfer control of the electronic device to an alternate operating system without performing a power on self test. | 1. An operating method, comprising: saving initial state information of an electronic device; transferring control of the electronic device to a principal operating system; upon receiving an operating system shut down indication signal, transferring control of the electronic device to an alternate operating system without performing a power on self test. 2. The operating method of claim 1, further including: upon receiving an operating system shut down indication signal, transferring control of the electronic device from the alternate operating system to the principal operating system without performing a power on self test. 3. The operating method of claim 1, wherein transferring control of the electronic device to an alternate operating system further includes restarting the principal operating system without performing a power on self test. 4. The operating method of claim 2, wherein transferring control of the electronic device to the principal operating system further includes restarting the alternate operating system without performing a power on self test. 5. The operating method of claim 1, wherein transferring control of the electronic device further comprises: a basic input output system transferring device execution control to an operating system boot loader; launching the principal operating system. 6. The operating method of claim 1, wherein receiving an operating system shut down indication signal further comprises receiving a request from a user for an operating system change. 7. The operating method of claim 1, wherein receiving an operating system shut down indication signal further comprises receiving a device shut down signal. 8. The operating method of claim 1, wherein saving the initial state information further comprises storing an interrupt vector table, basic input output system data area, interrupt enable mask from programmable interrupt controllers and keyboard controller command byte into a predetermined memory. 9. The operating method of claim 8, wherein the initial state information is stored in the area of the memory containing the alternate operating system. 10. A method of transferring device control among a plurality of operating systems, comprising receiving an operating system shutdown indication signal; restoring device configuration to a known state; and transferring control to an alternate operating system without performing a power on self test. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of transferring control to the alternate operating system further includes executing an INT19 command. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the transferring control stop further includes restarting the currently executing operating system without performing a power on self test. 13. The method of claim 10, further comprising resuming device operation under control of the alternate operating system. 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of restoring device configuration to a known state further comprises restoring previously stored critical state information. 15. An electronic device, comprising: a processor; and a memory, coupled to the processor, the memory maintaining instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: save initial state information of an electronic device, transfer control of the electronic device to a principal operating system, and upon receiving an operating system shut down indication signal, transfer control of the electronic device to an alternate operating system without performing a power on self test. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor, upon receiving an operating system shut down indication signal, to transfer control of the electronic device from the alternate operating system to the principal operating system without performing a power on self test. 17. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to restart the principal operating system without performing a power on self test. 18. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to restart the alternate operating system without performing a power on self test. 19. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the processor to issue an INT19 request to transfer device control to the alternate operating system. 20. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the processor to restore the device to an original state before device control is transferred to the alternate operating system. | FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to electronic devices and, more particularly, to transferring control of an electronic device between two or more resident operating systems and launching the same without having to perform power on self test. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Electronic devices, for example, personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, tablet computers, palm top computers, wireless communication devices and other suitable devices and combinations thereof typically include an operating system (OS) in a corresponding memory of the device. The operating system is used, for example, to control the operation of the corresponding electronic device and direct the processing of programs (e.g. application programs), for example, by assigning storage space in memory and controlling input and output functions among several functions. Typically, an electronic device will have a single OS stored in memory. However, in some devices, multiple (e.g. two or more) operating systems may be resident in a single memory component or multiple memory components of the device. In those devices or systems where the memory is distributed across a network, the multiple operating systems may be resident on one or more distributed memory locations. One purpose for including two or more OS in a single device is to provide for continuity of operation in case of a catastrophic event (e.g. shut down) to the operating system that is active (e.g. controlling the electronic device). Another purpose is to provide support for applications or other programs that may not have been written to run under a particular OS. Currently, when it is necessary or otherwise desirable to switch device control from the active OS to the second or otherwise non-active OS, or from a first OS to a second OS and back to the first OS, the device must be restarted and the basic input/output system (BIOS) Power On Self Test (POST) code must be re-executed before the subsequent OS is started. Executing POST is required to ensure that the electronic device is in a known (e.g. PC compatible) state before the alternate or next OS starts to load. A drawback associated with conventional device operation is that switching from one OS to another OS incurs the overhead time of executing POST each time an OS is started. Thus, the user may have to wait a lengthy period of time before the corresponding device can be used. Currently, attempting to switch between operating systems without executing POST may result in unpredictable device behavior, including crashing. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A device operating method includes saving critical initial state information, for example, the interrupt vector table, basic input output system (BIOS) data area, interrupt enable mask data and keyboard controller command byte data of the electronic device. Next, transfer control of the electronic device to a principal operating system, for example, by handing off device execution to the principal operation system boot loader and launching the principal operating system. After the principal operating system has been launched and upon receiving an operating system shut down indication signal, for example, a user request to transfer to another operating system or device shut down signal, transferring control of the electronic device to an alternate operating system without performing a power on self Lest. Alternatively, instead of transferring control to an alternate operating system, the method of the present invention can be used to restart or otherwise re-launch the previously executing operating system. This may occur, for example, when a device failure occurs or the user requests that the operating system be restarted. An electronic device includes a processor and at least one memory. The memory maintains instructions, in the form of program code, that when executed by the processor causes the processor to save the initial state information of the electronic device for example, the interrupt vector table, basic input output system (BIOS) data area, interrupt enable mask data and keyboard controller command byte data of the electronic device. Next, control of the electronic device is transferred to a principal operating system, for example, by handing off device execution to the principal operation system boot loader and launching the principal operating system. After the principal operating system has been launched and upon receiving an operating system shut down indication signal, for example, a user request to transfer to another operating system or device shut down signal, transfer control of the electronic device to an alternate operating system without performing a power on self test. Alternatively, the program code may cause the processor to restart or otherwise re-launch the previously executing operating system. This may occur, for example, when a device failure occurs or the user requests that the operating system be restarted. An advantage provided by the present invention is that it provides for the fast transfer of execution between operating systems. Another advantage provided by the present invention is that it allows for the transfer of control between operating systems without having to perform a power on self test. BRIEF DESECRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention and the related advantages and features provided thereby will be best appreciated and understood upon review of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the following drawings, where like numerals represent like elements, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an electronic device implementing the operating system transfer and launch functionality according to the present invention; FIGS. 2 and 3 are flow charts illustrating the operations performed by the electronic device when switching between operating systems and launching the switched operating system according to the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1-3. The description of well known components is not included in this description so as not to obscure the disclosure or take away or otherwise reduce the novelty of the present invention and the main benefits provided thereby. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an electronic device implementing the operating system transfer and launch functionality according to the present invention. In an exemplary embodiment, the electronic device 100 is implemented as a personal computer, for example, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet PC or other suitable computing device. However, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, that the electronic device 100 may be implemented as a PDA, wireless communication device, for example, a cellular telephone, embedded controllers or devices, for example, routers and set top boxes, printing devices or other suitable devices or combination thereof. The personal computer 100 includes at least one controller or processor 102, configured to control the overall operation of the device 10. The processor 102 may include an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) for performing computations, one or more registers for temporary storage of data and instructions, and a controller for controlling the operations of the personal computer 100. In one embodiment, the processor 102 includes any one of the ×86, Pentium™, and PentiumPro™ microprocessors manufactured by Intel Corporation, or the K-6 microprocessor marketed by Advanced Micro Devices. Further examples include the 6×86MX microprocessor as marketed by Cyrix Corp., the 680×0 processor marketed by Motorola; or the Power PC™ processor marketed by International Business Machines. In addition, any of a variety of other processors, including those from Sun Microsystems, MIPS, NEC, Cyrix and others may be used for implementing the processor 102. The processor 102 is not limited to microprocessors, but may take on other forms such as microcontrollers, digital signal processors, dedicated hardware (e.g. ASIC), state machines or software executing on one or more processors distributed across a network. The processor 102 is coupled to a bus controller 104 by way of a CPU bus 103. The bus controller 104 includes a memory controller 107 integrated therein. In an alternate embodiment, the memory controller 107 may be separate form the bus controller 104. The memory controller 107 provides an interface for access by the processor 102 or other devices to system memory 106, for example, synchronous dynamic random access memory. The bus controller 104 is also coupled to non-volatile memory 108, for example, a flash memory or read only memory of the electronic device 100. Resident in the non-volatile memory 108 is a first or principal OS 110, for example, the Linux operating system. This OS 110 may be used to control the operation of the personal computer 100, after execution of POST. The bus controller 104 is coupled to a system bus 1113, for example a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus, industry standard architecture (ISA) bus, a wireless connection or other suitable communication medium. Coupled to the system bus 113 is a display controller 112, operative to transfer data 117 for display on a corresponding display device (not shown), a hard disk 114, and an input/output (I/O) controller 118. The hard disk 114 may be any suitable nonvolatile memory, for example, flash memory. The hard disk 114 maintains the BIOS 130 of the personal computer 10. The BIOS 130 is responsible for initializing and configuring the various hardware subsystems, for example, display controller 112, Input/Output (I/O) controller 118 or other suitable device or series of devices present within or controlled by the personal computer 100, and initiates the operating system (OS) boot process. In application, the BIOS 130 is a series of code segments that when executed by the processor 102, cause the processor 102 to perform specified tasks, for example, the initialization and booting tasks. These initialization and booting tasks are typically referred to as the Power on Self Test (POST). The hard disk 114 may also include a host protected area (HPA) 115, which is a secure, dedicated area of the hard disk 114 inaccessible by the OS or other subsystems of the personal computer 100 that may maintain a second or alternate OS 16, for example, the Windows™ operating system. Although illustrated as being maintained in separate memories, in alternate embodiments the principal OS 110 and second OS 116 may be maintained in the same memory component. For example, the principal OS 110 may be stored in the non-volatile memory 108, the hard disk 114, or other suitable memory component. In addition, the BIOS 130 may be stored in a processor readable medium or transmitted by a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave over a transmission medium or other suitable communication link. The processor readable medium may include any medium that can store or transfer information, for example, an electronic circuit, a semiconductor memory device, a ROM, a flash memory, an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), a floppy diskette, a CD-ROM, an optical disk, a fiber optic medium, a radio frequency (RF) link or other suitable medium. The computer data signal may include any signal that can propagate over a transmission medium, for example, electronic network channels, optical fibers, air electromagnetic, RF links, or other suitable transmission medium. The code segments may be downloaded via computer networks, for example, the Internet, an intranet, LAN, WAN or other suitable network or combinations thereof. The I/O controller 118 is configured to control the transfer of information between a plurality of input devices, for example, a keyboard 120, mouse, joystick or other peripheral input device 122 and a plurality of output devices, for example, printer 124. In application, when the personal computer 100 is turned on or otherwise started, the BIOS 130 performs the POST operations before handing over device control to the operating system, for example, the principal OS 110. Transferring control is performed, for example, by the processor 102 transferring the principal OS 110 from either the non-volatile memory 108 or the hard disk 114 (where is may alternatively be stored) to the system memory 106 where it is executed. From the system memory 106, the principal OS 110 may start initializing and execution application programs, for example, Word processing programs, MP3 players, and other suitable applications resident in the system memory 106. FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating the operations performed by the personal computer 100 when switching between operating systems and launching the switched operating system according to an exemplary method 200 of the present invention. The following steps are performed by and/or in conjunction with the BIOS of the personal computer. Thus, the steps are performed independent of, and do not rely on, the particular operating system that is currently running on the personal computer. In step 202, the personal computer is initialized or otherwise powered up. This may be accomplished, for example, by the user depressing or otherwise activating the start or applicable power on button, or the device being remotely or automatically powered on, for example, under software control. Upon power up, the personal computer performs its power on self test (POST) routine, where the several hardware subsystems that are part of, or are otherwise controlled by, the personal computer are initialized. In step 204, the critical device state information of the personal computer is saved, for example, in the portion of the BIOS that loads the boot loader or the boot loader itself. During this step, the interrupt vector table, BIOS data area, interrupt enable mask from the interrupt controller or device specific controller, for example, keyboard controller and keyboard controller command byte are stored. This represents the minimum amount of information required to return the personal computer its original (e.g. pre-started) or known state. In step 206, control of the personal computer is transferred to the principal operating system, for example, Linux by the BIOS handing off execution control of the personal computer to the principal OS boot loader. The boot loader, in turn, points to a specified memory location, for example, in the non-volatile memory where the principal operating system is located and causes the processor to begin executing the OS code from that location. Alternatively, the operating system can be transferred from the non-volatile memory to the system memory, from where it is executed by The processor. From here, the OS may execute a variety of application programs, for example, word processing programs, MP3 players or any suitable application that are maintained in the system memory. Moreover, if the personal computer is connected to a distributed network, the OS and any application program called and executed thereby may be obtained from any location within the distributed network. In step 207, a determination is made as to whether an OS shutdown indication signal is received. This is accomplished, for example, by the user requesting an operating system change, the receipt of hardware or software interrupts, or the occurrence of a catastrophic event or device shut down event or checking the value in a particular register or series of registers. If no OS shutdown indication signal is received, the process proceeds to step 208 where normal OS operation continues until an OS shutdown indication signal is received or detected. If, on the other hand, an OS shutdown signal is received, the process proceeds to step 210. In step 210, control of the personal computer is transferred to an alternate operating system, for example Windows™, without performing POST. Alternatively, the currently active OS may be restarted. The operations performed in step 210 are described with reference to FIG. 3. The process then ends. FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating the operations performed during the transfer control operation of step 210. The following discussion will assume a transfer of control from the Linux OS to the Windows™ OS. However it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that control transfer may be from Windows™ to Linux or from other suitable operating systems. Additionally, in an alternate embodiment, the following operations may be performed when the currently active OS is to be restarted. In step 1210, the personal computer is restored to a known (e.g. PC Compatible) state, for example, the state it was in before the currently executing OS was launched. This is accomplished by restoring the previously saved critical device state information, for example, the original interrupt vector table, BIOS data area, interrupt enable mask and keyboard controller command byte of the personal computer. In step 1212, the alternate OS is launched without performing POST. This is accomplished, for example, by the principal OS being shut down and the BIOS issuing an INT19 command which loads the OS boot loader of the alternate OS to be activated. The alternate OS boot loader will point to a particular memory location where the personal computer will boot from. In the exemplary embodiment, the alternate OS boot loader will point to the memory location where the Windows™ OS or other suitable operating system is to begin executing. By initiating INT19 after the personal computer state has been returned or otherwise restored to a known (e.g. original) state, the processor acts as if the alternate OS was launched from POST. In this manner, the personal computer does not have re-execute POST; therefore, greatly enhancing the speed and efficiency of transferring between multiple operating systems as compared to conventional techniques as the personal computer does not have to be turned off and restarted. In turn, by not having to restart the personal computer, the delay time in being able to use the computer from restart is significantly reduced. In step 1214, device operation resumes operation is resumed under the alternate OS. The personal computer will continue to operate under the alternate OS until it is turned off, the user requests an OS change or a shut down condition occurs. Given the above discussion, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention can also be used to transfer device control, for example, from Windows™ or other secondary operating system to Linux; or from Linux to a third operating system, for example, MS-DOS. For example, when the personal computer transfers control from Windows™ to another OS, the following shutdown procedure occurs in step 1210, the interrupt vector table is restored; the BIOS data area is restored; interrupt enable mask data is restored; keyboard controller command byte is restored in the keyboard controller; the keyboard flags in the BIOS data area and the internal state of the keyboard controller (e.g. buffer pointers, shift states and other suitable data) are synchronized; INT19.bin or other suitable code is copied into real mode address space to support further restoration; the processor mode is switched from protected mode to real mode; and the copied code is launched into real mode address space to continue restoration. The real mode code that is executed causes the processor to perform the following operations: restore control port B, which controls parity error and non-maskable interrupt generation; initialize the device program interval timer; initialize the direct memory access (DMA) controllers; initialize the programmable interrupt controllers; clear any pending real-time clock update, periodic or alarm interrupts; initialize memory; set address line 20 to a compatible state; set the limits on the segment registers to compatible values; set a compatible video mode; clear the warm boot flag in the BIOS data area; clear the shutdown byte in memory; set processor control registers to known (e.g. compatible) values; and provide that there is no advanced power management connection. By implementing the method of the present invention, the electronic device is guaranteed to be returned to a known (e.g. PC Compatible) state before operating system transfer. This results in device hanging, or locking up, being substantially reduced or eliminated because the device is restored to the known state before the alternate OS is launched. Thus, the alternate OS performs as if it was launched normally from POST. Additionally, the present invention will work with any applicable operating system, as the present invention does not require prior knowledge of the operating system before transferring to the operating system. The foregoing detailed description of the invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. Although an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiment(s) disclosed, and that various changes and modifications to the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is to be defined by the claims appended hereto. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Electronic devices, for example, personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, tablet computers, palm top computers, wireless communication devices and other suitable devices and combinations thereof typically include an operating system (OS) in a corresponding memory of the device. The operating system is used, for example, to control the operation of the corresponding electronic device and direct the processing of programs (e.g. application programs), for example, by assigning storage space in memory and controlling input and output functions among several functions. Typically, an electronic device will have a single OS stored in memory. However, in some devices, multiple (e.g. two or more) operating systems may be resident in a single memory component or multiple memory components of the device. In those devices or systems where the memory is distributed across a network, the multiple operating systems may be resident on one or more distributed memory locations. One purpose for including two or more OS in a single device is to provide for continuity of operation in case of a catastrophic event (e.g. shut down) to the operating system that is active (e.g. controlling the electronic device). Another purpose is to provide support for applications or other programs that may not have been written to run under a particular OS. Currently, when it is necessary or otherwise desirable to switch device control from the active OS to the second or otherwise non-active OS, or from a first OS to a second OS and back to the first OS, the device must be restarted and the basic input/output system (BIOS) Power On Self Test (POST) code must be re-executed before the subsequent OS is started. Executing POST is required to ensure that the electronic device is in a known (e.g. PC compatible) state before the alternate or next OS starts to load. A drawback associated with conventional device operation is that switching from one OS to another OS incurs the overhead time of executing POST each time an OS is started. Thus, the user may have to wait a lengthy period of time before the corresponding device can be used. Currently, attempting to switch between operating systems without executing POST may result in unpredictable device behavior, including crashing. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>A device operating method includes saving critical initial state information, for example, the interrupt vector table, basic input output system (BIOS) data area, interrupt enable mask data and keyboard controller command byte data of the electronic device. Next, transfer control of the electronic device to a principal operating system, for example, by handing off device execution to the principal operation system boot loader and launching the principal operating system. After the principal operating system has been launched and upon receiving an operating system shut down indication signal, for example, a user request to transfer to another operating system or device shut down signal, transferring control of the electronic device to an alternate operating system without performing a power on self Lest. Alternatively, instead of transferring control to an alternate operating system, the method of the present invention can be used to restart or otherwise re-launch the previously executing operating system. This may occur, for example, when a device failure occurs or the user requests that the operating system be restarted. An electronic device includes a processor and at least one memory. The memory maintains instructions, in the form of program code, that when executed by the processor causes the processor to save the initial state information of the electronic device for example, the interrupt vector table, basic input output system (BIOS) data area, interrupt enable mask data and keyboard controller command byte data of the electronic device. Next, control of the electronic device is transferred to a principal operating system, for example, by handing off device execution to the principal operation system boot loader and launching the principal operating system. After the principal operating system has been launched and upon receiving an operating system shut down indication signal, for example, a user request to transfer to another operating system or device shut down signal, transfer control of the electronic device to an alternate operating system without performing a power on self test. Alternatively, the program code may cause the processor to restart or otherwise re-launch the previously executing operating system. This may occur, for example, when a device failure occurs or the user requests that the operating system be restarted. An advantage provided by the present invention is that it provides for the fast transfer of execution between operating systems. Another advantage provided by the present invention is that it allows for the transfer of control between operating systems without having to perform a power on self test. | 20040924 | 20101214 | 20060330 | 99633.0 | G06F944 | 2 | MCCARTHY, CHRISTOPHER S | OPERATING SYSTEM TRANSFER AND LAUNCH WITHOUT PERFORMING POST | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | G06F | 2,004 |
|
10,950,216 | ACCEPTED | Information display system | A display apparatus within elevator cabs or elevator waiting areas that facilitates the simultaneous display of advertising and general news information is described. Broadcast from a remote control center, advertising and general news information updates are transmitted to, and stored in a server located within a building and then forwarded to a display memory and subsequently displayed on a monitor according to a remotely modifiable program schedule. The display is updated such that it contains a copy of the latest broadcast schedule, as well as the advertisement and information programming, and automatically displays a days program according to the most current broadcast schedule. The display units as well as the building server are each individually addressable thus allowing groups of displays to be simultaneously updated from a remote centralized location with information such as news updates, customized advertising information and the like. | 1-20. (Cancelled) 21. A system for displaying information in elevator cabs, the system comprising: a central server for compiling and transmitting information to be displayed; a plurality of individually-addressable displays for receiving the information, each of the displays being disposed in an elevator cab and having a plurality of display areas, each of the display areas displaying a different portion of the information. 22. The system as defined in claim 21, further comprising a plurality of intermediary servers in data communication with the central server and with a subset of the displays, the intermediary servers configured to receive the information from the central server and to forward the information to the displays in the subset of displays. 23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a network interface associated with each of the displays, the network interface providing an address for receiving information. 24. The system of claim 22, wherein the intermediary servers comprise building servers, each associated with a building, and wherein the subset of displays comprises displays located in the building. 25. The system of claim 21, wherein the network interface comprises a wireless network interface. 26. A method for distributing information to a plurality of individually-addressable displays, each of the displays being disposed in one of a plurality of elevator cabs, the method comprising: compiling information to be displayed; selecting, from the plurality of displays, a subset of displays on which the information is to be displayed; causing the information to be transmitted across a network to the selected displays. 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising receiving the information at each of the displays. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein receiving the information comprises indirectly receiving the information. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein indirectly receiving the information comprises: receiving the information at an intermediary server in communication with the wide area network; and causing the information to be transmitted from the intermediary server to the displays. | This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/154,633 filed Sep. 17, 1998, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/834,876 filed Apr. 10, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,844,181. This invention relates to an information transmission and display system and in particular to an information display system for displaying advertising and general news information in elevators and the like. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In most urban centers, exposure to information such as advertising information and current news information has become an accepted part of everyday life. Apart from newspapers, magazines and television, mass advertising information is presented by way of billboards and more recently pixelboards™, which are capable of displaying relatively simple animated pictures and textual information. However as with most information and in particular with respect to advertising information, it is more effective to have both a captive audience and a well-targeted group in order to maximize the effectiveness and impact of the information conveyed. Most urban centers have a large number of major office complexes. These office complexes include multi-storied buildings serviced by elevators and large common areas providing a heretofore unexploited environment for presentation of advertising and news information. Display systems for these environments should amongst others have the ability to target specific audiences with the information they present, respond quickly and easily to information changes, and provide a consistent high quality image and information content. To date, information display systems for elevators are capable of presenting at most the floor number, a floor directory of tenants and in some cases simple text based news information. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,479 to Fujiwara, describes a display apparatus for an elevator in which information regarding the operating conditions of the elevator is displayed along with “general” information, such as news and weather. A display unit is provided within the elevator cab and includes a display area for displaying text along side a picture display area for displaying predetermined graphic images. Predetermined pieces of information are assembled and assigned a number indicative of a priority for that piece of information. The information is selected to be displayed according to the priorities assigned. Limitations of this system are that the messages are not easily updateable and information is restricted to basic text and primitive graphic data. Furthermore, the system does not provide for an easily updateable real time information delivery and display system. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,629 to Tsuji, et al., a display apparatus for an elevator is described, in which information concerning news, weather, etc., is displayed on a display screen located within the elevator cab. The information is selected to be displayed at predetermined times. The device described in this patent allows for the information displayed to be corrected (i.e. other information displayed) through inputs made remotely from the elevator cab, for example, from a caretakers room or a portable computer. Once again this patent discloses a simple scrolling message display system, which although updateable via a remote computer, requires extensive user intervention to constantly update the displayed messages. Furthermore, the display of the information is dependent to some extent on the operational parameters of the elevator. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,897 to Matsumoto, et al., an elevator display system is disclosed in which the operational information of the elevator, in particular a floor indicator, is superimposed on a background image on a display screen. The background image is described as being a plurality of still pictures assigned to the different floors at which the elevator stops or different kinds of animations assigned to the different floors. Once again, this patent does not disclose a method of simultaneously altering the information in a series of elevators independent of a particular elevator operational state. Thus, based on the current state of the art regarding elevator and foyer display systems, there is a need for a system for displaying real time information content targeted to a specific audience and which provides that the information is centrally coordinated and disseminated. Furthermore, currently available systems do not provide a system that is completely site addressable with the potential for a building, including multiple elevator banks within a building, to have its own unique daily program. Furthermore, there is a need for a system that is capable of communicating on a daily basis new information relevant to tenants or users of the building and which is capable of replacing the relatively ineffective paper and poster notification methods currently in use along with the associated manpower costs. Furthermore there is a need for a system that makes use of display technology that offers highly legible, easily understandable stills, animated graphics, pictures and videos. There is also a need for a display system that is both flexible that can be installed in existing elevator banks and can provide an advertiser impact close to the point of purchase and can effectively target an extremely attractive market place and which does not necessarily require extensive government regulatory approval. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention seeks to provide in an information display system an information display apparatus and a method for easily updating displays in the system such that information composed at a centralized location may be easily presented at the displays. It is an object of the present invention to provide general information display units which may be located in elevator cabs and waiting areas. A further object of the invention is to facilitate remote control and automated information updates, simultaneously, to a number of display units located in elevator cabs and waiting areas. A further object of the invention is to provide time sensitive information to the display units, and to provide such information independent of elevator operation. A further object of the invention is to provide an information and advertising presentation in a relatively easily understandable manner utilizing a relatively high-resolution display capable of displaying amongst others, picture quality advertising and information graphics and all manner of information display including still images, 2-D and 3-D computer animations and full motion video and which may be easily integrated into existing elevator cabs and waiting areas. In accordance with this invention there is provided a device for displaying information in at least one elevator cab, the device comprising: a display means including a display screen located in each elevator cab said display adapted to receive and display information on said screen; a building server located in the building in which each elevator cab is located, the building server being adapted to communicate information to each display means; and a central server remotely located from the building servers, wherein the information to be displayed is transmitted from the central server to the building servers and then to the display means. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following discussion of preferred embodiments of the invention and which are described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like elements have been assigned like numerals and wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a network configuration of an information display system according to an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 shows a network configuration for a specific aspect of the general network configuration; FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a display unit; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the information flow from a central control to a display; FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation including updated and control of the display; FIG. 6 shows a front view of an information display monitor; FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing the update of advertising information to the display; and FIG. 8 is a further flow diagram showing the update of information to the display. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic network architecture is shown generally by numeral 100. The network includes a centralized control center or system server 110 which communicates via suitable communication links 112, with city control center servers 114. Each city may include one or more servers 114, however each server 114 has associated, therewith, a number of buildings in a given city. The group of buildings serviced by the city server 114 is identified by reference numeral 116. Although a single city server 114 is shown per city group, this may include more than one city server within a given city. The city servers 114 then communicate in turn with individual buildings within its group 116 via communication links, for example via a telephone line, a wireless communication, infrared or any suitable communication link. Within each building, for convenience is located a further server denoted a building server 120 which is then responsible for communicating with the individual elevator banks within the building. A display unit 210 is located within each elevator bank for displaying the information communicated thereto. In a further embodiment of the invention, the central server may be configured to communicate directly with the building servers and not necessarily via the city servers. For clarity, buildings may include a group of buildings, such as for example, an office tower cluster comprising several distinct office towers. The architecture of the network within a building is shown in greater detail with reference to FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 2, an office complex includes one or more buildings 200. The buildings 200 are serviced by one or more elevator cabs 210. Within each elevator cab is located a display means 212 which is a self contained unit including a flat screen display 310, typically a liquid crystal display, a microprocessor 312, a mass storage device 314, a memory(RAM) 315 and a power supply 316 as shown in FIG. 3. The building server 220 is connected to each display means 212 within each elevator cab via a cable 230 which may be included within the bundle of cables already provided to the elevator cab. In a further embodiment, however, the display and the building may include wireless communication devices. As it is anticipated the present system will be retrofitted into existing elevators, the use of a wireless communication link between the display and the building server is desirable as the existing wiring to the elevator may be difficult to access. Furthermore, by providing a display which is separate to the existing elevator control system obviates the need to obtain authorization from elevator service companies to perform maintenance or updates on the information display system. By providing individual servers 220 within a building which are individually and uniquely addressable allows in addition to common information to be received by all other buildings, but the ability to add additional individualized information pertaining to a specific building to the general information content. For example, a building landlord might include with the regular programming information, information on interruptions due to maintenance, emergency procedures, vacancies, etc. Also, with the proliferation of shops within building complexes, advertising information for these businesses may also be easily included with the building specific information. However, it may be seen that because the buildings are serviced by centralized city server 114, the bulk of the information displayed is synchronized with each building and the building specific information will not interrupt the information transmitted to other buildings within the network, while still maintaining centralized control and delivery of generalized information to the other elevator display units within the city. Furthermore, although the system is capable of displaying information without interfering with the elevator control system, floor numbers and floor specific tenant information may also be displayed on the screens. This information may be derived from the elevator control systems without interfering with the display of advertising or other news information which is displayed simultaneously in the elevator cabs. In FIG. 3, a detailed block diagram of the display device is shown generally by numeral 300. The display device includes an electronic communication means 318 such as an Ethernet card or other suitable network protocol card. The communication means 318 may also support RF, or infrared signals. The display also includes a computer 312, memory 315, mass storage device 314 (such as a hard disk drive) and a suitable power supply 316. A display screen 310 is also provided for displaying relevant information, most typically this is a color liquid crystal display as used for example in laptops. The display unit components are encased in a suitable housing (not shown) which may be customized to be esthetically integrated with the elevator cab interior. In a further embodiment of the invention, information to be displayed on the display screen is transmitted to the building servers 220 and then transmitted in real time according to a schedule stored on the building servers 220 to the displays. This embodiment provides for a relatively less expensive display within each elevator cab as it is not required that the displays include a processor or storage device. Furthermore, in some instances where space in a elevator cab is at a premium it is more advantageous to implement this embodiment. Referring to FIG. 4, the flow of information from the centralized control center 110 to the individual displays within the elevator cab is shown generally by numeral 400. The control center referred to previously in FIG. 4 includes a system server computer 410 which gathers information pages for transmission to the various building servers. These information pages may include amongst other, traffic reports, subway or train schedule updates, news clippings such as business and financial news, stock market updates, sports, weather and any other information of relevance to all or specific cities. In addition, the information may include building updates which is information specific to a specific building or groups of buildings within a city or across cities. For example, in North America, it is not unusual for a single real estate company to own various office complexes in different cities. Should it be desired that building information is to be provided to all their buildings, this information may be compiled at the system server site and appended to the existing general information. Because all building servers are individually addressable from the system server, the specific information destined for the requisite buildings may be communicated to their respective displays without effecting the information being displayed in other buildings. Once delivered to the building server, the information is relayed to the appropriate displays via the internal communication links of the building that as mentioned earlier may include wired, wireless or infrared links. In this manner, a display unit in any location can be reached from a central control point and information provided thereto in a consistent and timely manner. Furthermore, since the displays are individually addressable, advertising, information and scheduling updates are addressed to specific displays only when and where appropriate. Once the relevant information has been communicated to the appropriate display apparatus in the elevator cabs, the information is processed by the computer within the display apparatus and then forwarded to the display screen. Referring to FIG. 6, the display screen may be divided into two general areas, namely an information display area and an advertisement display area. Thus, both types of information may be simultaneously displayed. A different number of display areas within a given screen may also be implemented. Referring to FIG. 5, information to be displayed on the screen is transmitted to the display apparatus as described earlier along with a broadcast schedule. The broadcast schedule determines when the next information or advertisement information is to be displayed and in what sequence they are is to be displayed. As may be seen in FIG. 8, the processor within the display apparatus checks the broadcast schedule and based thereon, directs the appropriate information from the mass storage device to the display screen which then displays the information in the appropriate area of the screen. While the appropriate information is being displayed on the screen, the processor performs a constant check of the date and time and then performs a check for any changes in the broadcast schedule. Changes in the broadcast schedule may include changes in content of information to be displayed or times at which the information is to be displayed or both. If there has been a change in any of the information content or the scheduled times of display of the information, the appropriate information is loaded as per the revised schedule and displayed on the screen with reference to the sequence in FIG. 5. A similar check for changes in the, content and time sequence display of the advertising information is performed as indicated in FIG. 7. Thus, it may be seen that concurrent to the display of current advertising and current information, the display apparatus checks for updates to the advertising or the information content and schedule and loads the next appropriate advertising or information content for display. When the currently displayed advertisement or general information content has completed displaying the next scheduled advertisement or information is thus displayed. This sequence of events thus provides for seamless change of information and advertising. Further, there can be an unlimited number of information screens scheduled for display which may be further displayed in any combination and for any predetermined length of time. The information displayed may include high quality computer generated graphics or picture quality static images displayed for a predetermined period of time, videos, animations or any combination of information. Furthermore, there is also provided in an alternative embodiment the facility for including sound with the images. In the above embodiment, the information to be displayed on the screens is uploaded from the building server computer to the individual display units in the elevator cab, where the information is then processed according to the schedule included with the information. In another embodiment, the information may be fed in real time from the building server to the display unit and where the display apparatus does not store any significant amount of information thereon. Furthermore, the display apparatus may also provide for the return of diagnostic or maintenance information back to the server in order that the display unit may be monitored remotely without the need for maintenance personnel intervention, thus further reducing the overall cost of the system. In a still further embodiment, the building server may receive information for display not only from the central server, but other information sources such as CNN, sports or direct internet access. Thus it may be seen that the information display system of the subject invention may be implemented in various forms. Although the embodiments are shown with reference to specific examples, other modifications may be possible. For example, an embodiment of the present invention may equally well be utilized in subway cars, hospitals, trains or other similar places. The individual buildings may also include several servers. These and other modifications to the variations upon the preferred embodiments are provided for by the present invention, the scope of which is limited only by the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In most urban centers, exposure to information such as advertising information and current news information has become an accepted part of everyday life. Apart from newspapers, magazines and television, mass advertising information is presented by way of billboards and more recently pixelboards™, which are capable of displaying relatively simple animated pictures and textual information. However as with most information and in particular with respect to advertising information, it is more effective to have both a captive audience and a well-targeted group in order to maximize the effectiveness and impact of the information conveyed. Most urban centers have a large number of major office complexes. These office complexes include multi-storied buildings serviced by elevators and large common areas providing a heretofore unexploited environment for presentation of advertising and news information. Display systems for these environments should amongst others have the ability to target specific audiences with the information they present, respond quickly and easily to information changes, and provide a consistent high quality image and information content. To date, information display systems for elevators are capable of presenting at most the floor number, a floor directory of tenants and in some cases simple text based news information. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,479 to Fujiwara, describes a display apparatus for an elevator in which information regarding the operating conditions of the elevator is displayed along with “general” information, such as news and weather. A display unit is provided within the elevator cab and includes a display area for displaying text along side a picture display area for displaying predetermined graphic images. Predetermined pieces of information are assembled and assigned a number indicative of a priority for that piece of information. The information is selected to be displayed according to the priorities assigned. Limitations of this system are that the messages are not easily updateable and information is restricted to basic text and primitive graphic data. Furthermore, the system does not provide for an easily updateable real time information delivery and display system. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,629 to Tsuji, et al., a display apparatus for an elevator is described, in which information concerning news, weather, etc., is displayed on a display screen located within the elevator cab. The information is selected to be displayed at predetermined times. The device described in this patent allows for the information displayed to be corrected (i.e. other information displayed) through inputs made remotely from the elevator cab, for example, from a caretakers room or a portable computer. Once again this patent discloses a simple scrolling message display system, which although updateable via a remote computer, requires extensive user intervention to constantly update the displayed messages. Furthermore, the display of the information is dependent to some extent on the operational parameters of the elevator. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,897 to Matsumoto, et al., an elevator display system is disclosed in which the operational information of the elevator, in particular a floor indicator, is superimposed on a background image on a display screen. The background image is described as being a plurality of still pictures assigned to the different floors at which the elevator stops or different kinds of animations assigned to the different floors. Once again, this patent does not disclose a method of simultaneously altering the information in a series of elevators independent of a particular elevator operational state. Thus, based on the current state of the art regarding elevator and foyer display systems, there is a need for a system for displaying real time information content targeted to a specific audience and which provides that the information is centrally coordinated and disseminated. Furthermore, currently available systems do not provide a system that is completely site addressable with the potential for a building, including multiple elevator banks within a building, to have its own unique daily program. Furthermore, there is a need for a system that is capable of communicating on a daily basis new information relevant to tenants or users of the building and which is capable of replacing the relatively ineffective paper and poster notification methods currently in use along with the associated manpower costs. Furthermore there is a need for a system that makes use of display technology that offers highly legible, easily understandable stills, animated graphics, pictures and videos. There is also a need for a display system that is both flexible that can be installed in existing elevator banks and can provide an advertiser impact close to the point of purchase and can effectively target an extremely attractive market place and which does not necessarily require extensive government regulatory approval. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>This invention seeks to provide in an information display system an information display apparatus and a method for easily updating displays in the system such that information composed at a centralized location may be easily presented at the displays. It is an object of the present invention to provide general information display units which may be located in elevator cabs and waiting areas. A further object of the invention is to facilitate remote control and automated information updates, simultaneously, to a number of display units located in elevator cabs and waiting areas. A further object of the invention is to provide time sensitive information to the display units, and to provide such information independent of elevator operation. A further object of the invention is to provide an information and advertising presentation in a relatively easily understandable manner utilizing a relatively high-resolution display capable of displaying amongst others, picture quality advertising and information graphics and all manner of information display including still images, 2-D and 3-D computer animations and full motion video and which may be easily integrated into existing elevator cabs and waiting areas. In accordance with this invention there is provided a device for displaying information in at least one elevator cab, the device comprising: a display means including a display screen located in each elevator cab said display adapted to receive and display information on said screen; a building server located in the building in which each elevator cab is located, the building server being adapted to communicate information to each display means; and a central server remotely located from the building servers, wherein the information to be displayed is transmitted from the central server to the building servers and then to the display means. | 20040924 | 20060103 | 20050317 | 66186.0 | 1 | SALATA, ANTHONY J | INFORMATION DISPLAY SYSTEM | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,950,284 | ACCEPTED | Soldering a flexible circuit | Techniques are provided for controlling solder flow in applications where a flexible circuit is soldered to a microelectromechanical structure. A metal layer is formed on a substrate. A solder mask is formed on the metal layer such that portions of the metal layer are covered by the mask and portions are left exposed. A flexible circuit is soldered to the metal layer in at least some of the areas where the metal layer is exposed. | 1. An actuator, comprising: a first electrode; a support substrate for the first electrode; a mask formed on the first electrode, wherein the mask is adjacent to a first portion of the first electrode; and a solder material, wherein the solder material is supported by the first electrode and adjacent to a second portion of the first electrode, wherein the first portion of the first electrode does not overlap the second portion of the first electrode and the mask includes a material that is substantially non-wettable by the solder material when melted. 2. The actuator of claim 1, wherein: the mask includes an oxide material. 3. The actuator of claim 1, further comprising: a second electrode, wherein the solder material electrically connects the first and second electrodes to an integrated circuit. 4. The actuator of claim 1, further comprising: a flexible circuit, wherein the solder material electrically connects the flexible circuit to the first electrode. 5. The actuator of claim 1, wherein: the first portion corresponds to a location of a chamber in a device when the second electrode is bonded to the device. 6. The actuator of claim 1, wherein: the mask is between about 0.1 and about 2 microns thick. 7. The actuator of claim 6, wherein: the mask is about 0.5 microns thick. 8. The actuator of claim 1, wherein: the support substrate includes a piezoelectric layer. 9. A printhead, comprising: a substrate in which flow path features are formed, the flow path features including a pumping chamber and a nozzle; and an actuator bonded to the substrate, the actuator comprising: a piezoelectric layer; a first electrode supported by the piezoelectric layer; a mask formed on the first electrode, wherein the mask is adjacent to a first portion of the first electrode and the first portion of the first electrode substantially overlies the pumping chamber; and a solder material, wherein the solder material is supported by the first electrode and adjacent to a second portion of the first electrode, wherein the first portion of the first electrode does not overlap the second portion of the first electrode and the mask includes a material that is substantially non-wettable by the solder material when the solder material is melted. 10. The printhead of claim 9, further comprising: a second electrode, wherein the substrate is closer to the second electrode than the first electrode. 11. The printhead of claim 9, wherein: the mask is between about 0.1 and about 2 microns thick. 12. The printhead of claim 11, wherein: the mask is about 0.5 microns thick. 13. The printhead of claim 9, wherein: the mask includes an oxide. 14. A method of forming a microelectromechanical device, comprising: forming an actuator on a top surface of a substrate, the actuator including a piezoelectric layer and a first electrode; forming a solder mask on the first electrode so that a first portion of the first electrode is exposed to the environment and a second portion of the first electrode is covered by the solder mask; applying solder to the first electrode at the first portion of the first electrode; contacting a flexible circuit to the solder; and heating the solder to cause the solder to electrically connect the flexible circuit to the first electrode wherein the solder mask prevents the solder from flowing over the first portion when the solder is heated. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein: forming a solder mask includes applying a material that is substantially not wettable by the solder when melted. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein: forming a solder mask includes depositing an oxide. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein: providing the substrate, wherein the substrate includes a pumping chamber; and forming a solder mask includes forming a solder mask that does not melt at or below a melting temperature of the solder and is located substantially over the pumping chamber so that when the solder is heated the solder mask prevents the solder from flowing over the pumping chamber. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein: forming the solder mask includes forming the solder mask includes forming the solder mask to be between about 0.1 and about 2 microns thick. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein: forming the solder mask includes forming the solder mask to be about 0.5 microns thick. | BACKGROUND This invention relates to soldering flexible circuits to electrical contacts on devices, such as printhead actuators. Ink jet printers form an image by selectively depositing ink onto a receiving media. In a conventional ink jet printer system, the ink is stored in an ink storage unit, such as an ink reservoir or cartridge, and directed from the storage unit into a printhead 100, as shown in FIG. 1. In the printhead 100, ink flows into an ink pumping chamber 120 to a nozzle 130, where the ink is ejected. Typically, the printhead includes an actuator that forces ink out of the printhead 100 through the nozzle 130. Two common types of actuators include resistive heating actuators and piezoelectric actuators. In a piezoelectric actuator 150, a layer of piezoelectric material 165 can be formed adjacent to the ink pumping chamber 120. Applying a voltage across the piezoelectric material 165 causes the piezoelectric material to bend or deform, and the deformation of the piezoelectric material 165 causes a pressure wave to propagate through the ink pumping chamber 120, pushing ink out of the nozzle 130 and onto the receiving media. Typically, electrodes 160, 170 are formed on either side of the piezoelectric layer 165 to enable voltage to be applied across the layer 165. In so-called “drop on demand” printers, multiple flow paths 108a and 108b (shown in phantom in FIG. 2) and associated nozzles 130 can be formed in a single printhead 100 and each nozzle 130 can be individually activated. Thus, a particular nozzle fires only when a droplet of ink from that nozzle is desired. To activate a particular actuator on the printhead, an electrical signal typically is individually communicated to that actuator. The electrical signal can be communicated to the actuator by a flexible circuit connected to the printhead. SUMMARY In general, in one aspect, the invention features an actuator with first and second electrodes and a piezoelectric layer disposed between the electrodes. A mask is formed on the first electrode, wherein the mask is adjacent to a first portion of the first electrode. A solder material is supported by the first electrode and is adjacent to a second portion of the first electrode. The first portion of the first electrode does not overlap the second portion of the first electrode and the mask includes a material that is substantially non-wettable by the solder material when the solder material is melted. The mask can include an oxide material. The mask can be between about 0.1 and 2 microns thick, such as around 0.5 microns. The solder material can electrically connect the electrodes to an integrated circuit. The actuator can be attached to a flexible circuit. The first portion can correspond to a location in a device when the second electrode is bonded to the device. In another aspect, the invention features a method of forming a microelectromechanical device. The method includes forming an actuator on a top surface of a substrate, the actuator including a piezoelectric layer, a first electrode and a second electrode. A solder mask is formed on the first electrode so that a first portion of the first electrode is exposed to the environment and a second portion of the first electrode is covered by the solder mask. A solder is applied to the first electrode at the first portion of the first electrode. A flexible circuit is contacted to the solder. The solder is heated to cause the solder to electrically connect the flexible circuit to the first electrode wherein the solder mask prevents the solder from flowing over the first portion when the solder is heated. Particular implementations can include one or more (or none) of the following advantages. By forming the solder mask over the pumping chamber of a printhead, the amount of solder that flows over the pumping chambers can be reduced. A layer of solder on the actuator can cause the actuator to become very stiff and difficult to actuate. In addition, a layer of solder on the actuator can increase the mass of the actuator. Therefore, reducing the amount of solder over each pumping chamber can improve the uniformity of the mass and flexural modulus of the actuator from flow path to flow path and from printhead to printhead. This can directly improve the uniformity of the actuator characteristics, such as the drive characteristics. Thus, keeping solder from the active regions can contribute to maintenance of uniform drive characteristics both between flow paths and between printheads. A very thin layer of a solder mask, such as an oxide, can change the actuator characteristics very little. The mask material may tend to cause at least some types of melted solder to flow away from the oxide and toward a wettable material, such as a metal. Controlling the size and position of the solder mask can be easier than controlling the melted solder without a solder mask. Any change in the actuators' performance caused by the addition of the solder mask can be uniformly controlled. Controlling the solder flow can also prevent electrical shorting of the printhead. The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of a single flow path in a printhead with a piezoelectric actuator. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a printhead with multiple nozzles. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a printhead flow path with an actuator and circuit. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a printhead flow path with a partially formed actuator. FIGS. 5A and 5B are a cross-sectional views of a printhead with a solder mask. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the membrane and actuator structures. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a printhead with a solder mask and solder. FIG. 8 shows a printhead with a flexible circuit bonded to the actuator. Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Techniques are provided for controlling the location of solder when the solder is melted on an actuator. The techniques can be implemented to control the flow of solder used to connect an integrated circuit to the actuator of a microelectromechanical device, such as an ink jet printhead. Referring to FIG. 3, a printhead 100 includes a substrate 105 in which multiple flow paths 108 are formed. A single flow path 108 can include an ink inlet 142, an ascender 135, a pumping chamber 120, a descender 138 and a nozzle 130. A piezoelectric actuator 150 is supported by the substrate 105. The actuator 150 can include a membrane 140 that seals the pumping chamber 120. The actuator 150 can include a lower electrode 160, a piezoelectric layer 165 and an upper electrode 170. The electrodes 160, 170 can be about two microns in thickness or less, such as about 0.5 microns. The piezoelectric layer 165 can be between about 1 and 25 microns thick, e.g., about 8 to about 18 microns thick. The electrodes 160, 170 are formed of a conductive material, such as a metal, e.g., copper, gold, tungsten, tin, indium-tin-oxide (ITO), titanium, platinum, nickel, nickel chromium alloy or a combination of metals. A signal can be provided to the electrodes 160, 170 to electrically activate the actuator 150. An electrode separation gap 172 can separate the upper electrode 170 from a lower electrode 160. Kerfs 176 separate individual actuators and allow for connecting the electrodes. A first kerf (not shown) can separate the actuator over one flow path from the actuator over a neighboring flow path. A second kerf 176 in the actuator 150 can separate neighboring actuators. In addition, the second kerf 176 can reduce the actuator size such that the actuator is only over a portion of each corresponding flow path. The kerfs can reduce crosstalk between the actuators. Referring to FIG. 4, an actuator is formed on a substrate 105 with the flow path features formed therein. The actuator can be formed by any suitable method. One particular method is described below. Initially, the piezoelectric layer 165 and the lower electrode 160 can be applied to the back side of the substrate 105. In one implementation, the piezoelectric layer 165 is metalized with a metal that will subsequently form the lower electrode 160. The piezoelectric layer 165 can be formed of a ceramic green sheet or a prefired piezoelectric material. The metal can be deposited by sputtering. The metals for deposit can include copper, gold, tungsten, tin, indium-tin-oxide (ITO), titanium, platinum, nickel, nickel chromium alloy or a combination of two or more of these metals. The piezoelectric layer 165 is then bonded onto the substrate, such as with an adhesive or with a eutectic bond between two metals. In another implementation, the substrate 105 is metallized and the piezoelectric layer 165 is formed on the metal layer, such as by physical vapor deposition (PVD), sol gel application, bonding ceramic green sheets or another suitable deposition process. Kerfs 176 are then formed in the piezoelectric layer 165. The kerfs 176 can be cut, diced, sawed or etched into the piezoelectric layer 165. The kerfs 176 can extend into the lower electrode 160 as well as the piezoelectric layer 165. The piezoelectric layer 165 can be metalized, such as by vacuum depositing, e.g., sputtering, to form the upper electrode 170, the lower electrode contact area 162 and a via 123 on the piezoelectric layer 165. The top metallization can be patterned to remove metal in the kerf 176 and in an electrode separation gap 172. Referring to FIG. 5A, the printhead 100 is shown with a solder mask 195. The solder mask 195 is formed on the upper electrode 170 over a first region 194 of the upper electrode 170 that overlies the pumping chamber 120. The edge of the solder mask 195 can extend to the edge of the first region 194 or extend beyond the first region 194. From one flow path to the next flow path, the extent of the solder mask 195 is kept uniform to improve uniformity between the flow paths. The solder mask 195 can have a thickness between about 0.1 and 5 microns, such as about 0.5 microns. The solder mask can be configured to cover more or less of the upper electrode 170. In one implementation, the solder mask 195 is configured to control the location of the solder on the lower electrode contact area 162, as shown in FIG. 5B. To form the solder mask 195, a layer of the material used to make the mask is deposited on the upper electrode 170, such as by a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique. The solder mask 195 can be formed of an oxide, such as a silicon oxide. A photopatternable material or photoresist is applied on the surface of the solder mask material. A mask is provided over the photoresist that corresponds to the regions 194 over the pumping chamber 120. The photoresist is exposed and developed. The solder mask material is etched, such as by a dry etch process, in the areas no longer covered by the photoresist. Inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching is one example of an etch process that can be used to etch the exposed portions of the solder mask material. After the solder mask material is etched, the remaining material is substantially confined to the region 194 overlying the pumping chamber 120. The remaining photoresist is then removed from the upper electrode 170. Referring to FIG. 6, a plan view of a portion of the membrane 140, with the upper electrode 170, exposed piezoelectric layer 165, lower electrode contact area 162, solder mask 195 and kerf 176. Referring to FIG. 7, a solder 190 is applied to the upper electrode 170. The solder 190 can be forced through a mask onto the substrate. Solder 190 is applied to the upper electrode 170 to form an electrical contact for the upper electrode 170. Solder 192 is applied in the lower electrode contact 162 area to form an electrical contact to the lower electrode 160. The solder includes a conductive material, such as a metal, including tin and lead, that can be heated to a temperature that causes the metal to flow and form a electrical bond to another conductive material, such as the upper and lower electrodes 170, 160. Referring to FIG. 8, an integrated circuit, such as an integrated circuit that is attached to a flexible circuit 180, is electrically connected to the upper and lower electrodes 170, 160. The flexible circuit can include contact pads that are electrically connected to the integrated circuit. The contact pads allow the flexible circuit to be electrically connected to the upper and lower electrodes 170, 160. In one implementation, the upper electrode contact pads provide the drive voltage while the lower electrode pads are electrically connected to ground. The flexible circuit 180 and substrate 105 are run through a thermal cycle, such as around 183° C., causing the solder to flow. The melted solder forms a bond to both the electrodes and the contact pads. The electrodes are therefore conductively connected to the integrated circuits through the contact pads. The solder mask 195 prevents the melted solder from flowing over the mask 195 because the solder mask 195 is not wetted by the solder 190. When the solder returns to a temperature below that at which the solder flows, the solder returns to a solid form. Forming a solder mask onto the actuator prior to bonding the flexible circuit can be advantageous in that the mask can control the location of the solder when the solder is melted. Without the oxide layer, the solder can spread in an uncontrolled manner over the actuator. In some portions of the actuator, kerfs are cut to electrically isolate layers, such as the upper electrode and the lower electrode. In one implementation, the solder mask can be applied in the kerfs 176. If the solder flows to areas where the solder connects layers that should be electrically isolated, electrical shorting can occur. A solder mask in these areas can prevent shorting between the electrodes, such as in the electrode separation gap 172. The solder mask can be formed over the region of the actuator over the pumping chamber and any other region where solder is not desired. An oxide, such as a silicon oxide, can be selected for the solder mask because oxides are not wettable by a melted solder. Oxides tend to be stable and can be formed in a very thin layer while still retaining non-wettable characteristics. However, other materials, such as nitride, polyimide or other patternable materials, can alternatively be used to form the solder mask. As mentioned above, applying a solder mask prevents the solder from covering the area of the actuator that overlies the pumping chamber. This maintains uniform solder application from one actuator to the next actuator. Uniform solder application can help maintain uniform actuator characteristics. The mass of the portions of the actuator that overlie the pumping chamber can be kept down to little more than the mass of the actuator components, i.e., the electrodes, the piezoelectric layer and the membrane. Any additional mass from the oxide layer can be controlled. Conversely, additional mass from solder is more difficult to control. Adding mass to the active region is undesirable because it changes the drive characteristics of the associated actuator. In addition, adding the solder layer to the actuator increases the stiffness of the actuator, making the actuator more difficult to bend. The combination of forming substantially consistently sized solder masks to each actuator and preventing solder from flowing over the active regions contributes to uniformity between actuators of a printhead or between printheads. A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the piezoelectric actuator can form a side wall of the pumping chamber. The solder mask can be applied to an actuator that has an electrode only on one side of the piezoelectric layer, rather than on both sides. The invention can also be applied to ejecting fluids other than ink from microelectromechanical structures. Alternatively, the invention can be applied to any sensor microelectromechanical structure that requires bonding a connection to an integrated circuit. The techniques disclosed above can be used to control the placement of solder when soldering any components on a microelectromechanical device. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>This invention relates to soldering flexible circuits to electrical contacts on devices, such as printhead actuators. Ink jet printers form an image by selectively depositing ink onto a receiving media. In a conventional ink jet printer system, the ink is stored in an ink storage unit, such as an ink reservoir or cartridge, and directed from the storage unit into a printhead 100 , as shown in FIG. 1 . In the printhead 100 , ink flows into an ink pumping chamber 120 to a nozzle 130 , where the ink is ejected. Typically, the printhead includes an actuator that forces ink out of the printhead 100 through the nozzle 130 . Two common types of actuators include resistive heating actuators and piezoelectric actuators. In a piezoelectric actuator 150 , a layer of piezoelectric material 165 can be formed adjacent to the ink pumping chamber 120 . Applying a voltage across the piezoelectric material 165 causes the piezoelectric material to bend or deform, and the deformation of the piezoelectric material 165 causes a pressure wave to propagate through the ink pumping chamber 120 , pushing ink out of the nozzle 130 and onto the receiving media. Typically, electrodes 160 , 170 are formed on either side of the piezoelectric layer 165 to enable voltage to be applied across the layer 165 . In so-called “drop on demand” printers, multiple flow paths 108 a and 108 b (shown in phantom in FIG. 2 ) and associated nozzles 130 can be formed in a single printhead 100 and each nozzle 130 can be individually activated. Thus, a particular nozzle fires only when a droplet of ink from that nozzle is desired. To activate a particular actuator on the printhead, an electrical signal typically is individually communicated to that actuator. The electrical signal can be communicated to the actuator by a flexible circuit connected to the printhead. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>In general, in one aspect, the invention features an actuator with first and second electrodes and a piezoelectric layer disposed between the electrodes. A mask is formed on the first electrode, wherein the mask is adjacent to a first portion of the first electrode. A solder material is supported by the first electrode and is adjacent to a second portion of the first electrode. The first portion of the first electrode does not overlap the second portion of the first electrode and the mask includes a material that is substantially non-wettable by the solder material when the solder material is melted. The mask can include an oxide material. The mask can be between about 0.1 and 2 microns thick, such as around 0.5 microns. The solder material can electrically connect the electrodes to an integrated circuit. The actuator can be attached to a flexible circuit. The first portion can correspond to a location in a device when the second electrode is bonded to the device. In another aspect, the invention features a method of forming a microelectromechanical device. The method includes forming an actuator on a top surface of a substrate, the actuator including a piezoelectric layer, a first electrode and a second electrode. A solder mask is formed on the first electrode so that a first portion of the first electrode is exposed to the environment and a second portion of the first electrode is covered by the solder mask. A solder is applied to the first electrode at the first portion of the first electrode. A flexible circuit is contacted to the solder. The solder is heated to cause the solder to electrically connect the flexible circuit to the first electrode wherein the solder mask prevents the solder from flowing over the first portion when the solder is heated. Particular implementations can include one or more (or none) of the following advantages. By forming the solder mask over the pumping chamber of a printhead, the amount of solder that flows over the pumping chambers can be reduced. A layer of solder on the actuator can cause the actuator to become very stiff and difficult to actuate. In addition, a layer of solder on the actuator can increase the mass of the actuator. Therefore, reducing the amount of solder over each pumping chamber can improve the uniformity of the mass and flexural modulus of the actuator from flow path to flow path and from printhead to printhead. This can directly improve the uniformity of the actuator characteristics, such as the drive characteristics. Thus, keeping solder from the active regions can contribute to maintenance of uniform drive characteristics both between flow paths and between printheads. A very thin layer of a solder mask, such as an oxide, can change the actuator characteristics very little. The mask material may tend to cause at least some types of melted solder to flow away from the oxide and toward a wettable material, such as a metal. Controlling the size and position of the solder mask can be easier than controlling the melted solder without a solder mask. Any change in the actuators' performance caused by the addition of the solder mask can be uniformly controlled. Controlling the solder flow can also prevent electrical shorting of the printhead. The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. | 20040923 | 20070731 | 20060323 | 59579.0 | B41J2045 | 0 | FIDLER, SHELBY LEE | SOLDERING A FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | B41J | 2,004 |
|
10,950,452 | ACCEPTED | Method of manufacturing and structure of polycrystalline semiconductor thin-film heterostructures on dissimilar substrates | According to various exemplary embodiments of this invention, a method of producing a semiconductor structure is provided that includes providing a layered structure on a first substrate, the layered structure including a silicon layer that is provided over a first dielectric layer, a first dielectric layer that is provided over an etch-stop layer, the etch-stop layer provided over a buffer layer, the buffer layer provided over a sacrificial layer, and a sacrificial layer provided over a first substrate. Moreover, various exemplary embodiments of the methods of this invention provide for a second substrate over the layered structure, separating the first substrate and the sacrificial layer from the buffer layer, separating the buffer layer and the etch-stop layer from the first dielectric layer and providing a drain electrode and a source electrode over the layered structure. Moreover, according to various exemplary embodiments of the devices of this invention, a transistor device is provided that includes a substrate, a gate electrode over the substrate, a laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor layer over the gate electrode and a source electrode and a drain electrode over the laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor. Finally, according to various exemplary embodiments of the devices of this invention, a transistor device is provided that includes a substrate, a laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor over the substrate, a source electric and a drain electrode over the laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor and a gate electrode over the source electrode and the drain electrode. | 1. A method of producing a thin film structure, comprising: providing a layered structure on a first substrate, the layered structure comprising a first layer and a second layer, the second layer being substantially thicker than the first layer; providing a second substrate over the layered structure; and separating the first substrate from the layered structure; and removing the second layer, wherein the layered structure and the second substrate constitute the thin film structure. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing a third substrate over a surface of the thin film structure opposite the second substrate; and removing the second substrate from the thin film structure. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first substrate is transparent to photon irradiation. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second layer includes a buffer layer and a sacrificial layer. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the sacrificial layer is at least one of capable of absorbing irradiated light and of a high decomposition temperature. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second substrate is provided with a bonding layer. 7. The method of claim 4, wherein separating the first substrate from the layered structure comprises separating the first substrate by decomposition of the sacrificial layer. 8. The method of claim 3, wherein separating the first substrate from the layered structure comprises separating the first substrate and the sacrificial layer from the buffer layer via laser irradiation, wherein the laser irradiation is shone through the first substrate and absorbed by the sacrificial layer. 9. A method of producing an inverted semiconductor structure, comprising: providing a layered structure on a first substrate, the layered structure comprising a semiconductor layer, a sacrificial layer, a buffer layer, an etch-stop layer, a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer and a first electrode; providing a second substrate over the layered structure; separating the first substrate from the layered structure; removing the buffer layer, first dielectric, and etch stop layer; and providing a second electrode and a third electrode over the layered structure. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the layered structure is inverted prior to providing the second electrode and the third electrode. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the layered structure on the first substrate comprises: providing the sacrificial layer over the first substrate; providing the buffer layer over the sacrificial layer; providing the etch-stop layer over the buffer layer; providing the first dielectric layer over the etch-stop layer; and providing the silicon layer over the first dielectric layer. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: recrystallizing the silicon layer; providing a second dielectric layer over the silicon layer; providing a patterned metal layer over the second dielectric layer, the patterned metal layer defining at least a gate electrode; defining at least a source region and at least a drain region in the second dielectric layer on each side of the gate electrode; and annealing the layered structure. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein providing a drain electrode and a source electrode over the layered structure comprises: patterning a photoresist over the layered structure to self-align source and drain contact vias with the gate electrode; creating the vias to expose the source and drain regions of the silicon layer; removing the patterned photoresist; and providing a source electrode and a drain electrode over at least a portion of the source region and over at least a portion of the drain region respectively. 14. The method of claim 9, wherein the sacrificial layer comprises at least one of amorphous silicon, indium-tin oxide, phosphorous-doped amorphous silicon, gallium nitride, zinc oxide and lead-zirconium titanate. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein creating the vias is performed by etching. 16. The method of claim 9, wherein the second substrate is provided with a bonding layer. 17. The method of claim 9, wherein separating the first substrate from the layered structure comprises separating the first substrate via decomposition of the sacrificial layer. 18. The method of claim 11, further comprising: recrystallizing the silicon layer; providing a second dielectric layer over the silicon layer; providing a patterned metal layer over the second dielectric layer, the patterned metal layer defining at least a gate electrode; and annealing the layered structure. 19. The method of claim 10, wherein providing a drain electrode and a source electrode over the layered structure comprises: patterning a photoresist to self-align source and drain contact vias with the gate electrode; etching exposed areas of the device structure to define the source and drain regions and exposing the silicon layer; removing the patterned photoresist; providing a doping layer over the exposed silicon layer to define a source region and a drain region; annealing the doping layer; and providing a source electrode and a drain electrode over at least a portion of the source region and over at least a portion of the drain region respectively. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the silicon layer is recrystallized via laser annealing. 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the sacrificial layer comprises at least one of amorphous silicon, indium-tin oxide, phosphorous-doped amorphous silicon, gallium nitride, zinc oxide and lead-zirconium titanate. 22. The method of claim 11, further comprising: annealing the silicon layer; providing a second dielectric layer over the silicon layer; and providing a bonding layer over the second dielectric layer. 23. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the second substrate over the layered structure comprises: providing the second substrate over the bonding layer. 24. The method of claim 9, wherein separating the first substrate from the layered structure comprises: removing the buffer layer and the etch-stop layer after performing laser irradiation of the first substrate and the sacrificial layer and after removing the first substrate and the sacrificial layer; and performing laser recrystallization of the semiconductor layer. 25. The method of claim 10, wherein providing a drain electrode and a source electrode over the layered structure comprises: patterning self-align source and drain vias self aligned to a gate electrode; etching the vias to expose the source and drain regions of the silicon layer; defining a source region and an drain region on the silicon layer; providing a source electrode and a drain electrode over the source region and the drain region respectively; and performing a low-temperature de-hydrogenation step. 26. The method of claim 22, wherein the sacrificial layer comprises at least one of amorphous silicon, indium-tin oxide, phosphorous-doped amorphous silicon, gallium nitride, zinc oxide, and lead-zirconium titanate. 27. The method of claim 22, wherein the second substrate is provided with a bonding layer. 28. A transistor device, comprising: a substrate; a gate electrode over the substrate; a gate dielectric; a laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor over the gate dielectric; and a source electrode and a drain electrode over the laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor; wherein the substrate is a second substrate over which the gate electrode, the laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor, the gate dielectric, the source electrode and the drain electrode have been transferred after having been formed on a first substrate. 29. The transistor device of claim 28, wherein the substrate is a material that requires low temperature processing. 30. A transistor device, comprising: a substrate; a laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor over the substrate; a gate dielectric layer; a source electrode and a drain electrode over the laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor; and a gate electrode over the gate dielectric layer; wherein the substrate is a second substrate over which the gate electrode, the laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor, the gate dielectric, the source electrode and the drain electrode have been transferred after having been formed on a first substrate. 31. The transistor device of claim 30, wherein the substrate is a material that requires low temperature processing. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention This invention relates to the manufacture of semiconductor thin-film, and more particularly to polycrystalline semiconductor thin-films formed on dissimilar substrates. 2. Description of Related Art In general, polycrystalline thin-film transistors are fabricated on substrates that are capable of withstanding high temperature processes such as, for instance, processes that take place at temperatures higher than 500° C. However, unlike traditional amorphous silicon thin-film transistors, poly-silicon devices usually perform best only when a silicon oxide gate dielectric is used. Silicon oxide of high quality is generally obtained through a deposition process that takes place at high temperature, which precludes the use of substrate materials, on which the silicon oxide is deposited, that have low melting or decomposition temperatures or that would not withstand high temperatures. These substrates are, for instance, plastic substrates. Accordingly, the conventional method of manufacturing polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistors on materials that do not withstand high temperatures such as, for instance, flexible materials or plastic platforms, generally involves using low temperature deposition process in order to deposit amorphous silicon, which is later re-crystallized in order to form polycrystalline silicon using, for instance, localized laser irradiation. The silicon oxide gate dielectric is then deposited on the flexible plastic platform using a low temperature deposition process. However, thin-film transistors formed in this manner generally exhibit poor performance because of the poor dielectric properties of the transistor. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In light of the above described problems and shortcomings, various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this invention provide for a method of producing an inverted semiconductor structure that includes at least providing a layered structured on a first substrate, the layered structure includes a silicon layer, a sacrificial layer, a buffer layer, an etch-stop layer, a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer and a gate electrode. The method also includes providing a second substrate over the layered structure, separating the first substrate from the layered structure and providing a drain electrode and a source electrode over the layered structure. According to various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods of this invention, the method further includes providing the sacrificial layer over the first substrate, providing the buffer layer over the sacrificial layer, providing the etch-stop layer over the buffer layer, providing the first dielectric layer over the etch-stop layer and providing the silicon layer over the first dielectric layer. According to other exemplary embodiments of this invention, the above-described method further includes recrystallizing the silicon layer, providing the second dielectric layer over the silicon layer, providing a patterned metal layer over the second dielectric layer, the patterned metal layer defining at least the gate electrode, defining at least a source region and at least a drain region in the second dielectric layer on each side of the gate electrode and annealing the layered structure. Moreover, according to various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods of this invention, the above-described method alternatively provides for recrystallizing the silicon layer, providing a second dielectric layer over the silicon layer, providing a patterned metal layer over the second dielectric layer, the patterned metal layer defining at least a gate electrode and annealing the layered structure, then patterning a photoresist etch mask to self-align source and drain contact vias with gate electrodes, etching the second dielectric to form the vias to expose the source and drain regions of the silicon layer, providing doping layer over the exposed silicon layer to define the source region and the drain region, removing the patterned photoresist, anneal the doping layer, and providing a patterned source electrode and drain electrode over at least a portion of the source region and over at least a portion of the drain region, respectively. According to various exemplary embodiments, a final hydrogenation step is used to passivate the thin film device structure. Furthermore, various exemplary embodiments of the methods of this invention also provide for annealing the silicon layer, providing a second dielectric layer over the silicon layer and providing a bonding layer over the second dielectric layer, providing the second substrate over the bonding layer, separating the first substrate, removing the exposed buffer layer and the etch-stop layer after performing laser irradiation through the transparent first substrate, the absorption of the laser light by the sacrificial layer decomposes the sacrificial layer to allow separation of the first substrate. After removing the first substrate and sacrificial layer, various exemplary embodiments of the methods of this invention also provide for performing laser recrystallization of the first dielectric layer, patterning a gate electrode to self-align source and drain contact vias the gate electrode, etching the vias to expose the source and drain regions of the silicon layer, defining a source region and drain region on the silicon layer, providing a source electrode and a drain electrode over the source region and drain region respectively and performing a low temperature hydrogenation step. According to various exemplary embodiments of the devices of this invention, this invention provides for a transistor device that includes at least a substrate, a gate electrode over the substrate, a laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor over the gate electrode and a source electrode and a drain electrode over the laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor. Finally, according to various exemplary embodiments of the devices of this invention, this invention provides for a transistor device that includes at least a substrate, a laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor over the substrate, a source electrode and a drain electrode over the laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor and a gate electrode over the source electrode and the drain electrode, wherein the substrate is a second substrate over which the gate electrode, the laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor, the source electrode and the drain electrode have been transferred after having been formed on a first substrate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods of this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein: FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the manufacturing method of a polycrystalline thin-film transistor according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention; FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing method of a polycrystalline thin-film transistor according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention; FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing method of a thin-film transistor according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention; FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing a thin-film transistor according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention; FIGS. 5a-5k are schematic representations of the different structural steps of manufacturing a thin-film transistor according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention; and FIGS. 6a-6k are schematic representations of the different structural steps of manufacturing a thin-film transistor according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this invention. FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the manufacturing method of a polycrystalline thin film transistor according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention. The method starts in step S100 and continues to step S110 during which a layered structure is provided. According to various exemplary embodiments of the methods of this invention, the layered structure comprises a first substrate over which a sacrificial layer is provided, a buffer layer is provided over the sacrificial layer, an etch-stop layer is provided over the buffer layer, a first dielectric layer is provided over the etch stop layer and an amorphous silicon layer is provided over the first dielectric layer. Moreover, according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention, the amorphous silicon layer is then laser annealed in order to recrystallize the amorphous silicon layer and transform it into a polycrystalline silicon layer. Also, during step S110 and according to various exemplary embodiments, a second dielectric layer is provided over the recrystallized silicon layer and a patterned metal electrode is provided over the second dielectric layer. Moreover, according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention, ion implantation is carried out on the semiconductor layer through the second dielectric layer in order to define a source region and a drain region on each side of the patterned metal electrode. Next, control continues to step S120. According to various exemplary embodiments, the layered structure is further annealed in order to remove any structural damage possibly present, and to hydrogenate the polycrystalline layer. According to various exemplary embodiments, annealing is performed at about 500° C. During step S120, a second substrate is provided over the layered structure that is provided during step S110. When the second substrate is provided over the patterned metal during step S120, control continues to step S130. During step S130, the first substrate and the sacrificial layer are separated from the buffer layer by decomposition of the sacrificial layer. According to various exemplary embodiments, the decomposition of the sacrificial layer is achieved through laser irradiation of the sacrificial layer through a transparent first substrate. According to various exemplary embodiments, the first substrate and the sacrificial layer are separated from the buffer/substrate interface by laser lift off. Moreover, according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention, when the first substrate and the sacrificial layer are separated from the buffer, the layered structure bonded to the second substrate is inverted during step S130. Next, control continues to step S140. During step S140, the buffer layer and the etch-stop layer are removed to expose the first dielectric layer by selective etching. According to various exemplary embodiments, the buffer layer is etched down to the etch stop layer, then the etch stop layer is etched down to the first dielectric layer, thus exposing the first dielectric layer. According to various exemplary embodiments, the first dielectric layer is a silicon oxide dielectric layer. After the buffer layer and the etch-stop layer are etched down during step S140, control continues to step S150. During step S150, a patterned photoresist is provided over the first dielectric layer. According to various exemplary embodiments, the patterned photoresist is designed to be self-aligned to the patterned metal electrode provided earlier during step S110. Moreover, during step S150, the portion of the first dielectric layer that is not covered by the patterned photoresist is etched down to the polycrystalline silicon layer. Also, during step S150 and according to various exemplary embodiments, a source metal electrode and a drain metal electrode are deposited over the source region and drain region respectively that were defined during step S110. Next, when the drain and the source electrodes are provided during step S150, control continues to step S160, where the method ends. According to various alternative embodiments, a third substrate is provided over a surface of the layered structure opposite the second substrate, and the second substrate is removed from the thin film structure during step S150. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing method of a polycrystalline thin film transistor according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention. The method starts in step S200, and continues to step S210 during which a layered structure is provided. According to various exemplary embodiments, the layered structure includes a first substrate over which a sacrificial layer is provided. A buffer layer is then provided over the sacrificial layer, an etch-stop layer is provided over the buffer layer, a first dielectric layer is provided over the etch-stop layer and an amorphous silicon layer is provided over the first dielectric layer, according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention. Then, according to various exemplary embodiments, the amorphous silicon layer is annealed with a laser in order to re-crystallize the amorphous structure and form a layer of polycrystalline silicon. When the polycrystalline silicon layer is provided, a second dielectric layer is provided over the polycrystalline silicon layer, and a patterned metal is provided over the second dielectric layer. Next, control continues to step S220. In step S220, a second substrate is provided over the layered structure provided during step S210. As such, according to various exemplary embodiments, the second substrate is provided over the patterned metal. Next, control continues to step S230, where the first substrate and the sacrificial layer are separated from the buffer layer. According to various exemplary embodiments of the methods of this invention, the first substrate and the sacrificial layer are separated from the buffer layer via thermal decomposition of the sacrificial layer induced through laser irradiation. Next, control continues to step S240, during which the buffer layer and the etch-stop layer are removed from the first dielectric layer. According to various exemplary embodiments, the buffer layer and the etch stop layer are etched down in order to uncover the first dielectric layer. According to various exemplary embodiments, the first dielectric layer is a silicon dioxide dielectric layer. Next, control continues to step S250, during which a patterned photoresist is provided over the first dielectric layer. According to various exemplary embodiments, the patterned photoresist is provided so as to self-align with the patterned metal provided earlier during step S210. Following step S250, control continues to step S260, during which a layer of doped silicon or phosphorous nitride is provided over the exposed portions of the first dielectric layer. According to various exemplary embodiments, providing a doped layer over the exposed portions of the first dielectric layer defines a source region and a drain region. Next, control continues to step S270. During step S270, the patterned photoresist provided during step S250 is removed from the first dielectric layer. According to various exemplary embodiments, the patterned photoresist is removed by stripping. Then, source and drain contacts or electrodes are defined through mask liftoff and are self-aligned to the patterned metal earlier provided during step S210. A source metal layer and a drain metal layer are then deposited and patterned over the source region and the drain region, respectively, during step S270. According to various exemplary embodiments, the structure is then hydrogenated to passivate dangling bonds in the various layers. Next, control continues to step S280, where the method ends. According to various alternative embodiments, a third substrate is provided over a surface of the layered structure opposite the second substrate, and the second substrate is removed from the thin film structure during step S270. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing method of a thin-film transistor according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention. The method starts in step S300 and continues to step S310. During step S310, a layered structure is provided which includes a first substrate upon which a sacrificial layer is provided. A buffer layer is provided over the sacrificial layer, an etch-stop layer is provided over the buffer layer, a first dielectric layer is provided over the etch-stop layer and an amorphous silicon layer is provided over the first dielectric layer. Also, during step S310, the amorphous silicon layer is laser recrystallized in order to transform it into a layer of polycrystalline silicon, then a second dielectric layer is provided over the recrystallized silicon layer, and a patterned metal layer is provided over the second dielectric layer. According to various exemplary embodiments, the layered structure is then annealed. Next, control continues to step S320. During step S320, a photoresist is provided over the layered structure provided during step S310 and is patterned in order to allow self alignment of source and drain contacts with the patterned metal layer. Next, control continues to step S330. At step S330, a doping layer is provided over any exposed portion of the silicon layer that is not covered by the patterned photoresist in order to define a source region and a drain region. Next, control continues to step S340, where the doped layer is annealed. Next, control continues to step S350, during which the patterned photoresist is removed. According to various exemplary embodiments, the patterned photoresist is removed by etching. Next, control continues to step S360, where a source electrode and a drain electrode are provided over the source region and the drain region respectively. Next, control continues to step S370, where the method ends. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing a thin-film transistor according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention. The method starts in step S400 and continues to step S410 during which a layered structure is provided. According to various exemplary embodiments, the layered structure includes a first substrate over which a sacrificial layer is provided. A buffer layer is provided over the sacrificial layer, an etch-stop layer is provided over the buffer layer, a first dielectric layer is provided over the etch-stop layer and an amorphous layer is provided over the first dielectric layer. According to various exemplary embodiments, the amorphous layer is an amorphous silicon layer. When the layered structure is provided, according to various exemplary embodiments, the amorphous silicon layer is annealed. According to various exemplary embodiments, the amorphous silicon layer is laser recrystallized in order to transform the amorphous silicon layer into a polycrystalline silicon layer. When the amorphous silicon layer is annealed during step S410, then a second dielectric layer is provided over the recrystallized silicon layer. Next, control continues to step S420. During step S420, a bonding layer is provided over the second dielectric layer. Next, control continues to step S430, during which a second substrate is provided over the bonding layer. Next, control continues to step S440. During step S440, the sacrificial layer is irradiated through the first substrate is by laser light in order to decompose the sacrificial layer and facilitate the removal of the first substrate. Next, control continues to step S450. During step S450, the first substrate, the sacrificial layer, the buffer layer and the etch stop layer are removed. According to various exemplary embodiments, these layers are removed via laser lift off or by selective wet chemical etching. Next, control continues to step S460. During step S460, and according to various exemplary embodiments, the layered structure is inverted and the semiconductor layer is recrystallized via a laser. According to various exemplary embodiments, a gate electrode is patterned over the first dielectric layer during step S460. Next, control continues to step S470. During step S470, the portions of the first dielectric layer that are not covered by the patterned gate electrode are removed down to the polycrystalline silicon layer. According to various exemplary embodiments, the first dielectric layer is removed by etching. According to various exemplary embodiments, a source region and a drain region are defined over the exposed polycrystalline silicon layer during step S470, and a source electrode and a drain electrode are provided over the source region and the drain region respectively. According to various exemplary embodiments, a low temperature hydrogenation step is also performed during step S470. Next, control continues to step S480, where the method ends. According to various alternative embodiments, a third substrate is provided over a surface of the layered structure opposite the second substrate, and the second substrate is removed from the thin film structure during step S470. FIGS. 5a-5k are schematic representations of the different structural steps of manufacturing a thin-film transistor according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention. According to various exemplary embodiments, a process wafer made of a material capable of high temperature processing is used as a substrate 130 for deposition and fabrication of a poly-crystalline semiconductor-based thin-film transistor device heterostructure 100, as illustrated in FIG. 5a. The heterostructure, according to various exemplary embodiments, includes a Si layer 105, and a dielectric insulator 110 such as, for instance, SiO2. The properties for the process wafer typically include high-melting point and high-decomposition temperatures (>600° C.), rigid at high temperatures. Moreover, the process wafer is semiconductor device processable, and these requirements are generally not compatible with typical low-cost, conformable materials such as plastic or flexible substrate materials that require low-temperature processing (<300° C.). According to various exemplary embodiments, the layer transfer process, i.e., the removal of the first substrate and the transfer of the layered structure to a second substrate, uses a sacrificial layer to separate the processed layered structure from its growth wafer, which is the first substrate 130. According to various exemplary embodiments, the criteria for the sacrificial layer 125 may include high decomposition temperature, absorbing in ultra-violet (UV) light, and compatibility with Si-based device processing. Candidate materials for the sacrificial layer include, for example, a-Si:H, indium-tin oxide, and phosphorous-doped a-Si:H. Other materials may include GaN, zinc oxide and lead-zirconium titanate as well as other materials. The layered heterostructure, which includes a sacrificial layer 125/buffer layer 120/semiconductor layer 105/dielectric layer 110 stack and which is formed on the original substrate 130, possesses features that optimize the laser-assisted layer transfer process. According to various exemplary embodiments, the original growth and processing substrate 130 is transparent to the laser irradiation source. Also, the buffer layer 120 is a passive layer used to maintain a minimum thickness in order to eliminate the possibility of micro-cracks in the thin film due to the laser processing. A typical buffer layer 120 thickness is estimated to be between 3-10 microns. In combination with the thin etch-stop layer 115 introduced during the deposition of the heterostructure, post-lift-off and transfer processing can also be used to create novel heterostructures. According to various exemplary embodiments, a structure can be provided by first depositing a sacrificial layer 125 on a first substrate 130. A thick buffer layer 120 such as, for instance, oxynitride, is deposited next followed by a thin etch-stop layer 115 such as, for instance, amorphous Si. Following the etch-stop layer 115, a high temperature dielectric layer 110 such as, for instance, a SiO2 dielectric layer, is deposited onto the etch stop layer 115, and finally the amorphous Si active layer 105 is deposited over the dielectric layer 110. According to various exemplary embodiments, the top Si layer 105 is then recrystallized using a laser annealing process, as illustrated in FIG. 5b. According to various exemplary embodiments, a second dielectric layer 140 is then deposited onto the recrystallized polycrystalline Si layer 105, as illustrated in FIG. 5c. According to various exemplary embodiments, the metal gate layer 135 is deposited and patterned to form a top-gate structure on the original growth substrate followed by an ion-implantation step to define the source and drain regions, as also illustrated in FIG. 5a. According to various exemplary embodiments, the whole structure is then annealed to remove implant damage and hydrogenated to passivate the dielectric and semiconductor layer. According to various exemplary embodiments, the heterostructure 100 is then bonded onto a substrate of choice such as, for example, the second substrate 150 via a bonding layer 145, as illustrated in FIG. 5d, and the layer transfer process is performed through laser lift-off, as illustrated in FIG. 5e. According to various exemplary embodiments, the transferred structure is inverted, thus creating a bottom gate configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 5f. According to various exemplary embodiments, the buffer layer 120 is etched down to the etch-stop layer 115 to complete the device structure on the new substrate 150, as illustrated in FIGS. 5g and 5h. A photoresist 155 is then patterned by, for instance, backside exposure, to self-align source and drain contact vias with the gate, as illustrated in FIG. 5i. Vias are then etched down to the semiconductor region to allow contact to the source and drain regions, as illustrated in FIG. 5j. According to various exemplary embodiments, source and drain electrodes 160 are then provided over the source and drain regions, and the resulting structure is in a bottom-gate geometry fabricated using a top gate processing configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 5k. According to various exemplary embodiments, a variation to the source and drain doping can be performed at this step if the initial ion implantation is omitted. For instance, before stripping the photoresist etch mask, a layer of doped Si, or of phosphorous nitride, is deposited onto the exposed portions of the Si layer. The photoresist mask is then stripped and source and drain contacts are defined through mask liftoff, and are self-aligned to the gate because the photoresist was patterned using the existing gate electrode as the photo mask. Finally, source and drain metal is deposited over the source region and the drain region, respectively, and patterned to finish the device. According to various exemplary embodiments, separate vias are also etched to allow contact to the gate metal and isolation of the transistors. Accordingly, high-performance polycrystalline Si-based TFT devices can be integrated onto a variety of different substrate materials. According to various exemplary embodiments, the layer transfer approach to integration combines optimized high-temperature thin-film growth and processing with low-melting point materials. Accordingly, this method provides flexibility for isolating high-temperature processing on one platform with subsequent low-temperature processing on a new platform after layer transfer of the high-temperature material. According to various exemplary embodiments, a high-performance device (measured carrier mobility>100 cm2/Vs) with an inverted structure, i.e., a bottom gate configuration, requires laser recrystallization through the substrate during processing, which is unlikely given the laser fluence required, or a layer transfer process, as described in the exemplary embodiment of this invention. According to various exemplary embodiments, the transfer process can also be accomplished using an intermediate handle wafer. The result is to invert the transferred heterostructure onto its new platform, maintaining the original orientation of the device structure. In this process, the highly doped source and drain regions are defined after the transfer process is complete. According to various exemplary embodiments, a phosphorous doped Si layer or a phosphorous nitride layer can be deposited to create the doped source and drain regions. According to various exemplary embodiments, the subsequent annealing and hydrogenation steps are performed at temperatures that are compatible with the new substrate. FIGS. 6a-6k are schematic representations of the different structural steps of manufacturing a thin-film transistor according to various exemplary embodiments of this invention. FIGS. 6a-6k illustrate another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which includes performing the laser recrystallization through the gate dielectric after transfer. According to various exemplary embodiments, the layered structure 200 includes a first substrate 230, a sacrificial layer 225 provided over the first substrate 230, a buffer layer 220 provided over the sacrificial layer 225, an etch-stop layer 215 provided over the sacrificial layer 225, a first dielectric layer 210 provided over the etch-stop layer 215 and an amorphous silicon layer 205 provided over the first dielectric layer 210, as illustrated in FIG. 6a. According to various exemplary embodiments, the amorphous silicon layer 205 is first de-hydrogenated via laser irradiation, then a second recrystallization laser annealing of the amorphous silicon layer 205 is performed and a second dielectric layer 235 is provided over the recrystallized silicon layer 205, as illustrated in FIG. 6b. According to various exemplary embodiments, the first laser annealing of the amorphous silicon layer 205 allows to remove hydrogen from the hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer 205, in order to permit a subsequent recrystallization by the second laser annealing of the amorphous silicon layer 205 into a recrystallized silicon layer. According to various exemplary embodiments, the first laser annealing is necessary to remove hydrogen from the amorphous silicon layer 205 because a high hydrogen content may out-diffuse from the amorphous silicon layer 205 and create cracking because of pressure built up inside the silicon layer 205. A bonding layer 240 is then provided over the second dielectric layer 235, and a second substrate 245 is provided over the bonding layer 240, as illustrated in FIG. 6c. According to various exemplary embodiments, the layered structure 200 is separated from the growth substrate through selective laser processing of the sacrificial layer, as illustrated in FIG. 6d, in order to decompose and separate the sacrificial layer 225 and the first substrate 230 from the remainder of the layered structure 200, as illustrated in FIG. 6e. Also, according to various exemplary embodiments, and as illustrated in FIG. 6f, the layered structure 200 is inverted so that the second substrate 245 is positioned at the bottom of the layered structure 200. According to various exemplary embodiments, the inverted layered structure 200 is annealed via laser in order to recrystallize the amorphous silicon layer 205 through the second dielectric layer 235, as illustrated in FIG. 6g. A patterned gate layer 250 is also provided over the second dielectric layer 235, as illustrated in FIG. 6h, and the portions of the second dielectric layer 235 and the portions of the recrystallized silicon layer 205 that are not covered by the patterned gate layer 250 are removed via etching, according to various exemplary embodiments, as illustrated in FIGS. 6i and 6j. Finally, a source and a drain electrode 255 are provided over the first dielectric layer 210, and the resulting semiconductor structure exhibits a coplanar configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 6k. Although a dehydrogenation anneal after the amorphous silicon layer 205 (a-Si:H) deposition is performed to allow subsequent laser annealing, according to various exemplary embodiments, a low-temperature hydrogenation step is performed after the device is completed. While the invention has been described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, these embodiments should be viewed as illustrative, not limiting. Various modifications, substitutes, or the like are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of Invention This invention relates to the manufacture of semiconductor thin-film, and more particularly to polycrystalline semiconductor thin-films formed on dissimilar substrates. 2. Description of Related Art In general, polycrystalline thin-film transistors are fabricated on substrates that are capable of withstanding high temperature processes such as, for instance, processes that take place at temperatures higher than 500° C. However, unlike traditional amorphous silicon thin-film transistors, poly-silicon devices usually perform best only when a silicon oxide gate dielectric is used. Silicon oxide of high quality is generally obtained through a deposition process that takes place at high temperature, which precludes the use of substrate materials, on which the silicon oxide is deposited, that have low melting or decomposition temperatures or that would not withstand high temperatures. These substrates are, for instance, plastic substrates. Accordingly, the conventional method of manufacturing polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistors on materials that do not withstand high temperatures such as, for instance, flexible materials or plastic platforms, generally involves using low temperature deposition process in order to deposit amorphous silicon, which is later re-crystallized in order to form polycrystalline silicon using, for instance, localized laser irradiation. The silicon oxide gate dielectric is then deposited on the flexible plastic platform using a low temperature deposition process. However, thin-film transistors formed in this manner generally exhibit poor performance because of the poor dielectric properties of the transistor. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In light of the above described problems and shortcomings, various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this invention provide for a method of producing an inverted semiconductor structure that includes at least providing a layered structured on a first substrate, the layered structure includes a silicon layer, a sacrificial layer, a buffer layer, an etch-stop layer, a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer and a gate electrode. The method also includes providing a second substrate over the layered structure, separating the first substrate from the layered structure and providing a drain electrode and a source electrode over the layered structure. According to various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods of this invention, the method further includes providing the sacrificial layer over the first substrate, providing the buffer layer over the sacrificial layer, providing the etch-stop layer over the buffer layer, providing the first dielectric layer over the etch-stop layer and providing the silicon layer over the first dielectric layer. According to other exemplary embodiments of this invention, the above-described method further includes recrystallizing the silicon layer, providing the second dielectric layer over the silicon layer, providing a patterned metal layer over the second dielectric layer, the patterned metal layer defining at least the gate electrode, defining at least a source region and at least a drain region in the second dielectric layer on each side of the gate electrode and annealing the layered structure. Moreover, according to various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods of this invention, the above-described method alternatively provides for recrystallizing the silicon layer, providing a second dielectric layer over the silicon layer, providing a patterned metal layer over the second dielectric layer, the patterned metal layer defining at least a gate electrode and annealing the layered structure, then patterning a photoresist etch mask to self-align source and drain contact vias with gate electrodes, etching the second dielectric to form the vias to expose the source and drain regions of the silicon layer, providing doping layer over the exposed silicon layer to define the source region and the drain region, removing the patterned photoresist, anneal the doping layer, and providing a patterned source electrode and drain electrode over at least a portion of the source region and over at least a portion of the drain region, respectively. According to various exemplary embodiments, a final hydrogenation step is used to passivate the thin film device structure. Furthermore, various exemplary embodiments of the methods of this invention also provide for annealing the silicon layer, providing a second dielectric layer over the silicon layer and providing a bonding layer over the second dielectric layer, providing the second substrate over the bonding layer, separating the first substrate, removing the exposed buffer layer and the etch-stop layer after performing laser irradiation through the transparent first substrate, the absorption of the laser light by the sacrificial layer decomposes the sacrificial layer to allow separation of the first substrate. After removing the first substrate and sacrificial layer, various exemplary embodiments of the methods of this invention also provide for performing laser recrystallization of the first dielectric layer, patterning a gate electrode to self-align source and drain contact vias the gate electrode, etching the vias to expose the source and drain regions of the silicon layer, defining a source region and drain region on the silicon layer, providing a source electrode and a drain electrode over the source region and drain region respectively and performing a low temperature hydrogenation step. According to various exemplary embodiments of the devices of this invention, this invention provides for a transistor device that includes at least a substrate, a gate electrode over the substrate, a laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor over the gate electrode and a source electrode and a drain electrode over the laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor. Finally, according to various exemplary embodiments of the devices of this invention, this invention provides for a transistor device that includes at least a substrate, a laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor over the substrate, a source electrode and a drain electrode over the laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor and a gate electrode over the source electrode and the drain electrode, wherein the substrate is a second substrate over which the gate electrode, the laser recrystallized polycrystalline semiconductor, the source electrode and the drain electrode have been transferred after having been formed on a first substrate. | 20040928 | 20080812 | 20060330 | 79226.0 | H01L2130 | 1 | GHYKA, ALEXANDER G | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND STRUCTURE OF POLYCRYSTALLINE SEMICONDUCTOR THIN-FILM HETEROSTRUCTURES ON DISSIMILAR SUBSTRATES | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H01L | 2,004 |
|
10,950,476 | ACCEPTED | Electric connector | An electric connector having a housing in which there are disposed, side by side, a plurality of wire holding portions for holding the insulations of insulated wires. Each wire holding portion has: a pair of wire holding pieces disposed as facing each other to form a wire holding groove; and wire hold-down pieces not only for guiding, in the vertical direction, the insertion of the insulated wire into the wire holding groove, but also for preventing the insulated wire from coming off from the wire holding groove. The plurality of wire holding portions has: a first wire holding portion having wire hold-down pieces at a first wire hold-down position; and a second wire holding portion disposed adjacent to the first wire holding portion, and having wire hold-down pieces at a second wire hold-down position different from the first wire hold-down position. | 1. An electric connector having a housing provided with a plurality of wire holding portions, disposed side by side, for holding insulations of insulated wires of which core wire portions are covered by the insulations: each wire holding portion comprising: a pair of wire holding pieces disposed as facing each other to form a wire holding groove for receiving an insulated wire; and wire hold-down pieces for guiding, in a vertical direction at a right angle to an axial direction of the insulated wire, the insertion of the insulated wire into the wire holding groove, as well as for preventing the insulated wire from coming off from the wire holding groove, and the plurality of wire holding portions comprising: a first wire holding portion having wire hold-down pieces arranged to hold an insulated wire in a wire holding groove at a first wire hold-down position with respect to the axial direction of the insulated wire; and a second wire holding portion disposed adjacent to the first wire holding portion, and having wire hold-down pieces arranged to hold an insulated wire in a wire holding groove at a second wire hold-down position different from the first wire hold-down position with respect to the axial direction of the insulated wire. 2. An electric connector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of wire holding portions comprise: the first wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number; and the second wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number, and the first and second wire holding portions are alternately disposed in the housing. 3. An electric connector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of wire holding portions are arranged such that three arbitrary adjacent wire holding portions comprise at least one first wire holding portion above-mentioned and at least one second wire holding portion above-mentioned. 4. An electric connector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of wire holding portions further comprise a third wire holding portion which is disposed adjacent to the first or second wire holding portion, and which has wire hold-down pieces arranged to hold an insulated wire in a wire holding groove at a third wire hold-down position different from the first and second wire hold-down positions with respect to the axial direction of the insulated wire. 5. An electric connector according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of wire holding portions comprise the first wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number, the second wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number, and the third wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number, and the first, second and third wire holding portions are disposed such that the wire holding portions of the same type are not disposed adjacent to each other. 6. An electric connector according to claim 1, wherein each wire hold-down piece has: a guiding inclined face which faces the outside of a wire holding groove and which is arranged to guide an insulated wire into the wire holding groove; and a wire regulating face which faces the inner bottom of the wire holding groove. 7. An electric connector according to claim 1, wherein wire hold-down pieces are formed at each pair of wire holding pieces defining a wire holding groove, and at least one of a pair of wire hold-down pieces of the first wire holding portion, is positionally shifted, in the axial direction of the insulated wire, from at least one of a pair of wire hold-down pieces of the second wire holding portion. 8. An electric connector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of wire holding portions are arranged such that a wire holding piece is shared with adjacent wire holding portions, and that the shared wire holding piece defines parts of a pair of adjacent wire holding grooves. 9. An electric connector according to claim 1, further comprising: contact holding portions which are disposed at the inner parts of the wire holding grooves and which hold contacts to be coupled and electrically connected to the core wire portions of insulated wires; and the contacts held by the contact holding portions. 10. An electric connector according to claim 9, wherein each of the contacts is an insulation displacement contact having a pair of insulation displacement blades which form a slot for receiving the core wire portion of an insulated wire. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric connector having a retention structure for preventing an insulated wire from coming off in the vertical direction at right angles to the wire axial direction. 2. Description of Related Art A connector attached to an insulated wire has a resin housing and a contact (terminal metal fitting) secured to the housing. When there is used an insulation displacement contact having the arrangement that a slot for holding the core wire portion of an insulated wire is formed between a pair of insulation displacement blades for breaking up the insulation of the insulated wire, the contact and the core wire portion of the insulated wire can electrically be connected to each other merely by pushing the insulated wire into the slot of the insulation displacement contact. A connector using such an insulation displacement contact is called an insulation displacement connector. In an insulation displacement connector, the retention force in the axial direction of an insulated wire (axial retention force) is obtained by nipping the core wire portion by the contact. However, the slot of the insulation displacement contact is opened in the vertical direction at right angles to the axial direction of the insulated wire. Therefore, when the wire is held only by the contact, the retention force in the vertical direction above-mentioned (orthogonal retention force) is insufficient. Accordingly, the housing has a retention structure for the insulation of the insulated wire. More specifically, the housing is provided, in its position out of alignment with the contact in the axial direction of the insulated wire, with a wire holding groove for housing an insulated wire. Formed at the opening edges of the wire holding groove are wire hold-down pieces or strain relief pieces which project inwardly of the wire holding groove. At the same time when an insulated wire is mounted on an insulation displacement contact, the insulation of the wire is pushed to the wire hold-down pieces. As a result, the wire hold-down pieces are resiliently deformed and the wire holding groove is resiliently expanded and deformed. When the insulated wire gets over the wire hold-down pieces and is then housed in the wire holding groove, the wire hold-down pieces and the wire holding groove are restored in shape. Accordingly, when an external force is thereafter exerted, to the wire held in the wire holding groove, in the direction in which the wire is pulled out from the wire holding groove, the insulated wire is held within the wire holding groove under the action of the wire hold-down pieces. Thus, provision is made such that a sufficient orthogonal retention force is obtained (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication 2001-203008). A connector to which a plurality of wires are connected, has contacts and wire holding grooves which respectively correspond to these wires. A plurality of wire holding grooves are formed in a row. However, when a plurality of wires are simultaneously mounted on the connector, the plurality of wire holding grooves are simultaneously expanded and opened. This causes the housing to be re-markably bent and deformed. A connector used in a small-size device such as a digital still camera, a video camera, a cellular phone, a PDA (personal digital assistant) and the like, is extremely miniaturized in size, and is a multi-pole connector having a number of poles. When such a miniaturized and multi-pole connector is remarkably bent and deformed as above-mentioned, this involves the likelihood that the housing is broken in the step of mounting the insulated wires. Further, in a miniaturized multi-pole connector, it can hardly be expected to resiliently deform the wire hold-down pieces due to their marginal miniaturization. Further, the insulations of insulated wires connected to the miniaturized multi-pole connector are very low in thickness. Thus, the deformation of the insulations can hardly be expected. Accordingly, the insertion of the insulated wires into the wire holding grooves has to rely solely on the resilient expansion and deformation of the wire holding grooves. Therefore, when the insulated wires are press-fitted, the housing is remarkably bent and deformed. This involves the likelihood that the housing is broken. On the other hand, unless the housing is sufficiently bent and deformed, a plurality of insulated wires cannot be inserted into the wire holding grooves. This dilemma can be solved by adopting the wire insertion method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication 2002-260803. According to this prior art, the insulated wires are inserted in two steps including a first insertion step of pushing wires every other pole collectively into the housing by a punch, and a second insertion step of pushing wires every another pole collectively into the housing by another punch. It is there fore possible to insert the insulated wires into the housing without the housing remarkably bent and deformed at each insertion step. According to this method, however, the wire insertion has to be divided into two steps, thus lowering the productivity. Further, a special punch has to be provided for holding down the wires every other pole. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric connector in which a plurality of insulated wires are respectively held by a plurality of wire holding portions with excellent productivity without the housing remarkably bent and deformed. The present invention relates to an electric connector having a housing in which there are disposed, side by side, a plurality of wire holding portions for holding the insulations of insulated wires of which core wire portions are covered by the insulations. According to the present invention, each wire holding portion comprises: a pair of wire holding pieces disposed as facing each other to form a wire holding groove for receiving an insulated wire; and wire hold-down pieces or strain relief pieces not only for guiding, in the vertical direction at right angles to the axial direction of the insulated wire, the insertion of the insulated wire into the wire holding groove, but also for preventing the insulated wire from coming off from the wire holding groove. The plurality of wire holding portions comprise: a first wire holding portion having wire hold-down pieces arranged to hold an insulated wire in the wire holding groove at a first wire hold-down position with respect to the axial direction of the insulated wire; and a second wire holding portion disposed adjacent to the first wire holding portion, and having wire hold-down pieces arranged to hold an insulated wire in the wire holding groove at a second wire hold-down position different from the first wire hold-down position with respect to the axial direction of the insulated wire. According to the arrangement above-mentioned, in the adjacent first and second wire holding portions, the respective wire hold-down positions by the wire hold-down pieces are misaligned with each other in the axial direction of the insulated wires. Accordingly, even though wires are simultaneously inserted into the wire holding grooves of the first and second wire holding portions, this does not cause the housing to be greatly deformed. More specifically, the position where the pair of wire holding pieces forming the first wire holding portion are resiliently expanded and opened when an insulated wire is inserted into the first wire holding portion in the vertical direction substantially at right angles to the wire axial direction, is shifted, in the insulated wire axial direction, from the position where the pair of wire holding pieces forming the second wire holding portion are resiliently expanded and opened when an insulated wire is inserted into the second wire holding portion. Accordingly, the expanding and opening of the wire holding pieces (the expanding and opening of the wire holding groove) of the first wire holding portion, and the expanding and opening of the wire holding pieces (the expanding and opening of the wire holding groove) of the second wire holding portion, can simultaneously be carried out without any interference with each other. As the result, even though insulated wires are simultaneously inserted respectively into the wire holding grooves of the first and second wire holding portions, this does not cause the housing to be greatly deformed. In other words, even though the housing cannot be resiliently greatly deformed due to its structure (for example, when the housing is very small), insulated wires can simultaneously be inserted into the first and second wire holding portions without any special difficulty. Accordingly, in the less number of times (for example, one time), a plurality of insulated wires can respectively be inserted in and held by the plurality of wire holding portions. The wire hold-down pieces may be formed as projecting as if closing portions of the wire holding grooves at the lateral edges thereof. The plurality of wire holding portions may comprise: the first wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number; and the second wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number. These first and second wire holding portions may be alternately disposed in the housing. In such a case, the wire hold-down pieces are disposed in zigzags. According to the arrangement above-mentioned, since the first and second wire holding portions are alternately disposed, the adjacent wire holding portions do not interfere with each other at any position thereof as to the expansion and deformation of the wire holding pieces. This enables, for example, all the insulated wires to be simultaneously inserted into the wire holding portions, respectively, thus remarkably improving the productivity. The plurality of wire holding portions are preferably arranged such that three arbitrary adjacent wire holding portions comprise at least one first wire holding portion above-mentioned and at least one second wire holding portion above-mentioned. According to the arrangement above-mentioned, as to three arbitrary adjacent wire holding portions, there is no possibility of three first wire holding portions being disposed in succession, and there is no possibility of three second wire holding portions being disposed in succession. More specifically, there is no possibility of three wire holding portions having wire hold-down pieces which hold wires at the same position in the axial direction of the insulated wire. For example, even though two first wire holding portions are adjacent to each other, the second wire holding portion is positioned adjacent to the first wire holding portions. In such a case, when inserting insulated wires, two adjacent first wire holding portions interfere with each other as to the resilient deformation of the wire holding pieces in one direction, but do not interfere with each other as to the resilient deformation of the wire holding pieces in the other direction. Accordingly, the insulated wires can successfully be mounted without the housing greatly deformed and without the housing required to be greatly deformed. Preferably, the plurality of wire holding portions further comprise a third wire holding portion which is disposed adjacent to the first or second wire holding portion, and which has wire hold-down pieces arranged to hold an insulated wire in the wire holding groove at a third wire hold-down position different from the first and second wire hold-down positions with respect to the axial direction of the insulated wire. According to the arrangement above-mentioned, the wire hold-down positions are dispersed at three different positions with respect to the axial direction of the insulated wire. This further reduces the mutual interference, as to the expansion and deformation, of the wire holding pieces forming the wire holding portions, thus further restraining the housing from being deformed at the time when insulated wires are pressed. Further, even though the housing can be deformed only in a very small amount, the insulated wires can successfully be inserted. The present invention may be arranged such that the plurality of wire holding portions comprise the first wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number, the second wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number, and the third wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number, and that the first, second and third wire holding portions are disposed, for example cyclically, such that the wire holding portions of the same type are not disposed adjacent to each other. Accordingly, the wire hold-down pieces can be arranged in zigzags in three rows. This not only effectively restrains the housing frombeing deformed, but also enables the insulated wires to be smoothly mounted without the housing required to be greatly deformed. Preferably, each wire hold-down piece has: a guiding inclined face which faces the outside of a wire holding groove and which is arranged to guide an insulated wire into the wire holding groove; and a wire regulating face which faces the inner bottom of the wire holding groove. More specifically, the guiding inclined face is a face inclined from a tip edge of the wire holding piece toward the inner bottom of the wire holding groove, and the wire regulating face is a face substantially at right angles to the wire insertion direction or a face inclined from the edge connected to the wire holding piece toward the inner bottom of the wire holding groove. Preferably, the housing comprises contact holding portions which are disposed at the inner parts of the wire holding grooves and which hold contacts (terminal metal fittings) to be coupled and electrically connected to the core wire portions of the insulated wires, the contacts being held by the contact holding portions. Preferably, each of the contacts is an insulation displacement contact having a pair of insulation displacement blades which form a slot for receiving the core wire portion of an insulated wire. According to the arrangement above-mentioned, when an insulated wire is pressed into the slot, the insulation displacement blades tear the insulation, causing the inside core wire portion to come in contact with the insulation displacement blades. This achieves the electric connection between the core wire portion and the contact. Wire hold-down pieces may be formed at each pair of wire holding pieces defining a wire holding groove. At this time, it is enough that at least one of a pair of wire hold-down pieces of the first wire holding portion, is positionally shifted, in the axial direction of the insulated wire, from at least one of a pair of wire hold-down pieces of the second wire holding portion. The plurality of wire holding portions may hold a plurality of insulated wires in parallel to one another, for example in a predetermined plane. The plurality of wire holding portions may be arranged such that each wire holding piece is shared with adjacent wire holding portions. More specifically, each wire holding piece may define parts of a pair of adjacent wire holding grooves. These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be more fully apparent from the following detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating how to use an electric connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wire-side connector with its actual upside turned down, when viewed from the rear side to which insulated wires are to be connected; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the wire-side connector with its actual upside turned down, when viewed from the front side (from the board-side connector); FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the wire-side connector as viewed from the direction of an arrow R1 in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a bottom view illustrating, in enlargement, a portion of the arrangement shown in FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a back view illustrating, in enlargement, the arrangement of wire holding portions as viewed from the direction of an arrow R2 in FIGS. 2 and 5; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an insulation displacement contact of the wire-side connector; FIG. 8(a) is a section view illustrating the wire-side connector and the board-side connector before fitting to each other, and FIG. 8(b) is a section view illustrating the wire-side connector and the board-side connector fitted to each other; FIG. 9(a), FIG. 9(b) and FIG. 9(c) are views illustrating the arrangement of a wire-side connector according to a modification of the embodiment above-mentioned; FIG. 10(a) and FIG. 10(b) are views illustrating the arrangements of wire-side connectors according to another embodiments of the present invention particularly illustrating the wire hold-down positions in the wire-side connector; and FIG. 11 is a view illustrating the arrangement of a wire-side connector according to a further embodiment of the present invention, particularly illustrating the wire hold-down positions in the wire-side connector. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating how to use an electric connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electric connector 1 according to this embodiment is a wire-side connector connected to a plurality of insulated wires 2. This wire-side connector 1 can be connected, for example, to a board-side connector 4 surface-mounted on a printed circuit board 3. When the wire-side connector 1 is connected to the board-side connector 4, the insulated wires 2 are electrically connected to the printed circuit board 3. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are perspective views of the wire-side connector 1 with its actual upside turned down. FIG. 2 shows the wire-side connector 1 as viewed from the rear side to which the insulated wires 2 are to be connected, while FIG. 3 shows the wire-side connector 1 as viewed from the front side (from the board-side connector 4). FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the wire-side connector 1 when viewed from the direction of an arrow R1 in FIG. 3. This wire-side connector 1 comprises a housing 11 made of a synthetic resin molded article, and insulation displacement contacts (terminal metal fittings) 12 press-fitted into and held by the housing 11. This housing 11 is formed substantially in a rectangular parallelepiped box. The housing 11 is provided at the front face 13 side thereof with a plurality of groove-shape contact holding portions 15 which are opened in the bottom (the side opposite to the printed circuit board 3 when actually used) 14 and which are arranged along the widthwise direction 16 of the housing 11. The contact holding portions 15 are formed along the axial direction 17 of the insulated wires 2 at right angles to the width wise direction 16. The contact holding portions 15 are arranged to hold insulation displacement contacts 12 which can be press-fitted into the contact holding portions 15 from the bottom face 14 side of the housing 11. At positions nearer to the rear face 18 of the housing 11 rather than to the contact holding portions 15, a plurality of wire holding portions 20 respectively corresponding to the contact holding portions 15, are formed along the widthwise direction 16. FIG. 5 is a bottom view illustrating, in enlargement, a portion of the arrangement shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a back view illustrating, in enlargement, the arrangement of the wire holding portions 20 as viewed from the direction of the arrow R2 in FIGS. 2 and 5. Each wire holding portion 20 has a pair of oppositely disposed wire holding pieces 21 and wire hold-down pieces or strain relief pieces 22 which project from the tip ends of the wire holding pieces 21. The wire holding pieces 21 are formed like walls extending along the height direction 19 of the housing 11. Each pair of opposite wire holding pieces 21 form a wire holding groove 23 for housing and holding the insulation of an insulated wire 2. Each wire holding piece 21 is shared with adjacent two wire holding portions 20. One surface and the other surface of each wire holding piece 21 respectively define portions of the wire holding grooves 23 of adjacent wire holding portions 20. The wire holding grooves 23 are opened in the rear face 18 of the housing 11 and also opened in the bottom face 14 of the housing 11. The wire hold-down pieces 22 project, from the tip edges (the lower end edges in the actual usage state) of the wire holding pieces 21, as if covering the wire holding grooves 23. Each wire hold-down piece 22 has a guiding inclined face 25 for guiding the insertion of an insulated wire 2 from the bottom face 14 side, and a wire regulating face 26 for preventing the insulated wire 2 housed in the wire holding groove 23 from coming out toward the bottom face 14. The guiding inclined faces 25 face the outside of the wire holding grooves 23 and are inclined from the tips of the wire holding pieces 21 toward the inner parts of the wire holding grooves 23. The wire regulating faces 26 face the inner parts of the wire holding grooves 23 and are flat faces substantially parallel to the bottom face 14 of the housing 11. As shown by chain double-dashed lines 29, the wire regulating faces 26 may be inclined from the edges connected to the wire holding pieces 21 toward the inner parts of the wire holding grooves 23. However, when the wire-side connector 1 is very small in size, it is often difficult to process the wire regulating faces 26 into such inclined faces. In each wire holding portion 20, the wire hold-down pieces 22 project, substantially symmetrically with each other, from the tips of a pair of opposite wire holding pieces 21 into the wire holding groove 23. The distance d1 between each pair of wire hold-down pieces 22 is defined as smaller than the outer diameter of each insulated wire 2 and as slightly larger than the diameter of the core wire portion of each insulated wire 2. Accordingly, when pressing the insulated wires 2 into the wire holding grooves 23, the insulated wires 2 are first guided by the guiding inclined faces 25 and then introduced into the inner parts of the wire holding grooves 23 while the pairs of wire holding pieces 21 are resiliently expanded and deformed. When the insulated wires 2 go past the wire hold-down pieces 22 and reach the inner parts of the wire holding grooves 23, the wire holding pieces 21 are restored to the original postures, and the wire regulating faces 26 become opposite to the insulated wires 2 in the wire holding grooves 23. This prevents the insulated wires 2 from coming off from the wire holding grooves 23, thus assuring a sufficient orthogonal retention force. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the wire holding portions 20 are classified into first wire holding portions 20A and second wire holding portions 20B, based on first and second wire hold-down positions P1, P2 which are the actuating positions of the wire hold-down pieces 22. More specifically, in each first wire holding portion 20A, a pair of wire hold-down pieces 22 face to each other at a position nearer to the rear face 18 of the housing 11, this position serving as the first wire hold-down position P1. On the other hand, in each second wire holding portion 20B, a pair of wire hold-down pieces 22 face to each other at a position nearer to the contact holding portions 15, this position serving as the second wire hold-down position P2. More specifically, the wire hold-down positions P1 of the first wire holding portions 20A and the wire hold-down positions P2 of the second wire holding portions 20B, are out of aligned with each other with respect to the axial direction 17 of the insulated wires 2. The plurality of wire holding portions 20 comprise the first wire holding portion 20A above-mentioned in plural number and the second wire holding portion 20B above-mentioned in plural number, these portions 20A, 20B being alternately arranged. Accordingly, the respective wire hold-down positions of adjacent wire holding portions 20, are shifted back and forth along the axial direction of the insulated wires 2, and are there fore arranged in zigzags as a whole. When a plurality of insulated wires 2 are collectively pushed into the plurality of wire holding portions 20 by a punch of a press machine, the pairs of wire hold-down pieces 22 of the first wire holding portions 20A receive the pushing forces from the insulated wires 2. Accordingly, the pairs of wire holding pieces 21 respectively connected to the pairs of wire hold-down pieces 22, are resiliently expanded and opened, and deformed toward the insides of the wire holding grooves 23 of the adjacent second wire holding portions 20B. In these adjacent second wire holding portions 20B, the wire holding pieces 21 are similarly resiliently expanded and opened at positions shifted, along the axial direction 17 of the insulated wires 2, from the positions where the wire holding pieces 21 of the first wire holding portions 20A are resiliently expanded and opened. That is, the wire holding pieces 21 of the adjacent second wire holding portions 20B are deformed toward the insides of the wire holding grooves 23 of the adjacent first wire holding portions 20A. More specifically, the facing positions of the wire hold-down pieces 22 of the first wire holding portion 20A and the facing positions of the wire hold-down pieces 22 of the second wire holding portions 20B, are out of alignment with each other, back and forth, in the axial direction of the insulated wires 2. Therefore, the deformations of the wire holding pieces 21 occurred at the time when the insulated wires 2 are pressed, can be absorbed by the mutual wire holding grooves 23. In each of the end wire holding portions 20, the outer wire hold-down piece 22 in the housing widthwise direction 16 is formed as projecting from the wire holding piece 21 substantially throughout the length of the wire holding groove 23, while the inner wire hold-down piece 22 is formed only at a limited zone nearer to the housing rear face 18 (or a limited zone nearer to the contact holding portion 15). Thus, the pair of outer and inner wire hold-down pieces 22 face each other only at this limited zone. The orthogonal retention force for the insulated wire 2 is produced solely by this zone where the pair of wire hold-down pieces 22 face each other. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an insulation displacement contact 12. The insulation displacement contact 12 is formed in a unitary structure by punching or bending a metallic plate (for example, a plated copper plate). The insulation displacement contact 12 is provided, at its rear portion corresponding to the housing rear face 18 side, with an insulation displacement part 31 to which an insulated wire 2 is coupled. Also, the insulation displacement contact 12 is provided, at its front portion, with contact portions 32 which come in contact with a contact of the board-side connector 4. The insulation displacement part 31 has first and second insulation displacement portions 33, 34 separated from each other back and force. The first insulation displacement portion 33 has a pair of insulation displacement blades 35, and a connection portion 36 for holding the pair of insulation displacement blades 35 such that they face each other. Formed between the insulation displacement blades 35 is a slot 37 in which the core wire portion of an insulated wire 2 is pressed and held. Likewise, the second insulation displacement portion 34 has a pair of insulation displacement blades 39 defining a slot 41, and the pair of insulation displacement blades 39 are connected to each other at their base portions by a connection portion 40. The connection portions 36, 40 are connected to each other by a bottom plate 42. The bottom plate 42 is provided at each lateral side thereof with a laterally projecting press-fitting projection 47. The press-fitting projections 47 are arranged such that when the insulation displacement contact 12 is pressed into the corresponding contact holding portion 15 of the housing 11, the press-fitting projections 47 bite into the inner walls of the contact holding portion 15 such that the insulation displacement contact l2 is held by the contact holding portion 15. Contact portions 32 have (i) a pair of lateral plates 43 forwardly extending, in parallel to each other, from the outer edges of the insulation displacement blades 39 of the second insulation displacement portion 34, and (ii) a pair of resilient nipping pieces 44 extending, from the lateral plates 43, in the vertical direction at right angles to the axial direction of the insulated wire 2. The resilient nipping pieces 44 extend, from the lateral plates 43, in an inclined and tapering manner, and are provided at the tips thereof with guiding inclined portions 45 which are inclined in expanding and opening directions from the mutual closest portions of the resilient nipping pieces 44. The mutual closest portions of the pair of resilient nipping pieces 44 serve as contact points 46 arranged to resiliently hold the corresponding contact of the board-side connector 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 11 is provided in the top face 28 thereof with contact receiving grooves 48 for receiving the contacts of the board-side connector 4, the grooves 48 being formed in the axial direction 17 of the insulated wires 2. Provision is made such that there silient nipping pieces 44 of the insulation displacement contacts 12 are inserted into the contact receiving grooves 48. FIG. 8(a) is a section view illustrating the wire-side connector 1 and the board-side connector 4 before fitting to each other, and FIG. 8(b) is a section view illustrating the wire-side connector 1 and the board-side connector 4 fitted to each other. The board-side connector 4 has a housing 50 made of a resin molded article, and a plurality of contacts 51 pressed into and held by the housing 50. The housing 50 has a fitting hole 52 opened in the front side opposite to the wire-side connector 1, and the front portion of the housing 11 of the wire-side connector 1 is to be fitted into this fitting hole 52. The plurality of contacts 51 are pressed into the housing 50 from the rear side thereof, and held by the housing 50 such that they are disposed side by side in the direction parallel to the insertion direction of the wire-side connector 1. Each contact 51 has (i) a contact portion 53 projecting into the fitting hole 52, (ii) a joint portion 54 which downwardly extends from the rear end of the contact portion 53 toward the mounting face 3a of the printed circuit board 3 and which is soldered to the surface of the printed circuit board 3, and (iii) a press-fitting piece 55 which projects forwardly from an intermediate portion of the joint portion 54 and which is pressed into a press-fitting hole 57 in the housing 50. Each contact 51 is pressed into and fixed to the housing 50 when the contact portion 53 is pressed into a terminal insertion hole 56 and the press-fitting piece 55 is pressed into the press-fitting hole 57. When the wire-side connector 1 is inserted into the board-side connector 4, the front face 13 of the housing 11 of the wire-side connector 1 comes in contact with the inner bottom face 58 of the fitting hole 52 of the board-side connector 4, or a step portion 27 of the housing 11 comes in contact with an opening edge 59 of the housing 50 of the board-side connector 4. This regulates the relative positions, in the axial direction 17 of the insulated wires 2, of the wire-side connector 1 and the board-side connector 4. When the front portion of the housing 11 of the wire-side connector 1 is fitted into the fitting hole 52 of the board-side connector 4, the contact portions 53 of the contacts 51 of the board-side connector 4 are introduced, as accurately positioned, into the contact receiving grooves 48 of the wire-side connector 1. Thus, the contact portions 53 are resiliently held, in the contact receiving grooves 48, by the pairs of contact points 46 of the insulation displacement contacts 12. This achieves the electric connection between the contacts 12 and 51, causing the insulated wires 2 to be electrically connected to the printed circuit board 3. FIG. 9(a) to FIG. 9(c) are views illustrating the arrangement of the wire-side connector according to a modification of the embodiment above-mentioned. More specifically, FIG. 9(a) and FIG. 9(b) are perspective views of the wire-side connector as respectively seen in directions similar to those in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, and FIG. 9(c) is a bottom view of the wire-side connector as seen in a direction similar to that in FIG. 4. The wire-side connector 1 above-mentioned shown in FIG. 1 and the like, is of the 11-pole type having 11 insulation displacement contacts 12 and 11 wire holding portions 20 such that 11 insulated wires 2 can be connected in insulation displacement termination. On the other hand, the wire-side connector 1A in FIGS. 9(a) and (b), is of the 2-pole type having two insulation displacement contacts 12 and two wire holding portions 20 such that two insulated wires 2 can be connected in insulation displacement termination. Out of two wire holding portions 20, one is a first wire holding portions 20A of which wire hold-down position P1 is nearer to the rear face 18 of the housing 11, and the other is a second wire holding portion 20B of which wire hold-down position P2 is nearer to the insulation displacement contact 12. More specifically, a wire holding piece 21 disposed between and shared with the first wire holding portion 20A and the second wire holding portion 20B, is provided at one tip edge nearer to the rear face 18 with a wire hold-down piece 22 projecting toward the first wire holding portion 20A, and is also provided at the other tip edge nearer to the insulation displacement contact 12 with a wire hold-down piece 22 projecting toward the second wire holding portion 20B. Accordingly, when insulated wires 2 are simultaneously pushed into the first and second wire holding portions 20A, 20B, the wire holding piece 21 at the boundary therebetween is resiliently deformed, at its portion nearer to the rear face 18 of the housing 11, toward the second wire holding portion 20B, and is resiliently deformed, at its front portion nearer to the insulation displacement contact 12, toward the first wire holding portion 20A. Accordingly, two insulated wires 2 can simultaneously be attached without the housing 11 remarkably deformed. In other words, the housing 11 is not required to be remarkably deformed for simultaneously attaching two insulated wires 2. FIG. 10(a) and FIG. 10(b) are views illustrating the arrangements according to another embodiments of the present invention, showing two examples of the wire hold-down positions in a wire-side connector. In the embodiments above-mentioned, the wire hold-down positions P1, P2 are alternately disposed as misaligned with each other in the axial direction of the insulated wires 2 and arranged in zigzags in two rows. In the examples in FIG. 10(a) and FIG. 10(b), three-type wire hold-down positions P1, P2, P3 are determined in the axial direction of the insulated wire 2 and arranged in zigzags in three rows. More specifically, in the example in FIG. 10(a), the wire hold-down positions are successively shifted, along the widthwise direction of the housing 11, in a pattern including five positions, i.e., a first wire hold-down position P1 nearer to the rear face 18 of the housing 11, a second wire hold-down position P2 nearer to the front, a third wire hold-down position P3 further nearer to the front, the second wire hold-down position P2 and the first wire hold-down position P1. Then, this pattern is repeated. In the example in FIG. 10(b), the wire hold-down positions are successively shifted, along the widthwise direction of the housing 11, in a pattern including three positions, i.e., the first wire hold-down position P1, the second wire hold-down position P2, and the third wire hold-down position P3. Then, this pattern is cyclically repeated. The arrangements shown in FIG. 10 may further be developed such that a plurality of wire hold-down positions are arranged in zigzags in four or more rows. FIG. 11 is a view illustrating the arrangement according to a further embodiment of the present invention, particularly showing the wire hold-down positions in the wire-side connector. In this embodiment, at one side of a first wire holding portion 20A having a wire hold-down position at a position P1, there is disposed a first wire holding portions 20A having a wire hold-down position at the same position P1. And, at the other side of the first-mentioned first wire holding portion 20A, there is disposed a second wire holding portion 20B having a wire hold-down position at a position P2. Further, at one side of a second wire holding portion 20B having a wire hold-down position at a position P2, there is disposed a second wire holding portion 20B having a wire hold-down position at the same position P2. And, at the other side of the first-mentioned second wire holding portion 20B, there is disposed a first wire holding portion 20A having a wire hold-down position at a position P1. That is, two first wire holding portions 20A and two second wire holding portions 20B are alternately disposed. In the arrangement above-mentioned, too, one of each pair of wire holding pieces 21 forming a wire holding portion 20, can resiliently be deformed in the wire holding grooves 23 of adjacent wire holding portions 20. Accordingly, likewise in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and the like, a plurality of insulated wires can simultaneously be mounted without the housing 11 remarkably deformed. In the embodiments shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 11, it is common in the wire-side connectors 1 having three or more poles that, as to three arbitrary adjacent wire holding portions, the wire hold-down positions of at least a pair of wire holding portions are misaligned with each other back and forth along the axial direction 17 of the insulated wires 2. In the foregoing, various embodiments of the present invention have been discussed, but the present invention may be embodied in other manner. For example, in the embodiments above-mentioned, the description has been made of the wire-side connectors of the 11-pole and 2-pole types. However, no particular restrictions are imposed on the number of poles in the wire-side connector. For example, a similar arrangement may be adopted for a wire-side connector of the 20-pole type. In the embodiments above-mentioned, the description has been made of a wire-side connector having insulation displacement contacts, but the present invention may also be applied to a connector having contacts of other type such as crimping-type contacts and the like. In the embodiments above-mentioned, the description has been made of the arrangement in which a plurality of insulation displacement contacts 12 are fixed to the housing 11 as aligned in a straight line along the widthwise direction 16 of the housing 11. However, likewise the wire holding portions 20, the insulation displacement contacts 12 may also be disposed in zigzags or other form. More specifically, the positions of the insulation displacement contacts 12 may be determined such that, in the wire holding portions, the distances between the wire hold-down positions and the insulation displacement parts 31 of the insulation displacement contacts 12, are substantially uniform. According to the arrangement above-mentioned, the distances between the wire hold-down positions and the insulated wires holding positions by the insulation displacement contacts 12, are uniform. This enables a plurality of insulated wires 2 to be held by the housing 11 substantially under the same conditions. Embodiments of the present invention have been discussed in detail, but these embodiments are mere specific examples for clarifying the technical contents of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be construed as limited to these specific examples. The spirit and scope of the present invention are limited only by the appended claims. This Application corresponds to Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-340934 filed with the Japanese Patent Office on Sep. 30, 2003, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric connector having a retention structure for preventing an insulated wire from coming off in the vertical direction at right angles to the wire axial direction. 2. Description of Related Art A connector attached to an insulated wire has a resin housing and a contact (terminal metal fitting) secured to the housing. When there is used an insulation displacement contact having the arrangement that a slot for holding the core wire portion of an insulated wire is formed between a pair of insulation displacement blades for breaking up the insulation of the insulated wire, the contact and the core wire portion of the insulated wire can electrically be connected to each other merely by pushing the insulated wire into the slot of the insulation displacement contact. A connector using such an insulation displacement contact is called an insulation displacement connector. In an insulation displacement connector, the retention force in the axial direction of an insulated wire (axial retention force) is obtained by nipping the core wire portion by the contact. However, the slot of the insulation displacement contact is opened in the vertical direction at right angles to the axial direction of the insulated wire. Therefore, when the wire is held only by the contact, the retention force in the vertical direction above-mentioned (orthogonal retention force) is insufficient. Accordingly, the housing has a retention structure for the insulation of the insulated wire. More specifically, the housing is provided, in its position out of alignment with the contact in the axial direction of the insulated wire, with a wire holding groove for housing an insulated wire. Formed at the opening edges of the wire holding groove are wire hold-down pieces or strain relief pieces which project inwardly of the wire holding groove. At the same time when an insulated wire is mounted on an insulation displacement contact, the insulation of the wire is pushed to the wire hold-down pieces. As a result, the wire hold-down pieces are resiliently deformed and the wire holding groove is resiliently expanded and deformed. When the insulated wire gets over the wire hold-down pieces and is then housed in the wire holding groove, the wire hold-down pieces and the wire holding groove are restored in shape. Accordingly, when an external force is thereafter exerted, to the wire held in the wire holding groove, in the direction in which the wire is pulled out from the wire holding groove, the insulated wire is held within the wire holding groove under the action of the wire hold-down pieces. Thus, provision is made such that a sufficient orthogonal retention force is obtained (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication 2001-203008). A connector to which a plurality of wires are connected, has contacts and wire holding grooves which respectively correspond to these wires. A plurality of wire holding grooves are formed in a row. However, when a plurality of wires are simultaneously mounted on the connector, the plurality of wire holding grooves are simultaneously expanded and opened. This causes the housing to be re-markably bent and deformed. A connector used in a small-size device such as a digital still camera, a video camera, a cellular phone, a PDA (personal digital assistant) and the like, is extremely miniaturized in size, and is a multi-pole connector having a number of poles. When such a miniaturized and multi-pole connector is remarkably bent and deformed as above-mentioned, this involves the likelihood that the housing is broken in the step of mounting the insulated wires. Further, in a miniaturized multi-pole connector, it can hardly be expected to resiliently deform the wire hold-down pieces due to their marginal miniaturization. Further, the insulations of insulated wires connected to the miniaturized multi-pole connector are very low in thickness. Thus, the deformation of the insulations can hardly be expected. Accordingly, the insertion of the insulated wires into the wire holding grooves has to rely solely on the resilient expansion and deformation of the wire holding grooves. Therefore, when the insulated wires are press-fitted, the housing is remarkably bent and deformed. This involves the likelihood that the housing is broken. On the other hand, unless the housing is sufficiently bent and deformed, a plurality of insulated wires cannot be inserted into the wire holding grooves. This dilemma can be solved by adopting the wire insertion method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication 2002-260803. According to this prior art, the insulated wires are inserted in two steps including a first insertion step of pushing wires every other pole collectively into the housing by a punch, and a second insertion step of pushing wires every another pole collectively into the housing by another punch. It is there fore possible to insert the insulated wires into the housing without the housing remarkably bent and deformed at each insertion step. According to this method, however, the wire insertion has to be divided into two steps, thus lowering the productivity. Further, a special punch has to be provided for holding down the wires every other pole. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric connector in which a plurality of insulated wires are respectively held by a plurality of wire holding portions with excellent productivity without the housing remarkably bent and deformed. The present invention relates to an electric connector having a housing in which there are disposed, side by side, a plurality of wire holding portions for holding the insulations of insulated wires of which core wire portions are covered by the insulations. According to the present invention, each wire holding portion comprises: a pair of wire holding pieces disposed as facing each other to form a wire holding groove for receiving an insulated wire; and wire hold-down pieces or strain relief pieces not only for guiding, in the vertical direction at right angles to the axial direction of the insulated wire, the insertion of the insulated wire into the wire holding groove, but also for preventing the insulated wire from coming off from the wire holding groove. The plurality of wire holding portions comprise: a first wire holding portion having wire hold-down pieces arranged to hold an insulated wire in the wire holding groove at a first wire hold-down position with respect to the axial direction of the insulated wire; and a second wire holding portion disposed adjacent to the first wire holding portion, and having wire hold-down pieces arranged to hold an insulated wire in the wire holding groove at a second wire hold-down position different from the first wire hold-down position with respect to the axial direction of the insulated wire. According to the arrangement above-mentioned, in the adjacent first and second wire holding portions, the respective wire hold-down positions by the wire hold-down pieces are misaligned with each other in the axial direction of the insulated wires. Accordingly, even though wires are simultaneously inserted into the wire holding grooves of the first and second wire holding portions, this does not cause the housing to be greatly deformed. More specifically, the position where the pair of wire holding pieces forming the first wire holding portion are resiliently expanded and opened when an insulated wire is inserted into the first wire holding portion in the vertical direction substantially at right angles to the wire axial direction, is shifted, in the insulated wire axial direction, from the position where the pair of wire holding pieces forming the second wire holding portion are resiliently expanded and opened when an insulated wire is inserted into the second wire holding portion. Accordingly, the expanding and opening of the wire holding pieces (the expanding and opening of the wire holding groove) of the first wire holding portion, and the expanding and opening of the wire holding pieces (the expanding and opening of the wire holding groove) of the second wire holding portion, can simultaneously be carried out without any interference with each other. As the result, even though insulated wires are simultaneously inserted respectively into the wire holding grooves of the first and second wire holding portions, this does not cause the housing to be greatly deformed. In other words, even though the housing cannot be resiliently greatly deformed due to its structure (for example, when the housing is very small), insulated wires can simultaneously be inserted into the first and second wire holding portions without any special difficulty. Accordingly, in the less number of times (for example, one time), a plurality of insulated wires can respectively be inserted in and held by the plurality of wire holding portions. The wire hold-down pieces may be formed as projecting as if closing portions of the wire holding grooves at the lateral edges thereof. The plurality of wire holding portions may comprise: the first wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number; and the second wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number. These first and second wire holding portions may be alternately disposed in the housing. In such a case, the wire hold-down pieces are disposed in zigzags. According to the arrangement above-mentioned, since the first and second wire holding portions are alternately disposed, the adjacent wire holding portions do not interfere with each other at any position thereof as to the expansion and deformation of the wire holding pieces. This enables, for example, all the insulated wires to be simultaneously inserted into the wire holding portions, respectively, thus remarkably improving the productivity. The plurality of wire holding portions are preferably arranged such that three arbitrary adjacent wire holding portions comprise at least one first wire holding portion above-mentioned and at least one second wire holding portion above-mentioned. According to the arrangement above-mentioned, as to three arbitrary adjacent wire holding portions, there is no possibility of three first wire holding portions being disposed in succession, and there is no possibility of three second wire holding portions being disposed in succession. More specifically, there is no possibility of three wire holding portions having wire hold-down pieces which hold wires at the same position in the axial direction of the insulated wire. For example, even though two first wire holding portions are adjacent to each other, the second wire holding portion is positioned adjacent to the first wire holding portions. In such a case, when inserting insulated wires, two adjacent first wire holding portions interfere with each other as to the resilient deformation of the wire holding pieces in one direction, but do not interfere with each other as to the resilient deformation of the wire holding pieces in the other direction. Accordingly, the insulated wires can successfully be mounted without the housing greatly deformed and without the housing required to be greatly deformed. Preferably, the plurality of wire holding portions further comprise a third wire holding portion which is disposed adjacent to the first or second wire holding portion, and which has wire hold-down pieces arranged to hold an insulated wire in the wire holding groove at a third wire hold-down position different from the first and second wire hold-down positions with respect to the axial direction of the insulated wire. According to the arrangement above-mentioned, the wire hold-down positions are dispersed at three different positions with respect to the axial direction of the insulated wire. This further reduces the mutual interference, as to the expansion and deformation, of the wire holding pieces forming the wire holding portions, thus further restraining the housing from being deformed at the time when insulated wires are pressed. Further, even though the housing can be deformed only in a very small amount, the insulated wires can successfully be inserted. The present invention may be arranged such that the plurality of wire holding portions comprise the first wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number, the second wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number, and the third wire holding portion above-mentioned in plural number, and that the first, second and third wire holding portions are disposed, for example cyclically, such that the wire holding portions of the same type are not disposed adjacent to each other. Accordingly, the wire hold-down pieces can be arranged in zigzags in three rows. This not only effectively restrains the housing frombeing deformed, but also enables the insulated wires to be smoothly mounted without the housing required to be greatly deformed. Preferably, each wire hold-down piece has: a guiding inclined face which faces the outside of a wire holding groove and which is arranged to guide an insulated wire into the wire holding groove; and a wire regulating face which faces the inner bottom of the wire holding groove. More specifically, the guiding inclined face is a face inclined from a tip edge of the wire holding piece toward the inner bottom of the wire holding groove, and the wire regulating face is a face substantially at right angles to the wire insertion direction or a face inclined from the edge connected to the wire holding piece toward the inner bottom of the wire holding groove. Preferably, the housing comprises contact holding portions which are disposed at the inner parts of the wire holding grooves and which hold contacts (terminal metal fittings) to be coupled and electrically connected to the core wire portions of the insulated wires, the contacts being held by the contact holding portions. Preferably, each of the contacts is an insulation displacement contact having a pair of insulation displacement blades which form a slot for receiving the core wire portion of an insulated wire. According to the arrangement above-mentioned, when an insulated wire is pressed into the slot, the insulation displacement blades tear the insulation, causing the inside core wire portion to come in contact with the insulation displacement blades. This achieves the electric connection between the core wire portion and the contact. Wire hold-down pieces may be formed at each pair of wire holding pieces defining a wire holding groove. At this time, it is enough that at least one of a pair of wire hold-down pieces of the first wire holding portion, is positionally shifted, in the axial direction of the insulated wire, from at least one of a pair of wire hold-down pieces of the second wire holding portion. The plurality of wire holding portions may hold a plurality of insulated wires in parallel to one another, for example in a predetermined plane. The plurality of wire holding portions may be arranged such that each wire holding piece is shared with adjacent wire holding portions. More specifically, each wire holding piece may define parts of a pair of adjacent wire holding grooves. These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be more fully apparent from the following detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. | 20040928 | 20060314 | 20050331 | 59121.0 | 1 | NGUYEN, PHUONG CHI THI | ELECTRIC CONNECTOR | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,950,713 | ACCEPTED | Vehicle seat having active head restraint system | A vehicle seat assembly that includes a seatback frame and an active head restraint system operatively supported by the seatback frame. The active head restraint system includes an upper armature moveably mounted to the seatback frame and a head restraint mounted to the upper armature. The active head restraint system also includes a lower armature operatively attached to the upper armature. The lower armature is operable to move toward the upper armature in response to a predetermined force applied to the lower armature and act on the upper armature to move the head restraint toward the occupant. | 1. A vehicle seat assembly comprising: a seatback frame; and an active head restraint system operatively supported by said seatback frame, said active head restraint system including an upper armature moveably mounted to said seatback frame, a head restraint mounted to said upper armature, and a lower armature operatively attached to said upper armature, said lower armature operable to move toward said upper armature in response to a predetermined force applied to said lower armature and act on said upper armature to move said head restraint toward the occupant. 2. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lower armature further includes an impact body, said lower armature including at least one transfer rod operatively mounted to said impact body and to said upper armature, said transfer rod operable to move toward said upper armature in response to a predetermined force applied to said impact body. 3. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 2, wherein said lower armature further includes at least one ramp with at least one cam surface extending generally toward said upper armature, said transfer rod supported on said cam surface such that said transfer rod moves on said cam surface toward said upper armature in response to a predetermined force applied to said impact body. 4. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including a rearward side, wherein said lower armature is also operable to move toward said rearward wide in response to a predetermined force applied to said lower armature and act on said upper armature to move said head restraint toward the occupant. 5. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 4, wherein said lower armature further includes: an impact body; at least one coupler operatively mounted to said upper armature; and a linkage operatively mounted to said impact body and said coupler, wherein coupler is operable to move toward said rearward side in response to a predetermined force applied to said impact body. 6. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 4, wherein said lower armature further includes: at least one coupler operatively mounted to said upper armature; and a crossbar operatively mounted to said coupler such that a predetermined force that is applied to said crossbar causes movement of said coupler toward said rearward side thereby moving said head restraint toward the occupant. 7. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein upper armature is pivotally mounted to said seatback frame. 8. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lower armature includes at least one coupler having an upper member pivotally mounted to said upper armature and a lower member pivotally mounted to said seatback frame, said upper member pivotally mounted to said lower member. 9. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lower armature includes at least one coupler, and wherein said upper armature includes a crossbar and at least one linkage, said linkage rigidly mounted to said crossbar, pivotally mounted to said coupler, and pivotally mounted to said seatback frame. 10. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 9, further including at least one biasing member operatively mounted to said linkage and said seatback frame, said biasing member operative to bias said head restraint toward an upright position. 11. A vehicle seat assembly comprising: a seatback frame; and an active head restraint system operatively supported by said seatback frame, said active head restraint system including an upper armature pivotally mounted to said seatback frame, a head restraint mounted to said upper armature, and a lower armature operatively attached to said upper armature, said lower armature including a pelvic support mechanism disposed so as to be proximate to the pelvic area of the occupant and operative to transfer a predetermined force from the pelvic area of the occupant to said upper armature thereby pivoting said upper armature and moving said head restraint toward the occupant, a lumbar support mechanism disposed so as to be proximate to the lumbar area of the occupant and operative to transfer a predetermined force from the lumbar area of the occupant to said upper armature thereby pivoting said upper armature and moving said head restraint toward the occupant, and a thoracic support mechanism disposed so as to be proximate to the thoracic area of the occupant and operative to transfer a predetermined force from the thoracic area of the occupant to said upper armature thereby pivoting said upper armature and moving said head restraint toward the occupant. 12. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein said lower armature further includes an impact body, and wherein said pelvic support mechanism includes at least one transfer rod operatively mounted to said impact body and to said upper armature such that a predetermined force applied to said impact body moves said transfer rod toward said upper armature, thereby pivoting said upper armature and ultimately moving said head restraint toward the occupant. 13. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein said pelvic support mechanism further includes at least one ramp with at least one cam surface extending generally toward said upper armature, said transfer rod supported on said cam surface such that said transfer rod moves on said cam surface toward said upper armature in response to a predetermined force applied to said impact body. 14. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein said lower armature further includes an impact body disposed so as to be proximate to the lumbar area of the occupant, and at least one coupler operatively mounted to said upper armature, wherein said lumbar support mechanism includes a linkage operatively mounted to said impact body and said coupler such that a predetermined force that is applied to said impact body causes said linkage to actuate said coupler, thereby pivoting said upper armature and ultimately moving said head restraint toward the occupant. 15. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein said lower armature further includes at least one coupler operatively mounted to said upper armature, and wherein said thoracic support mechanism includes a crossbar disposed so as to be proximate to the thoracic area of the occupant, said crossbar operatively mounted to said coupler such that a predetermined force that is applied to said crossbar causes actuation of said coupler, thereby pivoting said upper armature and ultimately moving said head restraint toward the head and neck area of the occupant. 16. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 15, wherein said thoracic support mechanism further includes at least one enlarged portion. 17. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein said vehicle seat assembly includes a rearward side and said lower armature further includes at least one coupler operatively mounted to said lumbar support mechanism, to said thoracic support mechanism, and to said upper armature at a coupling point, and said upper armature is pivotally mounted to said seatback frame at at least one pivot point, said coupling point disposed relative to said pivot point such that movement of said coupler toward said rearward side rotates said upper armature about said pivot point. 18. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein said lower armature includes at least one coupler having an upper member pivotally mounted to said upper armature and a lower member pivotally mounted to said seatback frame, said upper member pivotally mounted to said lower member. 19. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein said lower armature includes at least one coupler, and wherein said upper armature includes a crossbar and at least one linkage, said linkage rigidly mounted to said crossbar, pivotally mounted to said coupler, and pivotally mounted to said seatback frame. 20. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 19, further including at least one biasing member operatively mounted to said linkage and said seatback frame, said biasing member operative to bias said head restraint toward an upright position. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates, generally, to a vehicle seat, and more specifically to a vehicle seat having an active head restraint system. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventional vehicle seat designs of the type commonly found in the related art typically include a seatback assembly, a lower seat assembly, recliner mechanism, manual or power adjustment mechanism for adjusting a number of positions of either the seatback or lower seat assemblies, as well as a number of safety features including occupant restraint devices such as seatbelts. The seatback assembly also includes a headrest or head restraint that is typically mounted at the top or upper end of the seatback. In the context of vehicle seating design, there is an ongoing effort to improve the safety of the vehicle occupant in the event of a rear end collision. More specifically, there continues to be an ongoing effort to provide safety mechanisms that reduce the chance of injury in the region of the passengers' neck. In the event of a rear end collision, the occupant is forced against the seat and can experience a large energy pulse. In such circumstances, the pelvis, lumbar, and shoulder or thoracic areas of the occupant can exert force on the seatback, and there is often a separation between the neck and head areas of the occupant and the head restraint. Depending on the force of the rear end collision, this separation can be quickly and violently closed by movement of the upper torso, neck, and head of the passenger toward the seatback in an event commonly known as “whiplash.” Thus, there has been an ongoing effort to address this problem in the context of vehicle seating safety. In the past, the head restraint was a relatively static device that was typically moveable up and down or slightly tiltable, but usually in connection with adjustments made for the comfort of any given occupant of the seat during normal driving conditions. However, in order to address the problems encountered during a rear end collision, dynamic or active head restraint mechanisms have been proposed in the related art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,279 issued to Schubring et al. and assigned to the assignee of the present invention discloses a dynamic vehicle head restraint assembly that is designed to reduce the amount of separation between the occupant and the head restraint in the event of a rear end collision. The head restraint assembly includes an impact or target plate that is supported by the seatback frame in the general area corresponding to the thoracic or shoulder region of the occupant. The impact plate is pivotally mounted to a linkage that is connected to the head restraint. In the event of a rear end collision, the force of the occupant on the target plate actuates the linkage to cause the head restraint to move toward the head of the occupant, thereby reducing the amount of separation between the occupant and the seatback. While the dynamic head restraint systems of the type known in the related art were an improvement over the previously known static head restraints, there remains a need in the art to better absorb and dissipate the energy generated by the force acting on the seatback in the event of a rear end collision, especially at the pelvic and lumbar areas, which are generally remote from the head restraint. U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,150, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a vehicle seat having an active head restraint that is designed to address this problem. More specifically, the seat has a pivotal support assembly that is mounted to the seatback frame and is operatively connected to the head restraint such that the head restraint moves toward the occupant in the event of a rear end collision. The pivotal support assembly includes a lower impact target that is located in the pelvic and lumbar regions to dissipate the forces that are first translated to the seatback in this area. The lower target is operatively connected to a reaction plate that is pivotally mounted to the seatback. In turn, the head restraint is mounted to the reaction plate. While the dynamic head restraint systems known in the related art have generally worked for their intended purposes and have improved safety, there remains a need in the art for a vehicle seat assembly that more efficiently and more quickly transfers forces from the occupant to the head restraint system for more effective actuation of the head restraint toward the occupant during a collision. There also remains a need in the art for a vehicle seat assembly with an active head restraint system that is less expensive, lighter, and easier to assemble. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The disadvantages of the related art are overcome in a vehicle seat assembly that includes a seatback frame and an active head restraint system operatively supported by the seatback frame. The active head restraint system includes an upper armature moveably mounted to the seatback frame and a head restraint mounted to the upper armature. The active head restraint system also includes a lower armature operatively attached to the upper armature. The lower armature is operable to move toward the upper armature in response to a predetermined force applied to the lower armature and act on the upper armature to move the head restraint toward the occupant. In this way, the vehicle seat assembly of the present invention provides an active head restraint system that is more responsive to forces that are imparted to the seatback by the occupant. The vehicle seat assembly more efficiently and more quickly transfers forces from the occupant to the head restraint for more effective actuation of the head restraint toward the occupant, thereby better supporting the occupant during a rear end collision. Finally, the vehicle seat assembly of the present invention addresses these specific problems in a system that is relatively efficient, lightweight, robust, and cost effective. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is an elevational side view of a vehicle seat assembly of the present invention illustrated in relation to a schematically shown occupant of the vehicle seat assembly; FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the vehicle seat assembly of the present invention with an active head restraint system; FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the vehicle seat assembly shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the upper end of the vehicle seat assembly shown in FIG. 2; and FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the lower end of the vehicle seat assembly shown in FIG. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) Referring now to the drawings, where like numerals are used to designate like structure throughout the Figures, a vehicle seat assembly of the present invention is generally indicated at 10 in FIG. 1. The vehicle seat assembly 10 includes a seatback, generally indicated at 12, and a lower seat assembly, generally indicated at 14, that is supported on a seat track mechanism 16, as is commonly known in the art. The seatback 12 may be pivotally connected to the lower seat assembly 14 by means of a bracket 18 via pivot point 20 that forms a part of the seat track mechanism 16. In this way, the vehicle seat assembly 10 may be adapted to recline or adjust in a number of ways that are commonly known in the art. In addition to these common elements, the seat assembly 10 of the present invention may include various controls and restraint systems, such as seatbelts, etc. that are not shown, but that are well known in the art. An occupant, generally indicated at 24, is shown in phantom seated upon the vehicle seat assembly 10. The occupant 24 has a pelvic area 26, which is proximate to both the lower seat assembly 14 and to the lower end of the seatback 12. The occupant 24 also has a lumbar area 28 supported above the pelvic area 26, and a shoulder or thoracic area 30 supported above the lumbar area 28. Furthermore, the occupant 24 has a head and neck area 32 supported above the thoracic area 30. The vehicle seat assembly 10 also includes an active head restraint system, generally indicated at 34, operatively supported by the seatback 12. The active head restraint system 34 includes a head restraint 36 proximate to the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24. The head restraint 36 can be positioned in an upright position (shown in solid in FIG. 1) and can be positioned in an operative position (shown in phantom in FIG. 1), wherein the head restraint 36 is pivoted forward and upward, toward the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24. In the event of a rear end collision, the forces that are generated can cause the occupant 24 to be driven generally rearward toward the seatback 12. As will be described in greater detail below, forces from the occupant 24 on the seatback 12 are transferred through the active head restraint system 34 to ultimately move the head restraint 36 from the upright position to the operative position toward the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24. This movement of the head restraint 36 better supports the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24 during the rear end collision, reducing the likelihood of a whiplash injury. Referring to FIGS. 2 through 5, the seatback 12 of the vehicle seat assembly 10 is shown in more detail. The vehicle seat assembly 10 includes a seatback frame, generally indicated at 38. The seatback frame 38 includes a pair of side frame members 40 that are disposed in a generally vertical orientation and are spaced horizontally relative to one another. The seatback frame 38 also includes upper and lower cross members 42, 44, respectively, that extend horizontally between the pair of side frame members 40. As such, the seatback frame 38 defines a forward side 46 and a rearward side 48 of the seatback 12. The seatback frame 38 may have a “unibody” construction wherein the side frame members 40 as well as the upper and lower cross member 42, 44 are integrally formed. In addition, the seatback frame 38 may be assembled from separate components making up the side frame members 40 and upper and lower cross members 42, 44 that are then welded or otherwise permanently fixed to each other. Thus, and from the description that follows, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a number of different means of operatively interconnecting the components of the seatback frame 38 may be employed without departing from the scope of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 2 through 5, the active head restraint system 34 generally includes an upper armature, generally indicated at 50, and a lower armature, generally indicated at 52. The upper armature 50 is moveably mounted to the seatback frame 38 so as to be disposed proximate the upper cross member 42 of the seatback frame 38. The head restraint 36 is mounted to the upper armature 50 so as to be disposed proximate to the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24. Also, the lower armature 52 is disposed below and is operatively attached to the upper armature 50 so as to be disposed proximate to the pelvic, lumbar, and thoracic areas 26, 28, 30 of the occupant 24. As will be described in greater detail below, the lower armature 52 is operable to move toward and act upon the upper armature 50 in response to a predetermined force applied to the lower armature 52 to move the head restraint 36 toward the occupant 24. The lower armature 52 is also operable to move toward the rearward side 48 of the seatback 12 in response to a predetermined force applied to the lower armature 52 and act upon the upper armature 50 to move the head restraint 36 toward the occupant 24. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower armature 52 includes a pelvic support mechanism 54 disposed proximate to the pelvic area 26 of the occupant 24, a lumbar support mechanism 56 disposed proximate to the lumbar area 28 of the occupant 24, and a thoracic support mechanism 58 disposed proximate to the thoracic area 30 of the occupant 24. In the event of a rear end collision, the occupant 24 will exert forces on the lower armature 52. If these forces exceed a predetermined level, the lower armature 52 transfers the forces to pivot the upper armature 50, thereby moving the head restraint 36 toward the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24. Specifically, forces from the pelvic area 26 of the occupant 24 transfer to the pelvic support mechanism 54, forces from the lumbar area 28 of the occupant 24 transfer to the lumbar support mechanism 56, and forces from the thoracic area 30 of the occupant 24 transfer to the thoracic support mechanism 58. As will be described in greater detail below, the pelvic, lumbar, and thoracic support mechanisms 54, 56, 58 cooperatively transfer the forces to pivot the upper armature 50, thereby moving the head restraint 36 toward the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24. As such, the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24 is better supported during a rear end collision. One embodiment of the upper armature 50 is illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 4. The upper armature 50 includes a cross bar 60 and a plurality of posts 62. The cross bar 60 is disposed horizontally, and the posts 62 are spaced on the cross bar 60 and extend vertically therefrom. The head restraint 36 is mounted to an upper end of each post 62 such that movement of the cross bar 60 coincidentally moves the posts 62 and head restraint 36. The head restraint 36 can be rigidly mounted to the upper end of the posts 62 or the head restraint 36 could be moveably mounted to the posts 62 in a known manner to allow the head restraint to be tilted, raised, and/or lowered relative to the posts 62 without departing from the scope of the invention. The upper armature 50 also includes at least one, and preferably, a plurality of linkages 64 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. In the embodiment shown, there are linkages 64 rigidly mounted to opposite ends of the cross bar 60. The linkages 64 can be rigidly mounted to the cross bar 60 in any suitable manner, such as welds, fasteners, or the like. Each linkage 64 is also pivotally mounted to the seatback frame 38 at pivot point 65. For instance, in the embodiment shown, the seatback frame 38 includes a plurality of L-shaped brackets 66, each rigidly mounted to one of the side frame members 40, and each linkage 64 is pivotally connected to one of the L-shaped brackets 66. The linkages 64 can be attached to the L-shaped brackets 66 by fasteners, bearings, or the like. Each of the linkages 64 is also attached to the lower armature 52 in a manner to be described, and this attachment allows forces from the lower armature 52 to transfer to the upper armature 50, thereby moving the head restraint 36 toward the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24. The vehicle seat assembly 10 further includes at least one, and preferably, a plurality of biasing members 68 (FIGS. 2 and 4). Each biasing member 68 is operatively mounted to one of the linkages 64 and the seatback frame 38. The biasing member 68 is a coiled extension spring in the embodiment shown, but the biasing member 68 could be any other suitable member, such as a torsion spring, without departing from the scope of the invention. In the embodiment shown, each linkage 64 includes an L-shaped bracket 70. One end of each biasing member 68 is mounted to the bracket 70 through the aperture 72. The opposite end of each biasing member 68 is mounted to the side frame member 40. The biasing members 68 bias the upper armature 50 toward the upright position. Thus, the biasing members 68 provide resistance for the upper armature 50 from pivoting relative to the seatback frame 38. As will be described in greater detail below, when the lower armature 52 causes the head restraint 36 to move from the upright position to the operative position toward the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24, the biasing members 68 return the head restraint 36 back to the upright position. Referring specifically to FIGS. 2 and 3, one embodiment of the lower armature 52 is shown. The lower armature 52 includes an impact body, generally indicated at 74. The impact body 74 is generally planar, but can be of any suitable shape without departing from the scope of the invention. The impact body 74 is disposed toward the forward side 46 of the seatback 12 and is oriented generally vertical. The impact body 74 can be made out of any suitable material, and in one preferred embodiment, the impact body 74 is made out of a flexible material such that the impact body 74 is comfortable for the occupant 24 to sit against. In the embodiment shown, the impact body 74 includes an upper end 76 disposed proximate to the lumbar area 28 and a lower end 78 disposed proximate to the pelvic area 26 of the occupant 24. The impact body 74 is moveable in relation to the seatback frame 38. As will be described in greater detail below, force from the occupant 24 generated during a rear end collision is transferred to the upper armature 50 via the impact body 74. As stated above, the lower armature 52 includes a lumbar support mechanism 56 that acts to transfer force from the lumbar area 28 of the occupant 24 to the upper armature 50. In the embodiment shown, the lumbar support mechanism 56 includes a linkage 80, shown in FIG. 3. The linkage 80 is operatively mounted to the impact body 74 such that force from the occupant 24 transfers into the linkage 80. To this end, the lumbar support mechanism 56 further includes a mounting bracket, generally indicated at 82 in FIG. 3. The mounting bracket 82 is operatively mounted to the impact body 74, and the linkage 80 is operatively mounted to the mounting bracket 82. More specifically, the linkage 80 is a bent, rigid rod that is disposed behind the impact body 74. The mounting bracket 82 is a bent, elongate sheet that is disposed between the linkage 80 and the impact body 74. The linkage 80 defines a middle section 84, which is straight and extends generally perpendicular to each of the side frame members 40, and two end sections 86, each of which extend from the middle section 84 toward the forward side 46 of the vehicle seat assembly 10. The mounting bracket 82 defines a middle section 88, which is straight and extends generally perpendicular to each of the side frame members 40, and two end sections 90, each of which are generally U-shaped. The mounting bracket 82 also includes a plurality of attachment members 92, each of which extend from the respective end section 90 and wrap around the middle section 84 of the linkage 80 as shown in FIG. 3. Preferably, the attachment members 92 pivotally mount the linkage 80 to the mounting bracket 82. Furthermore, the mounting bracket 82 is operatively mounted to the impact body 74 in a manner to be described such that forces from the occupant 24 transfer through the impact body 74, through the mounting bracket 82, through the linkage 80, and to the upper armature 50, thereby moving the head restraint 36 toward the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24. In one embodiment, the mounting bracket 82 can also be used for mounting other components within the vehicle seat assembly 10. In the embodiment shown, the vehicle seat assembly 10 includes a plurality of motors 94 (shown in phantom) that are mounted to the mounting bracket 82. The motors 94 are operable to adjust the height and curvature of the impact body 74 for increased comfort of the vehicle seat assembly 10. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, however, that the impact body 74 could be nonadjustable suspension system without departing from the scope of the invention. Also, as mentioned above, the lower armature 52 includes a thoracic support mechanism 58 for transferring force from the thoracic area 30 of the occupant 24 to the upper armature 50. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the thoracic support mechanism 58 includes a crossbar, generally indicated at 96. The crossbar 96 extends horizontally between the side frame members 40, and the crossbar 96 defines a middle section 98 and two end sections 100. The middle section 98 of the crossbar 96 is disposed proximate to the rearward side 48 of the seatback 12, and the end sections 100 extend from the middle section 98 toward the forward side 46 of the vehicle seat assembly 10 proximate to the side frame members 40. The crossbar 96 can be made from an elongate plate. In the embodiment shown, the thoracic support mechanism 58 also includes at least one, and preferably, a plurality of enlarged portions 102. Each of the enlarged portions 102 are generally flat and rectangular and are mounted on one of the end sections 100 of the crossbar 96 by welding or other suitable method. Forces from the occupant 24, especially from the thoracic area 30 of the occupant 24, transfer to the crossbar 96 and to the upper armature 50 in a manner to be described in greater detail below. The enlarged portions 102 have an increased surface area so as to provide a larger impact area, especially near the shoulders of the occupant 24. The lower armature 52 also includes at least one, and preferably, a plurality of couplers, generally indicated at 104 in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. Each of the couplers 104 is operatively mounted to the upper armature 50. At least one of the couplers 104 interconnects the lumbar support mechanism 56 and the upper armature 50 so as to transfer force from the lumbar support mechanism 56 to the upper armature 50. Likewise, at least one of the couplers 104 interconnects the thoracic support mechanism 58 and the upper armature 50 so as to transfer force from the thoracic support mechanism 58 to the upper armature 50. In the embodiment shown, the couplers 104 are common to both the lumbar and thoracic support mechanisms 56, 58 such that the same couplers 104 interconnect both the lumbar and thoracic support mechanisms 56, 58 to the upper armature 50. However, those having ordinary skill the art will appreciate that a coupler 104 could connect the lumbar support mechanism 56 to the upper armature 50, and a separate coupler 104 could connect the lumbar support mechanism 56 to the upper armature 50 without departing from the scope of the invention. As will be described in greater detail below, the couplers 104 are operable to move toward the rearward side 48 of the seatback 12 in response to a predetermined force applied to the impact body 74 and/or the crossbar 96, and in so doing, the couplers 104 act on the upper armature 50 to move the head restraint 36 toward the occupant 24. In the embodiment shown, the couplers 104 are each disposed adjacent and are generally parallel to respective side frame members 40. The couplers 104 each include an upper member 106 and a lower member 108, and each is flat and elongate. The lower member 108 is pivotally mounted to the side frame member 40 at pivot point 110 (FIG. 2). The upper member 106 is pivotally mounted to the lower member 108 at pivot point 112 (FIG. 2). The upper member 106 is pivotally mounted to the linkage 64 of the upper armature 50 at coupling point 114 as shown in FIG. 4. The pivoting movement of pivot points 110, 112 and coupling points 114 is achieved via fasteners, bearings, or other suitable means. Each end of the crossbar 96 and each enlarged portion 102 of the thoracic support mechanism 58 are attached via welds or other suitable means to one of the upper members 106 of the respective coupler 104. Likewise, the end sections 90 of the linkage 80 of the lumbar support mechanism 56 are mounted within corresponding apertures 116 in the upper members 106 of the respective coupler 104 as shown in FIG. 3. As such, forces transfer from the lumbar and thoracic support mechanisms 56, 58 to actuate the couplers 104, thereby pivoting the upper armature 50 as will be described in greater detail below. As mentioned above, the lower armature 52 includes a pelvic support mechanism 54 for transferring force from the pelvic area 26 of the occupant 24 to the upper armature 50. In the embodiment shown, the pelvic support mechanism 54 includes at least one transfer rod, generally indicated at 118 in FIGS. 2 through 5. The transfer rod 118 includes a lower cross bar 120 and at least one, and preferably, a plurality of linking rods 122. The lower cross bar 120 is disposed horizontally and extends between the two side frame members 40, and the linking rods 122 are mounted to the cross bar 120 by welding or other suitable manner and extend vertically therefrom toward the upper armature 50. The linking rods 122 are spaced horizontally away from each other. As shown in FIG. 3, the mounting bracket 82 includes a plurality of mounting members 123, which extend from the middle section 84 of the mounting bracket 32 and wrap around one of the linking rods 122 for fixed attachment. The transfer rod 118 is also operatively mounted to the impact body 74. For instance, in the embodiment shown, the impact body 74 includes a plurality of apertures 124 through which the linking rods 122 of the transfer rod 118 extend. One set of apertures 124 is disposed on the lower end 78 of the impact body 74 as shown in FIG. 5, and another set of apertures 124 is disposed on the upper end 76 of the impact body 74 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Each linking rod 122 extends through one aperture 124 of each set of apertures 124. The transfer rod 118 is also operatively mounted to the upper armature 50. More specifically, in the embodiment shown, the upper armature 50 includes a plurality of tabs 126. The tabs 126 are mounted to the crossbar 60 of the upper armature 50 and extend toward the forward side 46 of the vehicle seat assembly. The tabs 126 each include an aperture 128, and the linking rods 122 each extend through one of the apertures 128. In the embodiment shown, the tabs 126 include a bushing 129 such that the linking rods 122 can more easily move within the apertures 128. Also, each of the linking rods 122 includes a bend 130 included proximate and below the corresponding tab 126 as shown in FIG. 4. The bend 130 abuts against the corresponding tab 126 as the transfer rod 118 moves upward. As will be described, the transfer rod 118 is operable to move toward and act upon the upper armature 50 in response to a predetermined force applied to the impact body 74 to move the head restraint 36 toward the occupant 24. The vehicle seat assembly 10 further includes at least one, and preferably, a plurality of ramps 132 as shown in FIG. 5. Each ramp 132 is mounted to the lower cross member 44 of the seatback frame 38, behind the lower end 78 of the impact body 74. Each ramp 132 also includes at least one cam surface 134 extending generally upward toward the upper armature 50. In the embodiment shown, each ramp 132 includes a first cam surface 134a that is in communication with a second cam surface 134b. The first cam surface 134a is disposed nearer the lower cross member 44 in comparison with the second cam surface 134b. The first cam surface 134a, extends from the forward side 46 and toward the rearward side 48 of the seatback 12 and from the lower cross member 44 toward the upper armature 50, and the second cam surface 88b extends upward toward the upper armature 50 and is generally parallel to the side frame members 40. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the ramp 132 can include any number of cam surfaces oriented in any manner toward the upper armature 50 without departing from the scope of the invention. Both ends of the lower crossbar 120 of the transfer rod 118 are slidably supported within the ramp 132 on the cam surfaces 134a, 134b for guided upward and rearward movement thereon. As such, the lower crossbar 120 of the transfer rod 118 moves toward the upper armature 50 on said cam surfaces 134a, 134b in response to a predetermined force applied to the impact body 74. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the cam surfaces 134a, 134b are enclosed by the corresponding ramp 132 to retain the lower crossbar 120 within the ramps 132. The transfer rod 118 can include retainers (not shown), such as washers fixed to the lower crossbar 120, that abut against the ramps 132 to further retain the lower crossbar 120 therein. In operation of the pelvic support mechanism 54, a rear end collision causes the occupant 24 to apply a force to the impact body 74, and the impact body 74 coincidentally moves toward the rearward side 48 of the seatback 12. This movement causes the impact body 74 to abut against the transfer rod 118, especially at the lower end 78 of the impact body 74 where the linking rods 122 are mounted to the impact body 74. This abutment moves the lower crossbar 120 of the transfer rod 118 within the ramps 132 on the cam surfaces 134a, 134b for guided upward movement of the transfer rod 118 toward the upper armature 50. More specifically, the lower crossbar 120 initially moves upward and rearward on the first cam surface 134a, and if the impact is sufficient, the lower crossbar 120 subsequently moves upward on the second cam surface 134b. This movement causes the bends 130 of the linking rods 122 to abut against the tabs 126 of the upper armature 50, thereby pivoting the upper armature 50 and ultimately moving the head restraint 36 toward the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the ramps 132 and the impact body 74 could be disposed anywhere in the seatback 12 such that input forces from any area of the occupant 24, including the lumbar and thoracic areas 28, 30, could cause the lower armature 52 to move upward toward and act upon the upper armature 50 to thereby move the head restraint 36 to move toward the occupant 24. Movement of the impact body 74 also actuates the lumbar support mechanism 56. More specifically, movement of the impact body 74 moves the mounting bracket 82 and the linkage 80 toward the rearward side 48 of the seat back 12 thereby pulling the couplers 104 toward the rearward side 48 of the seatback 12. The couplers 104 in turn pull the linkages 64 of the upper armature 50 and cause the upper armature 50 to pivot about the pivot points 65, thereby pivoting the upper armature 50 and ultimately moving the head restraint 36 toward the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24. Additionally, force from the occupant 24 actuates the thoracic support mechanism 58. More specifically, force from the occupant 24 applied to the crossbar 96 and enlarged portions 102 causes movement of the coupler 104 toward the rearward side 48 of the seatback 12 thereby pivoting the upper armature 50 and ultimately moving the head restraint 36 toward the head and neck area of the occupant 24. The biasing members 68 return the upper support armature 50 to the upright position. The biasing members 68 also inhibit the upper armature 50 from unnecessarily moving when lower levels of force are applied from the occupant 24, such as when the occupant leans back in the vehicle seat assembly 10. Preferably, the stiffness of the biasing members 68 is adjusted such that only forces exceeding a predetermined level will cause the lower armature 52 to actuate the upper armature 50. The predetermined level of force is preferably selected based upon the forces involved in an average rear end collision. Each of the pelvic, lumbar, and thoracic support mechanisms 54, 56, 58 act cooperatively to pivot the upper armature 50, thereby causing the head restraint 36 to move toward the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24 for improved support of the head and neck area 32 of the occupant 24 during a rear end collision. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the kinematics of the vehicle seat assembly 10 allows the pelvic, lumbar, and thoracic support mechanisms 54, 56, 58 to operate cooperatively. For instance, the coupling points 114 are disposed relative to the pivot points 65, specifically below and rearward of the pivot points 65, such that generally rearward movement of the couplers 104 cause rotation of the upper armature 50. Likewise, the tabs 126 of the upper armature 50 are disposed forward of the crossbar 60 and rearward of the pivot points 65 such that generally upward movement of the transfer rod 118 causes rotation of the upper armature 50. Also, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the vehicle seat assembly 10 could include only one or two of the pelvic, lumbar, and thoracic support mechanisms 54, 56, 58 without departing from the scope of the invention. In summary, the vehicle seat assembly 10 of the present invention provides an active head restraint system 34 that is more responsive to forces that are imparted to the seatback 12 by the occupant 24. The vehicle seat assembly 10 more efficiently and more quickly transfers forces from the occupant 24 to the head restraint 36 for more effective actuation of the head restraint 36 toward the occupant 24, thereby better supporting the occupant 24 during a rear end collision. Finally, the vehicle seat assembly 10 of the present invention addresses these specific problems in a system that is relatively efficient, lightweight, robust, and cost effective. The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates, generally, to a vehicle seat, and more specifically to a vehicle seat having an active head restraint system. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventional vehicle seat designs of the type commonly found in the related art typically include a seatback assembly, a lower seat assembly, recliner mechanism, manual or power adjustment mechanism for adjusting a number of positions of either the seatback or lower seat assemblies, as well as a number of safety features including occupant restraint devices such as seatbelts. The seatback assembly also includes a headrest or head restraint that is typically mounted at the top or upper end of the seatback. In the context of vehicle seating design, there is an ongoing effort to improve the safety of the vehicle occupant in the event of a rear end collision. More specifically, there continues to be an ongoing effort to provide safety mechanisms that reduce the chance of injury in the region of the passengers' neck. In the event of a rear end collision, the occupant is forced against the seat and can experience a large energy pulse. In such circumstances, the pelvis, lumbar, and shoulder or thoracic areas of the occupant can exert force on the seatback, and there is often a separation between the neck and head areas of the occupant and the head restraint. Depending on the force of the rear end collision, this separation can be quickly and violently closed by movement of the upper torso, neck, and head of the passenger toward the seatback in an event commonly known as “whiplash.” Thus, there has been an ongoing effort to address this problem in the context of vehicle seating safety. In the past, the head restraint was a relatively static device that was typically moveable up and down or slightly tiltable, but usually in connection with adjustments made for the comfort of any given occupant of the seat during normal driving conditions. However, in order to address the problems encountered during a rear end collision, dynamic or active head restraint mechanisms have been proposed in the related art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,279 issued to Schubring et al. and assigned to the assignee of the present invention discloses a dynamic vehicle head restraint assembly that is designed to reduce the amount of separation between the occupant and the head restraint in the event of a rear end collision. The head restraint assembly includes an impact or target plate that is supported by the seatback frame in the general area corresponding to the thoracic or shoulder region of the occupant. The impact plate is pivotally mounted to a linkage that is connected to the head restraint. In the event of a rear end collision, the force of the occupant on the target plate actuates the linkage to cause the head restraint to move toward the head of the occupant, thereby reducing the amount of separation between the occupant and the seatback. While the dynamic head restraint systems of the type known in the related art were an improvement over the previously known static head restraints, there remains a need in the art to better absorb and dissipate the energy generated by the force acting on the seatback in the event of a rear end collision, especially at the pelvic and lumbar areas, which are generally remote from the head restraint. U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,150, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a vehicle seat having an active head restraint that is designed to address this problem. More specifically, the seat has a pivotal support assembly that is mounted to the seatback frame and is operatively connected to the head restraint such that the head restraint moves toward the occupant in the event of a rear end collision. The pivotal support assembly includes a lower impact target that is located in the pelvic and lumbar regions to dissipate the forces that are first translated to the seatback in this area. The lower target is operatively connected to a reaction plate that is pivotally mounted to the seatback. In turn, the head restraint is mounted to the reaction plate. While the dynamic head restraint systems known in the related art have generally worked for their intended purposes and have improved safety, there remains a need in the art for a vehicle seat assembly that more efficiently and more quickly transfers forces from the occupant to the head restraint system for more effective actuation of the head restraint toward the occupant during a collision. There also remains a need in the art for a vehicle seat assembly with an active head restraint system that is less expensive, lighter, and easier to assemble. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The disadvantages of the related art are overcome in a vehicle seat assembly that includes a seatback frame and an active head restraint system operatively supported by the seatback frame. The active head restraint system includes an upper armature moveably mounted to the seatback frame and a head restraint mounted to the upper armature. The active head restraint system also includes a lower armature operatively attached to the upper armature. The lower armature is operable to move toward the upper armature in response to a predetermined force applied to the lower armature and act on the upper armature to move the head restraint toward the occupant. In this way, the vehicle seat assembly of the present invention provides an active head restraint system that is more responsive to forces that are imparted to the seatback by the occupant. The vehicle seat assembly more efficiently and more quickly transfers forces from the occupant to the head restraint for more effective actuation of the head restraint toward the occupant, thereby better supporting the occupant during a rear end collision. Finally, the vehicle seat assembly of the present invention addresses these specific problems in a system that is relatively efficient, lightweight, robust, and cost effective. | 20040927 | 20100112 | 20060518 | 94666.0 | B60N242 | 2 | BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL | VEHICLE SEAT HAVING ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAINT SYSTEM | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | B60N | 2,004 |
|
10,950,897 | ACCEPTED | Sport monitoring systems | Methods and systems are disclosed for determining speed, power and/or impact (sporting characteristics) of persons involved in activity. Wireless signals may be generated indicative of the sporting characteristics for receipt and display on a watch worn by the user or on a remote display. Sensors may attach to the person or to a vehicle ridden by the person, to gauge activities such as jogging, hockey, biking, football and aerobics. | 1. A system for determining sporting characteristics associated with a person during activity, comprising at least one accelerometer and a processor contained within a water-tight housing and attached to the person or to a vehicle ridden by the person, the accelerometer generating signals indicative of movement by the person, the processor processing the signals to determine the sporting characteristics. 2. A system of claim 1, further comprising means for informing the person of the sporting characteristics, the means for informing and the housing comprising a watch worn by the person. 3. A system of claim 2, the sporting characteristics comprising power. 4. A system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transmitter mounted within the housing for generating wireless signals indicative of the sporting characteristics, and further comprising a watch worn by the person for receiving the wireless signals to display the sporting characteristics to the person. 5. A system of claim 1, the sporting characteristics comprising one or more of airtime, speed, power, distance traveled and drop distance corresponding to movements of the person during the activity. 6. A system of claim 1, the processor configured to determine the sporting characteristics as absorbed power experienced by the person during a time period of between about one-half second and eight hours. 7. A system of claim 1, the system being adapted for attachment to a sportsman involved in activity selected from the group of mountain biking, football, hockey, jogging and aerobics. 8. A system of claim 1, the processor being calibrated to determine sporting characteristics as a pedometer for the person as a jogger. 9. A system of claim 1, the housing comprising at least part of a helmet of a football player, the processor being configured to process the signals to determine sporting characteristics of impact of the helmet, and further comprising a wireless transmitter configured with the housing to generate wireless signals indicative of the impact to a remote location | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/234,660, filed Sep. 4, 2002, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/886,578, filed on Jun. 21, 2001 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,994) and entitled Systems and Methods for Determining Energy Experienced by a User and Associated with Activity, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/867,083, filed on Jun. 2, 1997 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,623) and entitled Sport Monitoring Apparatus for Determining Loft Time, Speed, Power Absorbed and Other Factors Such as Height, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/344,485 filed on Nov. 21, 1994 (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,146) and entitled Apparatus and Methods for Determining Loft Time and Speed, each of which are hereby incorporated by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally measurement and/or sporting characteristics of speed and impact of moving persons. Such measurements and sporting characteristics may be recorded and/or presented to such persons via a watch or other remote display. Sensors may attach to persons or to vehicles ridden by such persons in a range of activities, including jogging, biking, hockey, aerobics and football. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is well known that many skiers enjoy high speeds and jumping motions while traveling down the slope. High speeds refer to the greater and greater velocities which skiers attempt in navigating the slope successfully (and sometimes unsuccessfully). The jumping motions, on the other hand, include movements which loft the skier into the air. Generally, the greater the skier's speed, the higher the skier's loft into the air. The interest in high speed skiing is apparent simply by observing the velocity of skiers descending the mountain. The interest in the loft motion is less apparent; although it is known that certain enthusiastic skiers regularly exclaim “let's catch some air” and other assorted remarks when referring to the amount and altitude of the lofting motion. The sensations of speed and jumping are also readily achieved in other sporting activities, such as in mountain biking. Many mountain bikers, like the aforementioned skiers, also crave greater speeds and “air” time. However, persons in such sporting activities typically only have a qualitative sense as to speed and loft or “air” time. For example, a typical snowboarding person might regularly exclaim after a jump that she “caught” some “big sky,” “big air” or “phat air” without ever quantitatively knowing how much time really elapsed in the air. There are also other factors that persons sometimes assess qualitatively. For example, suppose a snowboarder goes down a double-diamond ski slope while a friend goes down a green, easy slope. When they both reach the bottom, the double-diamond snowboarder will have expended more energy than the other, generally, and will have worked up a sweat; while the green snowboarder will have had a relatively inactive ride down the slope. Currently, they cannot quantitatively compare how rough their journeys were relative to one another. It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide apparatus and methods for determining the “air” time of participants in sporting activities such as skiing and mountain biking. It is another object of the invention to provide apparatus and methods for determining the speed of participants in sporting activities such as skiing and mountain biking. It is yet another object of the invention to provide improvements to sporting devices which are ridden by sporting participants, and which provide a determination of speed and/or loft time of the device. Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus and methods for determining the amount of “power” or energy absorbed by a person during sporting activities. These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in the description which follows. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The following U.S. patents provide useful background for the Invention and are herein incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,445; U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,945; U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,714; U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,057; U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,725; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,085. The invention concerns the detection and display of loft, or “air” time and/or speed of vehicles such as sporting vehicles, including skis, bikes, and snowboards. The invention thus provides a visual and quantitative measure of how much “air” time and, in certain aspects, how fast a user moves in a particular activity. The invention provides, in one aspect, apparatus for determining the loft time of a moving vehicle off of a surface. A loft sensor senses a first condition that is indicative of the vehicle leaving the surface, and further senses a second condition indicative of the vehicle returning to the surface. A microprocessor subsystem, e.g., a microcontroller, determines a loft time that is based upon the first and second conditions, and the loft time is thereafter displayed to a user of the apparatus by a display, e.g., a LCD or LED display. Preferably, a power module such as a battery is included in the apparatus to power the several components. In addition, a housing preferably connects and protects the microprocessor subsystem and the user interface; and further such that the housing is attachable to the vehicle. According to another aspect, the invention includes memory for storing information representative of at least one of the following: (i) the first and second conditions, (ii) the loft time, (iii) a speed of the vehicle, (iv) successive records of loft time, (v) an average loft time, (vi) a total loft time, (vii) a dead time, (viii) a real activity time, and (ix) a numerical ranking of successive records. One preferred aspect of the invention includes a speed sensor, connected to the microprocessor subsystem, which senses a third condition that is indicative of a velocity of the vehicle. In this aspect, the microprocessor subsystem includes means for converting the third condition to information representative of a speed of the vehicle. Accordingly, the apparatus provides a user with both loft time, e.g., “air” time, and a speed of the vehicle. In yet another aspect, the display of the invention can display selective information, including one or more of the following: the loft time; a speed of the vehicle; a peak loft time; an average loft time; a total loft time; a dead time; a real activity time; an average speed; an indication that loft time is being displayed; an indication that speed is being displayed; an indication that dead time is being displayed; an indication that real activity time is being displayed; successive records of loft information; successive records of speed information; a distance traveled by the vehicle; a height achieved by the vehicle off of the surface; and an indication of a number of a successive record relative to all successive records. In still another aspect, the invention includes a user interface for providing external inputs to the apparatus, including one or more of the following: a start/stop button for selectively starting and stopping the acquisition of data by the apparatus; a display-operate button for activating the display means selectively; a speed/loft toggle button for alternatively commanding a display of loft time information and speed information of the vehicle; means for commanding a display of successive records of loft time information selectively; means for commanding a display of successive records of speed information selectively; means for commanding a display of information corresponding to average loft time; means for commanding a display of information corresponding to average speed; means for commanding a display of total loft time; means for commanding a display of dead time; means for commanding a display of distance traveled by the vehicle; means for commanding a display of height achieved by the vehicle off of the surface; and means for commanding a display of real activity time. Preferably, the microprocessor subsystem of the invention includes a dock element, e.g., a 24-hour clock, for providing information convertible to an elapsed time. Accordingly, the subsystem can perform various calculations, e.g., dead time, on the data acquired by the apparatus for display to a user. In another aspect, the loft sensor is constructed with one of the following technologies: (i) an accelerometer that senses a vibrational spectrum; (ii) a microphone assembly that senses a noise spectrum; (iii) a switch that is responsive to a weight of a user of the vehicle; (iv) a voltage-resistance sensor that generates a voltage indicative of a speed of the vehicle; and (v) a plurality of accelerometers connected for evaluating a speed of the vehicle. In a preferred aspect, the loft sensor of the invention senses a spectrum of information, e.g., a vibrational or sound spectrum, and the microprocessor subsystem determines the first and second conditions relative to a change in the spectrum of information. Further, the microprocessor subassembly interprets the change in the spectrum to determine the loft time. For example, one aspect of a loft sensor according to the invention includes one or more accelerometers that generate a vibrational spectrum of the vehicle. In such an aspect, the first and second conditions correspond to a change in the vibrational spectrum. By way of another example, one loft sensor of the invention includes a microphone subassembly that generates a noise spectrum of the vehicle; and, in this aspect, the first and second conditions correspond to a change in the detected noise spectrum. Because these spectrums are influenced by the particular activity of a user, e.g., standing in a ski line, a microprocessor subsystem of the invention preferably includes means for assessing boundary conditions of the spectrum and for excluding certain conditions from the determination of loft time. Accordingly, if a skier is in a lift line, such conditions are effectively ignored. One boundary condition, therefore, according to an aspect of the invention, includes an elapsed time between the first condition and the second condition that is less than approximately 500 ms; such that events that are within this boundary condition are excluded from the determination of loft time. One other boundary condition, in another aspect, includes an elapsed time between the first condition and the second condition that is greater than approximately five seconds; such that events that are outside this boundary condition are excluded from the determination of loft time. Because these boundary conditions are important in the aspects of the invention which utilize a spectrum of information, the apparatus preferably utilizes a user interface for providing selective external inputs to the microprocessor subsystem and for adjusting the boundary conditions selectively. In still another aspect of the invention, the microprocessor subassembly includes means for determining a pitch of the spectrum by determining a best-fit sine wave to a primary frequency of at least part of the spectrum and means for correlating the pitch to a vehicle speed. Accordingly, the invention can detect spectrum information and correlate that information to a speed of the vehicle. Typically, a higher pitch frequency corresponds to a higher vehicle speed and a lower pitch frequency corresponds to a lower vehicle speed. However, in another aspect, the selected pitch frequency can be calibrated relative to a selected vehicle and speed. The invention also provides, in another aspect, means for storing information including look-up tables with pitch-to-speed conversions for a plurality of vehicles. This is useful because different vehicles have different associated noise and/or sound spectrums associated with the vehicle. Accordingly, the invention in this aspect includes memory for storing the respective calibration information of the different vehicles (typically in a look-up table format) so that a user can utilize the invention on different vehicles and still determine speed accurately. Specifically, a particular pitch is associated with a particular speed for a particular vehicle; and that association is selectively made by the user. The vehicles which are preferably used, according to the invention, include (i) a snowboards, (ii) snow skis, (iii) water skis, (iv) skis for ski jumping, and (v) skis for ski flying. However, in certain aspects of the invention, a human vehicle can be used; although the processing power required to accurately process speed and/or loft information in this aspect is significantly increased. In several aspects of the invention, the microprocessor subassembly includes one or more of the following: means for selectively starting and stopping the acquisition of data by the apparatus; means for responding to an external request to activate the display means; means for responding to an external request to alternatively display the loft time and a speed of the vehicle; means for calculating a speed of the vehicle; means for responding to an external request to display successive records of loft time information; means for responding to an external request to display successive records of speed information; means for determining an average speed; means for determining a total loft time; means for determining a dead time; means for responding to an external request to display information corresponding to an average loft time; means for responding to an external request to display information corresponding to an average speed; means for responding to an external request to display a total loft time; means for responding to an external request to display a dead time; means for responding to an external request to display a distance traveled by the vehicle; means for responding to an external request to display a height achieved by the vehicle off of the surface; and means for responding to an external request to display a real activity time. The invention also provides certain improvements to sporting vehicles of the type ridden by a user on a surface (e.g., sporting vehicle such as (i) snowboards, (ii) snow skis, (iii) water skis, (iv) skis for ski jumping, and (v) skis for ski flying). The improvements include, in one aspect, a speed sensor having (i) a voltage-measuring circuit including a pair of conductors arranged to contact the surface so that the surface is part of the circuit, and (ii) an electromagnet for selectively generating a magnetic field on the circuit, wherein a voltage generated by the circuit is proportional to a speed of the vehicle. In such an aspect, the microprocessor subsystem determines a speed of the vehicle that is based upon the voltage, and that speed is displayed to a user. The invention also provides certain methodologies. For example, in one aspect, the invention provides a method for determining the loft time of a moving vehicle off of a surface, comprising the steps of: (1) sensing the vehicle leaving the surface at a first time; (2) sensing the vehicle returning to the surface at a second time; (3) determining a loft time from the first and second times, and (4) displaying the loft time to a user of the apparatus. In still anther aspect, the invention provides a method of measuring the amount of “power” a user absorbs during the day. A motion sensor, e.g., a microphone or accelerometer, attaches to the vehicle, preferably pointing perpendicular to the top of the vehicle (e.g., perpendicular to the top surface of the snowboard) so that a measure of acceleration or “force” jarring the user can be made. The data from the motion sensor is integrated over a selected time—e.g., over the time of the skiing day—so that an integrated measure of motion is acquired. By way of example, if the motion sensor is an accelerometer positioned with a sensitive axis arranged perpendicular to the top snowboard surface, then, through integration, an integrated measure of “power” is obtained. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that the measure can be converted to actual power or similar units—e.g., watts or joules or ergs or Newtons—though the actual unit is not as important as having a constant, calibrated measure of “power” for each user. That is, suppose two snowboarders have such motion sensors on their respective snowboards. If one person goes down a green slope and another down a double-diamond, then the integrated value out of the double-diamond snowboarder will be greater. The units are therefore set to a reasonably useful value, e.g., generic power “UNITS.” In one aspect, the power units are set such that a value of “100” indicates a typical snowboarder who skies eight hours per day and on maximum difficult terrain. At the same time, a snowboarder who rides nothing but green beginner slopes, all day, achieves something far less, e.g., a value of “1”. In this manner, average skiers on blue, intermediate slops will achieve intermediate values, e.g., “20” to “50”. Other scales and units are of course within the scope of the invention. The measure of power according to the invention thus provides significant usefulness in comparing how strenuous one user is to another. For example, suppose two users ski only blue, intermediate slopes with the exact same skill and aggressiveness except that one user chooses to sit in the bar for three hours having a couple of cocktails. At the end of an eight hour day—providing the power sensor is activated for the whole day—the skier who skied all eight hours will have a power measurement that is {fraction (8/5)} that of his cocktail-drinking companion. They can thereafter quantitatively talk about how easy or how difficult their ski day was. As for another example, suppose a third friend skis only double-diamond slopes and he takes four hours out to drink beer. At the end of the day, his power measure may still be greater than his friends depending upon how hard he skied during his active time. He could therefore boast—with quantitative power data to back him up—that he had more exercise than either of his friends even though he was drinking half the day. The measure of air time, according to the invention, can also be used in a negative sense. That is, speed skiers try to maintain contact with the ground as air time decreases their speed. By monitoring their air time with the invention, they are better able to assess their maneuvers through certain terrain so as to better maintain ground contact, thereby increasing their time. The measurement of air, speed and power, in accord with the invention, is preferably made via a sensor located on the vehicle, e.g., on the snowboard or ski on which the person rides. As such, it is difficult to see the sensor; so in one aspect the invention provides an RF transmitter in the sensor and a watch, with an RF receiver, located on the wrist of the person. The data—e.g., air, power and speed—is transmitted to the person for easy viewing on the watch. In still other aspects, a memory element in the watch provides for storing selected parameters such as successive records of speed, air and power, or the average “power” spent during the day. The invention is next described further in connection with preferred embodiments, and it will be apparent that various additions, subtractions, and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete understanding of the invention may be obtained by reference to the drawings, in which: FIG. 1 illustrates a system constructed according to the invention for determining loft and speed of a sporting vehicle carrying the system; FIGS. 2, 2A and 2B show illustrative uses for the system 10 shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 illustrates a user interface and display suitable for use in the system of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a representative vibrational spectrum, shown illustratively, for calculating “air” or loft time in accord with the invention; FIG. 5 shows a microphone-based loft sensor constructed according to the invention and which is suitable for use in the system of FIG. 1; FIG. 6 shows a switch-based loft sensor constructed according to the invention and which is suitable for use in the system of FIG. 1; FIG. 7 shows a capacitance-based loft sensor constructed according to the invention and which is suitable for use in the system of FIG. 1; FIG. 8 schematically illustrates electronics, constructed according to the invention, for converting a varying capacitance, e.g., the capacitance derived from the loft sensor of FIG. 7, to information suitable for calculating “air” time; FIG. 9 schematically illustrates alternative electronics, constructed according to the invention, for converting a varying capacitance, e.g., the capacitance derived from the loft sensor of FIG. 7, to information suitable for calculating “air” time; FIG. 10 schematically illustrates a microprocessor subsystem constructed according to the invention and which is suitable for use in the system of FIG. 1; FIG. 11 illustrates one exemplary pitch-detection process, in accordance with the invention, which is used to determine the speed of a vehicle; FIG. 12 illustrates a Doppler-based approach to sensing speed in accordance with the invention; FIG. 12A shows a laser-based Doppler speed sensor constructed according to the invention; FIG. 12B shows an ultrasonic-based Doppler speed sensor constructed according to the invention; FIG. 13 illustrates an accelerometer-based speed sensor constructed according to the invention and which is suitable for use as both the speed and loft sensors of FIG. 1; FIG. 14 schematically illustrates process methodology of converting a plurality of acceleration values to speed, in accord with the invention; FIG. 14A schematically illustrates a process methodology of calculating speed, direction, and vehicle height, in accord with the invention, by utilizing the accelerometer-based sensors of the invention; FIGS. 15 and 15A illustrate a pressure-based speed sensor constructed according to the invention; FIGS. 16 and 16A illustrate a magnetic/voltage-based speed sensor constructed according to the invention; FIG. 16B shows relative motions, magnetic field directions, and voltages associated with the sensor of FIGS. 16 and 16A; FIG. 17 illustrates an improvement to a snowboard in accord with the invention; FIG. 18 illustrates one use of the invention for detecting speed, “air,” and distance in the sport of ski flying (or ski jumping) in accord with the invention; FIGS. 19 and 19A show one embodiment of the invention for determining speed through charge cookies; and FIG. 19B shows a circuit for coupling with the apparatus of FIGS. 19 and 19A; FIGS. 20 and 20A show another embodiment of the invention for determining speed through magnetic cookies; FIGS. 21 and 21A show yet another embodiment of determining speed through optical windows, according to the invention; FIG. 22 shows a schematic view—not to scale—of a skier skiing down a mogul course and of system constructed according to the invention for monitoring two power meters to quantitatively measure mogul skiing performance relative to other skiers; FIG. 23 shows a power meter constructed according to the invention for measuring activity energy for various sportsmen; FIGS. 24-26 illustrate various, exemplary signals obtainable the power meter of FIG. 23; FIG. 27 shows a technique for measuring height, in accord with the invention, such as for a skier's height; FIGS. 28 and 29 show alternative “air” measuring techniques, according to the invention; FIG. 30 shows a ski-to-watch transmitting system, constructed according to the invention, for informing a skier of performance factors at a watch rather than on the ski; and FIG. 31 Illustrates one system of the invention for evaluating stress and shoes in accord with the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 illustrates a system 10 constructed according to the invention. A microprocessor subsystem 12 controls the system 10 and connects to a user interface 14, a display 16, speed sensor 18 and loft sensor 20. A power supply 22, e.g., a battery, provides power to the system 10 and connects to the components 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 via appropriate electrical interconnections (not shown). The microprocessor subsystem 12 includes memory 13 for storing data acquired by the system 10. The system 10 is incorporated into a relatively small housing, shown by the outline 24. The housing 24 is preferably arranged to protect the components 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 from the elements of nature—such as rain, snow, sand and dust, each of which is expected during the ordinary course of usage on a ski slope and/or mountain bike trail. In addition, the housing 24 is attachable to a vehicle, such as a ski or mountain bike, by means such as a glue or a mechanical mount, e.g., screws. Alternatively, the housing (and hence the system 10) is incorporated integrally with the vehicle, such as inside a ski, such that only the display 16 and user interface 14 are visible and accessible. Briefly, the invention shown in FIG. 1 operates as follows. The housing 24 is attached or mounted to a sporting device, such as a ski or mountain bike, such that a user of the ski or mountain bike can access the system 10. During motion of the ski or mountain bike, the speed sensor 18 sends velocity information (over communication line 11a) to the microprocessor subsystem 12; while the loft sensor 20 sends loft or “air” time information (over communication line 11b) to the microprocessor subsystem 12. The speed information and loft time information are processed by the microprocessor subsystem 12 to quantify actual speed, e.g., in miles per hour, and actual loft time, e.g., in seconds. The actual speed and loft time are thereafter stored in internal memory 13 until, at least, the speed and time data are accessed by a user of the system 10. Upon access through the user interface 14 (communicating with the microprocessor subsystem 12 via communication line 11c), a user of the system 10 can command the display of the speed and loft time data (sent across communication line 11d) on the display 16 in order to evaluate his or her performance in the sporting activity. In an alternative embodiment, the speed and loft information can be stored prior to processing by the microprocessor subsystem 12; and later post-processed for display on the display 16 when commanded by a user of the system 10. Such an embodiment may be useful to conserve energy and to perform calculations to quantify the speed and loft data in a “batch” mode, such as known to those skilled in the art. The system 10 of FIG. 1 preferably includes both of the speed sensor 18 and loft sensor 20; although it is not necessary for both sensors to be present in accord with the invention. Rather, in certain embodiments of the invention, only the loft sensor 20 is present within the system 10; and in certain other embodiments of the invention, only the speed sensor 18 is present within the system 10. Accordingly, in these embodiments, only the loft data or speed data, respectively, are available to a user of the system because the sensor which measures the information is absent. FIGS. 2, 2A and 2B show typical uses of the system 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. In particular, FIG. 2 shows the system 10 mounted onto a ski 26. As is normal, the ski 26 is mounted to a skier 28 (for illustrative purposes, the skier 28 is only partially illustrated), via a ski boot 30 and binding 30a, and generally descends down a ski slope 32 with a velocity 34. Accordingly, one use of the system 10 is to calculate the peak speed of the ski 26 (and hence the skier 28) over a selectable period of time, e.g., during the time of descent down the slope 32. Another use of the system 10 of FIG. 1 is to calculate the loft, or “air” time of the ski 26 (and hence the user 28) during the descent down the slope 32. Consider, for example, FIG. 2A, which illustrates the positions of the ski 26′ and skier 28′ during a lofting maneuver on the slope 32′. The ski 26′ and skier 28′ speed down the slope 32′ and launch into the air 36 at position “a,” and later land at position “b” in accord with the well-known Newtonian laws of physics. The system 10 calculates and stores the total “air” time that the ski 26′ (and hence the skier 28′) experience between the positions “a” and “b” so that the skier 28′ can access and assess the “air” time information. FIG. 2B illustrates the system 10 mounted onto a mountain bike 38. FIG. 2B also shows the mountain bike 38 in various positions during movement along a mountain bike race course 40 (for illustrative purposes, the bike 38 is shown without a rider). At one location “c” on the race course 40, the bike 38 hits a dirt mound 42 and catapults into the air 44. The bike 38 thereafter lands at location “d.” As above, the system 10 provides information to a rider of the bike 38 about the speed attained during the ride around the race course 40; as well as information about the “air” time between location “c” and “d.” User Interface and Display With further reference to FIG. 1, the display 16 can be one of any assortment of displays known to those skilled in the art. For example, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are referred because of their low power draw (for example, LCDs utilized in digital watches and portable computers are appropriate for use with the invention). Other suitable displays can include an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged to display numbers. FIG. 3 illustrates a user interface 50 and display 52 constructed according to the invention and which are suitable for use, respectively, as the interface 14 and display 16 of FIG. 1. Outline 54 illustrates the outline of a system constructed according to the invention, e.g., the housing outline 24 of the system 10 of FIG. 1. In order for a user of the system to access information within the system, user interface 50 includes control buttons. For example, with reference to FIG. 3, one embodiment of the user interface 50 includes a start/stop button 58, a display-operate button 60, and a speed/loft toggle button 62. These buttons operate as follows: A user presses the start/stop button 58 at the start of activity—such as at the start of skiing down a slope or biking down a trail—and presses the button 58 at the completion of activity to cease the acquisition of data (as described in more detail below). A user pressed the display-operate button 60 to activate the display 52 so that a user can view recorded information from the sporting activity on the display 52. Accordingly, the display 52 is normally OFF—and not drawing power from the associated power source (e.g., the power source 22 of FIG. 1)—and is turned ON only when a user activates the display-operate button 52. The ON and OFF display conditions are preferably obtained in one of two ways: in one embodiment of the invention, the display 52 automatically turns OFF after a preselected time through the control of the microprocessor subsystem 12 of FIG. 1; or, in an alternative embodiment, the display 52 remains activated until a user again presses the display-operate button 60. A user presses the speed/loft toggle button 62 to sequentially command the display, respectively, of information about speed and loft time. For example, if the display 52 currently displays speed information, a user can instead command the display of loft time information by pressing the speed/loft toggle button 62 once. If, on the other hand, the display 52 currently displays loft information, a user can instead command the display of speed information by pressing the speed/loft toggle button 62 once. Preferably, one portion 64 of the display denotes whether speed or loft information is being displayed. For example, as illustrated, a “L” letter denotes that loft information is being displayed. An “S” letter likewise denotes that speed information is being displayed. For illustrative purposes, the “air” time is also displayed in FIG. 3 as 2.46 seconds, which represents the “air” time of a typical ski jump. It is important to note that one embodiment of the invention does not include the speed/loft toggle button 62 because, as noted earlier, certain embodiments of the invention do not include both the speed sensor and loft sensor. In such an embodiment, it is unnecessary to include a toggle button 62. The display 52 of FIG. 3 also shows another feature of the invention, namely that a system constructed according to the invention preferably calculates and stores successive records relating to speed and loft information relative to a user's activity. For example, a skier may catch “air” time more than once during a given activity; and the system of the invention can store successive loft times for access by the user. Most often, the peak “air” time is displayed, by default. However, certain users wish to evaluate successive loft time information and, accordingly, the system 10 of FIG. 1 preferably determines and stores the successive information (described in greater detail below). A user can access the successive loft time information by toggling a combination of the buttons 58-62, such as known to those skilled in the art (e.g., a combination of holding one button down while pressing another button); or by including yet another button 66 on the user interface 50. A display portion 68 of the display 52 shows a number corresponding to the sequential information on display. For example, the illustrated “1“number means that the highest “air” time record is currently being displayed; while a number greater than one means that a loft time other than the highest loft time is being displayed. In addition, the highest number displayed within the portion 68 refers to the total number of “air” times for the selected activity period (thus for example a user can determine the total number of jumps achieved for a given day). In still another embodiment of the invention, successive speed information can be displayed much the way successive “air” time information is stored and displayed, described above. To view the speed information, the speed/loft toggle button 62 is pressed once to display “S” in the display portion 64, and a user can toggle button 66 to view the successive speed records as denoted by the number in display portion 68. However, this information is not deemed very useful except under a very few circumstances—since a user generally moves with some velocity during a given activity—and thus, generally, the peak speed achieved during a given activity is normally displayed on the display 52 when commanded by the speed/loft toggle button 62. In an alternative embodiment, a button 67 is used to alter the modes of the system so that other information such as average “air” time may be calculated and displayed by the invention. For example, FIG. 3 illustrates a display portion 69 that shows a letter “A,” corresponding to information relating to averages. Thus, for a particular sporting activity, a user can press button 69 to display “air” time as a running average of all the successive “air” times (in such an embodiment, the display portion 68 is preferably OFF because the information displayed in portion 68 refers to successive peak information). To access the peak “air” time information, the button 67 is pressed once again, causing the microprocessor subsystem 12 to change the display information from integrated average values to peak values (accordingly, the display portion 69 preferably shows a “P” to identify to the user that peak information is being displayed; and the display portion 68 is preferably ON in this “peak” mode to denote which successive record is being displayed). To access integrated information—e.g., the total “air” time for a given day—the button 67 is pressed once again, causing the microprocessor subsystem 12 to show the integrated “air” or speed information (depending on the toggle of the speed/loft toggle button 62). Integrated values are preferably displayed by indicating to the user a “T” (for total) in the display portion 69. It should be clear to those skilled in the art that other buttons and/or combinations of buttons can be incorporated within the user interface 50 within the scope of the invention. The microprocessor subsystem 12 of FIG. 1 stores much information during the sporting activity and which can be converted to different forms, e.g., averages, peaks, and totals. In accord with the invention, different buttons and combinations of buttons can be used to access all of the available information. In addition, other information can be denoted, for example, within the display portion 69 to identify the different types of information available within the system. For example, yet another form of information which may be of interest to sporting persons is the “dead” time, i.e., the time that the person is not skiing or biking during the day. For example, a person who hangs out in the bar during part of the afternoon will not have a high efficiency factor for actual ski time as compared to the available ski time. This efficiency information is available in accord with the invention because the microprocessor subsystem 12 of FIG. 1 preferably includes a dock element (readily known to those skilled in the art) for indicating processed time over a selectable period (the microprocessor subsystem 12 can in fact include a 24-hour clock element, much the way a digital wrist-watch includes 24-hour information). Accordingly, a user can start the system 10 of FIG. 1 at the beginning of the day by pressing the start/stop button 58, and stop the collection of data at the end of the day by again pressing the start/stop button 58. The microprocessor subsystem 12 keeps track of the elapsed time between the start and stop of the system (i.e., the selectable time period), thereby providing means for determining the user's “dead” time for the day. That is, the microprocessor subsystem 12 calculates “dead” time by intelligently calculating the total time lapse within which a vibrational noise spectrum (described in more detail below in connection with FIG. 4) is present within the selectable time period; and dividing that total time lapse by the selectable time period to obtain a ratio of the real activity time versus the user's dead time (for example, a ratio of 80% means that the sporting person skied for 80% of the day). Dead time information is thereafter easily determined by subtracting 80% from 100%, to get 20% dead time. The dead time information is shown, for example, by toggling the button 67 to a dead time mode, denoted as “D,” in the display portion 69, and displaying the dead time as a percentage in the display 52. Alternatively, the real activity time is displayed as a percentage in the display 52 by toggling the button 69 until “R” shows up in the display portion 69. Loft Sensor With further reference to FIG. 1, the loft sensor 20 may be constructed by several known components. Preferably, the sensor 20 is either an accelerometer or a microphone assembly. Alternatively, the sensor 20 may be constructed as a mechanical switch that detects the presence and absence of weight onto the switch. Each of these alternatives is described below. Loft Sensor: Accelerometer Embodiment An accelerometer, well known to those skilled in the art, detects acceleration and provides a voltage output that is proportional to the detected acceleration. Accordingly, the accelerometer senses vibration—particularly the vibration of a vehicle such as a ski or mountain bike—moving along a surface, e.g., a ski slope or mountain bike trail. This voltage output provides an acceleration spectrum over time; and information about loft time can be ascertained by performing calculations on that spectrum. Specifically, the microprocessor subsystem 12 of FIG. 1 stores the spectrum into memory 13 and processes the spectrum information to determine “air” time. FIG. 4 illustrates a graph 70 of a representative vibrational spectrum 72 that is stored into the microprocessor subsystem 12 (FIG. 1). The vertical axis 74 of the graph 70 represents voltage; while the horizontal axis 76 represents time. At the beginning of activity 77—such as when a user of a system constructed according to the invention presses the start/stop button 58 (see FIG. 3)—the loft sensor 20 of FIG. 1 begins acquiring data and transferring that data to the microprocessor subsystem 12 via communication lines 11b. This data appears highly erratic and random, corresponding to the randomness of the surface underneath the vehicle (e.g., ski or vehicle). At time “t1,” the user of the system lofts into the air, such as illustrated as location “a” in FIG. 2A and as location “c” in FIG. 2B; and lands some time later at time “t2,“such as illustrated as location “b” in FIG. 2A and as location “d” in FIG. 2B. The vibrational spectrum between t1 and t2 is comparatively smooth as compared to the spectrum outside this region because the user's sporting vehicle (e.g., the ski or mountain bike) is in the air and is not therefore subjected to the random vibrations of the road or ski slope. Accordingly, this relatively smooth spectrum between t1 and t2 can be readily discerned from the rest of the spectrum by the microprocessor subsystem 12 and evaluated for “air” time: specifically, “air” time is t2-t1. FIG. 4 also shows that the spectrum stops at the end 78 of the sporting activity, such as when the user of the system again presses the start/stop button 58, FIG. 3. In one embodiment of the invention, a user can simply start the system 10 of FIG. 1 at the beginning of the day, by toggling the start/stop button 58, and stop the system 10 at the end of the day, by again toggling the start/stop button 58. The issue here, however, is that there may be apparent “air” times between the starting and stopping of the system which is not, in fact, the “air” time of interest. For example, standing in line at a ski lift represents a period within which the spectrum 72 appears smooth, and might be mistaken for “air” time. Accordingly, the microprocessor subsystem 12 of the invention preferably includes process boundary conditions within which “air” time will be excluded. For example, one practical boundary condition is: if the spectrum between any given “t1” and “t2“time (FIG. 4) is greater than five seconds, then exclude that time from memory as actual “air” time. Thus, each time the skier stands in line, that smooth spectrum which is being processed by the system is ignored. Another boundary condition, for example, concerns the type of skier using the system. Some skiers often make quick jump turns down the mountain. These would normally show up as mini “air” times. Thus, in accord with another aspect of the invention, another boundary condition is: if the spectrum between any given “t1” time and “t2“time (FIG. 4) is less than 500 ms, then exclude that time from memory as actual “air” time. Accordingly, each jump turn will not be included in the total “air” time for the day, as is expected by users of the system. The invention preferably includes an adjustment mechanism to adjust these boundary conditions (e.g., the five seconds maximum and the 0.5 second minimum) so that such conditions can be adjusted and optimized to individual users. Accordingly, in one embodiment of the invention, certain of the buttons 58-67 of FIG. 3 can be used in combination to set the maximum and minimum boundary conditions. Alternatively, one or more additional buttons can be included within the user interface of FIG. 3 to provide the adjustment mechanism. Another embodiment of the invention internally resets the start/stop button 58 when the system senses the lack of spectral information for a preselected period of time. Thus, after the preselected period, the system has an automatic time-out, resulting in the microprocessor subsystem 12 resetting itself as if the start/stop button 58 were pushed. Accelerometers are commercially available and are relatively cheap items. They are also small, so that all of the components 12, 14, 16 and 20 may easily fit within a small, lightweight housing. Suitable accelerometers include those accelerometers shown and described in connection with FIGS. 13, 14 and 14A. Loft Sensor: Microphone Embodiment A microphone, also well known to those skilled in the art, detects sound waves and provides a voltage output that is responsive to the detected sound waves. Accordingly, a microphone, like the accelerometer, senses the vibration of a vehicle, such as a ski or mountain bike, moving along a surface, e.g., a ski slope or mountain bike trail. By way of analogy, consider putting one's ear flat onto a desk and running an object across the desk. As one can readily determine, the movement of the object on the desk is readily heard in the ear. Likewise, a microphone as the loft sensor 20 readily “hears” the vibrational movements of the vehicle on the surface. Therefore, like the aforementioned accelerometer, a vibrational spectrum such as shown in FIG. 4 is generated by the microphone loft sensor during a user's sporting activity. As above, the microprocessor subsystem 12 utilizes the spectrum to determine “air” time. Like accelerometers, microphones are also commercially available and are relatively cheap. They are also small, so that all of the components 12, 14, 16 and 20 may easily fit within a small, lightweight housing. FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of a microphone assembly 80 suitable for use with the invention. Specifically, a system 82 constructed according to the invention mounts, for example, to a ski 84 (for illustrative purposes, only the loft sensor portion 80 and microprocessor subsystem 81 are shown as part of the system 82 even though other components such as the display and user interface are present within the system 82). The microphone assembly 80 preferably includes a tube portion 86 to funnel the sound waves 88 coming from the ski surface 90 to the microphone element 92, e.g., a piezoelectric element known to those skilled in the art. During operation, the vibrational motion caused by the ski's interaction with the surface underneath the ski generates the sound waves 88 detected by the element 92, which converts the sound waves to voltages. These voltages are sampled and stored in the microprocessor subsystem 12 so that the information can be processed to extract the “air” information. Depending on the sensitivity of the accelerometers and microphone assemblies, described above, it is feasible to attach the system of the invention directly to a user of the system as opposed to the vehicle. The vibrational or sound information is transmitted through the user to some degree while the user is on the ground, and such information can be used, as above, to calculate “air” time. Accordingly, one embodiment of the invention includes a system which measures “air” time that mounts directly to a user rather than to the vehicle, e.g., a ski. Loft Sensor: Weight Switch Embodiment In still another embodiment of the invention, the sensor 80 of FIG. 1 can be a switch that rests below the boot of the ski, e.g., the boot 30 of FIG. 2, and that senses pressure caused by the weight of the user within the boot. That is, when the skier is on the ground, the boot squeezes the switch, thereby closing the switch. The closed switch is detected by the microprocessor subsystem 12 (FIG. 1) as a discrete input. When a skier jumps into the air, the switch opens up by virtue of the fact that relatively no weight is on the switch; and this opened switch is also detected and input into microprocessor subsystem 12. The microprocessor subsystem 12 will count at known time intervals (clock rates) for the duration of the opened switch, corresponding to the jump, and will record how long the jump lasts. As described in connection with FIG. 3, the “air” time may be recorded as a single jump, or recorded as a successive list of jumps. In addition, the “air” time can be summed or integrated into a running total, such as described above. FIG. 6 illustrates the manner in which one switch is formed, in accord with the invention (for illustrative purposes, the drawing of FIG. 6, like most of the drawings herein, are not to scale; and further shows disproportionate sizes of elements of the invention at least). A boot 100 (e.g., the ski boot 30 of FIG. 2) rests on top of a compressible material 102, e.g., foam, that includes a switch 104. When the user steps on the compressible material 102, the compressible material 102 compresses and causes the switch 104 to close, completing the circuit 106 (for illustrative purposes, the circuit 106 is shown simply as a switch 104, battery 108 and resistor 110; and the circuit 106 is shown externally when in fact the circuit is within the system of the invention and in communication with the microprocessor subsystem 12). When the switch 104 is closed, the circuit is in an ON condition, and when the switch 104 is not closed, the system is in an OFF condition. Accordingly, the microprocessor subsystem 12 senses the ON and OFF conditions to calculate “air” time. Specifically, the time between an OFF condition and an ON condition can be used to determine “air” time. Another embodiment of the invention which is suitable for use as the loft sensor 20, FIG. 1, includes a pad that is placed under the skier's boot and that changes capacitance as a function of a change of applied pressure. For example, consider FIG. 7 (again with illustrative ski boot 100) which shows a compressible material 112 and a capacitance-changing element 114 that changes capacitance under varying applied pressures. This capacitance-changing element 112 is connected in circuit 116, including the illustrative battery element 118 and resistor 120, with the system of the invention such that its capacitance is converted to a digital signal by conditioning electronics, such as shown in FIG. 8. As above, the circuit of FIG. 7 is shown illustratively and without the other necessary components (e.g., the microprocessor subsystem) of the invention. Those skilled in the art understand that the components 112, 114, 115, 116, 118 and 120 connect integrally with a system (e.g., the system 10 of FIG. 1) constructed according to the invention. By way of background, a capacitor consists of two parallel plates separated by a dielectric material. The capacitance is directly proportional to the cross sectional area of the plates and inversely proportional to the distance between the plates. When the dielectric is the compressible material 112, FIG. 7, then the pressure applied to the material 112 changes the distance between the plates 115a, 115b of the capacitance-changing element 114, thereby proportionately increasing the capacitance. FIG. 8 shows a monostable multivibrator 122, e.g., a NE555, in accord with the invention which converts the varying capacitance (illustrated as portion 124) from the capacitance-changing element 114 of FIG. 7 to information suitable for calculating “air” time. A resistor 126 connects in circuit with the portion 124 and the multivibrator 122. The output pulse train 128 is directly dependent on the product of the resistance “R” and variable capacitance “C”. The resistance R may be fixed while the capacitance C is dependent on the pressure exerted on the pad 112 thus shifting the frequency of a pulse train 128. The pulse train 128 repetition rate is indicative of the value of capacitance of 124. When the pulse train 128 repetition rate increases the value of C 124 has decreased and the skier's boot is applying less pressure on the pad 112. This event marks the beginning of the “air time” measurement. When the pulse train 128 repetition rate decreases, meaning a sudden increase of capacitance, the boot is now applying greater pressure on the ski, signifying the end of the “air” time measurement. The length of time that the pulse train 128 remains at the higher repetition rate is equal to the amount of time the ski is off the ground. That amount of time is the loft or “air” time. Alternatively, and such as shown in FIG. 9, the change in capacitance can be used in a filter which passes a pulse train during low capacitance levels (no boot pressure) and which filters out the pulse train during high capacitance events (high boot pressure). For example, a capacitance-changing element 130 (e.g., the capacitance-changing circuit 116 of FIG. 7) connects to the input of a Schmidtt Trigger CMOS gate 133 and ground. A pulse generator 131 connects through a fixed resistor R132 to the capacitance-changing element 133 and the Schmidtt Trigger CMOS gate 133. The pulse generator 131 produces a steady pulse train 134. When the capacitance changing element 130 is at a high capacitance, corresponding to a high boot pressure meaning that the ski is on the ground, the combination of the fixed resistance R 132 and the capacitance of the capacitance-changing element 130 absorbs the pulse train and the output of the Schmidtt Trigger CMOS gate 133 is constant. On the other hand, when the skier takes flight, the capacitance of the capacitance-changing element 130 is low, thus allowing the pulse train 134 to pass through to the Schmidtt Trigger CMOS gate 133 input. The output of the Schmidtt Trigger CMOS gate 133 in this latter case toggles at the same rate as the pulse train 131, thereby identifying a condition of “air” time. A discrete input is thus used by the processor to sample for the existence of the pulse train to calculate “air” time. Microprocessor Subsystem The microprocessor subsystem 10 of FIG. 1 can include a microcontroller element, a Microcontroller element with reduced functionality to conserve power, or a microprocessor element with associated memory and logic to perform the requisite calculations of the invention, including the processing power to drive the display 16 and user interface 14. Preferably, however, the microprocessor subsystem 12 is constructed by several known components, such as shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 10 shows microprocessor subsystem 150 constructed according to the invention and including a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 152, memory 154, interface electronics 156, and conditioning electronics 158. The user interface 160, such as the interface 14 of FIG. 1, and including the button inputs of FIG. 3, connects to the subsystem such as shown and directly to the conditioning electronics 158. The display 162, such as the display 16 of FIG. 1, preferably connects to the subsystem such as shown and directly to the CPU 152. The CPU 152 includes a microprocessor 152a, Read Only Memory (ROM) 152b (used to store instructions that the processor may fetch in executing its program), Random Access Memory (RAM) 152c (used by the processor to store temporary information such as return addresses for subroutines and variables and constant values defined in a processor program), and a master dock 152d. The microprocessor 152a is controlled by the master clock 152d that provides a master timing signal used to sequence the microprocessor 152a through its internal states in its execution of each processed instruction. The dock 152d is the master time source through which time may be deduced in measuring velocity or air time (for example, to determine the elapsed time from one event to another, such as the lapsed time “t1” to “t2 ” of FIG. 4, the clock rate provides a direct measure of time lapse). The microprocessor subsystem 150, and especially the CPU 152, are preferably low power devices, such as CMOS; as is the necessary logic used to implement the processor design. The subsystem 150 stores information about the user's activity in memory. This memory may be external to the CPU 152, such as shown as memory 154, but preferably resides in the RAM 152c. The memory may be nonvolatile such as battery backed RAM or Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM). External signals 164 from the speed and/or loft sensors, e.g., the speed sensor 18 and loft sensor 20 of FIG. 1, are connected to the conditioning electronics 158 which filters, scales, and, in some cases, senses the presence of certain conditions, such as zero crossings. This conditioning essentially cleans the signal up for processing by the CPU 152 and in some cases preprocesses the information. These signals are then passed to the interface electronics 156, which converts the analog voltage or currents to binary ones and zeroes understood by the CPU 152. The invention also provides for intelligence in the signal processing, such as achieved by the CPU 152 in evaluating historical data. For example, “air” time may be determined by the noise spectra that changes abruptly, such as indicating a leap, instead of a noise spectra representing a more gradual change that would occur for example when a skier slows to a stop. As previously noted, a minimum quiet time is required, in certain embodiments of the invention, to differentiate between “air” time and the natural motions associated with turning and skiing (e.g., jump skiing). Further, in other certain embodiments, a maximum time is also programmed to differentiate “air” time from an abrupt stop, such as standing in a lift line. Speed Sensor In accord with the invention, if speed is calculated within the system, the speed sensor 118 of FIG. 1 can take one of several forms, including: (1) a pitch detection system that detects the “pitch” of the vibrational spectrum and that converts the pitch to an equivalent speed; (2) a laser-based or sound-based Doppler-shift sensor; (3) an accelerometer-based speed sensor; (4) a pressure-based speed sensor; and (5) a voltage-resistance sensor It should be noted that in either of the speed or loft sensors, it may be preferable to incorporate state machine logic within the sensor in order to pre-process the data for the microprocessor subsystem. Thus, in accord with the invention, processing logic such as described herein in connection with the microprocessor subsystem can be incorporated, at least in part, within one or both of the speed and loft sensors. Because of the complexity of the speed sensor, such preprocessing power is more appropriately within the speed sensor. Speed Sensor: Pitch Detection In accord with this embodiment, no separate speed sensor element, e.g., the sensor 18 of FIG. 1, is required. Rather, the vibrational spectrum that is generated by the loft sensor 20, and particularly the accelerometer or microphone embodiment discussed in connection with FIG. 4, will be used to determine the pitch of the vibration and, thereby, the equivalent speed. By way of example, note that a skier generates a scraping sound on hard-packed snow and ice. When the skier changes velocity, that scraping sound changes in pitch. The spectrum shown in FIG. 4 outside the t1/t2 region (but within the “start” and “end” region) is, effectively, that pitch. By calibrating the microprocessor subsystem 12 to associate one pitch as one velocity, and so on, the speed of the vehicle (e.g., ski and mountain bike) may be determined by spectral content. In accord with the invention, one method for determining the “pitch” of the spectrum outside the t1/t2 loft region of FIG. 4 (and within the start/stop time) is to determine the “best fit” sine wave to the vibrational spectrum data. This sine wave will have a frequency, or “pitch” that may be quantified and used to correlate velocity. This spectral content may be determined, in part, by the conditioning electronics 158 of FIG. 10 such to determining rise times to infer a bandwidth of the information. The conditioning electronics 158 and/or CPU 152 can also measure the time between successive zero crossings, which also determines spectral content. For example, FIG. 11 illustrates a spectrum 166 generated from a sensor such as a sensor 18 or 20 (FIG. 1), or 82 (FIG. 5), or 202a-202d (FIG. 13 below). The spectrum 166 thus represents an acceleration spectrum or sound spectrum such as described herein. The microprocessor subsystem 12 of FIG. 1 evaluates the spectrum 166 and generates a best-fit sine wave 167 to match the primary frequency of the spectrum 166 over time. FIG. 11 shows illustratively a situation where a vehicle, such as a ski, moves slowly at first, corresponding to a lower sine-wave frequency, then faster, corresponding to a higher frequency sine wave, and then slower again. This pitch transition is interpreted by the microprocessor subsystem (e.g., the subsystem 12 of FIG. 1) as a change of speed. Specifically, the microprocessor subsystem of the invention is calibrated in this embodiment to associate a certain frequency with a certain speed; and speed is thus known for the variety of pitches observed during an activity, such as illustrated in FIG. 11. It should be noted that the pitch information is surface dependent (and vehicle dependent). That is, a ski-over-snow-speed-spectrum has a different spectrum than a bicycle-over-ground-spectrum. Accordingly, different calibrations must be made for different vehicles and speeds, in accord with the invention. Further, certain spectrums may actually decrease in frequency as speed increases; which also must be calibrated to obtain the correct speed information. These calibrations are typically programmed into the microprocessor subsystem memory, e.g., the memory 13 of subsystem 12 of FIG. 1. Further, in certain embodiments of the invention, the system stores different spectrum calibrations for different activities so that a user can move the system from one sport to another. Accordingly, one or more buttons such as the buttons 58-67 of FIG. 3 are introduced to the user interface, such as known to those skilled in the art, in order to selectively access the different spectrum calibrations. Speed Sensor: Doppler-based It is well known that Doppler radar is used by police vehicles to detect speed. In accord with this embodiment of the invention, the same principles apply to the measurement of speed of the sporting vehicle. For example, consider FIG. 12. FIG. 12 shows a representative ski 170 (partially shown) with a Doppler-based sensor 172 mounted thereon (for illustrative purposes, the Doppler-based sensor is shown without the other elements of the system, such as the user interface and microprocessor). The sensor generates an electromagnetic beam 174, such as a laser beam, to bounce off the ground 176 (e.g., the ski slope) while the user of the system conducts the activity (e.g., skiing). The electromagnetic beam 174 is reflected off the ground by particles 178 which scatter at least a portion of the energy back to the sensor 172 along approximately the same path. Because the ski 170 is in motion, the returned energy is at a slightly different frequency from the outgoing frequency; hence the Doppler shift, which is a measurable quantity. Note that the sensor 172 must be arranged to generate a beam along the side (or in front or back of) the ski in order to “see” the ground 176. The energy beam 174 is generated in one of two general ways: by a laser diode (to generate a laser beam) or by a piezoelectric transducer (to produce an ultrasonic beam). FIG. 12a, for example, shows a sensor 172′ comprising a laser diode 180. The diode 180 generates a laser beam 174′ which is reflected by the particles 178′ back to the sensor 172′. A small beam-splitting mirror 182 reflects part of the returned beam to a detector 184 which is connected under the overall control of the microprocessor subsystem 186, e.g., the subsystem 12 of FIG. 1 (for illustrative purposes, the other elements of the system of the invention, e.g., the user interface, are not shown in FIG. 12a). The subsystem 186 evaluates the frequency difference between the outgoing beam from the diode 180 and the returned frequency from the detector 184. The frequency difference is readily converted to speed that is displayed on the display, e.g., the display 16 of FIG. 1. Likewise, FIG. 12b shows a sensor 172′ comprising a piezoelectric transducer 190 which generates an ultrasonic beam 174′ that reflects from particles 178′ back to the piezo transducer 190, which is connected under the overall control of the microprocessor subsystem 192, e.g., the subsystem 12 of FIG. 1 (for illustrative purposes, the other elements of the system of the invention, e.g., the user interface, are not shown in FIG. 11b). The microprocessor subsystem 192 generates a voltage at a set frequency to drive the piezoelectric transducer 190, to thereby generate the beam 174′. The reflected Doppler-shifted beam returns through the transducer 190 (alternatively, through another piezo transducer (not shown)) and generates a voltage at the frequency of the reflected beam. The subsystem 192 evaluates the frequency difference between the outgoing ultrasonic beam 174′ and the returned frequency. As above, the frequency difference is readily converted to speed (via a conversion technique that is known to those skilled in the art) that is displayed on the display, e.g., the display 16 of FIG. 1. A Doppler system such as described can additionally provide height information. That is, by sweeping the frequency through various frequencies, the signal frequency mix can be monitored to determine altitude relative to the direction of the antenna lobes. Preferably, therefore, there are two antennas: one to perform Doppler speed, with high spatial accuracy in the antenna lobe so that speed is achieved, and another antenna to provide a love that roughly covers the ground area in about a 60 degree cone under the user so as to achieve first-return distance measurement. That is, with reference to FIG. 27, a doppler system 648 placed relative to a skier 650 on a ski 652 should adequately cover the ground 654 so as to provide the correct measure of height “h.” A cone 656 of adequate angle Ô (e.g., 25-70 degrees in solid angle) provides such a coverage. The Doppler antenna signal love fills the cone 656 so as to determine first return height “h” from the correct orientation of the ski 652. Loft Sensor: Accelerometer Based Modern navigation systems utilize a plurality of accelerometers to determine speed and direction. Particularly complex military systems, for example, utilize three translational and three rotational accelerometers to track direction and speed even during complex angular movements and at extremely high velocities. In accord with the invention, a similar plurality of accelerometers is used to determine speed. However, unlike military systems, one goal of the invention is to track speeds of sporting vehicles (eg., a ski) that generally travel in one direction, namely forward. Therefore, the complexity of the accelerometer package is reduced since the orientation of the sensor may be fixed to the vehicle; and fewer than six accelerometers can be used to determine speed. Accelerometers are well-known to those skilled in the art. They include, for example, translational and rotational accelerometers. FIG. 13 illustrates a speed sensor 200 constructed according to the invention and which includes a plurality of accelerometers 202a-202d. The accelerometers 202a-202d sense various accelerations in their respective axes (accelerometers sense acceleration along a predefined axis, translational or rotational), and each of the outputs from the accelerometers are input to the microprocessor subsystem 204, e.g., the subsystem 12 of FIG. 1, via communication lines 206a-206d. The orientation of the sensitive axis of each accelerometer 202a-202d is stored in the microprocessor subsystem 204 so that a particular acceleration in one axis is properly combined with acceleration values in other axes (as described in more detail below in connection with FIGS. 14 and 14a). One key point that must be addressed with the accelerometer-based approach: gravity has a huge effect on the accelerometer signals; and gravity must be compensated for in order to achieve reasonable speed accuracy. Therefore, one or more of the accelerometers 202a-202d are used to determine and measure the force or gravity relative to the angle of the vehicle (e.g., the ski) so that gravity may be compensated for by the subsystem 204. Specifically, when the sensor 200 is pointed either downhill or uphill, gravity tends to reduce or increase the measured acceleration output; and that reduction or increase must be adjusted for or else the conversion from acceleration to speed (i.e., the integral of acceleration over time) will be next to useless. Accordingly, the orientations of the accelerometers 202a-202d relative to their respective sensitive axes must be known by the subsystem 204 in order to compensate for the acceleration of gravity, which is generally perpendicular to the motion of the vehicle, but which has a component acceleration in the direction of movement when the vehicle is pointed downwards or upwards. It should be clear to those skilled in the art that fewer, or greater, numbers of accelerometers are within the scope of the invention, so long as they collectively determine speed. In effect, the fewer number of accelerometers results in reduced accuracy; not reduced functionality. Rather, in an ideal situation, one accelerometer can be used to detect speed; which is the integral of the acceleration over time. Further, a double integration over the same period provides distance; and, therefore, the invention can also provide distance in at least one embodiment of the invention. It should also be noted that any of the accelerometers 202a-202d of FIG. 13 can be used, in accord with the invention, as the loft sensor 20 of FIG. 1 and without a separate component to measure “air” time. This is because each of the accelerometers 202a-202d generate a spectrum such as described in connection with FIG. 4. Accordingly, one or more of the accelerometers 202a-202d can be used to determine “air” time, described above, without the need for a separate loft sensor. FIG. 14 schematically illustrates process methodology, according to the invention, which converts a plurality of acceleration inputs to speed. For example, when a plurality of six accelerometers (e.g., similar to the accelerometers 202a-202d of FIG. 13) are connected to a microprocessor subsystem such as the subsystem 150 of FIG. 10, the process methodology of the invention is preferably shown in FIG. 14. Specifically, six accelerometers are connected with various sensitive orientations to collect pitch 207a, yaw 207b, roll 207c, surge 207d, heave 207e, and sway 207f accelerations. These accelerations are conditioned by the conditioning electronics 158′ through the interface electronics 156′ and CPU 152′ to calculate speed, such as known to those skilled in the art of navigational engineering (for example, Gyroscopic Theory Design, and Instrumentation by Wrigley et al., MIT Press (1969); Handbook of Measurement and Control by Herceg et al, Schaevitz Engineering, Pensauker, N.J., Library of Congress 76-24971 (1976); and Inertial Navigation Systems by Broxmeyer, McGraw-Hill (1964) describe such calculations and are hereby incorporated herein by reference). The elements 158, 156′ and 152′ are similar in construction to the elements 158, 156 and 152 described in connection with FIG. 10. FIG. 14A schematically illustrates further process methodologies according to the invention wherein the six acceleration inputs 207a-207f are processed by the microprocessor subsystem of the invention (e.g., subsystem 12 of FIG. 1) such that centripetal, gravitational, and earth rate compensations are performed so that the various accelerations are properly integrated and compensated to derive speed (and even direction and distance). Specifically, a microprocessor subsystem of the FIG. 14A embodiment includes a centripetal acceleration compensation section 208a which compensates for motions of centripetal accelerations via inputs of surge 207d, heave 207e, and sway 207f. A gravity acceleration compensation section 208b in the subsystem further processes these inputs 207d-207f to compensate for the acceleration of gravity, while a earth rate compensation section 208c thereafter compensates for the accelerations induced by the earth's rotation (e.g., the earth rate acceleration at the equator is approximately opposite in direction to the force of gravity). Also shown in FIG. 14A are translational integrators 209a-209c which convert the compensated accelerations from inputs 207d0-207f to translational velocities by integration. Integrators 210a-210c likewise integrate inputs of pitch 207a, yaw 207b, and roll 207c to angular velocity while integrators 211a-211c provide a further integration to convert the angular velocities to angular position. The angular positional information and translational velocity information is combined and processed at the speed and direction resolution section 212 to derive speed and direction. Preferably, the subsystem with the components 208, 209, 210, 211 and 212 is calibrated prior to use; and such calibration includes a calibration to true North (for a calibration of earth rate). It should be noted that fewer of the inputs 207a-207f may be used in accord with the invention. For example, certain of the inputs 207a-207f can be removed with the section 208a so that centripetal acceleration is not compensated for. This results in an error in the calculated speed and direction; but this error is probably small so the reduced functionality is worth the space saved by the removed elements. However, with the increased functionality of the several inputs 207a-207f, it is possible to calculate loft height in addition to speed because distance in three axes is known. Therefore, the invention further provides, in one embodiment, information for displaying height achieved during any given “air” time, as described above. The system of FIG. 14A can additionally measure skier height, off of the ground, through integration of appropriate acceleration vectors indicative of a user's movement perpendicular to the ground. Snowboarders, skiers and windsurfers (and others) have a desire to know such quantities. A double integration of accelerometers in the direction perpendicular to ground (or thereabouts) during a “loft” time measurement provides the correct signals to determine skier height. It should be apparent to those in the art that the accelerometers of FIGS. 13-14 provide sufficiently detailed information such that the whole of the system according to the invention can be mounted to a user of the system directly, rather than directly to a vehicle. With the scope of the compensations described in connection with FIG. 14A, for example, movements of the human body, e.g., centripetal motions, may be compensated for to derive speed and/or loft time information that is uncorrupted by the user's movements. Such compensations, however, require powerful processing power. Speed Sensor: Pressure Based Pressure of the air is used in aviation to determine how high an aircraft is the higher the altitude the lower the air pressure. Pressure sensors according to the invention convert air pressure to an analog voltage. When mounted to a snowboard 220, such as shown in FIGS. 15 and 15A, the pressure sensor 221 is used to determine the altitude of the snowboarder. This voltage is read by the microprocessor subsystem (e.g., the subsystem 12 of FIG. 1) at a fixed rate and differentiated to determine rate of descent or speed in the vertical direction. This may be converted to speed along the path by knowing the grade or angle of descent. Angle of descent is known by predetermining the geometry of the ski path or by the addition of a inclinometer 222 which gives a voltage dependent upon the angle, with respect to vertical, of the platform. The inclinometer 222 measures zero when the ski is traveling along a level path and the pressure sensor is showing a constant pressure. When the ski moves downhill, for example, the inclinometer 222 measures the angle of descent and the pressure sensor measures ever increasing pressure. Since the angle of descent is known, as is the rate of descent, the true speed is determined and displayed. Those skilled in the art should understand that the elements 221 and 222 are connected in circuit with the further elements of the invention, e.g., the microprocessor subsystem 12 of FIG. 1; and that elements 221 and 222 are shown in FIG. 15 for illustrative purposes only when in fact they exist integrally with the system of the invention, e.g., the system 10 of FIG. 1. Speed Sensor: Voltage-Resistance Based Under-water vehicles and many oceanographic instruments measure water velocity by taking advantage of the principle discovered by Faraday that a conductor moving through a magnetic field produces a voltage across the conductor. The voltage produced is greatest when the conductor is orthogonal to the magnetic field and orthogonal to the direction of motion. This principal is used, in accord with the invention, to determine the speed that a skier moves over the snow in winter skiing or over the water in water skiing. As shown in FIGS. 16 and 16A, an electromagnet 241 is mounted to a snowboard 242. Two contacts 240a, 240b are mounted to the snowboard 242 such that the bottom 243a makes contact with the snow and the top 243b of the contacts are connected to a voltage-measuring circuit within the conditioning electronics (such as the electronics 158 of FIG. 10 and such as known to those skilled in the art). When the snowboard 242 is flat on the snow, a conduction path is set up between the two contacts 240a, 240b and through the snow. When the electromagnet 241 is energized, a magnetic field 244 is imposed on the conduction path. As the snowboard 242 moves in the forward direction 245, the conduction path through the snow moves with the snowboard 242. This represents a moving conductor in a magnetic field; and as Faraday's theorem requires, a voltage 246 across the two terminals 240a, 240b will be generated that is proportional to the snowboarder's speed. This voltage 246 is read by the microprocessor subsystem (e.g., the subsystem 12 of FIG. 1). When the voltage abruptly goes to zero, and thereafter returns to a high voltage, the microprocessor subsystem determines that the gap in voltage is “air” time. Accordingly, in such an embodiment, no separate sensor 20 is required to measure “air” time (such as described above). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the elements of FIGS. 16-16B are shown illustratively for ease of understanding and without the further necessary elements of the invention, e.g., the microprocessor subsystem 12 of FIG. 1. It should be clear to those skilled in the art that certain modifications can be made to the invention as described without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, vehicles other than skis and mountain bikes may be used with the invention. One vehicle, the snowboard, used in the ever popular snowboarding sport, is particularly well-suited for the invention (e.g., there is no jump skiing). The snowboard also has a wide body and a system constructed according to the invention can be incorporated within the body with the user interface, display, and associated buttons at the snowboard surface, for easy access. FIG. 17 shows such an improvement to a snowboard in accord with the invention. Specifically, a snowboard 270, with boot holder 271, incorporates a system 272 constructed according to the invention. The system 272, like the system 10 of FIG. 1, has a display 274, a user interface 276 that provides a user with buttons to selectively access speed and loft time, as described above, and one or more display portions 278 to display identification information about the displayed times (such as described in connection with FIG. 3). FIG. 18 shows yet another use of the invention. Specifically, a further application of the invention is found in the sport of ski jumping and ski flying. Ski flying is similar to ski jumping except that ski jumping uses special, extra-long skis, while ski flying uses standard alpine skis. The participant 300 skis down the long ramp 302, which may be as high as twenty-five stories, and launches horizontally into the air at the end 304 of the ramp 302. The objective of the sport is for the participant 300 to “jump” or “fly” through the air for as long as possible, and covering the greatest distance as possible. A system constructed according to the invention (not shown) is attached to the ski 310 to measure “air” time, speed, and distance, as described herein. In particular, the speed at the end 304 is used to predict distance by well-known Newtonian physics so that the participant's overall jump distance is calculated. This removes the necessity of having judges and/or other expensive equipment monitor the event, as the recorded “air” and jump distance is readily displayed by the system of the invention. Speed Sensor by “Cookie” Measurements As used herein, “cookie” measurements refer to one technique of the invention for measuring speed. In this method, for example, the sensor drops a measurable entity—e.g., electronic charge—into the snow and then picks it up later at a known distance away to determine the speed. The “charge” in this example is the “cookie.” In skiing, therefore, this method involves dropping a cookie as the ski travels and then detecting the coolie at a known distance down the length of the ski. The time between placement and detection given a known length between the two occurrences will determine the speed. A cookie therefore represents the placement of some measurable characteristic into the snow underneath. This characteristic may be electrical charge, magnetic moments, a detectable material such as ink, perfume, or a radiation source. The cookies may be dropped at a constant rate, i.e. cookies per second, or at a fixed distance between cookies. In such cases the cookies are said to be dropped in a closed loop fashion. Also the amount of charge, magnetic moment, or detectable material may be controlled so that the detection occurs just above threshold. This will tend to minimize the amount of electrical power used and minimize the amount of material dispensed. In FIGS. 19 and 19A, a snowboard 498 traveling in a direction 504 has two sets of electrodes attached to the ski. The first set of electrodes 503 is used to charge a small amount of snow 499 by applying an electric potential across terminals 501a and 501b. The potential in that snow 499 is then read by the set of electrodes 502, accomplished by sampling the potential between terminals 500a and 500b. Since the level of charge in the snow 499 will be quite low, an instrumentation amplifier may be used to condition the signal, such as known to those skilled in the art. FIG. 19B shows the charge and detection loop according to the preferred embodiment. A potential source—e.g., a battery 499—is used to charge the first electrodes 503. When the output of the instrumentation amplifier 501 is above a predetermined threshold, the control and timing circuit 505 triggers a flip-flop (not shown) that notifies the microprocessor that the charge is detected. The time that transpired between placing the charge at 503 to detecting the charge at 502 is used to determine the speed the ski is traveling. The speed is simply the distance between the two sets of electrodes 503 to 502 divided by the time between setting and receiving the charge. The functionality of the timing and control circuit 505 can be separate or, alternatively, can be within the microprocessor such as described herein. The second set of electrodes 502 that is used to detect the charge may also be used to clear the charge such as by driving a reverse voltage (from the control and timing circuit 505 and through direct circuitry to the electrodes 502). In this manner to total charge resulting from the ski traversing the field of snow will be zero so that there will be no charge pollution. Also it will not confuse another ski speed detection system according to the invention. The situation described above is also applicable to magnetic moment cookies. In FIG. 20, for example, a ski 507 shown traveling in a direction 512 has an electromagnet 511 mounted on top of the ski 507 and a magnetic sensor 510. As the skier skis along the electromagnet is used to impress a magnetic moment into the snow and water that resides under the ski 507. This is done by asserting a strong magnetic field from the electromagnet 511 and through the ski for a short period of time. This polarization may then be detected by the magnetic sensor 510. The period of time it takes from creating the magnetic moment at 511 to detecting it at 510 may be used in determining the speed of the ski 507 (such as through control and timing circuitry such as described in connection with FIG. 19B). The magnetic sensor 510 may also be used to cancel the magnetic moment so that the total magnetic moment will be zero after the ski travels from placement through detection and removal. One other speed measurement system is shown in FIG. 21. Specifically, an optical correlation system is shown in FIG. 21 and includes a laser source and receiver contained in package 522. The laser is directed through two windows 520 and 521. The laser backscatter is cross correlated over time between the two windows 520, 521. This means that the two time signals are multiplied and integrated over all time with a fixed time delay between the two signals. The time delay between the two backscatter signals that yields the highest cross correlation is the period of time the ski took to travel the distance of the two windows. The speed of the ski may then be determined knowing the window separation. The source that is used does not have to be a laser but can be noncoherent visible light, infrared or any high frequency electromagnetic radiation. The invention thus provides a series of unique sensing technologies which are appropriate for sporting activities such as skiing, snowboarding, windsurfing, skate-boarding, mountain biking, and roller-blading. Specifically, the invention is used to “sense,” quantify and communicate to the user selected motions for various sporting activities. These motions include (A)-(C) below: (1) Air Time One embodiment of the invention—appropriately called the “airmeter” measures “air” time, i.e., the time for which a person such as a skier is off the ground, such as during a jump. The airmeter is battery-powered and includes a microprocessor and a low-powered liquid crystal display (LCD) to communicate the “air” time to the user. There are many ways the airmeter can “detect” the loft times associated with measuring “air” time; and certain techniques are better than others for various different sports. By way of example, certain of these airtime devices utilize accelerometers and/or microphone technology as part of the microprocessor circuit. All of the components for this device are cheap and plentiful; and are conveniently packaged within a single integrated circuit such as an ASIC. The airmeter provides several features, including: total and peak air time for the day total dead time for the day air time for any particular jump successive jump records of air time averages and totals, selectable by the user rankings of records logic to reject activities which represents false “air” time toggle to other device functionality user interface to control parameters (2) Speed Certain of the sporting activities described above also benefit by the measurement of vehicle speed. Again, in the detection of this motion, one embodiment of the invention utilizes relatively simple and inexpensive technologies to sense, quantify and display vehicle speed. This device can be stand-alone, or it is incorporated within several of the other devices discussed herein. For example, one combination device will provide both “air” time and speed to the user of the device. One method of determining speed utilizes the Doppler effect of microwave energy wherein energy transmits right through the vehicle, e.g., a ski or snowboard, and reflects off the moving ground to generate a Doppler signal. The absence of this signal is also used by PhatRat—in certain embodiments—to sense air time. The speed measuring device of the invention provides several features, including: total average speed for the day peak speeds successive speed records averages and totals, selectable by the user rankings of records logic to reject activities which contaminate speed measurements toggle to other device functionality user interface to control parameters (3) “Power” One embodiment of the invention also measures user “power,” i.e., the amount of energy absorbed or experienced by a user during the day. By way of example, this “power” meter is useful for a kayaker in that it would assess and quantify the power or forces experienced by a white-water ride. One output of the power meter of the invention is the number of “g's” absorbed by the user. Again, in the detection of power, the power meter utilizes relatively simple and inexpensive technologies to sense, quantify and display “g's” and/or other measures of how “hard” a user played in a particular activity. As above, this device can be stand-alone, or it is incorporated within several of the other devices discussed herein. For example, one combination device will provide “air” time, power and speed to the user of the device. The power meter measuring device provides several features, including: average absorbed power peak power for the activity successive power records averages and totals, selectable by the user rankings of records logic to reject activities which contaminate power measurements toggle to other device functionality user interface to control parameters units control such as to display “g's” and/or other measures As shown in FIG. 22, a pair of power meters 600 is also used to quantify competitions such as mogul competitions. One power meter 600A mounts to the ski 602, and another power meter 600B mounts or attaches to the user's upper body 604; and an RF signal generator 606 communicates (via antenna 606a) the power information to a controller at a base facility 608 (e.g., a judges center for judging the mogul skiers). Those skilled in the art should appreciate that one or both power meters 600 can communicate the information to the base, as shown; however, one power meter can also communicate to the other power meter so that one communicates to the base. However, in either case, an RF transmitter and receiver is needed at each meter. Alternatively, other inter-power meter communication paths are needed, e.g., wiring, laser or IR data paths, and other techniques known to those in the art. The combined signals from the meters 600 assess the force differential between the lower legs 604a and the upper body 604, giving an actual assessment of a competitor's performance. A computer at the base station 608 can easily divide one signal by the other to get a ratio of the two meters 600 during the run. The meters 600 start transmitting data at the starting gate 610 and continue to give data to the base 608 during the whole run on the slope 612. The meters can also be coupled to the user via a microphone 614 (and wire 616) to provide a hum or pitch which tells that user how effective his/her approach is. Although it is not shown, one or both meters have the microprocessor within so as to enable the features described in connection with the power meters. For example, the microprocessor can be used to provide a power measurement in “Gs” for the competitor once she reaches the base 608. Other features can also be determined in accord with the invention such as through measurements with the system of FIG. 14A. For example, once you know your starting velocity, you can measure distance traveled and height above the ground by knowing the air time for a given jump. Other ways of doing this are by using accelerometers to integrate the height distance. The preferred way of determining distance is to know your velocity at the jump start location, such as described herein, and to use the air time to establish a distance traveled, since distance is equal to velocity times time (or air time). For height, you can also determine the height traveled by looking at the time to reach the ground. That is, once in the air, you are accelerating towards the ground at 9.81 meters per second {circumflex over ( )}2. So, you first determine the time for which there is no more upwards movement (such as by using an accelerometer that knows gravity direction and which changes directions at the peak, or by using circuitry which establishes this movement), and then calculate the distance traveled (in height) by knowing that the height is equal to ½a t2, where a is the acceleration of gravity (9.81 m/s{circumflex over ( )}2) and t is the air time after the peak height is reached. If the person does not travel UP at any time during the jump, then the height is simply ½ a t{circumflex over ( )}2 where t is the complete air time. An accelerometer-based vibration and shock measurement system 620 is shown in FIG. 23. This system 620 measures and processes accelerations associated with various impact sports and records the movement so that the user can determine how much shock and vibration was endured for the duration of the event. The duration is determined with a simple start stop button 622, although duration can alternatively start with an automatic recording that is based on the measured acceleration floor. The vibrations and shock associated with skiing or exercise are measured by the use of an accelerometer 624 (or other motion device, e.g., a microphone or piezoelectric device) and conditioning electronics 626 as shown in FIG. 23. The accelerometer 624 typically is AC-coupled so that low frequency accelerations, or the acceleration due to gravity, may be ignored. The accelerometer output is then conditioned by passing the signal through a band pass filter within the electronics 626 to filter out the low frequency outputs, such as the varying alignment to the gravity vector, as well as the high frequency outputs due to electrical noise at a frequency outside the performance of the accelerometer 624. The resulting signal is one that has no DC component and that is bipolar such as the waveform shown in FIG. 24. The system 620 thus conditions the signal and remove the negative components of the waveform in FIG. 24. This is done, for example, by rectifying the output of the bandpass signal. Since a positive acceleration is likely to be accompanied by a negative of the same area, the area of the positive may be doubled to obtain the area of the positive and negative. The signal may also be processed by an absolute value circuit. This can be done via an Operational Amplifier circuit such as the one shown in the National Semiconductor Linear Applications Data Book Application Note AN-31., which is herein incorporated by reference. In accord with certain processes, known to those skilled in the art, positive values become positive; and negative values become positive. By way of example, the waveform of FIG. 24 is processed, for example, to the waveform of FIG. 25. A unipolar waveform like the one shown in FIG. 25 is then integrated over time by the system 620 so that the total acceleration is accumulated. This can also be averaged to determine average shock. The signal of FIG. 25 is therefore processed through an integrator (within the electronics 626 or the microprocessor 628) which will result in the signal shown in FIG. 26. A value of “power” can then be displayed to a user via the display 630. The period of integration may be a day or simply a single run down a slope; or it may be manually started and stopped at the beginning and end of a workout. The output is then be fed into a logarithmic amplifier so that the dynamic range may be compressed. The logarithmic amplifier can be accomplished within the microprocessor 628. At any stage, the system 620 can be fed into an analog-to-digital converter (such as within the electronics 626) where the signal processing is done digitally. The output of the accelerometer 624 should anyway pass through an antialiasing filter before being read by a microprocessor 628. This filter is a low pass filter that will ensure that the highest frequency component in the waveform is less than half the sampling rate as determined by the Nyquist criteria. The accelerometer 624 output can also be processed through an RMS circuit. The Root Mean Square acceleration is then determined from the following formula: A RMS = 1 T [ ∫ 0 T A 2 ( t ) ∂ t ] 1 / 2 where T is the period of the measurement and A (t) is the instantaneous accelerometer output at any time t. The period T may be varied by the user and the output is a staircase where each staircase is of width T. This is then peak-detected and the highest RMS acceleration stored; and an average acceleration and a histogram are stored showing a distribution of RMS accelerations. These histograms are displayed on a Liquid Crystal graphical display 630, for example, as a bargraph. An alternate embodiment is to record the signal in time and transform the signal to the frequency domain by performing a Fourier transformation to the data (such as within the electronics 626 or the microprocessor 628). The result would is distribution of the accelerations as a function of frequency which is then integrated to determine the total signal energy contained. The distribution is, again, plotted on the LCD display 630. Data may also be acquired by the accelerometer and telemetered to the electronics 626 via an RF link 631 back to a remote location 632 for storage and processing. This enables ski centers to rent the accelerometer system 620 so as to be placed on the ski to record a day of runs and to give a printout at the end of the day. A separate memory module or data storage device 634 can also be used to store a selected amount of time data which can be uploaded at the end of the day. The data can be uploaded itself via a Infrared link readily available off the shelf, as well as through a wire interface or through an RF link 631. The system 620 is particularly useful in impact sports that include mountain biking, football, hockey, jogging and any aerobic activity. Low impact aerobics have become an important tool in the quest for physical fitness while reducing damage to the joints, feet and skeletal frames of the exerciser. The system 620 may also be used by a jogger to evaluate different running shoes. Alternatively, when calibrated, the system 620 is useful to joggers who can gate it to serve as a pedometer. The addition of a capacitor sensor in the heal electronics helps determine average weight. A sensor for skin resistivity may additionally be used to record pulse. The shoe can record the state of aerobic health for the jogger which is of significant interest to a person involved in regular exercise. The system 620 can also be used to indicate the gracefulness of a dancer while they develop a particular dance routine. A football coach may place these systems 620 in the helmets of the players to record vibration and shock and use it as an indicator of effort. In skiing, the system 620 has other uses since a skier glides down a mountain slope and encounters various obstructions to a smooth flight. Obstructions such as moguls cause the skier to bump and induce a shock. This shock can be measured by the accelerometer 624 and accumulated in a memory 634 to keep a record of how muck shock was encountered on a particular ski run. Exercisers may use such a system 620 to grade their ability to avoid impact. A jogger may use the system 620 to evaluate their gate and determine their running efficiency. This becomes important with a greater emphasis being placed on low impact aerobics. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that other improvements are possible and envisioned; and fall within the scope of the invention. For example, an accelerometer-based system 620 mounted on a ski may be used to determine the total shock and vibration encountered by a skier traveling down a slope. Mounting an additional accelerometer 624 above the skier's hip allows a measurement of the isolation the skier provides between upper torso and ski. This can be used to determine how well a trained a skier has become in navigating moguls. This measurement of the isolation is made by taking an average of the absolute value of the accelerations from both accelerometers 624. The ratio of the two accelerations is used as a figure of merit or the isolation index (i.e., the ratio between two measurements such as on the ski and the torso, indicating how well the mogul skier is skiing and isolating knee movement from torso movement). To avoid the complications of gravity affecting the measurements of system 620, a high pass filter should be placed on the accelerometer output or within the digital processor sampling of the output. All analog signals should have antialiasing filters on their outputs whose bandwidth is half the sampling frequency. Data from the accelerometers 624 can sampled continuously while the circuits are enabled. The processor 628 may determine that a ski run has started by a rise in the acceleration noise floor above a preset trigger for a long enough duration. In another embodiment, a table is generated within the processor of each sufficiently high acceleration recorded from the ski. The corresponding upper torso measurement may also be recorded along with the ratio of the two measurements. The user can additionally display the n-bumpiest measurements taken from the skis and display the isolation index. FIG. 28 shows a ski 700 mounted with a GPS sensor 702 that is coupled to a microprocessor subsystem 704 such as described herein. The GPS sensor 702 tells absolute position in terms of height and earth location. By monitoring the signal from the GPS sensor 702, speed, height and loft time can be determined. That is, at each signal measurement, a difference is calculated to determine movement of the ski 700; and that difference can be integrated to determine absolute height off of the ground, distance traveled, speed (i.e., the distance traveled per sample period), and loft time. FIG. 29 shows a strain gauge 720 connected to a microprocessor subsystem 722 such as described above. The gauge 720 senses when there is little or now stress on the ski 724, such as when the ski 724 is in the “air”; and the subsystem 722 thus determines loft time from that relatively quiescent period. Alternatively, the element 720 can be a temperature gauge that senses the change in temperature when the ski 724 leaves the ground. This change of temperature is monitored for duration until it again returns to “in contact” temperature. The duration is then equated to “loft time” or some calibrated equivalent (due to thermal impedance). Note that the impedance of air will be different from snow; and hence that change can be measured by the gauge 720 in this embodiment. FIG. 30 shows one speed, loft and power meter 740, constructed according to the teachings herein and mounted to the ski 741, that additionally has an RF transmitter 742 to communicate signals from the meter 740 to a watch 744 worn by the user (not shown). In this manner, the user can easily look at the watch 744 (nearly during some sporting activities) to monitor the measured characteristics in near-real time. A small watch display 744a and internal memory 744b provide both display and storage for future review. The devices for measuring speed, loft time and power as described herein can oftentimes be placed within another component such as a user's watch or a ski pole. For example, the power meter system 620 of FIG. 23 can easily be placed within a watch such as watch 744, and without the sensor 740, since power integration can be done from almost anywhere connected to the user. Likewise, loft time measurement through the absence of a spectrum, such as shown in FIG. 4, can also be done in a watch or a ski pole. Speed measurements, however, are much more difficult if not impossible to do at these locations because of the lack of certainty of the direction of movement. However, with the increased performance and size reductions of guidance systems with accelerometers (see FIGS. 14 and 14A), even this can be done. FIG. 31 shows a person 604′ wearing a pair of shoes 750. A power meter 620′ attaches to person 604′ to communicate power information 752 to a receiver such as a wrist-watch 744′. Power meter 620′ is for example similar to system 620, FIG. 22. Wrist-watch 744′ is for example similar to watch 744, FIG. 30, such that information 752 is preferably a wireless data link between power meter 620′ and watch 744′. In operation, power meter 620′ quantifies motion associated with activity over ground 754 in view of a motion device (e.g., an accelerometer) within power meter 620′. By way of example, jarring motion perpendicular to ground 754 may be sensed by the accelerometer within power meter 620′. Accordingly, because shoes 750 cushion that jarring motion, power meter 620′ may also be used to evaluate how effective shoes 750 are in shielding person 604′ from jarring motion over ground 754. It is accordingly intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative rather than in a limiting sense. It is also intended that the following claims cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention as described herein, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall there between. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is well known that many skiers enjoy high speeds and jumping motions while traveling down the slope. High speeds refer to the greater and greater velocities which skiers attempt in navigating the slope successfully (and sometimes unsuccessfully). The jumping motions, on the other hand, include movements which loft the skier into the air. Generally, the greater the skier's speed, the higher the skier's loft into the air. The interest in high speed skiing is apparent simply by observing the velocity of skiers descending the mountain. The interest in the loft motion is less apparent; although it is known that certain enthusiastic skiers regularly exclaim “let's catch some air” and other assorted remarks when referring to the amount and altitude of the lofting motion. The sensations of speed and jumping are also readily achieved in other sporting activities, such as in mountain biking. Many mountain bikers, like the aforementioned skiers, also crave greater speeds and “air” time. However, persons in such sporting activities typically only have a qualitative sense as to speed and loft or “air” time. For example, a typical snowboarding person might regularly exclaim after a jump that she “caught” some “big sky,” “big air” or “phat air” without ever quantitatively knowing how much time really elapsed in the air. There are also other factors that persons sometimes assess qualitatively. For example, suppose a snowboarder goes down a double-diamond ski slope while a friend goes down a green, easy slope. When they both reach the bottom, the double-diamond snowboarder will have expended more energy than the other, generally, and will have worked up a sweat; while the green snowboarder will have had a relatively inactive ride down the slope. Currently, they cannot quantitatively compare how rough their journeys were relative to one another. It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide apparatus and methods for determining the “air” time of participants in sporting activities such as skiing and mountain biking. It is another object of the invention to provide apparatus and methods for determining the speed of participants in sporting activities such as skiing and mountain biking. It is yet another object of the invention to provide improvements to sporting devices which are ridden by sporting participants, and which provide a determination of speed and/or loft time of the device. Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus and methods for determining the amount of “power” or energy absorbed by a person during sporting activities. These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in the description which follows. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The following U.S. patents provide useful background for the Invention and are herein incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,445; U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,945; U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,714; U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,057; U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,725; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,085. The invention concerns the detection and display of loft, or “air” time and/or speed of vehicles such as sporting vehicles, including skis, bikes, and snowboards. The invention thus provides a visual and quantitative measure of how much “air” time and, in certain aspects, how fast a user moves in a particular activity. The invention provides, in one aspect, apparatus for determining the loft time of a moving vehicle off of a surface. A loft sensor senses a first condition that is indicative of the vehicle leaving the surface, and further senses a second condition indicative of the vehicle returning to the surface. A microprocessor subsystem, e.g., a microcontroller, determines a loft time that is based upon the first and second conditions, and the loft time is thereafter displayed to a user of the apparatus by a display, e.g., a LCD or LED display. Preferably, a power module such as a battery is included in the apparatus to power the several components. In addition, a housing preferably connects and protects the microprocessor subsystem and the user interface; and further such that the housing is attachable to the vehicle. According to another aspect, the invention includes memory for storing information representative of at least one of the following: (i) the first and second conditions, (ii) the loft time, (iii) a speed of the vehicle, (iv) successive records of loft time, (v) an average loft time, (vi) a total loft time, (vii) a dead time, (viii) a real activity time, and (ix) a numerical ranking of successive records. One preferred aspect of the invention includes a speed sensor, connected to the microprocessor subsystem, which senses a third condition that is indicative of a velocity of the vehicle. In this aspect, the microprocessor subsystem includes means for converting the third condition to information representative of a speed of the vehicle. Accordingly, the apparatus provides a user with both loft time, e.g., “air” time, and a speed of the vehicle. In yet another aspect, the display of the invention can display selective information, including one or more of the following: the loft time; a speed of the vehicle; a peak loft time; an average loft time; a total loft time; a dead time; a real activity time; an average speed; an indication that loft time is being displayed; an indication that speed is being displayed; an indication that dead time is being displayed; an indication that real activity time is being displayed; successive records of loft information; successive records of speed information; a distance traveled by the vehicle; a height achieved by the vehicle off of the surface; and an indication of a number of a successive record relative to all successive records. In still another aspect, the invention includes a user interface for providing external inputs to the apparatus, including one or more of the following: a start/stop button for selectively starting and stopping the acquisition of data by the apparatus; a display-operate button for activating the display means selectively; a speed/loft toggle button for alternatively commanding a display of loft time information and speed information of the vehicle; means for commanding a display of successive records of loft time information selectively; means for commanding a display of successive records of speed information selectively; means for commanding a display of information corresponding to average loft time; means for commanding a display of information corresponding to average speed; means for commanding a display of total loft time; means for commanding a display of dead time; means for commanding a display of distance traveled by the vehicle; means for commanding a display of height achieved by the vehicle off of the surface; and means for commanding a display of real activity time. Preferably, the microprocessor subsystem of the invention includes a dock element, e.g., a 24-hour clock, for providing information convertible to an elapsed time. Accordingly, the subsystem can perform various calculations, e.g., dead time, on the data acquired by the apparatus for display to a user. In another aspect, the loft sensor is constructed with one of the following technologies: (i) an accelerometer that senses a vibrational spectrum; (ii) a microphone assembly that senses a noise spectrum; (iii) a switch that is responsive to a weight of a user of the vehicle; (iv) a voltage-resistance sensor that generates a voltage indicative of a speed of the vehicle; and (v) a plurality of accelerometers connected for evaluating a speed of the vehicle. In a preferred aspect, the loft sensor of the invention senses a spectrum of information, e.g., a vibrational or sound spectrum, and the microprocessor subsystem determines the first and second conditions relative to a change in the spectrum of information. Further, the microprocessor subassembly interprets the change in the spectrum to determine the loft time. For example, one aspect of a loft sensor according to the invention includes one or more accelerometers that generate a vibrational spectrum of the vehicle. In such an aspect, the first and second conditions correspond to a change in the vibrational spectrum. By way of another example, one loft sensor of the invention includes a microphone subassembly that generates a noise spectrum of the vehicle; and, in this aspect, the first and second conditions correspond to a change in the detected noise spectrum. Because these spectrums are influenced by the particular activity of a user, e.g., standing in a ski line, a microprocessor subsystem of the invention preferably includes means for assessing boundary conditions of the spectrum and for excluding certain conditions from the determination of loft time. Accordingly, if a skier is in a lift line, such conditions are effectively ignored. One boundary condition, therefore, according to an aspect of the invention, includes an elapsed time between the first condition and the second condition that is less than approximately 500 ms; such that events that are within this boundary condition are excluded from the determination of loft time. One other boundary condition, in another aspect, includes an elapsed time between the first condition and the second condition that is greater than approximately five seconds; such that events that are outside this boundary condition are excluded from the determination of loft time. Because these boundary conditions are important in the aspects of the invention which utilize a spectrum of information, the apparatus preferably utilizes a user interface for providing selective external inputs to the microprocessor subsystem and for adjusting the boundary conditions selectively. In still another aspect of the invention, the microprocessor subassembly includes means for determining a pitch of the spectrum by determining a best-fit sine wave to a primary frequency of at least part of the spectrum and means for correlating the pitch to a vehicle speed. Accordingly, the invention can detect spectrum information and correlate that information to a speed of the vehicle. Typically, a higher pitch frequency corresponds to a higher vehicle speed and a lower pitch frequency corresponds to a lower vehicle speed. However, in another aspect, the selected pitch frequency can be calibrated relative to a selected vehicle and speed. The invention also provides, in another aspect, means for storing information including look-up tables with pitch-to-speed conversions for a plurality of vehicles. This is useful because different vehicles have different associated noise and/or sound spectrums associated with the vehicle. Accordingly, the invention in this aspect includes memory for storing the respective calibration information of the different vehicles (typically in a look-up table format) so that a user can utilize the invention on different vehicles and still determine speed accurately. Specifically, a particular pitch is associated with a particular speed for a particular vehicle; and that association is selectively made by the user. The vehicles which are preferably used, according to the invention, include (i) a snowboards, (ii) snow skis, (iii) water skis, (iv) skis for ski jumping, and (v) skis for ski flying. However, in certain aspects of the invention, a human vehicle can be used; although the processing power required to accurately process speed and/or loft information in this aspect is significantly increased. In several aspects of the invention, the microprocessor subassembly includes one or more of the following: means for selectively starting and stopping the acquisition of data by the apparatus; means for responding to an external request to activate the display means; means for responding to an external request to alternatively display the loft time and a speed of the vehicle; means for calculating a speed of the vehicle; means for responding to an external request to display successive records of loft time information; means for responding to an external request to display successive records of speed information; means for determining an average speed; means for determining a total loft time; means for determining a dead time; means for responding to an external request to display information corresponding to an average loft time; means for responding to an external request to display information corresponding to an average speed; means for responding to an external request to display a total loft time; means for responding to an external request to display a dead time; means for responding to an external request to display a distance traveled by the vehicle; means for responding to an external request to display a height achieved by the vehicle off of the surface; and means for responding to an external request to display a real activity time. The invention also provides certain improvements to sporting vehicles of the type ridden by a user on a surface (e.g., sporting vehicle such as (i) snowboards, (ii) snow skis, (iii) water skis, (iv) skis for ski jumping, and (v) skis for ski flying). The improvements include, in one aspect, a speed sensor having (i) a voltage-measuring circuit including a pair of conductors arranged to contact the surface so that the surface is part of the circuit, and (ii) an electromagnet for selectively generating a magnetic field on the circuit, wherein a voltage generated by the circuit is proportional to a speed of the vehicle. In such an aspect, the microprocessor subsystem determines a speed of the vehicle that is based upon the voltage, and that speed is displayed to a user. The invention also provides certain methodologies. For example, in one aspect, the invention provides a method for determining the loft time of a moving vehicle off of a surface, comprising the steps of: (1) sensing the vehicle leaving the surface at a first time; (2) sensing the vehicle returning to the surface at a second time; (3) determining a loft time from the first and second times, and (4) displaying the loft time to a user of the apparatus. In still anther aspect, the invention provides a method of measuring the amount of “power” a user absorbs during the day. A motion sensor, e.g., a microphone or accelerometer, attaches to the vehicle, preferably pointing perpendicular to the top of the vehicle (e.g., perpendicular to the top surface of the snowboard) so that a measure of acceleration or “force” jarring the user can be made. The data from the motion sensor is integrated over a selected time—e.g., over the time of the skiing day—so that an integrated measure of motion is acquired. By way of example, if the motion sensor is an accelerometer positioned with a sensitive axis arranged perpendicular to the top snowboard surface, then, through integration, an integrated measure of “power” is obtained. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that the measure can be converted to actual power or similar units—e.g., watts or joules or ergs or Newtons—though the actual unit is not as important as having a constant, calibrated measure of “power” for each user. That is, suppose two snowboarders have such motion sensors on their respective snowboards. If one person goes down a green slope and another down a double-diamond, then the integrated value out of the double-diamond snowboarder will be greater. The units are therefore set to a reasonably useful value, e.g., generic power “UNITS.” In one aspect, the power units are set such that a value of “100” indicates a typical snowboarder who skies eight hours per day and on maximum difficult terrain. At the same time, a snowboarder who rides nothing but green beginner slopes, all day, achieves something far less, e.g., a value of “1”. In this manner, average skiers on blue, intermediate slops will achieve intermediate values, e.g., “20” to “50”. Other scales and units are of course within the scope of the invention. The measure of power according to the invention thus provides significant usefulness in comparing how strenuous one user is to another. For example, suppose two users ski only blue, intermediate slopes with the exact same skill and aggressiveness except that one user chooses to sit in the bar for three hours having a couple of cocktails. At the end of an eight hour day—providing the power sensor is activated for the whole day—the skier who skied all eight hours will have a power measurement that is {fraction (8/5)} that of his cocktail-drinking companion. They can thereafter quantitatively talk about how easy or how difficult their ski day was. As for another example, suppose a third friend skis only double-diamond slopes and he takes four hours out to drink beer. At the end of the day, his power measure may still be greater than his friends depending upon how hard he skied during his active time. He could therefore boast—with quantitative power data to back him up—that he had more exercise than either of his friends even though he was drinking half the day. The measure of air time, according to the invention, can also be used in a negative sense. That is, speed skiers try to maintain contact with the ground as air time decreases their speed. By monitoring their air time with the invention, they are better able to assess their maneuvers through certain terrain so as to better maintain ground contact, thereby increasing their time. The measurement of air, speed and power, in accord with the invention, is preferably made via a sensor located on the vehicle, e.g., on the snowboard or ski on which the person rides. As such, it is difficult to see the sensor; so in one aspect the invention provides an RF transmitter in the sensor and a watch, with an RF receiver, located on the wrist of the person. The data—e.g., air, power and speed—is transmitted to the person for easy viewing on the watch. In still other aspects, a memory element in the watch provides for storing selected parameters such as successive records of speed, air and power, or the average “power” spent during the day. The invention is next described further in connection with preferred embodiments, and it will be apparent that various additions, subtractions, and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention | 20040927 | 20060530 | 20050217 | 84060.0 | 2 | RAYMOND, EDWARD | SPORT MONITORING SYSTEMS | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,951,135 | ACCEPTED | Airborne vehicle for firefighting | An airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) which is equipped with an extinguishant container (12) for mist extinguishing is specified for efficient firefighting. A detonator (18) which is located on the extinguishant container (12) can be detonated via a fuze (19). The detonator (18) is attached to the airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) such that, on firing the extinguishant which is contained in the extinguishant container (12) produces an extinguishant mist. | 1. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) for firefighting having an extinguishant container (12), a detonator (18) and a fuze (19), characterized in that the detonator (18) is attached to the extinguishant container (12) such that, when the fuze (19) is initiated, an extinguishant which is located in the extinguishant container (12) is released in the form of mist. 2. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the extinguishant container (12) has a grating structure (14) which surrounds abag (15) which is filled with the extinguishant. 3. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the detonator (18) is in the form of a detonating cord, and is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the extinguishant container (12). 4. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the detonator (18) is in the form of discrete explosive charges which are arranged at defined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the extinguishant container (12). 5. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fuze (19) is a time fuze. 6. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fuze (19) is a radio fuze. 7. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the extinguishant container (12) is coupable to further extinguishant containers (12). 8. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 1, characterized by having vanes (33) formed thereon, which stabilize the flight of said vehicle. 9. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 1, characterized by possessing a drive for a self-contained propulsion system for continued movement of said vehicle. 10. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 1, characterized by an initiation unit (47) and a sensor (23), the fuze (19) being initiatable by the initiation unit (47) as a function of a signal received from the sensor (23). 11. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 10, characterized in that the sensor (23) is an altitude sensor, through which there is determined the height of the vehicle above a fire. 12. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 10, characterized in that the sensor (23) is an infrared or heat sensor, via which the temperature of a fire is determined. 13. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 1, characterized by said vehicle including a guidance unit (34) for flight control. 14. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 13, characterized in that the guidance unit (34) is connected to a control unit (43, 56), which is connected to means for target searching. 15. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 14, characterized in that the means for target searching is a global positioning system (45). 16. Airborne vehicle (1, 2, 10) according to claim 14, characterized in that the means for target searching is an infrared detector (55) on which an object scene is imaged via optics. | The invention relates to an airborne vehicle for firefighting, according to the precharacterizing clause of Claim 1. U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,139 and FR 1 473 621 disclose a so-called fire extinguishing bomb as an airborne vehicle of the type mentioned initially for firefighting, which comprises a cylindrical gas or plastic container for holding an extinguisher, and an inner container which is arranged concentrically in it, for holding a detonator. The detonator is in this case fired by the external influence of the heat produced by a fire. This has the disadvantage that the extinguishant is not distributed uniformly if the environmental topology is poor. While the flames are extinguished at some points, the fire has time at other points to propagate even more strongly and, possibly, to cause areas that have already been extinguished to burn once again. In the worst case, the fire is fanned out, spread by a certain amount of the extinguishant striking an object whose position is thus changed, and thus itself now causes other objects to burn. DE 195 00 477 C1 discloses a method and an apparatus for extinguishing forest fires or fires over a larger area. In this case, flexible hoses which are filled with an extinguishant, can be closed at their ends and are provided with a detonator are deployed in front of a fire front. The extinguishant mist is produced by firing the detonator. This results in the periphery of the fire being fought. This means that the outer boundary areas of a burning region can be extinguished, provided that the firefighters can reach them without being endangered. Efficient firefighting is impossible. Those areas which are already burning can be prevented from propagating further, that is to say they can be constrained. However, what is already in flames is generally subject to the destructive effect of the fire until it is completely destroyed, and can no longer be rescued. The present invention is based on the technical problem of providing an airborne vehicle which allows efficient firefighting with an area effect that is greater than that in the prior art. For an airborne vehicle of the type mentioned initially, the object is achieved according to the invention in that an airborne vehicle which is equipped with an extinguishant container is used for firefighting, with the extinguishant container having a detonator arranged on it such that, when the detonator is detonated by means of a fuze, an extinguishant which is contained in the extinguishant container is released in the form of mist. A first step of the invention is based on the discovery that the mist extinguishing method represents an efficient option for firefighting. Mist has a greater extinguishing effect than liquid. Since a relatively large amount of mist can be produced from a small amount of liquid, an extinguishant container for mist extinguishing need contain only a small amount of liquid, in comparison to a fire extinguishing bomb. A further step of the invention is now based on the idea that only a limited amount of the extinguishant can be transported in an airborne vehicle. Application of the mist extinguishing method to the extinguishant which is transported by the airborne vehicle thus results in an improvement in the efficiency of firefighting in comparison to the previous fire extinguishing bombs, in which large amounts of the extinguishant are distributed in an uncontrolled manner. The invention allows the extinguishant to be conveyed to the location that is suitable for efficient firefighting, where the extinguishant is released in a defined manner over a large area in the form of mist, as a result of which the fire is quickly and efficiently extinguished. In this context, the word mist means a relatively homogeneous mixture of gas and liquid which generally has a liquid droplet size of not more than 0.1 mm. The small size of the droplets in the mist results in a major cooling effect, since a large amount of heat bonding is produced. In contrast to liquid, this also results in bonding with hazardous substances and smoke. Furthermore, mist extinguishing results in more efficient oxygen displacement than liquid extinguishing. This improves the extinguishing effect, and allows a fire to be confined more quickly. The behaviour of the fire is such that, if the mist droplets are too far away from the fire, the mist droplets are braked to a major extent by the air before reaching the fire. Furthermore, external influences such as the wind, can cause the mist front to be blown away from the actual central fire area. When an airborne vehicle is used, the mist can be produced at a suitable height above the fire, and its positive extinguishant effect can be developed optimally with respect to heat, hazardous substance bonding, smoke bonding, as well as oxygen displacement. For the purposes of the application, the expression airborne vehicle means any object which can be ejected or fired from an aircraft or from a mobile or stationary launch device. The airborne vehicle may have no propulsion system or may be equipped with its own propulsion system, for example a propeller, or a propulsion system based on the reaction principle, etc. Since the extinguishant container for mist extinguishing is integrated in an airborne vehicle, an extinguishant mist can be produced in the central area of a fire, for efficient firefighting. The distance from the fire which must be complied with in the case of extinguishant containers which are designed to be deployed on the basis of the development of heat can be overcome by the airborne vehicle being fired, for example from an aircraft or from a launch device, into the central area of the fire, or being ejected onto this central area of the fire. This prevents any danger to the firefighters and physical damage to the aircraft or launch device as a result of blowing away from the fire, because it is possible to choose greater distances from the fire. If a launch device is used to launch the airborne vehicle, this launch device may have sensor means, for example infrared laser or radar, in order to aim the airborne vehicle at the location of the fire. Launch devices such as these are known from DE 196 01 282 C1 and from DE 198 25 614 A1. In one development of the invention, a bag which is filled with extinguishant and is surrounded by a grating structure is advantageously used as the extinguishant container. The material of the bag should on the one hand have a certain amount of strength, but on the other hand should be capable of bursting when detonated. By way of example, a thin-walled plastic film with good resistance is suitable as the material. The grating structure may, for example, be a metallic mesh wire. This allows the bag to be transported without being damaged, while nevertheless allowing the mist that is generated to pass through the meshes. The materials for the bag and grating structure should ideally also have a low intrinsic weight, in order to make is possible to produce an airborne vehicle which is as light as possible. This allows, for example, a greater number of airborne vehicles to be transported by one aircraft, owing to the reduced weight. The bag may be filled with extinguishant in advance, and, for example, may be sealed by weld beads. Alternatively, the bag may also be provided with a closable filling nozzle, in order to allow the bag to be filled with the most suitable extinguishant depending on the nature of the fire or the burning material in any given situation. In this case, the grating structure ideally has a facility for the filling nozzle to pass through. If different substances are burning in the case of a fire in a chemical factory, then these often cannot be extinguished by means of the same extinguishant. The option to fill the bag via a filling nozzle now creates the capability to fill the bag with the appropriate extinguishants. The detonator is expediently in the form of a detonating cord, which runs in the longitudinal direction of the extinguishant container. This ensures that the bag filled with extinguishant bursts completely, and that the homogenous mist is produced. In this case, the bag is designed in a skilful manner as a cylindrical roller with a concentric inner aperture. The detonating cord can then be pulled through this inner aperture in order to ensure that the bag bursts open over its entire length. In another preferred variant, the detonator is in the form of discrete explosive charges, which are arranged at defined intervals on the extinguishant container. In this case, it is sensible to attach the explosive charges to the bag or extinguishant container such that the bag bursts open completely, resulting in a homogeneous mist front over a large area. The airborne vehicle is preferably equipped with a time fuze, in order that the extinguishant container is detonated, and the mist production associated with this is produced at a suitable distance from the location of the fire in order to achieve a particularly good extinguishing effect. In this case, it is sensible to preset time for the time fuze which can be determined from the airborne vehicle speed and the distance between the airborne vehicle and the fire. This ensures that the extinguishant mist is generated over the central area of the fire, and within range of the mist. In a further advantageous variant, the airborne vehicle is provided with a radio fuze, so that the detonator can be fired via a remote control visually on reaching the fire and the required altitude. This allows the firefighter to initiate the generation of the extinguishant mist from a safe distance away from the fire, without any danger to him. This also skilfully means that the distance that the firefighter must keep away from the fire owing to the heat radiation is no longer an insurmountable obstruction. The extinguishant container is expediently designed such that further expedient containers can be coupled to it, in order to allow one airborne vehicle to transport the amount of extinguishant required depending on the size and intensity of the fire to be fought. With this configuration, the length of the airborne vehicle grows as the function of the number of extinguishant containers arranged directly one behind the other, without any gap. Since the grating structures which surround the bag filled with extinguishant can be anchored to one another, the amount of extinguishant transported by a single airborne vehicle can be multiplied. For example, in the case of large-area fires, it is thus possible to quickly and effectively suppress further, rapid propagation of the burning area. With this modular configuration, it is sensible for the detonator to pass through all of the extinguishant containers, so that all of the extinguishant containers can be detonated using a single fuze. The airborne vehicle is preferably provided with vanes which stabilize flight. The vanes may extend along the complete length of the airborne vehicle, or on a sub-area of it. The vanes improve the flight characteristics of the airborne vehicle and allow the desired flightpath to be maintained better. The airborne vehicle is thus insensitive to wind gusts. This not only makes it easier to reach the actual central fire area, but effectively assists the process. The airborne vehicle expediently has its own propulsion system for continued movement. An engine contained in the airborne vehicle makes the airborne vehicle independent of weather-dependent thermal conditions. Because the airborne vehicle has its own propulsion system, wind or precipitation cannot move it away from a flightpath aimed at the fire. Danger to the firefighters and to the firing or launching devices caused by the fire can be precluded since safety distances from the fire may be in the range of kilometres, since these distances can be overcome without any problems by an airborne vehicle with its own propulsion system and, so to speak, the airborne vehicle takes itself to the target, that is to say to the central fire area. Since an airborne vehicle with its own propulsion system is generally able to carry out escape manoeuvres as well, obstructions in the area of the flightpath of the airborne vehicle are irrelevant. Thus, even regions where access is difficult owing to geographic conditions, for example mountainous regions, can be extinguished quickly and specifically in the event of a fire. Furthermore it is advantageous to provide the airborne vehicle with a sensor and an initiation unit, via which the fuze can be initiated as a function of a signal from the sensor. This detonation of the extinguishant container, which can be initiated externally by means of the initiation unit without any human action, means that poor visual conditions, caused either by the weather or by the amount of smoke that is being developed, are irrelevant. Bad human decisions, which lead to the detonator being fired too early or too late, and result in fires not being extinguished or the boundary areas of fires being extinguished locally, and thus senseless loss of a valuable airborne vehicle, are thus completed precluded. The use of a sensor signal to define the firing time results in an increase in the extinguishing effectiveness since the sensor signal provides an “on-site estimate” of the actual fire situation. The initiation unit is advantageously connected to a height sensor, via which the height above a fire can be determined. When a defined distance, which corresponds to a specific signal from the height sensor, is reached, then the detonator is advantageously fired automatically by means of the signal value that is transmitted to the initiation unit. The defined distance is in this case skilfully a distance which is within the area covered by the range of the extinguishant mist, in order to achieve effective mist extinguishing. Another advantage is created by the connection of the initiation unit to an infrared or heat sensor, by means of which the temperature of objects and/or of a background can be determined. If the temperature detected by means of the infrared or heat sensor exceeds a specific threshold value, the firing is initiated automatically via the initiation unit. Initiation of the detonation only at high temperatures via the initiation unit avoids the extinguishant mist from being wasted senselessly in fire areas which can also be extinguished by simpler extinguishant devices. Fires can also be fought at locations at which the fire is raging particularly severely, and where there is a risk of the source of a fire becoming larger. A version which is not as effective but whose cost is low is obtained by equipping the airborne vehicle with a sensor via which the firing of the detonator by the initiation unit can be initiated when the airborne vehicle strikes an object or strikes the ground. The airborne vehicle expediently has a guidance unit for flight control. By way of example, the guidance unit has elevators and rudders, which it uses to control the flight of the airborne vehicle. The elevators and rudders may be arranged in the tail area of the airborne vehicle. In order to make it possible to exploit the advantages of a guidance unit particularly well, such a guidance unit is generally provided in airborne vehicles which have their own propulsion system. A steerable airborne vehicle is extremely worthwhile, particularly when using the airborne vehicle for attacking fires in regions where the access is topographically poor. This avoids the airborne vehicle being damaged by collisions with objects before reaching the actual source of the fire. In this case, it is possible to provide for the guidance unit to be adjustable by remote control, by radio. The guidance unit then makes it possible for the firefighter to steer relatively accurately to a fire, on the basis of an active influence. This allows the fire to be brought under control particularly quickly. The airborne vehicle advantageously has a control unit, which is connected to the guidance unit and is connected to means for target searching. In this case, the guidance unit is controlled via the control unit towards the targets on the basis of the signal from the means for target searching. In the case of a fire on an oil drilling platform, for example, the firefighter cannot approach within several kilometres of the central fire area on marine vessels or aircraft, owing to the extreme amount of heat and the hazardous smoke that have developed. It is impossible to control the airborne vehicle via a line of sight link into the fire. However, this problem can be overcome by the combination of a control unit with a guidance unit, in conjunction with target-searching means. This results in a guided airborne vehicle, which can fly to a target automatically without any further human action being required after the guided airborne vehicle has been launched or fired. A global positioning system, GPS, is advantageously used as the means for target searching. The airborne vehicle which can be guided can be flown automatically to the target without any external intervention by means of its GPS, on the basis of the target coordinates which are predetermined as fixed before the airborne vehicle is launched or fired. This ensures not only that the source of the fire is reached, but also that the firefighters are protected. An airborne vehicle such as this can also otherwise be used for firefighting in inaccessible regions, such as ravines, valleys, steep slopes or mountains, where fires can be effectively extinguished by means of mist extinguishing. In order to utilize the GPS in an appropriately worthwhile manner, the airborne vehicle equipped with a GPS generally also has its own propulsion system. Another advantage is the use of an infrared detector for target searching, on which an object scene can be imaged via optics. In this case, the signals received via the infrared detector are transmitted via the control unit to the guidance unit in order to aim the airborne vehicle at the fire. The infrared detector ensures that the airborne vehicle is always steered in the direction of the highest temperature, and thus in the direction of the fire. In order to allow effective target searching to be carried out, it is practical for the airborne vehicle to be equipped with its own propulsion system. The airborne vehicle finds the central fire area autonomously, irrespective of the visual conditions. Those areas which are most strongly affected by the fire can thus be brought under control and protected safely and quickly by extinguishing with a homogenous extinguishant mist. The airborne vehicle may also be equipped with a braking parachute. This damps the impact of the airborne vehicle on the ground, thus protecting the components of the airborne vehicle against being damaged. This allows the components of the airborne vehicle to be reused and, in the best case, allows the airborne vehicle to be used once again after refitting it with extinguishant containers. The reduction in the airborne vehicle speed caused by the braking parachute also allows the initiation time for a radio fuze which can be initiated remotely to be determined more accurately. For financial reasons, the airborne vehicle may have impact protection means which are activated shortly before or after the firing of the explosive, in order to protect components, such as the initiation unit, the height sensor, the infrared or heat sensor, the guidance unit, the control unit and the target-searching means against damage and destruction when the airborne vehicle strikes the ground or an object, and to allow the possibility of reuse. The impact protection means may be pivoting metal plates, which are moved in front of the components to be protected, before impact. In order to allow the airborne vehicle to be used with different aircraft and/or on different launch devices, the airborne vehicle ideally has suitable holders or adaptors. Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing, in which: FIG. 1 shows the firing of an airborne vehicle from an aircraft, FIG. 2 shows the launching of an airborne vehicle by means of a launch device, FIG. 3 shows, schematically, the configuration of an airborne vehicle with a number of extinguishant containers based on a modular configuration, FIG. 4 shows, schematically, a longitudinal section through the tail area of the airborne vehicle shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 shows, schematically, a cross section through the tail area shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 6 shows, schematically, a cross section through a front area of an airborne vehicle, and FIG. 7 shows, schematically, a longitudinal section through the front area as shown in FIG. 6. Identical parts are in this case annotated by the same reference symbols. FIG. 1 shows the firing of an airborne vehicle 1 from an aircraft 4. The airborne vehicle 1 has its own propulsion system, as can be seen from the exhaust gas jet that is illustrated. After firing, the aircraft 4 remains at a relatively long safety distance from the fire 5, since the airborne vehicle 1 is able, by virtue of its propulsion system, to travel over relatively long distances itself. Although the fire 5 is located at the edge of a mountain range 6, this allows firefighting capabilities. The aircraft 4 can turn away safely before it reaches the mountain range 6. FIG. 2 shows an airborne vehicle 2 without its own propulsion system being launched from a launch device 7. The launch device 7 is fitted to an extinguishing vehicle 8 and is aimed at the fire 5 by means of a sensor system 9 that is connected to the launch device 7, such that the flightpath of the airborne vehicle 2 ends in the area of the fire 5. The sensor system 9 may be an infrared, laser or radar sensor system. FIG. 3 shows, schematically, the design of a modular configuration airborne vehicle 10. The illustrated airborne vehicle 10 has three extinguishant containers 12. Each of the extinguishant containers 12 is formed from a grating structure 14 composed of coarse wire mesh, and an essentially cylindrical bag 15 that is filled with extinguishant and has a concentric internal aperture which cannot be seen here. A cutout 17 is provided in the grating structure 14, for a filling nozzle 16 that is located on the bag 15 to pass through. The detonator 18, in this case a detonating cord, is passed through the inner aperture. When the airborne vehicle 10 is composed of two or more modules (extinguishant containers 12), the detonators 18 of all of the extinguishant containers 12 are connected to one another, and can thus be activated by means of a single fuze 19. The fuze 19 may be a radio fuze or a time fuze. At their front end, the extinguishant containers 12 have a frame 11 with through-holes, and, at their rear end, have a frame with an external diameter which is smaller than that of the front frame, and with push-in nuts located in it. This allows the extinguishant containers 12 to be pushed one inside the other and to be connected to one another by means of bolts 13 which are passed through the through-holes and are screwed into the push-in nuts. The front area 21 and the tail area 29 of the airborne vehicle 10 can also be mounted in the same way on the front end and rear end, respectively, of the extinguishant containers 12. Other assembly and connecting techniques, such as welding, riveting or adhesive bonding, may also, of course, be used. A sensor 23 is arranged in the front area 21 of the airborne vehicle 10 and is connected to an initiation unit, which is not illustrated but which activates the fuze 19. The sensor 23 may be a height sensor, an infrared sensor or a heat sensor. A holding rail 25 runs along the airborne vehicle 10, in which a cable duct (which cannot be seen here) with cables 27 is integrated. The front area 21 is electronically connected to the rear area 29 of the airborne vehicle 10 via the cables 27. Contact can be made between the airborne vehicle 10 and an aircraft or a launch device via an interface 31. Control surfaces or vanes 33 to improve the flight characteristics are located in the tail area 29 of the airborne vehicle 10. FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal section through the tail area 29 of the airborne vehicle 10. A guidance unit 34 with a guidance or control linkage 35, gear wheels 37, toothed belts 39 and a transmission with actuating motors or control surface motors 41 can be seen in the tail area 29, for alignment of the vanes 33. The guidance unit 34 is adjusted via an electronic control unit 43. The electronic control unit 43 is in this case connected to a GPS 45 (see FIG. 5). Before the airborne vehicle 10 is fired or launched, the target coordinates of the central area of the fire are entered in the GPS 45. The information which is received via the GPS 45 during the flight is transmitted to the control unit 43, which in turn passes on information to the guidance unit 34 for alignment of the vanes 33. Once it has been fired or launched, the airborne vehicle 10 thus flies to the target autonomously. In practice, the GPS 45 is, for better protection, arranged in the tail area 29 rather than in the front area 21 of the airborne vehicle 10, so that it is not severely damaged when the airborne vehicle 10 strikes obstructions or the ground. The tail area 29 likewise contains the initiation unit 47, which activates the fuze 19 and causes detonation of the detonator 18. The tail area 29 furthermore contains batteries 49 for supplying the current and voltage to all of the electronics in the airborne vehicle. FIG. 5 shows a cross section through the illustrated tail area 29 of the airborne vehicle 10. A braking parachute 51, which is located in a container and can be activated before or after the firing of the detonator 18, ensures that the airborne vehicle 10 is slowed down before it strikes the ground. FIG. 6 shows a cross section, and FIG. 7 a longitudinal section, through the front area 52 of another airborne vehicle. The airborne vehicle is equipped with a curved covering shroud 53 in the front area 52. An infrared detector 55, including imaging optics, is arranged under the covering shroud 53 as the target searching means, and is connected to the control unit 56, which is likewise located there. The control unit 56 supplies the information for alignment of a guidance unit in the tail area of the airborne vehicle. In this case, and apart from this in the case of the airborne vehicle 10, it is possible for an initiation unit and a fuze to be located in the front area 52 of the airborne vehicle. The majority of the curved covering shroud 53 is composed of a hard material which is insensitive to impact, for example metal, and is designed to be solid, in order to offer adequate protection. An insert 54 which is composed of a different material and is transparent for infrared radiation is located in the covering shroud 53. Solid shock absorbers 57 are arranged as impact protection means along the infrared detector 55 and its optics, with plates 59 which can pivot and are composed, for example, of metal being arranged in front of them. The plates 59 can be activated by means of an initiation mechanism 60, which is coupled to an initiation unit that cannot be seen here. This ensures adequate protection against damage when the airborne vehicle strikes the ground. An airborne vehicle such as this is aimed at its target by means of its infrared sensor system, that is to say it is aimed at the central area of a fire. The information that is determined via the infrared detector 55 is transmitted to the control unit 56, where it is further processed, and is passed on from there via a cable duct 58 to a guidance unit in the tail area, for vane alignment. | 20040927 | 20061017 | 20060112 | 98116.0 | A62C1100 | 0 | GORMAN, DARREN W | AIRBORNE VEHICLE FOR FIREFIGHTING | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | A62C | 2,004 |
|||
10,951,215 | ACCEPTED | Wood planing machine with coupling units | A wood planing machine includes a cutter carriage mounted movably on screw rods, upper and lower couplers mounted adjustably on the cutter carriage and threadedly engaging the screw rods, and upper and lower screws for securing the upper and lower couplers to the cutter carriage. The upper and lower screws are operable to permit position adjustment of the upper and lower couplers relative to the cutter carriage to a tightening position. | 1. A wood planing machine comprising: a base; a plurality of screw rods mounted rotatably on and standing upright from said base, each of said screw rods having a helical thread that defines upper and lower helical surfaces; a cutter carriage formed with a plurality of coupler-engaging parts, each of which is formed with opposite upper and lower coupler-receiving holes for extension of a respective one of said screw rods therethrough, upper and lower fastener-receiving holes that are respectively in spatial communication with and that are transverse to said upper and lower coupler-receiving holes, and upper and lower inner threads that respectively define said upper and lower fastener-receiving holes; a plurality of coupling units, each of which includes upper and lower couplers that extend respectively into said upper and lower coupler-receiving holes of a respective one of said coupler-engaging parts, each of said upper and lower couplers having a head portion and a shank portion that is reduced in diameter and that extends from said head portion into the respective one of said upper and lower coupler-receiving holes, and being formed with an inner hole extending through said head and shank portions for extension of a respective one of said screw rods therethrough, and an inner thread defining said inner hole and engaging threadedly the respective one of said screw rods so as to permit movement of said cutter carriage along said screw rods upon rotation of said screw rods relative to said cutter carriage, said inner thread defining upper and lower helical surfaces; and a plurality of fastening units, each of which includes upper and lower screws that are engageable threadedly and respectively with said upper and lower inner threads of a respective one of said coupler-engaging parts and that are extendable respectively into said upper and lower coupler-receiving holes to engage releasably and respectively said shank portions of said upper and lower couplers for securing said upper and lower couplers to said cutter carriage, said upper and lower screws being operable to permit position adjustment of said upper and lower couplers relative to said cutter carriage to a tightening position, in which said upper helical surface of said inner thread of said upper coupler abuts against said lower helical surface of said helical thread of a respective one of said screw rods and in which said lower helical surface of said inner thread of said lower coupler abuts against said upper helical surface of said helical thread of the respective one of said screw rods. 2. The wood planing machine of claim 1, wherein said shank portion of each of said upper and lower couplers is formed with a recess, each of said upper and lower screws being extendable into said recess in said shank portion of the respective one of said upper and lower couplers to engage releasably the respective one of said upper and lower couplers. 3. The wood planing machine of claim 1, wherein said head portion of each of said upper and lower couplers is formed with a plurality of angularly displaced tool-engaging holes. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority of Taiwanese Patent Application No. 093210990, filed on Jul. 13, 2004. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a wood planing machine, more particularly to a wood planing machine with coupling units that can prevent loosening of a cutter carriage during a planing operation. 2. Description of the Related Art U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,734 discloses a conventional wood planing machine that includes a cutter carriage that is mounted movably on a plurality of screw rods through a plurality of threaded members which engage threadedly and respectively the screw rods. The conventional wood planing machine requires the use of eccentric members to adjust positions of the threaded members relative to the cutter carriage so as to permit abutment of the threaded members against the screw rods and so as to firmly secure the threaded members to the screw rods when the cutter carriage is moved to a desired height on the screw rods, thereby preventing loosening of the cutter carriage on the screw rods and undesired clashing between the threaded members and the screw rods during a planing operation. The entire disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,734 is incorporated herein by reference. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wood planing machine having coupling units that are capable of dispensing with the use of eccentric members as required in the aforesaid conventional wood planing machine. Accordingly, a wood planing machine of this invention comprises: a base; a plurality of screw rods mounted rotatably on and standing upright from the base, each of the screw rods having a helical thread that defines upper and lower helical surfaces; a cutter carriage formed with a plurality of coupler-engaging parts, each of which is formed with opposite upper and lower coupler-receiving holes for extension of a respective one of the screw rods therethrough, upper and lower fastener-receiving holes that are respectively in spatial communication with and that are transverse to the upper and lower coupler-receiving holes, and upper and lower inner threads that respectively define the upper and lower fastener-receiving holes; a plurality of coupling units, each of which includes upper and lower couplers that extend respectively into the upper and lower coupler-receiving holes of a respective one of the coupler-engaging parts, each of the upper and lower couplers having a head portion and a shank portion that is reduced in diameter and that extends from the head portion into the respective one of the upper and lower coupler-receiving holes, and being formed with an inner hole extending through the head and shank portions for extension of a respective one of the screw rods therethrough, and an inner thread defining the inner hole and engaging threadedly the respective one of the screw rods so as to permit movement of the cutter carriage along the screw rods upon rotation of the screw rods relative to the cutter carriage, the inner thread defining upper and lower helical surfaces; and a plurality of fastening units, each of which includes upper and lower screws that are engageable threadedly and respectively with the upper and lower inner threads of a respective one of the coupler-engaging parts and that are extendable respectively into the upper and lower coupler-receiving holes to engage releasably and respectively the shank portions of the upper and lower couplers for securing the upper and lower couplers to the cutter carriage. The upper and lower screws are operable to permit position adjustment of the upper and lower couplers relative to the cutter carriage to a tightening position, in which the upper helical surface of the inner thread of the upper coupler abuts against the lower helical surface of the helical thread of a respective one of the screw rods and in which the lower helical surface of the inner thread of the lower coupler abuts against the upper helical surface of the helical thread of the respective one of the screw rods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a wood planing machine according to this invention; FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view to illustrate how upper and lower couplers are secured to a cutter carriage and engage a screw rod of the wood planing machine of the preferred embodiment; FIGS. 3 and 4 are fragmentary sectional views to illustrate how the upper coupler is adjusted from a non-tightening position to a tightening position according to this invention; FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view to illustrate threaded engagement between the upper coupler and the screw rod when the upper coupler is disposed at the non-tightening position according to this invention; FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view to illustrate threaded engagement between the upper coupler and the screw rod when the upper coupler is disposed at the tightening position according to this invention; and FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top view to illustrate how the upper coupler is adjusted using a tool. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate the preferred embodiment of a wood planing machine according to this invention. The wood planing machine includes: a housing with a base 2; a plurality of screw rods 3 mounted rotatably on and standing upright from the base 2, each of the screw rods 3 having a helical thread 31 (see FIG. 5) that defines upper and lower helical surfaces 311, 312; a cutter carriage 4 formed with a plurality of coupler-engaging parts 41, each of which is formed with opposite upper and lower coupler-receiving holes 411, 421 for extension of a respective one of the screw rods 3 therethrough, upper and lower fastener-receiving holes 413, 423 that are respectively in spatial communication with and that are transverse to the upper and lower coupler-receiving holes 411, 421, and upper and lower inner threads 414, 424 that respectively define the upper and lower fastener-receiving holes 413, 423; a plurality of coupling units, each of which includes upper and lower couplers 7, 8 that extend respectively into the upper and lower coupler-receiving holes 411, 421 of a respective one of the coupler-engaging parts 41, each of the upper and lower couplers 7, 8 having a head portion 71 (81) and a shank portion 72 (82) that is reduced in diameter and that extends from the head portion 71 (81) into the respective one of the upper and lower coupler-receiving holes 411, 421, and being formed with an inner hole 74 (84) extending through the head and shank portions 71, 72 (81, 82) for extension of a respective one of the screw rods 3 therethrough, and an inner thread 75 (85) defining the inner hole 74 (84) and engaging threadedly the respective one of the screw rods 3 so as to permit movement of the cutter carriage 4 along the screw rods 3 upon rotation of the screw rods 3 relative to the cutter carriage 4, the inner thread 75 (85) defining upper and lower helical surfaces 751, 752 (851, 852) and a plurality of fastening units, each of which includes upper and lower screws 73, 83 that are engageable threadedly and respectively with the upper and lower inner threads 414, 424 of a respective one of the coupler-engaging parts 41 and that are extendable respectively into the upper and lower coupler-receiving holes 411, 421 to engage releasably and respectively the shank portions 72, 82 of the upper and lower couplers 7, 8 for securing the upper and lower couplers 7, 8 to the cutter carriage 4. The upper and lower screws 73, 83 are operable to permit position adjustment of the upper and lower couplers 7, 8 relative to the cutter carriage 4 between a non-tightening position (see FIG. 5) and a tightening position (see FIG. 6), in which the upper helical surface 751 of the inner thread 75 of the upper coupler 7 abuts against the lower helical surface 312 of the helical thread 31 of a respective one of the screw rods 3 and in which the lower helical surface 852 of the inner thread 85 of the lower coupler 8 abuts against the upper helical surface 311 of the helical thread 31 of the respective one of the screw rods 3. Referring to FIG. 7, in combination with FIG. 3, adjustment of the upper coupler 7 from the non-tightening position to the tightening position is carried out using a tool 10 with protrusions that extend respectively into angularly displaced tool-engaging holes 712 in the head portion 71 of the upper coupler 7. The tool 10 is rotated in a direction indicated by the arrows shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 so as to move the upper coupler 7 from the non-tightening position to the tightening position. In a similar manner, the head portion 81 of the lower coupler 8 is also formed with a plurality of angularly displaced tool-engaging holes such that rotation of the lower coupler 8 is possible through the tool 10. In this embodiment, the shank portion 72 (82) of each of the upper and lower couplers 7, 8 is formed with a recess 721 (821). Each of the upper and lower screws 73, 83 is extendable into the recess 721 (821) in the shank portion 72 (82) of the respective one of the upper and lower couplers 7, 8 to engage releasably the respective one of the upper and lower couplers 7, 8 so as to ensure fastening of the upper and lower couplers 7, 8 to the cutter carriage 4. Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing further includes two opposite side covers 5 confining two opposite sides of the cutter carriage 4, and a top cover 6 interconnecting the side covers 5 and confining a top side of the cutter carriage 4. The top cover 6 is formed with a plurality of positioning holes 61, each of which receives a sleeve 62 therein. Each of the screw rods 3 has an upper end portion 33 that is sleeved by the sleeve 62, and that is retained in a respective one of the positioning holes 61 by fastening means 64. The base 2 defines a bottom mounting space 20, and is formed with a plurality of retaining holes 21, each of which is in spatial communication with the bottom mounting space 20 and each of which receives a bearing 23 therein. The bearing 23 is retained in the respective retaining hole 21 by a retaining plate 24 and fastening means 25. Each of the screw rods 3 further has a lower end portion 34 that extends through the bearing 23 in a respective one of the retaining holes 21, and is connected to a sprocket 28 that is disposed in the bottom mounting space 20. A chain 29 is connected to the sprockets 28 on the screw rods 3 so as to permit synchronous rotation of the screw rods 3. By virtue of the upper and lower couplers 7, 8, the wood planing machine of this invention can be dispensed with the use of the eccentric members that are required in the aforesaid conventional wood planing machine. With the invention thus explained, it is apparent that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be limited only as recited in the appended claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a wood planing machine, more particularly to a wood planing machine with coupling units that can prevent loosening of a cutter carriage during a planing operation. 2. Description of the Related Art U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,734 discloses a conventional wood planing machine that includes a cutter carriage that is mounted movably on a plurality of screw rods through a plurality of threaded members which engage threadedly and respectively the screw rods. The conventional wood planing machine requires the use of eccentric members to adjust positions of the threaded members relative to the cutter carriage so as to permit abutment of the threaded members against the screw rods and so as to firmly secure the threaded members to the screw rods when the cutter carriage is moved to a desired height on the screw rods, thereby preventing loosening of the cutter carriage on the screw rods and undesired clashing between the threaded members and the screw rods during a planing operation. The entire disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,734 is incorporated herein by reference. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wood planing machine having coupling units that are capable of dispensing with the use of eccentric members as required in the aforesaid conventional wood planing machine. Accordingly, a wood planing machine of this invention comprises: a base; a plurality of screw rods mounted rotatably on and standing upright from the base, each of the screw rods having a helical thread that defines upper and lower helical surfaces; a cutter carriage formed with a plurality of coupler-engaging parts, each of which is formed with opposite upper and lower coupler-receiving holes for extension of a respective one of the screw rods therethrough, upper and lower fastener-receiving holes that are respectively in spatial communication with and that are transverse to the upper and lower coupler-receiving holes, and upper and lower inner threads that respectively define the upper and lower fastener-receiving holes; a plurality of coupling units, each of which includes upper and lower couplers that extend respectively into the upper and lower coupler-receiving holes of a respective one of the coupler-engaging parts, each of the upper and lower couplers having a head portion and a shank portion that is reduced in diameter and that extends from the head portion into the respective one of the upper and lower coupler-receiving holes, and being formed with an inner hole extending through the head and shank portions for extension of a respective one of the screw rods therethrough, and an inner thread defining the inner hole and engaging threadedly the respective one of the screw rods so as to permit movement of the cutter carriage along the screw rods upon rotation of the screw rods relative to the cutter carriage, the inner thread defining upper and lower helical surfaces; and a plurality of fastening units, each of which includes upper and lower screws that are engageable threadedly and respectively with the upper and lower inner threads of a respective one of the coupler-engaging parts and that are extendable respectively into the upper and lower coupler-receiving holes to engage releasably and respectively the shank portions of the upper and lower couplers for securing the upper and lower couplers to the cutter carriage. The upper and lower screws are operable to permit position adjustment of the upper and lower couplers relative to the cutter carriage to a tightening position, in which the upper helical surface of the inner thread of the upper coupler abuts against the lower helical surface of the helical thread of a respective one of the screw rods and in which the lower helical surface of the inner thread of the lower coupler abuts against the upper helical surface of the helical thread of the respective one of the screw rods. | 20040927 | 20060418 | 20060119 | 88569.0 | B27C100 | 1 | SELF, SHELLEY M | WOOD PLANING MACHINE WITH COUPLING UNITS | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | B27C | 2,004 |
|
10,951,262 | ACCEPTED | Object oriented based methodology for modeling business functionality for enabling implementation in a web based environment | A computer method and apparatus defining Business Classes for modeling business activities comprising the steps of representing business activities as the interaction between one or more Business Classes, and entering into a computer and storing in an electronic format the Business Classes and the relationships existing between the Business Classes. | 1. (original) a computer method of modeling a business activity, comprising the steps of: (a) defining one or more business classes including storing in a digital electronic format said one or more business classes as well as the relationships existing between said one or more business classes; (b) representing a subject business activity as an interaction between one or more business classes; and (c) tying business rules or methods to individual instances of the business classes such that two instances of a same class can respond differently to a given business activity. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of defining includes the steps of: (a) defining one or more business states indicative of the status of a business class; and (b) defining one or more business methods to logically define the steps required to move a business class between one or more business states. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of auto deleting a business class. 4. A method as claimed in claim 3 further comprising auto deallocating memory space storing business class data. 5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the business classes form templates of run-time business objects, each business object being an instance of a respective business class. 6. Computer apparatus for modeling a business activity, comprising: definitions of one or more business classes stored in a digital electronic format including indications of relationships existing between said one or more business classes; corresponding business objects of the business classes, for each business object the respective business class forming a template of a run-time instance of the business object; and respective business rules or methods tied to individual instances of the business classes such that two instances of a same business class can behave differently. 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 further comprising means for auto deleting a business class. 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further comprising automatic memory deallocation for deallocating memory space storing subject business class data. 9. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of tying business rules includes allowing a business rule of an instance of a business class to reference an external code portion, the external code portion being executable to provide functionality specific to the instance and different from other instances of said business class. 10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the external code portion is stored in a database organized according to defined attributes of the business class. 11. Computer apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the business rules of an instance of a business class include references to respective external code portions, each external code portion being executable to provide functionality specific to the instance and different from other instances of said business class. 12. Computer apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the external code portion is stored in a database organized according to defined attributes of the business class. 13. A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium for modeling a business activity; and a set of computer program instructions embodied on the computer usable medium, including instructions for (a) defining one or more business classes including storing in a digital electronic format said one or more business classes as well as the relationships existing between said one or more business classes; (b) representing a subject business activity as an interaction between one or more business classes; and (c) tying business rules or methods to individual instances of the business classes such that two instances of a same class can respond differently to a given business activity. 14. A computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the instructions for defining further include: (a) defining one or more business states indicative of the status of a business class; and (b) defining one or more business methods to logically define the steps required to move a business class between one or more business states. 15. A computer program product as claimed in claim 13 further comprising instructions for auto deleting a business class. 16. A computer program product as claimed in claim 15 further comprising instructions for auto deallocating memory space storing business class data. 17. A computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the business classes form templates of run-time business objects, each business object being an instance of a respective business class. 18. A computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the business rules of an instance of a business class include references to respective external code portions, each external code portion being executable to provide functionality specific to the instance and different from other instances of said business class. 19. A computer program product as claimed in claim 18 wherein the external code portion is stored in a database organized according to defined attributes of the business class. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/631,318, filed Aug. 3, 2000, the entire teachings of the which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention This invention relates to a method for defining business functionality in an electronic form, and more particularly relates to an object oriented based methodology for modeling business functionality so as to generate hardware and software specific code therefrom for implementation in a web based computing environment. (2) Description of the Related Art Current computer programming techniques include the use of Object-Oriented Programming (“OOP”). OOP is characterized by a reliance on reusable, self-contained, callable program code modules known in the art as ‘objects’. An object is a run-time instance of an object class. Specifically, the object class forms the definitional structure of the object. During execution, data storage space is allocated for each object where the space required is defined by the object class. This process of run time allocation is referred to as instantiation. As such, the object class acts as a template that defines the behavior of a group of similar objects. An object, instantiated from its corresponding object class, contains all of the attributes, methods, and messaging capabilities required to form tasks logically required by an application. Each object is designed to accomplish a predefined set of operations through ‘methods’ and associated data. Associated data most often take the form of static variable definitions for storing attribute data associated with an object. Attribute data may record the relationship between the object and one or more other objects. Methods comprise programmed tasks for the object to perform when invoked. A method invocation usually occurs as a result of a message sent to an object by another object. The message identifies the method, or operation, that is to be performed. In addition, an object's methods may call upon methods included within the object's own definition. OOP is a modular approach to programming wherein functionality is grouped by object class and implemented through the instantiation of objects. Such a modular approach makes software development more efficient and reliable through the use and reuse of individual, tested objects. Once coded and tested, object classes may be ported to other applications and compiled. One example of OOP computer languages include the C++ language developed by the AT&T Bell Laboratories of Murray Hills, N.J. as an extension of the non-OOP C programming language. While an object's attribute value can indicate a logical state of the object and an object's methods contain the universe of functions which may be invoked pursuant to the operation of the object, to the best of the Applicant's knowledge there exists nothing in the structure of existing OOP objects for binding an object's state attribute variables to its methods. In addition, as presently conducted, methods which function as rules for evaluating or changing the value of an attribute are defined at the object class level and, as such, are not tied to individual instances of the class. An example of a limitation with the present state of the art is that while an object class may specify a method to compute a discounted price in general, it cannot specify a different rule for computing the discount price if the instance of the object class corresponds to a particular store chain. The lack of a methodology by which OOP can bind, within the structure of an object, an object's state to its methods is a drawback in the art. A primary shortcoming of the present art arises from the proliferation of internet based applications. As used herein, “internet” refers to the global network of computers constantly connected to each other using standardized communications protocols, specifically TCP/IP. The internet is referred to as a “stateless” environment. That is, each client request sent from web browsers to application servers constitutes a singular communication session between client and server. As a result, communications are perceived by the server to be unique events and not part of a continuous dialogue. For example, a user interacting through a web browser to order a book over the internet may be guided through several windows to enter book selections and credit card information. Upon submitting each web page, the information entered by the user is submitted to the web server. However, the server does not automatically know if this is the first communication with the user, one of a series of interactions required to accomplish a task, or which communication in the series is presently being executed. To address this problem, there have been developed various methodologies to allow web servers to ascertain the context, or state, of the client request. One methodology as disclosed in Microsoft technical paper entitled “ASP and Web Session Management” by Micheal P. Levy, Apr. 2, 1997, involves the assignment of a unique session identifier to a client upon login. This identifier is passed back and forth in what is commonly called a cookie. Cookies are discreet packets of information appended to client and server communications that are stored and sent back and forth. Once the unique identifier is received, the server can query a centralized database to ascertain where the client is in the context of completing the transaction. Because many servers may store and retrieve data from a centralized database, or from a plurality of databases, the potential for data bottlenecks to arise increases with the number of client sessions. In addition, processing power is required to ascertain state information in this manner which could be better utilized. As business applications become more dependent upon internet based architectures, the need to redevelop and distribute architecture components becomes more important as well. Traditional computer architecture design is characterized by development of code to run on predefined hardware platforms using predefined software running on a predefined operating system. Unfortunately, the long life cycles involved in developing and testing code are not compatible with the rapid rate at which differing hardware and software platforms come into and out of existence, and the dynamic nature of the business models which are presently being implemented, in particular for use on the internet. OOP allows for the creation and utilization of object classes to perform the needs of business. However, when coded in an existing language, such as C++, these object classes are constrained in their ability to run on multiple platforms. In addition, it is resource intensive to make even the most minor change to existing code that is distributed across many platforms. As a result, it is presently necessary to spend a great deal of time defining the precise nature of business functionality prior to beginning the coding of an application. Reasons for this include the requirement to thoroughly test the interaction of tens of thousands of lines of codes which will be distributed across many platforms. Even the smallest change in any one component of any platform can have large, and often times unintended, effects on other components. However, because the life cycle of many projects devoted to creating computer applications to implement business functionality is several years in duration, the needs of the business upon delivery of the completed application often differ greatly from the original design specifications. Unfortunately, there presently exists a very strong relationship between the high level business functionality to be implemented in computer code and the low level architected system created to perform such functionality. As a result, changes to the high level business model necessitate complex and costly revisions to the code. The availability of new hardware and software platforms not present at the outset of a project is virtually impossible to integrate midstream in the development process. What is therefore needed, is a method for designing architected computer systems for carrying out business functionality that does not suffer from the limitations of the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a methodology which allows for the intuitive translation of business processes into a computer defined structure. Such a methodology allows for high level definition of the interaction of business units in a manner which is visually understandable, easy to edit, and from which computer code can be generated. In addition, the present invention discloses a method by which business units are represented as carrying with them the complete state diagrams necessary to fully define their states and the methods or functions required to be performed to carry the business unit to the next logical state. Such a representation allows for communication in the stateless internet environment in a manner which maintains the context and state of data objects and thus overcomes the bottlenecks necessitated by the prior art. Such a methodology permits the rapid design of computer systems to carry out business functions, allows for editing and code regeneration during development to respond to changing business needs and severs the business needs of the company from the platforms upon which the completed code is to be implemented. In addition, utility is derived from a methodology of defining business classes which binds business rules or methods to individual instances of the business class. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for translating the interactions and operations of a business enterprise into a computer based structure which captures and defines its real world counterpart. The present invention therefore provides a methodology to define and model discreet business entities that when combined comprise a business. Through the inclusion of an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI), the process of defining the attributes of business entities, the relationships between business entities, and the methods and state pertaining to each business entity is enabled. In addition, the definition of messages and output display formats required by business entities are likewise enabled. An additional aspect of the present invention is a methodology for defining and editing business entity information in the form of business class definitions While existing class definitions, as expressed in myriad object oriented programming languages are known, for example in C++, the class definitions of the present invention provide previously unavailable capabilities. A feature of the invention is that the class definitions permit the encoding of complete state diagrams for each business class. The resultant business classes contain all of the information necessary to automate, in a computer environment, the real world functionality of the entity modeled by the business class. The present invention provides a methodology for defining business classes comprised of business methods, business attributes, business rules, messages, and web pages. Business rules are comprised of logical code tied to one or more business attributes. It is one advantage of the present invention that the methodology for defining business rules allows one to define individual business rules tied to a particular instance, or instantiation, of the more generalized business class. As a result, the operation of two business objects, instantiated from the same business class, can exhibit differing behavior based upon the unique identity of each. Yet another aspect of the present invention is the methodology by which an interface between the user and the defined business class is provided and maintained. Specifically, an intuitive GUI is provided through which a system designer may depict the function of business entities and their attendant relationships. As a result of this visually comprehensible diagram, the present invention allows for the automated generation of many of each business class' business attributes, business methods, and business rules required to implement the relationships thusly defined. In addition, each business entity graphically displayed and diagrammed as so described can be selected so as to render increasingly more detailed representations of the business class's structure. There is provided an intuitive method for switching back and forth between the most abstracted views of business classes and business methods, and the lowest level definitions of their attendant structure. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is drawn to a method of defining Business Classes for modeling a business activity comprising the steps of representing the business activity as an interaction between one or more Business Classes, storing in a digital electronic format the one or more Business Classes as well as the relationships existing between the one or more Business Classes, and providing a GUI whereby desired ones of the Business Classes and of the relationships may be linked to thereby generate computer code. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein entering into a computer the Business Classes comprises the steps of entering Business Attributes related to each of the one or more Business Classes, defining Business Processes related to each of the one or more Business Classes, and entering Business Rules associated with one or more Business Attributes. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein defining Business Processes comprises the additional steps of defining one or more Business States indicative of the status of a Business Class, and defining one or more Business Methods to logically define the steps required to move a Business Class between one or more Business States. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein entering the Business Classes comprises the additional step of defining messages whereby each of the Business Classes may interact with each of the other Business Classes or code external to each of the other Business Classes. Still another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein entering the Business Classes comprises the additional step of defining one or more web pages associated with each of the one or more Business Classes. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein entering into a computer the Business Classes comprises the additional step of diagramming the relationship between a plurality of Business Classes using a graphical user interface (GUI). Still another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein diagramming the relationships between the plurality of Business Classes comprises the steps of selecting an icon from an object palette to represent one of the plurality of Business Classes, dragging and dumping the icon upon a user desktop in a desired location, repeating the previous steps, and defining the relationships between each of the plurality of Business Classes represented by the icons. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein defining the relationships between each of the plurality of Business Classes represented by the icons comprises the additional steps of selecting a first one of the icons, selecting a second one of the icons; and specifying the nature of the relationship between the first and the second icons. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein specifying the nature of the relationship between the first and the second icons comprises the additional step of selecting an icon from a relationship palette. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein defining Business Processes related to each of the one or more Business Classes comprises the additional step of diagramming Business States and Business Methods. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein defining one or more of the Business States and Business Methods is performed through a GUI. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein defining one or more of the Business States and Business Methods comprises the additional steps of selecting a business state icon from an object palette, dragging and dropping one or more of the business state icons upon a user desktop, selecting a business method icon from an object palette, and dragging and dropping one or more of the business method icons between two of the business state icons. Still another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein the Business Classes are stored in a repository. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned wherein each Business Attribute is selected from the set consisting in part of R, M, S, B, and E. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein a first subset of information defining the Business Classes is accessed in a text based format. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein a second subset of information defining the Business Classes is accessed in a GUI format. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein Business Attributes are automatically generated and stored in a repository. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein Business methods are automatically generated and stored in a repository The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings that follow. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a screen rendering of an Object Modeler GUI in accordance with the invention. FIG. 2 is a screen rendering of an electronic form based Class Editor GUI for editing the properties of Business Classes. FIG. 3 is a screen rendering of a text-based methodology for displaying attribute data using the Class Editor GUI. FIG. 4 is a screen rendering of the Class Editor GUI of FIG. 2 illustrating class attributes and their attendant business rules. FIG. 5 is a screen rendering of the business rule portion of the Class Editor GUI of FIG. 2. FIG. 6 is a screen rendering of a Business Process Editor GUI. FIG. 7 is a screen rendering of a GUI utilized to display Business Methods. FIG. 8 is a flow chart of the code generation process of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a screen rendering of the web page editor of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a screen rendering of the web page property editor of the present invention showing the form specified attributes. FIG. 10a is a screen rendering of the web page property editor of FIG. 10 illustrating the data binding menu. FIG. 11is a screen rendering of the web page property editor of the present invention showing the object space specified attributes. FIG. 12 is a screen rendering of the web page editor of the present invention illustrating the selection and placement of graphical and textual elements. FIG. 13 is a screen rendering of the control property window of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a screen rendering of the generate HTML window of the present invention. Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION When executing software on a computer, a Business Object is a data object, for which storage space on an electronic medium has been allocated, derived from a Business Class template. By template, it is meant that a Business Class defines the generic definition of a Business Object. A data object is an entity stored in an electronic format that is comprised of information. A Business object is, therefore, a dynamically allocated instance of the static Business Class. A Business Class is comprised of attributes, methods, external messages and web documents. Detailed examples of attributes, methods, external messages and web documents are provided below. The Business Processes, comprising in part the Business Class, are themselves comprised of Business Rules, methods, and subprocesses. Business Rules and Business Processes are defined more specifically below. An advantage of the present invention is the ability to model all business activities as interactions between Business Classes. The structure and organization of the Business Class is such as to uniquely and completely define the attributes of the Business Class. Because the Business Class, when implemented in computer code will often take the form of an OOP class definition, the structure of Business Classes as herein defined bears superficial resemblance to OOP classes. OOP class definitions form the core of various OOP languages including, but not limited to, C++. However, in accordance with the present invention, Business Classes are not limited to implementations in OOP languages, rather, Business Classes may be implemented in non-OOP languages including, but not limited to, JAVASCRIPT. Business Class information and definitions are stored in a repository in a neutral format from which code can be generated in any required computer language. A subset of characteristics unique to a specific Business Class is the relationship between the specific Business Class and a plurality of other Business Classes with which the specific Business Class interacts. Other characteristics of the specific Business Class may include attributes, specific to the Business Class, which are not dependent upon a relationship with other Business Classes. Described herein are several methodologies involving graphical user interfaces (GUI) which, taken together, allow a user to diagram at a high level a plurality of Business Classes, the relationships between Business Classes, and subcomponents of Business Classes including, but not limited to, Business Processes and Business Rules. While the following detailed descriptions of the methods by which GUIs may be utilized to perform such diagramming are presented with reference to specific examples, the present invention is not limited to such examples. Rather, the GUI interfaces described herein are intended to broadly encompass any and all graphical means by which a user may interface with a computer, or other electronic device, for the purpose of accomplishing the intended task so described. As used herein, the term “repository” refers to any aggregation of information whereon data is stored in an electronic format and may retrieved therefrom. As used herein, “electronic format” refers to any mode of storing or manipulating data in digital form. As used herein, “neutral format” refers to a data format which is capable of being expressed in or converted to at least one other computer language including, but not limited to, object oriented computer languages. With reference to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a graphical representation of a plurality of Business Classes, their organization, and relationships existing between them. FIG. 1 comprises a Graphical User Interface (GUI) implemented in an Object Modeler 5, through which a user may model any business or process and the attendant operation thereof. Business Classes are grouped to form Subjects. Subjects are combined to form Packages. A Package is utilized to construct a Data Repository on an electronic storage medium. In the present example there is illustrated drugstore 11. Drugstore 11 is a Package comprised of Subjects customer 13, drugstore 15, store 19, reference 17. Each Subject is further comprised of a plurality of Business Classes. A Subject represents a logical grouping of Business Classes. With continued reference to FIG. 1, store 19 is comprised of a plurality of Business Classes such as Product 30, BeautyProduct 31, HealthProduct 32, SalesOrder 21, Shipping 23, and SalesOrderItem 25. Subject Customer 13 is comprised of, Customer 27, and CustomerAddress 29. Using the GUI interface in a point-and-click manner, a user may define and thereby create Business Classes, drag them on a display device to a desired location, and define the logical relationship between the created Business Class and the other Business Classes. Once created and physically located at a desired point on the display device, the user may define the relationships existing between the Business Class and other Business Classes in a GUI supported manner. For example, SalesOrder 21 was created and placed within store 19. A number of lines either eminating from or terminating at SalesOrder 21, with arrowheads located at at least one end of such each line's terminus, designates a relationship between SalesOrder 21 and a plurality of other Business Classes. Specifically, SalesOrder 21 can be seen to exist in relationships with SalesOrderItem 25, Shipping 23, Customer Payment 33, Customer 27, and CustomerAddress 29. One method by which Business Classes and relationships are defined and manipulated through the use of a GUI involves selecting a Business Class object from an object palette, dragging a representation of the Business Class object to a desired location on the user's desktop, and dropping the Business Class object at the location. A palette is a collection of icons from which a user may select a desired icon. Similarly, a relationship might be selected from a relationship palette and applied to a Business Class relationship indicated by a line connecting two Business Classes. The present invention is not limited to any one methodology but is intended to broadly encompass the process of using a GUI to diagram Business Classes and their relationships on a user's desktop. A user's desktop includes, but is not limited to, the portion of a viewing monitor within which an operating system displays graphical information to a user. As is indicated by the format of each line and the arrowheads attached thereto, the aforementioned relationships differ in substance from one another. While any method by which the nature of the lines is visually distinguishable by a user, in the present example lines are presented as either solid or dashed with the arrowheads affixed to at least one terminus of each line represented as either solid or unfilled. A solid line indicates a relationship while a dashed line indicates ownership. A solid arrowhead indicates the nature of the derivation of a relationship while an unfilled arrowhead indicates inheritance. These concepts are described more particularly below. SalesOrder 21 has a relationship with Shipping 23 as evidenced by solid line 41 and solid arrowhead 43. As each sales order must be shipped, there is seen to be a relationship between the two Business Classes. While indicating a relationship, a solid line provides no further indication of the nature of that relationship. In contrast, dashed line 51 between SalesOrder 21 and SalesOrderItem 25 indicates ownership. The orientation of filled arrowhead 53 terminating at SalesOrderitem 25 indicates that each SalesOrder 21 owns a SalesOrderitem 25. Similarly, each SalesOrder 21 owns a CutomerAddress 29. Note that this relationship exists among Business Classes contained in separate Subjects. SalesOrder 21 is a member of store 19 while CustomerAddress 29 is a member of customer 13. Customer 27 is seen to own SalesOrder 21 via dashed line 55. Therefore, a Business class may own another Business Class as well as be owned by a third Business Class In the present example, Customer 27 owns SalesOrder 21 and SalesOrder 21 owns SalesOrderItem 25. As will be illustrated, an ownership relationship imposes logical implications on software designed and implemented to carry out the tasks modeled in an Object Modeler. Product 30 is modeled as possessing relationships with a plurality of Business Classes such as BeautyProduct 31 and HealthProduct 32. Unfilled arrowhead 49 at the terminus of solid line 45 connecting HealthProduct 32 and Product 30 indicate inheritance. The location of unfilled arrowhead at Product 30 indicates that Business Class HealthProduct 32 is inherited from, and is thus the child of, parent Business Class Product 30. As such, Product 30 has been defined to be a template for products. The representation of HealthProduct 32 and BeautyProduct 31 as children of Product 30 indicates that HealthProduct 32 and BeautyProduct 31 are specific instances of the more generalized Business Class 30. As such, HealthProduct 32 and BeautyProduct 31 inherit all of the attributes of Product 30. While the user will likely add additional attributes to HealthProduct 32 and BeautyProduct 31 to reflect the unique characteristics of both, both Business Classes will always contain all of the attributes of the parent Product 30. The visually illustrated attributes of ownership and inheritance impose constraints on the more detailed descriptions of individual Business Classes. The present invention provides a method for translating the visual, GUI created Business Class model, into a repository based aggregation of data elements. Specifically, once defined using the GUI interface, the characteristics of each Business Class so defined are recorded in electronic format on a medium which is either centrally located or which may communicate with other like repositories. With reference to FIG. 2, the present invention comprises an electronic form or text based method for editing the properties of Business Classes. A Class Editor 211 has a class layout portion 210 and an attribute portion 225. Class layout portion 210 is comprised of a plurality of icons arranged so as to illustrate logical groupings of Business Classes. In the present example, repository icon 215 indicates a repository containing all data defining the operation of a drugstore. The drugstore repository of the present example is comprised of a single drugstore Package as indicated by package icon 217. A Package is comprised of one or more subjects. The drugstore Package is comprised of a plurality of Subjects each designated by a subject icon 219. Subject store 19 is illustrated as compromising a plurality of Business Classes. In the present example, SalesOrder 21 is designated as a Business Class by the corresponding business class icon 221. The text “SalesOrder” designating SalesOrder 21 is additionally illustrated as surrounded by a gray rectangle 243. The presence of the gray rectangle 243 is indicative of a user having selected the text through the GUI interface. Such selection may be accomplished through any appropriate means including, but not limited to, single-clicking upon the text. Class editor 211 is comprised of a series of “tabs” such as attribute tab 251. The tabs serve to logically arrange the plurality of aspects which comprise classes including, but not limited to, subjects, packages, and repositories. With respect to SalesOrder 21, selection by a user of attribute tab 251 causes attribute table 225 to be displayed. Attribute table 225 is comprised of attribute relationship column 253 and attribute name column 255. All of the relationships described above between Business Classes that were defined visually through the GUI by a user are automatically stored in a manner which allows for textual display in attribute table 225. In addition to the information which is derived from the graphical representation of Business Classes illustrated in FIG. 1, the user may enter additional information concerning the attributes of individual Business Classes which are not derived from their relationships with other Business Classes. Each attribute name listed in attribute name column 255 has an associated value displayed in attribute relationship column 253. Possible values for attribute relationship column 253 include “R”, “M”, “S”, “B”, and “E.” While the present implementation uses the aforementioned values, any values which may be used that uniquely identify a plurality of attribute relationships. While, in the present example, attribute table 225 includes an entry for each and every Business Class for a which a relationship was defined in FIG. 1, the entry in attribute name column 255 which represents a Business Class possessing a relationship with SalesOrder 21 does not necessarily bear the same name as the Business Class defined in Fig. 1. This follows from the observation that while a single relationship may be established between two entities, the manner in which each entity views the relationship may vary. For example, consider two persons who are married. There exists a relationship between the two persons. This relationship is optimally a one-to-one relation as each person can be married to no more than one person. The relationship of marriage is the same relationship whether viewed from the perspective of the man or the woman. However, the woman views the person with whom she has a relationship as her husband while the man views the person with whom he has a relationship as his wife. Therefore, if the man is represented as a Business Class, it is preferable to have an entry in attribute table 225 identified as wife. Conversely, the same relationship viewed through the Business Class representing the woman might have an entry for a husband. The present invention provides a method whereby every Business Class can tie a preferred name to a relationship with another Business Class. As is illustrated graphically in FIG. 1, each SalesOrder 21 is associated with a CustomerPayment 33. However, attribute name column 255 does not contain an entry for “CustomerPayment.” As illustrated in FIG. 3, when the row in attribute name column 225 containing the text “Payment” is selected, the variable name “CustomerPayment” appears in data type entry field 333. Therefore, referring once again to FIG. 2, the “Payment” entry in attribute name column 255 refers to the relationship between SalesOrder 21 and CustomerPayment 33. It will be noted that each entry in attribute name column 255 has an associated entry in attribute relationship column 253. Every relationship between two Business Classes is bidirectional. An entry in the attribute relationship column 253 further defines the nature of the relationship. An “M” entry indicates a one-to-many relationship. In attribute table 225, the “OrderItems” entry in attribute name column 255 indicates the relationship between SalesOrder 21 and SalesOrderitem 25. Associated with OrderItems is an attribute relationship of “M.” This indicates that a single sales order can possess multiple order items. An “S” attribute indicates a relationship with a Business Class that itself possesses an “R” attribute. Returning to the example of a male class and a female class, the function of the “S” and “R” attributes is apparent. Because each male has one and only one wife, the male class will contain a wife attribute with an “S” relationship attribute. “S” refers to single, as in each male has a single wife. The female class will contain a husband attribute which stands in reference to the wife attribute of the male class. Therefore, the husband attribute of the female class will have an “R” attribute. In addition, there may exist instances where corresponding attributes in separate classes will exhibit an attribute relationship “M” and an attribute relationship “R.” In the present example, a male class may have an attribute of daughter with an “M” attribute relationship while the female class will have an attribute of father with an “R” attribute relationship. This results from the fact that a male may have several daughters while each female has one and only one father. As noted, any number of attribute relationships may be recorded and the present invention is not limited to those described. Rather, any relationship between Business Classes which may be conceived and which serves to define the operation of a Business Class may likewise be captured through the GUI, stored on the repository, and used to generate code and various other data entities related to the Business Class so defined. Referring to FIG. 2., attribute name “Customer” entered in attribute name column 255 has an associated attribute “R” 235. Attribute name “ShippingAddress” entered in attribute name column 255 has an associated attribute “S” 235. Therefore, SalesOrder 21 relates back to Customer 27 while CustomerAddress relates back to SalesOrder 21. The attribute “B” refers to a basic data type. A basic data type is usually implemented in computer code as a numeric value including, but not limited to, integers and floating point numbers. In addition, a basic type may be comprised of a byte sequence representing text. The attribute “E” refers to an enumerated data type. Enumerated data types contain integer values with each unique integer value representing a state as illustrated more fully below. Note that in FIG. 2, attribute name “StateVar” entered in attribute name column 255 has an associated attribute “E” 235. The gray area surrounding the text “StateVar” indicates that a user has selected the entry by clicking on the text or though other appropriate means. As a result of the selection, data type information is displayed in data type table 261. There is illustrated enumerated values of “1”, “2”, and “3” associated with states “Initiate”, “Registered”, and “Payment Processed” respectively. A basic data type, such as “Taxes”, may have one or more associated Business Rules. Business Rules are tied to attributes. With reference to FIG. 4, attribute “Taxes” has been selected and appears highlighted. As a result, Business Rule button 41 is re-plotted with the annotation “(1).” If more than one Business Rule were associated with “Taxes,” the annotation appearing in Business Rule button 41 would reflect the number of Business Rules so associated. Clicking on Business Rule button 41 invokes Business Rule window 51 as illustrated in FIG. 5. Business Rule window 51 is comprised of Business Rule table 53 and business rule 55. Business Rule table 53 lists five types of Business Rules including, but not limited to, “Initial Value”, “Derivation”, and “Validation”. An example of an initial value Business Rule would be “this.Quantity=O”. An example of a validation Business Rule might consist of the following code: If(this.Quantity > 0) return TRUE; else return FALSE; An example of a derivation Business Rule might consist of the following code: this.Quantity1=this.Quantity2 *this.quantity3; A Business Rule is comprised of logic which contains sufficient structure to enable the generation of computer executable code to perform the defined functionality. An example of such exemplary code is “this.SubTotal*0.06”. Business Rules may be tied to an entire Business Class, and hence to all Business Objects derived therefrom, or to an individual instance of a Business Class. In the present example, business rule 55 is comprised of the following logic: “this.SubTotal*0.06”. Because business rule 55 is of type “Derivation,” the logic serves to specify how the value of taxes attribute is derived or computed. Using logic descriptors similar to the syntax of C++, business rule 55 states that the value of taxes attribute 43 is to equal the value of attribute subtotal 45 multiplied by 0.06. Attribute subtotal 45 may itself derive its value from a Business Rule which states a dependence on one or more other attributes. As illustrated, all SalesOrder Business objects derived from the Salesorder Business Class will inherit the described taxes business rule 55. However, it is preferable to have a method by which the individual attributes of Business Objects are derived and processed different from one another based upon the unique characteristics of the Business Object. The present invention allows for the incorporation into a Business Rule of logic which is specific to a particular instantiation of a Business Object. For example, to calculate a separate discount rate for businesses purchasing goods from a particular web site one could code a derivation Business Rule which would return a different discount rate based upon the identity of the buyer. Such a Business Rule might appear as follows: if this.customer = “Joe” then this.discount = .06; else if this.customer = “Fred” then this discount = .09; else if this.customer = “John” then this.discount = “.03”; In this manner, different customers would receive different discount rates. However, such a methodology relies on hard-coding the identity of customers and their attendant discount rates. Using such a methodology presents challenges when a new customer is added. Specifically, such a methodology requires that the Business Rule within which each separate discount rate is specified contains a hard-coded algorithm for deriving the appropriate discount rate for a given customer. If in the future another customer were added, it would be necessary to re-code the Business Rule to include new discount rate derivation code, regenerate the run time application components of the architecture, and redistribute the new components. Such a process requires considerable new code to be added to an existing architecture requiring potentially laborious testing. The present invention avoids these drawbacks by allowing a reference in a Business Rule to a row and column in a relational database associated with a defined attribute. While the present invention is illustrated herein with reference to a relational database, the present invention is drawn broadly to the use of any form of memory storage capable of receiving a request for data based upon identifying criteria and returning the data so requested. In this manner, one is able to locate a portion of the logical code comprising a Business Rule outside of the Business Rule definition contained in a Business Class. When such a Business Rule is invoked at run-time, the referenced portion of the Business Rule located externally in the relational database is retrieved and executed. Such execution may consist of interpreting the code or compiling and subsequently executing the code. The result of such a method is the ability to change the functionality of a statically defined Business Rule based upon the identity of a customer or other Business Class attribute. As has been illustrated, the attributes corresponding to a Business Class fall generally into two groups, those which can be derived from the graphic representation of Business Class relationships as illustrated in FIG. 1, and those which must be manually defined. Regardless of which of the two types into which an individual attribute falls, Business Rules may be defined and tied to the attribute. Regardless of whether a Business Rule accesses the values of other attributes, each Business Rule is tied to one and only one attribute. In contrast to the attribute dependent nature of Business Rules, there exists Business Class level Business Processes which are tied to individual Business Classes. Like Business Classes, however, a portion of the logic required to implement Business Processes may be derived from a graphical representation of the relationship between Business Processes. Business Processes are comprised of states and subprocesses, may be comprised of one or more Business Methods, or may consist of one or more manual processes. A state is the present condition of a Business Class. As detailed with reference to FIG. 2, attribute “StateVar” is an enumerated data type where possible states include “Initiate,” “Registered,” and “Payment Processed.” Subprocesses consist of the logic or operations required to move a Business Class from state to state. FIG. 6 illustrates the GUI interface for the present invention's Business Process Editor 611. Business Process Editor 611 allows the user to define states 613, and 621, Subprocesses 615 and 617, and the states 619, 623 which result from the operation of Subprocesses. Focusing on a portion of the state diagram illustrated in Business Process Editor 611, the user has created elliptical state icons 613 and 621, rectangular Subprocess icons 615 and 617, and rectangular state icons 619 and 623 attached thereto. Such shapes are exemplary and not required. The portion of the Business Process thusly comprised illustrates the initial state of the Business Class SalesOrder shown as initiate state 613, and the Business Methods validate user 615 and registration 617 required to move Business Class SalesOrder to registered state 621. As is illustrated, the user has created an icon and assigned a textual attribute of “initiate” to form initiate state 613. Next, the user defined two Business Methods in series with initiate state 613 and connected by arrow lines 631. The Business Methods were next assigned the textual attributes of “Validate User” and “Registration” to form validate method 615 and registration method 617. Associated with each method 615, 617 are the states resulting from the operation of the methods. In the present example, the user has defined two possible outcomes for validate method 615: registered or unregistered. Similarly, the user has defined two possible outcomes for registration method 517: success or error. Connected to registration method 617 via arrow line 631 is registered state 621. Each arrow line 631 indicates the direction of logical flow of the Business Process. In the present example a sales order with a state of “initiate” proceeds to validate the user. The diagram of FIG. 5 illustrates that the process of user validation will be accomplished through the implementation of a Business Method identified as validate method 615. Upon completion of performing validate method 615, the state of the user will be either “registered” or “unregistered”. If the result is “registered,” the logical flow continues, via arrow line 631, directly to registered state 621. If the result is “unregistered,” the logical flow continues to registration method 617. Upon completion of performing registration method 617, the state of the registration will be either “success” or “error”. If the result is “success,” the logical flow continues, via arrow line 631, directly to registered state 621. If the result is “error,” the logical flow continues to perform once again registration method 617. In a manner similar to that illustrated with reference to FIG. 1 and Object Modeler 5, Business Process Editor 611 allows a user, through the utilization of a GUT, to define the logical relationship between entities. While Object Modeler 5 allows the user to define the relationship between Business Classes, Business Process Editor 611 allows the user to define the relationship between Business Class states and Business Methods. Tn addition, Business Process Editor 611 also allows for the conversion of user defined graphical relationships into detailed, logical abstractions which facilitate the creation of computer code necessary to perform the Business Process so defined. As described above with reference to FIG. 2, there is illustrated attribute name “StateVar” entered in attribute name column 255 with an associated attribute “E” 235. There is additionally illustrated enumerated values of “1”, “2”, and “3” associated with states “Initiate”, “Registered”, and “Payment Processed” respectively. These states were derived from the graphical description of the Business Process illustrated in FIG. 6. With reference to FIG. 7, there is illustrated the GUI utilized by a user to define Business Methods. Note, as with FIG. 2, SalesOrder 21 is selected. Once selected, the user may click, or otherwise select, agents tab 711 to display Business Method information. Selecting agents tab 711 causes Business Method table 713 and Business Method code window 715 to be displayed. Business Method table 713 lists all Business Methods associated with SalesOrder 21. Some of these Business Methods are derived from the relationships specified graphically in Business Process Editor 51.1 and some are user defined Business Methods not derivable from information entered into Business Process editor 511. Still other Business Methods are derived from the Business Class relationships specified in Object Modeler 5 as illustrated in FIG. 1. With reference to FIG. 7, there is seen Business Method table 713. Business method table 713 is comprised of multiple Business Methods. Among these Business Methods are “ProcValidateUser” and “ProcRegistration.” ProcValidateUser and ProcRegistration refer to validate method 615 and registration method 617. As a result of the user defining validate method 61.5 and registration method 617 using Business Process Editor 611, the names of the methods 615, 617 appear in Business Method table 713. The gray rectangle surrounding the text “ProcValidateUser” indicates that the user has selected the first row of the Business Method table 713. As a result of the selection, the code which forms the substance of validate method 615 appears in Business Method code window 715. If code associated with validate method 615 has been previously entered into Business Method code window 715, the code will appear in Business Method code window 715. In addition, code may be added or modified by altering the contents of Business Method code window 715. In addition to the Business Methods whose names are automatically generated based upon the inputs to the Business Process Editor 611, the present invention can generate both entries and the attendant code for other standard Business Methods. As mentioned, each attribute comprising a Business Class may have a validation Business Rule associated with it. Such a Business Rule provides logic for determining the validity of the attribute to which it is tied. However, Business Rules can only be tied to single attributes. Business Methods, on the other hand, are tied to Business Classes and, as such, may operate on one or more attributes. Because of this property, it is possible to generate a plurality of Business Methods. For example, there can be generated, and the present invention does generate, a Business Method which automatically invokes the validation Business Rules tied to each attribute in order to establish a Business Class validation. In addition to creating standard attribute validation, the present invention is capable of generating Business Methods to perform Business Class management functions. Such functions manage the allocation of memory comprising the persistent and transient electronic data storage space which define the runtime characteristics of a Business Class. As illustrated in FIG. 1 and discussed above, SalesOrder 21 has a one-to-many relationship with SalesOrderitem 25. That is to say that one SalesOrder 21 may have a plurality of SalesOrderitems 25. While not illustrated herein, it is likewise possible that each SalesOrderItem 25 could have a one-to-many relationship with another Business Class. If, while executing the Business Process comprising the SalesOrder Business Class, it becomes necessary to abort the processing of a sales order, it is preferable to be able to delete all the dependent instances of Business Classes which have been created and are in existence. It is therefore one aspect of the present invention to automatically generate for each Business Class the Business Methods required to handle the deletion of dependent Business Classes and their attendant data. The present invention allows the user to define each Business Class as being of type “restrict” or type “cascade.” If a Business Class is of type “cascade,” the run-time embodiment of the Business Class, when no longer valid, will propagate the requirement of deleting dependent Business Classes. As each dependent Business Class may itself comprise further dependent Business Classes, the deletion logic will propagate in tree like fashion from the original Business Class to the last Business Class or Classes dependent thereupon. If, conversely, a Business Class is of type “restrict,” the runtime embodiment of the Business Class, when no longer valid, will not proceed to extinguish itself if there are existing Business Classes dependent thereupon. The present invention automatically generates Business Methods for each Business Class to allow for the management of Business Class deletions. The generation process flows sequentially from the repository in which are stored the Business Classes comprising an application to the run-time components capable of deployment throughout the architecture on which they are to run. The Business Class definitons residing in the repository form an integrated description of the business model referred to as a knowledge base. Once the knowledge base is created, technology choices, or selections, are inputed to direct the generation of individual run-time components. For example, a user might designate the generation of C++ code and JAVASCRIPT code to be generated for distribution to different platforms. Once the technology is selected, the present invention proceeds to translate the neutral code of the Business Classes into the designated technology specific language thus building the completed runtime application which forms the output of the present invention. In addition, the process of building the application may include the additional step of compiling the generated run-time components to create executable code. After building the application, the generated and executable components are deployed to the platforms upon which they will execute. This process of code generation is graphically depicted in flow chart form with reference to FIG. 8. The code comprising each such Business Method is generated for inclusion by the user into other Business Methods. The generated code allows for the deletion of both the persistent and the non-persistent, or transient, data which comprises a Business Class. As noted, a Business Class forms the template for a particular run-time Business Object. The Business Object is an instance of the Business Class. A Business Object, when implemented in computer code forming the run time manifestation of the Business object, comprises persistent and transient representations. For example, there may exist an instance of the SalesOrder Business Class representing an actual run-time sales order. This sales order Business Object, comprising attributes and the attendant functionality required to implement the defined Business Processes and Business Rules, is located in a defined portion of memory in an electronic storage device. This portion of memory may consist of, but is not limited to, the RAM memory of the user's computer. This memory space is likely comprised of contiguous memory addresses and may be allocated and deallocated as required by the operating system on the user's computer. While the values stored in the memory space comprised of the structure of the sales order Business Class may change, the amount of memory initially allocated is unlikely to do so. For example, when a derivation Business Rule associated with an attribute of a Business Object is invoked, the resulting value is stored in the corresponding attribute variable of the Business Object. While the value in memory may be changed by such an operation, the amount of memory space is unchanged. If the entire memory space containing the structure of the individual Business Object were de-allocated, as when the Business object is deleted, the Business Object would cease to exist. However, there is additionally data associated with a Business Object that may persist even after the memory space comprising the Business Object is de-allocated. For example, a SalesOrder Business Object may keep track of the sales items of which it is comprised by storing tabular information in a relational database or other suitable data storage medium. When the transient memory space comprising the Business Object is de-allocated, this tabular data will persist. In many instances, it is the tabular data associated with a Business Object that is most important to delete when the instance of the Business object is no longer required. Therefore, the present invention automatically generates Business Methods to de-allocate the memory storage space comprising the transient Business Class data as well as those necessary to delete the non-persistent data. Examples of the later Business Methods may include, but are not limited to, SQL statements. In addition to the aforementioned methodologies for entering Business Rules and Business Methods, the present invention provides a methodology for defining and generating web pages in a fashion which is fully integrated with the definition of other Business Class attributes. With reference to FIG. 9 there is illustrated the GUI comprising, in part, web page editor 911. Web page editor 911 consists of web page space 915 representing the space upon which graphic and textual elements may be added so as to design a web page. Element selection menu 913 is a collection of icons representing different graphic and textual elements. As shall be more fully illustrated below, elements selected from element selection menu 913 can be selected and placed upon web page space 915 to design and define the layout of a web page. After entering web page editor 911, the present invention allows definition at the micro and macro levels of the attributes which define the web page as a whole and each graphic or textual element individually. Referring to FIG. 10, there is illustrated web page properties editor 1011. Web page properties editor 1011 may be invoked from the web page editor 911 of FIG. 9 in any of a number of appropriate manners including, but not limited to, clicking on a push button or selecting a tab. Once web page properties editor 1011 is invoked, there is provided a series of tabs such as form tab 1017 and object space tab 1019. In the present example, form tab 1017 has been selected and as a result a series of entry fields are displayed into which customizing data relating to the web page can be entered. Selecting any of the tabs will invoke a separate window interface through which information about the web page or one of its elements may be entered. A variety of input fields, such as exemplary input field 1013, is included within web page properties editor 1019. In the present instance, there are displayed a plurality of input fields through which there can be defined a plurality of web page attributes including, but not limited to, a web page's name, title, theme, and style. While illustrated herein with a variety of specific input fields, the present invention is drawn broadly to the inclusion of any and all input fields, of any appropriate construct, which allow the definition of web page attributes. Of note is data binding input field 1015 wherein can be entered the mode by which the web page is to be created and accessed. With reference to FIG. 10a, there is illustrated data binding input field 1.015 as a drop down list box 1017. Possible selections include “dynamic”, “static”, and “auto”. Selection of static binding will allow the run-time architecture to dynamically update the code comprising the web page at predefined intervals allowing the web page to be stored and accessed as a static web page. Selection of dynamic data binding will provide through the generation of web page code, such as HTML code, of a web page which may be accessed through the run-time architecture. Selection of auto data binding will ensure that the web page is generated according to the same data binding option selected in the Business Class in which the web page resides. The present invention allows for, but does not require, the definition of the object space associated with any web page. As used herein, “object space”, refers to the subset of attributes, methods, and rules contained in one or more Business Class definitions which defines the specific functionality required to perform a discreet business function. Use of an object space obviates the difficulties inherent in web based transactions arising from the stateless nature of web based communications. With reference to FIG. 11, there is illustrated web page properties editor 1011 after selection of object space tab 1019. Displayed are entity selection window 1113, available attribute window 1121, current entity window 1115. Data is moved from one window to another through the use of add entity button 1117 and add attribute button 1119. In the present example Business Class customer has been selected and appears highlighted in entity selection window 1.113. Once a Business Class has been selected, clicking on add entity button 1117 causes all of the attribute, methods and messages of the selected Business Class to appear in available attribute window 1121. Once included in available attribute window 1121, selecting an attribute, method, or message followed by clicking on add attribute button 1119 will add the selected attribute to current entity window 1115. Current entity window 115 contains all of the attributes, methods, and messages which comprise the object space associated with the web page. As used herein, a message refers to a sequence of one or more bytes of data which, like a web page definition, has an associated format and object space and may interact with other Business Classes or external code. Whether or not an object space is defined, it is necessary to return to the web page editor 911 of FIG. 9 and to design the web page by placing graphic and textual elements on the web page and associating each element with a Business Class attribute definition. With reference to FIG. 12, there is illustrated web page editor 911 after selection and positioning of exemplary text field 1213 and button 1211 on web page space 915. One method of accomplishing such selection and positioning involves clicking on the icon in element selection menu 913 that corresponds to the element to be placed upon web page space 915 and then clicking on the desired location in web page space 915 where the chosen element is to reside. Once placed in this manner, the element, such as text field 1213 and button 1211, may be selected and moved around web page space 915 as desired in accordance with any of a number of methodologies, including but not limited to, dragging and dropping the element at a new location. Once graphic and textual elements have been added, their properties must be defined. Note that in the present example attribute window 1215 contains data previously selected when defining the web page's object space. Through any appropriate manner of clicking on a single element in attribute list window 1215 and an element such as text field 1213, definition of a Business Class attribute may be linked to graphic or textual element on web page space 915. In this manner, information contained in a Business Class definition is automatically linked to the web page element. As mentioned, while an object space may be defined for web page before adding elements to the web page space 915, it need not be predefined. In the present example, the specialized attributes which define the operation of a web page element may be entered without reference to an existing Business Class. In the present invention, one may invoke a control properties window to enter data particular to a specific element or control. With reference to FIG. 13, there is illustrated the control property editor of the present invention. Invoked by the selection of an element placed in web page space 915 of FIG. 9, control property window 1311 allows for the entering of attributes which define the appearance and operation of an element. For example, control property window 1311 is comprised in part of exemplary entry field 1313 into which a font type is entered. The present invention is drawn broadly to any and all assemblages of entry fields or other data entry elements through which the appearance and operation of any and all types of graphic or textual elements may be defined. Once the attributes of the web page and each element of the web page have been defined, the code for each web page may be generated. With reference to FIG. 14, there is illustrated generate HTML window 1411. While illustrated with reference to generating HTML code, the present invention is drawn broadly to the generation of any and all web based programming languages. Generate HTML window 1411 includes data binding selection 1415 and target browser 1413. Once the method of data binding is selected through the use of data binding selection 1415 and the target browser is selected through the use of target browser 1413, clicking on generate button 1417 will cause the web pages defined by the present invention to be generated into run-time code reflecting the defined appearance and functionality of the web pages so defined. While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>(1) Field of the Invention This invention relates to a method for defining business functionality in an electronic form, and more particularly relates to an object oriented based methodology for modeling business functionality so as to generate hardware and software specific code therefrom for implementation in a web based computing environment. (2) Description of the Related Art Current computer programming techniques include the use of Object-Oriented Programming (“OOP”). OOP is characterized by a reliance on reusable, self-contained, callable program code modules known in the art as ‘objects’. An object is a run-time instance of an object class. Specifically, the object class forms the definitional structure of the object. During execution, data storage space is allocated for each object where the space required is defined by the object class. This process of run time allocation is referred to as instantiation. As such, the object class acts as a template that defines the behavior of a group of similar objects. An object, instantiated from its corresponding object class, contains all of the attributes, methods, and messaging capabilities required to form tasks logically required by an application. Each object is designed to accomplish a predefined set of operations through ‘methods’ and associated data. Associated data most often take the form of static variable definitions for storing attribute data associated with an object. Attribute data may record the relationship between the object and one or more other objects. Methods comprise programmed tasks for the object to perform when invoked. A method invocation usually occurs as a result of a message sent to an object by another object. The message identifies the method, or operation, that is to be performed. In addition, an object's methods may call upon methods included within the object's own definition. OOP is a modular approach to programming wherein functionality is grouped by object class and implemented through the instantiation of objects. Such a modular approach makes software development more efficient and reliable through the use and reuse of individual, tested objects. Once coded and tested, object classes may be ported to other applications and compiled. One example of OOP computer languages include the C++ language developed by the AT&T Bell Laboratories of Murray Hills, N.J. as an extension of the non-OOP C programming language. While an object's attribute value can indicate a logical state of the object and an object's methods contain the universe of functions which may be invoked pursuant to the operation of the object, to the best of the Applicant's knowledge there exists nothing in the structure of existing OOP objects for binding an object's state attribute variables to its methods. In addition, as presently conducted, methods which function as rules for evaluating or changing the value of an attribute are defined at the object class level and, as such, are not tied to individual instances of the class. An example of a limitation with the present state of the art is that while an object class may specify a method to compute a discounted price in general, it cannot specify a different rule for computing the discount price if the instance of the object class corresponds to a particular store chain. The lack of a methodology by which OOP can bind, within the structure of an object, an object's state to its methods is a drawback in the art. A primary shortcoming of the present art arises from the proliferation of internet based applications. As used herein, “internet” refers to the global network of computers constantly connected to each other using standardized communications protocols, specifically TCP/IP. The internet is referred to as a “stateless” environment. That is, each client request sent from web browsers to application servers constitutes a singular communication session between client and server. As a result, communications are perceived by the server to be unique events and not part of a continuous dialogue. For example, a user interacting through a web browser to order a book over the internet may be guided through several windows to enter book selections and credit card information. Upon submitting each web page, the information entered by the user is submitted to the web server. However, the server does not automatically know if this is the first communication with the user, one of a series of interactions required to accomplish a task, or which communication in the series is presently being executed. To address this problem, there have been developed various methodologies to allow web servers to ascertain the context, or state, of the client request. One methodology as disclosed in Microsoft technical paper entitled “ASP and Web Session Management” by Micheal P. Levy, Apr. 2, 1997, involves the assignment of a unique session identifier to a client upon login. This identifier is passed back and forth in what is commonly called a cookie. Cookies are discreet packets of information appended to client and server communications that are stored and sent back and forth. Once the unique identifier is received, the server can query a centralized database to ascertain where the client is in the context of completing the transaction. Because many servers may store and retrieve data from a centralized database, or from a plurality of databases, the potential for data bottlenecks to arise increases with the number of client sessions. In addition, processing power is required to ascertain state information in this manner which could be better utilized. As business applications become more dependent upon internet based architectures, the need to redevelop and distribute architecture components becomes more important as well. Traditional computer architecture design is characterized by development of code to run on predefined hardware platforms using predefined software running on a predefined operating system. Unfortunately, the long life cycles involved in developing and testing code are not compatible with the rapid rate at which differing hardware and software platforms come into and out of existence, and the dynamic nature of the business models which are presently being implemented, in particular for use on the internet. OOP allows for the creation and utilization of object classes to perform the needs of business. However, when coded in an existing language, such as C++, these object classes are constrained in their ability to run on multiple platforms. In addition, it is resource intensive to make even the most minor change to existing code that is distributed across many platforms. As a result, it is presently necessary to spend a great deal of time defining the precise nature of business functionality prior to beginning the coding of an application. Reasons for this include the requirement to thoroughly test the interaction of tens of thousands of lines of codes which will be distributed across many platforms. Even the smallest change in any one component of any platform can have large, and often times unintended, effects on other components. However, because the life cycle of many projects devoted to creating computer applications to implement business functionality is several years in duration, the needs of the business upon delivery of the completed application often differ greatly from the original design specifications. Unfortunately, there presently exists a very strong relationship between the high level business functionality to be implemented in computer code and the low level architected system created to perform such functionality. As a result, changes to the high level business model necessitate complex and costly revisions to the code. The availability of new hardware and software platforms not present at the outset of a project is virtually impossible to integrate midstream in the development process. What is therefore needed, is a method for designing architected computer systems for carrying out business functionality that does not suffer from the limitations of the prior art. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention provides a methodology which allows for the intuitive translation of business processes into a computer defined structure. Such a methodology allows for high level definition of the interaction of business units in a manner which is visually understandable, easy to edit, and from which computer code can be generated. In addition, the present invention discloses a method by which business units are represented as carrying with them the complete state diagrams necessary to fully define their states and the methods or functions required to be performed to carry the business unit to the next logical state. Such a representation allows for communication in the stateless internet environment in a manner which maintains the context and state of data objects and thus overcomes the bottlenecks necessitated by the prior art. Such a methodology permits the rapid design of computer systems to carry out business functions, allows for editing and code regeneration during development to respond to changing business needs and severs the business needs of the company from the platforms upon which the completed code is to be implemented. In addition, utility is derived from a methodology of defining business classes which binds business rules or methods to individual instances of the business class. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for translating the interactions and operations of a business enterprise into a computer based structure which captures and defines its real world counterpart. The present invention therefore provides a methodology to define and model discreet business entities that when combined comprise a business. Through the inclusion of an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI), the process of defining the attributes of business entities, the relationships between business entities, and the methods and state pertaining to each business entity is enabled. In addition, the definition of messages and output display formats required by business entities are likewise enabled. An additional aspect of the present invention is a methodology for defining and editing business entity information in the form of business class definitions While existing class definitions, as expressed in myriad object oriented programming languages are known, for example in C++, the class definitions of the present invention provide previously unavailable capabilities. A feature of the invention is that the class definitions permit the encoding of complete state diagrams for each business class. The resultant business classes contain all of the information necessary to automate, in a computer environment, the real world functionality of the entity modeled by the business class. The present invention provides a methodology for defining business classes comprised of business methods, business attributes, business rules, messages, and web pages. Business rules are comprised of logical code tied to one or more business attributes. It is one advantage of the present invention that the methodology for defining business rules allows one to define individual business rules tied to a particular instance, or instantiation, of the more generalized business class. As a result, the operation of two business objects, instantiated from the same business class, can exhibit differing behavior based upon the unique identity of each. Yet another aspect of the present invention is the methodology by which an interface between the user and the defined business class is provided and maintained. Specifically, an intuitive GUI is provided through which a system designer may depict the function of business entities and their attendant relationships. As a result of this visually comprehensible diagram, the present invention allows for the automated generation of many of each business class' business attributes, business methods, and business rules required to implement the relationships thusly defined. In addition, each business entity graphically displayed and diagrammed as so described can be selected so as to render increasingly more detailed representations of the business class's structure. There is provided an intuitive method for switching back and forth between the most abstracted views of business classes and business methods, and the lowest level definitions of their attendant structure. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is drawn to a method of defining Business Classes for modeling a business activity comprising the steps of representing the business activity as an interaction between one or more Business Classes, storing in a digital electronic format the one or more Business Classes as well as the relationships existing between the one or more Business Classes, and providing a GUI whereby desired ones of the Business Classes and of the relationships may be linked to thereby generate computer code. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein entering into a computer the Business Classes comprises the steps of entering Business Attributes related to each of the one or more Business Classes, defining Business Processes related to each of the one or more Business Classes, and entering Business Rules associated with one or more Business Attributes. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein defining Business Processes comprises the additional steps of defining one or more Business States indicative of the status of a Business Class, and defining one or more Business Methods to logically define the steps required to move a Business Class between one or more Business States. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein entering the Business Classes comprises the additional step of defining messages whereby each of the Business Classes may interact with each of the other Business Classes or code external to each of the other Business Classes. Still another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein entering the Business Classes comprises the additional step of defining one or more web pages associated with each of the one or more Business Classes. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein entering into a computer the Business Classes comprises the additional step of diagramming the relationship between a plurality of Business Classes using a graphical user interface (GUI). Still another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein diagramming the relationships between the plurality of Business Classes comprises the steps of selecting an icon from an object palette to represent one of the plurality of Business Classes, dragging and dumping the icon upon a user desktop in a desired location, repeating the previous steps, and defining the relationships between each of the plurality of Business Classes represented by the icons. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein defining the relationships between each of the plurality of Business Classes represented by the icons comprises the additional steps of selecting a first one of the icons, selecting a second one of the icons; and specifying the nature of the relationship between the first and the second icons. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein specifying the nature of the relationship between the first and the second icons comprises the additional step of selecting an icon from a relationship palette. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein defining Business Processes related to each of the one or more Business Classes comprises the additional step of diagramming Business States and Business Methods. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein defining one or more of the Business States and Business Methods is performed through a GUI. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein defining one or more of the Business States and Business Methods comprises the additional steps of selecting a business state icon from an object palette, dragging and dropping one or more of the business state icons upon a user desktop, selecting a business method icon from an object palette, and dragging and dropping one or more of the business method icons between two of the business state icons. Still another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein the Business Classes are stored in a repository. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned wherein each Business Attribute is selected from the set consisting in part of R, M, S, B, and E. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein a first subset of information defining the Business Classes is accessed in a text based format. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein a second subset of information defining the Business Classes is accessed in a GUI format. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein Business Attributes are automatically generated and stored in a repository. Yet another aspect of the present invention is drawn to the aforementioned method wherein Business methods are automatically generated and stored in a repository The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings that follow. | 20040927 | 20090512 | 20050317 | 57400.0 | 1 | CHAVIS, JOHN Q | OBJECT ORIENTED BASED METHODOLOGY FOR MODELING BUSINESS FUNCTIONALITY FOR ENABLING IMPLEMENTATION IN A WEB BASED ENVIRONMENT | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,951,288 | ACCEPTED | Method of dynamically tracking a location of one or more selected utilities | A method of dynamically tracking a location of one or more selected utilities. A first step involves providing a portable controller having a memory. A global positioning system (GPS) co-ordinate device and a display are coupled to the controller. A second step involves storing in the memory of the controller a series of GPS co-ordinates for the one or more selected utilities within an assigned service area of a municipality. A third step involves using the GPS co-ordinate device to dynamically provide GPS co-ordinates to the controller as positioning of the GPS co-ordinate device changes. A fourth step involves using the display to display the GPS co-ordinates of the GPS co-ordinate device on a scrolling display of GPS co-ordinates, together with the series of GPS co-ordinates for the one or more selected utilities, such that the relative position of the GPS co-ordinate device to the one or more selected utilities is always known. | 1-8. (canceled) 9. A system of dynamically tracking a location of one or more selected utilities, the system comprising: a controller having a memory for storing a series of global positioning system (GPS) co-ordinates for the selected utilities within an assigned service area of a municipality; a display coupled to the controller and for displaying an icon; and a GPS co-ordinate device coupled to the display via the controller; wherein the GPS co-ordinate device dynamically provides its GPS co-ordinates to the controller as positioning of the GPS co-ordinate device changes location, such that the relative position of the GPS co-ordinate device to the selected utilities is always known; and wherein the icon is locked on to a closest of the selected utilities within a pre-determined area of interest. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the display comprises a scrolling display for displaying the GPS co-ordinates of the GPS co-ordinate device together with the series of GPS co-ordinates for the selected utilities. 11. The system of claim 9, wherein the display specifies a distance from the GPS co-ordinate device to the closest of the selected utilities. 12. The system of claim 9, wherein the display indicates a direction from the GPS co-ordinate device to known utilities. 13. The system of claim 9, wherein the display indicates the longitude, the latitude and the speed of travel of the GPS co-ordinate device. 14. The system of claim 9, further comprising a geographical map having a context, wherein the display places the GPS co-ordinates in the context of the geographical map. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the geographical map includes a road infrastructure. 16. The system of claim 14, wherein the geographical map is an aerial photo. 17. The system of claim 9, wherein the display provides vital data identifying characteristics of the closest of the selected utilities. 18. A system of dynamically tracking a location of one or more selected utilities, the system comprising: means for storing a series of global positioning system (GPS) co-ordinates for the selected utilities within an assigned service area of a municipality in a memory of a controller; means for dynamically providing GPS co-ordinates of a GPS co-ordinate device to the controller as positioning of the GPS co-ordinate device changes location, such that the relative position of the GPS co-ordinate device to the one or more selected utilities is always known; means for locking on to a closest of the selected utilities within a pre-determined area of interest; and means for specifying a distance from the GPS co-ordinate device to the closest of the selected utilities. 19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for displaying the GPS co-ordinates of the GPS co-ordinate device in a scrolling manner together with the series of GPS co-ordinates for the selected utilities. 20. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for displaying the location of the controller relative to the closest of the selected utilities. 21. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for indicating a direction from the GPS co-ordinate device to known utilities. 22. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for indicating the longitude, the latitude and the speed of travel of the GPS co-ordinate device. 23. The system of claim 18, further comprising: a geographical map having a context; and means for placing the GPS co-ordinates in the context of the geographical map. 24. The system of claim 23, wherein the geographical map includes road infrastructure. 25. The system of claim 23, wherein the geographical map is an aerial photo. 26. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for providing vital data identifying characteristics of the closest of the selected utilities. 27. A method of dynamically tracking a location of one or more selected utilities, the method comprising: storing a series of global positioning system (GPS) co-ordinates for the one or more selected utilities within an assigned service area of a municipality in a memory of a controller; dynamically providing GPS co-ordinates to the controller as positioning of a GPS co-ordinate device coupled to the controller changes location; displaying the GPS co-ordinates of the GPS co-ordinate device on a scrolling display, together with the series of GPS co-ordinates for the one or more selected utilities, such that the relative position of the GPS co-ordinate device to the one or more selected utilities is always known; and locking on to a closest of the selected utilities within the pre-determined area of interest. 28. The method of claim 27, further comprising: specifying a distance from the GPS co-ordinate device to the closest of the selected utilities. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/358,429, filed Feb. 3, 2003, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of dynamically tracking a location of one or more selected utilities. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Systems have been developed for locating utilities below ground at excavation sites and monitoring activities of earth working equipment at such sites. Examples of such systems are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,198,800 (Tozawa et al 1993); U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,298 (Greenspun 1999); U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,376 (Stump 2000) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,477 (Gudat 2001). These systems are site specific. When emergency response crews respond to a call there is a need for access to information regarding the proximity of utilities. For example, in the event of a fire, knowledge as to the proximity of high pressure gas lines or power lines is crucial. Equally important is knowledge as to the closest fire hydrant for supplying water to fight the fire. The situation rarely remains static. Depending upon wind conditions and fuel sources, the fire may rapidly progress in one of several directions. When this occurs, it is important that the emergency response crew be able to continually update information as to the presence of utilities in the path of the fire. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION What is required is a method of dynamically tracking a location of one or more selected utilities as a movement occurs within a municipal service area. According to the present invention there is provided a method of dynamically tracking a location of one or more selected utilities. A first step involves providing a portable controller having a memory. A global positioning system (GPS) co-ordinate device and a display are coupled to the controller. A second step involves storing in the memory of the controller a series of GPS co-ordinates for the one or more selected utilities within an assigned service area of a municipality. A third step involves using the GPS co-ordinate device to dynamically provide GPS co-ordinates to the controller as positioning of the GPS co-ordinate device changes. A fourth step involves using the display to display the GPS co-ordinates of the GPS co-ordinate device on a scrolling display of GPS co-ordinates, together with the series of GPS co-ordinates for the one or more selected utilities, such that the relative position of the GPS co-ordinate device to the one or more selected utilities is always known. With the method, as described above, as the GPS co-ordinate device is moved along a path, the display scrolls to reflect movement of the GPS co-ordinate device and display GPS co-ordinates for any portion of the selected utilities which the path of the GPS co-ordinate device will cross. Once the basic teachings of the method are understood, there are various features which can be added as further enhancements to the system. Even more beneficial results may be obtained when the display indicates a direction from the GPS co-ordinate device to known utilities. This can be done in various ways. One effective way is to graphically display a target on which is marked compass directions and utilities. Even more beneficial results may be obtained when the display indicates a specified distance from the GPS co-ordinate device to a closest of the selected utilities. Even more beneficial results may be obtained when the display indicates the longitude, the latitude and the speed of travel of the GPS co-ordinate device. Even more beneficial results may be obtained when the display places the GPS co-ordinates in the context of a geographical map. It is preferred that the geographical map includes road infrastructure. Beneficial results have been obtained through the use of an aerial photo. Even more beneficial results may be obtained when the display provides vital data identifying characteristics of the closest of the selected utilities. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to in any way limit the scope of the invention to the particular embodiment or embodiments shown, wherein: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of system components used in accordance with the teachings of the method of dynamically tracking a location of one or more selected utilities as a movement occurs within a municipal service area. FIG. 2 is a first detailed front elevation view of a display configured in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a second detailed front elevation view of a display configured in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The preferred method of dynamically tracking a location of one or more selected utilities as a movement occurs within a municipal service area will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3. Referring to FIG. 1, a first step involves: providing a portable controller, generally indicated by reference numeral 10. Controller 10 has a memory 12 and a global positioning system (GPS) co-ordinate device 14. A scrolling display 16 is also coupled to controller 10. Referring to FIG. 1, a second step involves storing in memory 12 a series of GPS co-ordinates 18 for one or more selected utilities 20 within an assigned service area of a municipality as shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 1, a third step involves: using GPS co-ordinate device 14 to dynamically provide GPS co-ordinates 18 to controller 10 as positioning of GPS co-ordinate device 14 changes location. Referring to FIG. 2, a fourth step involves: using scrolling display 16 to display GPS co-ordinates of GPS co-ordinate device 14 on a display 22 of global positioning system co-ordinates, together with a series of GPS co-ordinates 18 for one or more of selected utilities 20, such that the relative position of GPS co-ordinate device 14 to one or more selected utilities 18 is always known. Referring to FIG. 2, scrolling display 16 has a graphic indicator 24 which indicates a direction of travel for GPS co-ordinate device 14. There is also displayed a numeric indicator 26 which indicates the distance in the direction of travel before GPS co-ordinate device 14 encounters the closest of selected utilities 20. There is also a graphic indicator 28 depicting a target, which graphically indicates the positioning of satellites available to GPS co-ordinate device 14. Referring to FIG. 2, scrolling display 16 has a numeric indicator 30′, which indicates longitude, and a numeric indicator 32, which indicates latitude 32. Display also has a graphic indicator 34, which indicates speed of travel 34 of GPS co-ordinate device 14. Of course, when emergency crews are on foot the speed will be negligible. However, when the emergency crews are travelling in a vehicle, the speed of the vehicle will be indicated. Referring to FIG. 2, scrolling display 16 places GPS co-ordinates 18 in the context of a geographical map 36 with road infrastructure 38. It is preferred that geographical map 36 may be in the form of an aerial photo. Referring to FIG. 3, scrolling display 16 has a pop-up display screen 40 which provides vital data identifying characteristics of the closest of selected utilities 20. In the illustrated example, the utility identified is a natural gas pipeline owned by Process Energy-Eastern North Carolina Natural Gas, serviced out of a contact office in Raleigh, N.C. An important aspect of the present invention is the dynamic nature of scrolling display 16, which scrolls as the GPS co-ordinates of GPS co-ordinate device 14 change. This scrolling aspect is particularly apparent when the emergency crew is approaching a site in a vehicle. The system continuously scans the GPS data it receives: firstly, to ascertain the position of GPS co-ordinate device 14 and secondly, for relative co-ordinates of utility hazards. All of the displays continually scroll and update the data with movement of GPS co-ordinate device 14. When one gets within a pre-determined area of interest, a circular icon 46 appears on scrolling display 16 and locks onto the closest utility to show the point at which GPS co-ordinate device 14 will cross the utility if it continues in the same direction. Referring to FIG. 2, scrolling display 16 may also be manually scrolled using an on screen up arrow 42 or an on screen down arrow 44, to enable the emergency crew to manually look ahead, without changing their position. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined in the Claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Systems have been developed for locating utilities below ground at excavation sites and monitoring activities of earth working equipment at such sites. Examples of such systems are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,198,800 (Tozawa et al 1993); U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,298 (Greenspun 1999); U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,376 (Stump 2000) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,477 (Gudat 2001). These systems are site specific. When emergency response crews respond to a call there is a need for access to information regarding the proximity of utilities. For example, in the event of a fire, knowledge as to the proximity of high pressure gas lines or power lines is crucial. Equally important is knowledge as to the closest fire hydrant for supplying water to fight the fire. The situation rarely remains static. Depending upon wind conditions and fuel sources, the fire may rapidly progress in one of several directions. When this occurs, it is important that the emergency response crew be able to continually update information as to the presence of utilities in the path of the fire. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>What is required is a method of dynamically tracking a location of one or more selected utilities as a movement occurs within a municipal service area. According to the present invention there is provided a method of dynamically tracking a location of one or more selected utilities. A first step involves providing a portable controller having a memory. A global positioning system (GPS) co-ordinate device and a display are coupled to the controller. A second step involves storing in the memory of the controller a series of GPS co-ordinates for the one or more selected utilities within an assigned service area of a municipality. A third step involves using the GPS co-ordinate device to dynamically provide GPS co-ordinates to the controller as positioning of the GPS co-ordinate device changes. A fourth step involves using the display to display the GPS co-ordinates of the GPS co-ordinate device on a scrolling display of GPS co-ordinates, together with the series of GPS co-ordinates for the one or more selected utilities, such that the relative position of the GPS co-ordinate device to the one or more selected utilities is always known. With the method, as described above, as the GPS co-ordinate device is moved along a path, the display scrolls to reflect movement of the GPS co-ordinate device and display GPS co-ordinates for any portion of the selected utilities which the path of the GPS co-ordinate device will cross. Once the basic teachings of the method are understood, there are various features which can be added as further enhancements to the system. Even more beneficial results may be obtained when the display indicates a direction from the GPS co-ordinate device to known utilities. This can be done in various ways. One effective way is to graphically display a target on which is marked compass directions and utilities. Even more beneficial results may be obtained when the display indicates a specified distance from the GPS co-ordinate device to a closest of the selected utilities. Even more beneficial results may be obtained when the display indicates the longitude, the latitude and the speed of travel of the GPS co-ordinate device. Even more beneficial results may be obtained when the display places the GPS co-ordinates in the context of a geographical map. It is preferred that the geographical map includes road infrastructure. Beneficial results have been obtained through the use of an aerial photo. Even more beneficial results may be obtained when the display provides vital data identifying characteristics of the closest of the selected utilities. | 20040927 | 20051018 | 20050519 | 94682.0 | 1 | MULL, FRED H | METHOD OF DYNAMICALLY TRACKING A LOCATION OF ONE OR MORE SELECTED UTILITIES | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,951,385 | ACCEPTED | Local delivery of rapamycin for treatment of proliferative sequelae associated with PTCA procedures,Including delivery using a modified stent | Methods of preparing intravascular stents with a polymeric coating containing macrocyclic lactone (such as rapamycin or its analogs), stents and stent graphs with such coatings, and methods of treating a coronary artery with such devices. The macrocyclic lactone-based polymeric coating facilitates the performance of such devices in inhibiting restenosis. | 1-3. (canceled) 4. A method of treating a coronary artery, comprising: locating a stent having a coating containing macrocylic lactone in the coronary artery, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone, and said coating applied to said stent; and expanding said stent in the coronary artery such that said coating is in contact with the coronary artery. 5. A method of treating a coronary artery, comprising: locating a stent having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone in the coronary artery, wherein said macrocyclic lactone is contained in the coating at a weight percentage of 0.0001% to 30%; and expanding said stent in the coronary artery such that said coating is in contact with the coronary artery. 6. A method of treating a coronary artery, comprising: locating a stent having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone in the coronary artery, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone, and said coating applied to said stent; and expanding said stent in the coronary artery such that said coating is in contact with the coronary artery, wherein, said stent comprises a generally thin walled cylinder, said cylinder containing a plurality of generally solid struts with a channel formed in at least one of said struts, said channel having a closed perimeter on all sides and an open top, and said channel smaller in all dimensions than said strut, said channel containing a reservoir of said macrocyclic lactone coating applied therein. 7. A method of treating a coronary artery, comprising: locating a stent graft having a coating containing rapamycin or its analogs in the coronary artery, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the rapamycin or its analogs, and said coating applied to said stent graft; and expanding said stent graft in the coronary artery such that said coating is in contact with the coronary artery at one or more locations. 8. A method of treating a coronary artery, comprising: locating a stent graft having a coating containing rapamycin or its analogs in the coronary artery, wherein said rapamycin or said analogs are contained in the coating at a weight percentage of 0.0001% to 30%; and expanding said stent graft in the coronary artery such that said coating is in contact with the coronary artery at one or more locations. 9. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone; and said coating applied to said stent graft; wherein the polymer is biocompatible and degradable; and wherein the polymer is chosen from: lactone-based polyesters, lactone-based copolyesters; polyanhydrides; polyaminoacids; polysaccharides; polyphosphazenes; poly(ether-ester) copolymers, and blends of such polymers. 10. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone; and said coating applied to said stent graft; and wherein the polymer is chosen from: lactone-based polyesters, lactone-based copolyesters; polyanhydrides; polyaminoacids; polysaccharides; polyphosphazenes; poly(ether-ester) copolymers, and blends of such polymers. 11. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone; and said coating applied to said stent graft; wherein the polymer is nonabsorbable; and wherein the polymer is chosen from: polydimethylsiolxane; poly(ethylene)vinylacetate; poly(hydroxy)ethylmethylmethacrylate, polyvinyl pyrrolidone; polytetrafluoroethylene; and cellulose esters. 12. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone; and said coating applied to said stent graft; and wherein the polymer is chosen from: polydimethylsiolxane; poly(ethylene)vinylacetate; poly(hydroxy)ethylmethylmethacrylate, polyvinyl pyrrolidone; polytetrafluoroethylene; and cellulose esters. 13. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone; and said coating applied to said stent graft; and further comprising: a generally thin walled cylinder, said cylinder containing a plurality of generally solid struts, said applied to said strut, and a channel formed in at least one of said struts, said channel having a closed perimeter on all sides and an open top, and said channel smaller in all dimensions than said strut, said channel containing a reservoir of said rapamycin coating applied therein. 14. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, wherein said macrocyclic lactone is contained in the coating at a weight percentage of 0.0001% to 30%, wherein the coating is a polymer. 15. A stent graft containing a polymer and macrocyclic lactone wherein said macrocyclic lactone is contained in a therapeutically beneficial amount to combat restenosis. 16. A method for preparing a stent, comprising: preparing a solution containing a polymer and macrocyclic lactone, wherein said macrocyclic lactone is in a concentration range of 0.001 weight % to 30 weight % in said solution; and applying said solution to a surface of said stent; and allowing said solution to leave a film with entrapped macrocyclic lactone as a coating on the stent. 17. A method for preparing a stent graft, comprising: preparing a solution containing a polymer and macrocyclic lactone, wherein said macrocyclic lactone is in a concentration range of 0.001 weight % to 30 weight % in said solution; and applying said solution to a surface of said stent graft; and allowing said solution to leave a film with entrapped macrocyclic lactone as a coating on the stent graft. 18. A method for preparing a stent, comprising: preparing a solution of macrocyclic lactone in an organic solvent, said macrocyclic lactone constituting 0.001 weight % to saturated in said solution; and applying said solution to a surface of said stent, said stent having micropores or channels; and allowing said solution to permeate into said pores. 19. A method for preparing a stent, comprising: modifying a macrocyclic lactone to contain a hydrolytically or enzymatically labile covalent bond; chemically preparing a surface of the stent to permit covalent bonding of the modified macrocyclic lactone to the surface; and attaching the modified macrocyclic lactone to the surface of the stent via covalent bonding. 20. The stent prepared according to the method of claim 19. 21. A stent having a coating containing a macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone, and said coating applied to said stent. 22. The stent of claim 21, wherein the stent is dip-coated. 23. The stent of claim 21, wherein the stent is sprayed with said coating. 24. A stent having a coating containing a macrocyclic lactone, wherein said macrocyclic lactone is contained in the coating at a weight percentage of 0.0001% to 30%. 25. The stent of claim 24, wherein a polymer is mixed to the macrocyclic lactone. 26. The stent of claim 24, wherein a polymer is bound to the macrocyclic lactone. 27. The stent of claim 24, wherein the macrocyclic lactone is entrapped on the surface of the stent by a polymer. 28. A stent having a coating containing a macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone, and said coating applied to said stent, wherein the polymer is biocompatible and degradable, and wherein the polymer is chosen from: lactone-based polyesters, lactone-based copolyesters; polyanhydrides; polyaminoacids; polysaccharides; polyphosphazenes; poly(ether-ester) copolymers, and blends of such polymers. 29. A stent having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone or its analogs and said coating applied to said stent, and wherein the polymer is chosen from: lactone-based polyesters, lactone-based copolyesters; polyanhydrides; polyaminoacids; polysaccharides; polyphosphazenes; poly(ether-ester) copolymers, and blends of such polymers. 30. A stent having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone, and said coating applied to said stent, wherein the polymer is nonabsorbable, and wherein the polymer is chosen from: polydimethylsiolxane; poly(ethylene)vinylacetate; poly(hydroxy)ethylmethylmethacrylate, polyvinyl pyrrolidone; polytetrafluoroethylene; and cellulose esters. 31. A stent having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone, and said coating applied to said stent, and wherein the polymer is chosen from: polydimethylsiolxane; poly(ethylene)vinylacetate; poly(hydroxy)ethylmethylmethacrylate, polyvinyl pyrrolidone; polytetrafluoroethylene; and cellulose esters. 32. A stent having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic and said coating applied to said stent, and further comprising: a generally thin walled cylinder, said cylinder containing a plurality of generally solid struts, said applied to said strut, and a channel formed in at least one of said struts, said channel having a closed perimeter on all sides and an open top, and said channel smaller in all dimensions than said strut, said channel containing a reservoir of said macrocyclic lactone coating applied therein. 33. A stent having a coating containing macrocyclic, wherein said macrocyclic lactone are contained in the coating at a weight percentage of 0.0001% to 30%, wherein the coating is a polymer. 34. The stent of claim 33, wherein said polymer is mixed to the macrocyclic lactone. 35. The stent of claim 33, wherein said polymer is bound to the macrocyclic lactone. 36. The stent of claim 33, wherein the macrocyclic lactone is entrapped on the surface of the stent by said polymer. 37. A stent containing a polymer and macrocyclic lactone wherein said macrocyclic lactone are contained in a therapeutically beneficial amount to combat restenosis. 38. The stent of claim 37, wherein said polymer is mixed to the macrocyclic lactone. 39. The stent of claim 37, wherein said polymer is bound to the macrocyclic lactone. 40. The stent of claim 37, wherein the macrocyclic lactone is entrapped on the surface of the stent by said polymer. 41. A stent having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, wherein said macrocyclic lactone is contained in the coating at a weight percentage of 0.0001% to 30%, said stent further comprising a generally thin walled cylinder, said cylinder containing a plurality of generally solid struts, said coating applied to at least one of said struts, said channel having a closed perimeter on all sides and an open top, and said channel smaller in all dimensions than said at least one strut, said channel containing a reservoir of said macrocyclic lactone contained coating applied therein. 42. A stent having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, wherein said macrocyclic lactone is contained in the coating at a weight percentage of 0.0001% to 30%, wherein the coating is a polymer, said stent further comprising a generally thin walled cylinder, said cylinder containing a plurality of generally solid struts, said coating applied to at least one of said struts, said channel having a closed perimeter on all sides and an open top, and said channel smaller in all dimensions than said at least one strut, said channel containing a reservoir of said macrocyclic lactone contained coating applied therein. 43. A stent containing a polymer and macrocyclic lactone wherein said macrocyclic lactone is contained in a therapeutically beneficial amount to combat restonosis, said stent further comprising a generally thin walled cylinder, said cylinder containing a plurality of generally solid struts, said coating applied to at least one of said struts, said channel having a closed perimeter on all sides and an open top, and said channel smaller in all dimensions than said at least one strut, said channel containing a reservoir of said macrocyclic lactone contained coating applied therein. 44. A stent having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, wherein said macrocyclic lactone is contained in the coating at a weight percentage of 0.00001% to 30%, said stent further comprising a generally thin walled cylinder, said cylinder containing a plurality of generally solid struts, said coating applied to said struts. 45. A stent having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, wherein said macrocyclic lactone is contained in the coating at a weight percentage of 0.00001% to 30%, wherein the coating is a polymer, said stent further comprising a generally thin walled cylinder, said cylinder containing a plurality of generally solid struts, said coating applied to said struts. 46. A stent containing a polymer and macrocyclic lactone wherein said macrocyclic lactone is contained in a therapeutically beneficial amount to combat restenosis, said stent further comprising a generally thin walled cylinder, said cylinder containing a plurality of generally solid struts, said coating applied to said struts. 47. A stent comprising: a generally thin walled cylinder, said cylinder containing a plurality of struts, said struts having a generally uniform thickness; and a channel formed in at least one of said struts, said channel having a closed perimeter on all sides and an open top, and said channel smaller in all dimensions than said strut, said channel containing a therapeutic agent applied therein and wherein the therapeutic agent is macrocyclic lactone. 48. The stent of claim 47, wherein said channel is rectangular in shape. 49. The stent of claim 48, wherein said channel is laser cut into said strut. 50. A stent comprising: a generally thin walled cylinder, said cylinder containing a plurality of struts, said struts expandable dependent on the amount of force applied to said strut, and said struts having a generally uniform thickness; and a channel formed in at least one of said struts, said channel having a closed perimeter on all sides and an open top, and said channel smaller in all dimensions than said strut, said channel containing a therapeutic agent applied therein; and wherein said therapeutic agent is macrocylic lactone. 51. A stent comprising a generally thin walled cylinder, said cylinder containing a plurality of struts, said struts expandable dependent on the amount of force applied to said strut, and said struts having a generally uniform thickness; and a channel formed in at least one of said struts, said channel having a closed perimeter on all sides and an open top, and said channel smaller in all dimensions than said strut, said channel containing a therapeutic agent applied therein; and wherein said channel has a generally rectangular perimeter; and wherein said therapeutic agent is macrocylic lactone coated to said channel. 52. A stent comprising a generally thin walled structure containing a plurality of struts, the struts expandable to assume the shape of a lumen into which the stent is emplaced, said struts having a thickness, and a channel formed in at least one of said struts, said channel having a closed perimeter on all sides and an open top, and said channel smaller in all dimensions than said strut, said channel containing a therapeutic agent applied therein and wherein the therapeutic agent is macrocyclic lactone. 53. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone; and said coating applied to said stent graft. 54. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, wherein said macrocyclic lactone are contained in the coating at a weight percentage of 0.0001% to 30%. 55. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone; and said coating applied to said stent graft; wherein the polymer is biocompatible and degradable; and wherein the polymer is chosen from: lactone-based polyesters, lactone-based copolyesters; polyanhydrides; polyaminoacids; polysaccharides; polyphosphazenes; poly(ether-ester) copolymers, and blends of such polymers. 56. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone; and said coating applied to said stent graft; and wherein the polymer is chosen from: lactone-based polyesters, lactone-based copolyesters; polyanhydrides; polyaminoacids; polysaccharides; polyphosphazenes; poly(ether-ester) copolymers, and blends of such polymers. 57. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone; and said coating applied to said stent graft; wherein the polymer is nonabsorbable; and wherein the polymer is chosen from: polydimethylsiolxane; poly(ethylene)vinylacetate; poly(hydroxy)ethylmethylmethacrylate, polyvinyl pyrrolidone; polytetrafluoroethylene; and cellulose esters. 58. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone; and said coating applied to said stent graft; and wherein the polymer is chosen from: polydimethylsiolxane; poly(ethylene)vinylacetate; poly(hydroxy)ethylmethylmethacrylate, polyvinyl pyrrolidone; polytetrafluoroethylene; and cellulose esters. 59. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone; and said coating applied to said stent graft; and further comprising: a generally thin walled cylinder, said cylinder containing a plurality of generally solid struts, said applied to said strut, and a channel formed in at least one of said struts, said channel having a closed perimeter on all sides and an open top, and said channel smaller in all dimensions than said strut, said channel containing a reservoir of said rapamycin coating applied therein. 60. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, wherein said macrocyclic lactone is contained in the coating at a weight percentage of 0.0001% to 30%, wherein the coating is a polymer. 61. A stent graft containing a polymer and macrocyclic lactone wherein said macrocyclic lactone is contained in a therapeutically beneficial amount to combat restenosis. 62. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, said coating formed from a polymer mixed carrier containing the macrocyclic lactone; and said coating applied to said stent graft. 63. A stent graft having a coating containing macrocyclic lactone, wherein said macrocyclic lactone is contained in the coating at a weight percentage of 0.0001% to 30%. | FIELD OF THE INVENTION Delivery of rapamycin locally, particularly from an intravascular stent, directly from micropores in the stent body or mixed or bound to a polymer coating applied on stent, to inhibit neointimal tissue proliferation and thereby prevent restenosis. This invention also facilitates the performance of the stent in inhibiting restenosis. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Re-narrowing (restenosis) of an artherosclerotic coronary artery after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) occurs in 10-50% of patients undergoing this procedure and subsequently requires either further angioplasty or coronary artery bypass graft. While the exact hormonal and cellular processes promoting restenosis are still being determined, our present understanding is that the process of PTCA, besides opening the artherosclerotically obstructed artery, also injures resident coronary arterial smooth muscle cells (SMC). In response to this injury, adhering platelets, infiltrating macrophages, leukocytes, or the smooth muscle cells (SMC) themselves release cell derived growth factors with subsequent proliferation and migration of medial SMC through the internal elastic lamina to the area of the vessel intima. Further proliferation and hyperplasia of intimal SMC and, most significantly, production of large amounts of extracellular matrix over a period of 3-6 months results in the filling in and narrowing of the vascular space sufficient to significantly obstruct coronary blood flow. Several recent experimental approaches to preventing SMC proliferation have shown promise althrough the mechanisms for most agents employed are still unclear. Heparin is the best known and characterized agent causing inhibition of SMC proliferation both in vitro and in animal models of balloon angioplasty-mediated injury. The mechanism of SMC inhibition with heparin is still not known but may be due to any or all of the following: 1) reduced expression of the growth regulatory protooncogenes c-fos and c-myc, 2) reduced cellular production of tissue plasminogen activator; are 3) binding and dequestration of growth regulatory factors such as fibrovalent growth factor (FGF). Other agents which have demonstrated the ability to reduce myointimal thickening in animal models of balloon vascular injury are angiopeptin (a somatostatin analog), calcium channel blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (captopril, cilazapril), cyclosporin A, trapidil (an antianginal, antiplatelet agent), terbinafine (antifungal), colchicine and taxol (antitubulin antiproliferatives), and c-myc and c-myb antinsense oligonucleotides. Additionally, a goat antibody to the SMC mitogen platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) has been shown to be effective in reducing myointimal thickening in a rat model of balloon angioplasty injury, thereby implicating PDGF directly in the etiology of restenosis. Thus, while no therapy has as yet proven successful clinically in preventing restenosis after angioplasty, the in vivo experimental success of several agents known to inhibit SMC growth suggests that these agents as a class have the capacity to prevent clinical restenosis and deserve careful evaluation in humans. Coronary heart disease is the major cause of death in men over the age of 40 and in women over the age of fifty in the western world. Most coronary artery-related deaths are due to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerotic lesions which limit or obstruct coronary blood flow are the major cause of ischemic heart disease related mortality and result in 500,000-600,000 deaths in the United States annually. To arrest the disease process and prevent the more advanced disease states in which the cardiac muscle itself is compromised, direct intervention has been employed via percutaneous transiuminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) PTCA is a procedure in which a small balloon-tipped catheter is passed down a narrowed coronary artery and then expanded to re-open the artery. It is currently performed in approximately 250,000-300,000 patients each year. The major advantage of this therapy is that patients in which the procedure is successful need not undergo the more invasive surgical procedure of coronary artery bypass graft. A major difficulty with PTCA is the problem of post-angioplasty closure of the vessel, both immediately after PTCA (acute reocclusion) and in the long term (restenosis). The mechanism of acute reocclusion appears to involve several factors and may result from vascular recoil with resultant closure of the artery and/or deposition of blood platelets along the damaged length of the newly opened blood vessel followed by formation of a fibrin/red blood cell thrombus. Recently, intravascular stents have been examined as a means of preventing acute reclosure after PTCA. Restenosis (chronic reclosure) after angioplasty is a more gradual process than acute reocclusion: 30% of patients with subtotal lesions and 50% of patients with chronic total lesions will go on to restenosis after angioplasty. While the exact mechanism for restenosis is still under active investigation, the general aspects of the restenosis process have been identified. In the normal arterial will, smooth muscle cells (SMC) proliferate at a low rate (<0.1%/day; ref). SMC in vessel wall exists in a ‘contractile’ phenotype characterized by 80-90% of the cell cytoplasmic volume occupied with the contractile apparatus. Endoplasmic reticulum, golgi bodies, and free ribosomes are few and located in the perinuclear region. Extracellular matrix surrounds SMC and is rich in heparin-like glycosylaminoglycans which are believed to be responsible for maintaining SMC in the contractile phenotypic state. Upon pressure expansion of an intracoronary balloon catheter during angioplasty, smooth muscle cells within the arterial wall become injured. Cell derived growth factors such as platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), etc. released from platelets (i.e., PDGF) adhering to the damaged arterial luminal surface, invading macrophages and/or leukocytes, or directly from SMC (i.e., BFGF) provoke a proliferation and migratory response in medial SMC. These cells undergo a phenotypic change from the contractile phenotyope to a ‘synthetic’ phenotype characterized by only few contractile filament bundles but extensive rough endoplasmic reticulum, golgi and free ribosomes. Proliferation/migration usually begins within 1-2 days post-injury and peaks at 2 days in the media, rapidly declining thereafter (Campbell et al., In: Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells in Culture, Campbell, J.H. and Campbell, G.R., Eds, CRC Press, Boca.Ratioh, 1987, pp. 39-55); Clowes, A.W. and Schwartz, S.M., Circ. Res. 56:139-145, 1985). Finally, daughter synthetic cells migrate to the intimal layer of arterial smooth muscle and continue to proliferate. Proliferation and migration continues until the damaged luminal endothelial layer regenerates at which time proliferation ceases within the intima, usually within 7-14 days postinjury. The remaining increase in intimal thickening which occurs over the next 3-6 months is due to an increase in extracellular matrix rather than cell number. Thus, SMC migration and proliferation is an acute response to vessel injury while intimal hyperplasia is a more chronic response. (Liu et al., Circulation, 79:1374-1387, 1989). Patients with symptomatic reocclusion require either repeat PTCA or CABG. Because 30-50% of patients undergoing PTCA will experience restenosis, restenosis has clearly limited the success of PTCA as a therapeutic approach to coronary artery disease. Because SMC proliferation and migration are intimately involved with the pathophysiological response to arterial injury, prevention of SMC proliferation and migration represents a target for pharmacological intervention in the prevention of restenosis. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Novel Features and Applications to Stent Technology Currently, attempts to improve the clinical performance of stents have involved some variation of either applying a coating to the metal, attaching a covering or membrane, or embedding material on the surface via ion bombardment. A stent designed to include reservoirs is a new approach which offers several important advantages over existing technologies. Local Drua Delivery from a Stent to Inhibit Restenosis In this application, it is desired to deliver a therapeutic agent to the site of arterial injury. The conventional approach has been to incorporate the therapeutic agent into a polymer material which is then coated on the stent. The ideal coating material must be able to adhere strongly to the metal stent both before and after expansion, be capable of retaining the drug at a sufficient load level to obtain the required dose, be able to release the drug in a controlled way over a period of several weeks, and be as thin as possible so as to minimize the increase in profile. In addition, the coating material should not contribute to any adverse response by the body (i.e., should be non-thrombogenic, non-inflammatory, etc.). To date, the ideal coating material has not been developed for this application. An alternative would be to design the stent to contain reservoirs which could be loaded with the drug. A coating or membrane of biocompatable material could be applied over the reservoirs which would control the diffusion of the drug from the reservoirs to the artery wall. One advantage of this system is that the properties of the coating can be optimized for achieving superior biocompatibility and adhesion properties, without the addition requirement of being able to load and release the drug. The size, shape, position, and number of reservoirs can be used to control the amount of drug, and therefore the dose delivered. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood in connection with the following figures in which FIGS. 1 and 1A are top views and section views of a stent containing reservoirs as described in the present invention; FIGS. 2a and 2b are similar views of an alternate embodiment of the stent with open ends; FIGS. 3a and 3b are further alternate figures of a device containing a grooved reservoir; and FIG. 4 is a layout view of a device containing a reservoir as in FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Pharmacological attempts to prevent restenosis by pharmacologic means have thus far been unsuccessful and all involve systemic administration of the trial agents. Neither aspirin-dipyridamole, ticlopidine, acute heparin administration, chronic warfarin (6 months) nor methylprednisolone have been effective in preventing restenosis although platelet inhibitors have been effective in preventing acute reocclusion after angioplasty. The calcium antagonists have also been unsuccessful in preventing restenosis, although they are still under study. Other agents currently under study include thromboxane inhibitors, prostacyclin mimetics, platelet membrane receptor blockers, thrombin inhibitors and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. These agents must be given systemically, however, and attainment of a therapeutically effective dose may not be possible; antiproliferative (or anti-restenosis) concentrations may exceed the known toxic concentrations of these agents so that levels sufficient to produce smooth muscle inhibition may not be reached (Lang et al., 42 Ann. Rev. Med., 127-132 (1991); Popma et al., 84 Circulation, 1426-1436 (1991)). Additional clinical trials in which the effectiveness for preventing restenosis of dietary fish oil supplements, thromboxane receptor antagonists, cholesterol lowering agents, and serotonin antagonists has been examined have shown either conflicting or negative results so that no pharmacological agents are as yet clinically available to prevent post-angioplasty restenosis (Franklin, S.M. and Faxon, D.P., 4 Coronary Artery Disease, 2-32-242 (1993); Serruys, P.W. et al., 88 Circulation, (part 1) 1588-1601, (1993). Conversely, stents have proven useful in preventing reducing the proliferation of restenosis. Stents, such as the stent 10 seen in layout in FIG. 4, balloon-expandable slotted metal tubes (usually but not limited to stainless steel), which when expanded within the lumen of an angioplastied coronary artery, provide structural support to the arterial wall. This support is helpful in maintaining an open path for blood flow. In two randomized clinical trials, stents were shown to increase angiographic success after PTCA, increase the stenosed blood vessel lumen and to reduce the lesion recurrence at 6 months (Serruys et al., 331 New Eng Jour. Med, 495, (1994); Fischman et al., 331 New Eng Jour. Med, 496-501 (1994). Additionally, in a preliminary trial, heparin coated stents appear to possess the same benefit of reduction in stenosis diameter at follow-up as was observed with non-heparin coated stents. Additionally, heparin coating appears to have the added benefit of producing a reduction in sub-acute thrombosis after stent implantation (Serruys et al., 93 Circulation, 412-422, (1996). Thus, 1) sustained mechanical expansion of a stenosed coronary artery has been shown to provide some measure of restenosis prevention, and 2) coating of stents with heparin has demonstrated both the feasibility and the clinical usefulness of delivering drugs to local, injured tissue off the surface of the stent. Numerous agents are being actively studied as antiproliferative agents for use in restenosis and have shown some activity in experimental animal models. These include: heparin and heparin fragments (Clowes and Karnovsky, 265 Nature, 25-626, (1977); Guyton, J.R. et al. 46 Circ. Res., 625-634, (1980); Clowes, A.W. and Clowes, M.M., 52 Lab. Invest., 611-616, (1985); Clowes, A.W. and Clowes, M.M., 58 Circ. Res., 839-845 (1986);. Majesky et al., 61 Circ Res., 296-300, (1987); Snow et al., 137 Am. J. Pathol., 313-330 (1990); Okada, T. et al., 25 Neurosurgery, 92-898, (1989) colchicine (Currier, J.W. et al., 80 Circulation, 11-66, (1989), taxol (ref), agiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (Powell, J.S. et al., 245 Science, 186-188 (1989), angiopeptin (Lundergan, C.F. et al., 17 Am. J. Cardiol. (Suppi. B); 132B-136B (1991), Cyclosporin A (Jonasson, L. et. al., 85 Proc. Nati, Acad. Sci., 2303 (1988), goat-anti-rabbit PDGF antibody (Ferns, G.A.A., et al., 253 Science, 1129-1132 (1991), terbinafine (Nemecek, G.M. et al., 248 J. Pharmacol. Exp. Thera., 1167-11747 (1989), trapidil (Liu, M.W. et al., 81 Circulation, 1089-1093 (1990), interferon-gamma (Hansson, G.K. and Holm, 84 J. Circulation, 1266-1272 (1991), steroids (Colburn, M.D. et al., 15 J. Vasc. Surg., 510-518 (1992), see also Berk, B.C. et al., 17 J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., 111B-1 17B (1991), ionizing radiation (ref), fusion toxins (ref) antisense oligonucleotides (ref), gene vectors (ref), and rapamycin (see below). Of particular interest in rapamycin. Rapamycin is a macrolide antibiotic which blocks IL-2- mediated T-cell proliferation and possesses antiinflammatory activity. While the precise mechanism of rapamycin is still under active investigation, rapamycin has been shown to prevent the G1 to 5 phase progression of T-cells through the cell cycle by inhibiting specific cell cyclins and cyclin-dependent protein kinases (Siekierka, Immunol. Res. 13: 110-116, 1994). The antiproliferative action of rapamycin is not limited to T-cells; Marx et al. (Circ Res 76:412-417, 1995) have demonstrated that rapamycin prevents proliferation of both rat and human SMC in vitro while Poon et al. have shown the rat, porcine, and human SMC migratin can also be inhibited by rapamycin (J Clin Invest 98: 2277-2283, 1996). Thus, rapamycin is capable of inhibiting both the inflammatory response known to occur after arterial injury and stent implantation, as well as the SMC hyperproliferative response. In fact, the combined effects of rapamycin have been demonstrated to result in a diminished SMC hyperproliferative response in a rat femoral artery graft model and in both rat and porcine arterial balloon injury models (Gregory et al., Transplantation 55:1409-1418, 1993; Gallo et al., in press, (1997)). These observations clearly support the potential use of rapamycin in the clinical setting of post-angioplasty restenosis. Although the ideal agent for restenosis has not yet been identified, some desired properties are clear: inhibition of local thrombosis without the risk systemic bleeding complications and continuous and prevention of the dequale of arterial injury, including local inflammation and sustained prevention smooth muscle proliferation at the site of angioplasty without serious systemic complications. Inasmuch as stents prevent at least a portion of the restenosis process, an agent which prevents inflammation and the proliferation of SMC combined with a stent may provide the most efficacious treatment for post-angioplasty restenosis. Experiments Agents: Rapamycin (sirolimus) structural analogs (macrocyclic lactones) and inhibitors of cell-cycle progression. Delivery Methods: These can vary: Local delivery of such agents (rapamycin) from the struts of a stent, from a stent graft, grafts, stent cover or sheath. Involving comixture with polymers (both degradable and nondegrading) to hold the drug to the stent or graft. or entrapping the drug into the metal of the stent or graft body which has been modified to contain micropores or channels, as will be explained further herein. or including covalent binding of the drug to the stent via solution chemistry techniques (such as via the Carmeda process) or dry chemistry techniques (e.g. vapour deposition methods such as rf-plasma polymerization) and combinations thereof. Catheter delivery intravascularly from a tandem balloon or a porous balloon for intramural uptake Extravascular delivery by the pericardial route Extravascular delivery by the advential application of sustained release formulations. Uses: for inhibition of cell proliferation to prevent neointimal proliferation and restenosis. prevention of tumor expansion from stents prevent ingrowth of tissue into catheters and shunts inducing their failure. 1. Experimental Stent Delivery Method—Delivery from Polymer Matrix: Solution of Rapamycin, prepared in a solvent miscible with polymer carrier solution, is mixed with solution of polymer at final concentration range 0.001 weight % to 30 weight % of drug. Polymers are biocompatible (i.e., not elicit any negative tissue reaction or promote mural thrombus formation) and degradable, such as lactone-based polyesters or copolyesters, e.g., polylactide, polycaprolacton-glycolide, polyorthoesters, polyanhydrides; poly-amino acids; polysaccharides; polyphosphazenes; poly(ether-ester) copolymers, e.g., PEO-PLLA, or blends thereof. Nonabsorbable biocompatible polymers are also suitable candidates. Polymers such as polydimethylsiolxane; poly(ethylene-vingylacetate); acrylate based polymers or copolymers, e.g., poly(hydroxyethyl methylmethacrylate, polyvinyl pyrrolidinone; fluorinated polymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene; cellulose esters. Polymer/drug mixture is applied to the surfaces of the stent by either dip-coating, or spray coating, or brush coating or dip/spin coating or combinations thereof, and the solvent allowed to evaporate to leave a film with entrapped rapamycin. 2. Experimental Stent Delivery Method—Delivery from Microporous Depots in Stent Through a Polymer Membrane Coating: Stent, whose body has been modified to contain micropores or channels is dipped into a solution of Rapamycin, range 0.001 wt % to saturated, in organic solvent such as acetone or methylene chloride, for sufficient time to allow solution to permeate into the pores. (The dipping solution can also be compressed to improve the loading efficiency.) After solvent has been allowed to evaporate, the stent is dipped briefly in fresh solvent to remove excess surface bound drug. A solution of polymer, chosen from any identified in the first experimental method, is applied to the stent as detailed above. This outer layer of polymer will act as diffusion-controller for release of drug. 3. Experimental Stent Delivery Method—Delivery via Lysis of a Covalent Drug Tether Rapamycin is modified to contain a hydrolytically or enzymatically labile covalent bond for attaching to the surface of the stent which itself has been chemically derivatized to allow covalent immobilization. Covalent bonds such as ester, amides or anhydrides may be suitable for this. 4. Experimental Method—Pericardial Delivery A: Polymeric Sheet Rapamycin is combined at concentration range previously highlighted, with a degradable polymer such as poly(caprolactone-gylcolide) or non-degradable polymer, e.g., polydimethylsiloxane, and mixture cast as a thin sheet, thickness range 10μ to 1000μ. The resulting sheet can be wrapped perivascularly on the target vessel. Preference would be for the absorbable polymer. B: Conformal Coating: Rapamycin is combined with a polymer that has a melting temperature just above 37° C., range 40°-45° C. Mixture is applied in a molten state to the external side of the target vessel. Upon cooling to body temperature the mixture solidifies conformably to the vessel wall. Both non-degradable and absorbable biocompatible polymers are suitable. As seen in the figures it is also possible to modify currently manufactured stents in order to adequately provide the drug dosages such as rapamycin. As seen in FIGS. 1a, 2a and 3a, any stent strut 10, 20, 30 can be modified to have a certain reservoir or channel 11, 21, 31. Each of these reservoirs can be open or closed as desired. These reservoirs can hold the drug to be delivered. FIG. 4 shows a stent 40 with a reservoir 45 created at the apex of a flexible strut. Of course, this reservoir 45 is intended to be useful to deliver rapamycin or any other drug at a specific point of flexibility of the stent. Accordingly, this concept can be useful for “second generation” type stents. In any of the foregoing devices, however, it is useful to have the drug dosage applied with enough specificity and enough concentration to provide an effective dosage in the lesion area. In this regard, the reservoir size in the stent struts must be kept at a size of about 0.0005″ to about 0.003″. Then, it should be possible to adequately apply the drug dosage at the desired location and in the desired amount. These and other concepts will are disclosed herein. It would be apparent to the reader that modifications are possible to the stent or the drug dosage applied. In any event, however, the any obvious modifications should be perceived to fall within the scope of the invention which is to be realized from the attached claims and their equivalents. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Re-narrowing (restenosis) of an artherosclerotic coronary artery after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) occurs in 10-50% of patients undergoing this procedure and subsequently requires either further angioplasty or coronary artery bypass graft. While the exact hormonal and cellular processes promoting restenosis are still being determined, our present understanding is that the process of PTCA, besides opening the artherosclerotically obstructed artery, also injures resident coronary arterial smooth muscle cells (SMC). In response to this injury, adhering platelets, infiltrating macrophages, leukocytes, or the smooth muscle cells (SMC) themselves release cell derived growth factors with subsequent proliferation and migration of medial SMC through the internal elastic lamina to the area of the vessel intima. Further proliferation and hyperplasia of intimal SMC and, most significantly, production of large amounts of extracellular matrix over a period of 3-6 months results in the filling in and narrowing of the vascular space sufficient to significantly obstruct coronary blood flow. Several recent experimental approaches to preventing SMC proliferation have shown promise althrough the mechanisms for most agents employed are still unclear. Heparin is the best known and characterized agent causing inhibition of SMC proliferation both in vitro and in animal models of balloon angioplasty-mediated injury. The mechanism of SMC inhibition with heparin is still not known but may be due to any or all of the following: 1) reduced expression of the growth regulatory protooncogenes c-fos and c-myc, 2) reduced cellular production of tissue plasminogen activator; are 3) binding and dequestration of growth regulatory factors such as fibrovalent growth factor (FGF). Other agents which have demonstrated the ability to reduce myointimal thickening in animal models of balloon vascular injury are angiopeptin (a somatostatin analog), calcium channel blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (captopril, cilazapril), cyclosporin A, trapidil (an antianginal, antiplatelet agent), terbinafine (antifungal), colchicine and taxol (antitubulin antiproliferatives), and c-myc and c-myb antinsense oligonucleotides. Additionally, a goat antibody to the SMC mitogen platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) has been shown to be effective in reducing myointimal thickening in a rat model of balloon angioplasty injury, thereby implicating PDGF directly in the etiology of restenosis. Thus, while no therapy has as yet proven successful clinically in preventing restenosis after angioplasty, the in vivo experimental success of several agents known to inhibit SMC growth suggests that these agents as a class have the capacity to prevent clinical restenosis and deserve careful evaluation in humans. Coronary heart disease is the major cause of death in men over the age of 40 and in women over the age of fifty in the western world. Most coronary artery-related deaths are due to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerotic lesions which limit or obstruct coronary blood flow are the major cause of ischemic heart disease related mortality and result in 500,000-600,000 deaths in the United States annually. To arrest the disease process and prevent the more advanced disease states in which the cardiac muscle itself is compromised, direct intervention has been employed via percutaneous transiuminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) PTCA is a procedure in which a small balloon-tipped catheter is passed down a narrowed coronary artery and then expanded to re-open the artery. It is currently performed in approximately 250,000-300,000 patients each year. The major advantage of this therapy is that patients in which the procedure is successful need not undergo the more invasive surgical procedure of coronary artery bypass graft. A major difficulty with PTCA is the problem of post-angioplasty closure of the vessel, both immediately after PTCA (acute reocclusion) and in the long term (restenosis). The mechanism of acute reocclusion appears to involve several factors and may result from vascular recoil with resultant closure of the artery and/or deposition of blood platelets along the damaged length of the newly opened blood vessel followed by formation of a fibrin/red blood cell thrombus. Recently, intravascular stents have been examined as a means of preventing acute reclosure after PTCA. Restenosis (chronic reclosure) after angioplasty is a more gradual process than acute reocclusion: 30% of patients with subtotal lesions and 50% of patients with chronic total lesions will go on to restenosis after angioplasty. While the exact mechanism for restenosis is still under active investigation, the general aspects of the restenosis process have been identified. In the normal arterial will, smooth muscle cells (SMC) proliferate at a low rate (<0.1%/day; ref). SMC in vessel wall exists in a ‘contractile’ phenotype characterized by 80-90% of the cell cytoplasmic volume occupied with the contractile apparatus. Endoplasmic reticulum, golgi bodies, and free ribosomes are few and located in the perinuclear region. Extracellular matrix surrounds SMC and is rich in heparin-like glycosylaminoglycans which are believed to be responsible for maintaining SMC in the contractile phenotypic state. Upon pressure expansion of an intracoronary balloon catheter during angioplasty, smooth muscle cells within the arterial wall become injured. Cell derived growth factors such as platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), etc. released from platelets (i.e., PDGF) adhering to the damaged arterial luminal surface, invading macrophages and/or leukocytes, or directly from SMC (i.e., BFGF) provoke a proliferation and migratory response in medial SMC. These cells undergo a phenotypic change from the contractile phenotyope to a ‘synthetic’ phenotype characterized by only few contractile filament bundles but extensive rough endoplasmic reticulum, golgi and free ribosomes. Proliferation/migration usually begins within 1-2 days post-injury and peaks at 2 days in the media, rapidly declining thereafter (Campbell et al., In: Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells in Culture, Campbell, J.H. and Campbell, G.R., Eds, CRC Press, Boca.Ratioh, 1987, pp. 39-55); Clowes, A.W. and Schwartz, S.M., Circ. Res. 56:139-145, 1985). Finally, daughter synthetic cells migrate to the intimal layer of arterial smooth muscle and continue to proliferate. Proliferation and migration continues until the damaged luminal endothelial layer regenerates at which time proliferation ceases within the intima, usually within 7-14 days postinjury. The remaining increase in intimal thickening which occurs over the next 3-6 months is due to an increase in extracellular matrix rather than cell number. Thus, SMC migration and proliferation is an acute response to vessel injury while intimal hyperplasia is a more chronic response. (Liu et al., Circulation, 79:1374-1387, 1989). Patients with symptomatic reocclusion require either repeat PTCA or CABG. Because 30-50% of patients undergoing PTCA will experience restenosis, restenosis has clearly limited the success of PTCA as a therapeutic approach to coronary artery disease. Because SMC proliferation and migration are intimately involved with the pathophysiological response to arterial injury, prevention of SMC proliferation and migration represents a target for pharmacological intervention in the prevention of restenosis. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Novel Features and Applications to Stent Technology Currently, attempts to improve the clinical performance of stents have involved some variation of either applying a coating to the metal, attaching a covering or membrane, or embedding material on the surface via ion bombardment. A stent designed to include reservoirs is a new approach which offers several important advantages over existing technologies. Local Drua Delivery from a Stent to Inhibit Restenosis In this application, it is desired to deliver a therapeutic agent to the site of arterial injury. The conventional approach has been to incorporate the therapeutic agent into a polymer material which is then coated on the stent. The ideal coating material must be able to adhere strongly to the metal stent both before and after expansion, be capable of retaining the drug at a sufficient load level to obtain the required dose, be able to release the drug in a controlled way over a period of several weeks, and be as thin as possible so as to minimize the increase in profile. In addition, the coating material should not contribute to any adverse response by the body (i.e., should be non-thrombogenic, non-inflammatory, etc.). To date, the ideal coating material has not been developed for this application. An alternative would be to design the stent to contain reservoirs which could be loaded with the drug. A coating or membrane of biocompatable material could be applied over the reservoirs which would control the diffusion of the drug from the reservoirs to the artery wall. One advantage of this system is that the properties of the coating can be optimized for achieving superior biocompatibility and adhesion properties, without the addition requirement of being able to load and release the drug. The size, shape, position, and number of reservoirs can be used to control the amount of drug, and therefore the dose delivered. | 20040928 | 20070529 | 20050421 | 58503.0 | 8 | GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J | LOCAL DELIVERY OF RAPAMYCIN FOR TREATMENT OF PROLIFERATIVE SEQUELAE ASSOCIATED WITH PTCA PROCEDURES,INCLUDING DELIVERY USING A MODIFIED STENT | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,951,415 | ACCEPTED | Driving member for hair cutting device with replaceable tip | A replaceable tip for a driving member of a clipper is configured to drive a moving blade. The replaceable tip is replaceable without disassembly of the clipper body. | 1. A replaceable tip for use with a driving member of a hair clipper configured to drive a moving blade, said tip constructed and arranged to be replaceable upon the drive member without disassembly of a clipper housing. 2. The replaceable tip of claim 1 further comprising an engagement portion configured to engage the driving member of the clipper. 3. The replaceable tip of claim 2, wherein said engagement portion is configured to receive a distal end of the driving member. 4. The replaceable tip of claim 2, wherein said engagement portion further comprises at least one tip retainer structure configured to engage at least one driving member retainer structure disposed on the driving member. 5. The replaceable tip of claim 2, wherein said engagement portion is configured to engage a pin that protrudes from the driving member. 6. The replaceable tip of claim 1, wherein said tip translates parallel motion to the moving blade with respect to a static blade. 7. The replaceable tip of claim 1, wherein said tip translates arcuate motion to the moving blade with respect to a static blade. 8. The replaceable tip of claim 1, wherein said tip engages a receiving formation of the moving blade. 9. The replaceable tip of claim 1 further comprising a locking formation on said tip configured to mate with a locking formation of the driving member. 10. The replaceable tip of claim 9, wherein said tip locking formation is tapered and is disposed on a side of said tip, said tip formation and the locking formation of the driving member are generally “V”-shaped. 11. The replaceable tip of claim 1 further comprising a radiused end configured for engaging the moving blade. 12. The replaceable tip of claim 11, wherein said radiused end is rounded in at least one of a longitudinal and a normal direction with respect to the clipper, wherein said radiused end is configured for translating arcuate motion to the moving blade. 13. The replaceable tip of claim 11, wherein said radiused end is configured for locating the tip in a receiving formation of the moving blade. 14. The replaceable tip of claim 1 further comprising a tapered end and a wide end, wherein said wide end is configured for engaging the tip in a receiving formation of the moving blade. 15. A driving member having a replaceable tip configured to drive a moving blade on a hair clipper, said replaceable tip and said driving member constructed and arranged for said replaceable tip to be replaceable upon said drive member without disassembly of a clipper housing. 16. The driving member of claim 15, wherein said driving member has an engagement portion configured to engage an engagement portion of said replaceable tip. 17. The driving member of claim 16, wherein one of said driving member engagement portion and said replaceable tip engagement portion is a pin, and the other of said driving member engagement portion and said replaceable tip engagement portion is a mating bore. 18. The driving member of claim 16, wherein said driving member engagement portion and said replaceable tip engagement portion are configured to fix the relative position of said driving member and said tip. 19. A method of replacing a replaceable tip of a driving member without disassembling a clipper housing, comprising the steps: removing said bladeset from the clipper housing; removing the replaceable tip from the driving member; disposing the replaceable tip on the driving member; and disposing the bladeset on the clipper housing. 20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of engaging a driving member retainer structure with a tip retainer structure. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to hair cutting devices having a moving cutting blade and a drive system, and specifically to hair clippers having a bladeset driven by rotary motor systems. One type of electric hair clipper used for cutting hair employs an electric motor with an eccentric drive member secured to the armature. A linkage converts rotary motion to linear reciprocating blade motion. Conventionally, a pivoting or reciprocating driving member is used to drive a moving clipper blade of a clipper bladeset in a laterally reciprocating fashion with respect to a static clipper blade. The driving member has a contact portion which contacts the moving blade to drive the blade through the reciprocating motion. A considerable amount of wear occurs at a contact portion of the driving member, causing the contact portion to wear down or fail, while the remainder of the driving member remains relatively structurally sound and intact. Typically, once the contact portion or tip is worn down or has failed, additional operational noise and/or reduced stroke results, causing insufficient and/or inefficient cutting. A user then has to replace the entire driving member, requiring some degree of disassembly of the drive system, and usually the clipper housing, to gain access and replace the driving member. The replacement process typically can require excessive time to disassemble and reassemble the clipper. This process is not only time consuming, but is also labor intensive and requires some mechanical inclination. Additionally, disassembly and reassembly can lead to further product failure when other clipper components are misaligned and/or damaged during the replacement process. Thus, there is a need for a driving member assembly for a hair cutting device which addresses the drawbacks of the prior art. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above-identified needs are met or exceeded by the present replaceable tip for use with a driving member of a hair clipper. The replaceable tip is configured to drive a moving blade, and is constructed and arranged to be replaceable upon the drive member without disassembly of a clipper housing. An alternate replaceable tip for a driving member of a clipper is also disclosed. The replaceable tip is generally rectangular and is disposed at the end of the driving member. The replaceable tip is configured to drive a moving blade. A method of replacing a replaceable tip of a driving member without disassembling a clipper housing is also disclosed. The method comprises the steps of unfastening and removing a bladeset from the clipper housing. The replaceable tip is removed from the driving member, and a replaceable tip is disposed on the driving member. Then, the bladeset is disposed on and fastened to the clipper housing. In another embodiment, a driving member having a replaceable tip for a hair clipper is configured to drive a moving blade of the hair clipper. The replaceable tip and the driving member are constructed and arranged for the replaceable tip to be replaceable upon the drive member without disassembly of a clipper housing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a driving member mounted in a hair clipper drive system and a replaceable tip disposed on the driving member with a bladeset shown exploded; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the drive system of FIG. 1 with the replaceable tip disassembled from the driving member; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the replaceable tip disassembled from the driving member; FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view of the replaceable tip and the driving member of FIG. 3; and FIG. 5 is a section view of the replaceable tip and the driving member taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a replaceable tip for a powered hair clipper is generally designated 10. While the present apparatus 10 is depicted as a replaceable tip on a driving member 12 for a hair clipper 14 that engages a bladeset 16, it is contemplated that the present principles of operation are convertible into any mechanical device associated with the use of a drive system that contacts a moving or reciprocating member. In particular, the replaceable tip 10 may be used on clippers, shavers, trimmers, and the like. The replaceable tip 10 is configured to be removably disposed on a distal end 18 (FIG. 2) of the driving member 12. It is contemplated that any configuration of driving member 12 made of any material can be used. In the preferred embodiment, the driving member 12 is a rotary-to-linear mechanism having a body 20, a shoulder portion 22 and a neck 24, which are integrally formed of a material selected for durability, formability and affordability. The drive member 12 is preferably moved in a true linear fashion relative to the bladeset, so that the driving member moves linearly and reciprocally along an axis “T” transverse to a longitudinal axis “a” of the clipper 14. The reciprocating movement of the driving member 12 is parallel to the movement of a moving blade 26. The driving member 12 operates as part of a drive system 28. The drive system 28 includes a motor assembly 30 and a chassis including a base plate 32 having a pair of spaced, generally parallel, normally projecting arms 34. Each of the arms 34 has a throughbore 36 dimensioned for receiving a respective end of a linear drive shaft 38. The drive shaft 38 is oriented to be parallel to the operational axis of the moving blade 26 and defines an operational path for the driving member 12. One end 40 of the drive shaft 38 is preferably splined and is secured in a friction fit into the corresponding throughbore 36. To facilitate linear sliding of the driving member 12 upon the drive shaft 38, the driving member includes a transverse throughbore 42. At least one and preferably two drive shaft bushings 44 are slidable upon the drive shaft 38 on an inner diameter, and are slidingly received in the throughbore 42 on an outer diameter. In the driving member 12, the throughbore 42 is preferably located in the shoulder 22. Projecting from the shoulder 22 is the neck 24 having at its end 18 the removable tip 10. The tip 10, in turn is preferably configured to be fixed to the moving blade 26 of the bladeset 16. By fixing the relative displacement of the distal end 18 of the driving member 12 with the moving blade 26 (FIG. 1), the moving blade reciprocates laterally with respect to a stationary blade 48 and generally transverse to the longitudinal axis “a” of the clipper 14. The body 20 defines a chamber 50 having an upper opening 52 which provides access to a cam follower 54. The cam follower 54 defines the lateral stroke of a bearing 56 rotatably engaged on a cam lug 58 of an eccentric cam 60. In operation, an armature 62 turns under power from the motor 30, the eccentric cam lug 58 follows an eccentric path defined by the cam follower 54, and the driving member 12 is pushed to move laterally along the linear drive shaft 38. Thus, the rotary motion of the motor assembly 30 is translated to the linear motion of the moving blade 26. While the present invention has been described with respect to a rotary to linear drive system 28, any electric motor powered appliance drive system that activates a moving or reciprocating member is contemplated. The replaceable tip 10, when disposed on the distal end 18 of the driving member 12, is the portion of the driving member that contacts the moving blade 26. Typically, the moving blade 26 has a receiving formation 64 (shown hidden) configured for receiving the replaceable tip 10. In the preferred embodiment, the receiving formation 64 is a notch or groove that accommodates and mates with the replaceable tip 10 so that the transverse motion of the neck 24 is translated to the moving blade 26. Preferably, the replaceable tip 10 is tightly engaged with the receiving formation 64, however, it is contemplated that slight displacement of the receiving formation relative to the replaceable tip can occur. When the driving member 12 translates a motion generally transverse to the longitudinal axis “a” of the clipper 14, the replaceable tip 10 is configured to remain confined within the receiving formation 64. Preferably, the replaceable tip 10 does not move in-or-out or up-and-down relative to the receiving formation 64, thereby lessening the wear introduced by impact stresses, and prolonging the life of the replaceable tip 10. However, through use, the replaceable tip 10 will experience wear relative to the receiving formation 64. Such wear will increase the amount of play of the tip 10 in the receiving formation 64, will decrease the efficiency of the drive system 28, will usually increase operational noise of the clipper 14, and becomes generally undesirable. When the replaceable tip 10 wears down or otherwise fails, an advantage of the present replaceable tip is that it can be replaced without disassembling the drive system 28 to replace the entire driving member 12. Instead, only the bladeset 16 has to be removed from the clipper 14 to gain access to the replaceable tip 10. This is typically accomplished by exerting pressure on the moving blade 26 side of the bladeset 16 to unclip the bladeset from the clipper 14, releasing a snap fit. Alternatively, if fasteners are used to secure the bladeset to the housing, the fasteners are unfastened and the bladeset is pulled away from the clipper 14. In other units, a lock member needs to be released or moved to allow detachment of the bladeset. In such cases, the clipper body does not have to be disassembled. In some hair clippers 14, the bladeset 16 is secured to the clipper with only a snap-fit. Then, the replaceable tip 10 can be pulled off from the neck 24 of the driving member 12 with the user's fingers, a pliers, or the like. When a new replaceable tip 10 is engaged on the driving member 12, preferably by being pressure fit on the neck 24, the bladeset 16 can be refastened to the clipper 14. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the first embodiment of the replaceable tip 10 is generally rectangular with an engagement portion 66, preferably a counterbore, configured to receive the distal end 18 of the neck 24. An opening 68 (shown hidden) to the engagement portion 66 is disposed on a proximal side 70 of the tip 10, and the neck 24 is introduced into the opening 68. The replaceable tip 10 is pressure fit over the neck 24 and is preferably secured into place to encapsulate the distal end 18 of the driving member 12. At least one, but preferably a plurality of driving member retainer structures 72, such as snaps, lugs, bosses or ridges, are disposed on the neck 24 to be engaged in corresponding tip retainer structures 74, such as snap holes or grooves. It is also contemplated that other retainer structures may 72, 74 be used to retain the replaceable tip 10 on the distal end 18 of the driving member 12. When the driving member retainer structures 72 and the tip retainer structures 74 are engaged, the neck 24 extends within the replaceable tip 10 substantially along the length of the tip, but the neck preferably does not protrude through an opposite side 76 of the tip. In the preferred embodiment, the opposite side 76 is radiused in both the normal and longitudinal directions with respect to the clipper 14. This configuration provides a locating function with the receiving formation 64, as well as provides a curved impact surface when the replaceable tip 10 is used for arcuate motion (See FIGS. 3-5). Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, an alternate embodiment of a replaceable tip is designated generally as 78. The replaceable tip 78 is generally rectangular with a wide end 80 and a tapered end 82 (FIG. 5). Similar to the first embodiment, the tip 78 has an engagement portion 66. However, in the second embodiment, the engagement portion 66 is preferably a throughbore that extends from the tapered end 82 all the way through the tip 78 to the wide end 80. In the corresponding driving member 84, a driving member engagement portion 86, preferably a pin, is preferably integrally formed to protrude from the distal end 88 of a neck 90 to be received in an engagement portion 92 of the replaceable tip 84. When the pin 86 is introduced at the tapered end 82, the pin slightly protrudes from the wide end 80. Additionally, the pin 86 has a slight flare 94 (FIG. 5) for maintaining the relative location of the pin within the engagement portion 92. Alternatively, the pin 86 can be flush with the wide end 80 or the pin can extend less than the entire length of the replaceable tip 78. Other configurations are contemplated provided the replaceable tip 78 is secured to the driving member 84. The wide end 80 of the replaceable tip 78 is received in the receiving formation 64 of the moving blade 26. The replaceable tip 78 has side ends 96 that are preferably slightly concave in the direction normal to the engagement portion 92, as shown in FIG. 3, or in any other manner configured to restrain the tip within the receiving formation 64. Contacting the moving blade 26 with the wide end 80 of the replaceable tip 78, and any additional contouring of the tip, provides additional engagement of the tip within the receiving formation 64. The tapered end 82 of the replaceable tip 78 and the driving member 84 preferably have a first and second locking formation 98, 100, such as a mating “V”-shaped geometry, to prevent rotation of the tip 78 relative to the driving member. Also preventing the rotation of the replaceable tip 78 relative to the driving member 84 is the engagement portion 92 and the pin 86, both of which are preferably shaped to have a slight eccentricity about the longitudinal axis “b” of the replaceable tip. In the embodiment of the tip 78, the axis “b” is oblique to the clipper axis “a”, however, other orientations are contemplated depending on the application. It is also contemplated that other shapes of engagement portions 86, 92 can be used, particularly if configured to mate but not rotate with respect to each other. Further, a configuration having a circular pin 86 and engagement portion 92 is contemplated where the additional restraint of the eccentricity is not desired, as long as relative motion of the tip to the driving member 84 is prevented. The driving member 84, like the driving member 12, is a rotary-to-linear mechanism having a body 102, a shoulder portion 104 and the neck 90, which are integrally formed of a material selected for durability, formability and affordability. Preferably, the shoulder 104 is pivotally attached to the clipper 14 at a pivot bore 108. As the body 102 is driven by the motor assembly 30, the shoulder 64, as well as the neck 90, moves relative to the clipper 14, by sliding generally transverse and arcuate to a longitudinal axis “a” of the clipper about a rod 110. In this embodiment, a distal end 88 of the neck 90 travels a slightly arcuate path. Driving of the body 102 is preferably effected by coupling the driving member 84 to the motor assembly 30 forming a drive system 112. In particular, the drive system 112 preferably has an eccentric cam 114 that protrudes upwardly from the drive system into a cam-receiving portion 116 of the body 102. The cam-receiving portion 116 preferably includes an opening 118 in the body 102 configured to accommodate and generally circumscribe the cam 114. In a preferred embodiment, the cam 114 is preferably round with a hollow center configured to be disposed eccentrically around a stationary shaft 120. When the motor 30 drives the drive member 84, a gear drive 122 rotates the cam 114 about the stationary shaft 120, and the eccentricity of the cam induces the body 102 to pivot about the pivot rod 110. It is contemplated that other embodiments of driving members can be used. In one contemplated embodiment of a driving member (not shown), the driving member preferably has two legs fixedly attached to a clipper at a first end, and a bridging structure between the legs at a second end. Each leg is preferably resilient and is configured to deform. Preferably, a cam, or other mechanical member, is coupled to the bridging structure to drive the driving member. When the cam imparts transverse motion on the bridging structure, the legs of the driving member deform, and the replaceable tip 10, 78 disposed on the bridging structure reciprocates. The replaceable tip 10, 78 has an engagement portion that is configured to engage the driving member at a distal end, preferably at the bridging structure, such as by snapping, sliding, fastening, pressure fitting, or any other method. Further, it is contemplated that the replaceable tip 10, 78 may engage both the driving member and the cam (or similar mechanism), such that cam directly imparts force on the tip. A detailed description of the preferred drive mechanism is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, entitled “Rotary Motor Clipper with Linear Drive System”, Attorney Docket No. 2206.71159, filed Aug. 30, 2004, which is incorporated by reference herein. While specific embodiments of the present replaceable tip and method of replacement have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the invention in its broader aspects and as set forth in the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention relates generally to hair cutting devices having a moving cutting blade and a drive system, and specifically to hair clippers having a bladeset driven by rotary motor systems. One type of electric hair clipper used for cutting hair employs an electric motor with an eccentric drive member secured to the armature. A linkage converts rotary motion to linear reciprocating blade motion. Conventionally, a pivoting or reciprocating driving member is used to drive a moving clipper blade of a clipper bladeset in a laterally reciprocating fashion with respect to a static clipper blade. The driving member has a contact portion which contacts the moving blade to drive the blade through the reciprocating motion. A considerable amount of wear occurs at a contact portion of the driving member, causing the contact portion to wear down or fail, while the remainder of the driving member remains relatively structurally sound and intact. Typically, once the contact portion or tip is worn down or has failed, additional operational noise and/or reduced stroke results, causing insufficient and/or inefficient cutting. A user then has to replace the entire driving member, requiring some degree of disassembly of the drive system, and usually the clipper housing, to gain access and replace the driving member. The replacement process typically can require excessive time to disassemble and reassemble the clipper. This process is not only time consuming, but is also labor intensive and requires some mechanical inclination. Additionally, disassembly and reassembly can lead to further product failure when other clipper components are misaligned and/or damaged during the replacement process. Thus, there is a need for a driving member assembly for a hair cutting device which addresses the drawbacks of the prior art. | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The above-identified needs are met or exceeded by the present replaceable tip for use with a driving member of a hair clipper. The replaceable tip is configured to drive a moving blade, and is constructed and arranged to be replaceable upon the drive member without disassembly of a clipper housing. An alternate replaceable tip for a driving member of a clipper is also disclosed. The replaceable tip is generally rectangular and is disposed at the end of the driving member. The replaceable tip is configured to drive a moving blade. A method of replacing a replaceable tip of a driving member without disassembling a clipper housing is also disclosed. The method comprises the steps of unfastening and removing a bladeset from the clipper housing. The replaceable tip is removed from the driving member, and a replaceable tip is disposed on the driving member. Then, the bladeset is disposed on and fastened to the clipper housing. In another embodiment, a driving member having a replaceable tip for a hair clipper is configured to drive a moving blade of the hair clipper. The replaceable tip and the driving member are constructed and arranged for the replaceable tip to be replaceable upon the drive member without disassembly of a clipper housing. | 20040928 | 20091201 | 20060330 | 70277.0 | B26B1938 | 0 | PAYER, HWEI-SIU C | DRIVING MEMBER FOR HAIR CUTTING DEVICE WITH REPLACEABLE TIP | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | B26B | 2,004 |
|
10,951,479 | ACCEPTED | Integrated fuses for OLED lighting device | An embodiment of the present invention pertains to an electroluminescent lighting device for area illumination. The lighting device is fault tolerant due, in part, to the patterning of one or both of the electrodes into strips, and each of one or more of these strips has a fuse formed on it. The fuses are integrated on the substrate. By using the integrated fuses, the number of external contacts that are used is minimized. The fuse material is deposited using one of the deposition techniques that is used to deposit the thin layers of the electroluminescent lighting device. | 1. A fault-tolerant electroluminescent lighting device, comprising: a substrate; a first electrode on said substrate; a thin-film stack on said first electrode, wherein said thin-film stack includes an electroluminescent layer; a second electrode on said thin-film stack, wherein a particular one of either said first electrode or said second electrode is a plurality of electrode strips, a particular one of said plurality of electrode strips has at least one gap that separates said particular electrode strip into a plurality of electrode segments, and a fuse material at least partially covers a particular one of said at least one gap such that two adjacent electrode segments that are separated by said particular gap are electrically connected to each other, and resistivity of said fuse material increases when a large current flows through said fuse material, and wherein said at least one gap is on said substrate, and at least two of said plurality of electrode strips are coupled to a common external contact. 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said fuse material's resistivity increases when the large current flows due to redistribution of ionic charges within said fuse material that produces an internal electric field that compensates for an external electric field produced by the high current flow. 3. The device of claim 1 wherein said fuse material's resistivity increases when a large current flows due to the bulk of said fuse material increasing resistivity when said large current flows. 4. The device of claim 3 wherein said fuse material whose bulk increases resistivity when high current flows is: (1) a blend of polymers or (2) a blend of polymers and small molecules. 5. The device of claim 5 wherein said blend of polymers phase separate when a temperature of said blend increases above said polymers' glass transition temperature. 6. The device of claim 1 wherein said fuse material is any one of: (1) PEDOT:PSS; (2) polycarbonate and polyaniline (“PANI”); (3) polymethylmethacrylate (“PMMA”) and PANI; (4) polycarbonate and carbon fibers; (5) PMMA and carbon fibers; (6) polycarbonate and triphenyldiamine (“TPD”); (7) polycarbonate and naphthylphenyldiamine (“NPD”); (8) polycarbonate and tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum (“Alq”); (9) PMMA and TPD; (10) PMMA and NPD; or (11) PMMA and Alq. 7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a bank structure on said particular electrode, said bank structure includes a plurality of apertures, wherein a particular one of said plurality of apertures exposes said particular one of said at least one gap. 8. The device of claim 1 wherein a width of said particular one of said at least one gap is substantially smaller than a distance between two adjacent electrode strips. 9. The device of claim 1 wherein said fuse material is on said substrate. 10. The device of claim 1 wherein said other electrode that is not said particular electrode is a common continuous electrode. 11. The device of claim 1 wherein said other electrode that is not said particular electrode is a plurality of other electrode strips, said plurality of other electrode strips are parallel and aligned in the same direction as said plurality of electrode strips. 12. The device of claim 1 wherein said fault-tolerant electroluminescent lighting device is a fault-tolerant OLED lighting device. 13. A method to fabricate a fault-tolerant electroluminescent lighting device, comprising: forming a first electrode on a substrate; forming a thin-film stack on said first electrode, wherein said stack includes at least one layer and a particular one of said at least one layer is an electroluminescent layer; and forming a second electrode on said thin-film stack, wherein forming a particular one of either said first electrode or said second electrode includes: patterning said particular electrode into a plurality of electrode strips, and further patterning at least one gap on a particular one of said plurality of electrode strips so as to separate said particular electrode strip into a plurality of electrode segments, wherein said at least one gap is on said substrate; and depositing a fuse material over a particular one of said at least one gap to electrically connect two electrode segments that are adjacent to and separated by said particular gap, wherein resistivity of said fuse material increases when a large current flows through said fuse material, and further comprising coupling at least two of said plurality of electrode strips to a common external contact. 14. The method of claim 13 wherein forming said thin-film stack includes depositing a particular one of said at least one layer using a particular deposition technique, and said particular deposition technique is also used to deposit said fuse material. 15. The method of claim 13 further comprising forming a bank structure on said particular electrode, said bank structure includes a plurality of apertures, wherein a particular one of said plurality of apertures exposes said particular one of said at least one gap. 16. The method of claim 13 wherein said fuse material is selectively deposited. 17. The method of claim 16 wherein said fuse material is selectively deposited using any of the following techniques: ink-jet printing, screen printing, flex printing, or shadow masking. 18. The method of claim 13 wherein said fuse material is nonselectively deposited. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein said fuse material is nonselectively deposited using any of the following techniques: evaporation, sputtering chemical vapor deposition, spin coating, web coating, or spray coating. 20. The method of claim 18 wherein if said fuse material is nonselectively deposited, then a width of said particular one of said at least one gap is substantially smaller than a distance between two adjacent electrode strips. 21. The method of claim 13 wherein said fuse material is any one of: (1) PEDOT:PSS; (2) polycarbonate and polyaniline (“PANI”); (3) polymethylmethacrylate (“PMMA”) and PANI; (4) polycarbonate and carbon fibers; (5) PMMA and carbon fibers; (6) polycarbonate and triphenyldiamine (“TPD”); (7) polycarbonate and naphthylphenyldiamine (“NPD”); (8) polycarbonate and tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum (“Alq”); (9) PMMA and TPD; (10) PMMA and NPD; or (11) PMMA and Alq. 22. The method of claim 13 wherein said other electrode that is not said particular electrode is a common continuous electrode. 23. The method of claim 13 wherein forming said other electrode that is not said particular electrode includes patterning said other electrode into a plurality of other electrode strips, wherein said plurality of other electrode strips are parallel and aligned in the same direction as said plurality of electrode strips. 24. A fault-tolerant electroluminescent lighting device produced according to the method of claim 13. 25. A fault-tolerant OLED lighting device produced according to the method of claim 13. 26. A method to operate a fault-tolerant electroluminescent lighting device, wherein said lighting device includes an electrode that is patterned into a plurality of electrode strips and a particular one of said plurality of electrode strips includes a gap that separates said particular electrode strip into a first electrode segment and a second electrode segment, wherein a fuse material at least partially covers said gap such that said first electrode segment is electrically connected to said second electrode segment, the method comprising: driving a current across said fuse material; and if the current driven across said fuse material is high, then increasing resistivity of said fuse material so that current flow across said fuse material is decreased. 27. The method of claim 26 wherein said resistivity of said fuse material is increased when current flow is high across said fuse material by redistributing ionic charges within said fuse material to produce an internal electric field that compensates for an external electric field produced by the high current flow. 28. The method of claim 26 wherein said fuse material's resistivity increases when current flow is high due to the bulk of said fuse material increasing resistivity when said current flow is high. 29. The method of claim 28 wherein said fuse material is: (1) a blend of polymers or (2) a blend of polymers and small molecules. 30. The method of claim 29 wherein said blend of polymers phase separate when a temperature of said blend increases above said polymers' glass transition temperature. 31. The method of claim 26 wherein said fuse material is any one of: (1) PEDOT:PSS; (2) polycarbonate and polyaniline (“PANI”); (3) polymethylmethacrylate (“PMMA”) and PANI; (4) polycarbonate and carbon fibers; (5) PMMA and carbon fibers; (6) polycarbonate and triphenyldiamine (“TPD”); (7) polycarbonate and naphthylphenyldiamine (“NPD”); (8) polycarbonate and tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum (“Alq”); (9) PMMA and TPD; (10) PMMA and NPD; or (11) PMMA and Alq. | GOVERNMENT RIGHTS This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-FC26-04NT41947 awarded by the Department of Energy. The Government has certain rights in the invention. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of OLED panels as a lighting device is desirable—such as for area lighting in the workplace and the home. The OLED lighting device has characteristics that are different than an OLED display and these differences can be exploited to improve reliability and ease of manufacture while reducing cost. For example, electrical shorts are a major concern with OLED devices. A short occurs when any imperfection in the OLED causes its cathode to be in direct contact (or very close proximity) with its anode resulting in an area of much lower resistance than the remaining area between the anode and the cathode. Shorts may occur in any of the layers forming the element and may be caused by, for example, substrate imperfections or asperities, anode layer irregularities, non-uniformity of the one or more organic layers, and airborne particles introduced in the element structure during handling. While a pixel failure due to a short in an OLED display renders the display useless, a failure of a strip in the OLED lighting device may be acceptable as long as the resulting output luminance is not significantly deteriorated. Furthermore, the OLED lighting device has to be significantly cheaper than an OLED display. Therefore, cost and yield considerations dictate that the OLED lighting devices are not manufactured such that electrical shorts are completely eliminated, thus, the lighting device should be manufactured to be fault tolerant. To make the OLED lighting device fault tolerant, either the anode or the cathode is separated into strips. In this case, if one of the strips has a short during device operation, then the shorted strip can be switched off without significantly deteriorating the output luminance of the lighting device. By switching off the shorted strip, the possibility of the entire lighting device failing is avoided. A fuse can be used to switch off a strip by significantly decreasing current flow through it when a large current flows through the fuse due to the short. Typically, a fuse is externally attached to each of the strips (i.e., a fuse is externally attached if it is not on the substrate) and because the fuses are externally attached, each of the strips requires an external contact. Manufacturing the lighting device with the external contacts for each strip is cumbersome. Also, external fuses also increase the complexity of the driver circuitry and the complexity of the connection components (e.g., the contact pad and the flex connector). For the foregoing reasons, it is desirable to have electroluminescent lighting devices that exploit its unique characteristics to improve device reliability and efficiency while minimizing cost. SUMMARY An embodiment of a fault-tolerant electroluminescent lighting device is described. The device includes a substrate and a first electrode is on the substrate. In addition, the device includes a thin-film stack that is on the first electrode and this thin-film stack includes an electroluminescent layer. A second electrode is on the thin-film stack. A particular one of either the first electrode or the second electrode is patterned into multiple electrode strips and a particular one of the electrode strips has at least one gap that separates the particular electrode strip into multiple electrode segments. A fuse material at least partially covers a particular gap such that two adjacent electrode segments that are separated by the particular gap are electrically connected to each other, and the resistivity of the fuse material increases when a large current flows through the fuse material. The gaps are on the substrate. At least two of the electrode strips are coupled to a common external contact. An embodiment of a method to fabricate a fault-tolerant electroluminescent lighting device is also described. The method includes forming a first electrode on a substrate, and forming a thin-film stack on the first electrode. The thin-film stack includes at least one layer and a particular one of the layer(s) is an electroluminescent layer. The method also includes forming a second electrode on the thin-film stack. Forming either the first electrode or the second electrode includes the following: (1) patterning the particular electrode into multiple electrode strips, and further patterning at least one gap on a particular one of the electrode strips so as to separate the particular electrode strip into multiple electrode segments; and (2) depositing a fuse material over a particular gap to electrically connect two electrode segments that are adjacent to and separated by the particular gap. The resistivity of the fuse material increases when a large current flows through the material. At least two of the electrode strips are connected to a common external contact. An embodiment of a method to operate a fault-tolerant electroluminescent lighting device is also described. The lighting device includes an electrode that is patterned into a plurality of electrode strips and a particular one of the electrode strips includes a gap that separates the particular electrode strip into a first electrode segment and a second electrode segment. A fuse material at least partially covers the gap such that the first electrode segment is electrically connected to the second electrode segment. The method to operate the device includes driving a current across the fuse material, and if the current driven across the fuse material is high, then the resistivity of the fuse material is increased so that current flow across the fuse material is decreased. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of an OLED lighting device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the OLED lighting device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of an OLED lighting device according to the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the OLED lighting device according to the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of an OLED lighting device according to the present invention. FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the third embodiment of the OLED lighting device according to the present invention. FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a method to fabricate the fault-tolerant OLED lighting device according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION An embodiment of the present invention pertains to an electroluminescent lighting source for area illumination. The electroluminescent lighting source is fault tolerant due, in part, to the patterning of one or both of the electrodes into strips, and each of one or more of these strips has a fuse formed on it. The fuses are integrated on the substrate. By using the integrated fuses, the number of external contacts that are used is minimized; preferably, the number of external contacts used is two (one for each of the two electrodes). The fuse material is deposited using one of the deposition techniques that is used to deposit the thin layers of the lighting device. FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of an OLED lighting device 100 according to the present invention. In this embodiment, a first electrode 106 is on a substrate 103. The first electrode 106 is patterned into multiple strips 136a-f and each of the strips 136a-f has a gap (e.g., strip 136a has a gap 109) that segments the strip into a first segment and a second segment (e.g., the gap 109 segments the strip 136a into a first strip segment 139a and a second strip segment 139b). Alternatively, not all of the strips 136a-f have the gap, but rather only one or some of the strips have the gap. The gap 109 prevents the flow of electric current between the first strip segment 139a and the second strip segment 139b. A fuse material 112 covers the gaps and electrically connects the first strip segments to the corresponding second strip segments. In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the fuse material 112 is nonselectively deposited across the gaps such that the fuse material covers the gaps so that there is an electrical connection between the first strip segments and the corresponding second strip segments. The term “nonselectively deposited” as used herein refers to depositing the material in a manner such that a continuous uniform film is formed over a certain area. Examples of nonselective deposition techniques include, for example, evaporation, sputtering, chemical vapor deposition, spin coating, web coating, and spray coating. Because the fuse material 112 is nonselectively deposited, in addition to covering the gaps, the fuse material 112 also covers the area between adjacent strips. When the fuse material 112 is nonselectively deposited, then the gap width 130 should be substantially smaller than the distance between adjacent strips (this distance is shown by reference number 133) so that cross-talk between the adjacent strips can be neglected. An organic stack 115 is on the first electrode 106. A second electrode 121 is on the organic stack 115. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the second electrode 121 is a common electrode. Conductive traces 124 connect all the strips 136a-f to a common external contact 127. The second electrode 121 is connected to a common external contact 128. Since the resulting fuses are integrated on the substrate 103, the number of common external contacts that are employed can be minimized. When a voltage is applied between the common external contact 127 and the common external contact 128 such that the lighting device is forward biased, then light is emitted from the areas in which the first electrode 106, the organic stack 115, and the second electrode 121 intersect. During device operation, if a short occurs in one of the strips, then a large current will flow through the fuse material of the shorted strip causing the resisitivity of the fuse material to substantially increase. Some of these device components are described in greater detail below. Substrate 103: The substrate 103 can be any material that can support the layers on it. The substrate 103 can be transparent or opaque (e.g., the opaque substrate is used in top-emitting devices). By modifying or filtering the wavelength of light that pass through the substrate 103, the color of light emitted by the device can be changed. The substrate 103 can be comprised of glass, quartz, silicon, plastic, ceramics, or circuit board materials; preferably, the substrate 103 is comprised of thin, flexible glass. Examples of plastic substrates are: polyethyleneterephthalate, polyethylenenapthalate, polyestercarbonate, polyethersulphone, and polyimide. The preferred thickness of the substrate 103 depends on the material used and the application. First Electrode 106: In one configuration of this embodiment, the first electrode 106 functions as an anode (the anode is a conductive layer which serves as a hole-injecting layer and which comprises a material with work function greater than about 4.5 eV). Typical anode materials include metals (such as platinum, gold, palladium, indium, and the like); metal oxides (such as lead oxide, tin oxide, indium tin oxide (“ITO”), and the like); graphite; doped inorganic semiconductors (such as silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, and the like); and doped conducting polymers (such as polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, and the like). In an alternative configuration, the first electrode 106 functions as a cathode (the cathode is a conductive layer which serves as an electron-injecting layer and which comprises a material with a low work function). The cathode, rather than the anode, is deposited on the substrate 103 in the case of, for example, a top-emitting OLED. Typical cathode materials are listed below in the section for the “second electrode 121”. The first electrode 106 can be transparent (e.g., this is the case in a bottom-emitting device), semi-transparent, or opaque (e.g., this may be the case in a top-emitting device) to the wavelength of light generated within the device. The thickness of the first electrode 106 is from about 10 nm to about 1000 nm, and preferably, from about 50 nm to about 200 nm. The first electrode 106 can typically be fabricated using any of the techniques known in the art for deposition of thin films, including, for example, evaporation, sputtering, electron beam deposition, or chemical vapor deposition. The first electrode 106 can be patterned using well-known photolithographic processes. The first electrode 106 can be patterned into strips (as shown in FIG. 1) and each of the strips include one or more gaps that separate the strip into two or more strip segments. The one or more gaps are on the substrate 103 and located outside the active area of the lighting device 100 (the active area, as used herein, is the area from which light is emitted). The fuse material 112 covers the gaps so that there is an electrical connection between each of the two adjacent strip segments that are separated by the corresponding gap. The first electrode 106 can be connected to one or more common external contacts. More specifically, if the first electrode is patterned into strips, then two or more of the strips are coupled to one common external contact. By doing this, the number of external contacts that are used can be minimized. The common external contact is used to connect the first electrode to, for example, a voltage source or a current source. Bank Structure 142: The bank structure 142 (the bank structure 142 is shown in FIG. 5) is made of a material such as, for example, photo-resist, polyimide, or poly-siloxane. The bank structure 142 is an insulating structure that has one or more apertures and these aperture(s) exposes the gap between two electrode strip segments. Each aperture may represent a pocket or a line. The bank structure 142 is patterned by applying photolithography techniques to the bank material, or by using a printing technique (e.g., screen printing or flexo-printing) to deposit the bank material in the desired pattern. Fuse Material 112: The fuse material 112 is a material that substantially increases its resistivity when there is a large current through it for a certain time period. In one configuration, the fuse material 112 is a material whose resistivity substantially increases due to redistribution of ionic charges within the fuse material 112 that produces an internal electric field that compensates for an external electric field produced by the large current. When the ionic redistribution completes, there is almost no current flowing through the material. Alternatively, in another configuration, the fuse material 112 is a material whose resistivity substantially increases due to the bulk of the fuse material 112 increasing resistivity due to the large current through the material. The increase in resistivity can be due to the increased temperature resulting from the large current though the material. This type of fuse material can be either: (1) a blend of polymers or (2) a blend of polymers and small molecules. With regards to the polymer blend, when the temperature of the blend is at or above the glass transition temperature, the polymers move more freely and typically there is phase separation such that polymers of the same type cling to each other. If one type of polymers is conductive and another type of polymers is nonconductive, then there is a high likelihood that after phase separation, the resulting fuse material 112 will have a high resistivity. Examples of fuse materials are: (1) PEDOT:PSS; (2) polycarbonate and polyaniline (“PANI”); (3) polymethylmethacrylate (“PMMA”) and PANI; (4) polycarbonate and carbon fibers; (5) PMMA and carbon fibers; (6) polycarbonate and triphenyldiamine (“TPD”); (7) polycarbonate and naphthylphenyldiamine (“NPD”); (8) polycarbonate and tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum (“Alq”); (9) PMMA and TPD; (10) PMMA and NPD; or (11) PMMA and Alq. The fuse material 112 can be deposited using the same techniques as that used to deposit the layers of the organic stack. The fuse material 112 can be deposited using selective deposition techniques. The term “selectively deposited” as used herein refers to depositing the material in a manner such that the deposited material is patterned. Examples of selective deposition techniques include, for example: ink jet printing, flex printing, screen printing and shadow masking. The precision of the fuse material deposition is not critical and, therefore, it can also be deposited using non-selective deposition techniques such as, for example, evaporation, sputtering, chemical vapor deposition, spin coating, web coating, and spray coating. The amount of fuse material deposited into the gap can vary within certain limits. At a minimum, there should be an adequate amount of fuse material in the gap so that there is an electrical connection between the two adjacent strip segments that the particular gap separates (e.g., in FIG. 1, there is an adequate amount of fuse material 112 in the gap 109 so that there is an electrical connection between the two adjacent strip segments—the first strip segment 139a and the second strip segment 139b). Also, enough fuse material can be deposited in the gap to substantially or completely fill the gap or even enough material can be deposited such that it slightly overflows the gap. The gaps and the fuse material 112 are integrated on the device (i.e., the gaps and the fuse material 112 are on the substrate 103). The gaps and the fuse material 112 are outside the active area of the lighting device 100. Organic Stack 115: The OLED lighting device include an organic stack 115 between the first electrode 106 and the second electrode 121. The organic stack 115 includes one or more organic thin films. The organic stack 115 includes at least an emissive layer. The emissive layer is comprised of a luminescent or fluorescent material where electroluminescence is produced as a result of electron-hole pair recombination in this layer. The emissive layer can be comprised of organic polymers or organic small molecules. Preferably, the organic polymers are fully or partially conjugated polymers. For example, suitable organic polymer materials include one or more of the following in any combination: poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (“PPV”), poly(2-methoxy-5(2′-ethyl)hexyloxyphenylenevinylene) (“MEH-PPV”), one or more PPV-derivatives (e.g. di-alkoxy or di-alkyl derivatives), polyfluorenes and/or co-polymers incorporating polyfluorene segments, PPVs and related co-polymers, poly(2,7-(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene)-(1,4-phenylene-((4-secbutylphenyl)imino)-1,4-phenylene) (“TFB”), poly(2,7-(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene)-(1,4-phenylene-((4-methylphenyl)imino)-1,4-phenylene-((4-methylphenyl)imino)-1,4-phenylene)) (“PFM”), poly(2,7-(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene)-(1,4-phenylene-((4-methoxyphenyl)imino)-1,4-phenylene)) (“PFMO”), poly (2,7-(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene) (“F8”), (2,7-(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene)-3,6-Benzothiadiazole) (“F8BT”), or poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene). Alternatively, rather than polymers, small organic molecules that emit by fluorescence or by phosphorescence can serve as the organic electroluminescent layer. Examples of small-molecule organic electroluminescent materials include: (i) tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum (Alq); (ii) 1,3-bis(N,N-dimethylaminophenyl)-1,3,4-oxidazole (OXD-8); (iii) -oxo-bis(2-methyl-8-quinolinato)aluminum; (iv) bis(2-methyl-8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum; (v) bis(hydroxybenzoquinolinato)beryllium (BeQ.sub.2); (vi) bis(diphenylvinyl)biphenylene (DPVBI); and (vii) arylamine-substituted distyrylarylene (DSA amine). Optionally, the organic stack 115 can also include a hole transporting layer (“HTL”) that is present between the anode and the emissive layer. The HTL may be used to increase the efficiency of the OLED lighting device. The HTL has much higher hole mobility than electron mobility and is used to effectively transport holes from the first electrode 106 to the emissive layer. Because employing the HTL provides a step in the highest occupied molecular orbital (“HOMO”) energy level, the presence of the HTL may increase the number of holes injected into emissive layer 320. The HTL is a polarized layer; i.e., it is made of polar materials. The HTL is made of polymers or small molecules. For example, the HTL can be made of tertiary amine or carbazole derivatives both in their small molecule or their polymer form, conducting polyaniline (“PANI”), or polyethylenedioxythiophene-polystyrenesulfonate (“PEDOT:PSS”). The fuse material 112 can also be made of PEDOT:PSS. The emissive layer and the HTL can be deposited using selective deposition techniques or nonselective deposition techniques, examples of which were provided earlier. As stated earlier, the fuse material 112 can be deposited using any of the deposition techniques used to deposit the layers of the organic stack 115. Second Electrode 121: In one configuration of this embodiment, the second electrode 121 functions as a cathode. The cathode is typically a multilayer structure that includes, for example, a thin charge injection layer and a thick conductive layer. The charge injection layer has a lower work function than the conductive layer. The charge injection layer can be comprised of, for example, calcium or barium or mixtures thereof. The conductive layer can be comprised of, for example, aluminum, silver, magnesium, gold, copper, or mixtures thereof. In an alternative configuration, the second electrode 121 functions as an anode. The anode, rather than the cathode, is deposited on the organic stack 115 in the case of, for example, a top-emitting OLED lighting device. Typical anode materials are listed earlier in the section for the “first electrode 106”. The second electrode 121 can typically be fabricated using any of the techniques known in the art for deposition of thin films, including, for example, vacuum evaporation, sputtering, electron beam deposition, or chemical vapor deposition. The second electrode 121 can be patterned using well-known photolithographic processes. The second electrode 121 can be a common electrode (as shown in FIG. 1); alternatively, the second electrode 121 can be patterned into strips and each of the strips includes one or more gaps that separates the strip into two or more strip segments. The one or more gaps are located on the substrate and are outside the active area of the lighting device. The fuse material 112 covers the gaps so that there is an electrical connection between each of the two adjacent strip segments that are separated by the corresponding gap. Some possible combinations of the first electrode 106 and the second electrode 121 are: (1) the second electrode 121 is a common electrode and the first electrode 106 is patterned into strips and each of the strips include one or more gaps that separate the strip into two or more strip segments; (2) the first electrode 106 is a common electrode and the second electrode 121 is patterned into strips and each of the strips include one or more gaps that separate the strip into two or more strip segments; and (3) both the first electrode 106 and the second electrode 121 are patterned into strips, and each of the strips of one or both electrodes include one or more gaps that separate the strip into two or more strip segments. In case (3), the first electrode strips and the second electrode strips are parallel to each other and are aligned in the same direction. The second electrode 121 can be connected to one or more common external contacts. More specifically, if the second electrode is patterned into strips, then two or more of the strips are coupled to one common external contact. By doing this, the number of external contacts that are used can be minimized. The common external contact is used to connect the second electrode 121 to, for example, a voltage source or a current source. FIG. 2 shows a cross-section at line A of the first embodiment of the OLED lighting device 100 according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, the first electrode 106 is on the substrate 103. The first electrode 106 is patterned into multiple strips and a particular one of these strips include one or more gaps that are on the substrate and located outside the active area of the lighting device. The one or more gaps in a strip segment the strip into two or more strip segments. Specifically, in FIG. 2, the strip 136a includes a gap 109 that segments the strip 136a into a first strip segment 139a and a second strip segment 139b. A fuse material 112 is nonselectively deposited on the first electrode 106 such that it covers the gap 109 and electrically connects the first strip segment 139a and the second strip segment 139b. When the fuse material 112 is nonselectively deposited, then the gap width 130 should be substantially smaller than the distance between adjacent strips so that cross-talk between the adjacent strips can be neglected. The organic stack 115 is on the first electrode 106. The second electrode 121 is on the organic stack 115. FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of an OLED lighting device 100 according to the present invention. In this embodiment, a first electrode 106 is on a substrate 103. The first electrode 106 is segmented into multiple strips 136a-f and each of the strips 136a-f has a gap (e.g., strip 136a has a gap 109) that segments the strip into a first segment and a second segment (e.g., the gap 109 segments the strip 136a into a first strip segment 139a and a second strip segment 139b). The gap 109 prevents the flow of electric current between the first strip segment 139a and the second strip segment 139b. In this embodiment, the fuse material 112 is selectively deposited on the gaps so as to cover the gaps and provide an electrical connection between the first strip segments and the corresponding second strip segments. Specifically, in FIG. 3, the fuse material 112 is deposited on the gap 109 so as to provide an electrical connection between the first strip segment 139a and the second strip segment 139b. In this embodiment, since the fuse material 112 is selectively deposited, there is no fuse material between the adjacent strips and thus there is no cross-talk between the adjacent strips. In this case, the gap width 130 is not limited to being substantially smaller than the distance between adjacent strips. Examples of selective deposition techniques that can be used to deposit the fuse material 112 include, for example: ink jet printing, flex printing, screen printing and shadow masking. An organic stack 115 is on the first electrode 106. A second electrode 121 is on the organic stack 115. In the configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the second electrode 121 is a common electrode. Conductive traces 124 connect all the strips 136a-f to a common external contact 127. The second electrode 121 is connected to a common external contact 128. FIG. 4 shows a cross-section at line B of the second embodiment of the OLED lighting device 100 according to the present invention. In FIG. 4, the first electrode 106 is on the substrate 103. The first electrode 106 is patterned into multiple strips and a particular one of these strips includes one or more gaps that are on the substrate and located outside the active area of the lighting device 100. The one or more gaps in a particular strip segment the strip into two or more strip segments. Specifically, in FIG. 4, the strip 136a includes a gap 109 that segments the strip 136a into a first strip segment 139a and a second strip segment 139b. A fuse material 112 is selectively deposited on the first electrode 106 such that it covers the gap 109 and electrically connects the first strip segment 139a and the second strip segment 139b. When the fuse material 112 is selectively deposited, then the gap width 130 can be any width and is not limited to being substantially smaller than the distance between adjacent strips. The organic stack 115 is on the first electrode 106. The second electrode 121 is on the organic stack 115. FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the OLED lighting device 100 according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the first electrode 106 is on the substrate 103. The first electrode 106 is patterned into multiple strips 136a-f and each of the strips 136a-f has a gap (e.g., strip 136a has a gap 109) that segments the particular strip into the first segment and a second segment (e.g., the gap 109 segments the strip 136a into a first strip segment 139a and a second strip segment 139b). The gap 109 prevents the flow of electric current between the first strip segment 139a and the second strip segment 139b. The bank structure 142 is formed on the first electrode 106 and includes the multiple apertures 145a-f. The apertures expose the gaps between the strip segments. For example, the aperture 145a in bank structure 142 exposes the gap 109 between the first strip segment 139a and the second strip segment 139b. The apertures can represent pockets or lines. In this embodiment, the fuse material 112 is nonselectively deposited on the bank structure 142 so as to cover the exposed gaps and provide an electrical connection between the first strip segments and the corresponding second strip segments. Specifically, in FIG. 5, the fuse material 112 is deposited on the bank structure 142 and fills the aperture 145a such that the gap 109 is covered and there is an electrical connection between the first strip segment 139a and the second strip segment 139b. The organic stack 115 is deposited on the first electrode 106. The second electrode 121 is on the organic stack 115. In the configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the second electrode 121 is a common electrode. Conductive traces 124 connect all the strips 136a-f to a common external contact 127. The second electrode 121 is connected to a common external contact 128. FIG. 6 shows a cross-section at line C of the third embodiment of the OLED lighting device 100 according to the present invention. In FIG. 6, the first electrode 106 is on the substrate 103. The first electrode 106 is patterned into multiple strips and a particular one of these strips includes one or more gaps that are on the substrate and located outside the active area of the lighting device 100. The one or more gaps in a particular strip segment the strip into two or more strip segments. Specifically, in FIG. 6, the strip 136a includes a gap 109 that segments the strip 136a into a first strip segment 139a and a second strip segment 139b. The bank structure 142 is on the first electrode 106. If the bank structure 142 protrudes outward at the top (as shown in FIG. 6), then there is discontinuity between the fuse material 112 on the bank structure 142 and the fuse material 112 covering the gap 109, and thus there is no cross-talk between adjacent strips. In this case, the gap width 130 is not limited to being substantially smaller than the distance between adjacent strips. Alternatively, the bank structure 142 can be shaped so that when the fuse material 112 is nonselectively deposited, there is continuity between the fuse material 112 on the bank structure 142 and the fuse material 112 covering the gap 109, and in this case, the gap width 130 should be substantially smaller than the distance between adjacent strips in order to adequately minimize the cross-talk between adjacent strips. An example of such a bank structure shape is a rectangular shaped bank structure. The fuse material 112 is nonselectively deposited across the bank structure 142 such that the material fills the aperture 145a so as to covers the gap 109 and electrically connects the first strip segment 139a and the second strip segment 139b. The organic stack 115 is on the first electrode 106. The second electrode 121 is on the organic stack 115. FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a method to fabricate the fault-tolerant OLED lighting device 100 according to the present invention. In block 703, the first electrode is formed on a substrate. In order to make the lighting device fault-tolerant, one or both electrodes are patterned into strips. In block 706, optionally, the first electrode is patterned into multiple strips, and each of one or more of the patterned strips includes one or more gaps that segment the particular strip into two or more strip segments. Optionally, a bank structure can be formed on the first electrode using techniques such as, for example, photolithography. The fuse material is selectively or nonselectively deposited over each of the one or more gaps so that there is an electrical connection between the two electrode segments that are adjacent to and separated by a particular gap. The resulting fuse is located on the substrate and outside the active area of the lighting device. In block 709, the organic stack is formed on the first electrode. In block 712, the second electrode is formed on the organic stack. In block 715, optionally, the second electrode is patterned into multiple strips, and each of one or more of the patterned strips includes one or more gaps that segment the particular strip into two or more strip segments. The fuse material is selectively or nonselectively deposited over each of the one or more gaps so that there is an electrical connection between the two electrode segments that are adjacent to and separated by a particular gap. In block 718, the first electrode is connected to one or more common external contacts. More specifically, if the first electrode is patterned into strips, then two or more of the strips are coupled to one common external contact. In addition, the second electrode is connected to one or more common external contacts. More specifically, if the second electrode is patterned into strips, then two or more of the strips are coupled to one common external contact. The invention has been described with respect to an organic lighting source for area illumination, however, this invention can also be used within an inorganic lighting source. In this case, one or more thin-films between the first electrode and the second electrode are made of inorganic materials. For example, the emissive layer can be made of inorganic materials such as, for example, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, or zinc selenide. Similarly, the inorganic hole transporting layer can be comprised of inorganic materials such as, for example, doped gallium arsenide. Alternatively, one or more thin layers between the first electrode and the second electrode are made of organic materials while one or more of the other layers between the two electrodes are made of inorganic materials. As any person of ordinary skill in the art of organic optoelectronic device fabrication will recognize from the description, figures, and examples that modifications and changes can be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The use of OLED panels as a lighting device is desirable—such as for area lighting in the workplace and the home. The OLED lighting device has characteristics that are different than an OLED display and these differences can be exploited to improve reliability and ease of manufacture while reducing cost. For example, electrical shorts are a major concern with OLED devices. A short occurs when any imperfection in the OLED causes its cathode to be in direct contact (or very close proximity) with its anode resulting in an area of much lower resistance than the remaining area between the anode and the cathode. Shorts may occur in any of the layers forming the element and may be caused by, for example, substrate imperfections or asperities, anode layer irregularities, non-uniformity of the one or more organic layers, and airborne particles introduced in the element structure during handling. While a pixel failure due to a short in an OLED display renders the display useless, a failure of a strip in the OLED lighting device may be acceptable as long as the resulting output luminance is not significantly deteriorated. Furthermore, the OLED lighting device has to be significantly cheaper than an OLED display. Therefore, cost and yield considerations dictate that the OLED lighting devices are not manufactured such that electrical shorts are completely eliminated, thus, the lighting device should be manufactured to be fault tolerant. To make the OLED lighting device fault tolerant, either the anode or the cathode is separated into strips. In this case, if one of the strips has a short during device operation, then the shorted strip can be switched off without significantly deteriorating the output luminance of the lighting device. By switching off the shorted strip, the possibility of the entire lighting device failing is avoided. A fuse can be used to switch off a strip by significantly decreasing current flow through it when a large current flows through the fuse due to the short. Typically, a fuse is externally attached to each of the strips (i.e., a fuse is externally attached if it is not on the substrate) and because the fuses are externally attached, each of the strips requires an external contact. Manufacturing the lighting device with the external contacts for each strip is cumbersome. Also, external fuses also increase the complexity of the driver circuitry and the complexity of the connection components (e.g., the contact pad and the flex connector). For the foregoing reasons, it is desirable to have electroluminescent lighting devices that exploit its unique characteristics to improve device reliability and efficiency while minimizing cost. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>An embodiment of a fault-tolerant electroluminescent lighting device is described. The device includes a substrate and a first electrode is on the substrate. In addition, the device includes a thin-film stack that is on the first electrode and this thin-film stack includes an electroluminescent layer. A second electrode is on the thin-film stack. A particular one of either the first electrode or the second electrode is patterned into multiple electrode strips and a particular one of the electrode strips has at least one gap that separates the particular electrode strip into multiple electrode segments. A fuse material at least partially covers a particular gap such that two adjacent electrode segments that are separated by the particular gap are electrically connected to each other, and the resistivity of the fuse material increases when a large current flows through the fuse material. The gaps are on the substrate. At least two of the electrode strips are coupled to a common external contact. An embodiment of a method to fabricate a fault-tolerant electroluminescent lighting device is also described. The method includes forming a first electrode on a substrate, and forming a thin-film stack on the first electrode. The thin-film stack includes at least one layer and a particular one of the layer(s) is an electroluminescent layer. The method also includes forming a second electrode on the thin-film stack. Forming either the first electrode or the second electrode includes the following: (1) patterning the particular electrode into multiple electrode strips, and further patterning at least one gap on a particular one of the electrode strips so as to separate the particular electrode strip into multiple electrode segments; and (2) depositing a fuse material over a particular gap to electrically connect two electrode segments that are adjacent to and separated by the particular gap. The resistivity of the fuse material increases when a large current flows through the material. At least two of the electrode strips are connected to a common external contact. An embodiment of a method to operate a fault-tolerant electroluminescent lighting device is also described. The lighting device includes an electrode that is patterned into a plurality of electrode strips and a particular one of the electrode strips includes a gap that separates the particular electrode strip into a first electrode segment and a second electrode segment. A fuse material at least partially covers the gap such that the first electrode segment is electrically connected to the second electrode segment. The method to operate the device includes driving a current across the fuse material, and if the current driven across the fuse material is high, then the resistivity of the fuse material is increased so that current flow across the fuse material is decreased. | 20040927 | 20070710 | 20060330 | 68894.0 | H05B3306 | 0 | MACCHIAROLO, PETER J | INTEGRATED FUSES FOR OLED LIGHTING DEVICE | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H05B | 2,004 |
|
10,951,709 | ACCEPTED | Inhibition action incontinence device and method | A method and apparatus for minimizing fecal incontinence in a subject, is disclosed. An inhibition action incontinence device includes a truncated cone with an angled concavity at a top portion. The truncated cone is positioned at the external opening of the anal canal. The truncated cone may be positioned to effect a positive pressure on the external sphincter muscles and the anal slit across the peri-anal tissues. It is believed that the truncated cone exploits the voluntary inhibition action of the external sphincter muscles and the simple mechanical closure of the anal slit to decrease fecal incontinence and soiling. | 1. A method for minimizing fecal incontinence, comprising: positioning an inhibition action incontinence device exteriorly near the external opening of the anal canal of the subject; and allowing the inhibition action incontinence device to exert a positive pressure on the anal sphincter muscles and the anal slit, non-invasively, across the peri-anal tissues. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising effecting a positive inward pressure on the external sphincter muscles and reflexively relaxing the rectum. 3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising enhancing the reservoir function of the rectum. 4. The method according to claim 1, comprising seating a subject on the inhibition action incontinence device. 5. The method according to claim 1, comprising laying the subject in a supine position on top of the inhibition action incontinence device which is situated beneath the peri-anal tissues, and non-invasively effecting across the peri-anal tissues. 6. The method according to claim 1, comprising strapping the inhibition action incontinence device to the subject in a standing position. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the inhibition action incontinence device includes providing a truncated cone with an angled concavity at a top portion. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the inhibition action incontinence device further includes positioning a channel from the top to the bottom of the truncated cone to accommodate various catheters for developmental and therapeutic procedures. 9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the inhibition action incontinence device further includes positioning a balloon in the rectum and inflating the balloon via air and water to anchor the inhibition action incontinence device in a manner to apply across the peri-anal tissues positive pressure on the external sphincter muscles from outside the anus. 10. An inhibition action incontinence device, comprising a truncated cone located at an external aspect of the anal canal and imposing a positive pressure on the external sphincter muscles. 11. The device of claim 10, further comprising a concavity at a top portion of the truncated cone that effects the positive pressure on the external sphincter muscles. 12. The device of claim 10, wherein said device is comprised of silicone plastic. 13. The device of claim 10, comprising an envelope that can be filled with varying amounts of water to produce the positive pressure. 14. The device of claim 10, comprising an envelope that can be filled with varying amounts of air to produce the positive pressure. 15. The device of claim 10, further comprising a channel therethrough the top to the bottom of the truncated cone for insertion of a catheter into the anus and rectum for developmental and therapeutic medical procedures. 16. The device of claim 10, further comprising a means for securing the truncated cone on the external aspect of the anal canal. 17. The device of claim 10, further comprising a balloon that is disposed in the rectum, above the anorectal ring, and wherein the balloon is inflated via a catheter leading from the truncated cone. 18. The device of claim 17, wherein the balloon can be inflated using varying amounts of air. 19. The device of claim 17, wherein the balloon can be inflated using varying amounts of water. 20. An inhibition action incontinence device, comprising a doughnut-shaped envelope that can be filled with varying degrees of water that can apply varying amounts of positive pressure on the external and internal sphincter muscles. 21. An inhibition action incontinence device, comprising a doughnut-shaped envelope that can be filled with varying degrees of air that can apply varying amounts of positive pressure on the external and internal sphincter muscles. 22. An inhibition action incontinence device, comprising a truncated cone-shaped envelope that can be filled with varying degrees of water that can apply varying amounts of positive pressure on the external and internal sphincter muscles. 23. An inhibition action incontinence device, comprising a truncated cone-shaped envelope that can be filled with varying degrees of air that can apply varying amounts of positive pressure on the external and internal sphincter muscles. | FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is generally related to fecal incontinence and, more particularly, is related to a method and apparatus for minimizing fecal incontinence. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Fecal incontinence is described as the loss of the normal control of the bowels. This leads to stool leaking from the rectum at unexpected times. Fecal incontinence typically is a source of physical discomfort and the cause of social and personal debilitation. It most often affects the aged or individuals suffering from neurological, obstetrical, or other traumatic injury. However, abnormalities in stool volume or consistency, colonic transit, anal sphincter function, anal rectal sensation, cerebral function and anal rectal reflexes also may result in incontinence. A significant number of incontinence cases involve postpartum pelvic neuropathies, and thus, may affect women at a relatively young age. There may be many causes of fecal incontinence. Fecal continence is multi-faceted. Anal sphincter resting and squeeze pressure, rectal storage capacity, anal and rectal sensation, spinal reflexes, cognition, and anorectal angle all play a role. The anal sphincter is a muscle that contracts to prevent stool from leaving the rectum. That muscle is critical in maintaining continence. The rectum can stretch and hold stool for some time after a person becomes aware that stool is there. That is the rectal storage capacity. Rectal sensation tells a person that stool is in the rectum. Then, the person knows that it is time to go to the bathroom. A person also must be alert enough to notice the rectal sensation and do something about it. He or she must be able to move to a toilet. If something is wrong with any of these factors, then fecal incontinence can occur. Fecal incontinence may also be caused by a reduction in the compliance of the rectum, which shortens the time between the sensation of the stool and the urgent need to have a bowel movement. Surgery or radiation injury can scar and stiffen the rectum. Inflammatory bowel disease can also make the rectum less compliant. Because loose stool (diarrhea) is more difficult to control than formed stool, diarrhea is an added stress that can lead to fecal incontinence. A change in stool consistency to a looser form often causes the problem of incontinence to become manifest. Some cases of fecal incontinence are treated by instituting dietary changes, providing anti-diarrheal agents, fiber exploiting the gastro-colic reflex Not eating prior to attending an important engagement), and effecting “pseudo-continence” by emptying the distal colon and rectum with enemas prior to social events. Biofeedback therapies also have been proposed in which a balloon, inserted in the rectum, provides a sensation similar to that of stool immediately prior to defecating. The patient is trained to perceive differing volumes of distention in the balloon and to respond accordingly by contracting the anal sphincter muscles. Surgical remedies for severe cases of fecal incontinence include sphincter repair, plication of the posterior sphincter, anal encirclement in which a metal or elastic band mechanically tightens the anus, and muscle transfer procedures. Each of those techniques attempts to create a mechanical barrier to stool. Anal sphincter repair may produce good results, but it is appropriate for women with obstetric injuries to the anal sphincter, and may be effective to a lesser extent for those with other traumatic sphincter injuries. Those patients, though not target subjects for the present invention, could benefit from this invention if surgery is unsuccessful due to concomitant pudendal nerve injury, or if they are poor operative candidates because of their generally poor health, or if they do not want to submit to an invasive procedure. Other surgical procedures typically produce suboptimal results because of persistent leakage of stool, infection and fecal impaction. Temple, U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,827, discloses an incontinence device that includes a generally tubular soft latex shape that is opened at both ends. The upper end is smoothly curved and tapered inward to the opening with latex of minimal thickness and coated on the outside adjacent the opening with a suitable adhesive for contact with the skin about the anal opening. However, the device is invasive, blocks the anal opening and collects fecal matter and gases in the tubular shape provided. Klingenstein, U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,057, discloses a fecal incontinence device and method that includes an expandable tubular member that invasively is inserted into the rectum of a patient. The tubular member has attached thereto a pair of bilaterally extending wings which may be detachable that conform to the surface of the buttocks of a patient, thereby maintaining the position of the device in the rectum. A sheath is expanded so as to prevent passage of stool through the anal opening, but cannot be expanded to such an extent as to trigger a defecation reflex. A problem with such non-surgical devices for controlling fecal incontinence is that they are intrusive or invasive. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a means for controlling fecal incontinence that is convenient and non-invasive. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method for minimizing fecal incontinence in a patient. Briefly described, one embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows. In a preferred embodiment, the claimed invention exploits the voluntary inhibition action and/or simple mechanical closure of the anal slit to decrease fecal incontinence or soiling. The present invention includes a truncated cone located at an external aspect of the anal canal. The truncated cone includes a concavity on a top portion to effect an inward positive pressure on the external sphincter muscles and the anal slit. The truncated cone could be made of silicone or other comparable material, a synthetic skin or envelope filled with a fluid, air or other comparable gas. The efficacy of the invention is predicated on exploiting the voluntary inhibition action whereby contraction of the external sphincter muscles causes a reflex relaxation of the rectum, thus increasing the rectum's reservoir capacity and decreasing the need to defecate. The invention may also act by simply closing the anal slit. In the preferred embodiment, the present invention is comprised of silicone plastic. The invention may be used multiple times or, may be disposable. The invention could also be utilized with a disposable or reusable covering. Embodiments of the present invention can also be used as providing methods for minimizing fecal incontinence. In that regard, a preferred embodiment of such a method, among others, can be broadly summarized by the following steps. An inhibition action incontinence device is positioned at the external opening of the anal canal of a subject. The inhibition action incontinence device effects a positive pressure on the external sphincter muscles and the anal slit by virtue of an inward vector applied across the peri-anal tissues. The device is non-invasive and does not require insertion into the anal canal. In another embodiment of the invention, the inhibition action incontinence device includes positioning a balloon in the rectum and inflating the balloon via air, water or other comparable void-filling liquid or gas to anchor the device so that it may apply positive pressure on the external sphincter muscles across the peri-anal tissues. This embodiment, though minimally invasive, could allow utilization of the device in ambulatory patients. In still another embodiment of the invention, the inhibition action incontinence device includes an envelope that can be filled with varying amounts of water, air or other comparable void-filling liquid or gas to produce the positive pressure that effects the external sphincter muscles. The inhibition action incontinence device may be used while the subject is sitting, standing, or in a supine position. A channel may be located in a top portion of the truncated cone or the envelope for developmental medical procedures. The channel may traverse from the top to the bottom of the truncated cone and the envelope. Such developmental medical procedures may include anorectal manometry to determine the optimal shape of the truncated cone to maximize the salutary effect on rectal compliance and the anal slit. A therapeutic use of the channel could be for the administration of enemas to facilitate defecation at a time convenient for the patient, or for the staff should the patient be institutionalized. Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components of the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a frontal section of the rectum, pelvic diaphragm and anal canal; FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing of a preferred embodiment of the invention with the optional channel and catheter; FIG. 3 is a perspective drawing of a second embodiment of the invention; and FIG. 4 is a perspective drawing of a third embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 illustrates a frontal section of the rectum, pelvic diaphragm and anal canal. It is believed that a voluntary inhibition action exists whereby a voluntary squeeze of the external sphincter muscles causes a reflex relaxation of the rectum. Such a reflex could enable a subject to defer defecation until a more socially acceptable time by causing the rectum to increase its compliance to accommodate a fecal bolus. In FIG. 2, a preferred embodiment of an inhibition action incontinence device is shown. The inhibition action incontinence device 200 includes a truncated cone 202 with an angled concavity 204 at a top portion. The truncated cone 202 may be positioned at or near the external opening of the anal canal. The truncated cone 202 will exert its effect across the peri-anal tissues to effect a positive pressure on the external sphincter muscles and the anal slit. By effecting a positive inward pressure on the external sphincter muscles, it is believed that the truncated cone 202 causes a reflex action in the rectum to relax the rectum and enlarge the rectum's capacity. A channel 206 may traverse the truncated cone 202 from top to bottom for insertion of a manometry catheter 208 or enema tube(not shown) or other such catheters for further developmental medical and therapeutic procedures. In the preferred embodiment, the truncated cone 202 is composed of silicone plastic. FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the claimed invention. In FIG. 3, the truncated cone 202 includes a balloon 302 that is disposed in the rectum. The balloon is positioned above the anorectal ring and may be inflated via the catheter 208 that leads from the truncated cone 202 to the rectum. Varying amounts of water, air or other comparable void-filling gas or liquid may be used to inflate the balloon 302. As described above, the pressure of the balloon anchors the truncated cone 202 so that the truncated cone 202 may exert its effect on the external and internal sphincter and anal slit across the peri-anal tissues. FIG. 4 illustrates yet another embodiment of the claimed invention. In FIG. 4, the truncated cone 202 includes a doughnut-shaped envelope 402. The doughnut-shaped envelope 402 may be filled with varying amounts of air, water or other comparable void-filling gas or liquid. The degree of air or water is dependent upon the effective pressure that is needed to produce a positive inward pressure on the external sphincter muscles and the anal slit. Hence, the degree or amount of water or air may vary dependent upon the subject. It is proffered that the inhibition action incontinence device 202 may be used while a subject is seated on a chair, lying in a supine position, or strapped to the subject while in a standing position. It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention, particularly, any preferred embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications in variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention and protected by the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Fecal incontinence is described as the loss of the normal control of the bowels. This leads to stool leaking from the rectum at unexpected times. Fecal incontinence typically is a source of physical discomfort and the cause of social and personal debilitation. It most often affects the aged or individuals suffering from neurological, obstetrical, or other traumatic injury. However, abnormalities in stool volume or consistency, colonic transit, anal sphincter function, anal rectal sensation, cerebral function and anal rectal reflexes also may result in incontinence. A significant number of incontinence cases involve postpartum pelvic neuropathies, and thus, may affect women at a relatively young age. There may be many causes of fecal incontinence. Fecal continence is multi-faceted. Anal sphincter resting and squeeze pressure, rectal storage capacity, anal and rectal sensation, spinal reflexes, cognition, and anorectal angle all play a role. The anal sphincter is a muscle that contracts to prevent stool from leaving the rectum. That muscle is critical in maintaining continence. The rectum can stretch and hold stool for some time after a person becomes aware that stool is there. That is the rectal storage capacity. Rectal sensation tells a person that stool is in the rectum. Then, the person knows that it is time to go to the bathroom. A person also must be alert enough to notice the rectal sensation and do something about it. He or she must be able to move to a toilet. If something is wrong with any of these factors, then fecal incontinence can occur. Fecal incontinence may also be caused by a reduction in the compliance of the rectum, which shortens the time between the sensation of the stool and the urgent need to have a bowel movement. Surgery or radiation injury can scar and stiffen the rectum. Inflammatory bowel disease can also make the rectum less compliant. Because loose stool (diarrhea) is more difficult to control than formed stool, diarrhea is an added stress that can lead to fecal incontinence. A change in stool consistency to a looser form often causes the problem of incontinence to become manifest. Some cases of fecal incontinence are treated by instituting dietary changes, providing anti-diarrheal agents, fiber exploiting the gastro-colic reflex Not eating prior to attending an important engagement), and effecting “pseudo-continence” by emptying the distal colon and rectum with enemas prior to social events. Biofeedback therapies also have been proposed in which a balloon, inserted in the rectum, provides a sensation similar to that of stool immediately prior to defecating. The patient is trained to perceive differing volumes of distention in the balloon and to respond accordingly by contracting the anal sphincter muscles. Surgical remedies for severe cases of fecal incontinence include sphincter repair, plication of the posterior sphincter, anal encirclement in which a metal or elastic band mechanically tightens the anus, and muscle transfer procedures. Each of those techniques attempts to create a mechanical barrier to stool. Anal sphincter repair may produce good results, but it is appropriate for women with obstetric injuries to the anal sphincter, and may be effective to a lesser extent for those with other traumatic sphincter injuries. Those patients, though not target subjects for the present invention, could benefit from this invention if surgery is unsuccessful due to concomitant pudendal nerve injury, or if they are poor operative candidates because of their generally poor health, or if they do not want to submit to an invasive procedure. Other surgical procedures typically produce suboptimal results because of persistent leakage of stool, infection and fecal impaction. Temple, U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,827, discloses an incontinence device that includes a generally tubular soft latex shape that is opened at both ends. The upper end is smoothly curved and tapered inward to the opening with latex of minimal thickness and coated on the outside adjacent the opening with a suitable adhesive for contact with the skin about the anal opening. However, the device is invasive, blocks the anal opening and collects fecal matter and gases in the tubular shape provided. Klingenstein, U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,057, discloses a fecal incontinence device and method that includes an expandable tubular member that invasively is inserted into the rectum of a patient. The tubular member has attached thereto a pair of bilaterally extending wings which may be detachable that conform to the surface of the buttocks of a patient, thereby maintaining the position of the device in the rectum. A sheath is expanded so as to prevent passage of stool through the anal opening, but cannot be expanded to such an extent as to trigger a defecation reflex. A problem with such non-surgical devices for controlling fecal incontinence is that they are intrusive or invasive. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a means for controlling fecal incontinence that is convenient and non-invasive. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method for minimizing fecal incontinence in a patient. Briefly described, one embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows. In a preferred embodiment, the claimed invention exploits the voluntary inhibition action and/or simple mechanical closure of the anal slit to decrease fecal incontinence or soiling. The present invention includes a truncated cone located at an external aspect of the anal canal. The truncated cone includes a concavity on a top portion to effect an inward positive pressure on the external sphincter muscles and the anal slit. The truncated cone could be made of silicone or other comparable material, a synthetic skin or envelope filled with a fluid, air or other comparable gas. The efficacy of the invention is predicated on exploiting the voluntary inhibition action whereby contraction of the external sphincter muscles causes a reflex relaxation of the rectum, thus increasing the rectum's reservoir capacity and decreasing the need to defecate. The invention may also act by simply closing the anal slit. In the preferred embodiment, the present invention is comprised of silicone plastic. The invention may be used multiple times or, may be disposable. The invention could also be utilized with a disposable or reusable covering. Embodiments of the present invention can also be used as providing methods for minimizing fecal incontinence. In that regard, a preferred embodiment of such a method, among others, can be broadly summarized by the following steps. An inhibition action incontinence device is positioned at the external opening of the anal canal of a subject. The inhibition action incontinence device effects a positive pressure on the external sphincter muscles and the anal slit by virtue of an inward vector applied across the peri-anal tissues. The device is non-invasive and does not require insertion into the anal canal. In another embodiment of the invention, the inhibition action incontinence device includes positioning a balloon in the rectum and inflating the balloon via air, water or other comparable void-filling liquid or gas to anchor the device so that it may apply positive pressure on the external sphincter muscles across the peri-anal tissues. This embodiment, though minimally invasive, could allow utilization of the device in ambulatory patients. In still another embodiment of the invention, the inhibition action incontinence device includes an envelope that can be filled with varying amounts of water, air or other comparable void-filling liquid or gas to produce the positive pressure that effects the external sphincter muscles. The inhibition action incontinence device may be used while the subject is sitting, standing, or in a supine position. A channel may be located in a top portion of the truncated cone or the envelope for developmental medical procedures. The channel may traverse from the top to the bottom of the truncated cone and the envelope. Such developmental medical procedures may include anorectal manometry to determine the optimal shape of the truncated cone to maximize the salutary effect on rectal compliance and the anal slit. A therapeutic use of the channel could be for the administration of enemas to facilitate defecation at a time convenient for the patient, or for the staff should the patient be institutionalized. Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. | 20040929 | 20080422 | 20060330 | 99875.0 | A61F200 | 0 | GILBERT, SAMUEL G | INHIBITION ACTION INCONTINENCE DEVICE AND METHOD | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | A61F | 2,004 |
|
10,951,939 | ACCEPTED | Semiconductor integrated circuit device | Interconnections are formed over an interlayer insulating film which covers MISFETQ1 formed on the principal surface of a semiconductor substrate, while dummy interconnections are disposed in a region spaced from such interconnections. Dummy interconnections are disposed also in a scribing area. Dummy interconnections are not formed at the peripheries of a bonding pad and a marker. In addition, a gate electrode of a MISFET and a dummy gate interconnection formed of the same layer are disposed. Furthermore, dummy regions are disposed in a shallow trench element-isolation region. After such dummy members are disposed, an insulating film is planarized by the CMP method. | 1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising steps of: forming trenches in a semiconductor substrate defining active regions and dummy regions; forming an insulating film over said trenches; and burying said insulating film in said trenches by polishing said insulating film to form element isolation insulating films buried in said trenches; wherein said dummy regions are formed at a scribing area and at an internal circuit region. 2. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein said internal circuit region includes a peripheral circuit forming region or a logic circuit forming region. 3. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein a length of each of said dummy regions is shorter than a distance between bonding pads. 4. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said dummy regions is formed under an external terminal. 5. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein dummy regions are arranged in a first direction and a second direction crossing said first direction at said scribing area and at said internal circuit region. 6. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein each of said dummy regions has substantially a square shape. 7. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising steps of: forming trenches in a semiconductor substrate defining active regions and dummy regions; forming an insulating film over said trenches; and burying said insulating in said trenches by polishing said insulating film to form element isolation insulation films buried in said trenches; wherein said dummy regions are formed at a scribing area. 8. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 7, wherein a length of each of said dummy regions is shorter than a distance between external terminals. 9. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 7, wherein at lease one of said dummy regions is formed under an external terminal. 10. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 7, wherein said dummy regions are arranged in a first direction and a second direction crossing said first direction. 11. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 7, wherein each of said dummy regions has substantially a square shape. 12. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising the steps of: forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate defining active regions and dummy regions; forming an insulation film over said trench; and burying said insulating in said trench by polishing said insulating film to form element isolation insulating films; wherein said dummy regions are formed at a scribing area and at an internal circuit region. 13. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 12, wherein said internal circuit region includes a peripheral circuit forming region or a logic circuit forming region. 14. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 12, wherein a length of each of said dummy regions is shorter than a distance between external terminals. 15. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 12, wherein said dummy regions are arranged in a first direction and a second direction crossing said first direction at said scribing area and at said internal circuit region. 16. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said dummy regions is formed under an external terminal. 17. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 12, wherein each of said dummy regions has substantially a square shape. 18. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising the steps of: forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate defining active regions and dummy regions; forming an insulating film on said trench; and burying said insulating in said trench by polishing said insulating film to form an element isolation insulating film buried in said trench; wherein said dummy regions are formed at a scribing area. 19. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 18, wherein a length of each of said dummy regions is shorter than a distance between bonding pads. 20. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 18, wherein at least one of said dummy regions is formed under an external terminal. 21. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 18, wherein said dummy regions are arranged in a first direction and a second direction crossing said first direction. 22. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 18, wherein each of said dummy regions has substantially a square shape. 23. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising the steps of: forming interconnections and dummy interconnections on a first insulating film formed over a principal surface of a semiconductor substrate; forming an insulating film over said interconnections and said dummy interconnections; and polishing said insulating film; wherein said dummy interconnections are formed at a scribing area. 24. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 23, wherein a length of each of said dummy interconnections is shorter than a distance between bonding pads. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a Divisional Application of U.S. Ser. No. 10/619,039, filed Jul. 14, 2003, which is a Continuation of Ser. No. 10/075,246 filed Feb. 15, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,664,642, which is a Continuation of Ser. No. 09/846,260, filed May 2, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,433,438, which is a Divisional application of Ser. No. 09/050,416, filed Mar. 31, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,883. This application is related to copending application Ser. No. 10/926,142, filed Aug. 26, 2004, which is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 10/619,039, filed Jul. 14, 2003. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit device and to a fabrication process thereof, and more particularly, the invention relates to a technique which is effective when applied to a semiconductor integrated circuit device, which is fabricated by a process including a planarization step using the CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) method. To satisfy the continuing tendency to decrease the minimum processing size of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, in an exposure optical system, an increase in the performance of a stepper is required, which promotes a widening of the aperture size of a lens and a shortening of the exposure wave length. As a result, the focus depth of the exposure optical system decreases and even a slight unevenness on the surface to be processed becomes a problem. Therefore, the accurate planarization of the surface to be processed becomes an important technical objective for the device process. Furthermore, the above planarization does not aim at the easing of a stepped portion for the purpose of preventing a short cut of interconnections formed on the stepped portion, but is directed to a global planarization, in other words, a complete planarization. As a surface planarization technique, there are a method of coating an SOG (Spin On Glass) film or a low-melting-point glass by melting it, a method of heat treatment through glass flow, a self planarization method adopting a surface reaction mechanism of CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) and the like. Owing to the surface conditions, to the heat treatment conditions being applied or to limitations in processing, in many cases, it is impossible to carry out complete planarization, that is, global planarization, using these methods. Therefore, the etchback and CMP processes are regarded as promising practical techniques which permit complete planarization. As for the etchback process, the use of a photoresist as a sacrificial film, the use of an SOG film and the use of a self-planarization CVD film are known, but they are accompanied by such drawbacks as a complex procedure, a high cost and a lowering of the yield due to production of particles. The CMP process has, on the other hand, come to be regarded as an excellent process from an overall viewpoint, because, compared with the etchback process, it is more free from the above-described problems. Consequently, the CMP process is considered to be most promising as a practical technique for effecting complete planarization. The CMP technique is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 7-74175, U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,689 and “1996 Symposium on VLSI Technology Digest of Technical Papers, 158-159(1996)”. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION During the investigation of a technique for the complete planarization of a device surface to which the CMP method is applied, which technique is not, however, a known process, the present inventors have recognized that there are the following drawbacks. FIGS. 29(a) to 29(d) are each a cross-sectional view illustrating a planarization technique using the CMP method which the present inventors have investigated. For covering an interconnection with an insulating film and then planarizing the insulating film, an interconnection 102 is formed on an interlayer insulating film 101 (FIG. 29(a)); a first insulating film 103 and a second insulating film 104, such as SOG, are deposited to embed a concave portion thereof by the plasma CVD method or the like using TEOS (Tetraethoxysilane: (C2H5O)4Si) (FIG. 29(b)); a third insulating film 105 is deposited by the plasma CVD method using TEOS (FIG. 29(c)); and then the third insulating film 105 is polished by the CMP method for effecting planarization (FIG. 29(d)). At the present time, in the designing of a layout based on principles of functional design and logic design, the most important consideration concerning the pattern of the interconnection 102 has been based on whether the pattern follows the ordinary layout rule or not, and polishing properties in the CMP step have not been taken into particular consideration. The interconnection pattern is therefore not uniform, being sparse in some places and dense in some places. In the drawing illustrating the technique under investigation (FIG. 29(d)), it is seen that the interconnections 102 are dense in the portion A, while they are sparse in the other region. When CMP polishing is conducted under such a state, that is, a state where interconnections 102 are not disposed uniformly, being sparse in some places and dense in some places, the surface of the third insulating film 105 cannot be planarized completely. In a region where the interconnections 102 are dense, there appears a difference of 0.2 to 0.3 μm in height in the region A and a large undulation inevitably remains on the surface. On the surface having such an undulation, the processing margin lowers in the subsequent photolithography step or etching step, and it becomes difficult to satisfy minute processing and heightening requirements of integration, which makes it impossible to bring about an improvement in the reliability of the semiconductor integrated circuit device and also an improvement in the yield. In addition, the existence of an undulation requires the optimization of the process conditions in order to carry out lithography and etching favorably in such a state, and an optimization of the CMP step also becomes necessary to suppress the undulation to a minimum. The time required for such optimization sometimes undesirably delays the starting time of the mass-production process. In the region where the interconnections 102 are disposed sparsely, the recess between the interconnections 102 is not embedded sufficiently with the second insulating film 104, and so the third insulating film 105 must be thicker in order to fill in such a recess completely, which consequently causes problems, such as an increase in the polishing amount of the third insulating film 105 and a rise in the step load in the CMP step, as well as an increase in the step load, such as a long deposition time, of the third insulating film 105. An object of the present invention is to completely planarize the surface of a member which has been polished by the CMP method. Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique which can improve the processing margin in the photolithography and etching steps, thereby to achieve minute processing and an increased integration, while, at the same time, improving the reliability and yield of the semiconductor integrated circuit device. A further object of the present invention is to facilitate the start of the process. A still further object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of polishing of a member to be polished by the CMP method and to decrease the load and time of the polishing step, thereby improving the cost competitive advantage. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of designing a member pattern which can be planarized completely by the CMP method. A still further object of the present invention is to suppress an increase in the parasitic capacitance of an interconnection or the like which is caused by the measures to achieve complete planarization, thereby maintaining the performance of the semiconductor integrated circuit device. The above-described and other objects, and novel features of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings. Typical features of the invention disclosed by the present application will be described briefly. (1) The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention comprises actual interconnections which are formed on a principal surface of a semiconductor substrate or an interlayer insulating film constituting a semiconductor integrated circuit element, and an insulating film containing a film which covers the actual interconnections and has been planarized by the CMP method; wherein dummy interconnections, formed of the same material as that of the actual interconnections, but not functioning as an element, are formed in an empty space between adjacent, spaced interconnections in the interconnection layer where said actual interconnections are formed. In addition, the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention comprises a shallow trench formed on the principal surface of a semiconductor substrate, an element isolation region having an insulating film, which contains a film planarized by the CMP method, embedded in the shallow trench, and active regions of the semiconductor integrated circuit element separated by said element isolation region, wherein dummy regions, which do not function as a semiconductor integrated circuit element, are formed on the principle surface of the semiconductor substrate in an empty space of the semiconductor substrate between said spaced active regions. By providing such a semiconductor integrated circuit device with dummy interconnections or dummy regions formed in an empty space to prevent the formation of a sparse portion, the surface of the insulating film which covers the interconnections or the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate can therefore be planarized completely. Described more specifically, in the case where only actual interconnections or active regions (element constituting members) are formed without dummy interconnections or dummy regions (dummy members), an empty space appears between adjacent but spaced element constituting members. If an insulating film is deposited without eliminating such an empty region, the surface of the insulating film near the empty region becomes uneven reflecting the shape of each of the element constituting members precisely. Such an uneven shape becomes a factor for inhibiting complete planarization, as illustrated in FIG. 29(d). In accordance with the present invention, therefore, dummy members are disposed in such an empty region to ease the uneven shape of the insulating film, whereby the surface of the insulating film is planarized completely after polishing by the CMP method. The surface of the insulating film is planarized completely in this manner so that the process margin in the subsequent lithography step or etching step can be increased. As a result, the production yield of the semiconductor integrated circuit device can be improved and the starting time for the process can be shortened. Incidentally, examples of the interconnection include a metal interconnection formed on an interlayer insulating film, a gate interconnection of a MISFET (Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) and a bit line of a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory). It is needless to say that not only the interconnection of memory devices, such as a DRAM, but also the interconnection of logic devices, are included in the metal interconnection and gate interconnection. In particular, the logic device generally has a multilayer interconnection formed of at least three layers so that the application of the present invention to such an interconnection brings about marked effects. (2) In another aspect, the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention contains a high-density member region which satisfies the conditions that the distance between adjacent members of the dummy interconnections and the actual interconnections, or between adjacent members of dummy regions and active regions, is set to at least the minimum space width which is required by the resolution power of lithography, and that said distance is set to at least twice the height of the interconnection or the depth of the shallow trench; and the area of the high-density member region is at least 95% of the whole chip area. By setting the distance between the adjacent members of the dummy interconnections and the actual interconnections or between the adjacent members of the dummy regions and active regions at not greater than twice the height of the interconnections or depth of the shallow trench, there is no pattern dependence of the member pattern on the CMP polishing rate of the insulating film formed over such members, and the CMP polishing rate becomes uniform, which makes it possible to attain substantially complete surface flatness of the insulating film. FIG. 30 shows data indicating the finding of the present inventors obtained as a result of test and investigation and it graphically represents the fluctuation of a CMP polishing amount relative to the distance between dummy patterns. The distance between dummy patterns standardized by the height of the pattern is plotted along the abscissa, while the CMP polishing amount of the insulating film on the pattern relative to the standard pattern (solid pattern) is plotted along the ordinate. As is apparent from FIG. 30, the CMP polishing amount of the insulating film does not show a change even it the distance between the dummy patterns becomes approximately twice the height of the pattern. In other words, if the distance between the adjacent members of the dummy interconnections and the actual interconnections, or between the adjacent members of the dummy regions and active regions, is set at not greater than twice the height of the interconnection or the depth of the shallow bench, the CMP rate of the insulating film formed over such members becomes fixed irrespective of the pattern and the insulating film can be planarized completely. In order to attain planarization over the whole chip, the region where complete planarization can be materialized, that is, the high-density member region preferably is as wide as possible, but it is not necessary for the whole area of the chip to be a high-density member region. A sufficiently flat surface suited for practical use can be obtained so long as the high-density member region permitting complete planarization occupies at least 95% of the chip area. Another condition that the distance between these members is set at not less than the minimum space width required by the resolution power of lithography is established because a processing space exceeding the minimum processing size is necessary for favorable member processing. It is possible to carry out processing of the interconnections or dummy interconnections, or the active regions or dummy regions, by satisfying the above condition. Incidentally, when a KrF exima laser is used as an exposure source, 0.2 μm can be given as an example of the minimum space width. Incidentally, in the remaining 5% region which is not a high-density member region, it is preferred that the distance between adjacent members of dummy interconnections and actual interconnections, or between adjacent members of the dummy regions and active regions, is set at not greater than four times the height of the interconnection or the depth of the shallow trench. The polishing amount of the insulating film in such a region where the pattern distance is set at not greater than four times the height of the interconnection or the depth of the shallow trench, that is, a low-density member region shows fluctuations about twice as much as that of the high-density member region, as is illustrated in FIG. 30. Because the area of the low-density member region is not larger than 5% of the chip area, however, the influence of the fluctuation can be neglected. In addition, in the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention, the dummy interconnections or dummy regions each have a width not smaller than the minimum line width which is required by the resolution power of lithography, or has a length not smaller than twice the minimum line width; and at the same time, in the scribing area, the width and length of each of the dummy interconnections or dummy regions is not larger than the distance between bonding pads. Incidentally, the minimum space width and minimum line width can each be set at 0.2 μm and the distance between bonding pads can be set at 10 μm. According to such a semiconductor integrated circuit device, by setting the width of each of the dummy interconnections or dummy regions at not smaller then the minimum line width, which is required by the resolution power of lithography, the dummy interconnections or dummy regions can be processed with precision; and by setting the length of each of the dummy interconnections or dummy regions at not less than twice the minimum line width, the resolution of such members can be maintained with certainty. In other words, there is a potential problem that a pattern having the minimum processing size in width and length cannot be resolved accurately, but such a potential problem can be avoided in the case of the present invention by setting the length of each of the dummy interconnections or dummy regions at not less than twice the minimum processing size. The width or length of each of the dummy interconnections or dummy regions is set at 30 μm or less, with 20 μm or less being frequently used and with 10 μm or less being preferred. In addition, by setting each of the width and length of the dummy interconnections or dummy regions at not greater than 30 μm, a parasitic capacitance of the interconnection and the like and also failure due to short circuits between the bonding pads can be reduced. Described specifically, an increase in the width or length of each of the dummy interconnections or dummy regions inevitably enlarges such dummy members, which increases the parasitic capacitance of the interconnection or the like functioning as a semiconductor integrated circuit element and impairs the performance of the semiconductor integrated circuit device, such as the high-speed responsiveness thereof. If the width or length is not greater than 30 μm, on the other hand, it is possible to suppress the parasitic capacitance of the interconnection or the like to an extent not causing a problem in practical use. When the dummy interconnections are disposed in a scribing area, there is a possibility that the scribed chips may become conductive dust. Even if they unfortunately become conductive dust, they cause a short-circuit only between bonding pads. So, by setting the width and length of each of the dummy interconnections at not greater than the distance between the bonding pads, the scribed chips do not cause a short circuit even if they become conductive dust. Owing to these advantages, deterioration in the performance and yield of the semiconductor integrated circuit device can be prevented. In addition, in the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention, the dummy interconnections or dummy regions are formed also in the scribing area. According to such a semiconductor integrated circuit device, complete planarization can be maintained even in the scribing area, whereby complete planarization all over the wafer can be actualized. In addition, in the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention, a pattern density of interconnections formed of the dummy interconnections and actual interconnections, or a pattern density of regions formed of the dummy regions and active regions, is made substantially uniform all over the regions on the semiconductor substrate. Even by the semiconductor integrated circuit device as described above, complete planarization of the insulating film on these patterns can be actualized. Described more specifically, as indicated above, the existence of unevenness in the pattern density inhibits the flatness of the insulating film on the pattern. The evenness of the insulating film is therefore improved also by disposing dummy members so as not to cause unevenness in the pattern density. (3) In a further aspect, the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention is similar to the above-described one except that, in the same interconnection layer which includes a bonding pad portion or marker portion for photolithography disposed on the semiconductor substrate, dummy interconnections are not formed at the periphery of the bonding pad portion or a marker portion. Such a semiconductor integrated circuit device makes it possible to smoothly perform automatic detection of a bonding pad upon wire bonding and also automatic detection of a marker used for mask alignment during photolithography. Described more specifically, if dummy members made of the same material as that of the bonding pad or marker have been formed at the periphery thereof, there is a possibility that the dummy members will disturb, in the manner of a noise, the smooth detection of the bonding pad or marker. The present invention is free from such a possibility. Incidentally, it is possible that the dummy interconnections are not formed in a region 20 μm from the bonding pad portion or 60 μm from the marker portion. In addition, the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention may contain, as the insulating film, a silicon oxide film formed by the SOG or high-density plasma CVD method, a BPSG (Boron-doped Phospho-Silicate Glass) or PSG (Phospho-Silicate Glass) film formed by the reflow method or a polysilazane film. According to such a semiconductor integrated circuit device, since the silicon oxide film formed by the SOG or high-density plasma CVD method, the BPSG or PSG film formed by the reflow method or the polysilazane film is excellent in step covering properties and has properties of embedding a concave portion therewith, a concave portion formed by adjacent members of the interconnections and dummy interconnections or of the active regions and dummy regions is filled in favorably with such a film, whereby the thickness of the insulating film to be polished by the CMP method can be decreased. Such a decrease in the thickness of the film to be polished by the CMP method leads to not only a reduction in the load of the deposition step of the film to be polished by the CMP method, but also a reduction in the load of the CMP step, which in turn brings about an improvement in the cost competitive advantage of the semiconductor integrated circuit device, for example, by reducing the process time. The process for the fabrication of a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention is a process for the fabrication of the above-described semiconductor integrated circuit device, which comprises (a) depositing a conductive film containing polycrystalline silicon or a metal over the principal surface of a semiconductor substrate or over an interlayer insulating film and patterning said conductive film to form actual interconnections and dummy connections, (b) depositing a first insulating film, which is composed of a silicon oxide film formed by the SOG method or high-density plasma CVD method, a BPSG or PSG film formed by the re-flow method or a polysilazane film, over the actual interconnections and dummy interconnections including inner surfaces of concave portions formed by the actual interconnections and dummy interconnections and filling the concave portions with said film, (c) depositing a second insulating film over said first insulating film and (d) polishing the surface of said second insulating film by the CMP method; and wherein the second insulating film is formed to have a thickness sufficient for planarizing the unevenness on the surface of the first insulating film. According to such a fabrication process of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, the second insulating film can be deposited to give a smaller film thickness, whereby the deposition time of the second insulating film can be shortened; and at the same time, the polishing amount of the second insulating film in the CMP polishing step can be reduced. As a result, in spite of the fact that the above process comprises conventional steps, the step time can be shortened and the step load can be reduced, which brings about an improvement in the cost competitive advantage in a semiconductor integrated circuit device. Described more specifically, in the fabrication process according to the present invention, the concave portions formed between the actual interconnections and dummy interconnections are filled in with the first insulating film composed of a silicon oxide film formed by the SOC or high-density plasma CVD method, a BPSG or PSG film formed by the re-flow method or a polysilazane film, whereby the unevenness remaining on the surface of the second insulating film is lessened compared with the unevenness before the formation of the film. Accordingly, the thickness of the second insulating film must be sufficient for the planarization of the unevenness on the surface of the first insulating film, but the surface of the second insulating film can be planarized sufficiently even by a thin film. (4) Incidentally, a rigid pad can be used for said CMP polishing. Alternatively, polishing by the CMP method can be employed only for the surface finish polishing after the unevenness on the surface attributable to the existence of the actual interconnections and dummy interconnections is substantially planarized by the first and second insulating films. As a polishing means employed for the surface finish, not only the CMP method, but also other polishing means, such as dry belt polishing and lapping, may be used. The process for the fabrication of a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention is a process for the fabrication of the above-described semiconductor integrated circuit device, which comprises (a) depositing a silicon nitride film on the principal surface of a semiconductor substrate and patterning a portion of the silicon nitride film and semiconductor substrate in regions except for the active regions and dummy regions to form a shallow trench, (b) depositing an insulating film composed of a silicon oxide film on the semiconductor substrate, interconnections and silicon nitride film including the inner surface of the shallow trench, thereby filling in the trench with the insulating film, and (c) polishing the insulating film by the CMP method to expose the silicon nitride film. According to the above-described fabrication process of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, dummy regions are formed also in an element isolation region so that dishing, that is, the formation of a recess, in the element isolation region can be prevented and the surface of the semiconductor substrate can be planarized completely. In addition, since the silicon nitride film having a lower CMP polishing rate than the silicon oxide film is formed between the insulating film, which is a film to be polished by the CMP method, and the active region of the semiconductor substrate, the silicon nitride film serves as a stopper layer for the CMP polishing and more complete flatness can be attained. Incidentally, the above process may further comprise a step of using an alkaline slurry, which contains a silicon oxide as an abrasive, as the slurry used for the CMP method in the step (c) and subsequent to the step (c), etching of the insulating film formed in the shallow trench is performed through wet etching or dry etching to make the surface of the insulating film equal to or lower then the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate. When the alkaline slurry containing a silicon oxide as an abrasive is used, the ratio of the polishing rate of the silicon oxide film to the silicon nitride film becomes 3 or 4:1 so that it is necessary to thicken the silicon nitride film. In such a case, when the height of the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate, that is, the active region, and the height of the silicon oxide film, which is an element isolation region after the removal of the silicon nitride film, are compared, the silicon oxide film is found to be higher. The silicon oxide film is therefore etched by wet etching or dry etching to make the surface of the insulating film equal to or lower than the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate, whereby minute gate processing can be carried out. Alternatively, a slurry containing cerium oxide as an abrasive can be used as the slurry in the CMP method in the step (c). In this case, the ratio of the polishing rate of the silicon oxide film to the silicon nitride film becomes 30 to 50:1 so that it is not necessary to thicken the silicon nitride film. The thickness of the silicon nitride film can be set to a value which is negligible in the process, for example, not greater than 50 nm so that the etching of the silicon oxide film subsequent to the removal of the silicon nitride film is not required. (5) The method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention comprises forming a mask pattern for a mask used for the processing of members each constituting a semiconductor integrated circuit element, wherein said mask pattern includes a member pattern for members and a dummy pattern which is not disposed in a dummy placement prohibited region; and a mask pattern is formed so as to satisfy all of the following conditions: a first condition wherein a pattern distance between adjacent patterns of the member patterns and dummy patterns is not less than the minimum space width which is required by the resolution power of lithography, or not less than 0.2 μm; a second condition wherein the pattern distance is not greater then twice the height of the member in a region of at least 95% of the chip area, and in a region of at most 5% of the chip area, the pattern distance is not greater than four times the height of the member; a third condition wherein the width of the dummy pattern is at least the minimum line width which is required by the resolution power of lithography, or at least 0.2 μm; a fourth condition wherein the width of the dummy pattern is not greater than the distance between bonding pads disposed in the semiconductor integrated circuit device or not greater than 10 μm; a fifth condition wherein the length of the dummy pattern is not less than twice the minimum line width or not less than 0.2 μm; and a sixth condition wherein the length of the dummy pattern is not greater than the distance between the bonding pads or not less than 10 μm. Such a method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit device makes it possible to design a mask for member patterns necessary for the fabrication of said semiconductor integrated circuit device. By the above-described conditions, the advantages of the above-described semiconductor integrated circuit device can be actualized. Incidentally, it is needless to say that the dummy pasterns can be disposed also in a scribing area of the semiconductor substrate. The dummy placement prohibited-region can be set within a range of 20 μm from an end portion of the pattern to be a bonding pad, a range of 60 μm from an end portion of the pattern to be a marker for photolithography, a range of 0.5 μm from a region in which a contact hole is to be formed, or a fuse region. By setting the dummy placement prohibited region as described above, it becomes easier to detect the bonding pad or the marker for the mask alignment upon wire bonding or photolithography, which makes it possible to form a contact hole between the interconnections of different layers or a contact hole between the interconnection and the semiconductor substrate. In the case of a metal interconnection wherein the member and the storage capacitative element which is to be formed above a bit line are formed in substantially the same layer, the dummy placement can be prohibited in a region which is to have a storage capacitative element thereon. In such a case, the first metal interconnection layer and the storage capacitative element of a DRAM can be formed in the same layer and dummy interconnections can be disposed in a region of the first metal interconnection layer. In the case of the active region wherein members are formed on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate, the placement of dummy regions can be prohibited in a region wherein a gate interconnection is formed on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate. In such a case, since no dummy region is formed belong the gate interconnection, the capacitance between the gate interconnection and the semiconductor substrate can be reduced. Described more specifically, because the dummy regions on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate and the active region of the semiconductor substrate apparently have the same structure, the formation of the gate interconnection on the dummy regions increases the capacitance of the gate interconnection. The dummy regions are therefore not formed below the gate interconnection, which brings about an improvement in the performance of the semiconductor integrated circuit device, such as the high-peed responsiveness thereof. In addition, the method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention comprises disposing dummy patterns so as to minimize the floating capacitance of a member which will otherwise be increased by the dummy members formed by the dummy patterns, whereby the performance of the semiconductor integrated circuit device, such as the high-speed responsiveness thereof, can be improved. Incidentally, such disposal of elements can be effected by satisfying the above-described conditions for the method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit device and then, optimizing the dummy patterns so as to minimize the area and the number of the dummy patterns. Such optimization can be calculated automatically by an information processor such as computer which forms a layout pattern. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of a logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 1 of the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the layout of the interconnections and dummy interconnections in the first interconnection layer in FIG. 1; FIG. 3(b) is a plan view illustrating a layout rule applied to the layout of the interconnections and dummy interconnections and FIG. 3(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A of FIG. 3(-b); FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an enlarged interconnection portion in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the fabrication process of the logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 1 in the order of the steps; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the fabrication process of the logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 1 in the order of the steps; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the fabrication process of the logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 1 in the order of the steps; FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the fabrication process of the logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 1 in the order of the steps; FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the fabrication process of the logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 1 in the order of the steps; FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the fabrication process of the logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 1 in the order of the steps; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the fabrication process of the logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 1 in the order of the steps; FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of a logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 2; FIG. 13 is a plan view illustrating a layout of interconnections and dummy interconnections in the fifth interconnection layer; FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of a logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention; FIGS. 15(a) and (b) are each a plan view illustrating another example of the logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 3; FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of DRAM according to Embodiment 3; FIG. 17 is a graph illustrating a relationship between a pattern size and focus depth of lithography; FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the fabrication process of DRAM according to Embodiment 3 in the order of the steps; FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the fabrication process of DRAM according to Embodiment 3 in the order of the steps; FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the fabrication process of DRAM according to Embodiment 3 in the order of the steps; FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the fabrication process of DRAM according to Embodiment 3 in the order of the steps; FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of a fabrication process of DRAM according to Embodiment 3 in the order of the steps; FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 4; FIG. 24 is a plan view illustrating one example of the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 4; FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 4 in the order of the steps; FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 4 in the order of the steps; FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 4 in the order of the steps; FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of the semiconductor integrated circuit-device according to Embodiment 4 in the order of the steps; FIGS. 29(a) to 29(d) are each a cross-sectional view illustrating planarization technique by the CMP method investigated by the present inventors; FIG. 30 is a graph illustrating the fluctuations of CMP polishing amount relative to the distance between patterns; FIG. 31 is a plan view illustrating one example of the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention; FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention; FIG. 33 is a fragmentary plan view of the semiconductor integrated circuit device of FIG. 32; and FIG. 34 is a fragmentary plan view of the semiconductor integrated circuit device of FIG. 32 EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The embodiments of the present invention will next be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings. Incidentally, in each of the drawings illustrating the following embodiments, like elements will be identified by like reference numerals and overlapping descriptions will be omitted. Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of a logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 1 of the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a scribing area A, a pad and peripheral circuit region B and a logic circuit region C of the semiconductor integrated circuit device are illustrated. In the logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 1, a shallow trench 2 is formed on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate 1, and in the shallow trench 2 a silicon oxide film, which is an insulating film, is embedded, whereby an element isolation region 3 is formed. By this element isolation region 3, an active region 4 formed on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate 1 is defined. Incidentally, as an element isolation structure, a shallow trench is exemplified here, but a field insulating film formed by the LOCOS (Local Oxidation of Silicon) method may be employed as well. Although not illustrated here, P-type and N-type well regions may be formed on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate. In the active region 4, a MISFET is formed. On the principal surface of—the semiconductor substrate, a gate interconnection 6 is formed via a gate insulating film 5 of the MISFET. The gate insulating film 5 maybe, for example, a silicon oxide film formed by thermal oxidation, while the gate interconnection 6 may be, for example, a polycrystalline silicon film formed by the CVD method. On the surface of the polycrystalline silicon film, a silicide film is formed in order to reduce the—electrical resistance. A portion of the gate interconnection 6 is formed to extend over the element separation region 3 and another portion is formed to be a gate electrode 7 of a MISFETQ1 formed in the active region 4 of the semiconductor substrate 1. On both sides of the gate electrode 7 in the active regions 4 on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate 1, impurity semiconductor regions 8 are formed. The impurity semiconductor regions 8 function as a source drain region for the MISFETQ1. It is also possible to employ the region 8 as a so-called LDD (Lightly Doped Drain). On the side of the gate interconnection 6, a side wall spacer 8b is formed. The side wall spacer 8b can be formed of a silicon oxide film or a silicon nitride film. The MISFETQ1 formed in the logic circuit region C functions as an active device for the logic circuit. Although not illustrated in FIG. 1, the MISFET formed in the pad and peripheral circuit region B functions as an active device for the peripheral circuit. Incidentally, the MISFET is exemplified as a transistor formed in the logic circuit region C and pad and peripheral circuit region B, but a bipolar transistor or Bi-CMOS transistor can also be employed. The gate interconnection 6 is covered with an interlayer insulating film 9, over which interconnections 10 and dummy interconnections 11 are formed in the first interconnection layer. The interlayer insulating film 9 can be formed, for example, of a PSG film, BPSG film or a silicon oxide film such as SOG film. Alternatively, a lamination film with a TEOS silicon oxide film can be used for the prevention of diffusion of—impurities. It is preferred that the surface of the interlayer insulating film 9 has been planarized by the CMP method or etchback method. The interconnection 10 and dummy interconnection 11 are made of the same material and formed by the same step (same layer). Examples of the material include metals, such as aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu). They may alternatively be made of a polycrystalline silicon film doped with impurities at a high concentration. In the case of the polycrystalline silicon film, the surface thereof may be converted into a silicide. FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the layout of the interconnections 10 and dummy interconnections 11 in the first layer. The dummy interconnections 11 are formed in a region (void region) where the space between adjacent interconnections 10 is wide. As a result, the dummy interconnections are placed evenly in a region where the interconnections 10 have not been disposed, the space between the adjacent members of the dummy interconnections 11 and interconnections 10 becomes narrow; and the dummy interconnections seem to be filled in the void region densely. The dummy interconnections 11 are formed also in the scribing area A, whereby the flatness of an insulating film 12 is maintained all over the semiconductor substrate 1, which will be described later. The width and length of the dummy interconnection 11 formed in the scribing area A are constituted so as to be not greater than the distance between the bonding pads. FIG. 3(b) is a plan view illustrating a layout rule applied to the placement of the interconnections 10 and the dummy interconnections 11, and FIG. 3(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A of FIG. 3(b). The member space S, which is a space between the interconnection 10 and the dummy interconnection 11, or a space between adjacent dummy interconnections 11, is not greater than twice the height of the interconnection height H of the dummy interconnection 11 or interconnection 10. As described above with reference to FIG. 30, by setting the member space S at not greater than twice the interconnection height H, the CMP polishing amount of the insulating film 12 can be made uniform and the surface of the insulating film 12 can be completely planarized. In a region not wider than 5% of the chip area, the member space S is allowed to have a height of at most four times the interconnection height H. In this case, although the fluctuations of the polishing amount of the insulating film 12 increase about twice, they can be neglected as a whole because this area amounts to not greater than 5% of the chip area. The flatness of the whole insulating film 12 therefore can be substantially maintained. In addition, as the member space S, a space not smaller than the minimum space width required by a lithographic tool is necessary. This condition permits accurate processing of the interconnection 10 and dummy interconnection 11, whereby each member can be processed accurately according to the design. In the case of an exposure apparatus using a KRF exima laser as a light source, 0.2 μm can be given as an example of the minimum space width. The width (a) of the dummy interconnection 11 is set to be not smaller than the minimum line width required by a lithographic tool. By setting the width (a) to be not smaller than the minimum line width, the dummy interconnections 11 can be processed with certainty. In the scribing area, the width (a) of each of the dummy interconnections 11 is set at not greater than the distance between bonding pads 13. By doing so, even if the dummy interconnections 11 are peeled off into minute chips by dicing or the like and produce conductive dust, no short circuit occurs between the bonding pads 13, which makes it possible to eliminate a cause for possible failure. The width (a) of each of the dummy interconnections 11 is set to be, for example, not greater than 30 μm, with 20 μm being frequently employed and with 10 μm being preferred. The distance between the bonding pads 13 can be set at about 10 μm. Even if the dummy interconnections 11 of such a size are formed, the parasitic capacitance of the interconnection 10 does not increase and therefore does not cause a problem of retarding a signal transferred to the interconnection 10. As a result, the performance of the logic integrated circuit device is not deteriorated. The length (b) of each of the dummy interconnections 11 is set at not less than twice the minimum line width, and in the scribing area, it is set at not greater than the distance between the bonding pads, for example, not greater than 10 μm. When the width (b) and length (a) of each of the dummy interconnections 11 are each set at the minimum line width, there is a possibility that proper resolution of the dummy interconnections 11 will not be attained. By setting the length (b) at least twice the minimum line width, the resolution of the dummy interconnections 11 can be carried out with certainty even if the width (a) is the minimum line width, which makes it possible to process it with certainty. For the same reason in the width (a), the length (b) is set at, for example, not greater than the distance between bonding pads, for example, not greater than 10 μm. Similar to the width (a), the length (b) of each of the dummy interconnections 11 is constituted at not greater than 30 μm, with 20 μm or less being frequently employed and with 10 μm or less being preferred. In Embodiment 1, the dummy interconnections 11 are in a rectangular form, but may be in a triangular, trapezoidal, circular or another polygonal form so long as they satisfy the above-described conditions. For minimizing the parasitic capacitance of the interconnection 10, the size and number of the dummy interconnections 11 are each preferred to be as small as possible. For minimizing the parasitic capacitance of the interconnection 10 within a range satisfying the above-described conditions, it is most preferred to set the member space S at twice the interconnection height H, the width (a) of each of the dummy interconnections at the minimum line width and the length (b) of each of the dummy interconnections at not less than twice the minimum line width. In this Embodiment, for example, the dummy interconnections are constituted to have a width (a) of 0.6 to 1 μm and a length (b) of 10 to 25 μm. The interconnections 10 and dummy interconnections 11 are covered with the insulating film 12. The surface of the insulating film 12 has been polished by the CMP method so that the film has a completely planarized surface. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the interconnection portion of FIG. 1. The insulating film 12 has an insulating film 12a, an insulating film 12b, an insulating film 12c and an insulating film 12d laminated in this order from the side contiguous to the interconnection 10 and dummy interconnection 11. As the insulating film 12a, a silicon oxide film formed by the CVD method using TEOS can be employed for example. As illustrated in the drawing, the insulating film 12a is formed, faithfully tracing the surface line including a step difference. The film thickness can be set, for example, at 300 nm. As the insulating film 12b, an inorganic SOG film, a silicon oxide film formed by the high-density plasma CVD method or a polysilazane film can be employed. In short, a film having properties for filling a concave portion therewith can be employed. As illustrated in the drawing, the film is embedded in the concave portion and the thickness of the film in the convex portion is formed to be thin. The reason why the concave portion can be embedded with the insulating film 12b is because the above-described dummy interconnections 11 are formed under the above-described conditions and the concave portion formed between adjacent dummy interconnections 11 is not greater than a given space necessary for embedding the insulating film 12b. The film thickness is for example set at 125 nm on the convex portion. As the insulating film 12c, for example, a silicon oxide film formed by the CVD method using TEOS can be employed, with its surface being polished by the CMP method. The existence of the dummy interconnections 11 has enabled complete planarization of the polished surface. This film can be formed to give a thickness of 500 nm on the convex portion. As the insulating film 12d, a silicon oxide film formed by the CVD method using TEOS can be employed. It has, for example, a film thickness of 200 nm. Incidentally, the insulating film 12d can be omitted. In such a case, it is necessary to add the thickness of the insulating film 12d to the thickness of the insulating film 12c upon deposition of the insulating film 12c. Over the insulating film 12, interconnections 14, dummy interconnections 15 and an insulating film 16 of the second interconnection layer are formed, over which interconnections 17, dummy interconnections 18 and an insulating film 19 of the third interconnection layer are formed and then, interconnections 20, dummy interconnections 21 and an insulating film 22 are formed. The interconnections 14, 17 and 20, dummy interconnections 15, 18 and 21 and insulating films 16, 19 and 22 are formed similarly to the interconnection 10, dummy interconnection 11 and insulating film 12 of the first interconnection layer, respectively. Over the fourth interconnection layer, interconnections 23 and an insulating film 24 of the fifth interconnection layer are formed followed by the formation of a passivation film 25. As the passivation film 25, for example, a silicon nitride film can be employed. The interconnections 23 include the bonding pad 13. A process for the fabrication of the logic integrated circuit device of Embodiment 1 will next be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 11, which are cross-sectional views illustrating one example of the fabrication process of the logic integrated circuit device of Embodiment 1 in the order of the steps thereof. As illustrated in FIG. 5, on a semiconductor substrate 1, a shallow trench 2 is formed using photolithography and etching techniques. On the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate 1 having the shallow trench 2 formed therein, a silicon oxide film is deposited, and then, it is polished by the CMP method or the like to form an element isolation region 3. Then, N-type and P-type well regions may be formed. As illustrated in FIG. 6, a silicon oxide film to be a gate insulating film 5 is then formed by the thermal oxidation or thermal CVD method, followed by the deposition of a polycrystalline silicon film by the CVD method. The polycrystalline silicon film is patterned using photolithography and etching techniques, whereby a gate interconnection 6 (gate electrode 7) is formed. With the gate electrode 7 serving as a mask, impurities are subjected to ion implantation in self alignment relative to the gate electrode 7, whereby an impurity semiconductor region 8 is formed. After the deposition of a silicon oxide film, anisotropic etching is conducted, whereby a side-wall spacer 8b is formed. It is possible to carry out ion implantation of highly-concentrated impurities to form the impurity semiconductor region 8 as a so-called LDD structure. As illustrated in FIG. 7, a PSG film is formed, followed by planarization by the etchback or CMP method, whereby an interlayer insulating film 9 is formed. Over the interlayer insulating film, an aluminum film is deposited by the sputtering or deposition method. The aluminum film so obtained is patterned by photolithography and etching techniques, whereby interconnections 10 and dummy interconnections 11 are formed. Patterning is conducted in accordance with the conditions as described above with regards to the dummy interconnections 11. As illustrated in FIG. 8, an insulating film 12a is formed by the CVD method using TEOS. As the CVD method, a plasma CVD method can be employed, but a thermal CVD method using ozone in combination can be employed alternatively. The film thickness of the insulating film 12a is set at 300 nm. Incidentally, FIGS. 8 to 11 are cross-sectional views each illustrating only an interconnection layer and the layers therebelow are omitted. Then, an insulating film 12b is formed using an inorganic SOG film and gaps formed by adjacent ones of the interconnections 10 and dummy interconnections 11 are filled therewith. The inorganic SOG film can be formed by coating inorganic SOG and then baking it. The film thickness of the insulating film 12b is set at 125 nm on the convex portion. Incidentally, the insulating film 12b may be a silicon oxide film formed by the high-density plasma CVD method or a polysilazane film. Since the width of the gap is narrow owing to the formation of the dummy interconnections 11, it becomes possible to embed the gap with the insulating film 12b favorably. In other words, the film thickness in the concave portion is made thicker than that on the convex portion. As a result, the unevenness on the surface of the insulating film 12b is lessened and the difference in the height can be reduced. As illustrated in FIG. 9, an insulating film 12c is then formed by the CVD method using TEOS. The insulating film 12 can be formed to have a film thickness of 700 nm. In the case where no dummy interconnection is disposed as is illustrated in FIG. 29, the thickness of the insulating film 12c is required to be about 1700 nm, but in Embodiment 1, the thickness can be decreased to 700 nm because of the presence of the dummy interconnections 11. As a result, the step for deposition the insulating film 12 can be shortened, whereby the step load can be reduced. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the surface of the insulating film 12c is then polished by the CMP method and planarized. In Embodiment 1, the surface shape of the insulating film 12c reflects the shapes of the interconnections 10 and dummy interconnections 11, as well as that of the insulating film 12b, so that the insulating film 12c has substantially an even height at any place. As a result, the polishing rate becomes substantially uniform irrespective of the locations, whereby the surface of the insulating film 12c can be substantially planarized. In addition, the insulating film 12c has a film thickness as little as 700 nm, which makes it possible to reduce the CMP polishing amount and to reduce the load of the CMP polishing step. Incidentally, the polishing amount can be decreased to 200 nm. Then, a surface washing after CMP polishing is effected, followed by the formation of an insulating film 12d by the CVD method-using TEOS, as is illustrated in FIG. 11. The insulating film 12d can be formed to have a thickness of 200 nm. Incidentally, it is possible to omit the insulating film 12d and to form the insulating film 12c to have a thickness of 900 nm. In this manner, the first interconnection layer is completed. Similar to the first interconnection layer, the second to fourth interconnection layers are then formed, followed by the formation of the fifth interconnection layer similarly. Over the fifth interconnection layer, a passivation film 25 is formed, whereby the logic integrated circuit device as illustrated in FIG. 1 is almost completed. According to the fabrication process of Embodiment I, the surfaces of the insulating films 12, 16, 19 and 22 are completely planarized and at the same time, the step for deposition of an insulating film to be polished by CMP and CMP polishing step can be shortened, whereby step loads can be reduced. In general, such an advantage becomes particularly marked when a multi-layer interconnection, such as a logic device, composed of at least 3 layers is formed. Incidentally, an interconnection layer composed of five layers is exemplified in this Embodiment 1, however, it may be formed of any number of layers either greater or less than five layers. Embodiment 2 FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of a logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 2 is substantially similar to that of Embodiment 1 except for the fifth interconnection layer. Accordingly, description of the common features is omitted herein and only the differences will be described below. The logic integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 2 has, in the fifth interconnection layer, dummy interconnections 26 in addition to interconnections 23. The dummy interconnections 26 are disposed under substantially similar conditions to the dummy interconnections 11 described in Embodiment 1. The interconnections 23 of the fifth interconnection layer however include the bonding pad 13 so that the disposing conditions of the dummy interconnections 26 are different at the periphery of the bonding pad 13. FIG. 13 is a plan view illustrating the layout of the interconnections 23 and the dummy interconnections 26 of the fifth interconnection layer. At the periphery of the bonding pad 13, a prohibited area 27 free from dummy interconnections 26 is disposed. The prohibited area 27 can extend within a range of 20 μm from each end of the bonding pad 13. Such a logic integrated circuit device makes it possible to completely planarize also the surface of the passivation film 25, because the dummy interconnections 26 are formed in the fifth interconnection layer. As a result, it becomes possible to carry out processing of a BLM (Ball Limiting Metalization) film 29, which is to be an underground film for a bump 28, as illustrated in FIG. 14. In addition, by disposing the prohibited area 27 at the periphery of the bonding pad 13, automatic detection of the bonding pad 13 by a wire bonding apparatus can be conducted with certainty. Incidentally, in the present Embodiment 2 and also the above-described Embodiment 1, the dummy interconnections 11, 15, 18, 21 and 26 can be formed in the scribing area A. When markers 30a and 30b for lithography are formed, as illustrated in FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b), respectively, in the scribing area A or another area, prohibited areas 31a and 31b free from the placement of the dummy interconnections 11, 15, 18, 21 or 26 can be disposed in the vicinity of the markers. The prohibited area 31a or 31b can be disposed within a range of 60 μm from each end of the marker 30a or 30b. By disposing such a prohibited area 31a or 31b, it becomes possible to carry out automatic detection of the marker 30a or 30b favorably by an exposure apparatus used for photolithography. Incidentally, the prohibited area 31a or 31b is formed for at least the dummy interconnections 26 of the uppermost interconnection layer, and it is not necessary to apply it to the dummy interconnections 11, 15 and 18 in the lower interconnection layers. Alternatively, it is not necessary to dispose the-dummy interconnections themselves. Embodiment 3 FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of a DRAM which represents Embodiment 3 of the present invention. A semiconductor substrate 1, a shallow trench 2, an element isolation region 3 and an active region 4 of DRAM according to Embodiment 3 are similar to those of Embodiment 1. On the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate 1, a p-type well region 32 and an n-type well region 33 are formed. In the active region 4 of the p-type well region 32, a selective MISFETQt constituting a memory cell M of the DRAM and a MISFETQn of a peripheral circuit are formed, while in the active region 4 of the n-type well region 33, MISFETQp of the peripheral circuit is formed. In FIG. 16, shown on the left side is a memory cell area, while on the center and right side, a peripheral circuit area is shown. The memory cell M of the DRAM has a selective MISFETQt and a storage element SN which is a capacitative element. Gate electrodes 7 for MISFETQt, MISFETQn and MISFETQp are each formed of a polycrystalline silicon film, said film having a suicide layer 7a on the surface thereof. In the active region 4 existing on both sides of the gate electrode 7 for MISFETQt, MISFETQn or MISFETQp, impurity semiconductor regions 8 are formed and constitute a source and drain region of the MISFET. The conductivity type of the impurity semiconductor region 8 differs depending on the conductivity type of the MISFET. The MISFETQt and the MISFETQn have an n-type conductivity, while the MISFETQp has a p-type conductivity. Incidentally, concerning the MISFETQn and MISFETQp of the peripheral circuit, the impurity semiconductor regions 8 are illustrated to have an LDD structure, but it is not necessary that they have an LDD structure. In the layer where the gate electrodes 7 exist, gate interconnections 6 and dummy gate interconnections (dummy members) 34 are formed. The gate electrodes 7 are also part of the gate interconnections 6. Since the gate interconnections 6 and dummy gate interconnections 34 are formed simultaneously with the gate electrodes 7 (in the same layer), silicide layers 6a and 34a are formed on the surfaces thereof. On the side walls and upper surfaces of the gate interconnections 6 and dummy gate interconnections 34, side walls 8b and cap insulating films 8c, each formed of a silicon oxide film, are formed, over which an insulating film 35 is formed. The insulating film 35 may be formed of, for example, a TEOS silicon oxide film. Over the insulating film 35, an insulating film 36 planarized by the CMP method is formed. The insulating film 36 may be formed, for example, of a BPSG film. In Embodiment 3, dummy gate interconnections 34 are disposed so that the insulating film 36 can be almost completely planarized. Even if the focus depth of the lithography becomes shallow, such complete planarization makes it possible to mass -produce the products, on which minute patterns on the level of 0.2 μm have been formed, as illustrated by FIG. 17. The dummy gate interconnections 34 are disposed under similar conditions to those for the dummy interconnections 11 described in Embodiment 1. Incidentally, the dummy gate interconnections 34 are not disposed in a region where a contact hole is to be formed, which makes it possible to open the contact hole smoothly. The dummy gate interconnections 34 are formed mainly on the element isolation region 3. Over the insulating film 36, an insulating film 37 composed of, for example, a silicon oxide film formed using TEOS can be formed. Alternatively, it can be omitted. Over the insulting film 37, in addition to the bit line 38 of the DRAM, interconnections 39 and dummy interconnections 40, which are formed in the same layer with the bit line, are formed. These interconnections can be composed of a polycrystalline silicon film having, for example, a CVD tungsten film as an adhesive layer. The dummy interconnections 40 are formed in accordance with the conditions employed for the above-described dummy interconnections 11 of Embodiment 1. However, they are not disposed in a region having a contact hole formed therein, whereby the contact hole can be opened smoothly. On the side walls and upper surfaces of the bit line 38, interconnection 39 and dummy interconnection 40, side walls 41b and cap insulating film 41c, each composed of a silicon oxide film, are formed, over which an insulating film 42 is laid. The insulating film 42 is composed of, for example, a BPSG film which has been polished by the CMP method for planarization. Incidentally, an insulating film 43 composed of a silicon oxide film formed using TEOS can be formed over the insulating film 42, but alternatively, it can be omitted. In this Embodiment 3, the dummy interconnections 40 are disposed, which makes it possible to planarize the insulating film 42 almost completely. Over the insulating film 43, a storage capacitative element SN of the DRAM and a first metal interconnection layer are formed. The storage capacitative element SN is constituted of a lower electrode 45 which is connected with the impurity semiconductor region 8 of a MISFETQt through a plug 44, and a plate electrode 47 formed opposite to the lower electrode 45 through a capacitative insulating film 46. The storage capacitative element SN is covered with an insulating film 48. It is also covered with an insulating film 49 composed of a silicon oxide film formed, for example, by the high-density plasma method. Over the insulating film 49, the interconnections so and dummy interconnections 51 of the first interconnection layer are formed. Each of the interconnections so is connected through the contact hole with a plate electrode 47 or an impurity semiconductor region 8 on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate 1. The interconnections so and dummy interconnections 51 are formed simultaneously, and they are composed of, for example, a tungsten film having as an adhesive layer CVD tungsten or an aluminum film. The dummy interconnections 51 are disposed under similar conditions to those described in Embodiment 1 with regard to the dummy interconnections 11. However, they are not disposed in a memory mat region in which the storage capacitative element SN is to be formed. The interconnections 50 and dummy interconnections 51 are covered with an insulating film 52 composed of, for example, a silicon oxide film formed by the high-density plasma CVD method or a polysilazane film. Over the insulating film 52, an insulating film 53 composed of a TEOS silicon oxide film is formed. The insulating film 53 is polished by the CMP method and planarized. It has almost complete flatness because of having therebelow the dummy interconnections 51. The insulating film 53 is overlaid with interconnections 54, dummy interconnections 54 and an insulating film 56 of the second layer, followed by the formation of the interconnections 57, dummy interconnections 58 and an insulating film 59 of the third layer. The interconnections 54, dummy interconnections 55, insulating film 56, interconnections 57, dummy interconnections 58 and insulating film 59 are formed in a similar manner to the interconnections 10, dummy interconnections ii and insulating film 12 in Embodiment 1. The DRAM according to Embodiment 3 makes it possible to provide each insulating film with complete flatness because dummy members 34, 40, 51, 55 and 58 are disposed for the gate interconnections 6, bit line 38, interconnections so of the first layer, interconnections 54 of the second layer and interconnections 57 of the third layer. By disposing the dummy gate interconnections 34 and dummy interconnections 40, 51, 55 and 58 between the memory cell region and peripheral circuit area, the insulating film of each layer can be planarized. Incidentally, the process for the fabrication of the DRAM of Embodiment 3 will next be described with reference to FIGS. 18 to 21. FIGS. 18 to 21 are cross-sectional views each illustrating one example of the fabrication process of the DRAM of Embodiment 3 in the order of the steps thereof. The steps leading up to the formation of the element isolation region 3 on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate 1 are similar to those of Embodiment 1 so that their description will be omitted. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 18, a silicon oxide film, which will be a gate insulating film 5, is formed, followed by the deposition thereon of a polycrystalline silicon film to be a gate interconnection 6, gate electrode 7 and dummy gate interconnection 34, and then a silicon oxide film which will be formed as a cap insulating film 8c. These films so laminated are patterned, whereby the gate interconnection 6, gate electrode 7 and dummy gate interconnection 34 are formed. The gate interconnection 6 (gate electrode 7) is patterned in accordance with an ordinarily employed layout rule, while the dummy gate interconnection 34 is patterned so as to be disposed in the element isolation region 3, while substantially satisfying, in addition to the ordinarily employed layout rule, the conditions in Embodiment 1 concerning the dummy interconnection 11. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 19, a side-wall spacer 8b is formed, followed by the deposition of an insulating film 35 and then a BPSG film. The BPSG film is thereafter polished by the CMP method, whereby an insulating film 36 is formed. The BPSG film can be formed to give a thickness of 800 nm and the CMP polishing amount can be suppressed to 400 nm. When the dummy gate interconnections 34 are not formed, it is necessary to deposit a thicker BPSG film and the CMP polishing amount inevitably increases. As described above, by decreasing the thickness of the BPSG film and reducing the CMP polishing amount, advantages such as reduction in the step load can be brought about. Incidentally, instead of the BPSG film, a PSG film or a silicon oxide film formed by the high-density plasma CVD method can be employed. Also, the side wall spacer 8b and the cap insulating film 8c can each be formed of a silicon nitride film, instead. When the silicon nitride film is used, etching upon the opening of a contact hole can be carried out by self alignment. As illustrated in FIG. 20, subsequent to the washing after the CMP polishing, an insulating film 37 is deposited to a thickness of 100 nm. It is also possible to omit the insulating film 37. Then, a plug 44 to be connected with a bit line 38 and a lower electrode 45 of a storage capacitative element SN are formed, followed by the formation of the bit line 38, interconnections 39 and dummy interconnections 40. The dummy interconnections 40 are disposed under similar conditions to those for the dummy interconnections 11 of Embodiment 1. Then, a side wall 41b and a cap insulating film 41c are formed and a BPSG film is deposited thereon, followed by polishing of the BPSG film by the CMP method, whereby an insulating film 42 is formed. Incidentally, instead of the BPSG film, a PSG film or a silicon oxide film formed by the high-density plasma CVD method can be employed. Since the dummy interconnections 40 have been formed, the insulating film 42 is able to have a completely planarized surface and at the same time, it is possible to decrease the thickness of the BPSG film and reduce the CMP polishing amount. Then, washing is effected after the CMP polishing, followed by the deposition of an insulating film 43 by the plasma CVD method using TEOS or the like method. It is also possible to omit this insulating film 43. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 21, a storage capacitive element SN is formed and a BPSG film is deposited thereon, followed by a baking treatment, whereby an insulating film 49 is formed. The insulating film 49 can be formed to a thickness of 500 nm. Subsequent to the opening of a contact hole, a tungsten film to be a first interconnection layer is formed by the CVD method, followed by the formation of an aluminum film by the sputtering method. Then, the resulting aluminum and tungsten films are patterned, whereby interconnections 50 and dummy interconnections 51 are formed. The dummy interconnections 51 are disposed under similar conditions to those for the dummy interconnections 11, and in addition, it is a condition that the dummy interconnections 51 are not disposed in a memory mat region where the storage capacitative device is disposed. FIG. 22 is a plan view illustrating the above conditions. A BPSG film is then deposited to form an insulating film 52. A TEOS silicon oxide film is deposited thereover, followed by polishing by the CMP method, whereby an insulating film 53 is formed. Instead of the BPSG film, a PSG film or a silicon oxide film formed by the high-density plasma CVD method can be employed. Here, the formation of the dummy interconnections 51 makes it possible to completely planarize the surface of the insulating film 53 and, at the same time, to decrease the thickness of the TEOS silicon oxide film and reduce the CMP polishing amount. In a similar manner to Embodiment 1, second and third interconnection layers are then formed, whereby the DRAM of Embodiment 3 is almost completed. According to the fabrication process of Embodiment 3, the complete planarization of the insulating film of each of the layers can be attained and at the same time, the step load can be reduced. Also in this Embodiment 3, dummy members can be disposed in the scribing area, but not at the peripheries of the bonding pad and marker, as illustrated in connection with Embodiments 1 or 2. In addition, it is possible to not dispose the dummy members at the periphery of the region in which a fuse is formed. Moreover, it is needless to say that the dummy gate interconnections 34 as described in Embodiment 3 can be disposed in the semiconductor integrated circuit device of Embodiments 1 or 2. Embodiment 4 FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 4. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 4 has dummy regions 60 formed in an element isolation region D,3 which defines an active region 4 of a semiconductor substrate 1. In other words, the dummy regions (dummy members) 60 are formed in the wide element isolation region D. Since elements and interconnections on the semiconductor substrate, except for the element isolation structure, are similar to those of Embodiment 1, a description thereof will be omitted. The dummy regions 60 may be formed in a scribing area, and they are disposed under similar conditions to those in Embodiment 1 concerning the dummy interconnections it. The dummy regions 60 have been formed as described above so that, upon the formation of the element isolation region D,3 by the CMP method, no dishing occurs in the element isolation region D,3 and therefore, the planarization of the surface of the semiconductor substrate 1 can be attained. In addition, by decreasing the size of the dummy regions 60 and optimizing the number of them, a rise in the parasitic capacitance attributable to the existence of the dummy regions 60 can be prevented, whereby the performance of the semiconductor integrated circuit device can be maintained. Incidentally, in a region where gate interconnections 6 are to be formed, on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate 1, it is not recommended to dispose the dummy regions 60. In other words, below the gate interconnections 6, a prohibited area 70 is provided in which no dummy region 60 is disposed. Such a state is illustrated in FIGS. 24 and 31. The dummy regions 60 have the same effects with the active region 4 of the semiconductor substrate 1. When the gate interconnection 6 is formed right above the dummy region 60, the gate interconnection 6 and the active region 4 become opposed to each other through the gate insulating film 5 and the parasitic capacitance of the gate interconnection 6 increases. When the dummy regions 60 are not disposed in the area where the gate interconnection 6 is to be formed, on the other hand, the parasitic capacitance of the gate interconnection 6 does not show an increase. As a result, such a constitution prevents the deterioration in the performance of the semiconductor integrated circuit device. In this Embodiment, the dummy regions 60 each has a quadrate shape having as width (a) and length (b), about 15 to 20 μm. This Embodiment is not limited to the use of a quadrate shape, but another shape, such as a square, also can be employed. A description will next be made of the fabrication process of the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to Embodiment 4 with reference to FIGS. 25 to 28. As illustrated in FIG. 25, a silicon nitride film 61 is deposited on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate 1, followed by the patterning of the silicon nitride film 61 and the semiconductor substrate 1 to form shallow trenches 2. The shallow trenches 2 include both those which will be element isolation regions D,3 and those which are dummy regions 60. In other words, the shallow trenches 2 are formed so that the dummy regions 60 are disposed in the element isolation region D,3 which defines the active region 4. As illustrated in FIG. 26, a silicon oxide film is deposited, for example, by the CVD method. As a first polishing, the resulting film is polished by the CMP method and embedded in the shallow trench 2, whereby the element isolation region D,3 and dummy regions 60 are formed. For the first polishing, an alkaline slurry containing silicon oxide particles as an abrasive can be employed. In this case, it is necessary to form the silicon oxide film to a certain thickness because a ratio of the polishing rate of the silicon oxide film to that of the silicon nitride film becomes 3 to 4:1. As illustrated in FIG. 27, secondary polishing is carried out to remove foreign matter and the damaged layer. For secondary polishing, either a soft pad or a chemical solution may be used. Instead, pure water may also be used. Then, both sides of the semiconductor substrate 1 are scrubbed and washed with hydrofluoric acid, followed by washing with ammonia and then hydrochloric acid. Then, the element isolation regions 3 and dummy regions 60 are etched back. The etchback can be effected either by dry etching or wet etching. By the etchback of the element isolation regions 3 and dummy regions 60 as described above, their heights can be made equal or lower than that of the active region, which makes it possible to carry out minute processing of a gate interconnection. In the final step, the silicon nitride film 61 is removed, whereby the semiconductor substrate 1 as illustrated in FIG. 28 having the element isolation region D,3, which defines the active region 4, formed thereon is prepared. A description of the subsequent steps will be omitted because they are similar to those of embodiment I. Incidentally, the first polishing can be conducted using a slurry containing cerium oxide as an abrasive. In this case, the ratio of the polishing rate of the silicon oxide film to that of the silicon nitride film falls within a range of from 30-50 to 1, whereby the thickness of the silicon nitride film 61 can be suppressed to 50 nm or less. Since such a small thickness is negligible in the process design, the above-described etchback of the element isolation regions 3 and the dummy regions 60 can be omitted, leading to a simplification of the process. The present invention made by the present inventors has been described above specifically based on some embodiments. It should however be borne in mind that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments. It is needless to say that various changes and modifications can be made so long as they do not depart from the essence of the invention. For example, in the above Embodiments 1 to 4, the CMP step serves as a step for polishing an insulating film. The present invention makes it possible to secure flatness to some extent prior to the CMP polishing so that the CMP polishing can be employed as a finishing step. In this case, not only the CMP method, but also dry-belt polishing or lapping method, can be adopted as the finishing step. As illustrated in FIG. 32, the dummy gate interconnections 34 as shown in Embodiment 3 may be disposed in Embodiment 4. FIG. 33 is a fragmentary plan view of FIG. 32. Dummy gate interconnections 34 are constituted so that they extend over element isolation regions D,3 and dummy regions 60. Each of the dummy gate interconnections 34 is formed on the dummy region 60 thorough a gate insulating film 5 under the electrically floating state. By ion implantation using as a mask a resist film covering the element isolation region D,3 upon the formation of a semiconductor region 8, which is to be a source and drain region for the MISFETQ1, impurities are not introduced into each of the dummy regions 60 and a semiconductor region 8 is not formed in this region. As illustrated in FIG. 34, the dummy gate interconnections 34 may be formed to be slender over the interconnection as illustrated in FIG. 34, which makes it possible to improve the flatness of the surface of the insulting film. The dummy gate interconnections 34 may be formed to extend only over the element isolation region 3 and not to extend over the dummy regions 60, so that the capacitance between the substrate I and the dummy gate interconnections 34 is decreased. Incidentally, it is needless to say that the dummy regions 60 as is shown in this Embodiment can be employed in Embodiment 3. The advantages available by the typical embodiments, among those disclosed herein, will hereinafter be described simply. The surface of a member after polishing by the CMP method can be planarized completely. The process margin in the photolithography step, etching step and the like can be heightened, a demand for minute processing and integration heightening can be satisfied, and the reliability and yield of the semiconductor integrated circuit device can be improved. The process can be started easily. The amount of polishing of the member to be polished by the CMP method can be reduced, which decreases the load and time of the step, leading to an improvement in the cost competitive advantage. A method of designing a member pattern permitting the complete planarization by the CMP method can be provided. An increase in the parasitic capacitance of interconnections or the like, which is derived from the measures to actualize the complete planarization, can be suppressed, whereby the performance of the semiconductor integrated circuit device can be maintained. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>This invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit device and to a fabrication process thereof, and more particularly, the invention relates to a technique which is effective when applied to a semiconductor integrated circuit device, which is fabricated by a process including a planarization step using the CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) method. To satisfy the continuing tendency to decrease the minimum processing size of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, in an exposure optical system, an increase in the performance of a stepper is required, which promotes a widening of the aperture size of a lens and a shortening of the exposure wave length. As a result, the focus depth of the exposure optical system decreases and even a slight unevenness on the surface to be processed becomes a problem. Therefore, the accurate planarization of the surface to be processed becomes an important technical objective for the device process. Furthermore, the above planarization does not aim at the easing of a stepped portion for the purpose of preventing a short cut of interconnections formed on the stepped portion, but is directed to a global planarization, in other words, a complete planarization. As a surface planarization technique, there are a method of coating an SOG (Spin On Glass) film or a low-melting-point glass by melting it, a method of heat treatment through glass flow, a self planarization method adopting a surface reaction mechanism of CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) and the like. Owing to the surface conditions, to the heat treatment conditions being applied or to limitations in processing, in many cases, it is impossible to carry out complete planarization, that is, global planarization, using these methods. Therefore, the etchback and CMP processes are regarded as promising practical techniques which permit complete planarization. As for the etchback process, the use of a photoresist as a sacrificial film, the use of an SOG film and the use of a self-planarization CVD film are known, but they are accompanied by such drawbacks as a complex procedure, a high cost and a lowering of the yield due to production of particles. The CMP process has, on the other hand, come to be regarded as an excellent process from an overall viewpoint, because, compared with the etchback process, it is more free from the above-described problems. Consequently, the CMP process is considered to be most promising as a practical technique for effecting complete planarization. The CMP technique is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 7-74175, U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,689 and “1996 Symposium on VLSI Technology Digest of Technical Papers, 158-159(1996)”. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>During the investigation of a technique for the complete planarization of a device surface to which the CMP method is applied, which technique is not, however, a known process, the present inventors have recognized that there are the following drawbacks. FIGS. 29 ( a ) to 29 ( d ) are each a cross-sectional view illustrating a planarization technique using the CMP method which the present inventors have investigated. For covering an interconnection with an insulating film and then planarizing the insulating film, an interconnection 102 is formed on an interlayer insulating film 101 ( FIG. 29 ( a )); a first insulating film 103 and a second insulating film 104 , such as SOG, are deposited to embed a concave portion thereof by the plasma CVD method or the like using TEOS (Tetraethoxysilane: (C 2 H 5 O) 4 Si) ( FIG. 29 ( b )); a third insulating film 105 is deposited by the plasma CVD method using TEOS ( FIG. 29 ( c )); and then the third insulating film 105 is polished by the CMP method for effecting planarization ( FIG. 29 ( d )). At the present time, in the designing of a layout based on principles of functional design and logic design, the most important consideration concerning the pattern of the interconnection 102 has been based on whether the pattern follows the ordinary layout rule or not, and polishing properties in the CMP step have not been taken into particular consideration. The interconnection pattern is therefore not uniform, being sparse in some places and dense in some places. In the drawing illustrating the technique under investigation ( FIG. 29 ( d )), it is seen that the interconnections 102 are dense in the portion A, while they are sparse in the other region. When CMP polishing is conducted under such a state, that is, a state where interconnections 102 are not disposed uniformly, being sparse in some places and dense in some places, the surface of the third insulating film 105 cannot be planarized completely. In a region where the interconnections 102 are dense, there appears a difference of 0.2 to 0.3 μm in height in the region A and a large undulation inevitably remains on the surface. On the surface having such an undulation, the processing margin lowers in the subsequent photolithography step or etching step, and it becomes difficult to satisfy minute processing and heightening requirements of integration, which makes it impossible to bring about an improvement in the reliability of the semiconductor integrated circuit device and also an improvement in the yield. In addition, the existence of an undulation requires the optimization of the process conditions in order to carry out lithography and etching favorably in such a state, and an optimization of the CMP step also becomes necessary to suppress the undulation to a minimum. The time required for such optimization sometimes undesirably delays the starting time of the mass-production process. In the region where the interconnections 102 are disposed sparsely, the recess between the interconnections 102 is not embedded sufficiently with the second insulating film 104 , and so the third insulating film 105 must be thicker in order to fill in such a recess completely, which consequently causes problems, such as an increase in the polishing amount of the third insulating film 105 and a rise in the step load in the CMP step, as well as an increase in the step load, such as a long deposition time, of the third insulating film 105 . An object of the present invention is to completely planarize the surface of a member which has been polished by the CMP method. Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique which can improve the processing margin in the photolithography and etching steps, thereby to achieve minute processing and an increased integration, while, at the same time, improving the reliability and yield of the semiconductor integrated circuit device. A further object of the present invention is to facilitate the start of the process. A still further object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of polishing of a member to be polished by the CMP method and to decrease the load and time of the polishing step, thereby improving the cost competitive advantage. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of designing a member pattern which can be planarized completely by the CMP method. A still further object of the present invention is to suppress an increase in the parasitic capacitance of an interconnection or the like which is caused by the measures to achieve complete planarization, thereby maintaining the performance of the semiconductor integrated circuit device. The above-described and other objects, and novel features of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings. Typical features of the invention disclosed by the present application will be described briefly. (1) The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention comprises actual interconnections which are formed on a principal surface of a semiconductor substrate or an interlayer insulating film constituting a semiconductor integrated circuit element, and an insulating film containing a film which covers the actual interconnections and has been planarized by the CMP method; wherein dummy interconnections, formed of the same material as that of the actual interconnections, but not functioning as an element, are formed in an empty space between adjacent, spaced interconnections in the interconnection layer where said actual interconnections are formed. In addition, the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention comprises a shallow trench formed on the principal surface of a semiconductor substrate, an element isolation region having an insulating film, which contains a film planarized by the CMP method, embedded in the shallow trench, and active regions of the semiconductor integrated circuit element separated by said element isolation region, wherein dummy regions, which do not function as a semiconductor integrated circuit element, are formed on the principle surface of the semiconductor substrate in an empty space of the semiconductor substrate between said spaced active regions. By providing such a semiconductor integrated circuit device with dummy interconnections or dummy regions formed in an empty space to prevent the formation of a sparse portion, the surface of the insulating film which covers the interconnections or the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate can therefore be planarized completely. Described more specifically, in the case where only actual interconnections or active regions (element constituting members) are formed without dummy interconnections or dummy regions (dummy members), an empty space appears between adjacent but spaced element constituting members. If an insulating film is deposited without eliminating such an empty region, the surface of the insulating film near the empty region becomes uneven reflecting the shape of each of the element constituting members precisely. Such an uneven shape becomes a factor for inhibiting complete planarization, as illustrated in FIG. 29 ( d ). In accordance with the present invention, therefore, dummy members are disposed in such an empty region to ease the uneven shape of the insulating film, whereby the surface of the insulating film is planarized completely after polishing by the CMP method. The surface of the insulating film is planarized completely in this manner so that the process margin in the subsequent lithography step or etching step can be increased. As a result, the production yield of the semiconductor integrated circuit device can be improved and the starting time for the process can be shortened. Incidentally, examples of the interconnection include a metal interconnection formed on an interlayer insulating film, a gate interconnection of a MISFET (Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) and a bit line of a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory). It is needless to say that not only the interconnection of memory devices, such as a DRAM, but also the interconnection of logic devices, are included in the metal interconnection and gate interconnection. In particular, the logic device generally has a multilayer interconnection formed of at least three layers so that the application of the present invention to such an interconnection brings about marked effects. (2) In another aspect, the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention contains a high-density member region which satisfies the conditions that the distance between adjacent members of the dummy interconnections and the actual interconnections, or between adjacent members of dummy regions and active regions, is set to at least the minimum space width which is required by the resolution power of lithography, and that said distance is set to at least twice the height of the interconnection or the depth of the shallow trench; and the area of the high-density member region is at least 95% of the whole chip area. By setting the distance between the adjacent members of the dummy interconnections and the actual interconnections or between the adjacent members of the dummy regions and active regions at not greater than twice the height of the interconnections or depth of the shallow trench, there is no pattern dependence of the member pattern on the CMP polishing rate of the insulating film formed over such members, and the CMP polishing rate becomes uniform, which makes it possible to attain substantially complete surface flatness of the insulating film. FIG. 30 shows data indicating the finding of the present inventors obtained as a result of test and investigation and it graphically represents the fluctuation of a CMP polishing amount relative to the distance between dummy patterns. The distance between dummy patterns standardized by the height of the pattern is plotted along the abscissa, while the CMP polishing amount of the insulating film on the pattern relative to the standard pattern (solid pattern) is plotted along the ordinate. As is apparent from FIG. 30 , the CMP polishing amount of the insulating film does not show a change even it the distance between the dummy patterns becomes approximately twice the height of the pattern. In other words, if the distance between the adjacent members of the dummy interconnections and the actual interconnections, or between the adjacent members of the dummy regions and active regions, is set at not greater than twice the height of the interconnection or the depth of the shallow bench, the CMP rate of the insulating film formed over such members becomes fixed irrespective of the pattern and the insulating film can be planarized completely. In order to attain planarization over the whole chip, the region where complete planarization can be materialized, that is, the high-density member region preferably is as wide as possible, but it is not necessary for the whole area of the chip to be a high-density member region. A sufficiently flat surface suited for practical use can be obtained so long as the high-density member region permitting complete planarization occupies at least 95% of the chip area. Another condition that the distance between these members is set at not less than the minimum space width required by the resolution power of lithography is established because a processing space exceeding the minimum processing size is necessary for favorable member processing. It is possible to carry out processing of the interconnections or dummy interconnections, or the active regions or dummy regions, by satisfying the above condition. Incidentally, when a KrF exima laser is used as an exposure source, 0.2 μm can be given as an example of the minimum space width. Incidentally, in the remaining 5% region which is not a high-density member region, it is preferred that the distance between adjacent members of dummy interconnections and actual interconnections, or between adjacent members of the dummy regions and active regions, is set at not greater than four times the height of the interconnection or the depth of the shallow trench. The polishing amount of the insulating film in such a region where the pattern distance is set at not greater than four times the height of the interconnection or the depth of the shallow trench, that is, a low-density member region shows fluctuations about twice as much as that of the high-density member region, as is illustrated in FIG. 30 . Because the area of the low-density member region is not larger than 5% of the chip area, however, the influence of the fluctuation can be neglected. In addition, in the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention, the dummy interconnections or dummy regions each have a width not smaller than the minimum line width which is required by the resolution power of lithography, or has a length not smaller than twice the minimum line width; and at the same time, in the scribing area, the width and length of each of the dummy interconnections or dummy regions is not larger than the distance between bonding pads. Incidentally, the minimum space width and minimum line width can each be set at 0.2 μm and the distance between bonding pads can be set at 10 μm. According to such a semiconductor integrated circuit device, by setting the width of each of the dummy interconnections or dummy regions at not smaller then the minimum line width, which is required by the resolution power of lithography, the dummy interconnections or dummy regions can be processed with precision; and by setting the length of each of the dummy interconnections or dummy regions at not less than twice the minimum line width, the resolution of such members can be maintained with certainty. In other words, there is a potential problem that a pattern having the minimum processing size in width and length cannot be resolved accurately, but such a potential problem can be avoided in the case of the present invention by setting the length of each of the dummy interconnections or dummy regions at not less than twice the minimum processing size. The width or length of each of the dummy interconnections or dummy regions is set at 30 μm or less, with 20 μm or less being frequently used and with 10 μm or less being preferred. In addition, by setting each of the width and length of the dummy interconnections or dummy regions at not greater than 30 μm, a parasitic capacitance of the interconnection and the like and also failure due to short circuits between the bonding pads can be reduced. Described specifically, an increase in the width or length of each of the dummy interconnections or dummy regions inevitably enlarges such dummy members, which increases the parasitic capacitance of the interconnection or the like functioning as a semiconductor integrated circuit element and impairs the performance of the semiconductor integrated circuit device, such as the high-speed responsiveness thereof. If the width or length is not greater than 30 μm, on the other hand, it is possible to suppress the parasitic capacitance of the interconnection or the like to an extent not causing a problem in practical use. When the dummy interconnections are disposed in a scribing area, there is a possibility that the scribed chips may become conductive dust. Even if they unfortunately become conductive dust, they cause a short-circuit only between bonding pads. So, by setting the width and length of each of the dummy interconnections at not greater than the distance between the bonding pads, the scribed chips do not cause a short circuit even if they become conductive dust. Owing to these advantages, deterioration in the performance and yield of the semiconductor integrated circuit device can be prevented. In addition, in the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention, the dummy interconnections or dummy regions are formed also in the scribing area. According to such a semiconductor integrated circuit device, complete planarization can be maintained even in the scribing area, whereby complete planarization all over the wafer can be actualized. In addition, in the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention, a pattern density of interconnections formed of the dummy interconnections and actual interconnections, or a pattern density of regions formed of the dummy regions and active regions, is made substantially uniform all over the regions on the semiconductor substrate. Even by the semiconductor integrated circuit device as described above, complete planarization of the insulating film on these patterns can be actualized. Described more specifically, as indicated above, the existence of unevenness in the pattern density inhibits the flatness of the insulating film on the pattern. The evenness of the insulating film is therefore improved also by disposing dummy members so as not to cause unevenness in the pattern density. (3) In a further aspect, the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention is similar to the above-described one except that, in the same interconnection layer which includes a bonding pad portion or marker portion for photolithography disposed on the semiconductor substrate, dummy interconnections are not formed at the periphery of the bonding pad portion or a marker portion. Such a semiconductor integrated circuit device makes it possible to smoothly perform automatic detection of a bonding pad upon wire bonding and also automatic detection of a marker used for mask alignment during photolithography. Described more specifically, if dummy members made of the same material as that of the bonding pad or marker have been formed at the periphery thereof, there is a possibility that the dummy members will disturb, in the manner of a noise, the smooth detection of the bonding pad or marker. The present invention is free from such a possibility. Incidentally, it is possible that the dummy interconnections are not formed in a region 20 μm from the bonding pad portion or 60 μm from the marker portion. In addition, the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention may contain, as the insulating film, a silicon oxide film formed by the SOG or high-density plasma CVD method, a BPSG (Boron-doped Phospho-Silicate Glass) or PSG (Phospho-Silicate Glass) film formed by the reflow method or a polysilazane film. According to such a semiconductor integrated circuit device, since the silicon oxide film formed by the SOG or high-density plasma CVD method, the BPSG or PSG film formed by the reflow method or the polysilazane film is excellent in step covering properties and has properties of embedding a concave portion therewith, a concave portion formed by adjacent members of the interconnections and dummy interconnections or of the active regions and dummy regions is filled in favorably with such a film, whereby the thickness of the insulating film to be polished by the CMP method can be decreased. Such a decrease in the thickness of the film to be polished by the CMP method leads to not only a reduction in the load of the deposition step of the film to be polished by the CMP method, but also a reduction in the load of the CMP step, which in turn brings about an improvement in the cost competitive advantage of the semiconductor integrated circuit device, for example, by reducing the process time. The process for the fabrication of a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention is a process for the fabrication of the above-described semiconductor integrated circuit device, which comprises (a) depositing a conductive film containing polycrystalline silicon or a metal over the principal surface of a semiconductor substrate or over an interlayer insulating film and patterning said conductive film to form actual interconnections and dummy connections, (b) depositing a first insulating film, which is composed of a silicon oxide film formed by the SOG method or high-density plasma CVD method, a BPSG or PSG film formed by the re-flow method or a polysilazane film, over the actual interconnections and dummy interconnections including inner surfaces of concave portions formed by the actual interconnections and dummy interconnections and filling the concave portions with said film, (c) depositing a second insulating film over said first insulating film and (d) polishing the surface of said second insulating film by the CMP method; and wherein the second insulating film is formed to have a thickness sufficient for planarizing the unevenness on the surface of the first insulating film. According to such a fabrication process of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, the second insulating film can be deposited to give a smaller film thickness, whereby the deposition time of the second insulating film can be shortened; and at the same time, the polishing amount of the second insulating film in the CMP polishing step can be reduced. As a result, in spite of the fact that the above process comprises conventional steps, the step time can be shortened and the step load can be reduced, which brings about an improvement in the cost competitive advantage in a semiconductor integrated circuit device. Described more specifically, in the fabrication process according to the present invention, the concave portions formed between the actual interconnections and dummy interconnections are filled in with the first insulating film composed of a silicon oxide film formed by the SOC or high-density plasma CVD method, a BPSG or PSG film formed by the re-flow method or a polysilazane film, whereby the unevenness remaining on the surface of the second insulating film is lessened compared with the unevenness before the formation of the film. Accordingly, the thickness of the second insulating film must be sufficient for the planarization of the unevenness on the surface of the first insulating film, but the surface of the second insulating film can be planarized sufficiently even by a thin film. (4) Incidentally, a rigid pad can be used for said CMP polishing. Alternatively, polishing by the CMP method can be employed only for the surface finish polishing after the unevenness on the surface attributable to the existence of the actual interconnections and dummy interconnections is substantially planarized by the first and second insulating films. As a polishing means employed for the surface finish, not only the CMP method, but also other polishing means, such as dry belt polishing and lapping, may be used. The process for the fabrication of a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention is a process for the fabrication of the above-described semiconductor integrated circuit device, which comprises (a) depositing a silicon nitride film on the principal surface of a semiconductor substrate and patterning a portion of the silicon nitride film and semiconductor substrate in regions except for the active regions and dummy regions to form a shallow trench, (b) depositing an insulating film composed of a silicon oxide film on the semiconductor substrate, interconnections and silicon nitride film including the inner surface of the shallow trench, thereby filling in the trench with the insulating film, and (c) polishing the insulating film by the CMP method to expose the silicon nitride film. According to the above-described fabrication process of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, dummy regions are formed also in an element isolation region so that dishing, that is, the formation of a recess, in the element isolation region can be prevented and the surface of the semiconductor substrate can be planarized completely. In addition, since the silicon nitride film having a lower CMP polishing rate than the silicon oxide film is formed between the insulating film, which is a film to be polished by the CMP method, and the active region of the semiconductor substrate, the silicon nitride film serves as a stopper layer for the CMP polishing and more complete flatness can be attained. Incidentally, the above process may further comprise a step of using an alkaline slurry, which contains a silicon oxide as an abrasive, as the slurry used for the CMP method in the step (c) and subsequent to the step (c), etching of the insulating film formed in the shallow trench is performed through wet etching or dry etching to make the surface of the insulating film equal to or lower then the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate. When the alkaline slurry containing a silicon oxide as an abrasive is used, the ratio of the polishing rate of the silicon oxide film to the silicon nitride film becomes 3 or 4:1 so that it is necessary to thicken the silicon nitride film. In such a case, when the height of the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate, that is, the active region, and the height of the silicon oxide film, which is an element isolation region after the removal of the silicon nitride film, are compared, the silicon oxide film is found to be higher. The silicon oxide film is therefore etched by wet etching or dry etching to make the surface of the insulating film equal to or lower than the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate, whereby minute gate processing can be carried out. Alternatively, a slurry containing cerium oxide as an abrasive can be used as the slurry in the CMP method in the step (c). In this case, the ratio of the polishing rate of the silicon oxide film to the silicon nitride film becomes 30 to 50:1 so that it is not necessary to thicken the silicon nitride film. The thickness of the silicon nitride film can be set to a value which is negligible in the process, for example, not greater than 50 nm so that the etching of the silicon oxide film subsequent to the removal of the silicon nitride film is not required. (5) The method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention comprises forming a mask pattern for a mask used for the processing of members each constituting a semiconductor integrated circuit element, wherein said mask pattern includes a member pattern for members and a dummy pattern which is not disposed in a dummy placement prohibited region; and a mask pattern is formed so as to satisfy all of the following conditions: a first condition wherein a pattern distance between adjacent patterns of the member patterns and dummy patterns is not less than the minimum space width which is required by the resolution power of lithography, or not less than 0.2 μm; a second condition wherein the pattern distance is not greater then twice the height of the member in a region of at least 95% of the chip area, and in a region of at most 5% of the chip area, the pattern distance is not greater than four times the height of the member; a third condition wherein the width of the dummy pattern is at least the minimum line width which is required by the resolution power of lithography, or at least 0.2 μm; a fourth condition wherein the width of the dummy pattern is not greater than the distance between bonding pads disposed in the semiconductor integrated circuit device or not greater than 10 μm; a fifth condition wherein the length of the dummy pattern is not less than twice the minimum line width or not less than 0.2 μm; and a sixth condition wherein the length of the dummy pattern is not greater than the distance between the bonding pads or not less than 10 μm. Such a method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit device makes it possible to design a mask for member patterns necessary for the fabrication of said semiconductor integrated circuit device. By the above-described conditions, the advantages of the above-described semiconductor integrated circuit device can be actualized. Incidentally, it is needless to say that the dummy pasterns can be disposed also in a scribing area of the semiconductor substrate. The dummy placement prohibited-region can be set within a range of 20 μm from an end portion of the pattern to be a bonding pad, a range of 60 μm from an end portion of the pattern to be a marker for photolithography, a range of 0.5 μm from a region in which a contact hole is to be formed, or a fuse region. By setting the dummy placement prohibited region as described above, it becomes easier to detect the bonding pad or the marker for the mask alignment upon wire bonding or photolithography, which makes it possible to form a contact hole between the interconnections of different layers or a contact hole between the interconnection and the semiconductor substrate. In the case of a metal interconnection wherein the member and the storage capacitative element which is to be formed above a bit line are formed in substantially the same layer, the dummy placement can be prohibited in a region which is to have a storage capacitative element thereon. In such a case, the first metal interconnection layer and the storage capacitative element of a DRAM can be formed in the same layer and dummy interconnections can be disposed in a region of the first metal interconnection layer. In the case of the active region wherein members are formed on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate, the placement of dummy regions can be prohibited in a region wherein a gate interconnection is formed on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate. In such a case, since no dummy region is formed belong the gate interconnection, the capacitance between the gate interconnection and the semiconductor substrate can be reduced. Described more specifically, because the dummy regions on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate and the active region of the semiconductor substrate apparently have the same structure, the formation of the gate interconnection on the dummy regions increases the capacitance of the gate interconnection. The dummy regions are therefore not formed below the gate interconnection, which brings about an improvement in the performance of the semiconductor integrated circuit device, such as the high-peed responsiveness thereof. In addition, the method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention comprises disposing dummy patterns so as to minimize the floating capacitance of a member which will otherwise be increased by the dummy members formed by the dummy patterns, whereby the performance of the semiconductor integrated circuit device, such as the high-speed responsiveness thereof, can be improved. Incidentally, such disposal of elements can be effected by satisfying the above-described conditions for the method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit device and then, optimizing the dummy patterns so as to minimize the area and the number of the dummy patterns. Such optimization can be calculated automatically by an information processor such as computer which forms a layout pattern. | 20040929 | 20070116 | 20050224 | 62575.0 | 1 | PHAM, LONG | SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DEVICE | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,952,043 | ACCEPTED | Automated meter reader having high product delivery rate alert generator | The present invention achieves technical advantages as an AMR device adapted to couple to utility meters and detect an excess rate of product delivery and responsively generate an alert indicative of this excess rate. Advantageously, the alert is provided to a remote device to provide notice of an abnormal condition, such as a leak which could produce flooding, or customer exceeding an allowed delivery rate, such as during conservation periods. | 1. A device for coupling to a meter measuring product delivery, comprising: an interface module adapted to couple to the meter, the interface module providing a first signal indicative of the product delivery; and a profile module having a transmitter and a controller receiving the first signal, the profile module creating and storing usage profile data as a function of the product delivery, wherein the profile module has a threshold, the transmitter responsively sending an alert to a receiver physically remote from the device upon detecting a parameter of the product delivery corresponds to the threshold. 2. The device as specified in claim 1 wherein the product delivery parameter is a rate of the product delivery, wherein the alert indicates the product delivery rate is at least a predetermined rate. 3. The device as specified in claim 2 wherein the parameter is a rate of a fluid delivery. 4. The device as specified in claim 3 wherein the fluid is water. 5. The device as specified in claim 2 wherein the transmitter is a wireless transmitter. 6. The device as specified in claim 5 wherein the wireless transmitter operates in an unlicensed frequency band. 7. The device as specified in claim 6 wherein the transmitter has a power level no greater than 1 mW. 8. The device as specified in claim 5 wherein the transmitter sends the alert without requiring external polling by a physically remote device. 9. The device as specified in claim 5 wherein the transmitter operates without the assistance of a wireless communications network. 10. The device as specified in claim 2 wherein the threshold is user selectable. 11. The device as specified in claim 2 wherein the transmitter is adapted to send data representative of the product delivery parameter at an interval, wherein the alert is transmitted less frequently than the interval. 12. The device as specified in claim 1 wherein the device alert is adapted to be reset remotely from the device. 13. The device as specified in claim 7 wherein the device includes an internal battery and operates therefrom. 14. The device as specified in claim 6 wherein the transmitter transmits the alert at a fixed frequency. 15. The device as specified in claim 6 wherein the transmitter transmits the alert as a spread spectrum signal. 16. The device as specified in claim 12 wherein the device alert is adapted to be reset by a field technician. 17. The device as specified in claim 3 wherein the alert is adapted to be communicated to a public utility. 18. The device as specified in claim 2 wherein the parameter is a rate of electricity delivery. 19. The device as specified in claim 18 wherein the transmitter is a wireless transmitter operating in an unlicensed frequency band and having a power level no greater than 1 mW, and transmits the alert without requiring external polling or the assistance of a wireless communications network. 20. The device as specified in claim 19 wherein the alert is adapted to be communicated to a public utility. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/896,502 entitled “Optical Sensor for Utility Meter” filed Jun. 29, 2001, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/419,743 filed Oct. 16, 1999, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,798,352. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is generally related to utility meter reading devices, and more particularly to automated meter reader (AMR) devices utilized to remotely and efficiently obtain meter readings of utility meters providing electric, gas and water service. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Organizations which provide electric, gas and water service to users are commonly referred to as “utilities”. Utilities determine charges and hence billings to their customers by applying rates to quantities of the service that the customer uses during a predetermined time period, generally a month. This monthly usage is determined by reading the consumption meter located at the service point (usually located at the point where the utility service line enters the customer's house, store or plant) at the beginning and ending of the usage month. The numerical difference between these meter readings reveals the kilowatts of electricity, cubic feet of natural gas, or the gallons of water used during the month. Utilities correctly perceive these meters as their “cash registers” and they spend a lot of time and money obtaining meter reading information. An accepted method for obtaining these monthly readings entails using a person (meter reader) in the field who is equipped with a rugged hand held computer, who visually reads the dial of the meter and enters the meter reading into the hand held. This method, which is often referred to as “electronic meter reading”, or EMR, was first introduced in 1981 and is used extensively today. While EMR products today are reliable and cost efficient compared to other methods where the meter reader records the meter readings on paper forms, they still necessitate a significant force of meter readers walking from meter to meter in the field and physically reading the dial of each meter. The objective of reducing the meter reading field force or eliminating it all together has given rise to the development of “automated meter reading”, or AMR products. The technologies currently employed by numerous companies to obtain meter information are: Radio frequency (RF) Telephone Coaxial cable Power line carrier (“PLC”) All AMR technologies employ a device attached to the meter, retrofitted inside the meter or built into/onto the meter. This device is commonly referred to in the meter reading industry as the Meter Interface Unit, or MIU. Many of the MIU's of these competing products are transceivers which receive a “wake up” polling signal or a request for their meter information from a transceiver mounted in a passing vehicle or carried by the meter reader, known as a mobile data collection unit (“MDCU”). The MIU then responsively broadcasts the meter number, the meter reading, and other information to the MDCU. After obtaining all the meter information required, the meter reader attaches the MDCU to a modem line or directly connects it to the utility's computer system to convey the meter information to a central billing location. Usually these “drive by” or “walk by” AMR products operate under Part 15 of the FCC Rules, primarily because of the scarcity of, or the expense of obtaining, licenses to the RF spectrum. While these types of AMR systems do not eliminate the field force of meter readers, they do increase the efficiency of their data collection effort and, consequentially, fewer meter readers are required to collect the data. Some AMR systems which use RF eliminate the field force entirely by using a network of RF devices that function in a cellular, or fixed point, fashion. That is, these fixed point systems use communication concentrators to collect, store and forward data to the utilities' central processing facility. While the communication link between the MIU and the concentrator is almost always either RF under Part 15 or PLC, the communication link between the concentrator and the central processing facility can be telephone line, licensed RF, cable, fiber optic, public carrier RF (CDPD, PCS) or LEO satellite RF. The advantage of using RF or PLC for the “last mile” of the communication network is that it is not dependent on telephone lines and tariffs. One advantage of AMR systems is for use with fluid meters, such as residential and commercial water meters, as these meters are typically more difficult to access, and are often concealed behind locked access points, such as heavy lids. There is desired an improved meter reading device and methodology which improves upon the available AMR products through simplification and ease of use. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention achieves technical advantages as an AMR device adapted to couple to utility meters and detect an excess rate of product delivery and responsively generate an alert indicative of this excess rate. Advantageously, the alert is provided to a remote device to provide notice of an abnormal condition, such as a leak which could produce flooding, or customer exceeding an allowed delivery rate, such as during conservation periods. In one preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention, an alert is generated by the AMR device when the product delivery rate is determined to meet or exceed an allowed rate, corresponding to a threshold that may be selectively established and remotely reset from the AMR device. The device includes a transmitter, and preferably a wireless transmitter operating in an unlicensed frequency band, such as under Part 15 of the FCC rules, and transmitting at a power level no greater than 1 mW. The transmitter is adapted to transmit the alert without requiring external polling by a physically remote device, and without the assistance of a wireless communications network. The AMR device further achieves technical advantages by including an internal battery and operates therefrom as electricity is generally not available at the location of fluid meters. In another embodiment, the transmitter is adapted to couple to a meter measuring a rate of electricity delivery, and is likewise adapted to provide an alert when a rate of electricity delivery exceeds a predetermined threshold. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a data transmitting module according to the present invention adapted to a household electric meter; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a data transmitting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention adapted to be fastened onto a water meter pit lid and adapted to read a water meter; FIG. 3 is a electrical block diagram of an electric meter unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is an electrical block diagram of a water meter unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a signal timing diagram of the optical sensor unit for the electric meter of FIG. 3; FIG. 6 is a signal timing diagram of the optical sensor of the water meter unit of FIG. 4; FIG. 7 is a byte data format diagram for the water and electric meter units; FIG. 8 is a timing diagram of an initiated wake-up sequence by a remote programming device; FIG. 9 is a timing diagram of a command/response sequence of the controller to the remote programming device; FIG. 10 is a timing diagram of a sleep command being provided to the controller; FIG. 11 is a sleep timing diagram of sequence; FIG. 12 is a timing diagram of an oscillator of the water meter unit; FIG. 13 is a timing diagram of the controller communicating with the EE PROM of the water and electric units; FIG. 14 is a timing diagram of the controller of the water unit measuring interval battery voltages; FIG. 15 is a full electrical schematic of the electric meter unit according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 16 is a full electrical schematic of the water meter unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 17 is a full schematic diagram of a receiver adapted to receive and process modulated data signals from the data transmitting devices according to the present invention; and FIG. 18 shows a flow diagram of another preferred embodiment of the present invention providing an alert when a rate of product delivery meets or exceeds a threshold. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a household electric meter unit generally shown at 10 having adapted therewith an electric meter reading unit 12 according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention coupled to sense a black spot 13 on the rotating meter disk generally shown at 14. Electric meter unit 12 has an optical sensor for detecting the passing of the back spot 13 therepast to ascertain the consumed amount of electricity correlated to the read out of the visual display 15 of meter unit 10. FIG. 2 is the perspective view of a water meter unit according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention generally being shown at 16. The circular structure 18 on the top of device 16 is adapted to fasten the unit 16 onto a water meter pit lid (not shown) with an antenna node (not shown) sticking up through a hold drilled through the pit lid. Referring now to FIG. 3, there is illustrated an electrical block diagram of the electric meter unit 12 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Electric meter unit 12 is seen to include a controller 20, which may comprise of a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP) or other suitable controlling device, preferably being a programmable integrated circuit having suitable software programming. Device 12 is further seen to include an infrared (IR) optical sensor 22 adapted to sense the passing of the black spot 13 of the metered disk 14 of electric meter unit 10. Optical sensor 22 preferably operates by generating pulses of light using a light emitting diode, and sensing the reflection of light from the meter disk 14, and determining the passing of the black spot 13 by sensing a reduced reflection of the impinging light therefrom. Electric meter unit 12 is further seen to include a memory device comprising an EE PROM 28 storing operating parameters and control information for use by controller 20. An AC sense module 30 is also coupled to controller 20 and senses the presence of AC power 33 being provided to the meter unit 10 via an AC interface 32. A radio frequency (RF) transmitter 36 is coupled to and controlled by controller 20, and modulates a formatted data signal provided thereto on line 38. RF transmitter 36 modulates the formatted data signal provided thereto, preferably transmitting the modulated signal at a frequency of about 916.5 MHz at 9600 bits per second (BPS), although other frequencies or data rates are suitable and limitation to this frequency or baud rate is not to be inferred. A programming optical port 40 is provided and coupled to controller 20 which permits communication between controller 20 and an external optical infrared device 42 used for programming controller 20, and for selectively diagnosing the operation of electric meter unit 12 via the optical port 40. Optical port 40 has an IR transceiver adapted to transmit and receive infrared signals to and from the external device 42 when the external device 42 is disposed proximate the optical port 40 for communication therewith. Device 42 asynchronously communicates with controller in a bi-directional manner via port 40, preferably at 19,200 baud. Optical sensor 22 communicates via a plurality of signals with controller 20. Optical sensor 22 provides analog voltages indicative of and corresponding to the sensed black spot of disk 24 via a pair of data lines 50 and 52 which interface with an analog to digital controller (ADC) 54 forming a sub-portion of controller 20. Referring now to FIG. 4, there is generally shown detailed electrical block diagram of the water meter unit 16 according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein like numerals refer to like elements to those shown in FIG. 3. The water meter unit 16 is substantially similar to the electric meter unit 12 in function, but having some differences necessary for operation with a household water meter unit. Specifically, water meter unit 16 has an optical sensor 60 adapted to be positioned proximate a water meter face 62 having a needle 64, which needle 64 indicates a consumed amount of water communicated through the water meter unit. Optical sensor 60 senses the position of needle 64 via infrared (IR) sensing electronics, and provides the sensed position of needle 64 via communication link 66 to an optical sensor interface 68. The sensed position of needle 64 is provided as a data signal comprising an analog voltage transmitted on line 70 to an ADC 72 of controller 20. In this embodiment, water meter unit 16 is provided with an internal battery 80 powering the microcontroller 20 and other circuitry, preferably being a lithium battery operating at about 3.6 volts. A battery voltage measuring unit 82 senses and measures the current operating voltage of battery 80, and outputs an analog voltage signal indicative thereof on line 84 to an ADC 86 of microcontroller 20. The value of the analog voltage signal on line 84 is a function of the battery voltage of battery 80 and is about 1.2 volts when battery 80 is providing 3.6 volts. The value of the Battery Voltage Measuring circuit is about 1.2V, but the perceived value by the ADC is a function of the ADC Ref voltage, which is the battery voltage. For example, if the ADC measures the 1.2V and it was 33% full scale of the ref voltage (battery voltage), then the battery voltage would be: 1.2×1/0.33=3.6V The 1.2V is constant over a wide battery voltage range. A low power oscillator 90 operating at about 32 kHz generates a 4 Hz logic interrupt signal to controller 20, which controls the speed of controller 20. By providing only a 4 Hz interrupt signal, microcontroller 20 operates at a very slow speed, and thus consumes very little power allowing water meter unit 16 to operate at up to about 10 years without requiring replacement of lithium battery 80. The EE PROM 28 is selectively enabled by the microcontroller 20 via an enable line 96, and once enabled, communication between the microcontroller 20 and the EE PROM 28 follows an IIC protocol. Likewise, the battery voltage measuring device 82 is selectively enabled powered by the microcontroller 20 via a control line 98 such that the battery voltage is sensed only periodically by the controller 20 to conserve power. The optical sensor 60 is controlled by controller 20 via optical sensor interface 68 to determine the water position and presence of meter needle 64. The sensor 60 is attached to the lens of the water meter (not shown). An infrared (IR) signal 100 is periodically transmitted from the sensor 60, and the reflection of the IR signal is measured by the sensor 60 to determine the passage of needle 64. The sensor 60 operates in cyclic nature where the sensing is performed every 250 milliseconds. The intensity of the IR signal transmitted by sensor 60 is controlled by two drivelines on control line 66 from the microcontroller 20. The IR intensity is set according to the optical characteristics of the water meter face. The sensor 60 emits an intense, but short burst of IR light. The IR receiver 68 responsively generates an analog voltage on signal line 70 which voltage is a function of the received IR light intensity from optical sensor 60. This voltage is connected directly to the ADC 72 of the controller 20. The controller 20 measures this converted (digital) signal, and uses the value in an algorithm that ascertains the value over time to determine if the water meter needle has passed under the sensor 60. The algorithm also compensates for the effects of stray light. The mechanical shape of the sensor 60 and orientation of the IR devices, such as light emitting diodes, determines the optical performance of the sensor and its immunity to stray IR light. The water meter unit 16 periodically transmits a modulated formatted data signal on an RF link 110 that is preferably tuned at 916.5 MHz with on-off-keyed data at 9600 bits per second (9600 baud). The transmitter 36 transmits the data in formatted packets or messages, as will be discussed shortly. These formatted messages are transmitted at a repetition rate that has been initialized into the unit 16, and which may be selectively set between every one second and up to intervals of every 18 hours, and which may be changed via the optical port 40 by the programming external optical device 42. The formatted messages modulated by the transmitter 36, as will be discussed shortly, contain fields including an opening flag, message length, system number, message type, data, check sum and closing flag, as will be discussed shortly in reference to FIG. 7. The messages are variable length, whereby the message length field indicates how long the message is. The message type field indicates how to parse or decode the data field. Different messages carry and combine different data items. Data items include network ID, cumulative meter reading, clock time, battery voltage, sensor tamper, sensor diagnostic, and trickle flags. As previously mentioned, low power 32 kHz oscillator 90 generates a 4 Hz square wave output. This signal is connected to the controller 20 which causes an interrupt ever 250 milliseconds. The microcontroller uses this interrupt for clock and timing functions. In normal mode, the microcontroller is asleep and wakes up every 200 milliseconds and performs a scheduling task for about 50 milliseconds. If a task is scheduled to execute, it will execute that task and return to sleep. In normal mode, all tasks are executed within the 250 millisecond window. In the case of the optical sensor 22 of FIG. 3, the sensor 22 is attached to the electric meter such that the sensor faces the metered disk surface. The IR signal is periodically transmitted from the sensor and the reflection is measured. As the black spot passes under the sensor, a variation in the reflected IR signal occurs. The sensor operates in cyclic nature where the sensing is performed every 33 milliseconds. The IR receiver of sensor 22 generates analog voltages on lines 50 and 52 that is a function of the received IR light intensity and are connected to the ADC 72 in the microcontroller 20. The controller 20 measures this converted (digitized) voltage, and used the value in the algorithm. The algorithm senses the values over time to determine if the black spot has passed under the sensor. To detect reverse rotation of the metered disk, the sensor 22 has two sensors, as shown. The controller 22, with its algorithm, determines the direction of disk rotation as the black spot passes the sensor 22. The black spot is a decal and does not reflect IR light. This is determined by the decal's material, color and surface texture. As with the water meter, the algorithm and sensor shrouding compensate for the effects of stray light. The AC line interface 32 interfaces to the AC line coupled to the electric meter through a resistive tap. The resistors limit the current draw from the AC line to the electric meter unit 12. The AC is then rectified and regulated to power the unit 12. The AC sensor 30 detects the presence of AC voltage on the AC line 33. The sensed AC is rectified and a pulse is generated by sensor 30. This pulse is provided to the microcontroller 20 where it is processed to determine the presence of adequate AC power. Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a waveform diagram of the signals exchanged between the optical sensor 22 and the controller 20 of the electric meter unit 12 shown in FIG. 3. The logic signals generated by controller 20 control the optical sensor 22 to responsively generate an IR signal and sense a refracted IR signal from the metered disk 24. It can be seen that the reflected 0.3 millisecond IR signal is acquired within 1.3 milliseconds after enabling for sensing by ADC 54 and processed by controller 20. Preferably, this measuring sequence is performed every 33 milliseconds, which periodic rate can be programmed via optical port 40 if desired. Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown the timing diagram of the signals between optical sensor 68 and controller 20 for water meter unit 16 of FIG. 4. The logic of the driving signals is shown below in Table 1. TABLE 1 Net Sensor Drive Drive 1 Drive 2 High 0 0 Medium 0 1 Low 1 0 As shown in the timing diagram of FIG. 6, the analog signal provided on line 70 by optical sensor 68 rises to an accurate readable voltage in about 140 milliseconds, and has a signal width of about 270 milliseconds. The period of the analog voltage is about 250 milliseconds, corresponding to a signal acquisition rate of 4 Hz corresponding to the timing frequency provided on line 92 to controller 20. Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown the message format of the data signal provided by controller 20 on output line 38 to RF transmitter 36. The message is generally shown at 120 and is seen to have several fields including: opening flag (OF) comprised of two bytes; message length (ML) having a length of one byte; system number (SN) having a length of one byte; message type (MT) one byte; data, which length is identified by the message length parameter (ML); check sum (CSUM) two bytes; and closing flag (CF) one byte. Further seen is the data format of one byte of data having one start bit and 8 bits of data non-returned to zero (NRZ) and one stop-bit. The length of each byte is preferably 1.04 milliseconds in length. Referring now to FIG. 8, there is illustrated the message format and timing sequence of messages generated between the external optical timing device 42 and microcontroller 20 via optical port 40. As shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of synchronization bytes are provided by device 42 on the receive data (RXD) line to controller 20, and upon the recognition of the several bytes by controller 20, the controller 20 generates a response message to the wake-up message on the transmit data (TXD) line via optical port 40 to the external device 42. Thereafter, shown in FIG. 9, a command data message may be provided by the external device 42 to controller 20 on receive data line RXD, with response data, if required, being responsively returned on the transmit data line TXD to device 42 if required by the command. As shown in FIG. 10, a sleep command is then generated by external device 42 upon which no response by controller 20 is generated and the unit 12 goes to sleep. As shown in FIG. 11, after a command has been sent to controller 20, and responded to, the unit 12 will time out after a predetermined period of time if no other commands are received, such as 120 seconds, with a message being sent by controller 20 on transmit line TXD indicating to the external device 42 that the unit 12 has gone to sleep. The message sequence shown in FIGS. 8-11 applies equally to both the electric unit 12 and the water unit 16. Referring now to FIG. 12, there is illustrated the 4 Hz square wave interrupt signal generated by the low power oscillator 90 to the microcontroller 20. Referring to FIG. 13, there is illustrated the timing of communications between the EE PROM 28 and the controller 20, whereby the EE PROM is enabled by a logic one signal on line 96, with bi-directional data being transferred using an IIC link on lines SCL, and lines SDA. This applies to both the water unit 16 and the electric unit 12. Referring to FIG. 14, there is illustrated the timing diagram for sensing the internal battery voltage in the water meter unit 16 shown in FIG. 4. A logic high signal is generated on enable line 98 by controller 20, whereby the battery measuring unit 82 responsively senses the battery voltage via line 130 from DC battery 80. Battery measuring unit 82 responsively provides an analog voltage signal on line 84 indicative of the voltage of battery 80 to the ADC 86 of controller 20. The analog voltage provided on signal line 84 is approximately 1.2 volts when the battery 80 is at full strength, being about 3.6 volts. Referring now to FIG. 15, there is illustrated a detailed schematic diagram of the electric meter unit 12, wherein like numerals shown in FIG. 3 refer to like elements. Referring now to FIG. 16 there is illustrated a detailed schematic diagram of the water meter unit 16, shown in FIG. 4, wherein like numerals refer to like elements. Referring now to FIG. 17, there is illustrated a detailed schematic diagram of an external receiver unit adapted to receive and intelligently decode the modulated formatted data signals provided on RF carrier 110 by the RF transmitter 36. This receiver 140 both demodulates the RF carrier, preferably operating at 916.5 MHz, at 9600 baud, and decodes the demodulated signal to ascertain the data in the fields of message 120 shown in FIG. 7. This receiver unit 140 has memory for recording all data collected from the particular sensored units being monitored by a field operator driving or walking in close proximity to the particular measuring unit, whether it be a water meter, gas meter or electric meter, depending on the particular meter being sensed and sampled. All this data is later downloaded into remote computers for ultimate billing to the customers, by RF carrier or other communication means. In a preferred embodiment, the RF carrier 110 is generated at about 1 milliwatt, allowing for receiver 140 to ascertain the modulated data signal at a range of about 1,000 feet depending on RF path loss. The RF transmitters 36 are low power transmitters operating in microburst fashion operating under part 15 of the FCC rules. The receiver 140 does not have transmitting capabilities. The receiver is preferably coupled to a hand held computer (not shown) carried by the utility meter reader who is walking or driving by the meter location. In the case of the electric meter unit 12, the device obtains electrical power to operate from the utility side of the power line to the meter and is installed within the glass globe of the meter. The main circuit board of this device doubles as a mounting bracket and contains a number of predrilled holes to accommodate screws to attach to various threaded bosses present in most electric meters. In the case of the water meter, electric power is derived from the internal lithium battery. The water meter unit 12 resides under the pit lid of the water meter unit, whereby the antenna 142 is adapted to stick out the top of the pit lid through a pit lid opening to facilitate effective RF transmission of the RF signal to the remote receiver 140. The present invention derives technical advantages by transmitting meter unit information without requiring elaborate polling methodology employed in conventional mobile data collection units. The meter units can be programmed when installed on the meter device, in the case of the water and gas meters, or when installed in the electric meter. The external programming diagnostic device 42 can communicate with the optical port 40 of the units via infrared technology, and thus eliminates a mechanical connection that would be difficult to keep clean in an outdoor environment. Also, the optical port 40 of the present invention is not subject to wear and tear like a mechanical connection, and allows communication through the glass globe of an electric meter without having to remove the meter or disassemble it. In the case of the electric meter, the present invention eliminates a potential leakage point in the electric meter unit and therefore allows a more watertight enclosure. The transmitting meter units of the present invention can be programmed by the utility to transmit at predetermined intervals, determined and selected to be once ever second to up to several hours between transmissions. Each unit has memory 28 to accommodate the storage of usage profile data, which is defined as a collection of meter readings at selected intervals. For example, the unit can be programmed to gather interval meter readings ever hour. If the unit is set to record interval readings every hour, the memory 28 may hold the most recent 72 days worth of interval data. This interval data constitutes the usage profile for that service point. Typically, the utility uses this information to answer customer complaints about billings and reading and as a basis for load research studies. The profile intervals are set independently of the transmitting interval and the device does not broadcast the interval data. The only way this interval data can be retrieved by the utility is to attach the programming unit 42 to the meter unit of the present invention and download the file to a handheld or laptop computer. With the programming unit 42, one can determine the status of the battery on the water meter which is including in the profile data. The present invention allows one to selectively set the transmission intervals thereby controlling the battery life. The longer the interval, the longer the battery life. In the case of electric meter unit, power is derived directly from the utility side of the electric service to the meter. The battery on the water meter unit is not intended to be field replaceable. In order to control cost, the water meter product is designed to be as simple as possible with the water meter unit enclosure being factory sealed to preserve the watertight integrity of the device. Preferably, a D size lithium cell is provided, and the unit is set to transmit once every second, providing a battery life of about 10 years. The water meter unit of the present invention can be fitted to virtually any water meter in the field and the utility can reap the benefits of the present invention without having to purchase a competitor's proprietary encoder and software. In the case of existing water meters that incorporate an encoder which senses the rotation of the water meter, these encoders incorporate wire attachments points that allow attachments to the manufactures proprietary AMR device. The present invention derives advantages whereby the sensor 60 of the present invention can be eliminated, with the sensor cable 66 being coupled directly to the terminals on the encoder of this type of device. Referring now to FIG. 18, there is shown at 200 a flow diagram of another preferred embodiment of the present invention. Algorithm 200 is preferably embodied as a software algorithm within microcontroller 20 of the water meter device 16 depicted in FIG. 4, although the algorithm could be embodied in hardware if desired. Hence, the invention is not limited to software, as the preferred embodiment will now be described. Microcontroller 20, as previously described, is adapted to ascertain the rate of fluid delivery by the fluid meter, such as water delivered to a residential or commercial customer. This present invention is well suited to facilitate conservation enforcement of consumed products according to local ordinances, such as water conservation. The algorithm 200 begins at step 210, whereby a predetermined detection threshold is programmed into the meter, such as by a field technician or a remote monitoring station. This predetermined detection threshold may by programmed as a digital word into the microcontroller 20 via the optical port 40 by a field technician, but may also be programmed into the microcontroller 20 by any wireless signal via a suitable receiver, such as a wireless signal transmitted in an unlicensed frequency band and transmitted by a transmitter having a power level no greater than 1 mW in compliance with the FCC Part 15 requirements. At step 220, microcontroller 20 continuously determines if the delivery rate of the delivered product exceeds a rate corresponding to the predetermined threshold programmed into the microcontroller 20. Excess consumption may be defined as a predetermined amount of product delivered instantaneously or over a predetermined time period. For instance, the rate of delivery may be a predetermined amount of fluid delivered over a one minute period of time, such as 100 gallons delivered in a one minute time period. Of course, depending on the customer and/or restrictions in place during use, this threshold limit can be programmed and updated as necessary. At step 230, if excess consumption is not detected, an active warning flag, if present, is cleared at microcontroller 20 at step 240. If, however, at step 230 an excessive consumption rate is detected, then a consumption warning flag is set by microcontroller 20 at step 250. For instance, this flag could be a logic high on one or more bits of a digital word. The microcontroller 20, responsive to determining an excessive consumption rate, generates an alert indicative of this high consumption rate which is transmitted via the RF transmitter 36 to a physically remote station at a frequency within an unlicensed frequency band, and at a power level no greater than 1 mW. Preferably, this alert is transmitted in compliance with Part 15 of the FCC rules. The algorithm then proceeds to step 260 and returns to the main loop. Advantageously, microcontroller 20 causes this alert to be generated and sent without requiring external polling by a remote device, and without the assistance of a wireless communication network. As previously mentioned, the device includes an internal battery 80 such that the AMR device 16 can operate for an extended period of time in locations where electricity is not available. Advantageously, this alert is only transmitted when an excess consumption event is detected, which further reduces power consumption and extends the life of the battery. This alert is adapted to be remotely reset from the AMR device 16, such as by a field technician via transceiver 40, or from another physically remote station via any suitable wireless link. For instance, the alert can be wirelessly reset via an infrared link, or by an RF signal which may be a fixed frequency signal, a spread spectrum signal, a frequency hopping signal, or other suitable RF modulated signal. This alert provides a timely notice to a remote party, such as the public utility which can responsively dispatch a party to investigate this alert, and turn off a water main should a serious leak or flooding be present, or if excess consumption is verified. In addition, a remote monitoring party may also be alerted, such as a security company contracted by the party being serviced, which in turn can alert the public utility or other party of the high delivery rate. Due to the increased efforts of conservation, and enforcement of violators not meeting conservation requirements, the utility can also issue warnings and citations for excessive consumption of water delivery, which electronic records substantiate proof of a violation. Though the invention has been described with respect to a specific preferred embodiment, many variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the present application. It is therefore the intention that the appended claims be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of the prior art to include all such variations and modifications. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Organizations which provide electric, gas and water service to users are commonly referred to as “utilities”. Utilities determine charges and hence billings to their customers by applying rates to quantities of the service that the customer uses during a predetermined time period, generally a month. This monthly usage is determined by reading the consumption meter located at the service point (usually located at the point where the utility service line enters the customer's house, store or plant) at the beginning and ending of the usage month. The numerical difference between these meter readings reveals the kilowatts of electricity, cubic feet of natural gas, or the gallons of water used during the month. Utilities correctly perceive these meters as their “cash registers” and they spend a lot of time and money obtaining meter reading information. An accepted method for obtaining these monthly readings entails using a person (meter reader) in the field who is equipped with a rugged hand held computer, who visually reads the dial of the meter and enters the meter reading into the hand held. This method, which is often referred to as “electronic meter reading”, or EMR, was first introduced in 1981 and is used extensively today. While EMR products today are reliable and cost efficient compared to other methods where the meter reader records the meter readings on paper forms, they still necessitate a significant force of meter readers walking from meter to meter in the field and physically reading the dial of each meter. The objective of reducing the meter reading field force or eliminating it all together has given rise to the development of “automated meter reading”, or AMR products. The technologies currently employed by numerous companies to obtain meter information are: Radio frequency (RF) Telephone Coaxial cable Power line carrier (“PLC”) All AMR technologies employ a device attached to the meter, retrofitted inside the meter or built into/onto the meter. This device is commonly referred to in the meter reading industry as the Meter Interface Unit, or MIU. Many of the MIU's of these competing products are transceivers which receive a “wake up” polling signal or a request for their meter information from a transceiver mounted in a passing vehicle or carried by the meter reader, known as a mobile data collection unit (“MDCU”). The MIU then responsively broadcasts the meter number, the meter reading, and other information to the MDCU. After obtaining all the meter information required, the meter reader attaches the MDCU to a modem line or directly connects it to the utility's computer system to convey the meter information to a central billing location. Usually these “drive by” or “walk by” AMR products operate under Part 15 of the FCC Rules, primarily because of the scarcity of, or the expense of obtaining, licenses to the RF spectrum. While these types of AMR systems do not eliminate the field force of meter readers, they do increase the efficiency of their data collection effort and, consequentially, fewer meter readers are required to collect the data. Some AMR systems which use RF eliminate the field force entirely by using a network of RF devices that function in a cellular, or fixed point, fashion. That is, these fixed point systems use communication concentrators to collect, store and forward data to the utilities' central processing facility. While the communication link between the MIU and the concentrator is almost always either RF under Part 15 or PLC, the communication link between the concentrator and the central processing facility can be telephone line, licensed RF, cable, fiber optic, public carrier RF (CDPD, PCS) or LEO satellite RF. The advantage of using RF or PLC for the “last mile” of the communication network is that it is not dependent on telephone lines and tariffs. One advantage of AMR systems is for use with fluid meters, such as residential and commercial water meters, as these meters are typically more difficult to access, and are often concealed behind locked access points, such as heavy lids. There is desired an improved meter reading device and methodology which improves upon the available AMR products through simplification and ease of use. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention achieves technical advantages as an AMR device adapted to couple to utility meters and detect an excess rate of product delivery and responsively generate an alert indicative of this excess rate. Advantageously, the alert is provided to a remote device to provide notice of an abnormal condition, such as a leak which could produce flooding, or customer exceeding an allowed delivery rate, such as during conservation periods. In one preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention, an alert is generated by the AMR device when the product delivery rate is determined to meet or exceed an allowed rate, corresponding to a threshold that may be selectively established and remotely reset from the AMR device. The device includes a transmitter, and preferably a wireless transmitter operating in an unlicensed frequency band, such as under Part 15 of the FCC rules, and transmitting at a power level no greater than 1 mW. The transmitter is adapted to transmit the alert without requiring external polling by a physically remote device, and without the assistance of a wireless communications network. The AMR device further achieves technical advantages by including an internal battery and operates therefrom as electricity is generally not available at the location of fluid meters. In another embodiment, the transmitter is adapted to couple to a meter measuring a rate of electricity delivery, and is likewise adapted to provide an alert when a rate of electricity delivery exceeds a predetermined threshold. | 20040928 | 20080101 | 20050526 | 89435.0 | 1 | WONG, ALBERT KANG | AUTOMATED METER READER HAVING HIGH PRODUCT DELIVERY RATE ALERT GENERATOR | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,952,227 | ACCEPTED | Hydration system with improved fluid reservoir | Hydration systems with improved fluid reservoirs. The reservoirs include a fill port with a neck having an opening. The hydration systems further include a closure member, such as a cap, that selectively seals the opening, and an elongate drink tube through which a user may draw drink fluid from the reservoir. The hydration systems further include a wrench assembly that extends around the neck and includes handle that projects generally away from the neck. In some embodiments, the wrench assembly provides a counter lever to assist in the removal or coupling of the cap onto the neck. In some embodiments, the wrench assembly is removably mounted on the fill port, and in some embodiments, the wrench assembly is fixed secured to the fill port. In some embodiments, the wrench assembly is rotatably coupled to the fill port and in other the wrench assembly is non-rotatably coupled to the fill port. | 1. A personal hydration system, comprising: a flexible reservoir adapted to be received into a body-mountable pack and having a body portion with an internal compartment adapted to receive drink fluid, wherein the reservoir includes an exit port and a fill port, and further wherein the fill port includes a neck having an opening through which drink fluid may be added to and removed from the compartment; a removable cap adapted to selectively seal the opening of the neck; a wrench assembly extending around the neck, wherein the wrench assembly includes a handle projecting generally away from the neck, wherein the cap is adapted to be removed from the neck by rotation of the cap in a first direction, and further wherein the wrench assembly is coupled to the neck such that the wrench assembly is retained against rotation relative to the neck, thereby providing a counter lever to assist in the removal of the cap from the neck and the attachment of the cap onto the neck to form a seal therewith; an elongate drink tube coupled to the exit port of the reservoir and adapted to receive drink fluid therefrom; and a self-sealing mouthpiece adapted to selectively dispense drink fluid from the drink tube to a user, wherein the mouthpiece is selectively configured between a closed position, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to prevent drink fluid from being dispensed therethrough, and a dispensing position, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to permit drink fluid to be dispensed therethrough, wherein the mouthpiece is adapted to be configured from the closed position to the dispensing position responsive to compressive forces applied thereto, and further wherein the mouthpiece is biased to automatically return from the dispensing position to the closed position. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wrench assembly is removably coupled to the fill port. 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one fastening mechanism adapted to removably couple the wrench assembly to the fill port. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the fastening mechanism includes a plurality of projections on a first one of the wrench assembly and the fill port, and a plurality of slots on a second one of the wrench assembly and the fill port, wherein the plurality of projections are adapted to be received into the plurality of slots. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of projections include a plurality of radially spaced apart teeth extending from the wrench assembly toward the neck. 6. The system of claim 3, wherein the wrench assembly includes a plurality of projections extending generally toward the neck and adapted to be snap fit into at least one groove on the fill port. 7. The system of claim 3, further comprising a lock mechanism adapted to secure the wrench assembly around the neck. 8. The system of claim 3, wherein the wrench assembly is selectively positionable in a plurality of orientations around the neck. 9. The system of claim 3, wherein the wrench assembly is permanently attached to the fill port. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the wrench assembly is integrally formed with the fill port. 11. The system of claim 9, wherein the wrench assembly is separately formed from the fill port and thereafter permanently coupled thereto. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the wrench assembly is non-rotatably coupled to the fill port. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the wrench assembly is selectively rotatable relative to the neck in a range of positions. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the wrench assembly is selectively rotatable relative to the neck in a limited range of spaced-apart positions. 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the wrench assembly includes a support member that extends around the fill port. 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the opening has a diameter of at least 2.5 inches. 17. The system of claim 1, wherein the opening has a diameter in the range of 3 and 5 inches. 18. The system of claim 1, wherein the opening has an area of at least 5 square inches. 19. The system of claim 1, further including a pack with a pack compartment sized to receive the reservoir and a strap assembly adapted to secure the pack on a user's body. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the pack compartment includes an outer surface with an opening through which the neck extends when the body of the reservoir is received within the pack compartment. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the handle of the wrench assembly extends outside of the pack compartment when the body of the reservoir is received within the pack compartment. 22. The system of claim 1, further comprising a manually actuated on/off valve intermediate the mouthpiece and the reservoir and adapted to selectively prevent drink fluid from being dispensed through the mouthpiece, wherein the on/off valve is selectively configured between a closed configuration, in which drink fluid is prevented from being dispensed through the mouthpiece regardless of the position of the mouthpiece, and an open configuration, in which drink fluid may flow through the drink tube to the mouthpiece and be selectively dispensed therefrom. 23. The system of claim 1, wherein the cap includes a plug portion adapted to extend into the opening of the neck. 24. The system of claim 23, wherein the neck includes internally extending threads, and the plug portion includes externally extending threads that are adapted to engage the threads on the neck to secure the cap on the neck. 25. The system of claim 23, wherein the neck includes externally extending threads, and the plug portion includes internally extending threads that are adapted to engage the threads on the neck to secure the cap on the neck. 26. The system of claim 23, wherein the cap further includes at least one recess extending into the plug portion proximate the handle. 27. The system of claim 1, wherein the cap includes at least a pair of recesses that extend into the neck and a handle portion that extends generally between the at least a pair of recesses. 28. The system of claim 1, further including a tether adapted to couple the cap to the fill port, and further wherein at least a portion of the tether extends into the compartment of the reservoir when the cap is sealingly engaged with the neck. 29. A personal hydration system, comprising: a flexible reservoir adapted to be received into a body-mountable pack and having a body portion with an internal compartment adapted to receive drink fluid, wherein the reservoir includes an exit port and a fill port, wherein the fill port includes a neck with externally extending threads, wherein the fill port includes a plurality of catches, and further wherein the neck includes an opening with an internal perimeter of at least 5 square inches through which drink fluid may be added to and removed from the compartment; a removable cap adapted to selectively seal the opening of the neck, wherein the cap includes internally extending threads that are adapted to engage the externally extending threads of the neck to couple the cap onto the neck and form a seal therewith; a wrench assembly extending around the neck, wherein the wrench assembly includes a plurality of projections extending generally toward the neck and adapted to be received into the catches, wherein the wrench assembly includes a handle projecting generally away from the neck, wherein the cap is adapted to be removed from the neck by rotation of the cap in a first direction, and further wherein the wrench assembly is coupled to the neck such that the wrench assembly is retained against rotation relative to the neck, thereby providing a counter lever to assist in the removal of the cap from the neck and the attachment of the cap onto the neck to form a seal therewith; an elongate drink tube coupled to the exit port of the reservoir and adapted to receive drink fluid therefrom; and a self-sealing mouthpiece adapted to selectively dispense drink fluid from the drink tube to a user, wherein the mouthpiece is selectively configured between a closed position, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to prevent drink fluid from being dispensed therethrough, and a dispensing position, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to permit drink fluid to be dispensed therethrough, wherein the mouthpiece is adapted to be configured from the closed position to the dispensing position responsive to compressive forces applied thereto, and further wherein the mouthpiece is biased to automatically return from the dispensing position to the closed position. 30. The system of claim 29, wherein the wrench assembly is removably coupled to the fill port. 31. The system of claim 29, wherein the wrench assembly is rotatably coupled to the fill port. 32. The system of claim 29, wherein the wrench assembly is non-rotatably coupled to the fill port. 33. The system of claim 29, wherein the wrench assembly is fixedly secured to the fill port. 34. The system of claim 29, further comprising a lock mechanism adapted to selectively prevent the wrench assembly from rotating relative to the neck. 35. The system of claim 29, wherein the wrench assembly includes a support member extending around the neck. 36. 1. A personal hydration system, comprising: a flexible reservoir adapted to be received into a body-mountable pack and having a body portion with an internal compartment adapted to receive drink fluid, wherein the reservoir includes an exit port and a fill port, and further wherein the fill port includes a neck having an opening through which drink fluid may be added to and removed from the compartment, wherein the opening has a cross-sectional area of at least 5 square inches; a removable cap adapted to selectively seal the opening of the neck; a wrench assembly extending around the neck, wherein the wrench assembly includes a handle projecting generally away from the neck, wherein the wrench assembly is coupled to the neck such that the wrench assembly is retained against rotation relative to the neck; an elongate drink tube coupled to the exit port of the reservoir and adapted to receive drink fluid therefrom; and a self-sealing mouthpiece adapted to selectively dispense drink fluid from the drink tube to a user, wherein the mouthpiece is selectively configured between a closed position, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to prevent drink fluid from being dispensed therethrough, and a dispensing position, in which the mouthpiece is adapted to permit drink fluid to be dispensed therethrough, wherein the mouthpiece is adapted to be configured from the closed position to the dispensing position responsive to compressive forces applied thereto, and further wherein the mouthpiece is biased to automatically return from the dispensing position to the closed position. 37. The system of claim 36, wherein the wrench assembly is removably coupled to the fill port. 38. The system of claim 36, further comprising at least one fastening mechanism adapted to removably couple the wrench assembly to the fill port. 39. The system of claim 38, wherein the fastening mechanism includes a plurality of projections on a first one of the wrench assembly and the fill port, and a plurality of slots on a second one of the wrench assembly and the fill port, wherein the plurality of projections are adapted to be received into the plurality of slots. 40. The system of claim 39, wherein the plurality of projections include a plurality of radially spaced apart teeth extending from the wrench assembly toward the neck. 41. The system of claim 39, wherein the wrench assembly includes a plurality of projections extending generally toward the neck and adapted to be snap fit into at least one groove on the fill port. 42. The system of claim 36, further comprising a lock mechanism adapted to secure the wrench assembly around the neck. 43. The system of claim 36, wherein the wrench assembly is selectively positionable in a plurality of orientations around the neck. 44. The system of claim 36, wherein the wrench assembly is permanently attached to the fill port. 45. The system of claim 36, wherein the wrench assembly is non-rotatably coupled to the fill port. 46. The system of claim 36, wherein the wrench assembly is selectively rotatable relative to the neck in a limited range of spaced-apart positions. 47. The system of claim 36, wherein the wrench assembly includes a support member that extends around the fill port. 48. The system of claim 36, wherein the opening has a diameter in the range of 3 and 5 inches. 49. The system of claim 36, further including a pack with a pack compartment sized to receive the reservoir and a strap assembly adapted to secure the pack on a user's body. 50. The system of claim 49, wherein the pack compartment includes an outer surface with an opening through which the neck extends when the body of the reservoir is received within the pack compartment. 51. The system of claim 50, wherein at least a portion of the handle of the wrench assembly extends outside of the pack compartment when the body of the reservoir is received within the pack compartment. 52. The system of claim 36, further comprising a manually actuated on/off valve intermediate the mouthpiece and the reservoir and adapted to selectively prevent drink fluid from being dispensed through the mouthpiece, wherein the on/off valve is selectively configured between a closed configuration, in which drink fluid is prevented from being dispensed through the mouthpiece regardless of the position of the mouthpiece, and an open configuration, in which drink fluid may flow through the drink tube to the mouthpiece and be selectively dispensed therefrom. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/611,088, entitled “Neck-Supported Fluid Reservoir, Hydration Systems and Pack Assemblies Including the Same,” which was filed on Jun. 30, 2003, issued ______ as U.S. Pat. No. ______, and which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/902,935, entitled “Hydration System With Improved Fluid Reservoir,” which was filed on Jul. 10, 2001 and issued Jan. 13, 2004 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,998. The complete disclosures of the above-identified patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to hydration systems, and more particularly to a hydration system with an improved fluid reservoir. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Medical research has demonstrated the importance of maintaining adequate hydration while engaging in strenuous physical activities, such as running, bicycling, hiking, or mountain climbing. In the not too distant past, participants in such activities carried their water in bottles or canteens from which they drank periodically. More recently, personal hydration systems have been developed which allow users to drink more or less continuously while engaged in sporting or recreational activities. These personal hydration systems typically have a bag-like fluid reservoir that is carried in a back- or waist-mounted pack. A long flexible tube is connected to the reservoir through an exit port at one end and terminates in a mouthpiece at the other end. The tube is long enough to allow the mouthpiece to be carried in the user's mouth to enable the user to draw water from the reservoir at will. Examples of hydration systems and mouthpieces therefor are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,727,714, 5,060,833, 5,085,349, and 6,070,767, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Although personal hydration systems have proven to be a great advance over traditional water bottles, they do suffer from some drawbacks. One such drawback is providing a fluid reservoir with an interior that may be readily accessed by the user, such as for cleaning. Fluid reservoirs for hydration systems typically include a sealable opening through which a volume of fluid is added to the reservoir. An example of such an opening is a narrow-diameter neck that is sealed through a friction fit with a cap. Another example is a reservoir with an opening defined by generally opposed ribs that are sealed by compressing the ribs against each other, much like a ZIPLOCK™ brand storage bag. Still another example is a roll top, or folded, opening, much like a dry bag used in camping. These designs suffer from limitations regarding either their accessibility to the interior of the reservoir, or their durability, such as when exposed to repeated opening and closing and to external forces. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to hydration systems with improved fluid reservoirs. The reservoirs include a fill port with a neck having an opening. The hydration systems further include a closure member, such as a cap, that selectively seals the opening, and an elongate drink tube through which a user may draw drink fluid from the reservoir, such as via a mouthpiece associated with the drink tube distal the reservoir. The hydration systems further include a wrench assembly that extends around the neck and includes handle that projects generally away from the neck. In some embodiments, the wrench assembly provides a counter lever to assist in the removal or coupling of the cap onto the neck. In some embodiments, the wrench assembly is removably mounted on the fill port, and in some embodiments, the wrench assembly is fixed secured to the fill port. In some embodiments, the wrench assembly is rotatably coupled to the fill port and in other the wrench assembly is non-rotatably coupled to the fill port. In some embodiments, the hydration system includes a pack into which the reservoir is received. Many other features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which preferred embodiments incorporating the principles of this invention are disclosed as illustrative examples only. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a personal hydration system constructed according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the system of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end view of the hydration system of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 4 is the fragmentary end view of FIG. 3 showing another suitable cap configuration. FIG. 5 is a fragmentary partial cross-sectional side elevation view of the filler cap assembly of the hydration system of FIG. 3, with the cap removed from the neck of the reservoir. FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the cap of the hydration system of FIG. 1, with ornamental design details shown for purposes of illustration. FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the cap of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a variation of the cap of FIG. 6. FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the cap of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional plan view of another tether constructed according to the present invention. FIG. 11 is a fragmentary top plan view of another personal hydration system constructed according to the present invention. FIG. 12 is an end elevation view of the hydration system of FIG. 11. FIG. 13 is an exploded isometric view of the fill port and filler cap assembly of the hydration system of FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 14 is an exploded partial fragmentary isometric view showing a variation of the wrench assembly of FIG. 13. FIG. 15 is a side elevation view of the fill port, filler cap and wrench assemblies of FIGS. 11-13. FIG. 16 is a side elevation view showing another fill port, filler cap assembly and wrench assembly constructed according to the present invention. FIG. 17 is a top plan view of the filler cap assembly of FIG. 16. FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the filler cap assembly of FIG. 17. FIG. 19 is a side elevation view showing another wrench assembly and filler cap assembly constructed according to the present invention and shown mounted on the fill port of FIG. 16. FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the filler cap assembly of FIG. 19. FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of a variation of the filler cap assembly of FIG. 20, with the wrench assembly of FIG. 20 shown in dashed lines. FIG. 22 is a top plan view of another personal hydration system constructed according to the present invention. FIG. 23 is a fragmentary detail from the hydration system of FIG. 22 showing a variation of the reservoir mount of FIG. 22. FIG. 24 is a fragmentary cross-sectional detail showing a variation of the reservoir mount shown in FIG. 22. FIG. 25 is a fragmentary partial cross-sectional detail from the hydration system of FIG. 22, with the wrench assembly of FIG. 17. FIG. 26 is a top plan view of the personal hydration system of FIG. 22, showing another suitable pack configuration. FIG. 27 is a top plan view of the personal hydration system of FIG. 22, showing another suitable pack configuration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION A personal hydration system constructed according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and generally indicated at 10. System 10 includes a fluid reservoir, or bladder, 12. Reservoir 12 includes a body portion 14 with an internal compartment 16, which is adapted to store a volume of drink fluid 18, such as water, sports drinks, juice, etc. At least the body portion, if not the entirety, of reservoir 12 is formed from a flexible, waterproof material. An example of a suitable material is polyurethane, although others may be used. The size and shape of compartment 16 may vary, such as depending upon the desired application with which the system will be used, any compartment or pack into which the reservoir will be placed, the mechanism by which the reservoir will be transported, and the volume of drink fluid that compartment 16 is designed to hold. Typically, compartment 16 will hold at least 24 ounces, and may hold as much as 32 ounces, 50 ounces, 70 ounces, 100 ounces, 200 ounces or more of drink fluid 18. System 10 further includes a mouthpiece 20 that is connected to the reservoir by a flexible drinking tube 22. The length of tube 22 may vary, such as depending upon the desired distance between the user's mouth and the location where reservoir 12 is positioned, such as on a user's back, waist, inside a user's garments, on a user's bike or other equipment, etc. Mouthpiece 20 may have a variety of configurations, from an open end 24 of tube 22, to a device that is coupled to end 24. An example of a suitable mouthpiece is a bite-actuated mouthpiece 26, which is placed in a user's mouth and configured from a closed, or sealed, position, to an open, or dispensing, position when a user bites upon the mouthpiece or otherwise compresses the mouthpiece with the user's lips or teeth. Examples of suitable bite-actuated mouthpieces are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,070,767, 5,085,349 and 5,060,833, the complete disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Also shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 at 28 is a manually actuated on/off valve, which is used to selectively prevent drink fluid from being dispensed through mouthpiece 20, regardless of the configuration of the mouthpiece. By “manually actuated,” it is meant that the on/off valve is adapted to be actuated by a user exerting force on the valve, such as with the user's hands. Typically, a bite-actuated mouthpiece, or valve, will be self-sealing, in that it is adapted to automatically return to its closed position, while manually actuated on/off valves will typically remain in a selected position until repositioned by a user. Of course, valve 28 may also be spring-biased to return to its closed position. Examples of suitable manually actuated on/off valves are disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/217,124, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. It is within the scope of the present invention that hydration system 10 may be formed without a manually actuated on/off valve 28, with a different type of on/off valve, and/or with a manually actuated on/off valve that is positioned in an in-line configuration. By “in-line,” it is meant that the valve is coupled between adjacent lengths of tube 22, as opposed to being connected in an end-of-line configuration between end 24 and mouthpiece 20. An example of an in-line configuration is generally indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 1. The other end 30 of drinking tube 22 is connected to reservoir 12 by an exit port 32 through which drink fluid in the reservoir is received into tube 22. In other words, compartment 16 is in fluid communication with an exit port 32. Examples of suitable exit ports 32 are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,085,349 and 5,727,714, the complete disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. End 30 may be integrally formed or otherwise fixedly attached to reservoir 12 and/or exit port 32, or alternatively may be selectively removed from and reattached to the exit port. As perhaps best seen in FIG. 3, reservoir 12 includes an input port, or fill port, 40 through which drink fluid 18 may be poured into or removed from the reservoir. Fill port 40 also provides a passage through which the interior of compartment 16 may be accessed, such as for cleaning. As shown, fill port 40 includes a neck, or neck portion, 42 that extends from the body portion of the reservoir and includes an opening 44 through which drink fluid may exit the fill port. An illustrative height of neck 42 is shown in FIG. 3, but other shorter or higher heights may be used. Although body portion 14 is preferably flexible, neck 42 should tend to retain its configuration and thereby maintain a seal with the subsequently described closure member. Typically, neck 42 will have a defined shape, such as the circular, or cylindrical shape shown in FIGS. 1-3. Neck 42 may be integrally formed with reservoir 12, or separately formed and then joined to the reservoir, such as by a suitable sealing mechanism. Examples of suitable sealing mechanisms include the use of an adhesive, heat sealing, and welding, such as ultrasonic or RF welding. In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 3, fill port 40 includes a base 46 that provides a mounting surface 48 on which reservoir 12 may be secured, such as with one of the above-identified sealing mechanisms. Base 46 may additionally or alternatively be described as a perimeter flange. In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 3, it can be seen that flange 46 extends radially outward from neck 42 and body portion 14 of reservoir 12 is shaped to extend in a generally planar fashion thereupon. As shown, body portion 14 extends over at least a portion of the perimeter flange, however, it is also within the scope of the invention that the body portion may extend under the flange, such as on mounting surface 48. It is also within the scope of the invention that the body portion may be secured between upper and lower portions of the flange, such as to provide additional leak prevention because the flange, or base, is fastened to the upper and lower surfaces of the corresponding region of body portion 14. Preferably, neck 42 is sized to permit a user's hand to pass through opening 44. This increased diameter as compared to conventional reservoirs allows the reservoir to be more thoroughly and easily cleaned because the user's hand may reach completely into the reservoir to clean its interior. Similarly, cloths or brushes may be passed through the port, alone or along with the user's hand. Conventional fill ports have openings that are less than 2.5 inches in diameter, and therefore are too small for most, if not all, user's hands to fit therethrough. The larger diameter input port also reduces spilling when the reservoir is filled, because there is a larger opening through which fluid may be poured, and enables the addition of larger pieces of ice than could be passed through conventional input ports. Preferably, opening 44 has a diameter of at least 2.5 inches, such as a diameter that is greater than 3 inches, a diameter that is greater than 4 inches, a diameter that is in the range of 3 and 4 inches, and a diameter that is in the range of 3 and 5 inches. Diameters of approximately 3.25 and 3.5 inches have proven effective. Such a diameter enables the hands of most users to pass completely through the opening. Fill port 40 may also be described as preferably having an opening of at least approximately 5 square inches, and more preferably having a neck of at least approximately 8-10 or more square inches. It should be understood that the hand size of potential users may vary, and therefore it is not essential to the scope of the present invention that every user's hands can completely pass through opening 44. Similarly, although an enlarged diameter input port is preferable, it should be understood that hydration systems that contain smaller diameter openings along with other elements described herein are also within the scope of the present invention. For example, the subsequently described tethers, closure members, wrench assemblies, handles, packs and positioning members described herein may be used with conventional sizes and styles of input ports and reservoirs. System 10 further includes a filler cap assembly 50 that is adapted to be secured to fill port 40 to obstruct opening 44 and thereby prevent drink fluid from passing therethrough. Filler cap assembly 50 includes a closure member, such as a cap 52, that is selectively secured to neck 42 to prevent drink fluid from passing through the opening. Neck 42 and cap 52 are selectively secured together by any suitable releasable fastening mechanism 54 that permits the cap to be secured to the neck to prevent drink fluid from passing through opening 44, and also to be selectively removed from the neck, such as to add or remove drink fluid from the reservoir or to clean the reservoir, and thereafter be resecured thereto. Examples of suitable fastening mechanisms include threads, pin-and-slot mechanisms, a snap fit between corresponding tongues and grooves on the neck portion and cap, and a friction fit between the cap and a corresponding portion of the fill port. However, any suitable fastening mechanism meeting the above criteria may be used. A fastening mechanism 54 is generally illustrated in dashed lines on the left side of FIG. 3, and a particular example of a fastening mechanism, namely corresponding sets of threads 56 and 58, is shown in dashed lines on the right side of FIG. 3. A benefit of such a configuration is that it provides additional protection against leaks caused by external forces applied to the reservoir that could cause weaker seals, such as friction fits, to fail or otherwise leak. In the illustrative embodiment of neck 42 shown on the right side of FIG. 3, the neck contains internal threads 56, and cap 52 contains a corresponding set of external threads 58. However, it should be understood that it is within the scope of the invention that neck 42 may contain external threads 60 and cap 52 may contain internal threads 62, such as shown on the left side of FIG. 4. In such a configuration, cap 52 is wider than the neck and extends across the terminal edge 63 of neck 42. In contrast, an externally threaded cap may, but does not necessarily, have a diameter and a thickness that are less than the corresponding diameter and thickness of the neck. It is further within the scope of the invention that a cap 52 that seals against the exterior surface of neck 42 may contain any of the other fastening mechanisms 54 described above, such as generally indicated on the right side of FIG. 4. An internally threaded cap may extend across opening 44, or may include a plug portion 64 that extends through the opening, such as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 4. In such an embodiment, the plug portion may or may not be configured to form a seal with the internal surface of neck 42. Filler cap assembly 50 preferably forms a watertight seal with fill port 40. This seal may be provided by the sealing mechanism used to secure cap 52 to fill port 40. Additionally or alternatively, the cap may include a seal member 65 that provides increased protection against leaks. Two illustrative examples of seal members 65 are shown in FIG. 5. On the left side of FIG. 5, the cap includes a deflectable member 66 that extends from the cap. The deflectable member deflects from the unbiased, or open, position shown in FIG. 5, to the sealing position shown in FIG. 3 as the cap is mounted on fill port 40. In the sealing position, the deflectable member forms a surface of contact against the neck, with member 66 being urged more tightly against the neck as the cap is screwed more tightly onto neck 42. On the right side of FIG. 3, cap 52 is shown including a seal member 65 in the form of a deformable gasket or washer 68. Also shown is an optional positioning member 70, such as a projecting rib, plurality of ribs, ring, or other suitable structure 72 that retains the gasket or washer in a desired position relative to the rest of the cap. It should be understood that it is within the scope of the present invention that cap 52 may have configurations other than the plug or internally threaded cap configurations shown and described above. Cap 52 preferably includes a user-grippable region 74 that is adapted to be grasped by a user to secure or release the cap from neck 42. For example, an internally threaded cap may include an external edge 76 that is textured or otherwise shaped or contoured to be firmly grasped by a user, even if the user's hand or the edge are wet. As another example, cap 52 may include a projecting handle that a user grasps and uses like a lever arm to selectively secure the cap to the neck, or remove the cap from the neck. In both of the above examples, the user-grippable portion extends outward from the cap's sealing mechanism. As another example, the user-grippable portion may be formed generally radially inward of the cap's sealing mechanism, such as shown in FIGS. 6-9. As shown, the plug portion 64 includes a pair of recesses 78 that are separated by a handle portion 80. Recesses are sized to receive a portion of a user's thumb and at least one finger as the user grasps handle portion 80. To remove cap 52 from reservoir 12, the user grasps handle portion 80 between the user's thumb and index or other fingers. The user then twists or otherwise manipulates the closure member to release the sealing mechanism, such as threads 56 and 58. Other suitable shapes and configurations of handle portions may be used. In FIGS. 6-9, handle portion 80 is shown including edge portions 82 and extend generally away from the lower surface 84 of the cap to provide a larger surface upon which a user's fingers may grasp the cap. In FIGS. 6-7, edge portions 82 extend along the length of handle portion 80 and include end regions 86 that extend further from lower surface 84 than the rest of the edge portions. In FIGS. 8-9, edge portions 82 further extend at least partially around portions of recesses 78 that are not bounded by handle portion 80. It is also within the scope of the present invention that edge portions 82 may not project beyond the rest of handle portion 80, and that handle portion 80 may be sized to extend no further away from reservoir 12 than fill port 40, thereby reducing the thickness of the fill port portion of the hydration system. It should be understood that these configurations are shown for purposes of illustration, and that other suitable configurations may be used and are within the scope of the invention. For example, user-grippable region 74 may be formed without recesses 78, in which case the handle portion will tend to project further away from surface 84 than in the illustrated embodiments. Similarly, the edge portions 82 may be shaped to provide a generally planar distal edge so that the cap does not include isolated peaks or projections, such as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 12. It should also be understood that the user-grippable portion shown in FIGS. 6-9 includes surface ornamentation, such as the curved shape of the handle portion, shape of the recesses and detailing within the recesses, which is not required for operation of the present invention. Upon release from fill port 40, cap 52 may be free from association with the hydration system, meaning that the cap is not coupled or retained near the hydration system. A benefit of such a configuration is that the cap may be moved to any selected position regardless of the corresponding position of the reservoir. A disadvantage of such a configuration is that the cap may be misplaced, lost, dropped, etc. Therefore, filler cap assembly 50 may additionally include a tether, or lanyard, 92 that couples the cap to the hydration system when the cap is released from the fill port, and thereby limits the degree to which the cap may be removed from the hydration system. For example, the tether 92 may interconnect the cap with the body portion, fill port, or other portion of the hydration system. For purposes of illustration, a tether 92 that interconnects cap 52 with fill port 40 is shown by referring back to FIG. 5. Tether 92 may vary in length, although it is preferably of sufficient length that cap 52 may be moved to a position where it does not obstruct the insertion or removal of drink fluid from reservoir 12. As shown, tether 92 includes an end region 94 that is coupled to cap 52, and another end region 95 that prevents the unintentional removal of the tether from the fill port. Regions 94 and 95 may be fixedly secured to the fill port and/or cap 52, and may even be integrally formed therewith. In the illustrated embodiment, tether 92 includes a central region 96 that extends through an aperture 98 in fill port 40, and region 95 takes the form of an anchor 100 that is sized so that it will not pass through aperture 98 when the cap is drawn away from the reservoir. Instead, anchor 100 is either at all times incapable of passing through aperture 98, or requires intentional manipulation of the anchor by a user to orient the anchor into a position where it will pass through the aperture. In the illustrated embodiment, central portion 96 is slidably received through aperture 98, with the anchor being drawn toward the aperture as the cap is drawn away from fill port 40. As shown, aperture 98 is formed in a member 101 that extends radially around port opening 44. However, fill port 40 may alternatively include only a projecting tab through which aperture 98 is formed, such as shown and described subsequently herein. Region 94 is coupled to the cap using any suitable structure. For example, in FIG. 5, region 94 includes a coupling 102 in the form of a ring 104 that is adapted to be attached to a mount 106 on cap 52. In FIG. 10, another example of a suitable tether 92 is shown, with the central region being twisted to better illustrate the structure of regions 94 and 95. As shown, mount 106 includes one or more projections 108 that extend from the underside of cap 52, with the projections including feet 112 that are adapted to prevent the unintentional removal of the projections through the ring. As discussed, it is also within the scope of the present invention that the hydration system may be formed without a tether 92, and that the tether may interconnect the cap with other portions of the hydration system, such as with neck 42, a pack into which the reservoir is inserted, or a portion of the reservoir's body, such as a projecting mount on the outer surface of the body, or a perimeter portion that is distal compartment 16. Another embodiment of a personal hydration system constructed according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 and generally indicated at 120. Unless otherwise specified, system 120 may be formed with the same elements, subelements and/or variations as the other hydration systems described, illustrated and/or incorporated herein. For example, system 120 includes a reservoir 12, a mouthpiece 20, a flexible drink tube, or hose, 22, a fill port 40, and a filler cap assembly 50 with a cap 52. Similarly, it should be understood that the other hydration systems described, illustrated and/or incorporated herein may be formed with the elements, subelements and variations described and illustrated in connection with system 120. Hydration system 120 includes a wrench assembly 122 that projects from fill port 40 and which includes a handle portion 124 that is adapted to be grasped by a user, such as to support reservoir 12 and/or the entire system 120. For example, a user may hold handle portion 124, which extends generally midway between the upper and lower ends of the reservoir, to position opening 44 horizontally and thereby completely fill the reservoir with drink fluid. Handle 124 may additionally or alternatively be used to provide support for the reservoir as filler cap assembly 50, such as cap 52 is grasped to secure the cap on neck 42 or to remove the cap therefrom. For example, recall that reservoir 12, or at least body portion 14 thereof, is at least typically formed from a flexible material, which is fastened to fill port 40. As a user grasps filler cap assembly 50 and twists or otherwise urges the closure member to move relative to the reservoir, this movement of the closure member relative to the reservoir tends to impart forces to the reservoir, such as to tend to stretch or twist the reservoir. To prevent these forces from damaging the reservoir or developing leaks in the seal between the body portion and the fill port, it may be desirable to support the fill port to at least partially, if not substantially or completely, isolate these forces. Wrench assembly 122 provides an example of such a support and isolation mechanism. Accordingly, hydration system 120 may be described as having a pair of handles, with a first handle 80 being adapted to secure and release cap 52 from neck 42, and a second handle 124 that is separately formed from the first handle. Handle 124 provides a mechanism for holding the filled or empty reservoir, as well as for maintaining the fill port in a desired orientation when the reservoir is filled. Handle 124 also provides a counter lever, or torque member to counteract the forces exerted upon the closure member to secure or release the closure member from fill port 40. In the illustrated embodiment, handle 124 is elongate and has a long axis that extends away from fill port 40. As such, handle 124 is typically grasped by a user so that the lateral edges 125 (shown in FIG. 13) of the handle extend across the user's palm generally transverse to the user's fingers, with the user's fingers and thumb all extending above the handle or below the handle. It should be understood that it is within the scope of the invention that handle 124 may have other configurations so long as at least one of the above criteria is satisfied. In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIGS. 11-13, wrench assembly 122 includes a support member 126 that encircles neck 42 of fill port 40 and is secured thereto. Although support member 126 is shown completely encircling neck 42, it is within the scope of the invention that the support member may only substantially or partially encircle the neck, or even that the support member may merely provide a point of attachment from which handle portion 124 extends. Illustrative demarcations of these alternatives are shown in dashed lines in FIG. 13. Member 126 may be either fixedly secured to the neck or other portion of fill port 40 or removably secured to the neck or other portion of the fill port. By “fixedly secured,” it is meant that member 126 is not removable from neck 42 or other portion of fill port 40 without destroying at least a portion of the wrench assembly or fill port. By “removably secured,” it is meant that the support member may be repeatedly removed from, and reattached to, neck 42 or another portion of fill port 40. Fixedly secured members 126 include members that are integrally formed with neck 42 or another portion of fill port 40, and members that are secured thereto with an adhesive, weld, or other form of permanent fastening mechanism. Removably secured members 126 include members that are coupled to neck 42 or another portion of fill port 40 by any of the previously described mechanisms identified in connection with fastening mechanism 54, such as threads, pin-and-slot mechanisms, a snap fit between corresponding tongues and grooves on the neck and support member, and a friction fit between the neck and corresponding portion of the fill port. When wrench assembly 122 is removably secured to fill port 40, the hydration system may be used without the wrench assembly, and the wrench assembly may be removed and replaced with a different wrench assembly, such as to provide additional structure or features not present in the removed version of the wrench assembly. Accordingly, the hydration system may be described as having an interchangeable wrench assembly. For purposes of illustration, a releasable support member 126 is shown in FIG. 13, and is releasably secured to neck 42 by fastening mechanisms 128 in the form of pin-and-slot mechanisms 130. As shown, member 126 includes a plurality of slots 132 into which corresponding pins, or teeth, 134 from neck 42 extend. In the illustrated embodiment, four slots 132 are shown, although it should be understood that the number of slots (and/or corresponding pins) may vary from as few as one, two or three slots (and/or pins) to more than four slots (and/or pins). Mechanism 130 may also be described as including a plurality of teeth or projections that are selectively engaged by corresponding catches to couple the wrench assembly with the fill port. It should also be understood that the support member may include the pins, with neck 42 including slots 132, and that other suitable fastening mechanisms may be used. In FIG. 13, each slot 132 is shown being open radially outward from neck 42 as well as open toward flange 46. This latter opening 136 enables the wrench assembly to be positioned onto neck 42 from above the neck, such that the pins pass into the corresponding lower openings in slots 132, and then rotated relative thereto to secure the pins into the distal portions of the slots, such as shown in FIG. 15. In FIG. 14, a variation of the pin-and-slot fastening mechanism is shown, in which one of the slots 138 is closed relative to the flange. As shown, a member 139 extends across the portion of slot 136 that forms opening 136 in corresponding slots 132. To mount the wrench assembly shown in FIG. 14 onto neck 42, slot 138 is mounted on its corresponding pin 134, then the remaining pins are inserted into their respective slots, and wrench assembly 122 is rotated to seat those remaining pins. A benefit of such a mechanism is that the wrench assembly cannot be removed from the hydration system simply by rotating the wrench assembly relative to fill port 40. Instead, the wrench assembly must be rotated, tilted at an angle to remove pins 134 from slots 132, and then moved away from fill port 40 to remove slot 136 from engagement with its corresponding pin. Accordingly, such a system protects against unintentional removal of the wrench assembly. Also shown in FIG. 14 are additional details of the tether shown in FIG. 5, as well another suitable configuration for the region of fill port 40 that defines aperture 98. As shown, aperture 98 is formed within a tab 140 that projects generally away from opening 44. In FIG. 14, system 120 is also shown including a catch 142 that may be used to hang the hydration system, such as within a pack, on a user's clothing, on a hanger, etc. As shown, catch 142 extends from wrench assembly 122. It is also within the scope of the invention that catch 142 may extend from reservoir 12, fill port 40 (such as from neck 42), and/or from filler cap assembly 50 (such as from cap 52). These additional positions for catches 142 are schematically indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 5. Catch 142 may also be described as a positioning device or hook. In FIGS. 16-18, the fill port, filler cap assembly, and wrench assembly portions of another personal hydration system constructed according to the present invention are shown and generally indicated at 40′, 50′ and 122′. Unless otherwise set forth herein, fill port 40′, filler cap assembly 50′ and wrench assembly 122′ may have the same elements, subelements and variations as the previously described fill port and wrench assembly, and may be used with any of the personal hydration systems described, illustrated and incorporated herein. As perhaps best seen in FIG. 18, wrench assembly 122′ includes a lock mechanism 150 that selectively secures the wrench assembly onto fill port 40′, thereby preventing wrench assembly 122′ from being rotated or otherwise moved to a position where it would otherwise be released from engagement from fill port 40′. A benefit of such a lock mechanism is that handle portion 124′ may be used to position and support the entire hydration system, even when the reservoir is filled with drink fluid, without concern that inadvertent twisting or pulling on the handle portion will cause the wrench assembly to disengage the fill port. Similarly, because the wrench assembly is retained in a defined position, or limited range of positions, when it is in the locked configuration, the handle portion provides a counter lever that may be used as a brace against the force required to secure cap 52′ to neck 42′, as well as the force required to release cap 52′ from neck 42′. In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 18, lock mechanism 150 includes a lock member 152, such as tooth 154, which selectively engages a lock receptacle 156, such as detent 158, to selectively lock the wrench assembly and fill port together. As shown, detent 158 is formed in support member 126, and tooth 154 is movable relative thereto. It is within the scope of the invention that this relationship may be reversed. Lock mechanism 150 further includes a release mechanism 160 that selectively configures the lock mechanism to its unlocked position, in which the wrench assembly may be removed from the fill port, such as from neck 42′. Release mechanism 160 includes a user-actuable element 164 that upon receipt of user-applied forces causes the release of the lock member and lock receptacle. As shown, element 164 takes the form of a lever 166 that draws tooth 154 out of detent 158 when a user presses upon the lever, such as with a user's thumb, finger, or another portion of the user's hand. User-actuable element 164 may be configured, or biased, to automatically return to its locked position, such as shown in FIG. 20, or may be configured to remain in a user-selected position (such as a locked or unlocked configuration) until moved from this position by another user-applied force. In FIGS. 19-20, the fill port, filler cap assembly, and wrench assembly portions of another personal hydration system constructed according to the present invention are shown and generally indicated at 40″, 50″ and 122″. Unless otherwise set forth herein, fill port 40″, filler cap assembly 50″ and wrench assembly 122″ may have the same elements, subelements and variations as the previously described fill port and wrench assembly, and may be used with any of the personal hydration systems described, illustrated and incorporated herein. As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, wrench assembly 122″ includes a handle portion 124″ having a different configuration from the previously illustrated handles or handle portions, such as handle 124. As shown, handle portion 124″ has a long axis that extends transverse or radially around the fill port 40″ and is adapted to be grasped by a user such that the terminal edge 170 of the handle generally faces a user's palm, with the user's thumb placed upon the upper surface 172 of the handle portion, such as in one of recesses 174, and the user's fingers extend beneath the handle portion. In FIG. 21, wrench assembly 122″ and fill port 40″ also illustrate another example of a suitable lock mechanism, which is generally indicated at 150″. Unlike the previously illustrated embodiment, in which user-actuable element 164 was positioned on handle portion 124′, element 164″ of release mechanism 160″ is positioned apart from handle portion 124″ to demonstrate that the lock mechanism may be located in a variety of positions relative to the handle portion. Similarly, element 164″ is adapted to be pulled away from neck 42″, as opposed to being pushed generally toward neck 40″ to further illustrate that release mechanism 160 may be configured to be actuated by a variety of different user-applied forces. For example, mechanism 160″ may be actuated by inserting a fingernail, screw driver, or other lever under tab 180 and then urging element 164″ away from neck 42″ so that lock member 152″ is released from lock receptacle 156″. In FIG. 21, another suitable configuration for the pin-and-slot mechanisms 130 that are used to couple wrench assembly 122″ to fill port 40″ is shown. More specifically, FIG. 21 illustrates slots 132 with covers 182 that extend radially outward from neck 42″. Covers 182 increase the strength of support member 126″ by providing additional material in the regions of slots 132, thereby reducing the comparative load applied to the portions of support member 126″ immediately adjacent slots 132. For purposes of illustration, three slots 132 include covers 182, while a fourth slot 136 does not. It should be understood, however, that all of the slots may include covers 182, none of the slots may include covers, or only some of the slots may include covers. Another personal hydration system constructed according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 22 and generally indicated at 200. Unless otherwise specified, system 200 may be formed with the same elements, subelements and/or variations as the other hydration systems described herein. For example, system 200 includes a reservoir 12, a mouthpiece 20, a flexible drink tube, or hose, 22, a fill port 40, and a filler cap assembly 50 with a cap 52. System 200 is shown also including a wrench assembly 122″, but it should be understood that system 200 may be formed without a wrench assembly. Similarly, it should be understood that the other hydration systems described, illustrated and/or incorporated herein may be formed with the elements, subelements and variations described and/or illustrated in connection with system 200. To illustrate that system 200 may be used with any of the previously described, illustrated and/or incorporated elements, subelements and variations, FIG. 23 shows system 200 including a previously discussed wrench assembly 122′, and fill port 40 that are different than the wrench assembly 122″ and fill port shown in FIG. 22. System 200 further includes a pack 202 with an internal compartment 204 into which reservoir 12 is received. Typically, reservoir 12 is removably received into compartment 204, such as through opening 206, but it is within the scope of the invention that the reservoir may be permanently received into the compartment. Pack 202 further includes body-mounting straps 208, such as a pair of shoulder straps 210. It is also within the scope of the invention that straps 208 may take the form of a single shoulder strap and/or strap that is adapted to extend around a user's waist. As shown, cap 52 is accessible through an opening 212 in the rear surface 214 of the pack. Although it is within the scope of the invention that the reservoir may be used without a pack or placed into a pack that does not include an opening through which cap 52 extends, a configuration in which the cap is accessible through an opening in the pack permits the reservoir to be filled or emptied through fill port 40 without removing the reservoir from the pack. Also shown in FIG. 22 is a retainer, or positioning device, 216 on the pack that is adapted to be engaged by a corresponding positioning device, or clasp, 142 on wrench assembly 122 to support the reservoir within the pack. Positioning devices 142 and 216 may also be described as a positioning assembly or hanger assembly that supports the reservoir within the pack's compartment to prevent the reservoir from accumulating in the lower portion of compartment 204. Because the upper portion of the reservoir is directly or indirectly retained proximate device 216, that portion of the reservoir cannot shift or drop to the lower portions of the pack's compartment. In FIG. 22, device 216 extends between opposed regions 218 of the pack's rear, or outer, surface 214 to provide opening 212 with a closed perimeter and to cooperate with device 142 to hang, or support, the reservoir from to the rear, or outer, surface of the pack. In FIG. 23, device 216 is shown extending from the inner surface 220 of the pack, and this position may also be described as extending from within compartment 204 of the pack. In FIG. 24, device 216 is adjustable to enable the position of the reservoir defined by device 216 to be adjusted and/or to release regions 218 to be flexed away from each other. An illustrative example of a suitable adjustment device 222 is shown in FIG. 24, but any suitable adjustable or releasable mechanism may be used. In FIG. 25, handle portion 124″ of wrench assembly 122″ is shown extending external pack 202, thereby permitting the handle portion to be grasped by a user when the reservoir is seated within the pack. This positioning of the handle assembly may provide the additional benefit that the wrench assembly prevents the wrench assembly (and fill port on which it is mounted) from falling to the lower portion of the pack's compartment because the wrench assembly at least partially overlaps with the pack's rear, or outer, surface 214 that defines opening 212. It is also within the scope of the invention that support member 126 of the wrench assembly is larger than opening 212, such as shown in FIG. 25, in which support member 126 overlaps with the region 224 of the pack's rear, or outer, surface that defines opening 212, and handle portion 124′ extends away from fill port 40 across the outer surface of the pack. These overlapping portions may cooperate to position the reservoir, but hydration system 200 may alternatively be formed with neither or only one of these overlapping portions, such as with a support portion that does not overlap with region 224, without a handle portion that extends outside of the pack, or without a wrench assembly. As discussed, however, the hanger assembly also may be used to retain the reservoir in a desired position relative to the pack, and it is within the scope of the invention that this positioning of the reservoir may be implemented by either or both of these mechanisms, that the hydration system includes a different positioning mechanism, or that the system is formed without a mechanism for retaining the reservoir in a selected position within the pack. In FIG. 26, another personal hydration system constructed according to the present invention is shown and generally indicated at 250. Unless otherwise specified, system 250 may be formed with the same elements, subelements and/or variations as the other hydration systems described, illustrated and/or incorporated herein. For example, system 250 includes a reservoir 12, a mouthpiece 20, a flexible drink tube, or hose, 22, a fill port 40, and a filler cap assembly 50. System 250 is shown also including a wrench assembly 122″, but it should be understood that system 250 may be formed without a wrench assembly. Similarly, it should be understood that the other hydration systems described, illustrated and/or incorporated herein may be formed with the elements, subelements and variations described in connection with system 250. Similar to the hydration system shown in FIG. 22, system 250 includes a pack 202 with an internal compartment 204 in which reservoir 12 is received. System 250 further includes a pocket 252 that extends from outer surface 214 of the pack. Also shown in FIG. 26 is a cover, or dust shield 254 that covers fill port 40, filler cap assembly 50, and opening 206. Cover 254 preferably includes a releasable fastening mechanism 256 that selectively retains the cover over the fill port. For purposes of illustration, a releasable fastening mechanism 256 in the form of a clip 258 is shown. In FIG. 25, the fastening mechanism interconnects the cover with pocket 252 via a strap assembly 260. However, it is within the scope of the invention that one or more fastening mechanisms 256 may be used to secure the cover to surface 214, such as shown in FIG. 27. In FIG. 27, a variety of releasable fastening mechanisms are shown for purposes of illustration. It should be understood that one or more of the illustrated mechanisms may be used, or that other types of fastening mechanisms may be used. Illustrated in FIG. 27 are clips 258, hook and loop fasteners 262, and zippers 264. Other examples include buttons, snaps, clasps and ties. Industrial Applicability The invented hydration systems are applicable to the hydration industry, and are specifically applicable to personal hydration systems, such as those worn by users in a variety of sporting, recreational, hunting, industrial, military and law enforcement applications. It is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. Similarly, where the claims recite “a” or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof, such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. It is believed that the following claims particularly point out certain combinations and subcombinations that are directed to one of the disclosed inventions and are novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or presentation of new claims in this or a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the inventions of the present disclosure. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Medical research has demonstrated the importance of maintaining adequate hydration while engaging in strenuous physical activities, such as running, bicycling, hiking, or mountain climbing. In the not too distant past, participants in such activities carried their water in bottles or canteens from which they drank periodically. More recently, personal hydration systems have been developed which allow users to drink more or less continuously while engaged in sporting or recreational activities. These personal hydration systems typically have a bag-like fluid reservoir that is carried in a back- or waist-mounted pack. A long flexible tube is connected to the reservoir through an exit port at one end and terminates in a mouthpiece at the other end. The tube is long enough to allow the mouthpiece to be carried in the user's mouth to enable the user to draw water from the reservoir at will. Examples of hydration systems and mouthpieces therefor are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,727,714, 5,060,833, 5,085,349, and 6,070,767, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Although personal hydration systems have proven to be a great advance over traditional water bottles, they do suffer from some drawbacks. One such drawback is providing a fluid reservoir with an interior that may be readily accessed by the user, such as for cleaning. Fluid reservoirs for hydration systems typically include a sealable opening through which a volume of fluid is added to the reservoir. An example of such an opening is a narrow-diameter neck that is sealed through a friction fit with a cap. Another example is a reservoir with an opening defined by generally opposed ribs that are sealed by compressing the ribs against each other, much like a ZIPLOCK™ brand storage bag. Still another example is a roll top, or folded, opening, much like a dry bag used in camping. These designs suffer from limitations regarding either their accessibility to the interior of the reservoir, or their durability, such as when exposed to repeated opening and closing and to external forces. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention is directed to hydration systems with improved fluid reservoirs. The reservoirs include a fill port with a neck having an opening. The hydration systems further include a closure member, such as a cap, that selectively seals the opening, and an elongate drink tube through which a user may draw drink fluid from the reservoir, such as via a mouthpiece associated with the drink tube distal the reservoir. The hydration systems further include a wrench assembly that extends around the neck and includes handle that projects generally away from the neck. In some embodiments, the wrench assembly provides a counter lever to assist in the removal or coupling of the cap onto the neck. In some embodiments, the wrench assembly is removably mounted on the fill port, and in some embodiments, the wrench assembly is fixed secured to the fill port. In some embodiments, the wrench assembly is rotatably coupled to the fill port and in other the wrench assembly is non-rotatably coupled to the fill port. In some embodiments, the hydration system includes a pack into which the reservoir is received. Many other features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which preferred embodiments incorporating the principles of this invention are disclosed as illustrative examples only. | 20040927 | 20060620 | 20050324 | 67321.0 | 1 | LARSON, JUSTIN MATTHEW | HYDRATION SYSTEM WITH IMPROVED FLUID RESERVOIR | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,952,294 | ACCEPTED | Electrical cable having a surface with reduced coefficient of friction | The present invention includes a cable having reduced surface friction and the method of manufacture thereof having steps in which a conductor wire is coated with a mixture of a plastic material and lubricating material and in which the coated conductor wire is cooled. The cable includes at least one conductor core and at least one coating of plastic material and incorporates a lubricating material in and/or on the plastic material. The equipment for the manufacturing of electrical cable includes a reel for supplying a conductor wire to an extruding head, which is connected to tanks containing plastic material and lubricating material for coating the conducting wire, and a reel for taking up the cable. | 1. A method for the manufacture of an electrical cable including: providing an electrical conductor wire; providing a plastic material; providing a lubricating material; mixing the plastic material and said lubricating material; and coating the conductor wire with said mixture of plastic material and lubricating material. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic material is in the form of pellets. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the lubricating material is incorporated or mixed with the plastic material prior to or as the plastic material is formed into pellets. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the lubricating material is introduced to and mixed with the plastic material prior to coating the conductor wire. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of coating the conductor wire is accomplished by extruding the mixture of plastic material and lubricating material onto the conductor wire. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein a mixture of the plastic material and lubricating material is introduced into the extruder. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the plastic material is introduced into the extruder and the lubricating material is subsequently introduced into the extruder. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lubricating material is selected from the group consisting essentially of fatty amides, hydrocarbon oils, plasticizers, silicone oils and mixtures thereof. 9. (canceled) 10. An electrical cable including at least one conductor core and at least one coating of plastic material having a lubricating material incorporated therein. 11. An apparatus for the manufacture of an electrical cable including a reel for supplying a conductor wire to an extruding head, said extruding head connected to a tank containing plastic material for coating the conducting wire, and a reel for taking up the cable, including a device for providing a lubricating material to the extruding head. 12. An apparatus for the manufacture of an electrical cable including a reel for supplying a conductor wire to an extruding head, said extruding head connected to a tank containing plastic material for coating the conducting wire, and a reel for taking up the cable, including a device for providing a lubricating material to the tank containing plastic material. 13. A method for manufacturing an electrical cable, comprising: providing an electrical conductor wire; providing a plastic material; providing a lubricating material; mixing the plastic material and said lubricating material; and coating the conductor wire with said mixture of plastic material and lubricating material wherein the plastic material has a temperature of at least 85° C.; and cooling coated conductor wire. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein during the coating step, the plastic material has a temperature of approximately 150 degree C. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein during the cooling step, the plastic material and the lubricating material are cooled to approximately 20 degree. C. 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the lubricating material is selected from the group consisting of fatty amides, hydrocarbon oils, plasticizers, silicone oils and mixtures thereof. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the lubricating material comprises oleamide. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the lubricating material comprises erucamide. 19. The method of claim 16, wherein the lubricating material comprises mineral oil. 20. The method of claim 16, wherein the lubricating material comprises silicone oil. 21. The method of claim 16, wherein the lubricating material comprises dibasic esters. 22. The method of claim 16, wherein the lubricating material comprises ethylenebisstearamide. 23. (canceled) 24. A method for manufacturing an electrical cable, comprising: providing an electrical conductor wire; providing a plastic material; providing a lubricating material; mixing the plastic material and said lubricating material; and coating the conductor wire with said mixture of plastic material and lubricating material, wherein the plastic material has a temperature of at least 20 ° C.; and cooling the coated conductor wire. 25. A method for the manufacture of fiber optic cable including: providing a fiber optic wire; providing a plastic material; providing a lubricating material; mixing the plastic material and said lubricating material; coating the wire with said mixture of plastic material and lubricating material; and cooling the coated fiber optic wire. 26. An electrical cable produced by the method of claim 1. | This application claims the benefit of priority of Provisional U.S. Pat. Application No. 60/587,584 filed Jul. 13, 2004, which is herein incorporated by reference. The present invention relates to an electrical cable and to a method of and equipment for reducing its coefficient of friction. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Electrical cables which include at least one conductor core and at least one coating are well known. Such cables present the disadvantage that their exterior surface has a high coefficient of friction, so that they are awkward to fit in internal sections of walls and ceilings or conduits, since when they come into contact with the surfaces they become stuck or difficult to pull, etc. In order to overcome said difficulty, alternative materials such as vaselines and the like have been used to coat the exterior surface of the cable, thereby reducing the coefficient of friction. In a complementary manner, guides of small diameter are sometimes used, one end of which is inserted through the cavity through which the cable has to pass and the other is attached to the end of the cable which must be inserted into the cavity. Thus, once the guide has emerged at the desired place it is pulled until the end of the cable appears again after having passed through the entire section. In numerous fields of application, and in particular telecommunications, electric or fiber optic cables are inserted into ducts. There is therefore a need to minimize the coefficient of friction between cables and the inside walls of ducts. In one solution, the core of the cable passes via a first extruder which applies a conventional sheath thereto i.e., a jacket and/or insulation, often made of polyethylene. The sheathed core then passes through a second extruder which applies a lubricant layer thereto, such as an alloy of silicone resin and polyethylene. The cable lubricated in that way then passes in conventional manner through a cooling vessel. A second solution provides for an extruder to cover the core of a cable with a sheath. At the outlet from that extruder there is disposed a coating chamber for applying granules of material to the still-hot sheath, which granules are designed to become detached when the cable is inserted in a duct. Finally, the coated cable passes through a cooling vessel. In both of these two prior solutions, it is necessary to interpose additional equipment between the extruder and the cooling vessel. That gives rise to a major alteration of the manufacturing line. In addition, the equipment for depositing the lubricant must be very close to the sheath extrusion head since otherwise it is not possible to control the thickness of the sheath properly. In any event, the additional equipment occupies non-negligible space and such an arrangement is not favorable for control over the dimensions of the sheath. Whatever the prior art method used, the manufacture and/or installation of said cables involves a considerable loss of time and an economic cost, since alternative materials are required. OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention thus seeks to provide a method for making a cable having a surface with reduced coefficient of friction that does not significantly alter the geometrical characteristics of the cable and the cable so produced. The invention thus provides a method for incorporating a lubricant in the sheath of a cable, the sheath being made by means of an extruder and optionally followed by a cooling vessel. In one embodiment of the present invention, the lubricant material is mixed with the sheath material prior to either material being heated. In another embodiment of the invention, the lubricant material is heated and mixed with the sheath material prior to the sheath material being heated. In a further embodiment of the invention, the lubricant material is mixed with the sheath material after both materials have been heated. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the non-heated lubricant material is mixed with heated sheath material. As used herein the term sheath means a jacket and/or insulation applied to the core of a cable. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With the method and cable of the invention said disadvantages can be solved, while providing other advantages which will be described below. The method for the manufacture of electrical cables is characterized in that it includes a step in which a lubricating material is mixed with the sheath material and this mixture is applied to the core of the cable. A cable with low coefficient of friction is achieved thereby, so that subsequent installation of the same is considerably simplified, since it slides over the surfaces with which it comes into contact. The step of mixing the lubricating material and the sheath material may be carried out with the lubricating material heated or not and the sheath material heated or not. The sheath material normally is introduced in pellet form to an extruder which heats and directs the sheath material onto the cable or conductor core. The present invention includes the embodiment of incorporating the lubricating material into the sheath pellets during the formation of the sheath pellets and introducing this mixture of sheath pellets and lubricant material into an extruder, the embodiment of mixing the lubricant material with the sheath pellets and the embodiment of introducing this mixture into the extruder, and introducing the sheath pellets into the extruder and subsequently introducing the lubricating material into the extruder prior to contacting the cable core. Advantageously, the lubricant material is selected from the group consisting essentially of fatty amides, hydrocarbon oils, fluorinated organic resins, and mixtures thereof. The lubricant material may be incorporated at any point in the manufacturing process before the formation of the sheath, and depending upon the material, may be heated prior to mixing with the sheath material. In instances where the sheath material has a high melting or softening temperature, or for other reasons such as processibility, efficiency of the process, etc. the lubricant material may be added to the sheath material as the sheath material is being formed. If the final cable construction is such that there are two or more different sheath materials applied to the cable core, the lubricant material need only be incorporated into the outermost sheath material. Advantageous fatty amides and metallic fatty acids include, but are not limited to erucamide, oleamide, oleyl palmitamide, stearyl stearamide, stearamide, behenamide, ethylene bisstearamide, ethylene bisoleamide, stearyl erucamide, erucyl stearamide, and the like. Advantageous hydrocarbon oils include, but are not limited to, mineral oil, silicone oil, and the like. Lubricating materials suitable for the present invention further include plasticizers, dibasic esters, silicones, anti-static amines, organic amines, ethanolamides, mono-and di-glyceride fatty amines, ethoxylated fatty amines, fatty acids, zinc stearate, stearic acids, palmitic acids, calcium stearate, lead stearate, sulfates such as zinc sulfate, etc., and the like. The above lubricating materials may be used individually or in combination. Suitable lubricating materials include fluorinated organic resins, such as a polymer of one or more fluorinated monomers selected from tetrafluoroethylene, vinylidene fluoride, chlorotrifluoroethylene and the like. The fluorinated resin is preferably used in the form of a powder, emulsion or aqueous dispersion. The electrical cable is characterized in that it incorporates a lubricating material in the sheath coating, which lubricating material blooms, migrates toward the exterior, or permeates the cable sheath. If desired the sheath material may be somewhat porous, thereby resulting in the lubricating material more readily migrating toward the exterior surface of the sheath. The sheath of the cable thus contains sufficient lubricating material to provide an exterior surface with reduced coefficient of friction. The equipment for the manufacturing of electrical cables is characterized in that it may include a device for the incorporation of a lubricating material into the sheath material prior to application to the cable core. Said equipment may also include a tank to maintain the lubricating material, a section for mixing the lubricating material and sheath material and a section for applying the mixture to the cable core. Moreover, the equipment may also include a pressure adjusting valve(s), a level indicator(s) of the lubricating material tank and sheath material tanks, and a pressure gauge(s). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the present invention, a drawing is attached in which, schematically and by way of example, an embodiment is shown. In said drawing, FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation view of equipment for manufacturing electrical cable, according to the method of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As can be appreciated in the figure, the equipment 11 for manufacturing electrical cable 12 of the present invention includes a reel 13 which supplies conductor wire 14 to an extruding head 15, which in turn includes a tank 16 of plastic material 17; a tank 18 of lubricating material 19 for mixture with plastic material 17 and for application onto the exterior surface of the conductor wire 14; a cooling box 20 for cooling the exterior surface of the plastic material 17—lubricating material 19 mixture which is in a state of fusion or semi-fusion on the conductor wire or cable core 14; and a reel 21 for taking up the resulting cable 12. As can also be seen in the figures, the tank 18 may include a section 22 through which the lubricating material can pass into tank 16 and be mixed with plastic material 17 and a section 23 through which lubricating material 19 can be introduced directly into extruding head 15 at a point after plastic material 17 has been introduced into extruding head 15. Plastic material 17 includes known materials used in electrical wire and cable products such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, organic polymeric thermosetting and thermoplastic resins and elastomers, polyolefins, copolymers, vinyls, olefin-vinyl copolymers, polyamides, acrylics, polyesters, fluorocarbons, and the like. The present inventive method and the novel cable produced thereby includes the step of coating conductor wire or cable core 14 with the mixture of plastic material 17 and lubricating material 19 and optionally cooling the coated cable formed thereby. Cable 12 is thus obtained with at least one conducting core and an exterior coating, the main characteristic of which is that its coefficient of friction is low, which makes it easier to install since it slips on the surfaces with which it comes into contact. Another beneficial property gained by the present invention is an increased resistance to “burn-through.” “Burn-through,” or “pull-by,” results from friction generated by pulling one cable over another during installation, causing deterioration and eventual destruction to its own jacket as well as the jacket of the other cable. When using a lubricated cable of this invention the number of six-inch-stroke cycles required to produce burn-through was increased from 100 to 300. The present inventive cable may also enhance ease in stripping the jacket from the cable end—termed stripability. A further benefit of the present invention is the reduction of jacket rippling. Jacket rippling results from the friction of the jacket against building materials, causing the jacket material to stretch and bunch. Jacket damage may result. Installation situations, which repeatedly caused jacket rippling in unlubricated cable caused no rippling in lubricated cable jackets. Despite the fact that reference has been made to specific embodiments of the invention, it will be clear to experts in the subject that the cable, the method and the equipment described can be varied and modified in many ways, and that all the details mentioned can be replaced by others which are technically equivalent without departing from the sphere of protection defined by the attached claims. For example, cable 12 on which plastic material 17 and lubricating material 19 are applied can be of any desired configuration and can be an optical fiber cable or the like. It has been found experimentally that the use of a lubricating material disclosed herein is suitable for providing a considerable reduction of the coefficient of friction of the cable, which means that it is easier to install without adding any external element to it, which is one of the objectives sought in the present invention. EXAMPLE To understand the affects of the jacket lubricant system on the ease of pull variations of the UL (Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.) joist pull test was utilized. The joist pull test outlined in UL 719 Section 23 establishes the integrity of the outer PVC jacket of Type NM-B constructions when subjected to pulling through angled holes drilled through wood blocks. The test apparatus consists of an arrangement of 2″×4″ wood blocks having holes drilled at 15° drilled through the broad face. Four of these blocks are then secured into an frame so that the centerlines of the holes are offset 10″ to create tension in the specimen through the blocks. A coil of NM-B is placed into a cold-box and is conditioned at −20° C. for 24 hours. A section of the cable is fed through corresponding holes in the blocks where the end protruding out of the last block is pulled through at 45° to the horizontal. The cable is then cut off and two other specimens are pulled through from the coil in the cold-box. Specimens that do not exhibit torn or broken jackets and maintain conductor spacing as set fort in the Standard are said to comply. Pulling wire through the wood blocks provides a more direct correlation of the amount of force required to pull NM-B in during installation. Because of this relationship, the joist-pull test is initially the basis for which ease of pulling is measured, but a test for quantifying this “ease” into quantifiable data had to be established. A variable-speed device was introduced to pull the cable specimen through the blocks. An electromechanical scale was installed between the specimen and the pulling device to provide a readout of the amount of force in the specimen. To create back tension a mass of known weight (5-lbs) was tied to the end of the specimen. Data recorded proved that NM-B constructions having surface lubricates reduced pulling forces. A 12-V constant speed winch having a steel cable and turning sheave was employed; the turning sheave maintains a 45 degree pulling angle and provides a half-speed to slow the rate of the pulling so that more data points could be obtained. Holes were drilled in rafters whereby specimens could be pulled by the winch. It was found using this method that lubricated specimens yielded approximately a 50% reduction in pulling force when compared to standard, non-lubricated NM-B specimens. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2 wherein the data was recorded at five second intervals. TABLE 1 Specimen Description Test Manufacturer Manufacturer Manufacturer Manufacturer Manufacturer Present Pt. Descr. Manufacturer A1 A2 A3 B1 B2 B3 Control 1 Control 2 Invention 1st Point 26.8 48.3 37.8 37.4 16.5 41.9 24 2nd Point 34.6 51.1 35.2 38.1 41.6 42 20.5 3rd Point 33.7 46.8 32 33 40.2 38.7 20 4th Point 38.6 49.8 34.7 34.6 41.3 29.5 17.4 5th Point 33.1 44.8 34.2 32.5 41.3 34.3 20.2 6th Point 28.6 44.7 32.2 33.2 42.5 35.9 15.8 7th Point 5.5 51 32.2 33.9 41.1 37 17.2 8th Point 26.8 49.2 33.9 33 40.9 38.4 17.3 9th Point 21.9 52.5 32.6 30.6 42.7 37.3 21.9 Average 30.51 48.69 33.87 34.03 41.45 37.22 19.37 AAA - Denotes Outlyers Test in Table 1 performed at a constant speed with winch using ½ speed pulley Test in Table 2 performed on cable with a 5# weight suspended at building entry Std. Prod. Average Present Invention 37.6289 19.37 AAA—Denotes Outlyers Test in Table 1 performed at a constant speed with winch using ½ speed pulley Test in Table 2 performed on cable with a 5# weight suspended at building entry Std. Prod. Average Present Invention 37.6289 19.37 TABLE 2 Specimen Description Test pt. Manufacturer A Manufacturer B Control 1 Control 2 Control 3 Invention A Invention B Descr. 14-2 14-2 14-2/12-2 14-2/12-2 14-2/12-2 14-2/12-2 14-2/12-2 1st Point 34 32.6 50 47.5 40.2 21.5 12.3 2nd Point 35 35.7 50.6 38.3 37.5 22.9 12.8 3rd Point 35.5 31.2 46.7 43.2 27.5 29 12.1 4th Point 37.7 35 44.5 46 36.8 22.4 14.9 5th Point 40.5 30.6 46.2 39.5 36 23.3 11.9 6th Point 32.9 28.8 40.9 35.7 41.2 21.1 12.5 7th Point 44.2 32.4 52.8 37.5 37 21.6 11.7 8th Point 43 32.4 40.7 27.7 31.7 22.5 11.7 9th Point 43.4 30.5 40 31.1 19.2 11 10th Point 40 11.6 Average 38.62 32.13 45.82 38.50 35.99 22.61 12.25 14-2/12-2 14-2/12-2 14-2/12-2 Control Avg. Invention A Invention B 40.103241 22.61 12.25 | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Electrical cables which include at least one conductor core and at least one coating are well known. Such cables present the disadvantage that their exterior surface has a high coefficient of friction, so that they are awkward to fit in internal sections of walls and ceilings or conduits, since when they come into contact with the surfaces they become stuck or difficult to pull, etc. In order to overcome said difficulty, alternative materials such as vaselines and the like have been used to coat the exterior surface of the cable, thereby reducing the coefficient of friction. In a complementary manner, guides of small diameter are sometimes used, one end of which is inserted through the cavity through which the cable has to pass and the other is attached to the end of the cable which must be inserted into the cavity. Thus, once the guide has emerged at the desired place it is pulled until the end of the cable appears again after having passed through the entire section. In numerous fields of application, and in particular telecommunications, electric or fiber optic cables are inserted into ducts. There is therefore a need to minimize the coefficient of friction between cables and the inside walls of ducts. In one solution, the core of the cable passes via a first extruder which applies a conventional sheath thereto i.e., a jacket and/or insulation, often made of polyethylene. The sheathed core then passes through a second extruder which applies a lubricant layer thereto, such as an alloy of silicone resin and polyethylene. The cable lubricated in that way then passes in conventional manner through a cooling vessel. A second solution provides for an extruder to cover the core of a cable with a sheath. At the outlet from that extruder there is disposed a coating chamber for applying granules of material to the still-hot sheath, which granules are designed to become detached when the cable is inserted in a duct. Finally, the coated cable passes through a cooling vessel. In both of these two prior solutions, it is necessary to interpose additional equipment between the extruder and the cooling vessel. That gives rise to a major alteration of the manufacturing line. In addition, the equipment for depositing the lubricant must be very close to the sheath extrusion head since otherwise it is not possible to control the thickness of the sheath properly. In any event, the additional equipment occupies non-negligible space and such an arrangement is not favorable for control over the dimensions of the sheath. Whatever the prior art method used, the manufacture and/or installation of said cables involves a considerable loss of time and an economic cost, since alternative materials are required. | <SOH> OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention thus seeks to provide a method for making a cable having a surface with reduced coefficient of friction that does not significantly alter the geometrical characteristics of the cable and the cable so produced. The invention thus provides a method for incorporating a lubricant in the sheath of a cable, the sheath being made by means of an extruder and optionally followed by a cooling vessel. In one embodiment of the present invention, the lubricant material is mixed with the sheath material prior to either material being heated. In another embodiment of the invention, the lubricant material is heated and mixed with the sheath material prior to the sheath material being heated. In a further embodiment of the invention, the lubricant material is mixed with the sheath material after both materials have been heated. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the non-heated lubricant material is mixed with heated sheath material. As used herein the term sheath means a jacket and/or insulation applied to the core of a cable. | 20040928 | 20080812 | 20060330 | 69490.0 | H01B344 | 5 | MAYO III, WILLIAM H | ELECTRICAL CABLE HAVING A SURFACE WITH REDUCED COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H01B | 2,004 |
|
10,952,474 | ACCEPTED | High alcohol content gel-like and foaming compositions | This invention relates to a “high lower alcohol content” (>40% v/v of a C1-4 alcohol) liquid composition able to be either dispensed as a stable foam with the use of non-propellant foam dispensing devices from non-pressurized containers or as an alcohol gel composition which does not use thickener and gelling agents that leave undesirable deposits or a sticky after-feel and that has a final viscosity less than 4,000 cps. The liquid compositions comprise an alcohol, C1-4 (>40% v/v), a fluorosurfactant of at least 0.001% by weight to prepare a foamable composition or from 0-2.0% to prepare a gel-like composition of a final viscosity less than 4,000 cps, 0-10% w/w of additional minor components added to obtain the desired performance (a foamable composition or a gel-like composition with a viscosity less than 4,000 cps), and the balance being purified water. The compositions may include emulsifier-emollients and mosturizers, secondary surfactants, foam stabilizers, fragrances, antimicrobial agents, other type of medicinal ingredients, and the like ingredients or additives or combinations thereof commonly added to alcohol gels or foams, aerosol compositions or to toiletries, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and the like. | 1. A composition, comprising; a) an alcohol C1-4, or mixtures thereof, present in an amount greater than about 40% v/v of the total composition; b) an effective fluorinated surface active agent for wetting and foaming present in an amount of at least 0.001% weight percent of the total composition; and c) water present in an amount to balance the total composition to 100% weight percent. 2. The composition according to claim 1 including air, wherein when the composition is mixed with air, the mixture of the composition and air forms a foam. 3. The composition according to claim 2 wherein the effective fluorinated surface active agent is a fluorosurfactant present in an amount from about 0.001% to about 10.0% weight percent of the total composition. 4. The composition according to claim 2 wherein the effective fluorinated surface active agent is a physiologically acceptable fluorosurfactant, and wherein the fluorosurfactant is selected from the group consisting of fluorinated ethoxylates, glycerol esters, amine oxides, acetylenic alcohol derivatives, carboxylates, phosphates, carbohydrate derivatives, sulfonates, betaines, esters, polyamides, silicones, and hydrocarbon surfactants. 5. The composition according to claim 2 wherein the alcohol C1-4 is an aliphatic alcohol selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, butanol and combinations thereof. 6. The composition according to claim 2 wherein the fluorosurfactant is an amphoteric polytetrafluoroethylene acetoxypropyl betaine (CF3CF2(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2(OAc)CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−) where n=2 to 4. 7. The composition according to claim 2 wherein the fluorosurfactant is an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)xH where Rf=F(CF2CF2)y, x=0 to about 15, and y=1 to about 7. 8. The composition according to claim 2 wherein the fluorosurfactant is an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH2CH2O)xP(O)(ONH4)y where Rf=F(CF2CF2)z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1, x+y=3, and z=1 to about 7 or mixtures thereof. 9. The composition according to claim 2 wherein the fluorosurfactant is a mixture of two or more of the fluorosurfactants selected from the group consisting of amphoteric polytetrafluoroethylene acetoxypropyl betaine {(CF3CF2(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2(OAc)CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−) where n=2 to 4}, an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)xH where Rf=F(CF2CF2)y, x=0 to about 15, and y=1 to about 7, and an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH2CH2O)x P(O)(ONH4)y where Rf=F(CF2CF2)z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1, x+y=3, and z=1 to about 7 or mixtures thereof. 10. The composition according to claim 2 wherein the alcohol is present in a range from about 40% to about 90% v/v. 11. The composition according to claim 2 wherein the alcohol is ethanol present in an amount of at least 60% v/v, and wherein the composition is for use as an alcohol foam for personal hygiene. 12. The composition according to claim 2 wherein the alcohol is a mixture of n-propanol and ethanol present in a combined amount of at least 60% v/v, and wherein the composition is for use as an alcohol foam for personal hygiene. 13. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the alcohol is a mixture of isopropanol and ethanol present in a combined amount of at least 60% v/v, and wherein the composition is for use as an alcohol foam for personal hygiene. 14. The composition according to claim 2 wherein the alcohol is isopropanol present in an amount of at least 70% v/v, and wherein the composition is for use as an alcohol foam for personal hygiene. 15. The composition according to claim 2 wherein alcohol is n-propanol present in an amount of at least 60% v/v, and wherein the composition is for use as an alcohol foam for personal hygiene. 16. The composition according to claim 2 further including at least one additional surfactant for adjusting properties of the composition and/or the resulting foam produced from the composition. 17. The composition according to claim 16 wherein the additional surfactant is selected from the group consisting of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, an alkyl alcohol, an alkenyl alcohol, an ester of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyhydric alcohol, an ester of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a polyalkoxylated derivative of a sorbitan fatty acid ester, an alkylglucoside, a betaine, a sulfobetaine, an imidazoline derivative, an aminoacid derivative, a lecithin, a phosphatide, an amine oxide, a sulfoxide and mixtures thereof, present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 5% weight percent. 18. The composition according to claim 17 wherein the betaine is cocamidopropyl betaine. 19. The composition according to claim 17 wherein the alkylglucoside is cocoglucoside. 20. The composition according to claim 17 wherein the polyethoxylated fatty alcohol is polyethoxylated stearyl alcohol (21 moles ethylene oxide). 21. The composition according to claim 17 wherein the polyethoxylated fatty alcohol is polyethoxylated stearyl alcohol (2 moles ethylene oxide). 22. The composition according to claim 17 wherein the polyethoxylated fatty alcohol is a combination of polyethoxylated stearyl alcohol (21 moles ethylene oxide) and polyethoxylated stearyl alcohol (2 moles ethylene oxide). 23. The composition according to claim 2 including a foam stabilizing agent present in an amount up to 5%. 24. The composition according to claim 23 wherein the foam stabilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid esters of monoglycerides, cationic emulsifiers, triquaternized stearic phospholipid complex, hydroxystearamide propyltriamine salts, lactic acid monoglycerides, food emulsifiers such as glyceryl monostearate, propylene glycol monostearate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, cetyl betaine, glycolether, n-propanol, butyleneglycol, silicone wax, an encapsulated oil, Microcapsule Mineral Oil, and combinations thereof. 25. The composition according to claim 23 wherein the foam stabilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of glycolether, n-propanol, butyleneglycol, and combinations thereof. 26. The composition according to claim 2 including any one of a moisturizer, emollient and combinations thereof selected from the group consisting of lanolin, vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone and polyols selected from the group consisting of glycerol, propylene glycol, butyleneglycol and sorbitol, or a fatty alcohol selected from the group consisting of cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol and palmityl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, ceteareth 20, or an alkylglucoside and combinations thereof, present in an amount up to 5%. 27. The composition according to claim 2 further comprising an acid or a base to adjust a pH of the composition to a pre-selected pH present in an amount from about 0.05 to about 0.5% weight percent of the total composition. 28. The composition according to claim 27 wherein when an acid is used to adjust the pH the acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, citric acid and phosphoric acid, and wherein when a base is used to adjust the pH the base is sodium sesquicarbonate. 29. The composition according to claim 2 including a preservative in an amount from about 0.01 to about 5% weight percent of the total composition. 30. The composition according to claim 2 including an antimicrobial agent. 31. The composition according to claim 30 wherein the antimicrobial agent is chlorhexidine gluconate present in an amount between about 0.50% to about 4.0% weight percent. 32. The composition according to claim 30 wherein the antimicrobial agent is didecyl dymethyl diamonium chloride present in an amount between about 0.05% to about 5.0% weight percent. 33. The composition according to claim 30 wherein the antimicrobial agent is selected from the group of a chlorhexidine salt, iodine, a complexed form of iodine, parachlorometaxylenol, triclosan, hexachlorophene, a phenol, a surfactant having a long chain hydrophobic group and a quaternary group, hydrogen peroxide, silver, a silver salt, silver oxide, and mixtures thereof. 34. The composition according to claim 2 further comprising constituents selected from the group consisting of organic gums and colloids, lower alkanolamides of higher fatty acids, short chain diols and/or triols, fragrance, coloring matter, ultraviolet absorbers, solvents, suspending agents, buffers, conditioning agents, antioxidants, bactericides and medicinally active ingredients, and combinations thereof. 35. The composition according to claim 2 stored in an unpressurized dispenser having a dispenser pump for mixing the composition with air and dispensing foam therefrom. 36. The composition according to claim 2 stored in a pressurized dispenser having a dispenser pump for mixing the composition with air or a propellant and dispensing foam therefrom, the composition including an aerosol propellant in an amount from about 3 to about 20 weight percent of the total composition. 37. The composition according to claim 36 wherein the aerosol propellant is selected from the group consisting of propane, carbon dioxide butane, dichloro difluoro methane, dichloro tetra fluoro ethane octafluorocyclo butane; 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane; 1,1,1,2,3,3,3 heptafluoropropane, and 1,1,1,3,3,3,-hexafluoropropane. 38. The composition according to claim 36 including a corrosion inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate, in an amount from about 0.1 to about 5 weight percent of the total composition. 39. A composition concentrate, comprising; a) an amphoteric, anionic or non-ionic fluorosurfactant present in an amount from about 0.01 to about 1.0%; b) a foam stabilizing agent including at least from about 0.01 to about 12.0% of n-propanol; c) one of moisturizers, emollients and combinations thereof present in a range from about 0.05% to about 5.0%; and d) water. 40. The composition concentrate according to claim 39 wherein the amphoteric, anionic or non-ionic fluorosurfactant is an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH2CH2O)xP(O)(ONH4)y where Rf=F(CF2CF2)z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1, x+y=3, and z=1 to about 7, or an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)xH where Rf=F(CF2CF2)y, x=0 to about 15 and y=1 to about 7; or Polytetrafluoroethylene Acetoxypropyl Betaine CF3CF2(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2(OAc)CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−, where n=2-4, or mixtures thereof 41. The composition concentrate according to claim 39 wherein the foam stabilizing agent includes 1,3 Butyleneglycol and 2-Butoxyethanol. 42. The composition concentrate according to claim 39 wherein the moisturizers and emollients include cocoglucoside, glycerine and glyceryl oleate. 43. The composition concentrate according to claim 39 which is constituted as an alcohol disinfecting composition by adding a) an alcohol C1-4, or mixtures thereof, present in an amount between about 60 to about 80% v/v of the total composition; c) water present in an amount to balance the total composition to 100% weight percent. 44. The composition concentrate according to claim 43 wherein the alcohol C1-4 is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol and combinations thereof. 45. The composition concentrate according to claim 39 made by a process of mixing the constituents and then warming the concentrate to a temperature between about 30 to about 80 degrees Celsius prior to shipping the concentrate. 46. An alcohol disinfecting composition, comprising; a) a) an alcohol C1-4, or mixtures thereof, present in an amount between about 60% to about 80% v/v of the total composition; b) a physiologically acceptable fluorosurfactant present in an amount from about 0.01% to about 2.0% weight percent of the total composition; c) a foam stabilizing agent present in an amount from about 0.01 to about 12.0% weight percent; d) any one of moisturizers, emollients and combinations thereof present in an amount from about 0.05 to about 5.0% weight percent; and e) water in an amount to balance the total composition to 100% weight percent. 47. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 46 including air, wherein when the disinfecting composition is mixed with air, the mixture of disinfecting composition and air forms a foam. 48. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claims 47 wherein the fluorosurfactant is an amphoteric polytetrafluoroethylene acetoxypropyl betaine (CF3CF2(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2(OAc)CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−) where n=2 to 4. 49. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 47 wherein the fluorosurfactant is an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)xH where Rf=F(CF2CF2)y, x=0 to about 15 and y=1 to about 7. 50. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 47 wherein the fluorosurfactant is an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH2CH2O)xP(O)(ONH4)y where Rf=F(CF2CF2)z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1, x+y=3, and z=1 to about 7. 51. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 46 wherein the fluorosurfactant is selected from the group consisting of fluorinated ethoxylates, glycerol esters, amine oxides, acetylenic alcohol derivatives, carboxylates, phosphates, carbohydrate derivatives, sulfonates, betaines, esters, polyamides, silicones, hydrocarbon surfactants, and a mixture of two or more of the fluorosurfactants selected from the group consisting of amphoteric polytetrafluoroethylene acetoxypropyl betaine {(CF3CF2(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2(OAc)CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−) where n=2 to 4}, an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)xH where Rf=F(CF2CF2)y, x=0 to about 15, and y=1 to about 7, and an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH2CH2O)xP(O)(ONH4)y where Rf=F(CF2CF2)z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1, x+y=3, and z=1 to about 7 or mixtures thereof. 52. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 46 wherein the foam stabilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid esters of monoglycerides, cationic emulsifiers, triquaternized stearic phospholipid complex, hydroxystearamide propyltriamine salts, lactic acid monoglycerides, food emulsifiers such as glyceryl monostearate, propylene glycol monostearate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, silicone wax, an encapsulated oil, Microcapsule Mineral Oil, butyleneglycol, butoxyethanol and or n-propanol and mixtures thereof. 53. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 46 wherein the foam stabilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of butoxyethanol, glycolether, n-propanol, butyleneglycol, and combinations thereof. 54. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 46 including any one of a moisturizer, emollient and combinations thereof selected from the group consisting of lanolin, vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone and polyols selected from the group consisting of glycerol, propylene glycol, butyleneglycol and sorbitol, or a fatty alcohol selected from the group consisting of cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol and palmityl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, ceteareth 20, or an alkylglucoside and combinations thereof, present in an amount up to 5%. 55. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 46 including a moisturizer and an emollient selected from the group consisting of glyceryl oleate, glycerine, cocoglucoside and combinations thereof. 56. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 46 including an antimicrobial agent. 57. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 56 wherein the antimicrobial agent is chlorhexidine gluconate present in an amount between about 0.50% to about 4.0% weight percent. 58. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 56 wherein the antimicrobial agent is Didecyl Dymethyl Diamonium Chloride present in an amount between about 0.50% to about 5.0% weight percent. 59. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 56 wherein the antimicrobial agent is selected from the group of a chlorhexidine salt, iodine, a complexed form of iodine, parachlorometaxylenol, triclosan, hexachlorophene, a phenol, a surfactant having a long chain hydrophobic group and a quaternary group, hydrogen peroxide, silver, a silver salt, silver oxide, and mixtures thereof. 60. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 46 including a preservative in an amount from about 0.01 to about 5% weight percent of the total composition. 61. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 46 including a preservative in an amount from about 0.01 to about 5% weight percent of the total composition. 62. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 46 further comprising an acid or a base to adjust a pH of the disinfecting composition to a pre-selected pH present in an amount from about 0.05 to about 0.5% weight percent of the total composition. 63. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 62 wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, citric acid and phosphoric acid, and the base is sodium sesquicarbonate. 64. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 46 stored in an unpressurized dispenser having a dispenser pump for mixing the disinfecting composition with air and dispensing foam therefrom. 65. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 46 stored in a pressurized dispenser having a dispenser pump for mixing the disinfecting composition with air or a propellant and dispensing foam therefrom, the disinfecting composition including an aerosol propellant in an amount from about 3 to about 20 weight percent of the total composition. 66. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 65 wherein the aerosol propellant is selected from the group consisting of propane, carbon dioxide, butane, dichloro difluoro methane, dichloro tetra fluoro ethane octafluorocyclo butane; 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane; 1,1,1,2,3,3,3 heptafluoropropane, and 1,1,1,3,3,3,-hexafluoropropane. 67. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 65 including a corrosion inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate, in an amount from about 0.1 to about 5 weight percent of the total composition. 68. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 46 including any one of a moisturizer, emollient and combinations thereof selected from the group consisting of lanolin, vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone and polyols selected from the group consisting of glycerol, propylene glycol, butyleneglycol and sorbitol, or a fatty alcohol selected from the group consisting of cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol and palmityl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, ceteareth 20, or an alkylglucoside and combinations thereof, present in an amount up to 5%. 69. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 46 further comprising other constituents or materials including organic gums and colloids, lower alkanolamides of higher fatty acids, short chain diols and/or triols, fragrance, coloring matter, additional emollients, ultraviolet absorbers, solvents, emulsifiers, foam stabilizers or mixture of such stabilizers, suspending agents, buffers, conditioning agents, antioxidants, bactericides, medicinal active ingredient, and the like) that may be commonly added to aerosol compositions, toiletries, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. 70. An alcohol disinfecting composition, comprising; a) ethanol present in an amount between about 60% to 70% v/v of the total composition; b) a physiologically acceptable fluorosurfactant or mixtures thereof in an amount from about 0.01% to about 2.0% weight percent of the total composition; c) at least one secondary surfactant present in an amount from about 0.01 to about 10.0% weight percent; d) a foam stabilizing agent; and e) water in an amount to balance the total composition to 100% weight percent. 71. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 70 wherein the fluorosurfactant is an amphoteric polytetrafluoroethylene acetoxypropyl betaine (CF3CF2(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2(OAc)CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−) where n=2 to 4. 72. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 70 wherein the fluorosurfactant is an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)xH where Rf=F(CF2CF2)y, x=0 to about 15 and y=1 to about 7. 73. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 70 wherein the fluorosurfactant is an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH2CH2O)xP(O)(ONH4)y where Rf=F(CF2CF2)z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1, x+y=3, and z=1 to about 7. 74. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 70 wherein the fluorosurfactant is selected from the group consisting of fluorinated ethoxylates, glycerol esters, amine oxides, acetylenic alcohol derivatives, carboxylates, phosphates, carbohydrate derivatives, sulfonates, betaines, esters, polyamides, silicones, hydrocarbon surfactants, and a mixture of two or more of the fluorosurfactants selected from the group consisting of amphoteric polytetrafluoroethylene acetoxypropyl betaine {(CF3CF2(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2(OAc)CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−) where n=2 to 4}, an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)xH where Rf=F(CF2CF2)y, x=0 to about 15, and y=1 to about 7, and an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH2CH2O)xP(O)(ONH4)y where Rf=F(CF2CF2)z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1, x+y=3, and z=1 to about 7 or mixtures thereof. 75. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 70 wherein the secondary surfactant is at least one selected from the group consisting of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, an alkyl alcohol, an alkenyl alcohol, an ester of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyhydric alcohol, an ester of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a polyalkoxylated derivative of a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a betaine, a sulfobetaine, an imidazoline derivative, an aminoacid derivative, a lecithin, a phosphatide, an amine oxide, a sulfoxide and mixtures thereof, present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 5% weight percent. 76. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 70 wherein the secondary surfactant is cocoamidopropyl betaine. 77. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 70 including an emulsifier or mixture of emulsifiers present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 1.5% weight percent. 78. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 77 wherein the emulsifier is a mixture of cetyl ethers and stearyl ethers of polyethylene oxide having an average of about 20 oxide units. 79. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 70 wherein the foam stabilizing agent is cetyl betaine. 80. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 70 including an antimicrobial agent. 81. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 80 wherein the antimicrobial agent is chlorhexidine gluconate present in an amount between about 0.50% to about 4.0% weight percent. 82. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 80 wherein the antimicrobial agent is Didecyl Dymethyl Diamonium Chloride present in an amount between about 0.50% to about 5.0% weight percent. 83. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 82 wherein the antimicrobial agent is selected from the group of a chlorhexidine salt, iodine, a complexed form of iodine, parachlorometaxylenol, triclosan, hexachlorophene, a phenol, a surfactant having a long chain hydrophobic group and a quaternary group, hydrogen peroxide, silver, a silver salt, silver oxide, and mixtures thereof. 84. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claims 70 including a preservative in an amount from about 0.01 to about 5% weight percent of the total composition. 85. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claims 70 including a preservative in an amount from about 0.01 to about 5% weight percent of the total composition. 86. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 70 further comprising an acid or a base to adjust a pH of the disinfecting composition to a pre-selected pH present in an amount from about 0.05 to about 0.5% weight percent of the total composition. 87. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 86 wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, citric acid and phosphoric acid, and the base is sodium sesquicarbonate. 88. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 70 stored in an unpressurized dispenser having a dispenser pump for mixing the disinfecting composition with air and dispensing foam therefrom. 89. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 70 stored in a pressurized dispenser having a dispenser pump for mixing the disinfecting composition with air or a propellant and dispensing foam therefrom, the disinfecting composition including an aerosol propellant in an amount from about 3 to about 20 weight percent of the total composition. 90. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 89 wherein the aerosol propellant is selected from the group consisting of propane, carbon dioxide, butane, dichloro difluoro methane, dichloro tetra fluoro ethane octafluorocyclo butane; 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane; 1,1,1,2,3,3,3 heptafluoropropane, and 1,1,1,3,3,3,-hexafluoropropane. 91. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 89 including a corrosion inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate, in an amount from about 0.1 to about 5 weight percent of the total composition. 92. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 70 including a moisturizer and/or emollient selected from the group consisting of lanolin, alkylglucoside, vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone and polyols selected from the group consisting of glycerol, propylene glycol, glyceryl oleate and sorbitol, or a fatty alcohol selected from the group consisting of cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol and palmityl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, ceteareth 20, and combinations thereof, present in an amount up to 5% weight percent. 93. The alcohol disinfecting composition according to claim 70 further comprising other constituents or materials including organic gums and colloids, lower alkanolamides of higher fatty acids, short chain diols and/or triols, fragrance, coloring matter, additional emollients, ultraviolet absorbers, solvents, emulsifiers, foam stabilizers or mixture of such stabilizers, suspending agents, buffers, conditioning agents, antioxidants, bactericides, medicinal active ingredient, and the like) that may be commonly added to aerosol compositions, toiletries, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. 94. The alcohol disinfecting composition concentrate according to claim 43 made by a process of mixing the constituents and then shipping the concentrate, and just prior to reconstituting the concentrate with alcohol, warming the concentrate to a temperature between about 30 to 80 degrees. 95. An alcohol gel-like composition, comprising; a) an alcohol C1-4, or mixtures thereof, present in an amount greater than about 40% v/v of the total composition; b) at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, an alkyl alcohol, an alkenyl alcohol, an ester of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyhydric alcohol, an ester of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a polyalkoxylated derivative of a sorbitan fatty acid ester, and mixtures thereof, present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 5% weight percent c) an emulsifier present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 3.0% weight percent; and d) water in an amount sufficient to form a stable gel composition with a viscosity less than 4,000 cps. 96. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 95 including an effective fluorinated surface active agent for wetting. 97. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 96 wherein the effective fluorinated surface active agent is a fluorosurfactant selected from the group consisting of fluorinated ethoxylates, glycerol esters, amine oxides, acetylenic alcohol derivatives, carboxylates, phosphates, carbohydrate derivatives, sulfonates, betaines, esters, polyamides, silicones, hydrocarbon surfactants. 98. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 96 wherein the effective fluorinated surface active agent is an amphoteric polytetrafluoroethylene acetoxypropyl betaine (CF3CF2(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2(OAc)CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−) where n=2 to 4, present in an amount from about 0.001% weight percent to about 2.5. 99. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 96 wherein the effective fluorinated surface active agent is an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)xH where Rf=F(CF2CF2)y, x=0 to about 15 and y=1 to about 7 present in an amount from about 0.001% weight percent to about 2.5. 100. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 96 wherein the effective fluorinated surface active agent is an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH2CH2O)x P(O)(ONH4)y where Rf=F(CF2CF2)z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1, x+y=3, and z=1 to about 7 present in an amount from about 0.001% weight percent to about 2.5. 101. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 96 wherein the fluorosurfactant is a mixture of two or more of the fluorosurfactants in claims 96, 97 or 98 present in an amount from about 0.001% weight percent to about 2.5. 102. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 95 wherein the alcohol C1-4 is an aliphatic alcohol selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol and butanol. 103. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 95 wherein the at least one nonionic surfactant is a polyethoxylated fatty alcohol which is polyethoxylated stearyl alcohol (21 moles ethylene oxide) in an amount of 0.1% to about 5% so that the final disinfecting composition has a final viscosity of less than 4,000 cps. 104. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 95 wherein the at least one nonionic surfactant is a polyethoxylated fatty alcohol which is polyethoxylated stearyl alcohol (2 moles ethylene oxide) present in an amount of 0.1% to about 5% so that the final disinfecting composition has a final viscosity of less than 4,000 cps. 105. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 95 wherein the at least one nonionic surfactant is a combination of polyethoxylated stearyl alcohol (21 moles ethylene oxide) and polyethoxylated stearyl alcohol (2 moles ethylene oxide) present in an amount of 0.1% to about 5% so that the final disinfecting composition has a final viscosity of less than 4,000 cps. 106. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 95 including an emulsifier moisturizer and emollient ingredient or mixture of ingredients present in an amount from about 0.10 to about 2.0% weight percent so that the final disinfecting composition has a final viscosity of less than 4,000 cps. 107. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 106 wherein the emulsifier moisturizer and emollient ingredient or mixture of ingredients is comprised of a mixture of cetearyl alcohol and ceteareth 20. 108. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 95 including an antimicrobial agent. 109. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 108 wherein the antimicrobial agent is chlorhexidine gluconate present in an amount between about 0.50% to about 4.0% weight percent. 110. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 108 wherein the antimicrobial agent is selected from the group of a chlorhexidine salt, iodine, a complexed form of iodine, parachlorometaxylenol, triclosan, hexachlorophene, a phenol, a surfactant having a long chain hydrophobic group and a quaternary group, hydrogen peroxide, silver, a silver salt, silver oxide, and mixtures thereof. 111. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 95 including a preservative in an amount from about 0.01 to about 5% weight percent of the total composition. 112. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 95 further comprising an acid or a base to adjust a pH of the composition to a pre-selected pH present in an amount from about 0.05 to about 0.5% weight percent of the total composition. 113. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 112 wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, citric acid and phosphoric acid, and the base is sodium sesquicarbonate. 114. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 95 stored in an unpressurized dispenser having a dispenser pump for dispensing the composition therefrom in a gel-like form. 115. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 95 stored in a pressurized dispenser having a dispenser pump for dispensing the disinfecting composition therefrom, including an aerosol propellant in an amount from about 3 to about 20 weight percent of the total composition. 116. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 115 wherein the aerosol propellant is selected from the group consisting of propane, carbon dioxide butane, dichloro difluoro methane, dichloro tetra fluoro ethane and octafluorocyclo butane; 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane; 1,1,1,2,3,3,3 heptafluoropropane, and 1,1,1,3,3,3,-hexafluoropropane. 117. The alcohol gel-like composition according to claim 115 including a corrosion inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate, in an amount from about 0.1 to about 5 weight percent of the total composition. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS This patent application relates to, and claims the priority benefit from, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/506,172 filed on Sep. 29, 2003, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/591,601 filed on Jul. 28, 2004 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to compositions with high contents of lower alcohol (C1-4) that could be a gel-like composition or a solution able to be dispensed as a foam. The compositions to be dispensed as foams contain a fluorosurfactant and when mixed with air provide a stable alcohol foam which can be used for personal cleaning or for disinfecting purposes. The gel-like compositions may or may not contain a fluorosurfactant. BACKGROUND ART Ethanol and/or Isopropyl alcohol compositions with at least 60% percent v/v (approximately 52% by weight) are well known to be antibacterial, therefore widely accepted for disinfecting purposes. Nonetheless due to the inherent characteristics of alcohol, it is perceived that the higher the content the better the product and a higher than 60% by volume alcohol content solution is more desirable. Alcohol disinfectant solutions are generally thickened in order to eliminate the waste and facilitate spreading the composition throughout the desired area. It is also known that other than gelling agents one can use paraffin or waxes to achieve thickening of a solution with high alcohol concentration. Such a composition added with lanolin to reduce the melting point closer to body temperature is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,054,989. One of the disadvantages of gels and such type thick alcohol containing compositions is that if they do not leave a tacky feeling on the hands after one use (although some do), the effect builds up after repetitive use during the day, making it necessary to eventually wash off the thickeners before continuing the usage of an alcohol antiseptic solution. The present invention if formulated for such type of product does not leave such a feel, and does not need to be washed off after having been used repeatedly. Another way of thickening high alcohol content solutions has also been taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,395 and 6,623,744 where they use emulsifiers and surfactants as the thickening system to produce a hydroalcoholic lotion with a viscosity of at least 4,000 cps. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,170 discloses polyethoxylated non-ionic surfactants/emulsifiers to stabilize the added emollient oils in addition to a fatty alcohol although with the addition of a polymeric thickening agent to prepare a hydroalcoholic skin moisturizing/conditioning antimicrobial gel. The disinfecting compositions of the present invention that are gel-like have a viscosity lower than 4,000 cps and no polymeric thickening agent is added. Generally speaking a high alcohol content disinfectant solution disinfects but does not clean. In order to make them disinfect and clean, so much soap would be needed that the skin would feel soapy and disagreeable, unacceptable for rubbing alcohol purposes. Nonetheless, a non-irritant skin disinfecting high lower alcohol content formulation for use as a skin-washing agent is successfully attained by combining emulsifiers, surfactants and skin emollients to be used as a gel or ointment as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,006. Surfactants other than for cleaning purposes are also used for spreading an aqueous composition containing one or more active substances rapidly and evenly over a surface due to their wetting properties. The use of good wetting agents definitely improves the efficient use of active substances in different compositions as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,993. Hence, the composition described in the present invention includes the addition of surfactants, specifically fluorosurfactants which are well known for their unparalleled wetting power and which are also surface-active in the lower alcohols used as disinfectant and solvent system in levels which make it acceptable even for rubbing alcohol purposes, providing cleaning, wetting and foaming properties to the composition. Although a high alcohol content disinfectant solution has good disinfectant characteristics, it has a sharp smell and is generally perceived to cause drying of the skin, characteristics which can also be diminished to a desirable level in the present invention. A greater than 40% v/v alcohol foam product, easy and safe to use, is desirable over conventional gel or ointment type composition products. The concentration of alcohol already poses a hazard in itself, and there are many applications in which the perceived risk may be diminished if it could be dispensed as a foam without the use of pressurized aerosol containers. A foam intended to be useful as a skin disinfecting agent must have a uniform consistency, spreadability, cleansing ability, and have a pleasant feel, i.e. have rapid breaking power when pressure is applied; all of which present a challenge for a high lower alcohol content composition. The description of an aqueous foaming skin disinfecting composition using 15% w/w alcohol as a co-solvent, which requires no pressurized container or added propellant to produce the foam, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,150. The foam-forming agents utilized heretofore, have been incapable of forming stable foams when the liquid phase has high alcohol content without using other ingredients. Furthermore, lower alcohols have been considered to be defoamers rather than foam-promoting chemicals. According to Klausner, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,131,153, if more than 64% alcohol is used non-homogeneous compositions are obtained. The compositions in the patent required propellant to foam and the foams produced were of limited stability. Prior to this invention, when a greater than 40% v/v alcohol concentration is required in a product, it is generally accepted that the product will be either liquid or gel, and that if a foam is desired then the concentration of alcohol would need to be reduced or the use of a propellant and a pressurized system would be required. Surprisingly, in the few “foamable” high alcohol content products disclosed, the types of foam obtained were not similar to those expected from aqueous solutions. The foams obtained are described as fast or aerated foam, quick breaking, with low or limited stability, which would not last for more than one minute, being generally gone within seconds. It has been disclosed that fluorosurfactants and alcohol can be combined to produce a “stable” foam by a process using high-pressurized means to generate the foam. Highly stable pressurized foams containing high lower alcohol contents and methods of forming and using such pressurized foams in the oil industry using a non-ionic surfactant or mixture of non-ionic surfactants of a specific group of fluorosurfactants are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,653. The compositions in this patent require the use of a pressurized gas system to generate the foam. Various examples of compositions with a high lower alcohol content that are dispensed as a foam have been described, although for the purpose of the present invention the characteristics of the foam are not of the desired outcome, since they are fast breaking, of low stability and the foam is produced by means of propellants and aerosol containers only, as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,808, which discloses a product that uses an emulsifying wax NF, and a combination of stearyl and cetyl alcohol, or other wax combinations, which improve the foaming performance of the composition, in combination with cetyl lactate, to produce a 0.8% chlorhexidine gluconate alcohol product. U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,950 issued to Lins discloses a foam product which requires a propellant and no surfactant is added as a cleaning agent. The composition disclosed in this patent is based upon using an emulsifier system (fatty alcohol ROH 16-22 carbons) in combination with the use of a thickening agent (carbomer, klucel, etc.). U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,950 to Lins discloses an antimicrobial aerosol mousse having a high alcohol content. The mousse comprises alcohol, water, a polymeric gelling agent and a surfactant system comprising a C16-C22 alcohol, aerosol propellant and a non-ionic polyethoxylated surfactant. Despite the work done to date it has been shown that there is little specific knowledge on how foams react and are formed, and surprisingly formulations that might seem not foamable result in the best foam producing ones while other formulations which seemed to have been producing foam even while being prepared did not perform well at all in some non-aerosol foam dispensers. The behaviour of aqueous foams is not the same of that of an alcohol foam. The traditional ways of forming a gel using polymeric thickeners presents undesirable characteristics and similarly little has been done in forming emulsion-like thickened gels. It would be very advantageous to have alcohol based disinfecting formulations which may be dispensed as either a gel or a foam. Further, it would be very advantageous and desirable to find a foaming agent that could be used in concentrations that would allow it to be used in products that can remain in the area on which they have been applied and do not need to be rinsed or wiped off due to small amounts of residue remaining after evaporation. Thus it would also be very advantageous to provide foams or gels that do not leave an unpleasant sticky after-feel as most commercial alcohol gel products are known to, or which clog up the dispensing equipment used to dispense the foams and gels. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide high alcohol content liquid compositions, which contain a surfactant/cleaning agent as well as a disinfectant/cleaning/solvent/carrier and that causes very little drying to the skin or the hands of the user and is able to be dispensed either as a gel or as a foam from both pressurized and non-pressurized systems. The present invention provides high alcohol content compositions that are either gels or able to be dispensed as a foam, which are readily spread over the desired surface. Amongst the different applications where such compositions might be of use, it is another object to also provide an antimicrobial alcohol foam and an antimicrobial alcohol gel. The foamable compositions when dispensed from a suitable dispenser are stable and do not require the use of propellants and pressurized containers. The gels disclosed herein with a viscosity of less than 4,000 cps do not use the gelling or thickening agents typically used in commercial gels and therefore after single or multiple applications of the gel there is not the usual tacky or sticky after-feel and the gel does not clog the dispensers from which the gels are dispensed. These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the invention. All percentages provided herein are based on the total weight unless otherwise indicated. Accordingly, the present invention provides compositions for personal hygiene, as follows. Foamable Compositions The present invention provides a foamable composition, comprising: a) an alcohol C1-4, or mixtures thereof, present in an amount greater than about 40% percent v/v of the total composition; b) an effective fluorinated surface active agent for wetting and foaming present in an amount of at least 0.001% weight percent of the total composition; and c) water present in an amount to balance the total composition to 100% weight percent. In this aspect of the invention the effective fluorinated surface active agent is present in an amount from about 0.001% to about 10.0% weight percent of the total composition which is physiologically acceptable so it can be used in personal care type products. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the fluorosurfactant may be an amphoteric polytetrafluoroethylene acetoxypropyl betaine of the following formula, (CF3CF2(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2(OAc)CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−) where n=2 to 4, an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)xH where Rf=F(CF2CF2)y, x=0 to about 15 and y=1 to about 7; or an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH2CH2O)xP(O)(ONH4)y where Rf=F(CF2CF2)z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1 and z=1 to about 7, or mixtures thereof. In another aspect of the invention there is provided an alcohol disinfecting composition, comprising; a) ethanol present in an amount between about 60% to 70% percent v/v of the total composition; b) a physiologically acceptable fluorosurfactant in an amount from about 0.01% to about 2.0% weight percent of the total composition; c) at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of polyethoxylated fatty alcohols present in an amount from about 0.01 to about 10.0% weight percent; d) a foam stabilizing agent; e) water in an amount to balance the total composition to 100% weight percent. The present invention also provides an alcohol disinfecting composition comprising: a) ethanol present in an amount between about 60% to 70% percent v/v of the total composition; b) a physiologically acceptable anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant in an amount from about 0.01% to about 2.0% weight percent of the total composition; c) at least 1% n-propanol; d) foam stabilizing agents that at least include 1,3-Butyleneglycol % 2, Butoxyethanol in 0.001-3% ea; e) a lipid layer enhancer such as a mixture of alkylglucoside and glyceryl oleate; and f) water in an amount to balance the total composition to 100% weight percent. Gel-Like Compositions In this aspect of the invention there is provided an alcohol gel-like composition, comprising; a) an alcohol C1-4, or mixtures thereof, present in an amount greater than about 40% percent v/v of the total composition; b) at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, an alkyl alcohol, an alkenyl alcohol, an ester of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyhydric alcohol, an ester of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a polyalkoxylated derivative of a sorbitan fatty acid ester, and mixtures thereof, present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 5% weight percent; c) an emulsifier present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 3.0% weight percent; and d) water in an amount sufficient to form a stable gel-like disinfecting composition The compositions disclosed herein provide a wide variety and range of high alcohol content disinfecting products. According to the percentage of alcohol used in the compositions and by varying the proportions of the other constituents in the formulation, foams with differing properties can be achieved thereby allowing the production of foams that are either coarse or wet which quickly flatten, or foams that are soft which contain fine bubbles and which are relatively dry having long foam stability, or creamy thick foams that are gel-like. Also, the compositions may or may not be disinfecting according to the percentage of alcohol. It was surprisingly found that by varying the percentages of the ingredients an alcohol gel-like composition was obtained which did not dry the hands or leave a sticky after-feel and that did not clog the gel dispensers, having the desired consistency and showing a viscosity of less than 4,000 cps. Some of the compositions can conveniently be manufactured in a two step process such that most of the alcohol can be added at a later time and/or location making it the first part a desirable concentrate suitable for shipping less hazardous goods and weight. Warming the first part from 30 to 80 degrees Celsius, (depending on the particular composition) before adding the major portion of alcohol improves the long term stability of the compositions. This warming can either take place the same day in the same location where the finished composition is prepared or the concentrate first part can be stored or shipped elsewhere and the warming can take place either when the first part is mixing or right before adding the major portion of alcohol. It should be evident that the described embodiment can be subjected to adjustment and/or improvement for specific applications either as a gel or a foam or to contain a desired active ingredient, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Different materials and/or ingredients will be then needed to compensate for the composition and/or foam stability disruption that might be generated by the change (i.e. introducing a more compatible secondary or even primary surfactant, adjusting the compatible foam stabilizer percentage and/or varying the relative amount of emulsifier and/or alcohol or water) or to compensate for shifts in desired viscosity and foam characteristics to obtained the desired gel (i.e. reduce the amount of fluorosurfactant or increase the polyethoxylated surfactants, or add an emulsifier and/or increase or decrease alcohol and/or water). These and other changes may be made in the details within the spirit of the invention, which is to be broadly construed and not to be limited except by the character of the claims appended hereto. For example, the alcohol based compositions may contain up to 10% by weight of other active ingredients or additives or combinations thereof commonly added to aerosol compositions or to toiletries, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc. Materials that may be added may include organic gums and colloids, lower alkanolamides of higher fatty acids, short chain diols and/or triols, alkylglucosides, fragrance, coloring matter, additional emollients, ultraviolet absorbers, solvents, emulsifiers, foam stabilizers or mixture of such stabilizers, suspending agents, buffers, conditioning agents, antioxidants, bactericides, medicinal active ingredient, and the like. The present invention provides a composition, comprising; a) an alcohol C1-4, or mixtures thereof, present in an amount greater than about 40% v/v of the total composition; b) at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, an alkyl alcohol, an alkenyl alcohol, an ester of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyhydric alcohol, an ester of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a polyalkoxylated derivative of a sorbitan fatty acid ester, and mixtures thereof, present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 5% weight percent c) an emulsifier present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 3.0% weight percent; and d) water in an amount sufficient to form a stable gel-like composition with a viscosity less than 4,000 cps. The invention will be described in connection with various specific examples, which are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting. Nevertheless, the present invention lends itself to the preparation of a wide variety of products, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Definitions The term “emollient” as used herein refers broadly to materials which are capable of maintaining or improving the moisture level, compliance, or appearance of the skin when used repeatedly. The term “emulsifier” as used herein refers to surfactants or other materials added in small quantities to a mixture of two miscible liquids for the purpose of aiding in the formation and stabilization of an emulsion. The phrase “emulsifying ingredients” as used herein is synonymous with emulsifier defined above. The term “emulsion” as used herein refers to a colloidal dispersion of one liquid in another. The term “surfactant” as used herein is the widely employed contraction for “surface active agents” which is the descriptive generic term for materials that preferentially adsorb at interfaces as a result of the presence of both lyophilic and lyophobic structural units, the adsorption generally resulting in the alteration of the surface or interfacial properties of the system. The term “fluorosurfactant” as used herein refers to a fluorinated surface active agent which enables the composition in which it is contained to clean, wet and foam. The phrase “foam stabilizer” as used herein refers to an additive that increases the amount or persistence of foam produced by a surfactant system. The phrase “gel-like composition” as used herein refers to a hydroalcoholic solution with at least 40% v/v alcohol content, which is thickened by the use of emulsifiers and surfactant to have a viscosity greater than water and less than 4,000 cps. The term “disinfect” as used herein means to destroy or reduce harmful microorganisms. The present invention provides compositions with high contents of lower alcohol (C1-4) able to be dispensed as a gel or a foam. The foamable compositions when mixed with air deliver a stable foam to provide an alcoholic liquid solution which can be used for personal cleaning or for disinfecting purposes and which breaks on pressure application such as when a user rubs their hands or when applied over a surface. The gel composition delivers a liquid of the appropriate consistency to be readily spread on the hands, yet without dripping off. This gel composition with at least 60% v/v alcohol provides an effective disinfectant that does not leave a tacky after-feel once the alcohol has evaporated and that is common to such alcohol gels which use thickeners and gelling agents that have been used commonly in the past during single or multiple applications. The gel composition does not easily clog the dispensers as common gel products do. The alcohol used in the present invention is a lower hydrocarbon chain alcohol such as a C1-4 alcohol. The preferred alcohol is chosen from ethanol, 2-propanol, or n-propanol, most preferably ethanol, well accepted by Health Care personnel as an adequate disinfectant at the right percentages. The invention anticipates that a single alcohol may be used or that a blend of two or more alcohols may comprise the alcohol content of the composition either for a gel-like or foamable product. Foamable Compositions One of the main achievements of the present invention is making compositions with a greater than 40% v/v alcohol content able to be dispensed as a cosmetically appealing foam. The other important achievement is to obtain an alcohol gel without using the typical gelling agents know to those skilled in the art which would not clog dispensers or leave a tacky after-feel. The use of a fluorosurfactant is the key ingredient as the primary foaming agent in the compositions designed to foam disclosed herein. Fluorosurfactants have various interesting properties such as leaving little residue, being able to function in harsh chemical and thermal environments; they have an unparalleled wetting power, etc. Unlike traditional surfactants, they show unusual surface-active properties in organic solvents that are known to those skilled in the art, and that have made them widely used for applications in coatings, oilfield, material finishes, cleaning, paints, etc. The fluorosurfactants suitable for these types of compositions may include, but are not limited to, ethoxylates, glycerol esters, amine oxides, acetylenic alcohol derivatives, carboxylates, phosphates, carbohydrate derivatives, sulfonates, betaines, esters, polyamides, silicones, and hydrocarbon surfactants that have been fluorinated and are compatible with the other components being used for a particular formulation. A preferred fluorosurfactant is polytetrafluoroethylene acetoxypropyl betaine CF3CF2(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2(OAc)CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−, where n=2-4. However, it is contemplated that other fluorosurfactants may be used including as non-limiting examples for use in the present invention an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)xH where Rf=F(CF2CF2)y, x=0 to about 15 and y=1 to about 7; an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH2CH2O)xP(O)(ONH4)y where Rf=F(CF2CF2)z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1, x+y=3, and z=1 to about 7 or mixtures thereof. It was surprisingly found that despite the characteristics of fluorosurfactants, there was little or no information on their use to produce a foamable product with high alcohol content other than the one using non-ionic fluorosurfactants and pressurized gas as a foamer as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,653 incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, in order to obtain a high alcohol content product able to produce a foam even if no pressurized containers or propellants are used would require surface tension values as low as possible so that the pressure required to produce such foam by hand pumps and mechanical means would be sufficient. Hence, the lower than 20 dynes/cm (0.01% DW 25° C.) surface tension values achievable with these surfactants made them suitable for the application. During the development of the present invention, it was unexpectedly found that a quick breaking aerated foam could even be obtained when using just ethanol and the fluorosurfactant, while using traditional surfactants at even double the percentage bore results that could not be even slightly similar and no foam at all could be obtained. In order to achieve a commercially suitable formulation, reducing the amount of fluorosurfactant used while using the assistance of other ingredients such as secondary surfactants, emulsifiers, foam stabilizers, fragrances, and the like ingredients employed in cosmetics, aerosols, toiletries, personal care, etc. is one of the approaches followed. One of the commercial products obtained uses emulsifiers and polyethoxylated fatty acid surfactants disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,167,950 and 6,090,395, both incorporated herein by reference, while other examples use a combination of different foam stabilizers to achieve a similar result. Examples of secondary surfactants that may be used in the present compositions include alkylglucosides, a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, an alkyl alcohol, an alkenyl alcohol, an ester of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyhydric alcohol, an ester of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a polyalkoxylated derivative of a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a betaine, a sulfobetaines, imidazoline derivatives, aminoacid derivatives, lecithins, phosphatides, some amine oxides and sulfoxides and mixtures thereof, present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 5% weight percent. A preferred betaine is cocamidopropyl betaine. A preferred alkylglucoside is cocoglucoside. Preferred polyethoxylated fatty alcohols are polyethoxylated stearyl alcohol (21 moles ethylene oxide) and polyethoxylated stearyl alcohol (2 moles ethylene oxide), and a combination of these two. The compositions may include an antimicrobial agent. The following antimicrobials are offered as non-limiting examples of suitable antimicrobials for use in the present invention and may include chlorhexidine salt, iodine, a complexed form of iodine, parachlorometaxylenol, triclosan, hexachlorophene, a phenol, a surfactant having a long chain hydrophobic group and a quaternary group, hydrogen peroxide, silver, a silver salt, silver oxide, and mixtures thereof. A preferred antimicrobial agent in the present compositions is chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) present in an amount between about 0.50% to about 4.0% weight percent. Another preferred antimicrobial agent is didecyl dimethyl diamonium chloride in an amount between about 0.05% to 5% weight percent. If the amount of ingredients employed is little enough not to leave a tacky feeling after the composition evaporates after single or multiple uses, and this is achieved while maintaining at least 60% v/v ethanol or n-propanol concentration or 70% v/v isopropanol, then the composition would be ideal for use as an alcohol hand sanitizer/disinfectant foamable composition. The addition of water to the alcohol produces a more stable foam while allowing to reduce the amount of fluorosurfactant required to foam the product. For instance, using 0.5 to 1.0% fluorosurfactant with a 50 to 60% v/v alcohol water solution produces a stable foam that does not readily collapse and that produces a stable puff that does not fall even when inverted and does not collapse until pressure is applied (such as when rubbed in hands or on over a surface) to provide an alcoholic liquid solution. The use of a mild non-irritant surfactant widely used in the cosmetic industry such as cocamidopropyl betaine as a secondary surfactant is more suitable to prepare the foamable hydroalcoholic composition of the present invention depending on the fluorosurfactant being used. In order to stabilize the foam, foam stabilizers, as well as emulsifying ingredients have been tried with good results in allowing the product to be dispensed as a foam even when no propellant and/or pressurized container systems are used. Examples of compatible foam stabilizers that can optionally be employed include lactic acid esters of monoglycerides, cationic emulsifiers, triquaternized stearic phospholipid complex, hydroxystearamide propyltriamine salts, lactic acid monoglycerides, food emulsifiers such as glyceryl monostearate, propylene glycol monostearate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, silicone wax, an encapsulated oil, Microcapsule Mineral Oil. A preferred foam stabilizer used in the present foamable compositions is cetyl betaine. A preferred combination of foam stabilizers is that of butyleneglycol, butoxyethanol and n-propanol. Examples of moisturizers and/or emollients which may be used in the present formulations include lanolin, vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone and polyols selected from the group consisting of glycerol, propylene glycol, glyceryl oleate and sorbitol, cocoglucoside or a fatty alcohol selected from the group consisting of cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol and palmityl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, ceteareth 20, and combinations thereof, present in an amount up to about 5%. The compositions formulated to be dispensed as a foam may be stored in an unpressurized dispenser having a dispenser pump for mixing the composition with air and dispensing foam therefrom. The composition may include an aerosol propellant in an amount from about 3 to about 20 weight percent of the total composition for pressurized discharge of the foam. The aerosol propellant may include propane, carbon dioxide, butane, dichloro difluoro methane, dichloro tetra fluoro ethane, octafluorocyclo butane; 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane; 1,1,1,2,3,3,3 heptafluoropropane, and 1,1,1,3,3,3,-hexafluoropropane. When stored in a metal container with propellant, the formulation may include a corrosion inhibitor such as sorbic acid, benzoic acid, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate, in an amount from about 0.1 to about 5 weight percent of the total composition. Gel-Like Compositions Some of compositions studied had some gel-like properties. This characteristic led to the second most important achievement of the present invention; that is an alcohol gel with viscosities less than 4,000 cps that do not use the conventional polymeric thickeners (i,e, cellulose derivatives, carbomers, etc) that are known to leave a sticky residue on surfaces on single and multiple applications that builds up. This discourages users and tends to clog the dispensers. In order to prepare a gel-like composition, a fluorosurfactant is not required to form the gel, however, using a small amount improves the after-feel, it also allows one to reduce the usage of other surfactants required, therefore improving the performance of the composition. The use of the fluorosurfactant also noticeably improves the spreadability of the gel disenfecting compositions on the hands or a surface. The following is a basic formulation of the gel-like compositions. An alcohol C1-4, or mixtures thereof, present in an amount greater than about 40% v/v of the total composition, one or more nonionic surfactants present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 5% weight percent, an emulsifier present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 3.0% weight percent, and water in an amount sufficient to form a stable gel-like composition. Non-limiting examples of non-ionic surfactants include poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, an alkyl alcohol, an alkenyl alcohol, an ester of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyhydric alcohol, an ester of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a polyalkoxylated derivative of a sorbitan fatty acid ester, and mixtures thereof. A preferred non-ionic surfactant includes polyethoxylated fatty alcohols such as polyethoxylated stearyl alcohol (21 moles ethylene oxide) and polyethoxylated stearyl alcohol (2 moles ethylene oxide), and/or a combination of polyethoxylated fatty alcohols. To make the gel-like compositions for personal hygiene applications, the compositions may include a physiologically acceptable fluorinated surface active agent up to about 2.5%. A preferred fluorinated surface active agent is that used in the gel-like compositions, namely polytetrafluoroethylene acetoxypropyl betaine CF3CF2(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2(OAc)CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−, where n=2-4. Another fluorinated surface active agent also preferred is an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)xH where Rf=F(CF2CF2)y, x=0 to about 15 and y=1 to about 7 and yet another one is an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH2CH2O)xP(O)(ONH4)y where Rf=F(CF2CF2)z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1, x+y=3, and z=1 to about 7 or mixtures thereof. The following non-limiting examples are set forth to show for the various preferred embodiments and are not in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. EXAMPLES Examples 1 through 12 were prepared to illustrate the ability to produce alcohol-based formulations which can be dispensed as foams using different surfactants and a solution of water and 50% ethanol. Examples 13 through 18 show increasing concentrations of ethanol and fluorosurfactant to produce foam. Examples 19 through 30 illustrate the ability to produce foam using different surfactants and a solution of 70% v/v Isopropanol. All parts and percentages are expressed by weight unless otherwise indicated. Amount Ingredients Ex. 1 Ex. 2 Ex. 3 Ex. 4 Ex. 5 Ex. 6 S.D. Alcohol 3-A 50.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 Fluorosurfactant 0.50 — — — — — Cocamidopropyl betaine (1) — 8.00 — — — — Alkylglucoside (2) — — 8.00 — — — Alkylglucoside (3) — — — 8.00 — — Glycomul L — — — — 8.00 — Sorbitan Sesquioleate — — — — — 8.00 Deionized Water 49.50 42.00 42.00 42.00 42.00 42.00 Total % 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 (1) Amphoteric, (2) Nonionic, (3) Anionic Amount Ingredients Ex. 7 Ex. 8 Ex. 9 Ex. 10 Ex. 11 Ex. 12 S.D. Alcohol 3-A 50.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 Polysorbate 20 8.00 — — — — — Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Monooleate — 8.00 — — — — Sorbitan Monooleate — — 8.00 — — — Cocamidopropyl betaine & — — — 8.00 — — sodium caproyl lactate Cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine — — — — 8.00 — Sodium Cocoamphoacetate — — — — — 8.00 Deionized Water 42.00 42.00 42.00 42.00 42.00 42.00 Total % 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 Amount Ingredients Ex. 13 Ex. 14 Ex. 15 Ex. 16 Ex. 17 Ex. 18 S.D. Alcohol 3-A 50.00 60.00 65.00 70.00 80.00 92.50 Fluorosurfactant 0.10 0.75 0.80 1.50 2.00 7.5 Deionized Water 49.90 39.25 34.20 28.50 18.00 — Total % 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 Amount Ingredients Ex. 19 Ex. 20 Ex. 21 Ex. 22 Ex. 23 Ex. 24 70% v/v Isopropanol 99.90 92.00 92.00 92.00 92.00 92.00 Fluorosurfactant 0.10 — — — — — Cocamidopropyl betaine (1) — 8.00 — — — — Alkylglucoside (2) — — 8.00 — — — Alkylglucoside (3) — — — 8.00 — — Glycomul L — — — — 8.00 — Sorbitan Sesquioleate — — — — — 8.00 Total % 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 (1) Amphoteric, (2) Nonionic, (3) Anionic Amount Ingredients Ex. 25 Ex. 26 Ex. 27 Ex. 28 Ex. 29 Ex. 30 70% v/v Isopropanol 92.00 92.00 92.00 92.00 92.00 92.00 Polysorbate 20 8.00 — — — — — Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Monooleate — 8.00 — — — — Sorbitan Monooleate — — 8.00 — — — Cocamidopropylbetaine & — — — 8.00 — — sodium caproyl lactate Cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine — — — — 8.00 — Sodium Cocoamphoacetate — — — — — 8.00 Total % 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 The solutions prepared, were evaluated as to whether foam was produced or not and if so, then the foam produced was described as follows: Foam Foam Evaluation/ Example Produced Description/Characteristics Ex. 1 Yes Very good stable stiff puff creamy and soft lasts minutes Ex. 2 No Just Very Wet Bubbles produced lasting <10 seconds Ex. 3 No — Ex. 4 No — Ex. 5 No — Ex. 6 No Just Very Wet Bubbles produced lasting <7 seconds Ex. 7 No Just Very Wet Bubbles produced lasting <10 seconds Ex. 8 No — Ex. 9 No Just Very Wet Bubbles produced lasting <10 seconds Ex. 10 No — Ex. 11 No — Ex. 12 No — Ex. 13 Yes Very good stable stiff puff creamy and soft lasts minutes Ex. 14 Yes Very good creamy and soft lasts more than a minute Ex. 15 Yes Very good creamy and soft lasts more than a minute Ex. 16 Yes Very good creamy and soft lasts more than a minute Ex. 17 Yes Quick fast breaking foam lasts more than a 15 secs Ex. 18 Yes Quick fast breaking foam lasts more than a 10 secs Ex. 19 Yes Quick fast breaking foam lasts more than a 20 secs Ex. 20 No — Ex. 21 No — Ex. 22 No — Ex. 23 No — Ex. 24 No — Ex. 25 No — Ex. 26 No — Ex. 27 No — Ex. 28 No — Ex. 29 No — Ex. 30 No — Comparatively, it was also found that for instance, Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) alone even at 40% ethanol and at 3% CAPB, was unable to produce as good results as those with 60% v/v ethanol, and fluorosurfactants using much less percentage (less than 1.0%). Cocamidopropyl betaine does not give any acceptable foam above that percentage of alcohol and the lower than 60% v/v alcohol content makes it inadequate for a sanitizing solution. Also the solution left an unacceptable feeling on the skin after the alcohol evaporated (i.e. a soapy sticky feeling) indicating high levels of surfactant. Very interestingly fluorosurfactants seemed to be a likely way to achieve a foaming composition that contains more than 40% v/v alcohol. The fact that foam could be achieved even when no added water or ingredients are used other than 95% v/v alcohol and the fluorosurfactant as shown in example 18 makes the present invention suitable for many different applications. Below are some specific examples for compositions following the above formulation to produce alcohol hand sanitizing solutions; more than one being a foamable composition with alcohol being the only disinfectant ingredient, while other foamable compositions use an added antimicrobial such as Chlorhexidine Digluconate or Didecyl Dimethyl Diammonium Chloride and the third group being alcohol gel-like hand sanitizing solutions. EXAMPLE 31 Alcohol Hand Sanitizing Foamable Disinfecting Composition 0.01-1.0% * amphoteric, anionic or non-ionic fluorosurfactant (primary surfactant) 0.01-1.0% cocoamidopropylbetaine (secondary surfactant) 0.05-1.0% cetyl betaine (foam stabilizing agent) 0.10-1.5% emulsifier fatty alcohol ROH 16-22 carbons or combination that works well in a final formulation containing 60-70% v/v ethanol Q.S. water Preferably Polytetrafluoroethylene Acetoxypropyl Betaine CF3CF2(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2(OAc)CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−, where n=24 or an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)xH where Rf=F(CF2CF2)y, x=0 to about 15 and y=1 to about 7; or an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH2CH2O)xP(O)(ONH4)y where Rf=F(CF2 CF2)z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1, x+y=3, and z=1 to about 7, or mixtures thereof. EXAMPLE 32 Alcohol Hand Sanitizing Foamable Disinfecting Composition Concentrate 0.01-1.0% * amphoteric, anionic or non-ionic fluorosurfactant (primary surfactant) 0.01-12.0% 1,3 Butyleneglycol, 2-Butoxyethanol, n-propanol (foam stabilizing agents) 0.05-5.0% cocoglucoside, glycerin, glyceryl oleate (moisturizers, emollients and the like) 60-70% v/v ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol or a combination thereof Q.S. water Preferably an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH2CH2O)xP(O)(ONH4)y where Rf=F(CF2CF2)z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1, x+y=3, and z=1 to about 7 or an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)xH where Rf=F(CF2CF2)y, x=0 to about 15 and y=1 to about 7; or Polytetrafluoroethylene Acetoxypropyl Betaine CF3CF2(CF2CF2)nCH2CH2(OAc)CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−, where n=24, or mixtures thereof. EXAMPLE 33 Alcohol Hand Sanitizing Foamable Disinfecting Composition a) ethanol present in an amount between about 60% to 70% percent v/v of the total composition; b) a physiologically acceptable anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant in an amount from about 0.01% to about 2.0% weight percent of the total composition; c) at least 1% n-propanol d) foam stabilizing agents that at least include 1,3-Butyleneglycol % 2, Butoxyethanol in 0.001-3% ea. e) a lipid layer enhancer such as a mixture of alkylglucoside and glyceryl oleate f) water in an amount to balance the total composition to 100% weight percent. EXAMPLE 34 Chlorhexidine Gluconate (CHG) & Alcohol Hand Sanitizing Foamable Disinfecting Composition Formulations 31 or 32 added with 0.50-4.0% Chlorhexidine Gluconate (CHG) EXAMPLE 35 Formulations 31 or 32 added with 0.01-5.0% Didecyl Dimethyl Diammonium Chloride EXAMPLE 36 Alcohol Hand Sanitizing Gel-Like Disinfecting Composition with a Viscosity Less than 4,000 cps 0.0-1.0% * amphoteric, anionic or non-ionic fluorosurfactant (primary surfactant) 0.10-2.0% an emulsifier moisturizer and/or emollient preferably a non-ionic surfactant and/or a combination of cetearyl alcohol and ceteareth 20 or a combination thereof to give a composition with a viscosity of less than 4,000 cps; 0.50-4.0% a combination of nonionic surfactants specifically from the group of the polyethoxylated fatty alcohols 60-70% v/v ethanol Q.S. water Preferably Polytetrafluoroethylene Acetoxypropyl Betaine CF3CF2(CF2CF2)n CH2CH2(OAc)CH2N+(CH3)2CH2COO−, where n=2-4 or an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)xH where Rf=F(CF2CF2)y, x=0 to about 15 and y=1 to about 7; or an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH2CH2O)xP(O)(ONH4)y where Rf=F(CF2CF2)z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1, x+y=3, and z=1 to about 7, or mixtures thereof. The process to prepare the compositions of the present invention described herein is straightforward since most of the ingredients are liquid. When wax type ingredients are to be used, they can be incorporated by warming up to 40-45° C. preferably to the alcohol portion while mixing and then allowing it to cool down or they could be added in “cold”, at room temperature to the alcohol before any other ingredient and mixed until completely incorporated before adding the rest of the ingredients according to the composition. Whether all ingredients are liquid or not, warming from 30 to 80 degrees Celsius, (depending on the particular composition) increases the long term stability of the compositions. Active ingredients could be pre-dissolved into the water first. A process that anyone knowledgeable enough of the art would have no problem implementing. If a specific formulation cannot be adjusted for the foamable composition in the percentages of the ingredients, then there is still the option of modifying the characteristics of the foaming pump, such as changing pressures, screen sizes, etc. The compositions described within the present invention improve over prior similar products commercially available in the high concentrations of alcohol, as well as in the fact of being able to foam even with no propellants or pressurized containers (using propellants would improve considerably the quality of the foam) and being able to produce alcohol gel-like compositions that do not leave a sticky after-feel that builds up and do not clog the dispensers after single or multiple applications. Depending on the alcohol concentration and the application of the particular composition the foam produced can widely vary, being at the high end of a relatively fast breaking variety stable enough to be thoroughly spread onto the skin without waste in a unique way and the gel-like composition viscosity varies with the alcohol concentration. The gel-like composition obtained is a unique approach that does not follow the traditional ways of making alcohol gels. In summary it could be said that the stated invention has exceeded expectations. Due to the nature of the base composition with respect to the alcohol concentration and the quality of the ingredients, one of the logical first applications for the present invention would be as an alcohol hand disinfectant composition either for a foamable product or an alcohol gel-like product, examples of which are described above. Nevertheless, the present invention lends itself to the preparation of a wide variety of products, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Consequently, it is intended that the claims be interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents. To note a few, the following may be mentioned: medicated foams and gels, sunscreen foams and gels, hand cream foams, brush-less shaving cream foams, shower or bath oil foams, dry hair shampoo foams, make-up remover foams, analgesic foam rubs and gels, hair grooming foams and antiperspirants hair cleaning foam, antiperspirant foam, hair conditioner foams. As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes” and “including” are to be construed as being inclusive and open ended, and not exclusive. Specifically, when used in this specification including claims, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes” and “including” and variations thereof mean the specified features, steps or components are included. These terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components. The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented to illustrate the principles of the invention and not to limit the invention to the particular embodiment illustrated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by all of the embodiments encompassed within the following claims and their equivalents. REFERENCES CITED U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 2,054,9899/1936 Moore 167/58 3,131,1534/1964 Klausner 252/305 3,962,1506/1976 Leonard et al. 252/542 4,440,6534/1984 James et al. 252/8.55 5,167,950 12/1992 Lins 424/47 4,956,170 09/1990 Lee 514/772.1 5,629,0065/1997 Minh et al. 424/405 5,906,8085/1999 Osborne, et al 424/43 5,928,9937/1999 Ingegard 504/116 5,951,993 09/1999 Scholz et al 424/405 6,090,395 07/2000 Asmus et al 424/401 6,610,315 08/2003 Scholz et al 424/415 6,623,744 09/2003 Asmus et al 424/401 6,562,360 05/2003 Scholz et al 424/405 Other Publications Myers, Drew; “Surfactant Science and Technology”, second edition, Drew Myers, VCH Publishers, New York, 1992 Reduce Tension Dupont Zonyl® Fluorosurfactants Field Manual published by Dupont Co on May 2001 | <SOH> BACKGROUND ART <EOH>Ethanol and/or Isopropyl alcohol compositions with at least 60% percent v/v (approximately 52% by weight) are well known to be antibacterial, therefore widely accepted for disinfecting purposes. Nonetheless due to the inherent characteristics of alcohol, it is perceived that the higher the content the better the product and a higher than 60% by volume alcohol content solution is more desirable. Alcohol disinfectant solutions are generally thickened in order to eliminate the waste and facilitate spreading the composition throughout the desired area. It is also known that other than gelling agents one can use paraffin or waxes to achieve thickening of a solution with high alcohol concentration. Such a composition added with lanolin to reduce the melting point closer to body temperature is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,054,989. One of the disadvantages of gels and such type thick alcohol containing compositions is that if they do not leave a tacky feeling on the hands after one use (although some do), the effect builds up after repetitive use during the day, making it necessary to eventually wash off the thickeners before continuing the usage of an alcohol antiseptic solution. The present invention if formulated for such type of product does not leave such a feel, and does not need to be washed off after having been used repeatedly. Another way of thickening high alcohol content solutions has also been taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,395 and 6,623,744 where they use emulsifiers and surfactants as the thickening system to produce a hydroalcoholic lotion with a viscosity of at least 4,000 cps. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,170 discloses polyethoxylated non-ionic surfactants/emulsifiers to stabilize the added emollient oils in addition to a fatty alcohol although with the addition of a polymeric thickening agent to prepare a hydroalcoholic skin moisturizing/conditioning antimicrobial gel. The disinfecting compositions of the present invention that are gel-like have a viscosity lower than 4,000 cps and no polymeric thickening agent is added. Generally speaking a high alcohol content disinfectant solution disinfects but does not clean. In order to make them disinfect and clean, so much soap would be needed that the skin would feel soapy and disagreeable, unacceptable for rubbing alcohol purposes. Nonetheless, a non-irritant skin disinfecting high lower alcohol content formulation for use as a skin-washing agent is successfully attained by combining emulsifiers, surfactants and skin emollients to be used as a gel or ointment as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,006. Surfactants other than for cleaning purposes are also used for spreading an aqueous composition containing one or more active substances rapidly and evenly over a surface due to their wetting properties. The use of good wetting agents definitely improves the efficient use of active substances in different compositions as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,993. Hence, the composition described in the present invention includes the addition of surfactants, specifically fluorosurfactants which are well known for their unparalleled wetting power and which are also surface-active in the lower alcohols used as disinfectant and solvent system in levels which make it acceptable even for rubbing alcohol purposes, providing cleaning, wetting and foaming properties to the composition. Although a high alcohol content disinfectant solution has good disinfectant characteristics, it has a sharp smell and is generally perceived to cause drying of the skin, characteristics which can also be diminished to a desirable level in the present invention. A greater than 40% v/v alcohol foam product, easy and safe to use, is desirable over conventional gel or ointment type composition products. The concentration of alcohol already poses a hazard in itself, and there are many applications in which the perceived risk may be diminished if it could be dispensed as a foam without the use of pressurized aerosol containers. A foam intended to be useful as a skin disinfecting agent must have a uniform consistency, spreadability, cleansing ability, and have a pleasant feel, i.e. have rapid breaking power when pressure is applied; all of which present a challenge for a high lower alcohol content composition. The description of an aqueous foaming skin disinfecting composition using 15% w/w alcohol as a co-solvent, which requires no pressurized container or added propellant to produce the foam, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,150. The foam-forming agents utilized heretofore, have been incapable of forming stable foams when the liquid phase has high alcohol content without using other ingredients. Furthermore, lower alcohols have been considered to be defoamers rather than foam-promoting chemicals. According to Klausner, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,131,153, if more than 64% alcohol is used non-homogeneous compositions are obtained. The compositions in the patent required propellant to foam and the foams produced were of limited stability. Prior to this invention, when a greater than 40% v/v alcohol concentration is required in a product, it is generally accepted that the product will be either liquid or gel, and that if a foam is desired then the concentration of alcohol would need to be reduced or the use of a propellant and a pressurized system would be required. Surprisingly, in the few “foamable” high alcohol content products disclosed, the types of foam obtained were not similar to those expected from aqueous solutions. The foams obtained are described as fast or aerated foam, quick breaking, with low or limited stability, which would not last for more than one minute, being generally gone within seconds. It has been disclosed that fluorosurfactants and alcohol can be combined to produce a “stable” foam by a process using high-pressurized means to generate the foam. Highly stable pressurized foams containing high lower alcohol contents and methods of forming and using such pressurized foams in the oil industry using a non-ionic surfactant or mixture of non-ionic surfactants of a specific group of fluorosurfactants are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,653. The compositions in this patent require the use of a pressurized gas system to generate the foam. Various examples of compositions with a high lower alcohol content that are dispensed as a foam have been described, although for the purpose of the present invention the characteristics of the foam are not of the desired outcome, since they are fast breaking, of low stability and the foam is produced by means of propellants and aerosol containers only, as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,808, which discloses a product that uses an emulsifying wax NF, and a combination of stearyl and cetyl alcohol, or other wax combinations, which improve the foaming performance of the composition, in combination with cetyl lactate, to produce a 0.8% chlorhexidine gluconate alcohol product. U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,950 issued to Lins discloses a foam product which requires a propellant and no surfactant is added as a cleaning agent. The composition disclosed in this patent is based upon using an emulsifier system (fatty alcohol ROH 16-22 carbons) in combination with the use of a thickening agent (carbomer, klucel, etc.). U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,950 to Lins discloses an antimicrobial aerosol mousse having a high alcohol content. The mousse comprises alcohol, water, a polymeric gelling agent and a surfactant system comprising a C16-C22 alcohol, aerosol propellant and a non-ionic polyethoxylated surfactant. Despite the work done to date it has been shown that there is little specific knowledge on how foams react and are formed, and surprisingly formulations that might seem not foamable result in the best foam producing ones while other formulations which seemed to have been producing foam even while being prepared did not perform well at all in some non-aerosol foam dispensers. The behaviour of aqueous foams is not the same of that of an alcohol foam. The traditional ways of forming a gel using polymeric thickeners presents undesirable characteristics and similarly little has been done in forming emulsion-like thickened gels. It would be very advantageous to have alcohol based disinfecting formulations which may be dispensed as either a gel or a foam. Further, it would be very advantageous and desirable to find a foaming agent that could be used in concentrations that would allow it to be used in products that can remain in the area on which they have been applied and do not need to be rinsed or wiped off due to small amounts of residue remaining after evaporation. Thus it would also be very advantageous to provide foams or gels that do not leave an unpleasant sticky after-feel as most commercial alcohol gel products are known to, or which clog up the dispensing equipment used to dispense the foams and gels. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is an object of this invention to provide high alcohol content liquid compositions, which contain a surfactant/cleaning agent as well as a disinfectant/cleaning/solvent/carrier and that causes very little drying to the skin or the hands of the user and is able to be dispensed either as a gel or as a foam from both pressurized and non-pressurized systems. The present invention provides high alcohol content compositions that are either gels or able to be dispensed as a foam, which are readily spread over the desired surface. Amongst the different applications where such compositions might be of use, it is another object to also provide an antimicrobial alcohol foam and an antimicrobial alcohol gel. The foamable compositions when dispensed from a suitable dispenser are stable and do not require the use of propellants and pressurized containers. The gels disclosed herein with a viscosity of less than 4,000 cps do not use the gelling or thickening agents typically used in commercial gels and therefore after single or multiple applications of the gel there is not the usual tacky or sticky after-feel and the gel does not clog the dispensers from which the gels are dispensed. These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the invention. All percentages provided herein are based on the total weight unless otherwise indicated. Accordingly, the present invention provides compositions for personal hygiene, as follows. Foamable Compositions The present invention provides a foamable composition, comprising: a) an alcohol C 1-4 , or mixtures thereof, present in an amount greater than about 40% percent v/v of the total composition; b) an effective fluorinated surface active agent for wetting and foaming present in an amount of at least 0.001% weight percent of the total composition; and c) water present in an amount to balance the total composition to 100% weight percent. In this aspect of the invention the effective fluorinated surface active agent is present in an amount from about 0.001% to about 10.0% weight percent of the total composition which is physiologically acceptable so it can be used in personal care type products. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the fluorosurfactant may be an amphoteric polytetrafluoroethylene acetoxypropyl betaine of the following formula, (CF 3 CF 2 (CF 2 CF 2 )nCH 2 CH 2 (OAc)CH 2 N + (CH 3 ) 2 CH 2 COO − ) where n=2 to 4, an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant of the following structure: RfCH 2 CH 2 O(CH 2 CH 2 O)xH where Rf=F(CF 2 CF 2 )y, x=0 to about 15 and y=1 to about 7; or an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant of the following structure: (RfCH 2 CH 2 O)xP(O)(ONH 4 )y where Rf=F(CF 2 CF 2 )z, x=1 or 2, y=2 or 1 and z=1 to about 7, or mixtures thereof. In another aspect of the invention there is provided an alcohol disinfecting composition, comprising; a) ethanol present in an amount between about 60% to 70% percent v/v of the total composition; b) a physiologically acceptable fluorosurfactant in an amount from about 0.01% to about 2.0% weight percent of the total composition; c) at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of polyethoxylated fatty alcohols present in an amount from about 0.01 to about 10.0% weight percent; d) a foam stabilizing agent; e) water in an amount to balance the total composition to 100% weight percent. The present invention also provides an alcohol disinfecting composition comprising: a) ethanol present in an amount between about 60% to 70% percent v/v of the total composition; b) a physiologically acceptable anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant in an amount from about 0.01% to about 2.0% weight percent of the total composition; c) at least 1% n-propanol; d) foam stabilizing agents that at least include 1,3-Butyleneglycol % 2, Butoxyethanol in 0.001-3% ea; e) a lipid layer enhancer such as a mixture of alkylglucoside and glyceryl oleate; and f) water in an amount to balance the total composition to 100% weight percent. Gel-Like Compositions In this aspect of the invention there is provided an alcohol gel-like composition, comprising; a) an alcohol C 1-4 , or mixtures thereof, present in an amount greater than about 40% percent v/v of the total composition; b) at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, an alkyl alcohol, an alkenyl alcohol, an ester of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyhydric alcohol, an ester of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a polyalkoxylated derivative of a sorbitan fatty acid ester, and mixtures thereof, present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 5% weight percent; c) an emulsifier present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 3.0% weight percent; and d) water in an amount sufficient to form a stable gel-like disinfecting composition The compositions disclosed herein provide a wide variety and range of high alcohol content disinfecting products. According to the percentage of alcohol used in the compositions and by varying the proportions of the other constituents in the formulation, foams with differing properties can be achieved thereby allowing the production of foams that are either coarse or wet which quickly flatten, or foams that are soft which contain fine bubbles and which are relatively dry having long foam stability, or creamy thick foams that are gel-like. Also, the compositions may or may not be disinfecting according to the percentage of alcohol. It was surprisingly found that by varying the percentages of the ingredients an alcohol gel-like composition was obtained which did not dry the hands or leave a sticky after-feel and that did not clog the gel dispensers, having the desired consistency and showing a viscosity of less than 4,000 cps. Some of the compositions can conveniently be manufactured in a two step process such that most of the alcohol can be added at a later time and/or location making it the first part a desirable concentrate suitable for shipping less hazardous goods and weight. Warming the first part from 30 to 80 degrees Celsius, (depending on the particular composition) before adding the major portion of alcohol improves the long term stability of the compositions. This warming can either take place the same day in the same location where the finished composition is prepared or the concentrate first part can be stored or shipped elsewhere and the warming can take place either when the first part is mixing or right before adding the major portion of alcohol. It should be evident that the described embodiment can be subjected to adjustment and/or improvement for specific applications either as a gel or a foam or to contain a desired active ingredient, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Different materials and/or ingredients will be then needed to compensate for the composition and/or foam stability disruption that might be generated by the change (i.e. introducing a more compatible secondary or even primary surfactant, adjusting the compatible foam stabilizer percentage and/or varying the relative amount of emulsifier and/or alcohol or water) or to compensate for shifts in desired viscosity and foam characteristics to obtained the desired gel (i.e. reduce the amount of fluorosurfactant or increase the polyethoxylated surfactants, or add an emulsifier and/or increase or decrease alcohol and/or water). These and other changes may be made in the details within the spirit of the invention, which is to be broadly construed and not to be limited except by the character of the claims appended hereto. For example, the alcohol based compositions may contain up to 10% by weight of other active ingredients or additives or combinations thereof commonly added to aerosol compositions or to toiletries, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc. Materials that may be added may include organic gums and colloids, lower alkanolamides of higher fatty acids, short chain diols and/or triols, alkylglucosides, fragrance, coloring matter, additional emollients, ultraviolet absorbers, solvents, emulsifiers, foam stabilizers or mixture of such stabilizers, suspending agents, buffers, conditioning agents, antioxidants, bactericides, medicinal active ingredient, and the like. The present invention provides a composition, comprising; a) an alcohol C 1-4 , or mixtures thereof, present in an amount greater than about 40% v/v of the total composition; b) at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, an alkyl alcohol, an alkenyl alcohol, an ester of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyhydric alcohol, an ester of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a polyalkoxylated derivative of a sorbitan fatty acid ester, and mixtures thereof, present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 5% weight percent c) an emulsifier present in an amount between about 0.10% to about 3.0% weight percent; and d) water in an amount sufficient to form a stable gel-like composition with a viscosity less than 4,000 cps. The invention will be described in connection with various specific examples, which are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting. Nevertheless, the present invention lends itself to the preparation of a wide variety of products, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | 20040929 | 20070403 | 20050616 | 82199.0 | 2 | BOYER, CHARLES I | HIGH ALCOHOL CONTENT GEL-LIKE AND FOAMING COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING AN ALCOHOL AND FLUOROSURFACTANT | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,952,942 | ACCEPTED | Intrauterine pressure catheter interface cable system | An interface cable system for providing electrical interconnection between an intrauterine pressure catheter system and a monitoring system is provided. The interface cable system includes a first connector configured to provide electrical interconnection between the interface cable system and the intrauterine pressure catheter system and a second connector configured to provide electrical interconnection between the interface cable system and the monitoring system. The interface cable system also includes a plurality of conductors extending between said first connector and said second connector and a switching element for configuring the interface cable system to provide, upon operation of the switching element, a time period in which a zeroing operation of the intrauterine pressure catheter system may be performed. The interface cable system also includes an indicator for indicating that the switching element has been operated, thereby indicating that the zeroing operation may be performed during the time period. | 1. An interface cable system for providing electrical interconnection between an intrauterine pressure catheter system and a monitoring system, the monitoring system receiving a pressure measurement from the intrauterine pressure catheter system via said interface cable system, said interface cable system comprising: a first connector configured to provide electrical interconnection between said interface cable system and the intrauterine pressure catheter system; a second connector configured to provide electrical interconnection between said interface cable system and the monitoring system; a plurality of conductors extending between said first connector and said second connector; a switching element for configuring said interface cable system to provide, upon operation of said switching element, a time period in which a zeroing operation of the intrauterine pressure catheter system may be performed; and an indicator for indicating that the switching element has been operated, thereby indicating that the zeroing operation may be performed during the time period. 2. The interface cable system of claim 1 wherein said switching element short-circuits at least two of said conductors through the operation of said switching element, said at least two conductors being signal carrying conductors for carrying a signal related to an intrauterine pressure measured by the intrauterine pressure catheter system. 3. The interface cable system of claim 1 wherein said switching element is integrated with said second connector. 4. The interface cable system of claim 1 wherein said indicator is integrated with said second connector. 5. The interface cable system of claim 1 wherein said indicator includes a light source, said light source flashing at a predetermined frequency during the time period through the operation of said switching element. 6. The interface cable system of claim 1 additionally comprising a test plug configured to be coupled to said first connector when said first connector is not coupled to the intrauterine pressure catheter system, said test plug being configured to be used to determine if said interface cable system is functioning properly. 7. The interface cable system of claim 6 wherein said indicator includes a light source, said light source being illuminated if it is determined that said interface cable system is functioning properly. 8. The interface cable system of claim 6 wherein said second connector includes circuitry for determining if said interface cable system is functioning properly. 9. The interface cable system of claim 8 wherein the monitoring system provides power to operate the circuitry. 10. The interface cable system of claim 8 wherein a battery included in the second connector provides power to operate the circuitry. 11. The interface cable system of claim 1 wherein said switching element is a momentary switch. 12. An interface cable system for providing electrical interconnection between an intrauterine pressure catheter system and a monitoring system, the monitoring system receiving a pressure measurement from the intrauterine pressure catheter system via the interface cable system, said interface cable system comprising: a first connector configured to provide electrical interconnection between said interface cable system and the intrauterine pressure catheter system; a second connector configured to provide electrical interconnection between said interface cable system and the monitoring system; a plurality of conductors extending between said first connector and said second connector; a test plug configured to be coupled to said first connector when said first connector is not coupled to the intrauterine pressure catheter system, said test plug being used to determine if said interface cable system is functioning properly; and an indicator for providing an indication if it is determined that said interface cable system is functioning properly. 13. The interface cable system of claim 12 wherein said indicator includes a light source, said light source being illuminated if it is determined that said interface cable system is functioning properly. 14. The interface cable system of claim 12 wherein said second connector includes circuitry for determining if said interface cable system is functioning properly. 15. The interface cable system of claim 14 wherein the monitoring system provides power to operate the circuitry. 16. The interface cable system of claim 14 wherein a battery included in the second connector provides power to operate the circuitry. 17. The interface cable system of claim 12 additionally comprising a switching element for configuring said interface cable system to provide, upon operation of said switching element, a time period during which a zeroing operation of the intrauterine pressure catheter system may be performed. 18. The interface cable system of claim 17 wherein said indicator is configured to indicate that the switching element has been operated, thereby indicating that the zeroing operation may be performed during the time period. 19. The interface cable system of claim 17 wherein said switching element short-circuits at least two of said conductors through the operation of said switching element, said at least two conductors being signal carrying conductors for carrying a signal related to an intrauterine pressure measured by the intrauterine pressure catheter system. 20. The interface cable system of claim 17 wherein said switching element is integrated with said second connector. 21. The interface cable system of claim 12 wherein said indicator is integrated with said second connector. 22. The interface cable system of claim 17 wherein said indicator includes a light source. 23. The interface cable system of claim 22 wherein said light source is configured flash at a predetermined frequency and for a predetermined period through the momentary activation of said switching element. 24. The interface cable system of claim 17 wherein said switching element is a momentary switch. 25. A method of performing a zeroing operation on an intrauterine pressure catheter system, said method comprising the steps of: providing interconnection between the intrauterine pressure catheter system and a monitoring system via an interface cable system; operating a switching element included in the interface cable system to provide a time period during which a zeroing operation of the intrauterine pressure catheter system may be performed; providing an indication that the switching element has been momentarily operated, thereby indicating that the zeroing operation may be performed; and zeroing the intrauterine pressure catheter system. 26. The method of claim 25 wherein said step of momentarily activating a switching element includes short-circuiting at least two of a plurality of conductors included in the interface cable system, the at least two conductors being signal carrying conductors for carrying a signal related to an intrauterine pressure measured by the intrauterine pressure catheter system. 27. The method of claim 25 wherein said step of providing an indication includes flashing a light source at a predetermined frequency for the time period, the light source being included as a component of the interface cable system. 28. The method of claim 25 wherein said operating step includes operating a momentary switch. 29. A method of verifying the functionality of an interface cable system, the interface cable system providing electrical interconnection between an intrauterine pressure catheter system and a monitoring system, said method comprising the steps of: coupling a test plug included as a component of the interface cable system to a connector of the interface cable system, the connector being configured to be coupled to the intrauterine pressure catheter system when the interface cable system is used to transmit a pressure signal from the intrauterine pressure catheter system to the monitoring system; determining if the interface cable system is functioning properly; and providing, if it is determined that the interface cable system is functioning properly, an indication thereof. 30. The method of claim 29 wherein said determining step includes determining if the interface cable system is functioning properly using circuitry included in the interface cable system. 31. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of: powering the circuitry through a power source of the monitoring system. 32. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of: powering the circuitry through a battery included in the interface cable system. 33. The method of claim 29 wherein said providing step includes illuminating a light source included as part of the interface cable system if it is determined that the interface cable system is functioning properly. | FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to intrauterine catheters, and more particularly, to a cable system for transmitting signals from an intrauterine pressure catheter. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In monitoring and/or analyzing fetal contractions, externally applied devices (e.g., tocodynamometers) and intrauterine devices have been used. Regarding intrauterine pressure monitoring, catheters are typically inserted directly into the uterus (e.g., after the amniotic membranes have been broken). Once a catheter has been inserted in the uterus, a pressure measurement is taken by the catheter. The measured pressure is then transferred from the catheter (either electrically or mechanically depending on the type of catheter) to an interface cable. The interface cable then electrically transfers the pressure in the form of an electrical signal to one or more fetal monitors. A number of pressure catheter components and systems are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,680 to Urion et al., the contents of which are incorporated in this application by reference. Often, it becomes desirable to “zero” or “re-zero” the pressure catheter in situ. For example, a pressure catheter may include a pressure transducer that is “zeroed” to ensure that an output of the pressure transducer may be accurately compared to a reference value. Many conventional pressure catheters do not allow for a zeroing operation to be performed in situ. Further, the pressure catheters that do provide for such a zeroing operation suffer from a number of deficiencies. For example, in certain systems, a user depresses and holds a button on an interface cable, and then (while continuing to hold the button in a depressed state) zeroes the system through a mechanism provided on a fetal monitor. Such an operation is inconvenient because the user holds the button on the interface cable with a first hand and operates the zeroing mechanism on the fetal monitor with the other hand. Further, the user has no efficient way of knowing if the system is ready for the zeroing process to be performed. Additionally, it is often desirable to confirm the functionality of the interface cable used in conjunction with an intrauterine pressure monitoring system. In certain conventional intrauterine pressure monitoring systems, a user follows a relatively complex multi-step process before referring to a screen of a monitoring system in order to verify if the interface cable is functioning properly. By their nature, such conventional procedures undesirably have a number of sources of potential error (e.g., errors in following a complex multi-step procedure, human error in determining if the screen indicates that the cable is functioning properly, etc.). Thus, it would be desirable to provide an interface cable that overcomes one or more of the above-described deficiencies. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an interface cable system for providing electrical interconnection between an intrauterine pressure catheter system (e.g., a pressure catheter) and a monitoring system (e.g., a fetal monitor) is provided. The monitoring system receives a pressure measurement from the intrauterine pressure catheter system via the interface cable system. The interface cable system includes a first connector configured to provide electrical interconnection between the interface cable system and the intrauterine pressure catheter system and a second connector configured to provide electrical interconnection between the interface cable system and the monitoring system. The interface cable system also includes a plurality of conductors extending between the first connector and the second connector. The interface cable system also includes a switching element for configuring the interface cable system to provide, upon operation of the switching element, a time period in which a zeroing operation of the intrauterine pressure catheter system may be performed. The interface cable system also includes an indicator for indicating that the switching element has been operated, thereby indicating that the zeroing operation may be performed during the time period. According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an interface cable system for providing electrical interconnection between an intrauterine pressure catheter system and a monitoring system is provided. The monitoring system receives a pressure measurement from the intrauterine pressure catheter system via the interface cable system. The interface cable system includes a first connector configured to provide electrical interconnection between the interface cable system and the intrauterine pressure catheter system and a second connector configured to provide electrical interconnection between the interface cable system and the monitoring system. The interface cable system also includes a plurality of conductors extending between the first connector and the second connector. The interface cable system also includes a test plug configured to be coupled to the first connector when the first connector is not coupled to the intrauterine pressure catheter system. The test plug may be used to determine if the interface cable system is functioning properly. The interface cable system also includes an indicator for providing an indication if it is determined that the interface cable system is functioning properly. According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of performing a zeroing operation on an intrauterine pressure catheter system is provided. The method includes providing interconnection between the intrauterine pressure catheter system and a monitoring system via an interface cable system. The method also includes operating a switching element included in the interface cable system to provide a time period during which a zeroing operation of the intrauterine pressure catheter system may be performed. The method also includes providing an indication that the switching element has been momentarily operated, thereby indicating that the zeroing operation may be performed. The method also includes zeroing the intrauterine pressure catheter system. According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of verifying the functionality of an interface cable system is provided. The interface cable system provides electrical interconnection between an intrauterine pressure catheter system and a monitoring system. The method includes coupling a test plug included as a component of the interface cable system to a connector of the interface cable system. The connector is configured to be coupled to the intrauterine pressure catheter system when the interface cable system is used to transmit a pressure signal from the intrauterine pressure catheter system to the monitoring system. The method also includes determining if the interface cable system is functioning properly. The method also includes providing, if it is determined that the interface cable system is functioning properly, an indication thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an interface cable system for use with an intrauterine pressure catheter according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2A is a circuit diagram of a power supply circuit included in the interface cable system of FIG. 1; FIG. 2B is a circuit diagram of a signal processing circuit included in the interface cable system of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of performing a zeroing operation on an intrauterine pressure catheter system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of verifying the functionality of an interface cable system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As used herein, the terms “zero,” “re-zero,” “zeroing,” and/or “re-zeroing,” even when used with respect to a catheter system itself (e.g., an intrauterine pressure catheter system), refer to the zeroing or re-zeroing operation of the catheter itself, the associated monitoring system, or a combination thereof. Further, with respect to the claims appended hereto, the terms “zero” and/or “zeroing” are intended to encompass zeroing and re-zeroing operations. When measuring intrauterine pressure, the pressure is often measured as an offset with respect to a baseline. This baseline is established by zeroing/re-zeroing the catheter system. Thus, in certain systems, each time a new catheter system is coupled to the interface cable a zeroing/re-zeroing operation is performed. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of interface cable system 100. Interface cable system 100 is configured to provide electrical interconnection between an intrauterine pressure catheter system and a monitoring system. The monitoring system receives a pressure measurement of the intrauterine pressure catheter system via interface cable system 100. Interface cable system 100 includes connector 104 which is configured to provide electrical interconnection between interface cable system 100 and the monitoring system (not shown in FIG. 1). Connector 104 includes multiple pin connector 102 which is configured to be coupled to the monitoring system. Interface cable system 100 also includes connector 110 (e.g., an overmolded connector) which is configured to provide electrical interconnection between interface cable system 100 and the intrauterine pressure catheter system (not shown in FIG. 1). A plurality of conductors extend between connector 102 and connector 110. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 1, the conductors are provided in cable 108 (e.g., a 4 wire shielded cable). Connector 104 includes switching element 114 (e.g., a momentary switch). Through the operation of switching element 114, interface cable system 100 is configured to provide a time period during which a zeroing operation of the intrauterine pressure catheter system may be performed. For example, switching element 114 may short-circuit certain of the conductors of interface cable system 100 which carry a pressure signal from the intrauterine pressure catheter system. Such short-circuiting results in a zero potential across the signal carrying wires, which may be desired in order to perform the zeroing operation. Connector 104 also includes indicator 112 (e.g., a light, an LED, etc.) for indicating that switching element 114 has been operated (e.g., that momentary switch 114 has been depressed). Thus, a user of interface cable system 100 has an indication that the zeroing operation may be performed. For example, such a zeroing operation may be performed by depressing a button or operating a switch on the monitoring system (not shown in FIG. 1). Interface cable system 100 also includes strain relief 106 extending from connector 104 and leading to test plug 116 (i.e., cable check plug 116). If it is desired to test the functionality of interface cable system 100, and if connector 110 is not coupled to an intrauterine pressure catheter system, test plug 116 may be mated with connector 110. As will be explained in greater detail below, the mating of test plug 116 and connector 110 results in a test of the functionality of interface cable system 100. If it is determined that interface cable system 100 is functioning properly, an indication is provided to a user of interface cable system 100. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 1, such an indication is provided by indicator 112 (e.g., a light, an LED, etc.). For example, while test plug 116 is mated with connector 110, and if interface cable system 100 is functioning properly, indicator 112 may be a continuously illuminated light or LED. Interface cable system 100 also includes stop 118 (e.g., an overmolded knot provided on cable 108) to prevent test plug 116 from sliding or otherwise undesirably moving. As described above with respect to interface cable system 100, an objective of the present invention is to provide an effective means by which a user/caregiver can perform a system zero or re-zero for intrauterine pressure monitoring. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a means by which the user/caregiver can verify that the intrauterine pressure catheter interface cable is performing properly. As described above with respect to FIG. 1, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the zero/re-zero methodology utilizes a momentary switch (i.e., switching element 114) mounted on the monitor connector (i.e., connector 104), an indicator light (i.e., indicator 112), and circuitry on a circuit board enclosed inside the monitor connector (not shown in FIG. 1). When a user/caregiver momentarily presses/operates momentary switch 114 (or a button which attaches to a switch on the circuit board) signal wires configured to carry an intrauterine pressure signal are short-circuited together to create a zero voltage signal. As a result of the momentary operation of momentary switch 114, indicator light 112 flashes at a predetermined frequency (i.e., a flashing frequency) for a predetermined amount of time (i.e., a zeroing time period). The flashing frequency can be configured in the design of the circuitry. Further, the flashing frequency may be configured such that it can not be changed by a user/caregiver. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, indicator light 112 flashes at a flashing frequency of 2 hertz for a zeroing time period of 5 seconds. During the zeroing time period, the user/caregiver can properly perform a zero/re-zero operation. Further, the user/caregiver can continuously hold momentary switch 114 in a depressed state if so desired such that the zeroing time period (e.g., configured in a microprocessor not shown in FIG. 1) may be continuously restarted until the user/caregiver discontinues pressing momentary switch 114. As will be explained in greater detail below with respect to FIGS. 2A-2B, circuitry mounted on a circuit board inside connector 104 controls the zero/re-zero functionality described above. This circuitry is powered by an excitation voltage that may be supplied by the monitoring system via multiple pin connector 102 that is electrically coupled to the monitoring system. Alternatively, an imbedded or replaceable battery could provide power for the circuit. Using components provided in connector 104 (e.g., on the circuit board described above), the excitation voltage is directed, doubled, and/or inverted to power the appropriate components on the circuit board, which include but are not limited to resistors, op amps, an analog switch, and a microprocessor. Operation of these components is described in greater detail below with respect to FIG. 2A-2B. Briefly, the microprocessor is a controlling component, which senses when momentary switch 114 has been depressed, and then triggers an analog switch to short the two signal wires together. The microprocessor also controls the length of the zero/re-zero time period and the flashing frequency. Indicator light 112 may be mounted directly on the circuit board and can protrude through to an exterior surface of connector 104. Alternatively, indicator light may be projected to the exterior surface via a light pipe or the like. As described above, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, switching element 114 may be operated by being pushed momentarily. In contrast, certain conventional systems utilize a continuously depressed and engaged switch (i.e., in a transducer tipped catheter system). Other conventional catheter systems are actually disconnected from the interface cable (e.g., external transducer catheter systems). Because switching element 114 may be used to zero/re-zero the system through a momentarily operation (e.g., less than 1 second), the user/caregiver desirably has their hand free (where the user/caregiver's hand would otherwise be used to continuously depress a switch). As described above, once switching element 114 is engaged, it will remain engaged for the zero/re-zero time period configured in the circuitry. During the exemplary zero/re-zero time period described above, indicator light 112 will flash for five seconds indicating that a zero/re-zero operation can be properly performed during the five seconds. For example, to perform the zero/re-zero operation, the user/caregiver presses a zero reference button on the monitoring system while indicator light 112 is flashing. Thus, the user/caregiver is provided with a predictable and reliable mechanism (i.e., the flashing of indicator light 112) which indicates that the zero/re-zero operation may be commenced. In contrast, conventional systems do not provide any verification that a system zero/re-zero can be performed properly. As a result, if the user/caregiver does not properly prepare the system for a zero/re-zero operation (i.e., if the user does not hold down the re-zero button or engage a switch for transducer tipped catheter systems, or if the user does not disconnect the catheter from the interface cable for an external transducer catheter system) an improper zero/re-zero operation may be performed, thereby resulting in inaccurate readings. The present invention substantially reduces the possibility of the occurrence of such an improper zero/re-zero operation by providing an indication (e.g., a flashing light) that a proper zero/re-zero operation can be performed. As provided above, certain conventional systems provide no feedback to the caregiver that a zero/re-zero operation can be performed properly. With respect to transducer tipped catheter systems that include a re-zero button or switch, the caregiver has no way of knowing whether the button/switch has been fully engaged or if it is working properly. Further, in such conventional systems, confusion often exists regarding which button needs to be pressed and held first (i.e., the re-zero button/switch on the catheter/interface cable or the zero reference button on the monitor). According to the present invention, because an indication is provided indicating that a zero/re-zero operation may be properly performed, the potential for such confusion is substantially reduced in that the indication (e.g., a flashing light) is provided only if switching element 114 has been depressed. Certain embodiments of the present invention may provide for a zero/re-zero operation that can be easily performed with one hand. In contrast, certain conventional systems provide for the use of two hands to perform a zero/re-zero operation. For example, in the case of certain conventional transducer tipped catheter systems (having a zero/re-zero button on the interface cable), one hand is used to press and hold the zero/re-zero button while the other hand is used to press the zero reference button on the monitoring system. Certain conventional transducer-tipped catheter systems have a zero/re-zero switch on the catheter system itself, and not on the interface cable; however, such systems also use two hands to engage the zero/re-zero operation. For example, after the caregiver has pressed the zero reference button on the monitoring system, two hands are again used to disengage the switch. Regarding conventional external transducer catheter systems, two hands are typically used to disconnect the catheter system from the interface cable. After the caregiver has pressed the zero reference button on the monitoring system, two hands are again used to reattach the catheter system to the interface cable. Thus, in contrast to conventional systems, the present invention provides a methodology by which a user/caregiver may desirably perform a zero/re-zero operation with a single hand. According to the present invention, the user/caregiver (1) operates switching element 114 (e.g., momentary switch 114) on connector 104, (2) verifies that the system is ready for a zero/re-zero operation by noting the status of indicator 112 (e.g., flashing indicator light 112), and (3) operates the zero reference button on the monitoring system. Each of these three steps may be accomplished with one hand, thereby allowing the user/caregiver to use their other hand as desired. As provided above, certain embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method of verifying the functionality of the interface cable system. According to one such embodiment (as illustrated in FIG. 1), the interface cable system includes test plug 116 (e.g., a cable check plug 116 which may be embedded with female sockets), indicator light 114, and additional circuitry (e.g., provided on a circuit board enclosed inside connector 104). According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when a user/caregiver inserts connector 110 (e.g., overmolded catheter connector 110) into test plug 116, an excitation voltage from the monitoring system is transferred to the signal wires via female sockets of test plug 116 that are internally connected in such a manner that the positive voltage of the monitor is electrically connected to the positive signal voltage, and negative voltage of the monitor is electrically connected to the negative signal voltage. As a result of these connections, indicator light 112 may be continuously illuminated during the test so long as the interface cable system is functioning properly. The circuitry mounted on the circuit board (not shown in FIG. 1) controls the interface cable system functionality check. For example, such circuitry may be powered by the excitation voltage supplied by the monitoring system via monitor pin connector 102 that plugs into the monitoring system. Alternatively, an imbedded or replaceable battery could be provided to power the circuitry. As described in greater detail below with respect to FIGS. 2A-2B, by using components on the circuit board the excitation voltage is directed, doubled, and/or inverted to power the appropriate components on the circuit board which include but are not limited to resistors, op amps, an analog switch, and a microprocessor. The microprocessor is a controlling component which continually monitors the voltage in the signal wires. When the voltage is greater than a threshold voltage indicator light 112 on connector 104 will be continually illuminated if interface cable system 100 is functioning properly. Such a threshold voltage can be selected and configured during the design of the circuitry such that it may not be changed by the user/caregiver. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the threshold voltage is selected to be 3 volts. In such an embodiment, the maximum expected output voltage from the catheter system (i.e., a voltage signal representing an intrauterine pressure) is less than 1 volt, and as such, an algorithm configured in the circuitry can easily distinguish the threshold voltage from an actual intrauterine pressure signal. In embodiments of the present invention utilizing both the improved zero/re-zero functionality and the improved cable verification functionality, the cable verification functionality may supercede the zero/re-zero functionality in all conditions. As a result, indicator light 112 will be illuminated continuously if the test plug is coupled to connector 110 and interface cable system is functioning properly, regardless if switching element 114 (i.e., the zero/re-zero button) has been operated. Thus, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, indicator light 112 will be continuously illuminated when test plug 116 is plugged into connector 110 and if interface cable system 100 is functioning properly. In contrast, conventional systems typically provide no overt visual signal indicating that the interface cable is functioning properly during the interface cable check procedure. Rather, in conventional systems, a caregiver looks at the monitoring system (e.g., a screen of the monitoring system) during the interface cable test procedure to verify if the reading is in a predetermined range. This visual verification method employed in certain conventional systems follows a relatively complex sequential procedure of six steps. In contrast, according to the present invention, a simplified procedure (and a direct visual signal) is provided when the interface cable system is functioning properly. More specifically, in contrast to the six step sequential process of conventional systems (followed by an interpretation of the reading on the screen of the monitoring system), the present invention utilizes two steps including (1) disconnecting the interface cable system from the catheter system, and (2) electrically coupling the interface cable system to the test plug. Thus, according to the present invention, a simpler, quicker, and more reliable system and method of verifying the functionality of an interface cable system is provided. According to the present invention, by providing a visual indication related to the functionality of the interface cable system, there is less of an opportunity to improperly test the functionality of the interface cable system. This is particularly important in view of the impact of an improperly performed interface cable system check. For example, if an interface cable system is improperly tested as functioning properly, the incorrect functionality check may be followed by a multiple step zero/re-zero operation. Of course, the result of such a zero/re-zero operation is an inaccurate reading after the intrauterine pressure catheter system is reconnected to the interface cable system. Through the present invention, because of the improved reliability of the interface cable check procedure, a wasted zero/re-zero operation is not performed. As described above, the present invention provides (1) an improved means by which a user/caregiver can perform a system zero or re-zero operation and (2) an improved means by which the user/caregiver can verify the functionality of an intrauterine pressure catheter interface cable. Details of an exemplary circuit for each of these improvements will now be described with respect to FIGS. 2A-2B. FIG. 2A is a circuit diagram of the power supply distribution of circuitry provided in connector 104 of interface cable system 100. The power supply section uses the two excitation voltage signals of the cable (coupled to terminals E7-E9 and E10 in FIG. 2A) from the monitoring system to generate the desired voltage signals. The signal coupled to terminal E10 is connected to a common “ground” of the circuits. The signal coupled to terminals E7-E9 has different paths depending on the monitor of the monitoring system to which the circuit is connected. For example, if the circuit is connected to an HP monitor the signal path from terminal E9 is connected to diode D1 which is used to transform the AC input voltage to a pulsed DC signal. Further, if the circuit is connected to a Space Labs monitor the signal path from terminal E7 is routed through resistor R15 and zener diode D2 which are used to ensure that the input level to the next stage does not exceed 7 volts. Further still, if the circuit is connected to a Corometrics monitor the signal path from terminal E8 is brought directly to the input of the next stage. Each of these signal paths leads to filter capacitor C5 which is used to smooth out the AC component of the DC signal. The next stage (i.e., the voltage doubler stage) of the signal path leads to switched capacitor voltage doubler U4 where the input voltage is doubled. This input voltage is doubled to ensure that the supply voltage to an analog switch will be greater than the input voltage. The output of the voltage doubler stage is fed into voltage inverter section U5 which is used to generate a negative supply voltage for the analog section of the circuitry. This negative supply voltage is desirably generated because some of the input signals are AC signals that are both positive and negative with respect to ground. The output of the voltage doubler section is also provided to linear voltage regulator U6 which provides the supply power for the microcontroller. FIG. 2B is a circuit diagram of the signal processing portion of circuitry provided in connector 104 of interface cable system 100. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 2B, the signal processing portion of the circuitry uses the inner two pins of the cable provided at terminals E4, E5, and E6. The signals are transmitted through operational amplifiers U3A and U3D which are provided as a buffer. Through the use of the buffer the signals are desirably monitored without drawing enough current to substantially change the signal. From the buffer stage the signals enter summing amplifier U3C with a voltage gain of 1:10. The negative voltage gain is used to ensure that the signal level will be in a range that is acceptable to the microcontroller. The final stage U3B of the signal conditioning stage is used to level shift the signal from a positive or negative voltage to a signal between 0 and 3 volts. A voltage resistor voltage divider (incorporating resistors R9 and R10) is provided to ensure that the signal does not go above the 3V limitation of the microcontroller. The output of the voltage resistor voltage divider circuitry is fed into an analog to digital converter on microcontroller U2 at pin 3. Microcontroller U2 determines if the value of the input signal exceeds a predetermined threshold. Microcontroller U2 illuminates an LED to alert the user/caregiver that a voltage greater than the predetermined threshold exists between input pins E5 and E6. Input pins E5 and E6 are electrically coupled to analog switch U1, thereby allowing the two pins to be temporarily short-circuited to zero the monitoring system. Pushbutton switch SW1 is coupled to the input pin of microcontroller U2 to activate analog switch U1. If a voltage greater than the predetermined threshold voltage exists, microcontroller U2 will not drive analog switch U1. The analog signal is short-circuited for a predetermined time period by microcontroller U2. LED D3 is driven by the microcontroller as a status indicator. LED D3 is continuously illuminated when the voltage between the input pins exceeds the predetermined threshold. When the two pins are short-circuited LED D3 is flashed off and on. Of course, the circuitry illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2B is exemplary in nature, and as such, alternative configurations are contemplated within the scope of the invention. FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method of performing a zeroing operation on an intrauterine pressure catheter system. At step 300, interconnection between the intrauterine pressure catheter system and a monitoring system is provided via an interface cable system. At step 302, a switching element included in the interface cable system is operated to provide a time period during which a zeroing operation of the intrauterine pressure catheter system may be performed. At step 304, an indication that the switching element has been momentarily operated is provided, thereby indicating that the zeroing operation may be performed. At step 306, the intrauterine pressure catheter system is zeroed. FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of verifying the functionality of an interface cable system. At step 400, a test plug included as a component of the interface cable system is coupled to a connector of the interface cable system. The connector is configured to be coupled to an intrauterine pressure catheter system when the interface cable system is used to transmit a pressure signal from the intrauterine pressure catheter system to a monitoring system. At step 402, a determination is made as to whether the interface cable system is functioning properly. At step 404, if it is determined that the interface cable system is functioning properly, an indication is provided thereof. Although the present invention has been described in terms of using a light source such as an LED as indicator 112, it is not limited thereto. Any of a number of indicators (e.g., a mechanical indicator such as a flag, an audible indicator such as a buzzer) may be used. Further, although the indicator is illustrated as being integrated as a part of connector 104, it is not limited thereto. Rather, indicator 112 may be provided at any of a number of locations included in interface cable system 100. Although the present invention has been described in terms of the internal circuitry (e.g., the power supply and signal processing circuitry) being provided on a circuit board included in connector 104, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the circuitry may be provided at any of a number of locations included in interface cable system 100. Although the invention is illustrated and described herein with reference to specific embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In monitoring and/or analyzing fetal contractions, externally applied devices (e.g., tocodynamometers) and intrauterine devices have been used. Regarding intrauterine pressure monitoring, catheters are typically inserted directly into the uterus (e.g., after the amniotic membranes have been broken). Once a catheter has been inserted in the uterus, a pressure measurement is taken by the catheter. The measured pressure is then transferred from the catheter (either electrically or mechanically depending on the type of catheter) to an interface cable. The interface cable then electrically transfers the pressure in the form of an electrical signal to one or more fetal monitors. A number of pressure catheter components and systems are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,680 to Urion et al., the contents of which are incorporated in this application by reference. Often, it becomes desirable to “zero” or “re-zero” the pressure catheter in situ. For example, a pressure catheter may include a pressure transducer that is “zeroed” to ensure that an output of the pressure transducer may be accurately compared to a reference value. Many conventional pressure catheters do not allow for a zeroing operation to be performed in situ. Further, the pressure catheters that do provide for such a zeroing operation suffer from a number of deficiencies. For example, in certain systems, a user depresses and holds a button on an interface cable, and then (while continuing to hold the button in a depressed state) zeroes the system through a mechanism provided on a fetal monitor. Such an operation is inconvenient because the user holds the button on the interface cable with a first hand and operates the zeroing mechanism on the fetal monitor with the other hand. Further, the user has no efficient way of knowing if the system is ready for the zeroing process to be performed. Additionally, it is often desirable to confirm the functionality of the interface cable used in conjunction with an intrauterine pressure monitoring system. In certain conventional intrauterine pressure monitoring systems, a user follows a relatively complex multi-step process before referring to a screen of a monitoring system in order to verify if the interface cable is functioning properly. By their nature, such conventional procedures undesirably have a number of sources of potential error (e.g., errors in following a complex multi-step procedure, human error in determining if the screen indicates that the cable is functioning properly, etc.). Thus, it would be desirable to provide an interface cable that overcomes one or more of the above-described deficiencies. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an interface cable system for providing electrical interconnection between an intrauterine pressure catheter system (e.g., a pressure catheter) and a monitoring system (e.g., a fetal monitor) is provided. The monitoring system receives a pressure measurement from the intrauterine pressure catheter system via the interface cable system. The interface cable system includes a first connector configured to provide electrical interconnection between the interface cable system and the intrauterine pressure catheter system and a second connector configured to provide electrical interconnection between the interface cable system and the monitoring system. The interface cable system also includes a plurality of conductors extending between the first connector and the second connector. The interface cable system also includes a switching element for configuring the interface cable system to provide, upon operation of the switching element, a time period in which a zeroing operation of the intrauterine pressure catheter system may be performed. The interface cable system also includes an indicator for indicating that the switching element has been operated, thereby indicating that the zeroing operation may be performed during the time period. According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an interface cable system for providing electrical interconnection between an intrauterine pressure catheter system and a monitoring system is provided. The monitoring system receives a pressure measurement from the intrauterine pressure catheter system via the interface cable system. The interface cable system includes a first connector configured to provide electrical interconnection between the interface cable system and the intrauterine pressure catheter system and a second connector configured to provide electrical interconnection between the interface cable system and the monitoring system. The interface cable system also includes a plurality of conductors extending between the first connector and the second connector. The interface cable system also includes a test plug configured to be coupled to the first connector when the first connector is not coupled to the intrauterine pressure catheter system. The test plug may be used to determine if the interface cable system is functioning properly. The interface cable system also includes an indicator for providing an indication if it is determined that the interface cable system is functioning properly. According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of performing a zeroing operation on an intrauterine pressure catheter system is provided. The method includes providing interconnection between the intrauterine pressure catheter system and a monitoring system via an interface cable system. The method also includes operating a switching element included in the interface cable system to provide a time period during which a zeroing operation of the intrauterine pressure catheter system may be performed. The method also includes providing an indication that the switching element has been momentarily operated, thereby indicating that the zeroing operation may be performed. The method also includes zeroing the intrauterine pressure catheter system. According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of verifying the functionality of an interface cable system is provided. The interface cable system provides electrical interconnection between an intrauterine pressure catheter system and a monitoring system. The method includes coupling a test plug included as a component of the interface cable system to a connector of the interface cable system. The connector is configured to be coupled to the intrauterine pressure catheter system when the interface cable system is used to transmit a pressure signal from the intrauterine pressure catheter system to the monitoring system. The method also includes determining if the interface cable system is functioning properly. The method also includes providing, if it is determined that the interface cable system is functioning properly, an indication thereof. | 20040929 | 20130723 | 20060406 | 98167.0 | H01R300 | 0 | TOWA, RENE T | Intrauterine pressure catheter interface cable system | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H01R | 2,004 |
|
10,953,139 | ACCEPTED | Air filter assembly having non-cylindrical filter elements, for filtering air with particulate matter | An air filter assembly for removing particulate matter from an incoming dirty air stream. The assembly includes a housing having an inlet, an outlet, a dirty air chamber and a clean air chamber and a non-cylindrical shaped elongated filter element arranged within the dirty air chamber constructed to remove particulate matter from an incoming air stream. A plurality of non-cylindrical filter elements are preferred. The non-cylindrical filter elements provide a decreased incoming air stream velocity when compared to conventional cylindrical filter elements having the same surface area. Alternately, the non-cylindrical filter elements allow an increase in the volume of incoming air when compared to conventional cylindrical filter elements having the same surface area. | 1-20. (Canceled) 21. An air filter element comprising: (a) an extension of filter media having first and second opposite ends; (i) said filter media being pleated; (ii) said filter media being tubular and non-cylindrical and defining an open filter interior; (b) a first end cap and a second end cap; (i) said filter media extending between said first and second end caps; (ii) said first end cap defining a ring providing access to said open filter interior; (iii) the filter element having a length from an outermost portion of said first end cap to an outermost portion of said second end cap of at least 18 inches; (d) an inner liner extending between said first and second end caps; (i) said filter media circumscribing said inner liner; (e) a sealing gasket extending axially from said first end cap; and (f) the filter media, first end cap and second end cap each defining a long axis and a short axis relative to a perpendicular direction of the filter media; (i) a ratio of the short axis to the long axis being 0.7-0.9. 22. A filter element according to claim 21 wherein: (a) the ratio of the short axis to the long axis is about 0.8. 23. A filter element according to claim 21 wherein: (a) said filter media comprises pleated paper. 24. A filter element according to claim 21 wherein: (a) said first end cap has: (i) an exterior dimension along said long axis of 13-15 inches; (ii) an interior dimension along said long axis of 10-12 inches; (iii) an exterior dimension along said short axis of 10-12 inches; and (iv) an interior dimension along said short axis of 7-9 inches. 25. A filter element according to claim 24 wherein (a) said filter element defines a length of no greater than 48 inches. 26. A filter element according to claim 24 wherein: (a) said filter element defines a length of 22-30 inches. 27. A filter element according to claim 26 wherein: (a) said second end cap is a continuous, closed end cap. 28. A filter element according to claim 21 wherein: (a) said second end cap defines a ring providing access to said open filter interior. 29. A filter element according to claim 28 wherein: (a) the filter media is potted within said first end cap and said second end cap. 30. A filter element according to claim 28 further including: (a) an outer liner extending between said first and second end caps; (i) said outer liner circumscribing said filter media. 31. A filter element according to claim 28 wherein: (a) the ratio of the short axis to the long axis is about 0.8. 32. An air filter element comprising: (a) an extension of filter media having first and second opposite ends; (i) said filter media being pleated paper; (ii) said filter media being tubular and non-cylindrical and defining an open filter interior; (b) a first end cap; said filter media being confined within said first end cap at said first end; (i) said first end cap defining a ring providing access to said open filter interior; (c) a second end cap; said filter media being confined within said second end cap at said second end; (i) the filter element having a length from an outermost portion of said first end cap to an outermost portion of said second end cap of about 26 inches; (d) an inner liner extending between said first and second end caps; (i) said filter media circumscribing said inner liner; (e) a sealing gasket extending axially from said first end cap; and (f) the filter media, first end cap and second end cap each defining a long axis and a short axis relative to a perpendicular direction of the filter media; (i) a ratio of the short axis to the long axis is at least about 0.5 and less than 1.0; (ii) said first end cap having: (A) an exterior dimension along said long axis of 13-15 inches; (B) an interior dimension along said long axis of 10-12 inches; (C) an exterior dimension along said short axis of 10-12 inches; and (D) an interior dimension along said short axis of 7-9 inches. 33. A filter element according to claim 32 wherein: (a) said second end cap is a continuous, closed end cap. 34. A filter element according to claim 32 wherein: (a) said second end cap defines a ring providing access to said open filter interior. 35. A filter element according to claim 32 wherein: (a) a ratio of the short axis to the long axis is 0.7-0.9. 36. A filter element according to claim 32 wherein: (a) the filter media is potted within said first end cap and said second end cap. 37. A method of mounting a filter element in an air filtration system; the system including a housing including an air inlet, an air outlet, a spacer wall separating the housing into a filtering chamber and a clean air chamber; the air inlet providing a dirty air volume to the air filtration system; the spacer wall including a first air flow aperture therein; the method comprising: (a) mounting a first filter element in the filtering chamber and in air flow communication with the first air flow aperture in the spacer wall; the first filter element including: (i) an extension of filter media having first and second opposite ends; the filter media being pleated; the filter media being tubular and non-cylindrical and defining an open filter interior; (ii) a first end cap; the filter media being secured to the first end cap at the first end; the first end cap defining a ring providing access to the open filter interior; (iii) a second end cap; the filter media being secured to the second end cap at the second end; (iv) an inner liner extending between the first and second end caps; the filter media circumscribing the inner liner; (v) a gasket extending axially from the first end cap; (vi) the filter media, first end cap and second end cap each defining a long axis and a short axis relative to a perpendicular direction of the filter media; a ratio of the short axis to the long axis being 0.7-0.9; and (b) forming a seal by axially compressing the gasket against the spacer wall. 38. A method according to claim 37 wherein: (a) said step of mounting a filter element includes mounting a filter element having a first end cap with: (i) an exterior dimension along the long axis of 13-15 inches; (ii) an interior dimension along the long axis of 10-12 inches; (iii) an exterior dimension along the short axis of 10-12 inches; and (iv) an interior dimension along the short axis of 7-9 inches. 39. A method according to claim 38 further including: (a) mounting a second filter element against the first filter element and in air flow communication therewith; the second filter element being tubular and non-cylindrical. 40. A method according to claim 39 wherein: (a) said step of mounting a first filter element includes mounting a first filter element having an open second end cap; and (b) said step of mounting a second filter element includes mounting a second filter element having a first open end cap and a second closed end cap. 41. A method according to claim 40 wherein: (a) said step of mounting a first filter element includes mounting a first filter element having an outer liner extending between the first and second end caps and circumscribing the filter media. 42. An air filter assembly comprising: (a) a housing including an air inlet, an air outlet, a spacer wall separating the housing into a filtering chamber and a clean air chamber; (i) the air inlet providing a dirty air volume to the air filter assembly, the dirty air volume having an air flow direction; (ii) the spacer wall including a first air flow aperture therein; (b) a first filter construction positioned in air flow communication with the first air flow aperture in the spacer wall; the first filter construction including an extension of filter media between first and second end caps; the filter media, and first and second end caps defining a filter construction inner clean air chamber; (i) the first filter construction being oriented within the filtering chamber in air flow communication with the spacer wall first air flow aperture; and (ii) the first filter construction having a cross-sectional area taken parallel to the first air flow aperture, the cross-sectional area having a long axis perpendicular to a short axis; (A) a ratio of the short axis to the long axis being 0.7-0.9. 43. The air filter assembly according to claim 42, wherein: (a) the ratio of the short axis to the long axis is about 0.8. 44. The air filter assembly according to claim 42 further comprising: (a) a second filter construction positioned in air flow communication with a second air flow aperture in the spacer wall; the second filter construction including an extension of filter media between first and second end caps, the filter media and first and second end caps defining a filter construction inner clean air chamber; (i) the second filter construction being oriented with the filtering chamber in air flow communication with the spacer wall second air flow aperture; and (ii) the second filter construction having a cross-sectional area including a long axis perpendicular to a short axis; (A) the second filter construction having a ratio of the short axis to the long axis of 0.7-0.9. 45. The air filter assembly according to claim 44, wherein: (a) the housing has a first and a second side wall, the first and second side walls being opposite each another; (i) the distance between the first filter construction and the first side wall is about 4 inches. 46. The air filter assembly according to claim 45, wherein: (a) the distance between the first filter construction and the second filter construction is approximately twice the distance between the first filter construction and the first side wall. 47. The air filter assembly according to claim 45, wherein: (a) the spacer wall has a spacer wall width; (i) the width along the short axis of the first filter construction and the width along the short axis of the second filter construction together are 70% or less than the spacer wall width. 48. The air filter assembly according to claim 42 further comprising: (a) a Venturi element mounted in the spacer wall first air flow aperture and positioned to project into the first filter construction inner clean air chamber. 49. A method of filtering dirty air comprising: (a) providing a housing including an air inlet, an air outlet, a spacer wall separating the housing into a filtering chamber and a clean air chamber, the filtering chamber having a volume of no greater than about 176 cubic feet; (b) inputting at least 550 cubic feet per minute of dirty air, the dirty air having a contaminant concentration of at least 1 grain per cubic foot, into the filtering chamber via the air inlet; and (c) filtering the dirty air by passing the dirty air from the filtering chamber through a non-cylindrical filter construction into the clean air chamber, the filter construction having a cross-sectional area having a long axis perpendicular to a short axis, a ratio of the short axis to the long axis being 0.7-0.9. 50. A method of filtering dirty air according to claim 49, wherein: (a) the step of inputting at least 550 cubic feet per minute of dirty air comprises inputting at least 600 cubic feet per minute of dirty air. 51. A method of filtering dirty air according to claim 49 wherein: (a) the step of filtering includes passing the dirty air through a filter construction comprising: (i) an extension of filter media having first and second opposite ends; (ii) the filter media being pleated paper; (iii) the filter media being tubular and non-cylindrical and defining an open filter interior; (iv) a first end cap; the filter media being confined within the first end cap at the first end; (v) a second end cap; the filter media being confined within the second end cap at the second end; (vi) the filter element having a length from an outermost portion of the first end cap to an outermost portion of the second end cap of about 26 inches; (vii) an inner liner extending between the first and second end caps; the filter media circumscribing the inner liner; (viii) a sealing gasket extending axially from the first end cap; and (ii) the first end cap having: (A) an exterior dimension along the long axis of 13-15 inches; (B) an interior dimension along the long axis of 10-12 inches; (C) an exterior dimension along the short axis of 10-12 inches; and (D) an interior dimension along the short axis of 7-9 inches. | FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure is related to air filtering systems having non-cylindrical filter elements, and methods of using systems equipped with non-cylindrical filter elements. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Many industries often encounter particulate matter suspended in the atmosphere. In some industries, this particulate matter is a valuable product, for example, starch; it would be beneficial if these suspended particulate could be recovered and reintroduced into the process. For other industries, such as metal or wood working, the particulate matter may be simply dust; it is desirable to remove dust particles from the air in order to provide a clear working environment. Systems for cleaning an air or other gas stream laden with particulate matter include air filter assemblies that have filter elements disposed in a housing. The filter element may be a bag or sock of a suitable fabric or pleated paper. The gas stream, contaminated with particulate, typically is passed through the housing so that the particulate are captured and retained by the filter element. Cleaning is accomplished by periodically pulsing a brief jet of pressurized air into the interior of the filter element to reverse the air flow through the filter element, causing the collected contaminants to be collected. Such air filter assemblies are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,227 (Frey) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,269 (Schuler), which patents are hereby incorporated by reference. Cylindrical filter elements are usually used in an air filter assembly to process dust particles from an airstream. In a standard design of air filter assembly, an air filter assembly has a clean air chamber and a dirty air chamber. The two chambers are separated by a sheet metal, commonly referred to as a tube sheet. The tube sheet has a number of openings from which cylindrical filters are aligned. The filters suspend downwardly with or without an angle from the tube sheet openings into the dirty air chamber. Particulate-laden air is introduced into the dirty air chamber, and the particulates collect onto the filter. The filtered air passes through the filters to the interior of the filters, and upwardly out through the openings in the tube sheet into the clean air chamber. From the clean air chamber, the cleaned air is exhausted into the environment, or recirculated for other uses. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,070 (Robinson), U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,536 (Robinson), U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,237 (Ulvestad), U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,915 (Robinson), U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,812 (Tronto et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,255 (Muller et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,488 (Forsgren), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,846 (Kott et al.) are prior art examples of prior art cylindrical filter elements of the pleated cartridge type. Non-cylindrical filter elements are sometimes used to process dust particles from an airstream and provide increased filtration area within a housing than cylindrical filter elements. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,766 (Clements) discloses a non-round unitary filter cartridge having a unitary structure with pleated filter media formed securely about a perforated interior core in a dust collector. U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,131 (Howeth) discloses non-cylindrical filters having a greater clean air flow area than a plurality of cylindrical elements fitted within the same dimensional envelope. In one conventional design of air filter assembly with non-cylindrical filter elements, non-cylindrical filter elements simply replaces cylindrical filter elements. With less space between adjacent filter elements, more non-cylindrical filter elements are placed within a housing than cylindrical filter elements. U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,766 (Clements) discloses this type of use of non-cylindrical filter elements. In another conventional design of air filter assembly with non-cylindrical filter elements, a plurality of cylindrical elements are replaced by a single non-cylindrical filter element. U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,131 (Howeth) discloses this type of use of non-cylindrical filter elements. Unfortunately, each of these conventional designs which utilize non-cylindrical filter elements has its disadvantages and drawbacks. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The construction and arrangement of the disclosed air filter assembly helps to overcome the problems of the prior art. In particular, in one embodiment, the structure and arrangement of the assembly of the present disclosure enables the processing of 25% more dust laden airflow compared to conventional systems. In preferred systems, the assembly of the present disclosure results in a dust laden airflow increase greater than 25% without an increase in the geometric size of the filter housing apparatus or the number of filter cartridges required. The present design provides this 25% volume increase, preferably greater than 25% increase, by maintaining the amount of filtration media available for filtering the dirty air rather than increasing the amount of filtration media. In another embodiment, the assembly of the present disclosure results in an airflow increase greater than 25% by decreasing the amount of filtration media available. Also, the structure and arrangement of the air filter assembly provides more efficient filter retention/sealing, filter housing apparatus manufacturing, and filter handling. In one aspect, the disclosure describes an air filter assembly adapted for removing particulate matter from a high volume air stream. The air filter assembly of the present disclosure, utilizing non-cylindrical filter elements, is capable of handling 25% more air than a conventional air filter assembly utilizing cylindrical filter elements having the same amount, or less, surface area available for filtration. In particular, an air filter assembly of the present disclosure comprises a housing including an air inlet, an air outlet, and a spacer wall separating the housing into a filtering chamber and a clean air chamber, the spacer wall including a first air flow aperture therein. The air inlet provides a dirty air volume to the air filter assembly, where the dirty air volume has an air flow direction. The air filter assembly further includes a first filter construction positioned in air flow communication with the first air flow aperture in the spacer wall; the first filter construction including an extension of filter media disposed between proximal end cap and distal end cap. The filter media, proximal and distal end caps defines a filter construction inner clean air chamber. The first filter construction: is oriented within the filter inner clean air chamber in air flow communication with the spacer wall first air flow aperture; has a cross-sectional area, when taken parallel to the first air flow aperture, the cross-sectional area having a long axis perpendicular to a short axis; and has a width along the long axis and a width along the short axis, the long axis width being greater than the short axis width and the long axis positioned parallel to the air flow direction. In another aspect or embodiment, an air filter assembly is provided that comprises a housing including an air inlet, an air outlet, a spacer wall separating said housing into a filtering chamber and a clean air chamber and including a first air flow aperture therein. The air inlet provides a dirty air volume to the air filter assembly, the dirty air volume having an air flow direction and an air speed. The air filter assembly further includes a first filter construction: positioned in air flow communication with the first air flow aperture in the spacer wall; including an extension of filter media defining a filter construction inner clean air chamber; having a cross-sectional area, when taken parallel to the first air flow aperture, the cross-sectional area having a long axis perpendicular to a short axis; having a width along the long axis and a width along the short axis, the long axis width being greater than the short axis width and the long axis positioned parallel to the air flow direction; and further having a first surface area defined by the extension of filter media. The volume of dirty air processable by this air filter assembly is at least 10 percent greater, preferably 20 percent greater, and most preferably at least 25 percent greater than a volume of dirty air processable by an air filter assembly differing from the claimed assembly only by the shape of the filter elements. In another embodiment, the structure and arrangement of the assembly of the present disclosure results in an air speed that is at least 10 percent, preferably 20 percent, and most preferably at least 25 percent less than the air speed of a similar volume of air being filtered by an air filter assembly differing from the claims assembly only by the shape of the filter elements. Such an air filter assembly provides for longer filter life and increases the capacity for particulate removal from the incoming dirty air stream, thus decreasing the need to change used filter elements. In another aspect, such an air filter assembly provides greater capacity, both for the airflow capacity and the amount of particulate removed from the dirty air stream, without decreasing filter life. This decreases the total amount of filters needed at each replacement cycle and over the life of the operation. A method of filtering or cleaning dirty air to provide clean air is also disclosed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one type of operational installation of an air filtration system having non-cylindrical filter elements according to the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partially broken away, of one embodiment of the air filtration system of FIG. 1 utilizing non-cylindrical elements according to the present disclosure, FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the air filtration system depicted in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a mounting arrangement utilized in the air filtration system of FIGS. 1-3; FIG. 5A is a top view of a portion of an air filtration system showing one embodiment of a side panel for use in the air filtration system of the present disclosure; FIG. 5B is a top view of a portion of an air filtration system showing a second embodiment of a side panel for use in the air filtration system of the present disclosure; FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of an embodiment of a non-cylindrical element utilized in the air filtration system of the present disclosure; FIG. 7 is an enlarged end view of the non-cylindrical filter element shown in FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is an end view of a row of non-cylindrical filter elements mounted in an air filtration system according to the present disclosure; and FIG. 9 is an end view of a row of conventional cylindrical filter elements mounted in a conventional air filtration system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, an air filtration system or assembly is depicted generally at 10. The system 10 depicted is shown with three units or modules configured together in side-by-side arrangement. This arrangement can be, for example, of a size that fits into a 2 meter by 3 meter by 3 meter space (approximately 6 feet by 10 feet by 10 feet). Each module in FIG. 1 is generally in the shape of a box and includes an upper wall panel 16, and two pairs of opposite side wall panels 17. A front access door 13 and a secondary access door 14 permit access to the interior of each module for purposes of, for example, maintenance. Each module further includes a conduit 11 for receiving dirty or contaminated air (i.e., air with particulate matter therein) into the filter assembly. A like conduit 12 is provided for venting clean or filtered air from the filter assembly 10. Also shown in FIG. 1 is a motor and chain drive assembly 118 of standard construction for operation of an auger screw in the base portion of the assembly. The auger is used to remove collected particulate from the interior of the air filtration assembly, as will be discussed in detail later. Referring now to FIG. 2, the present disclosure is shown in side elevation with one side wall panel 17 being broken away to facilitate description of the arrangement of the various elements of the assembly. In this embodiment, the upper wall panel 16 has an inner wall surface 16′ with an air inlet 20 positioned in the upper wall panel 16 so that entering dust-laden air or other contaminated gas is introduced in a downwardly direction (referred to as air flow direction 101) into a dirty air chamber 22. A typical volume of incoming dirty air is about 500 cubic feet per minute (cfm) for one conventional cylindrical filter element; in accordance with the present disclosure, a typical volume of incoming dirty air may be at least about 550 cfm, preferably at least about 600 cfm, and more preferably at least about 625 cfm. In many industries where air filter assemblies of this type are installed, the amount of dust or other particulate contaminant in the dirty air stream is about one grain (0.0648 gram) of particulate per each cubic foot of air. Filtered or “clean air” typically has less than 0.001 grain particulate per each cubic foot of air. The top inlet 20 allows the assembly to utilize the forces of gravity in moving the dust particulate down through the assembly 10 to the collection area. The dirty air chamber 22 is defined by the door 13, the upper wall panel 16, the two pairs of opposing side wall panels 17 which extend downwardly from the upper panel 16, stepped wall structure 28 (shown in phantom in FIG. 2), and a pair of sloping wall surfaces 23, 24. Sloping wall surfaces 23, 24 partially define a collection area or hopper 25 within the base portion of the assembly. The dirty air chamber 22 is a sealed chamber in order to prevent any escape of contaminated air or fluid prior to its being filtered. A bottom base panel or frame 26 is sealed to the side wall panels 17 in any suitable, standard manner. The volume of dirty air chamber 22 is generally less than about 176 cubic feet, and is typically about 73 to 176 cubic feet. One common volume about 97.3 cubic feet. Side panel 17 may be any structure suitable for enclosing and encasing dirty air chamber 22. Side panels 17 are typically planar sheets, made of, for example, metal or plastic. In one embodiment, shown in FIG. 5A, side panels 17 may include stiffeners 29, such as rails, bars, and the like, which strengthen the side panels 17 and improve the panels' resistance to the large volumes of air flowing through the dirty air chamber 22. Typically, these stiffeners are placed internally and extend vertically from upper wall panel 16 to bottom panel 26 (not shown in FIG. 5A), although horizontal stiffeners may be used in some embodiments. Vertical stiffeners 29 are typically preferred because they produce minimal interference, although some interference, with the downward airflow pattern. A single stiffener 29 or multiple stiffeners 29 may be present on any one or a plurality of side panels 17. Still referring to FIG. 5A, in a preferred embodiment the distance “a” between filter element 32 and side panel 17 is at least about 5 cm, less than about 30 cm, typically about 5 to 20 cm, and in one example about 10.4 cm (4.1 inches). The distance “b” between stiffener 29 and filter element 32 is at least about 2 cm, less than about 25 cm, typically about 2 cm to 15 cm, and in one example is about 5.3 cm (2.1 inches). In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 5B, stiffeners 29 have been removed and replaced with expanded or distended side panel 17′. Side panel 17′ is distended from filter elements 32 and includes sloped panel 18 and distended panel 19. Distended panel 19 is displaced a distance “e” out from where a planar side panel 17 (as shown in FIG. 5A) would be, thus providing a maximum distance between filter element 32 and side panel 17′ of “c”. Sloped panel 18 is placed at an angle “a” from where a planar side panel 17 would be. As seen in FIG. 5B, a portion of side panel 17′ may remain parallel to filter element 32 and non-distended. Overall, distended side panel 17′ increases the area through which the dirty air can flow down, compared to a planar side panel, thereby lowering the velocity of the air traveling past the filter elements 32 and providing for increased volumes of air. Stiffeners 29 as shown in FIG. 5A, or other such features, are not needed to strengthen side panel 17′ because the shape produced by the angled panels provides the requisite stiffness. In one embodiment, the distance “a′” between filter element 32 and the end of side panel 17′ is at least about 5 cm, less than about 30 cm, typically about 5 to 20 cm, and in one example, about 10 cm, similar to that distance in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5A. The distance “c”, between filter element 32 and distended wall panel 19, is at least about 10 cm, less than about 50 cm, typically about 10 to 25 cm, and in one example about 17 cm. The distance “e”, that is, the distance of distention from where a planar panel would be, is at least about 2 cm, less than about 20 cm, typically about 2 to 15 cm, and in one example about 6 cm. The distance “d” (and “d′”) may be less than about 20 cm, typically less than about 10 cm, and in one example, about 8 cm. In some embodiments “d” may be 0 cm (zero). In one particular preferred embodiment, “a′” is 10.4 cm (4.1 inches), “c” is 16.7 cm (6.6 inches), both “d” and “d′” are 8.6 cm (3.4 inches), “e” is 6.4 cm (2.5 inches), “f”, the length of distended panel 19, is 66.0 cm (26.0 inches), and angle “a” is 14.2 degrees. These dimensions are preferred for a filter element 32 having a width (when measured perpendicular to its length) of about 38 cm (about 15 inches) and a length of 132.1 cm (52.0 inches). In another particular preferred embodiment, “a′” is 11.0 cm (4.3 inches), “c” is 17.3 cm (6.8 inches), both “d” and “d′” are 8.6 cm (3.4 inches), and “e, “f”, and angle “α” are the same as in the first embodiment. These dimensions are preferred for a filter element 32 having a width (when measured perpendicular to its length) of about 29 cm (about 11 inches) and a length of 132.1 cm (52.0 inches). The filter element 32 may comprise two stacked filter elements 32 each having a length of about 66 cm (26 inches). Sealed to a structural frame member 27 along each of the side wall panels 17, 17′ is mounted a spacer wall or tube sheet structure 28 to which are mounted the separate filter elements 32 of the assembly. The tube sheet structure 28 is sealed on all four of its sides to hermetically seal the dirty air chamber 22 from a clean air chamber 60. The volume of clean air chamber 60 is generally less than about 35 cubic feet, and is typically about 19 to 35 cubic feet. One common volume about 34.9 cubic feet. Together with the dirty air chamber 32, this would provide a total chamber volume of about 92 cubic feet to 211 cubic feet. In the embodiment shown, spacer wall or tube sheet structure 28 has a step-like design, although it is understood that planar tube sheet structures, or structures having other geometries, can be used. The structure 28 in the shown embodiment has three steps or indented portions. Each step portion includes an upwardly extending back member 30 and a leg member 31 extending at right angles from the back member 30. The tube sheet structure 28 is preferably constructed from a single piece of sheet steel and thus, the individual step portions are continuous extensions of the step portion immediately above it and below it. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the filter elements 32 mounted to structure 28 are positioned in the dirty air chamber 22 in stepped, partially overlapping relationship. The filter elements 32 may be positioned in a generally downward direction at an acute angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal plane of the upper surface panel 16. In this manner, a distribution space 33 is defined in the uppermost portion of the filter assembly 10 by an inclined baffle 50, the side wall panels 17, 17′, the upper wall panel inner surface 16′, and front access door 13. The inclined baffle 50 is positioned to dissipate the incoming air flow throughout the dirty air chamber 22. As the dirty air enters the assembly 10 from the inlet 20, it is received into the distribution space 33 prior to its being filtered. The individual filter elements 32 preferably are formed of pleated media, such as paper, formed into non-cylindrical tube elements each having opposite ends. Each of these ends typically has an end cap thereon. Details of the construction of the filter element 32 and how the filter media is fashioned into a stable non-cylindrical shape and confined with end caps is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,963 (Schuler), which is incorporated herein by reference. An example of how a filter element 32 may be supported to the structure 28 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,395,269 and 5,562,746. In particular, the support assembly for supporting the filter element is shown in FIG. 4. Back member portion 30 of the structure 28 has an opening (not shown) through which is disposed a Venturi element 70 (shown in phantom in FIG. 2). Venturi element 70 is positioned on the tube sheet structure 28 in relation to the filter element 32 such that the Venturi 70 is disposed in the clean air chamber 60. A yoke assembly 36, constructed to extended through the Venturi element 70 and into the center of filter element 32, is used for supporting the filter element 32. The yoke assembly 36 includes steel rods attached to (for example, by welding) and extending from the structure 28. Yoke assembly 36 is positioned to extend from structure 28 into the dirty air chamber 22. Alternatively, although not shown in the figures, steel rods of the yoke assembly can be threaded at the proximal end and extend through notches in the Venturi bell-mouthed-portion and apertures in the flange of the Venturi element 70. In such a case, a rod can be structured so that it can be secured to the tube sheet structure 28 together with the flange of the Venturi element 70 by a nut placed on the clean air chamber side of the tube sheet structure. This can be achieved in a variety of ways. For example, the rod can have an integral ridge proximate its proximal end to act a stop as the proximal end of the rod is extended through an aperture of the tube sheet structure 28 to be fastened with a nut. This arrangement has the advantage that no rod extends through the throat of the Venturi element 70. Another practicable alternative for securing the filter element to the tube sheet structure 28 is one similar to the arrangement disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,227 (Frey). Referring now to FIG. 6, non-cylindrical filter element 32 typically comprises a pleated filtration media 35 extending essentially the length of filter element 32. An outer liner 36 protects the filtration media 35 from physical damages. Likewise, an inner liner 34 is positioned inside the filtration media 35 to protect and support filtration media 35. Each of the ends of the filtration media 35 is preferably potted or confined in an end cap (or collar member). A first end cap 82, referred to herein as the “proximal end”, is an annular end cap and allows access to the interior of filter element 32. The opposite “distal end cap” 44 is a continuous cap that seals access to the interior of filtration media 35. The filtration media 35 and end caps 82, 44 define a filtered or clean air chamber (not shown). In some embodiments, such as when two filter elements 32 are stacked axially, distal end cap 44 of the first element 32 may be an annular cap, in order to allow air to flow freely between the internal chambers of the two stacked elements. Generally, the portion of the media 35 covered by the end caps is not considered porous to air as it is shielded by the end cap. When mounted on the structure 28 via yoke 36, proximal end cap 82 is positioned against the structure 28. In some embodiments, a gasket may be disposed between the proximal end cap 82 and the structure 28. By pressing the filter element 32 toward the structure 28 and compressing the gasket, an axially directed seal is provided between proximal end cap 82 and structure 28 to prevent air leakage. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, each yoke assembly 36 is secured essentially perpendicular to the structure 28 so as to suspend the filter elements 32 at an acute angle with respect to horizontal. (Back member 30, on which yoke assembly 36 is positioned, is at an angle to horizontal). In some embodiments, however, back member 30 may be vertical, i.e., perpendicular to horizontal, and yoke assembly 36 is structured so that filter elements 32 are nevertheless positioned at an acute angle with respect to horizontal. The preferred range for the angle of inclination of the filter elements 32 is about 15°-30° from the horizontal, although the system can work with any angle of inclination, including no angle. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each back member 30 of the stepped structure 28 has two horizontally spaced apart yoke assemblies 36 mounted thereon. Preferably, all of the filter elements 32 on the various steps of stepped structure 28 are parallel to one another. For a planar tube sheet structure 28, the filter elements 32 are also preferably parallel to one another. FIG. 2 illustrates the placement of a pair of filter elements 32 onto each yoke assembly 36; two filter elements 32 are positioned axially in relation to one another. An annular distal end cap 44 having a centrally located opening is aligned with the end plate 39 so as to sealingly cover the outboard end of the second filter element of each pair. This allows the removable attachment of a clamping arrangement for axially compressing the gaskets (not shown in FIGS. 2-3) of the filter elements 32 to seal them to the tube sheet structure 28 as well as to each other. Also, a fastening bolt 46 with its special handle 47 is inserted through the aligned apertures of the end plate 39 and end cap 44 to secure the two together. Directly behind the tube sheet structure 28 is the clean air chamber 60 which is defined by the back surface panel 62 of the assembly and a portion of the upper surface panel 16, a portion of the two opposing side panels 17, 17′, and the back side of the tube sheet structure 28. Mounted in the back surface panel 62 is a clean air outlet 64 for venting the clean, filtered air into the conduit 12 for return to the plant environment. Until the present disclosure, cylindrical filter elements have typically been used in air filter assemblies such as described herein. However, it has been found that in conventional systems, operation of these types of dust collectors at an increased air flow volume results in increased air speeds, which in turn results in a reduction of filter life because of the abrasiveness of the particulates in the air. An increased airflow, for example, 8315 cubic feet per minute (cfm) or greater, leads to high cabinet air/dust velocity which can abrade holes in the filter cartridges. The high air velocity may also inhibit the drop-out of the dust particles into the collection hopper. This results in the filters being plugged and a loss in total dust collection airflow. The present disclosure provides an air filter assembly that provides high volumetric airflow with sufficiently low air speeds to minimize filter damage. The non-cylindrical filter elements, when utilized in the air filter assembly of the present disclosure, have an extended life when compared to conventional cylindrical filter elements. The non-cylindrical filter elements provide decreased air velocities, thus reducing the amount of damage caused to the filter elements. Nevertheless, the non-cylindrical filter elements will eventually need replacement with new, clean filter elements when the filter elements become occluded and plugged. The non-cylindrical filters are removed when the pressure drop across the filtration media is about 4-6 inches of water. Referring now to FIGS. 6-7, a filter element 32 in accordance with the present disclosure will be explained in detail. Filter element 32 has an cylindrical sleeve of filtration media 35, preferably pleated, extending from proximal end cap 82 to a distal end cap 44. Typically, proximal end cap 82 is annular, providing for access to the clean air or filtered air chamber. In some embodiments, distal end cap 44 may be annular or may be continuous; in the context of this disclosure, an “annular end cap” is one where the end cap is ring-like and allows access to the interior of filtration media 35 (it is “open”), and a “continuous end cap” is one that extends across the span of filtration media 35 and does not allow access to the interior of filtration media 35; in other words, it is “closed”. Generally for two stacked filter elements 32, distal end cap 44 will be annular for the first of the stacked filter elements 32 and distal end 82 will be a continuous cap with a central aperture for passing a bolt therethrough for the second elements. A central aperture (minimal in size) may be included in a continuous end cap to allow passage of a bolt or other fastener therethrough so as to provide attachment of the filter element 32 to stepped tube sheet 28; however, any aperture is tightly sealed by the fastener. The length of filter element 32, shown as “x” in FIG. 6, generally taken from the outermost end of proximal end cap 82 to the outermost end of distal end cap 44 is at least about 45.7 cm (18 inches), less than about 122 cm (48 inches), typically about 55.9-76.2 cm (22-30 inches), often about 61.0-71.1 cm (24-28 inches), and preferably about 66.0 cm (26 inches), although longer and shorter filter elements could be used. Additionally, multiple filter elements 32, for example, two, three, or more filter elements 32, may be axially stacked to provide more filtration area. Because filter element 32 is non-cylindrical, filtration media 35 and each end cap 82, 44 are also non-cylindrical; each end cap has a long axis 75 and a short axis 76, when taken perpendicular to the filtration media 35. FIG. 7 illustrates proximal end cap 82 with long axis 75 and short axis 76. The aspect ratio, that is, the ratio between the short axis 76 of the end cap and the long axis 75 of the end cap, is typically at least about 0.5, less than 1.0, and is preferably about 0.7 to 0.9. In some systems, an aspect ratio of about 0.80 is preferred. It has been found that the lower the aspect ratio, the lower the air velocity as the air flows through the dirty air chamber 22 and around and through the filter elements 32. This results in less damage to the filter elements 32 and longer element life. An aspect ratio of about 0.8 for a non-cylindrical filter element typically provides an increase of airflow by about 10%, generally at least about 20%, and in some instances, by about 25% over that of a conventional cylindrical filter element, while keeping the cabinet air velocities the same. However, as the aspect ratio for non-cylindrical filter elements decreases (i.e., the short axis 76 decreases in relation to the long axis 75), it becomes difficult to pulse clean air backwards through the elements 32 to loosen compacted particulates, due to the narrowness of the element through which the air pulse must travel. The exterior dimension of end cap 82 (and end cap 44), when taken along the long axis 75, is at least about 15 cm, less than about 60 cm, typically is about 27.945.7 cm (11-18 inches), and preferably about 33.0-38.1 cm (13-15 inches). The interior dimension of end cap 82 (and optionally of end cap 44), when taken along the long axis 75, is at least about 5 cm, less than 55 cm, typically about 20.3-38.1 cm (8-15 inches), and preferably about 25.4-30.5 cm (10-12 inches). The exterior dimension of end cap 82 (and end cap 44), when taken along the short axis 76, is at least about 10 cm, less than about 55 cm, typically about 20.3-38.1 cm (8-15 inches), preferably about 25.4-30.5 cm (10-12 inches). Generally, the interior dimension of the end cap 82 (and optionally of end cap 44), when taken along the short axis 76, is at least about 5 cm, less than about 50 cm, typically about 12.7-30.5 cm (5-12 inches), and preferably about 17.8-22.9 cm (7-9 inches). The dimensions of the proximal end cap 82 and the distal end cap 44 will usually be the same; that is, typically the filter element 32 will not be tapered, but for some embodiments a taper may in fact be desired. In a preferred embodiment, the exterior dimensions of either end cap 82, 44 are 37.70 cm (14.844 inches) along the long axis 75, and 30.08 cm (11.844 inches) along the short axis 76. If the end cap is annular, the interior dimensions of either end cap 82, 44 are 27.88 cm (10.976 inches) along the long axis 75, and 20.26 cm (7.976 inches) along the short axis 76. The length of the filter element 32 is preferably about 66.0 cm (26 inches). Thus, if two elements 32 were stacked, the overall length of the filter elements 32 would be 132.1 cm (52 inches). In another preferred embodiment, the exterior dimensions of either end cap 82, 44 are 36.47 cm (14.360 inches) along the long axis 75, and 28.85 cm (11.36 inches) along the short axis 76. Each filter element 32 is mounted onto tube sheet structure 28, in particular onto back member 30 of tube sheet structure 28, by yoke assembly 36. Referring to FIG. 8, which shows two filter elements 32 mounted onto back member 30, it can be seen that filter element 32 is mounted so that the long axis 75 of the two elements 32 are vertical and parallel to one another; the long axis 75 of the elements 32 are vertical in relation to the entire air filtering assembly 10, and in particular, to the incoming air flow direction 101. A cross-sectional area of filter element 32 taken parallel to tube sheet structure 28 along the length of filter element 32 would also provide long axis 75 and short axis 76. Air inlet 20 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) provides air to filter elements 32 by the air flow direction shown in FIG. 8 as 101. Long axis 75 is parallel to air flow direction 101. Preferably, short axis 76 of the two filter elements 32 are co-planar, but in some embodiments it may be desired to offset the two short axis 76, for example by vertical displacement of the entire filter element 32. In accordance with the present disclosure, non-cylindrical filter elements 32, when positioned with the short axis perpendicular to the downward flow of air through the dirty air chamber 22, decrease the downward velocity of the dirty dust laden air stream as it proceeds through the dirty air chamber 22 of the air filter assembly 10. Each non-cylindrical filter element 32 is oriented so that the long axis 75 is vertical and the short axis 76 is horizontal. As a result of this orientation, the distance 77 between the sidewall panel 17, 17′ and the non-cylindrical filter elements 32 is increased over that the distance 87 between the sidewall panel 17, 17′ and a conventional cylindrical filter element 83 (FIG. 9). Referring again to FIG. 8, in a preferred embodiment, when the overall width of back element 30 is about 101.6 cm (40 inches) and each filter element 32 has an exterior short axis dimension 76 of about 30.08 cm (11.844 inches), the distance 77 from the side wall panel 17 to the outer edge of proximate end cap 82 is about 10 cm (4 inches), specifically 10.4 cm (4.08 inches). Such a positioning provides a distance between the two elements 32 of about 20.3 cm (8 inches), specifically 20.7 cm (8.16 inches). This embodiment provides that about 60% of the width of the back element 30 is occupied by the maximum width of the filter elements 32. In another preferred embodiment, when the overall width of back element 30 is about 101.6 cm (40 inches) and each filter element 32 has an exterior short axis dimension 76 of about 28.85 cm (11.36 inches), the distance 77 from the side wall panel 17 to the outer edge of proximate end cap 82 is about 11 cm (4 inches), specifically 11.0 cm (4.33 inches). Such a positioning provides a distance between the two elements 32 of about 22 cm (8.7 inches), specifically 22.0 cm (8.66 inches). This embodiment provides that about 57% of the width of the back element 30 is occupied by the maximum width of the filter elements 32. Referring to FIG. 9, conventional cylindrical filter elements 83 positioned on back element 30 having a width of about 101.6 cm (40 inches) are shown. Cylindrical filter elements 83 have the same amount of filtration media 35 as filter elements 32, but each filter element 83 has a diameter of about 35.2 cm (13.84 inches). In some embodiments, the amount of filtration media 35 in cylindrical filter elements 83 is more than in filter elements 32. Referring again to FIG. 9, the distance 87 from the side wall panel 17 to the outer edge of cylindrical filter element 83 is about 7.6 cm (3 inches), specifically 7.8 cm (3.08 inches). Such a positioning provides a distance between the two elements 83 of about 15.2 cm (6 inches), specifically 15.7 cm (6.16 inches). This embodiment provides that about 70% of the width of the back element 30 is occupied by the maximum width of the filter elements 32 and that only about 30% of the width is available for dirty air to flow through. This difference between 30% and 40% area available for air flow is significant when taken over the length of the filter elements 32; the different between 30% and 43% is even more significant. An increase from 30% area available to 40% area available is an increase in available area of about 33%; and an increase from about 30% area available to 43% area available is an increase in available area of about 43%. The air filter assembly of the present disclosure is designed to filter particulate from an incoming dirty air stream at a rate greater than conventional air filter assemblies that utilize cylindrical filter elements or constructions. One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method of filtering dirty air to provide clean air. In particular, dirty incoming air, having a particulate contaminant concentration of at least 1 grain per cubic foot of air, is passed through an air filter assembly, preferably having non-cylindrical filter elements. The volume of incoming dirty air is at least 550 cubic feet per minute (cfin), preferably at least 600 cfin, and most preferably at least 625 cfin. The clean air exiting the air filter assembly has a contaminant concentration less than 0.001 grain particulate per cubic foot of air. EXPERIMENTAL The enhanced performance of the non-cylindrical configuration according to the present disclosure is illustrated by comparisons made with a conventional cylindrical filter element 83 in an air filter assembly, such as illustrated in FIG. 9. The cylindrical filter element shown at 83 may be one constructed in accordance with that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,963 (Schuler). Computer modeling was done by using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software commercially available from Fluent, Inc. (of Lebanon, N.H.), which is a program commonly used for analyzing laminar and turbulent fluid flow problems. A Hewlett-Packard V-Class computer with 16 microprocessors was used to run the modeling. CFD predicts flow through a volume (i.e., a domain) by using two equations: the continuity equation, ρ1A1vl=ρ2A2v2=constant, where ρ is the fluid density, A is the cross-sectional area, and v is the fluid velocity; and the momentum conservation equation, δ/δt (ρui)+δ/δxj (ρuiuj)=−δp/jδxi+δτij/δxj+ρgi+Fi, where p is the static pressure, u is the axial velocity, dτij is the stress tensor (function of molecular velocity), ρgi is the gravitational body force, and Fi is the external body force. CFD also uses the standard k-ε model to predict flow through the domain. The standard k-ε model is a semi-empirical model based on model transport equations for the turbulent energy (k) and its dissipation rate (ε). The model transport equation for k is derived from the exact equation, while the model transport equation for ε is obtained using physical reasoning. In the derivation of the k-ε model for the present system, it was assumed that the flow is fully turbulent, and the effects of molecular viscosity are negligible. Based on the above equations, velocity, pressure and turbulence at any point of domain, flow path, can be predicted. The two models (i.e., an air filter assembly having non-circular filter elements and an air filter assembly having conventional circular filter elements), were created using GAMBIT software package from Fluent, Inc. which is designed for building and meshing models for CFD. Each model utilized 16 filter elements to form eight rows of filter element pairs. The model with 16 cylindrical filter elements used 1,514,104 Tet/Hybrid cells and the model with 16 non-cylindrical filters used 1,457,024 Tet/Hybrid cells. Both models were programmed with a Standard ABR (abrasion resistant) inlet with 18 inch diameter inlet duct and 37 inches by 20 inches rectangular outlet. After exporting models from GAMBIT to Fluent, the configuration in CFD was set as follows: Cylindrical Non-Cylindrical Filter Parameter Filter Elements Elements Turbulence Model k-epsilon (2 eqn) k-epsilon (2 eqn) Materials Air Air Inlet Velocity 21.03 m/s 26.3 m/s Outlet Pressure Outlet Pressure Outlet Filter Porous-Zone Porous-Zone Filter's Viscous 8.445e+08 1/m2 8.945e+08 1/m2 Resistance Discretization Pressure-Standard Pressure-Standard Momentum-2nd Order Momentum-2nd Order Upwind Upwind Pressure Vel. Coupling- Pressure Vel. Coupling- SIMPLE SIMPLE Turb. Kinetic Energy Turb. Kinetic Energy- 1st Order Upwind 1st Order Upwind Turb. Dissipat. Rate- Turb. Dissipat. Rate- 1st Order Upwind 1st Order Upwind Residual Monitors Continuity = 0.0001 Continuity = 0.0001 x-velocity = 0.001 x-velocity = 0.001 y-velocity = 0.001 y-velocity = 0.001 z-velocity = 0.001 z-velocity = 0.001 k = 0.001 k = 0.001 ε = 0.001 ε = 0.001 The results of the CFD modeling showed that similar velocity fields exist within the dirty air chamber for the air filter assembly with conventional cylindrical filter elements with a total system air flow of 7315 cubic feet per minute (cftn) and for the air filter assembly with non-cylindrical filter elements with a total system airflow of 9145 cfm. The volume of air passing through the model with the non-cylindrical filter elements was 25% more than the model employing conventional cylindrical filter elements. It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>Many industries often encounter particulate matter suspended in the atmosphere. In some industries, this particulate matter is a valuable product, for example, starch; it would be beneficial if these suspended particulate could be recovered and reintroduced into the process. For other industries, such as metal or wood working, the particulate matter may be simply dust; it is desirable to remove dust particles from the air in order to provide a clear working environment. Systems for cleaning an air or other gas stream laden with particulate matter include air filter assemblies that have filter elements disposed in a housing. The filter element may be a bag or sock of a suitable fabric or pleated paper. The gas stream, contaminated with particulate, typically is passed through the housing so that the particulate are captured and retained by the filter element. Cleaning is accomplished by periodically pulsing a brief jet of pressurized air into the interior of the filter element to reverse the air flow through the filter element, causing the collected contaminants to be collected. Such air filter assemblies are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,227 (Frey) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,269 (Schuler), which patents are hereby incorporated by reference. Cylindrical filter elements are usually used in an air filter assembly to process dust particles from an airstream. In a standard design of air filter assembly, an air filter assembly has a clean air chamber and a dirty air chamber. The two chambers are separated by a sheet metal, commonly referred to as a tube sheet. The tube sheet has a number of openings from which cylindrical filters are aligned. The filters suspend downwardly with or without an angle from the tube sheet openings into the dirty air chamber. Particulate-laden air is introduced into the dirty air chamber, and the particulates collect onto the filter. The filtered air passes through the filters to the interior of the filters, and upwardly out through the openings in the tube sheet into the clean air chamber. From the clean air chamber, the cleaned air is exhausted into the environment, or recirculated for other uses. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,070 (Robinson), U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,536 (Robinson), U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,237 (Ulvestad), U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,915 (Robinson), U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,812 (Tronto et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,255 (Muller et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,488 (Forsgren), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,846 (Kott et al.) are prior art examples of prior art cylindrical filter elements of the pleated cartridge type. Non-cylindrical filter elements are sometimes used to process dust particles from an airstream and provide increased filtration area within a housing than cylindrical filter elements. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,766 (Clements) discloses a non-round unitary filter cartridge having a unitary structure with pleated filter media formed securely about a perforated interior core in a dust collector. U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,131 (Howeth) discloses non-cylindrical filters having a greater clean air flow area than a plurality of cylindrical elements fitted within the same dimensional envelope. In one conventional design of air filter assembly with non-cylindrical filter elements, non-cylindrical filter elements simply replaces cylindrical filter elements. With less space between adjacent filter elements, more non-cylindrical filter elements are placed within a housing than cylindrical filter elements. U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,766 (Clements) discloses this type of use of non-cylindrical filter elements. In another conventional design of air filter assembly with non-cylindrical filter elements, a plurality of cylindrical elements are replaced by a single non-cylindrical filter element. U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,131 (Howeth) discloses this type of use of non-cylindrical filter elements. Unfortunately, each of these conventional designs which utilize non-cylindrical filter elements has its disadvantages and drawbacks. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>The construction and arrangement of the disclosed air filter assembly helps to overcome the problems of the prior art. In particular, in one embodiment, the structure and arrangement of the assembly of the present disclosure enables the processing of 25% more dust laden airflow compared to conventional systems. In preferred systems, the assembly of the present disclosure results in a dust laden airflow increase greater than 25% without an increase in the geometric size of the filter housing apparatus or the number of filter cartridges required. The present design provides this 25% volume increase, preferably greater than 25% increase, by maintaining the amount of filtration media available for filtering the dirty air rather than increasing the amount of filtration media. In another embodiment, the assembly of the present disclosure results in an airflow increase greater than 25% by decreasing the amount of filtration media available. Also, the structure and arrangement of the air filter assembly provides more efficient filter retention/sealing, filter housing apparatus manufacturing, and filter handling. In one aspect, the disclosure describes an air filter assembly adapted for removing particulate matter from a high volume air stream. The air filter assembly of the present disclosure, utilizing non-cylindrical filter elements, is capable of handling 25% more air than a conventional air filter assembly utilizing cylindrical filter elements having the same amount, or less, surface area available for filtration. In particular, an air filter assembly of the present disclosure comprises a housing including an air inlet, an air outlet, and a spacer wall separating the housing into a filtering chamber and a clean air chamber, the spacer wall including a first air flow aperture therein. The air inlet provides a dirty air volume to the air filter assembly, where the dirty air volume has an air flow direction. The air filter assembly further includes a first filter construction positioned in air flow communication with the first air flow aperture in the spacer wall; the first filter construction including an extension of filter media disposed between proximal end cap and distal end cap. The filter media, proximal and distal end caps defines a filter construction inner clean air chamber. The first filter construction: is oriented within the filter inner clean air chamber in air flow communication with the spacer wall first air flow aperture; has a cross-sectional area, when taken parallel to the first air flow aperture, the cross-sectional area having a long axis perpendicular to a short axis; and has a width along the long axis and a width along the short axis, the long axis width being greater than the short axis width and the long axis positioned parallel to the air flow direction. In another aspect or embodiment, an air filter assembly is provided that comprises a housing including an air inlet, an air outlet, a spacer wall separating said housing into a filtering chamber and a clean air chamber and including a first air flow aperture therein. The air inlet provides a dirty air volume to the air filter assembly, the dirty air volume having an air flow direction and an air speed. The air filter assembly further includes a first filter construction: positioned in air flow communication with the first air flow aperture in the spacer wall; including an extension of filter media defining a filter construction inner clean air chamber; having a cross-sectional area, when taken parallel to the first air flow aperture, the cross-sectional area having a long axis perpendicular to a short axis; having a width along the long axis and a width along the short axis, the long axis width being greater than the short axis width and the long axis positioned parallel to the air flow direction; and further having a first surface area defined by the extension of filter media. The volume of dirty air processable by this air filter assembly is at least 10 percent greater, preferably 20 percent greater, and most preferably at least 25 percent greater than a volume of dirty air processable by an air filter assembly differing from the claimed assembly only by the shape of the filter elements. In another embodiment, the structure and arrangement of the assembly of the present disclosure results in an air speed that is at least 10 percent, preferably 20 percent, and most preferably at least 25 percent less than the air speed of a similar volume of air being filtered by an air filter assembly differing from the claims assembly only by the shape of the filter elements. Such an air filter assembly provides for longer filter life and increases the capacity for particulate removal from the incoming dirty air stream, thus decreasing the need to change used filter elements. In another aspect, such an air filter assembly provides greater capacity, both for the airflow capacity and the amount of particulate removed from the dirty air stream, without decreasing filter life. This decreases the total amount of filters needed at each replacement cycle and over the life of the operation. A method of filtering or cleaning dirty air to provide clean air is also disclosed. | 20040928 | 20070904 | 20050224 | 76264.0 | 7 | GREENE, JASON M | AIR FILTER ASSEMBLY HAVING NON-CYLINDRICAL FILTER ELEMENTS, FOR FILTERING AIR WITH PARTICULATE MATTER | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,953,640 | ACCEPTED | Electronic engine control with reduced sensor set | An engine control apparatus is disclosed for determining crankshaft position, engine phase, engine loading, and intake air mass of an internal combustion engine (10) through monitoring intake air pressure fluctuations (120). The opening of the intake valve (44) is mechanically linked to the crankshaft position of an engine. When the intake valve (44) opens it creates air pressure fluctuations in the air induction system (14) of the engine (10). The control apparatus is configured to determine intake air pressure fluctuations indicative of an intake air event (100 to 110) and thus a particular crankshaft position, and their corresponding period of the engine cycle. The controller then uses this information to determine crankshaft speed and position for the purpose of fuel injection and ignition timing of the internal combustion engine. Engine phase is also determined on four-stroke engines. Intake air pressure is used to determine intake air mass and loading of the engine. This combination results in a single sensor used in a system to determine intake air mass, engine loading, injected fuel mass, and to determine timing for fueling and ignition events. The engine may also include a crankshaft position sensor in combination with monitoring intake air pressure over time to increase resolution in the determination of crankshaft position. | 1. An engine control apparatus for determining engine position and intake air mass from a single sensory means, comprising: (a) an engine having at least one cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a crankshaft connected to said piston, said piston being adapted to reciprocate between top dead center position and bottom dead center position defining a combustion chamber, an intake valve controlling the induction of an air mass into said combustion chamber with predetermined timing related to said crankshaft's angular position, said engine air induction system having its chamber contiguous with said valve and said engine combustion chamber, a pressure sensing element in communication with said air induction chamber; (b) a pressure sensor means for developing periodic sensor voltage timing pulses, the cycle time between timing pulses being an indication of engine crankshaft speed, and the pulse timing being an indication of a particular crankshaft degree of angular position; (c) a pressure sensor means for measuring intake air mass for the determination intake air mass; (c) a means for measuring in real-time, intake air pressure, cycle time, and crankshaft position. 2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said engine control apparatus is in combination with a pressure sensor means to detect engine load. 3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said engine control apparatus is in combination with an additional sensory means to detect crankshaft position. 4. The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein said engine control apparatus is in combination with a pressure sensor means to detect engine load. 5. The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein said engine control apparatus comprises redundant means to determine crankshaft position, where in the event of singular sensory component failure, the engine control apparatus is capable of determining crankshaft position to maintain engine run capability. 6. A method of determining engine position and intake air mass from intake air pressure comprising: (a) providing an engine with at least one cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a crankshaft connected to the piston, the piston being adapted to reciprocate between a top dead center position and a bottom dead center position defining a combustion chamber, an intake valve controlling the induction of an air mass into the combustion chamber with a predetermined timing related to the crankshaft's angular position, the engine air intake induction system having its intake chamber contiguous with the valve and the engine combustion chamber; (b) providing a pressure sensing element in communication with the air induction chamber; (c) detecting the pressure in said induction chamber with the pressure sensing element, the pressure being used to calculate intake air mass into the combustion chamber; (d) detecting the pressure fluctuations in said induction chamber with the pressure sensing element, the pressure fluctuations being in response to the valve opening to allow the intake air/fuel charge to flow into the combustion chamber; (e) generating intake pressure signals with the pressure sensing element in response to the pressure fluctuations; (f) generating intake pressure signals with the pressure sensing element in response to the pressure in the induction chamber; and (g) determining, in real time, cycle time, crankshaft position, and intake air mass based on the intake pressure signals. 7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising providing a pressure sensor means to detect engine load. 8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising providing a sensory means to detect the crankshaft position. 9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising providing a pressure sensor means to detect engine load. 10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising a redundancy to determine crankshaft position, wherein the event of a singular sensory component failure, the engine control apparatus is capable of determining crankshaft position to maintain engine running capability. 11. An engine control apparatus for determining engine position and intake air mass from intake air pressure, said control apparatus comprising; (a) an engine having at least one cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a crankshaft connected to said piston, said piston being adapted to reciprocate between a top dead center position and a bottom dead center position defining a combustion chamber, an intake valve controlling the induction of an air mass into said combustion chamber with predetermined timing related to said crankshaft's angular position, said engine air induction system having its induction chamber contiguous with said valve and said engine combustion chamber; (b) a pressure sensing element in communication with said air induction chamber, said pressure sensing element sensing pressure fluctuations in said air induction chamber when said valve opens to allow the intake air/fuel charge to flow into said combustion chamber, and said pressure sensing element generating intake pressure signals in response to said pressure fluctuations; and (c) an engine controller in communication with said pressure sensing element and configured to determine, in real time, cycle time, crankshaft position, and intake air pressure based on said intake pressure signals to thereby determine engine timing and intake air mass to properly run said engine. 12. The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein further comprising a crankshaft position sensor to detect crankshaft position. 13. The combination set forth in claim 12 wherein said crankshaft position sensor comprises a crank trigger. 14. The combination set forth in claim 11 further comprising at least one additional sensor chosen from a throttle position sensor, an air intake air temperature sensor, engine coolant temperature sensor, fuel pressure sensor, and a crankshaft position sensor, said additional sensor in communication with said engine controller. 15. An engine control apparatus for determining engine position, intake air mass, and engine load from intake air pressure, said control apparatus comprising; (a) an engine having at least one cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a crankshaft connected to said piston, said piston being adapted to reciprocate between a top dead center position and a bottom dead center position defining a combustion chamber, an intake valve controlling the induction of an air mass into said combustion chamber with predetermined timing related to said crankshaft's angular position, said engine air induction system having its induction chamber contiguous with said valve and said engine combustion chamber; (b) a pressure sensing element in communication with said air induction chamber, said pressure sensing element sensing pressure fluctuations in said air induction chamber when said valve opens to allow the intake air/fuel charge to flow into said combustion chamber, and said pressure sensing element generating intake pressure signals in response to said pressure fluctuations; and (c) an engine controller in communication with said pressure sensing element and configured to determine, in real time, cycle time, crankshaft position, and intake air pressure based on said intake pressure signals to thereby determine engine timing, engine loading, and intake air mass to properly run said engine. 16. The combination set forth in claim 15 wherein further comprising a crankshaft position sensor to detect crankshaft position. 17. The combination set forth in claim 16 wherein said crankshaft position sensor comprises a crank trigger. 18. The combination set forth in claim 15 further comprising at least one additional sensor chosen from an air intake air temperature sensor, engine coolant temperature sensor, fuel pressure sensor, and a crankshaft position sensor, said additional sensor in communication with said engine controller. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a CIP of Ser. No. 10/642,530 filed Aug. 14, 2003 by the present inventor. FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH Not Applicable SEQUENCE LISTING Not Applicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention is directed to an intake air pressure sensor assembly for an internal combustion engine, and in particular, a fuel-injected engine that communicates with a controller for determining intake air mass and controlling the fuel injectors and ignition timing of said engine. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In all fields of engine design there is emphasis on fuel economy, engine performance, and most notably, engine-out emissions. Increased emissions restrictions have led to the necessity of a more accurate fuel metering process. Fuel injection systems have emerged as an accurate way to control the air and fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine and thus keep emissions low. The trend towards fuel injection has not been without added costs, and as such has limited the applications of this technology in price sensitive markets. To apply traditional automotive fuel injection systems to an engine, one must add an engine controller, a more complex fuel system, and multiple sensors. In addition, engines often need to be redesigned to allow for the application of these control electronics and sensors. All of these components add costs and complexity to the engine system. Many manufacturers simply cannot be competitive with the added costs of fuel injection in their product line, and as such are delaying its implementation until emissions regulations mandate its use. It would be ideal to have an accurate system for controlling an internal combustion engine that is less complex and less costly to implement on current engine technology. A four-stroke engine must rotate two complete rotations for one full engine cycle. This cycle is comprised of the intake, compression, power, and exhaust strokes. The four-stroke cycle is based on a 720° cycle, or two complete rotations of the crankshaft. In relation to four-stroke engines, the engine phase determines which half of the 720° cycle the engine is on. For example, if a four-stroke engine is “in phase” on a 720° cycle, it is considered synchronous, and the engine controller can correctly determine which stroke the engine is on. If the four-stroke engine is not synchronous, the engine controller can only determine engine position on a 360° cycle. Many systems must determine engine phase to obtain the appropriate timing on four-stroke engines. A two-stroke engine must only rotate one complete rotation for a complete engine cycle. No phase information must be obtained from this engine cycle. This will be referred to as a 360° engine cycle. Typically, a fuel injection system utilizes a plurality of sensors on the engine to determine engine operating conditions. For example, a fuel-injected engine may be equipped with a crankshaft position sensor, cam position sensor, throttle position sensor, intake air pressure sensor, and barometric air pressure sensor in addition to other sensors. The engine controller monitors these sensory inputs to determine the appropriate ignition timing, injection timing, and quantity of fuel to be injected. It would be beneficial to reduce the number of sensors necessary to operate an engine, yet maintain accurate control. This would result in fewer components, less complexity, and reduced costs. One of the various types of data monitored by these sensory inputs to the engine controller is the determination of the intake air pressure. This measurement process can be quite complex. This challenge can be complicated further by monitoring intake air pressure in engines with few cylinders. It is well known in the art that intake pressures fluctuate with the opening and closing of the intake valves during the intake stroke. If there is a plurality of cylinders, there will be more intake events per crankshaft rotation and traditionally less overall intake air pressure fluctuations. However, if few cylinders are present, as in small engines, there will be fewer intake events per crankshaft rotation and large intake air pressure fluctuations will be apparent. If the average intake pressure were to be obtained, it will not be an accurate indication of actual cylinder intake air pressures due to these fluctuations. Air pressure sensors have been used in the calculation of intake air mass seen by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,897 to Kanno. In this approach, the intake air pressure of the engine is sampled just once per engine crankshaft revolution. It is generally understood in the art that the air pressure can be used for intake air mass calculations in fuel injection control. Kanno presents a system that has increased accuracy for measuring intake air pressure and therefore increased accuracy in obtaining intake air flow rate and desired air/fuel ratio in the engine. This example presents no applications to determining engine phase or crankshaft position through the air pressure fluctuations. Instead, this approach strictly pertains to a single air pressure measurement at a predetermined crankshaft position. The timing of this measurement is determined through the use of a crankshaft position sensor and engine control unit. In some applications, the mass air flow rate into the engine is estimated in part by measuring the absolute pressure within the induction manifold (Manifold Absolute Pressure, or “MAP”). A mass air flow rate is the mass of air drawn into an engine over a particular period of time. Air density, or mass per unit volume, is proportional to air temperature, pressure, and humidity of the air drawn into the engine. This data is used to calculate the mass air flow rate of the engine, or mass of the incoming air. Such calculations are known as volume-density or speed-density calculations. With crankshaft position measurement, a toothed wheel is typically used in conjunction with a pickup to detect positional movement. These devices are traditionally hall effect devices or variable reluctance devices. In automotive applications, the toothed wheel consists of multiple teeth or “timing slugs” evenly spaced on the crankshaft. The number of teeth is traditionally a whole divisor of 360°. As the number of teeth is increased, resolution of the system is increased. In many applications, there is a missing tooth to indicate a predetermined position on the crankshaft itself. An automotive standard of today is known as a “36-1” pattern. This pattern evenly spaces 36 gear teeth on a ring, and has one of the 36 teeth removed to indicate a predetermined angular position. From this input, engine rpm and crankshaft position can be directly measured. Unfortunately, the crankshaft rotates twice for a complete 720° cycle in four stroke engines. A crankshaft position sensor can not indicate engine phase on a four-stroke engine because of this. The crankshaft will be in the exact same position twice during the engine cycle. Additional sensory information is required to synchronize to a 720° cycle, if the engine controller is to operate in a synchronous manner. If the crankshaft is keyed to indicate its position, it is only possible to determine engine position based on 360° cycle, or a single crankshaft rotation without additional sensory information. Many small engines utilize a crankshaft trigger mechanism for indicating a predetermined crankshaft position for ignition purposes. With this mechanism an ignition spark is emitted every 360° of crankshaft rotation. This type of system is similar to a crankshaft position sensor with the distinction of having only a single signal indicating pulse per crankshaft revolution. A system of this nature typically is not in communication with an engine control device, but is rather part of a stand-alone ignition system. As such, there is little or no memory from one cycle to the next. These systems cannot predict engine timing for fuel injection purposes due to crankshaft acceleration and deceleration. They can however consistently trigger an ignition system at a fixed crankshaft angular position. To determine engine phase on four stroke engines, an additional sensor is typically used in conjunction with a crankshaft position sensor. A camshaft position sensor may be used to determine an engine's phase. The camshaft rotates at exactly half the speed of the crankshaft and they are mechanically linked. Therefore, these two sensory inputs provide the engine controller with engine position information to run on a synchronous basis to a 720° engine cycle. Due to its nature, a camshaft position sensor is not as accurate as a crankshaft position sensor and therefore they are typically used in combination. Engine Loading is typically measured with a throttle position sensor which physically measures the angle of the throttle plate. This sensor is used to indicate a desired load from the engine, but does not measure output power of the engine. As the throttle angle increases, engine loading increases. Measurements of this nature are well known in the art. In most applications, these are all discrete and separate sensors. Each sensor traditionally has only a single role in monitoring engine conditions. They each require their own wiring, connectors, and tooling to be mounted to the engine. These multiple parts all add in the cost of fuel injection implementation. Additionally, if the crankshaft position sensor were to fail for any reason, little or no redundancy is implemented and the engine would cease to operate. It would be advantageous to reduce the number of sensors necessary to run the engine. If this could be done, cost savings would be realized in fewer sensors, reduced tooling, reduced fixturing, reduced assembly time, and lower design costs. If fewer sensors were required to accurately control fuel injection timing, it would enable a more cost efficient transition of non-fuel injected engines to the technology. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION—OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are the multiple uses of a single intake pressure sensor to measure intake air mass, indicate engine loading, and control the fuel injection and ignition timing of an internal combustion engine. This invention was designed for use on a single cylinder engine, but may be applicable to, but without limitation to, all forms of internal combustion engines exhibiting intake pressure fluctuations. This invention reduces the number of sensors necessary to electronically control an engine by monitoring the intake air pressure over time. To effectively time an engine, determine engine load, and determine intake air mass, this invention can replace the crankshaft position sensor, camshaft position sensor, throttle position sensor, manifold air pressure sensor, and barometric pressure sensor with a single part. With this technology a single intake air pressure sensor could be used as a stand-alone sensory means for determining engine timing, phase, load, and the mass of the intake air charge. With this information, an engine controller can accurately calculate the appropriate mass of fuel to inject into the engine as well as the appropriate time to inject the fuel and trigger the ignition of the engine. Air mass measurements can be made through measuring the intake air pressure and applying a speed density calculation. Air mass measurements such as these are well known in the art. Once an intake air mass is known, the corresponding stoichiometric mass of fuel can be accurately metered into the engine. Engine loading can also be inferred through monitoring the intake air pressure signal. Peak to peak intake pressures are diminished under full throttle applications. When an engine is throttle down from high engine speed to an idle speed, there is accumulated vacuum in the intake tract. This is represented by a decreased peak pressure of the intake pressure waveform. A system of this nature needs to monitor the intake pressure signal over time, and as such has a finite delay. While not as time sensitive as a throttle position sensor, measuring engine load through monitoring the intake pressure signal is well known in the art. Through monitoring the intake pressure fluctuations, one would obtain a vacuum pulse every two crankshaft rotations (in a four stroke engine). This is indicative of a particular crankshaft position and the time when the intake valve is open. When implemented with a microprocessor, the time interval between intake pressure events could be mathematically modeled to predict when the next event would occur. In addition, this model could offer a prediction of crankshaft position sub-cyclic to the intake pressure events. With this timing information, fuel metering and ignition timing could accurately and precisely be added to an engine in a non-intrusive form. No additional sensors need to be hard tooled or machined into the engine block material. This may be of specific benefit to companies that want to add fuel injection technology to an existing product. This system, while not having resolution as high as a “36-1” tooth crank position pick-up on an automobile engine, offers excellent accuracy at much lower costs. Many small engines of today use some form of crankshaft trigger for their ignition system. If a crankshaft trigger or crankshaft position sensor input were combined with the crankshaft position detection technology of this patent, increased accuracy and resolution would be obtained in engine timing. Using a crankshaft trigger alone does not allow an engine to be timed on a 720° cycle (in four stroke applications). With the input of the intake pressure fluctuations in addition to a crankshaft trigger, an engine may be aligned in phase on a 720° cycle. When implemented with a microprocessor, the system can be mathematically modeled to predict and monitor intake pressure events. With this information, a much higher resolution can be obtained than in the previous example. With this timing information, fuel metering and ignition timing could accurately and precisely be added to an engine in a non-invasive form. Redundancy is obtained in a system of this nature. If one of the two sensors were to fail, the other sensor would provide ample signal to enable the engine to continue to be operated, with reduced resolution. This may be a valuable benefit if the engine were to be placed into operation where engine failure cannot be tolerated. Due to the location of the pressure sensor in the intake tract, this allows for engine manufacturing to be simplified. Tooling, engineering, and design time does not have to be invested in placement of multiple sensors in the engine castings. This control system specifically benefits manufacturers who may want to add fuel injection to an existing carbureted product. The non-invasive nature of this invention lends itself to applications in engines where tooling, packaging, or redesign costs are too high to consider standard fuel injection applications. Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A need therefore exists for a less complex fuel injection control system for cost sensitive applications. This invention presents a novel approach for a low cost, low complexity engine timing control, engine load determination, and air mass determination for fuel injection and ignition timing applications. One aspect of the present invention is a method to reduce the complexity of the fuel injection system through using an intake air pressure sensor to determine engine position, phase, loading, and intake air mass. Pressure fluctuations are present on the intake stroke of the engine and are mechanically related to the opening and closing of the intake valve. The movement of the intake valve is mechanically linked to the crankshaft angle and hence the timing of the engine. There is an intake event every two crankshaft rotations in four-stroke applications, and once every crankshaft rotation for two-stroke engines. The presence of these pressure fluctuations is therefore indicative of engine phase (in four stroke applications), crankshaft position, engine speed, and can directly measure engine rpm. With this information, crankshaft position can be quantitatively measured and engine timing can be determined. Through measuring the pressure of the incoming air charge one can implement a simple air mass measurement. Once the incoming air mass is calculated, the corresponding stoichiometric mass of fuel can be determined for injection into the combustion chamber at the appropriate time in the engine cycle via the engine controller and fuel injector. Through monitoring the intake pressure signal, one can determine engine loading and use this as an input to the engine controller to determine fuel mass for injection. Engine load can also be used to modify the timing for spark ignition to prevent premature ignition or knock. This invention can be used as a stand alone engine control mechanism using a single intake air pressure sensor, or in addition to a crankshaft trigger/position sensor, to accurately time an engine. This system offers less resolution than automotive “36-1” tooth crankshaft position sensors, yet offers excellent position sensing and engine timing at a much lower cost and complexity. Not only is crankshaft position detected, but also engine phasing, engine load, and air mass measurements can be determined with this technology. This technology allows an engine to be electronically controlled for the purpose of injecting fuel and timing the ignition events to help reduce engine emissions and gain efficiencies. The inherent non-invasive nature of this technology lends itself to be easily added to almost any pre-existing internal combustion engine configuration. Thus, a manufacturer of engines would find it very easy to add the technology of fuel injection to their current product line. They would not need to hard tool or support multiple new sensors in their engine line. This invention allows for relative ease in the addition of fuel injection to engines not currently designed for the technology. The present invention allows for a low cost and extremely robust implementation of fuel injection and spark ignition control on an internal combustion engine. DRAWINGS—FIGURES FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a single cylinder internal combustion engine, configured in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the invention. The intake tract and part of the engine are shown generally in the upper portion of the figure. The engine controller is shown in the lower left portion of the figure. The Engine Controller, sensors, and fuel injection system link the two views together. FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an air induction system of the engine shown in FIG. 1, with the pressure sensor mounted thereon. FIG. 3 is a graphical illustration of the timing relationship between an output signal of the pressure sensor shown in FIG. 2 and actual crankshaft position. DRAWINGS—REFERENCE NUMERALS 10 Internal combustion engine 12 Power head 14 Air induction system 15 Fuel injection system 16 Exhaust system 20 Cylinder block 22 Cylinder bore 24 Piston 25 Crank case 26 Cylinder head 30 Crankshaft 32 Connecting rod 34 Combustion chamber 40 Intake port 44 Intake valve 46 Exhaust valve 60 Throttle plate 62 Throttle position sensor 64 Intake air pressure sensor 65 Crankshaft position sensor 66 Throttle plate axis of rotation 67 Fuel injector 68 Throttle shaft 69 Ignition system 70 Ignition signal 72 Injector signal 74 Intake pressure signal 76 Throttle position signal 79 Crankshaft position signal 80 Engine Control Unit (ECU) 86 Exhaust port 88 Exhaust pipe 90 Intake plenum 92 Plenum chamber 94 Intake runner 96 Induction air passage 98 Throttle body 100 Opening of the intake valve 101 Exhaust stroke 102 Intake stroke 103 Compression stroke 104 Power stroke 110 Closing of the intake valve 112 Approximate barometric pressure 115 Engine cycle 120 Intake air pressure signal 125 Opening of the intake valve 130 Closing of intake valve 140 Angular Crankshaft Position 145 360° of Crankshaft Rotation 148 End of 720° Engine Cycle 150 0° of Crankshaft rotation DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 shows an internal combustion engine 10 for use in an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV, or Four-wheeler). The present invention may also find utility in applications using internal combustion engines, such as, for example but without limitation, personal watercraft, small jet boats, off-road vehicles, heavy construction equipment, motorcycles, lawn tractors, and gas powered yard implements. As used throughout this description, the terms “forward”, “front” and “fore” mean at or to the forward side of exhaust system 16, and the terms “rear”, “reverse” and “rearwardly” mean at or to the opposite side of the front side, unless indicated otherwise. The engine 10 operates on a four-stroke combustion cycle. As shown in FIG. 1, the engine 10 includes a cylinder block 20, which defines a cylinder bore 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the engine 10 is of the single cylinder type. It is to be noted that the engine may be of any type (V-type, Inline, W-type), may have other numbers of cylinders, and/or may operate under other principles of operation (two-stroke, rotary, or Diesel principles). A piston 24 reciprocates in the cylinder bore 22. A cylinder head assembly 26 is affixed to one end of the cylinder block 20 and defines a single combustion chamber 34 with the piston 24 and cylinder bore 22. Both ends of the cylinder block 20 are closed with a crankcase member (not shown) defining a crankcase chamber 25 therein. The engine 10 includes and air induction system 14 and an exhaust system 16. The air induction system 14 is configured to supply air charges to the combustion chamber 34. With reference to FIG. 2, the induction system 14 includes a plenum chamber member 90, which defines a plenum chamber 92 therein. The intake runner 94 extends from the plenum chamber 92 and defines an induction air passage 96 therein. The intake passage 96 extends from the plenum chamber 92 to the intake port 40 formed in the cylinder head assembly 26. With reference to FIG. 1, the intake port 40 is opened and closed by the intake valve 44. When the intake port 40 is opened, air from the intake passage 96 and intake port 40 flows into the combustion chamber 34. The plenum chamber 92 preferably includes an inlet opening that opens to the external air supply (not shown). The opening to the plenum chamber 92 preferably includes some form of air filtration device (not shown). The plenum chamber 92 functions as an intake air silencer and/or a collector of air charges. The plenum chamber 92 is positioned on the rearward side of the engine 10 and the induction passage extends frontward from the plenum chamber 92 to the intake port 40. As shown in FIG. 2, a throttle body 98 is provided within the intake runner 94. The throttle body 98 supports the throttle plate 60 for pivotal movement about an axis 66 of a throttle shaft 68, which extends generally vertically through the respective throttle body 98. The throttle plate 60 is operated via a throttle cable (not shown). The throttle cable is connected to a thumb throttle (not shown) that may be provided on the handlebar (not shown) of the all terrain vehicle. With reference to FIG. 1, a throttle position sensor 62 is arranged atop of the throttle shaft 68. A signal from the position sensor 62 is sensed by an engine controller ECU 80 via a throttle position data line 76 for use in controlling various aspects of the engine operation including, for example, but without limitation, fuel injection control and ignition timing, which will be described later. The signal from the throttle position sensor 62 corresponds to the engine load in one aspect, as well as the throttle opening. The air induction passage 96 may include a bypass passage or idle air supply passage that bypasses the throttle plate 60, although such is omitted from FIG. 2. The engine 10 may also include an idle air adjusting unit (not shown) which is controlled by the ECU 80. In operation, air is introduced into the powerhead 12 and passes through the inlet opening of the plenum chamber 92. During operation of the engine 10, an air charge amount is controlled by the throttle plate 60 to meet requirements of the engine 10. The air charge then flows through the runner 94 into the intake port 40. As described above, the intake valve 44 are provided at the intake port 40. When the intake valve 44 is opened, the air is supplied to the combustion chamber 34 as an air charge. Under idle running condition, the throttle plate 60 is generally closed. The air, therefore, enters the intake port 40 through the idle air adjusting unit (not shown) which is controlled by the ECU 80. The idle air charge adjusted in the adjusting unit is then supplied to the combustion chamber 34 via the intake port 40. The rpm of the engine 10 at idle is adjusted by varying the small opening in the throttle plate 60. This is accomplished by adjusting a set screw (not shown) to limit the lower travel of the throttle plate 60 about axis 66. With reference to FIG. 1, the exhaust system 16 is configured to discharge burnt gases, or exhaust gases, from the engine's 10 combustion chamber 34. The exhaust port 90 is defined by the cylinder head assembly 26 and is opened and closed by the exhaust valve 46. When the exhaust port 86 is opened, the combustion chamber 34 communicates with a single exhaust pipe 88, which guides the exhaust gases downstream through the exhaust system 12. A single camshaft (not shown) is provided to control the opening and closing of the intake valve 44 and the exhaust valve 46. The camshaft has cam lobes that act against valves 44, 46 at predetermined timing in relation to the crankshaft 30 to open and close the intake port 40 and exhaust port 90. The camshaft is jounaled in the cylinder head assembly 26 and is driven by a chain (not shown) mechanically connected to the crankshaft 30. With reference to FIG. 1, the engine 10 also includes a fuel injection system 15. The fuel injection system 15 includes a fuel injector 67 which has an injection nozzle exposed to the intake port 40 so that fuel is directed toward the combustion chamber 34. A main fuel supply is located in a fuel tank (not shown) from which fuel is supplied via fuel system (not shown). Fuel is dawn from the fuel tank through a fuel filter (not shown) by a fuel pump (not shown). The pressure of the fuel is regulated by a fuel pressure regulator (not shown) and the fuel is sent to the fuel rail (not shown) and provided to the injector 67 for injection into the combustion chamber 34. Excess fuel that is not used by the injectors is fed through a fuel return line that is provided back to the fuel tank. The timing and duration of the fuel injection pulse is dictated by the ECU 80, which is described below in detail. The fuel charge from the fuel injector 67 enters the combustion chamber 34 with an air charge at the moment the intake valve 44 is opened. Since the fuel pressure is regulated by the pressure regulator, a duration during which the nozzles of the injector 67 are opened is determined by the ECU 80 to measure the amount of fuel to be injected by the fuel injector 67. The ECU 80 through the fuel injector control line 72 thus controls the duration and the injection timing. Preferably, the fuel injector 67 has nozzles that are opened by solenoid action, as is know in the art. Thus the fuel injector control line 72 signals the solenoids to open and close according to the timing and duration determined by the ECU 80. The engine 10 further includes an ignition system, generally indicated by reference to numeral 67. A spark plug 65 is fixed to the cylinder head assembly 26 and is exposed to the combustion chamber 34. The spark plug 65 ignites the air and fuel charge mixture in the combustion chamber 34 with timing as determined by the ECU 80. For this purpose, the ignition system 69 preferably includes an ignition coil (not shown) interposed between the spark plug 65 and the spark plug control line 70. The engine 10 also preferably includes an AC generator (not shown) for generating electrical power. Additionally, the engine 10 preferably includes a battery (not shown) for storing electrical energy from the AC generator and to supply power to the ECU 80, the engine sensors (Intake Air Temperature sensor 63, Throttle Position Sensor 62, Intake Air Pressure sensor 64, Crankshaft Position sensor 65), fuel pump, fuel injector 67, and the ignition coil. While not illustrated, the engine 10 also includes a recoil starter or electric starter motor to drive the crankshaft 30 for starting the engine 10. The engine 10 is turned over at a speed where the engine can operate under its own power. A transmission (not shown) is typically integrated to the engine crank case 25 casting in an engine of this type. Although it is not illustrated power is coupled from the crankshaft, through the transmission, and to the vehicle drive system to provide motion. The engine 10 also preferably includes a lubrication system (not shown). This lubrication system is provided for lubricating certain portions of the engine 10, such as, for example, but without limitation, the pivotal joints of the connecting rod 32 with the crankshaft 30 within the crank case 25 and the walls of the cylinder bore 22. The engine 10 also preferably includes a cooling system (not shown) for cooling the heated portions of the cylinder block 20 and the cylinder head 26. A water jacket (not shown) is defined in the cylinder block 20, and is in thermal communication with the cylinder bore 22. A water pump (not shown) circulates the coolant through the engine 10 and a radiator (not shown). As noted above, the ECU 80 controls engine operations including fuel injection from the fuel injectors 67 and ignition timing to the spark plug 65, according to various control maps stored in the ECU 80. In order to determine appropriate control scenarios, the ECU 80 utilizes such maps and/or indices stored within the ECU 80 in reference to data collected from various sensors. Any type of desired control strategy can be employed for controlling the time and duration of the fuel injection from the fuel injector 67 and the timing of the firing of the spark plug 65, however a general discussion of some engine conditions that can be sensed and some of the engine conditions that can be sensed for engine control follows. It is to be understood, however, that those skilled in the art will readily understand how various control strategies can be employed in conjunction with the components of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a crank position sensor 65 measures the crank angle and sends it to the ECU 80, as schematically indicated. In the illustrated embodiment, the crank position sensor 65 is in the form of a crank trigger, which is configured to emit a single pulse for each revolution of the crankshaft 30. The signal from the crank position sensor 65 is transmitted to the ECU 80 via a crank position data line 79. Engine load can be sensed by the angle of the throttle plate 60, and is sensed by the throttle position sensor 62 and is transmitted to the ECU 80 via the throttle position data line 76. An intake air temperature sensor 63 measures the temperature of the incoming air to the intake runner 94. The signal from the intake air temperature sensor 63 is transmitted to the ECU 80 via the intake air temperature data line 78. An intake air pressure sensor 64 is connected to the intake runner 94 between the throttle plate 60 and the intake port 40 and measures the pressure of the incoming air charge in the induction air passage 96. The measurement of the intake air pressure sensor 64 is transmitted via the intake air pressure data line 74 to the ECU 80. The sensed conditions disclosed above are merely some of those conditions which may be sensed for under control and it is, of course, practicable to provide other sensors such as, for example, without limitation, an oxygen sensor, Fuel pressure sensor, fuel temperature sensor, Engine coolant temperature sensor, oil pressure sensor, barometric air pressure sensor, and cam position sensor. The ECU 80 computes and processes the detected signal from each sensor based on a control map. The ECU 80 forwards control signals to the fuel injector 67 and spark plug 65. Respective control lines are indicated schematically in FIG. 1, which carry the control signals. As noted above, the ECU 80 determines the appropriate duration of fuel injection in order to produce a charge with a desired air fuel ratio. Thus, part of the determination of fuel injection duration is based on the induction air through the induction passage 96. The mass flow rate of the induction air charge through the induction passage is determined by the ECU 80 and a stoichiometric ratio of fuel is added by the fuel injector 67 as determined by the ECU 80 and fuel injector control line 72. During operation of the engine 10, the ECU 80 samples the output signal from the intake pressure sensor 64 to determine crankshaft position 140 while the crankshaft 30 rotates from 0° of crankshaft rotation 150, through 360° of crankshaft rotation 145, and 720° or crankshaft rotation 148. Both 360° of crankshaft rotation 145 and 720° of crankshaft rotation 148 are known as Top Dead Center as the Piston 24 is in the top most position of travel within the cylinder bore 22. Monitoring the signal from the crank position sensor 65 adds resolution to the determination of the crankshaft position 140. In reference to FIG. 3, the intake pressure signal 120 fluctuates with the opening of the intake valve at 100 and closing of the intake valve at 110, during the intake stroke 102 of the four-stroke engine 10. During the intake stroke 102, the intake valve 44 opens to allow the intake air/fuel charge to flow from the intake port 40 into the combustion chamber 34 creating pressure fluctuation 100 on the intake pressure signal 120 from the intake pressure sensor 64. As the piston 24 travels to the bottom portion of its travel in the cylinder bore 22, the intake valve 44 closes creating pressure fluctuation 110 on the intake pressure signal from the intake pressure signal 120 from the intake pressure sensor 64. In this embodiment, the intake pressure signal 100 to 110 from the intake pressure sensor 64 is observed every two full crankshaft rotations as the engine 10 is of the four-stroke type. The time difference between these pressure fluctuations is indicative of engine speed N and can be calculated by the ECU 80. In addition, the pressure fluctuations 100 to 110 allows the ECU 80 to determine engine phase on a 720° engine cycle as the intake valve 44 only opens once per every two full rotations of the crankshaft 30 on the four stroke engine cycle. During the compression stroke 103, power stroke 104, and exhaust stroke 101 the intake pressure sensed by the intake pressure sensor 64 is close to the barometric air pressure 112 of the outside air. In order to determine proper engine timing for the ECU 80 to inject fuel from the fuel injector 67 or trigger the ignition of the spark plug 65, the ECU 80 must have a model of the engine characteristics having inputs from the intake air pressure sensor 64 and optionally the crank position sensor 65 to determine crankshaft position 140 while the engine 10 is operating. An example of a model, for example, but without limitation, is the implementation of a predictive model where crankshaft position is based on the time period of the previous cycle 115 of intake air pressure fluctuations 100 to 110 of the intake air pressure signal 120 to predict crankshaft position for the next cycle 125 to 130. With a model of this type, the engine timing of each cycle 115 is based on the previous engine cycle. Other control algorithms could be implemented, without limitation, with the same technology of this invention for sensing engine speed N, phase, and/or position. It is to be noted that the intake air pressure signal 120 may have additional small fluctuations (not shown) depending upon engine 10 operating conditions. These fluctuations may take the form of signal “noise” and can be attenuated via electronic filter within the ECU 80 or digitally by software in the ECU 80 itself to attenuate predetermined frequencies. By including any passive form of signal smoothing, time delays and signal attenuation may be introduced into the present air pressure signal 120 to the ECU 80. Of course, the foregoing description is that of certain features, aspects and advantages of the present invention to which various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. While I have shown and described specific embodiments of this invention, further modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art. All such modifications that retain the basic underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein are within the scope of this invention. The present invention, therefore, should only be defined by the appended claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—FIELD OF INVENTION <EOH>The present invention is directed to an intake air pressure sensor assembly for an internal combustion engine, and in particular, a fuel-injected engine that communicates with a controller for determining intake air mass and controlling the fuel injectors and ignition timing of said engine. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>A need therefore exists for a less complex fuel injection control system for cost sensitive applications. This invention presents a novel approach for a low cost, low complexity engine timing control, engine load determination, and air mass determination for fuel injection and ignition timing applications. One aspect of the present invention is a method to reduce the complexity of the fuel injection system through using an intake air pressure sensor to determine engine position, phase, loading, and intake air mass. Pressure fluctuations are present on the intake stroke of the engine and are mechanically related to the opening and closing of the intake valve. The movement of the intake valve is mechanically linked to the crankshaft angle and hence the timing of the engine. There is an intake event every two crankshaft rotations in four-stroke applications, and once every crankshaft rotation for two-stroke engines. The presence of these pressure fluctuations is therefore indicative of engine phase (in four stroke applications), crankshaft position, engine speed, and can directly measure engine rpm. With this information, crankshaft position can be quantitatively measured and engine timing can be determined. Through measuring the pressure of the incoming air charge one can implement a simple air mass measurement. Once the incoming air mass is calculated, the corresponding stoichiometric mass of fuel can be determined for injection into the combustion chamber at the appropriate time in the engine cycle via the engine controller and fuel injector. Through monitoring the intake pressure signal, one can determine engine loading and use this as an input to the engine controller to determine fuel mass for injection. Engine load can also be used to modify the timing for spark ignition to prevent premature ignition or knock. This invention can be used as a stand alone engine control mechanism using a single intake air pressure sensor, or in addition to a crankshaft trigger/position sensor, to accurately time an engine. This system offers less resolution than automotive “36-1” tooth crankshaft position sensors, yet offers excellent position sensing and engine timing at a much lower cost and complexity. Not only is crankshaft position detected, but also engine phasing, engine load, and air mass measurements can be determined with this technology. This technology allows an engine to be electronically controlled for the purpose of injecting fuel and timing the ignition events to help reduce engine emissions and gain efficiencies. The inherent non-invasive nature of this technology lends itself to be easily added to almost any pre-existing internal combustion engine configuration. Thus, a manufacturer of engines would find it very easy to add the technology of fuel injection to their current product line. They would not need to hard tool or support multiple new sensors in their engine line. This invention allows for relative ease in the addition of fuel injection to engines not currently designed for the technology. The present invention allows for a low cost and extremely robust implementation of fuel injection and spark ignition control on an internal combustion engine. | 20040929 | 20051018 | 20050224 | 70736.0 | 1 | MILLER, TAKISHA S | ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROL WITH REDUCED SENSOR SET | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,953,699 | ACCEPTED | Multispeed power tool transmission | A multi-speed transmission assembly for a rotary power tool. The transmission assembly includes a plurality of transmission stages, with at least two of the transmission stages employing a movable reduction element that permits the transmission stage to be operated in an active mode and an inactive mode. The movable reduction elements are coupled to a switching mechanism that switches the reduction elements in a predetermined manner to provide at least three-gear reduction or speed ratios. | 1. A mid-handle drill with a transmission having at least three speed ratios. 2. The mid-handle drill of claim 1, wherein the mid-handle drill includes a pair of generally T-shaped housing shells. 3. The mid-handle drill of claim 1, wherein each speed ratio is obtained by at least three cooperating transmission stages. 4. The mid-handle drill of claim 3, wherein a first one of the transmission stages outputs torque to a second transmission stage and the second transmission stage outputs torque to a third transmission stage. 5. The mid-handle drill of claim 4, wherein in one of the at least three speed ratios the first, second and third stages each perform a torque multiplication operation wherein the torque that is output from each of the first, second and third stages is greater than a torque that is input thereto. 6. The mid-handle drill of claim 5, wherein in a second one of the at least three speed ratios, one of the first, second and third stages is configured such that the torque output therefrom is about equal to the torque input thereto. 7. The mid-handle drill of claim 6, wherein in a third one of the at least three speed ratios a different one of the first, second and third stages is configured such that the torque output therefrom is about equal to the torque input thereto. 8. The mid-handle drill of claim 7, wherein the same three stages are employed in each of the first, second and third speed ratios. 9. The mid-handle drill of claim 4, wherein the same three stages are employed in each of a first speed ratio, a second speed ratio and a third speed ratio. 10. A power tool for performing at least a drilling operation, the power tool comprising: a housing; a motor disposed in the housing; an output spindle; and a transmission disposed between the motor and the output spindle, the transmission receiving a rotary input from the motor and being configured to provide an output that is transmitted to the output spindle, the transmission being characterized in that its centerline is coincident with a rotational axis of an output member of the motor, it has at least three speed ratios and it is contained within a volume that is about equal in diameter to a diameter of the motor. 11. The power tool of claim 10, wherein the transmission includes at least three transmission stages. 12. The power tool of claim 11, wherein at least three transmission stages cooperate to define each speed ratio. 13. The power tool of claim 12, wherein a first one of the transmission stages outputs torque to a second transmission stage and the second transmission stage outputs torque to a third transmission stage. 14. The power tool of claim 13, wherein in one of the at least three speed ratios the first, second and third stages each perform a torque multiplication operation wherein the torque that is output from each of the first, second and third stages is greater than a torque that is input thereto. 15. The power tool of claim 14, wherein in a second one of the at least three speed ratios, one of the first, second and third stages is configured such that the torque output therefrom is about equal to the torque intput thereto. 16. The power tool of claim 15, wherein in a third one of the at least three speed ratios a different one of the first, second and third stages is configured such that the torque output therefrom is about equal to the torque input thereto. 17. The power tool of claim 16, wherein the same three stages are employed in each of the first, second and third speed ratios. 18. The power tool of claim 10, wherein the housing is generally T-shaped. 19. A power tool for performing at least a drilling operation, the power tool having a three-speed planetary transmission that cooperates with a motor to drive an output member. 20. The power tool of claim 19, wherein the transmission includes at least three transmission stages. 21. The power tool of claim 20, wherein at least three transmission stages cooperate to define each speed ratio. 22. The power tool of claim 21, wherein a first one of the transmission stages outputs torque to a second transmission stage and the second transmission stage outputs torque to a third transmission stage. 23. The power tool of claim 22, wherein in one of the at least three speed ratios the first, second and third stages each perform a torque multiplication operation wherein the torque that is output from each of the first, second and third stages is greater than a torque that is input thereto. 24. The power tool of claim 23, wherein in a second one of the at least three speed ratios, one of the first, second and third stages is configured such that the torque output therefrom is about equal to the torque intput thereto. 25. The power tool of claim 24, wherein in a third one of the at least three speed ratios a different one of the first, second and third stages is configured such that the torque output therefrom is about equal to the torque input thereto. 26. The power tool of claim 25, wherein the same three stages are employed in each of the first, second and third speed ratios. 27. A power tool for performing at least a drilling operation, the power tool comprising: a housing with a front portion, a rear portion and a handle that is intermediate the front and rear portions; a motor in the housing; an output device; and a transmission connecting the motor and the output device, the transmission being operable in at least three speed ratio settings. 28. The power tool of claim 27, wherein the transmission is directly connected to the output spindle. 29. The power tool of claim 28, wherein the output device comprises an output spindle and a chuck that is coupled to the output spindle. 30. The power tool of claim 27, wherein each speed ratio setting is obtained by at least three cooperating transmission stages. 31. The power tool of claim 30, wherein a first one of the transmission stages outputs torque to a second transmission stage and the second transmission stage outputs torque to a third transmission stage. 32. The power tool of claim 31, wherein in one of the at least three speed ratio settings the first, second and third stages each perform a torque multiplication operation wherein the torque that is output from each of the first, second and third stages is greater than a torque that is input thereto. 33. The power tool of claim 32, wherein in a second one of the at least three speed ratio settings, one of the first, second and third stages is configured such that the torque output therefrom is about equal to the torque intput thereto. 34. The power tool of claim 33, wherein in a third one of the at least three speed ratio settings a different one of the first, second and third stages is configured such that the torque output therefrom is about equal to the torque input thereto. 35. The power tool of claim 34, wherein the same three stages are employed in each of the first, second and third speed ratio settings. 36. A method for forming a power tool that is configured to perform at least a drilling operation, the method comprising: installing at least a portion of a three speed transmission into a first housing; installing the first housing at least partially into a second housing; coupling the transmission to an output device, the output device being configured to drive a drill. 37. The method of claim 36, further comprising assembling a motor to the second housing. 38. The method of claim 37, wherein the transmission is a planetary transmission and wherein when the first housing is assembled to the second housing, a pinion associated with the motor is meshingly engaged to a planet gear in the transmission. 39. The method of claim 36, wherein the first housing is a generally cylindrical sleeve. 40. The method of claim 36, further comprising coupling a shift actuator to the transmission such that the shift actuator extends through the first housing and engages a portion of the transmission that may be translated between at least two positions to thereby at least partially effect a change between a first speed ratio and a different speed ratio. 41. The method of claim 40, wherein the portion of the transmission is an annular collar that is selectively locked to the first housing in one of the at least two positions. 42. The method of claim 41, wherein the annular collar is a ring gear that is associated with a stage of the transmission. 43. The method of claim 40, wherein the actuator includes a semi-circular center portion and a pair of tabs that extend generally along a centerline of a circle defined by the semi-circular center portion. 44. The method of claim 43, wherein the tabs extend radially outwardly from the semi-circular center portion. 45. A modular drive system for a power tool comprising a transmission sleeve and a planetary transmission that is at least partially received into the transmission sleeve, the planetary transmission being configured to provide at least three separately selectable speed ratios. 46. The modular drive system of claim 45, further comprising a shift actuator coupled to the transmission such that the shift actuator extends through the transmission sleeve and engages a portion of the transmission that may be translated between at least two positions to thereby at least partially effect a change between a first speed ratio and a different speed ratio. 47. The modular drive system of claim 46, wherein the portion of the transmission is an annular collar that is selectively locked to the transmission sleeve in one of the at least two positions. 48. The method of claim 47, wherein the annular collar is a ring gear that is associated with a stage of the transmission. 49. The method of claim 46, wherein the actuator includes a semi-circular center portion and a pair of tabs that extend generally along a centerline of a circle defined by the semi-circular center portion. 50. The method of claim 49, wherein the tabs extend radially outwardly from the semi-circular center portion. 51. A method for drilling a hole comprising: moving an annular collar associated with a planetary transmission to select one of at least three speed ratios. 52. The method of claim 51, wherein the annular collar is movable into a first position, wherein the annular collar is locked against rotation, and a second position, wherein the annular collar is rotatable. 53. The method of claim 52, wherein the annular collar is a ring gear that is associated with a stage of the transmission. 54. The method of claim 52, wherein the annular collar includes a plurality of teeth that are formed on at least a portion of an outside perimeter of the annular collar. 55. The method of claim 55, wherein the annular collar includes a plurality of teeth that are formed on at least a portion of an inside perimeter of the annular collar. 56. The method of claim 55, wherein the annular collar is a ring gear that is associated with a stage of the transmission. 57. A hand-held power tool comprising: a motor; an output spindle; and a transmission drivingly connected with the motor and the output spindle, the transmission having a plurality of stages that cooperate to provide three speed ratios, each speed ratio using three stages that are arranged such that the output of one stage is input to a subsequent stage. 58. The hand-held power tool of claim 57, wherein at least one of the stages is inactive in at least one of the three speed ratios. 59. The hand-held power tool of claim 57, wherein at least one of the three stages is inactivated by locking a ring gear of a planetary gear set such that it co-rotates with a sun gear that is associated with the planetary gear set. 60. The hand-held power tool of claim 59, wherein the ring gear is translated into engagement with a planet carrier to inactivate the stage, the planet carrier being coupled for rotation with the sun gear. 61. The hand-held power tool of claim 59, wherein the ring gear is translated into engagement with a planet carrier to inactivate the stage, the planet carrier supporting a plurality of planet gears that are meshingly engaged to the sun gear and the ring gear. 62. The hand-held power tool of claim 57, wherein a first one of the stages is inactive in one of the speed ratios and a different one of the stages is inactive in another one of the speed ratios. 63. The hand-held power tool of claim 57, wherein each of the speed ratios is obtained by activating one stage and selectively activating or inactivating at least two other stages. 64. The hand-held power tool of claim 57, wherein at least one of the stages is selectively activated by locking a ring gear to inhibit relative rotation between the ring gear and a housing in which the ring gear is disposed. 65. The hand-held power tool of claim 64, wherein the ring gear includes a plurality of external teeth that matingly engage a plurality of teeth formed on the interior of an element disposed between the housing and the ring gear when the stage associated with the ring gear is activated. 66. The hand-held power tool of claim 65, wherein the element is a transmission sleeve. 67. The hand-held power tool of claim 65, wherein one of the ring gear and the element is movable between a first position and a second position and wherein positioning of the one of the ring gear and the element into the first position inhibits relative rotation between the ring gear and the housing. 68. The hand-held power tool of claim 67, wherein the stage that is associated with the ring gear is inactive when the one of the ring gear and the element is positioned in the second position. 69. The hand-held power tool of claim 57, further comprising a clutch, the clutch having an annular clutch member, a follower and a spring, the clutch member being coupled to a ring gear that is associated with one of the stages, the spring biasing the follower against the clutch member to resist relative rotation between the ring gear and a housing in which the ring gear is disposed. 70. The hand-held power tool of claim 69, the ring gear is associated with a stage of the transmission that is active in each of the three speed ratios. 71. The hand-held power tool of claim 57, wherein the transmission is directly connected with the motor and the output spindle. | PRIORITY & CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/384,809 filed Mar. 10, 2003, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/964,078 filed Sep. 26, 2001 entitled First Stage Clutch, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/263,379, filed Jan. 23, 2001. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field The present invention relates generally to power tools such as rotatable drills, power screwdrivers, and rotatable cutting devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a transmission for a multi-speed transmission for a rotary power tool. 2. Discussion Modernly, manufacturers of power tools have introduced rotary power tools that have variable speed motors in an attempt to permit the users of these tools with sufficient control over the output speed of the tool so as to permit them to perform diverse operations without resort to additional, specialized tools. Many of the tools that are commercially available include a three-stage, two-speed transmission that permits even greater control over speeds of these tools. Typically, the known transmission arrangements have lacked a transmission arrangement that could produce a wide range of output speeds and torques that would permit the tool to perform diverse operations such as drilling holes with a large diameter hole saw, installing drywall screws or large diameter lag screws, and performing high-speed drilling operations. The single or dual speed transmissions that were generally employed in these tools typically did not have sufficient speed reducing capacity to permit these transmissions to be diversely employed as configuring these tools for high torque operations tended to impair their high speed performance. Furthermore, the rechargeable batteries that were employed in many of the early cordless rotary power tools were not well suited for use in low-speed, high torque operations due to the amount of energy that is consumed and the rate with which the energy is consumed by the power tool during such operations. Consequently, consumers were often forced to purchase two different rotary power tools, a medium-duty tool for “standard” applications such as drilling and fastening, and a heavy-duty tool having a low-speed, high torque output for more demanding tasks. With the advent of the modern high capacity, high voltage battery, it is now possible to meet the energy demands of a power tool that is used in low-speed, high torque operations. There remains, however, a need in the art for a power tool transmission having a relatively large range in its speed reducing capacity. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one form, the present teachings provide a mid-handle drill with a transmission having at least three speed ratios. In another form, the present teachings provide a power tool for performing at least a drilling operation. The power tool includes a housing, a motor disposed in the housing, an output spindle and a transmission that is disposed between the motor and the output spindle. The transmission receives a rotary input from the motor and is configured to provide an output that is transmitted to the output spindle. The transmission is characterized in that its centerline is coincident with a rotational axis of an output member of the motor, it has at least three speed ratios and it is contained within a volume that is about equal in diameter to a diameter of the motor. In yet another form, the present teachings provide a power tool for performing at least a drilling operation wherein the power tool has a three-speed planetary transmission that cooperates with a motor to drive an output member. In still another form, the present teachings provide a power tool for performing at least a drilling operation wherein the power tool includes a housing with a front portion, a rear portion and a handle that is intermediate the front and rear portions, a motor in the housing, an output device, and a transmission connecting the motor and the output device. The transmission is operable in at least three speed ratio settings. In yet another form, the present teachings provide a method for forming a power tool that is configured to perform at least a drilling operation. The method includes: installing at least a portion of a three speed transmission into a first housing; installing the first housing at least partially into a second housing; coupling the transmission to an output device, the output device being configured to drive a drill. In a further form, the present teachings provide a modular drive system for a power tool comprising a transmission sleeve and a planetary transmission that is at least partially received into the transmission sleeve, the planetary transmission being configured to provide at least three separately selectable speed ratios. In yet another form, the present teachings provide a method for drilling a hole that includes moving an annular collar associated with a planetary transmission to select one of at least three speed ratios. In a further form, the present teachings provide a hand-held power tool that includes a motor, an output spindle, and a transmission drivingly connected with the motor and the output spindle, the transmission having a plurality of stages that cooperate to provide three speed ratios, each speed ratio using three stages that are arranged such that the output of one stage is input to a subsequent stage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a side view of a power tool constructed in accordance with the teaching of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the power tool of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the housing of the power tool of FIG. 1 illustrating the rear of the end cap assembly; FIG. 4 is a front view of the end cap assembly; FIG. 5 is a section view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a rear view of a portion of the power tool of FIG. 1 with the end cap assembly removed; FIG. 7 is a side view of a portion of the power tool of FIG. 1 with the end cap assembly removed; FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4, but illustrating the end cap shell prior to the overmolding operation; FIG. 9 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5, but illustrating the end cap shell prior to the overmolding operation; FIG. 10 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4, but illustrating an alternate construction of the overmold member; FIG. 11 is a partial sectional view of a portion of a power tool that employs an end cap assembly having an overmold member constructed in the manner illustrated in FIG. 10; FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the power tool of FIG. 1, illustrating the transmission assembly in greater detail; FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the power tool of FIG. 1, illustrating the reduction gearset assembly, the transmission sleeve, a portion of the housing and a portion of the clutch mechanism in greater detail; FIG. 13a is a sectional view taken along a longitudinal axis of the second ring gear; FIG. 13b is a sectional view taken along a longitudinal axis of the third ring gear; FIG. 14 is a side view of the transmission sleeve; FIG. 15 is a rear view of the transmission sleeve; FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken along the line 16-16 of FIG. 15; FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken along the line 17-17 of FIG. 15; FIG. 18 is an exploded view of the reduction gearset assembly; FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along a longitudinal axis of the power tool of FIG. 1 illustrating a portion of the reduction gearset assembly in greater detail; FIG. 20 is a front view of a portion of the first reduction carrier; FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken along a longitudinal axis of the power tool of FIG. 1 illustrating a portion of the reduction gearset assembly in greater detail; FIG. 22 is a rear view of a portion of the third reduction carrier; FIG. 23 is an sectional view taken along the longitudinal axis of the power tool of FIG. 1 and illustrating the transmission assembly as positioned in the first speed ratio; FIG. 24 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 23 but illustrating the transmission assembly as positioned in the second speed ratio; FIG. 25 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 23 but illustrating the transmission assembly as positioned in the third speed ratio; FIG. 26 is a top view of a portion of the power tool of FIG. 1 illustrating the speed selector mechanism in greater detail; FIG. 27a is a side view of the rotary selector cam; FIG. 27b is a top view of the rotary selector cam; FIG. 27c is a sectional view taken through along the central axis of the speed selector mechanism; FIG. 28 is a rear view of the output spindle assembly; FIG. 29 is an exploded perspective view of the clutch mechanism; FIG. 29a is a perspective view of a portion of the clutch mechanism illustrating another configuration of the clutch member; FIG. 29b is an exploded perspective view illustrating a multi-piece construction for the first ring gear and clutch member; FIG. 30 is a schematic illustration of the adjustment structure in an “unwrapped” state; FIG. 31 is a schematic illustration similar to that of FIG. 30 but showing an alternate construction of the adjustment profile; and FIG. 32 is a schematic illustration similar to that of FIG. 30 but showing a portion of another alternate construction of the adjustment profile; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Overview With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a power tool constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 10. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the preferred embodiment of the present invention may be either a cord or cordless (battery operated) device, such as a portable screwdriver or drill. In the particular embodiment illustrated, power tool 10 is a cordless drill having a housing 12, a motor assembly 14, a multi-speed transmission assembly 16, a clutch mechanism 18, an output spindle assembly 20, a chuck 22, a trigger assembly 24 and a battery pack 26. Those skilled in the art will understand that several of the components of power tool 10, such as the chuck 22, the trigger assembly 24 and the battery pack 26, are conventional in nature and need not be described in significant detail in this application. Reference may be made to a variety of publications for a more complete understanding of the operation of the conventional features of power tool 10. One example of such publications is commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,454 issued Apr. 27, 1999, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Housing 12 includes an end cap assembly 30 and a handle shell assembly 32 that includes a pair of mating handle shells 34. Handle shell assembly 32 includes a handle portion 36 and a drive train or body portion 38. Trigger assembly 24 and battery pack 26 are mechanically coupled to handle portion 36 and electrically coupled to motor assembly 14. Body portion 38 includes a motor cavity 40 and a transmission cavity 42. Motor assembly 14 is housed in motor cavity 40 and includes a rotatable output shaft 44, which extends into transmission cavity 42. A motor pinion 46 having a plurality of gear teeth 48 is coupled for rotation with output shaft 44. Trigger assembly 24 and battery pack 26 cooperate to selectively provide electric power to motor assembly 14 in a manner that is generally well known in the art so as to control the speed and direction with which output shaft 44 rotates. Transmission assembly 16 is housed in transmission cavity 42 and includes a speed selector mechanism 60. Motor pinion 46 couples transmission assembly 16 to output shaft 44, transmitting a relatively high speed, low torque drive input to transmission assembly 16. Transmission assembly 16 includes a plurality of reduction elements that are selectively engaged by speed selector mechanism 60 to provide a plurality of speed ratios. Each of the speed ratios multiplies the speed and torque of the drive input in a predetermined manner, permitting the output speed and torque of the transmission assembly 16 to be varied in a desired manner between a relatively low speed, high torque output and a relatively high speed, low torque output. The transmission output is delivered the output spindle assembly 20, to which the chuck 22 is coupled for rotation, to permit torque to be transmitted to a tool bit (not shown). The clutch mechanism 18 is coupled to transmission assembly 16 and is operable for limiting the magnitude of the torque associated with the drive input to a predetermined, selectable torque limit. Functional Overmold With specific reference to FIGS. 2 through 9, end cap assembly 30 is shown to include an end cap shell 100 and an overmold member 102. In the example provided, the end cap shell 100 is injection molded from a plastic material, such as ABS. The end cap shell 100 defines an end cap cavity 104 that is sized to receive the portion of the motor assembly 14 that extends rearwardly of the handle shell assembly 32. A plurality of first and second radial tab apertures 108 and 110 and the abutting face 128 are formed into the forward face 114 of the end cap shell 100 and a plurality of screw bosses 116 are formed into the perimeter of the end cap shell 100. Each of the first and second radial tab apertures 108 and 110 is sized to receive one of the first radial tabs 120 and second radial tabs 122, respectively, that are formed into the rearward face 124 of the handle shells 34. The first and second radial tab apertures 108 and 110 cooperate with the first and second radial tabs 122 to properly align the end cap shell 100 to the handle shell assembly 32, as well as to inhibit relative rotation therebetween. An arcuate portion 128 of the forward face 114 of the end cap shell 100 is angled to match the abutting face 132 of the rearward face 124 of the handle shells 34. The screw bosses 116 permit the end cap shell 100 to be fixedly coupled to the motor cover 136 via a plurality of screws 138. The geometry of the motor cover 136 is such that it is constrained to the handle shells 34. As such, fastening of the end cap shell 100 to the motor cover 136 operates to fixedly retain the end cap shell 100 against the rearward face 124 of the handle shell assembly 32, as well as to close off the rear handle aperture 139 in the handle shell assembly 32. A plurality of side apertures 140 are formed into the sides of the end cap shell 100 to permit air to flow through the handle shell assembly 32 and cool the motor assembly 14 in a manner that is well known in the art. A plurality of rear apertures 144 are formed into the rear of the end cap shell 100, with each of the rear apertures 144 including a recessed portion 146 that extends only partially into the outer surface 148 of the end cap shell 100 and a through-portion 150 that extends completely through the end cap shell 100. A pair of retaining tabs 152 are formed to extend from the interior surface 154 of the end cap shell 100 inwardly into the end cap cavity 104. A channel 156 is formed into the interior surface 154 of the end cap shell 100 and intersects each of the rear apertures 144 and the retaining tabs 152. The overmold member 102 is formed from a resilient material, such as thermoplastic elastomer (e.g., HYTREL® manufactured by E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company) and is simultaneously formed and coupled to the end cap shell 100 in an injection molding operation. In the particular example provided, the overmold member 102 includes a plurality of bumper members 170, a pair of isolators 172 and a linking member 174. Each of the bumper members 170 extends from a point roughly coincident with the interior surface 154 of the end cap shell 100 to a point rearwardly of the outer surface 148 of the end cap shell 100 by about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm and preferably about 0.75 mm. Construction in this manner permits the bumper members 170 to provide a degree of shock absorption which reduces the likelihood of damaging the end cap shell 100 in the event that the tool 10 is dropped. Furthermore, it is sometimes necessary for an operator to apply a relatively high force to the tool 10, as when employing a hole saw to drill large diameter holes. In such situations, the operator is inclined to press onto the rear of the tool 10 to apply a force that is in-line with the axis of the chuck 22. In such situations, the bumper members 170 provide the operator with a relatively soft and comfortable surface which tends to resist slipping as well as attenuate the vibrations that are transmitted to the operator. The isolators 172 are formed about the retaining tabs 152 on the interior surface 154 of the end cap shell 100. In the example provided, each of the isolators 172 includes an annular member 180 that extends forwardly of the interior surface 154 of the end cap shell 100. Construction in this manner permits the end cap shell 100 to engage the isolators 172 to the outer diameter 14a and the rear surface 14b of the motor housing 14c to fixedly retain the motor 14d within the motor cover 136. This prevents the components of the motor assembly 14 from moving along the longitudinal axis of the tool 10, as well as dampens vibrations that are created during the operation of the motor assembly 14. The linking member 174 is fixedly coupled to each of the bumper members 170 and the isolators 172. The linking member 174 provides a flow path through which the resilient material flows during the formation of the bumper members 170 and the isolators 172. The linking member 174 also interconnects the bumper members 170 and the isolators 172, thereby rendering their removal from the end cap shell 100 more difficult. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this aspect of the present invention may be incorporated into various other positions within the handle assembly 32 for sealing between two or more components, dampening vibrations or positioning one component relative to another. One such example is illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 where the isolators 172 are modified to extend around the perimeter of a portion of the end cap cavity 104 and sealingly contact the rear surface 14b of the motor 14d. The isolators 172 seal the interface between the end cap shell 100 and the motor assembly 14, while the bumper members 170 seal the rear apertures 144 in the end cap shell 100. The space 188 defined by the isolators 172 is then filled with grease or another suitable lubricant, which lubricates a motor armature bearing 190. Transmission Assembly With reference to FIG. 12, the transmission assembly 16 is shown to be a three-stage, three-speed transmission that includes a transmission sleeve 200, a reduction gearset assembly 202 and the speed selector mechanism 60. With additional reference to FIGS. 13 through 17, the transmission sleeve 200 includes a wall member 210 that defines a generally transmission bore or hollow cavity 212 into which the reduction gearset assembly 202 is disposed. The transmission sleeve 200 includes a body 214 and a base 216. The body 214 of the transmission sleeve 200 is fairly uniform in diameter and generally smaller in diameter than the base 216. The inside diameter of the base 216 is sized to receive the cylindrical nose portion 220 of the motor cover 136. A plurality of raised lands 226 are formed into the base 216. The raised lands 226 define a plurality of first grooves 228 in the outer surface 230 of the base 216 and a plurality of second grooves 232 in the inner surface 234 of the base 216. The first grooves 228 are configured to receive the alignment ribs 238 that are formed into the inner surface 242 of the handle shells 34 to align the transmission sleeve 200 to the handle shells 34 and inhibit relative rotation between the transmission sleeve 200 and the housing 12. Preferably, the first grooves 228 and alignment ribs 238 are configured in a manner that the transmission sleeve 200 can only be assembled to the handle shells 34 in one orientation (i.e., the configuration of the first grooves 228 and alignment ribs 238 prevents the transmission sleeve 200 from being rotated 180° out of position relative to the handle shells 34). The second grooves 232 will be discussed in greater detail, below. The body 214 of the transmission sleeve 200 is shown to include a cylindrical body portion 246 and a pin housing portion 248. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the cylindrical body portion 246 includes a selector cam guide 250, a plurality of lubricant grooves 252 and first and second sets of ring engagement teeth 254 and 256, respectively. The selector cam guide 250 is generally rectangular in cross section, extending outwardly from the top of the outer surface 258 of the body portion 246. The lubricant grooves 252 are formed concentrically around the upper half of the perimeter of the body portion 246. The lubricant grooves 252 have a depth of about 0.01 inch to about 0.030 inch to hold a lubricant, such as grease, on the upper half of the perimeter of the body portion 246. The operation of the selector cam guide 250 and the lubricant grooves 252 will be discussed in detail, below. A raised bead 264 segregates the interior of the body portion 246 into first and second housing portions 260 and 262, respectively. The first set of ring engagement teeth 254 are formed onto the inner surface 266 of the body portion 246 and extend rearwardly from the raised bead 264 toward the base 216. The second set of ring engagement teeth 256 are also formed into the inner surface of the body portion 246 but extend forwardly from the raised bead 264. The teeth 268 of the first and second sets of ring engagement teeth 254 and 256 are uniformly spaced around the inner surface 266 of the body portion 246. The configuration of each tooth 268 in the first and second sets of ring engagement teeth 254 and 256 is similar in that each tooth extends from the raised bead 264, has a pair of parallel engagement surfaces 270 and terminates at a tip portion 272. The tip portion 272 of each tooth 268 is both rounded and tapered to enhance the ability with which it will mesh with a portion of the reduction gearset assembly 202 as will be described in detail, below. The pin housing portion 248 extends downwardly from the body portion 246 over a significant portion of the length of the body portion 246. An actuator aperture 274 is formed into the pin housing portion 248 and extends rearwardly through the base 216 of the transmission sleeve 200. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the actuator aperture 274 is stepped, having a first portion 276 with a first diameter at the rear of the transmission sleeve 200 and a second portion 278 with a smaller second diameter at the front of the transmission sleeve 200. In the example shown, the first portion 276 of the actuator aperture 274 breaks through the wall of the first housing portion 260 and forms a groove 280 into the inner surface 234 of the base 216. The pin housing portion 248 will be discussed in further detail, below. A pair of first clip slots 284 and a pair of second clip slots 286 are formed into the transmission sleeve 200, extending along the sides of the transmission sleeve 200 in a manner that is parallel the longitudinal axis of the transmission sleeve 200. The first pair of clip slots 284 is formed through the sides of the body portion 246 rearwardly of the raised bead 264 and extends rearwardly toward the base 216. The depth of the first pair of clip slots 284 is such that they do not extend through the portion of the wall member 210 that defines the base 216. The second pair of clip slots 286 are also formed through the sides of the body portion 246 beginning forwardly of the raised bead 264 and extending through the front face 288 of the transmission sleeve 200. With reference to FIGS. 12, 13, 18 and 23, the reduction gearset assembly 202 includes a first reduction gear set 302, a second reduction gear set 304 and a third reduction gear set 306. The first, second and third reduction gear sets 302, 304 and 306 are operable in an active mode and an inactive mode. Operation in the active mode causes the reduction gear set to perform a speed reduction and torque multiplication operation, while operation of the reduction gear set in an inactive mode for causes the reduction gear set to provide an output having a speed and torque that is about equal to the speed and torque of the rotary input provided to that reduction gear set. In the particular embodiment illustrated, each of the first, second and third reduction gear sets 302, 304 and 306 are planetary gear sets. Those skilled in the art will understand, however, that various other types of reduction gear sets that are well known in the art may be substituted for one or more of the reduction gear sets forming the reduction gearset assembly 202. As shown, the first reduction gear set 302 includes a first reduction element or ring gear 310, a first set of planet gears 312 and a first reduction carrier 314. The first ring gear 310 is an annular structure, having a plurality of gear teeth 310a formed along its interior diameter. A clutch face 316 is formed into the outer perimeter of the front face 318 of the first ring gear 310 and will be discussed in greater detail, below. The first ring gear 310 is disposed within the portion of the hollow cavity 212 defined by the base 216; the front face 318 of the first ring gear 310 contacts a step 320 formed into the transmission sleeve 200, thereby limiting the ability of the first ring gear 310 to move forwardly into the hollow cavity 212. The first reduction carrier 314 is formed in the shape of a flat cylinder, having plurality of pins 322 that extend from its rearward face 324. A plurality of gear teeth 314a are formed into almost the entire outer perimeter of the first reduction carrier 314, with a valley 314b being formed between each pair of adjacent gear teeth 314a. Due to the spacing of the gear teeth 314a, one of the valleys (i.e., valley 314b′) is relatively larger than the remaining valleys 314b due to the omission of a tooth 314a in the outer perimeter of the first reduction carrier 314. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the gear teeth 314a of the first reduction carrier 314 are configured so as not to be meshingly engagable with the gear teeth 310a of the first ring gear 310. With specific reference to FIGS. 19 and 20, the profile of the gear teeth 314a is illustrated in greater detail. As shown, each gear tooth 314a terminates at a gradual radius 326 at the forward face 328 of the first reduction carrier 314 but terminates abruptly at the rearward face 324 of the first reduction carrier 314. A radius 330 is also formed on the valleys 314b between the gear teeth 314a. Returning to FIGS. 12, 13, 15, 18 and 23, a first thrust washer 332 having a first annular portion 334, a second annular portion 336 and a plurality of retaining tabs 338 is positioned rearwardly of the first reduction gear set 302. The retaining tabs 338 engage the second grooves 232 in the base 216 of the transmission sleeve 200 and as such, relative rotation between the first thrust washer 332 and the transmission sleeve 200 is inhibited. The inside diameter of the base 216 is sized to receive the motor cover 136 and as such, the front face 340 of the motor cover 136 inhibits the axial movement of the first thrust washer 332. The first annular portion 334 contacts the rear face 342 of the first ring gear 310, providing a wear surface and controlling the amount by which the first ring gear 310 is able to move in an axial direction. The second annular portion 336 is spaced axially apart from the first annular portion 334, extending forwardly of the first annular portion 334 to provide a wear surface for the first set of planet gears 312 that also controls the amount by which they can move in an axial direction. The first set of planet gears 312 includes a plurality of planet gears 344, each of which being generally cylindrical in shape, having a plurality of gear teeth 344a formed into its outer perimeter and a pin aperture 346 formed its their center. Each planet gear 344 is rotatably supported on an associated one of the pins 322 and the first reduction carrier 314 and is positioned such that its teeth 344a meshingly engage the teeth 314a of the first ring gear 310. A raised portion 348 is formed into the front and rear face 350 and 352 of each planet gear 344 that inhibits the teeth 344a from rubbing on the first reduction carrier 314 and the first thrust washer 332 and creating dust or chips that would impair the performance of the transmission assembly 16 and reduce its operating life. As the teeth 46a of the motor pinion 46 on the output shaft 44 are also meshingly engaged with the teeth 344a of the planet gears 344, the motor pinion 46 serves as a sun gear for the first reduction gear set 302. The second reduction gear set 304 is disposed within the portion of the hollow cavity 212 defined by the first housing portion 260 and includes a second sun gear 358, a second reduction element or ring gear 360, a second set of planet gears 362 and a second reduction carrier 364. The second sun gear 358 is fixed for rotation with the first reduction carrier 314. The second sun gear 358 includes a plurality of gear teeth 358a that extend forwardly of the forward face 328 of the first reduction carrier 314. The second ring gear 360 is an annular structure, having a plurality of gear teeth 360a formed along its interior diameter. The gear teeth 360a may be heavily chamfered at the rear face 366 of the second ring gear 360 but terminate abruptly at the front face 368. More preferably, a heavy radius 369 is formed onto the rear face 366 and the sides of each of the gear teeth 360a, with the heavy radius 369 being employed rather than the heavy chamfer as the heavy radius 369 on the gear teeth 360a provides for better engagement between the second ring gear 360 and the first reduction carrier 314. A plurality of sleeve engagement teeth 370 are formed into the outer perimeter of the second ring gear 360; the sleeve engagement teeth 370 extend forwardly toward the front face 368 of the second ring gear 360 and terminate at a tip portion 372 that is rounded and tapers forwardly and inwardly. An annular clip groove 374 is also formed into the outer perimeter of the second ring gear 360. In the example illustrated, the clip groove 374 is a rectangular slot having a pair of sidewalls 376. The clip groove 374 will be discussed in greater detail, below. The second reduction carrier 364 is formed in the shape of a flat cylinder, having plurality of pins 378 that extend from its rearward face 380. The second set of planet gears 362 is shown to include a plurality of planet gears 382. Each planet gear 382 is generally cylindrical in shape, having a plurality of gear teeth 382a formed into its outer perimeter and a pin aperture 384 formed its center. Each planet gear 382 is rotatably supported on an associated one of the pins 378 and the second reduction carrier 364 is positioned such that the gear teeth 382a of the planet gears 382 meshingly engage the gear teeth 360a of the second ring gear 360. The gear teeth 358a of the second sun gear 358 are also meshingly engaged with the gear teeth 382a of the planet gears 382. The third reduction gear set 306 is disposed within the portion of the hollow cavity 212 defined by the second housing portion 262 and includes a third sun gear 398, a third reduction element or ring gear 400, a third set of planet gears 402 and a third reduction carrier 404. The third sun gear 398 is fixed for rotation with the second reduction carrier 364. The third sun gear 398 includes a plurality of gear teeth 398a that extend forwardly of the front face 406 of the second reduction carrier 364. The third ring gear 400 is an annular structure, having a plurality of gear teeth 400a formed along its interior diameter. The gear teeth 400a may be heavily chamfered at the front face 412 of the third ring gear 400, but terminate abruptly at the rear face 414. More preferably, a heavy radius 407 is formed onto the front face 412 and the sides of each of the gear teeth 400a, with the heavy radius 407 being employed rather than the heavy chamfer as the heavy radius 407 on the gear teeth 400a provides for better engagement between the third ring gear 400 and the third reduction carrier 404. A plurality of sleeve engagement teeth 418 are formed into the outer perimeter of the third ring gear 400; the sleeve engagement teeth 418 extend rearward toward the rear face 414 of the third ring gear 400 and terminate at a tip portion 420 that is rounded and tapers rearwardly and inwardly. An annular clip groove 422 is also formed into the outer perimeter of the third ring gear 400. In the example illustrated, the clip groove 422 is a rectangular slot having a pair of sidewalls 424. The clip groove 422 will be discussed in greater detail, below. The third reduction carrier 404 is formed in the shape of a flat cylinder, having plurality of pins 428 that extend from its rearward face 430. A plurality of gear teeth 404a are formed into almost the entire outer perimeter of the third reduction carrier 404, with a valley 404b being formed between each pair of adjacent teeth 404a. Due to the spacing of the teeth 404a, one of the valleys 404b (i.e., valley 404b′) is relatively larger than the remaining valleys 404b due to the omission of a tooth 404a in the outer perimeter of the third reduction carrier 404. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the gear teeth 404a of the third reduction carrier 404 are configured so as not to be meshingly engagable with the gear teeth 382a of the second planet gears 382. With brief additional reference to FIGS. 21 and 22, the profile of the gear teeth 404a is illustrated in greater detail. As shown, the rear face 430 of the third reduction carrier 404 is chamfered and a heavy radius 434 is formed into each of sides of the teeth 404a and valleys 404b. Each gear tooth 404a terminates abruptly at the forward face 436 of the third reduction carrier 404. Returning back to FIGS. 12, 13, 15, 18 and 23, the third set of planet gears 402 is shown to include a plurality of planet gears 438. Each planet gear 438 is generally cylindrical in shape, having a plurality of gear teeth 438a formed into its outer perimeter and a pin aperture 440 formed through its center. Each planet gear 438 is rotatably supported on an associated one of the pins 428 and the third reduction carrier 404 is positioned such that the gear teeth 438a of the planet gears 438 meshingly engage the gear teeth 400a of the third ring gear 400. A raised portion 442 is formed into each of the front and rear faces of the planet gears 438 which inhibits the gear teeth 438a from rubbing on the third reduction carrier 404 and creating dust or chips that would impair the performance of the transmission assembly 12 and reduce its operating life. A second thrust washer 450 is disposed around the third sun gear 398 and the teeth 398a of the third sun gear 398 are meshingly engaged with the gear teeth 438a of the planet gears 438. The second thrust washer 450 includes a plurality of retaining tabs 452 that are configured to engage corresponding tab grooves 454 (FIG. 13) that are formed in the inner surface 266 of body portion 246 of the transmission sleeve 200. The retaining tabs 452 and the tab grooves 454 cooperate to inhibit relative rotation between the second thrust washer 450 and the transmission sleeve 200. The output spindle assembly 20 includes a transmitting means 458 for coupling a spindle 460 for rotation with the third reduction carrier 404 so as to transmit drive torque from the reduction gearset assembly 202 to the chuck 22. Such transmitting means 458 are well known in the art and easily adapted to the transmission assembly of the present invention. Accordingly, a detailed discussion of the transmitting means 458 need not be included herein. With reference to FIGS. 13, 13a, 13b, 16, 17, 18 and 23 through 28, the speed selector mechanism 60 is movable between a first position 500, a second position 502 and a third position 504 and includes a switch portion 510 for receiving a speed change input and an actuator portion 512 for manipulating the reduction gearset assembly 202 in accordance with the speed change input. The actuator portion 512 is operatively coupled to the reduction gearset assembly 202 and moves the second and third reduction gear sets 304 and 306 between the active and inactive modes in response to movement of the switch portion 510 between the first, second and third positions 500, 502 and 504. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the actuator portion 512 includes a rotary selector cam 520, a plurality of wire clips 522 and a spring member 523. Each of the wire clips 522 is formed from a round wire which is bent in the shape of a semi-circle 524 with a pair of tabs 526 extending outwardly from the semi-circle 524 and positioned on about the centerline of the semi-circle 524. The semi-circle 524 is sized to fit within the clip grooves 374 and 422 in the second and third ring gears 360 and 400, respectively. In this regard, the semi-circle 524 neither extends radially outwardly of an associated one of the ring gears (360, 400), nor binds against the sidewalls (376, 424) of the clip grooves (374, 422). In the example provided, the sidewalls (376, 424) of the clip grooves (374, 422) are spaced apart about 0.05 inch and the diameter of the wire forming the wire clips 522 is about 0.04 inch. The tabs 526 of the wire clips 522 extend outwardly of the hollow cavity 212 into an associated one of the clip slots (284, 286) that is formed into the transmission sleeve 200. The tabs 526 are long enough so that they extend outwardly of the outer surface 258 of the body 214 of the transmission sleeve 200, but not so far as to extend radially outwardly of the portion of the first clip slots 284 in the base 216 of the transmission sleeve 200. Configuration of the wire clips 522 in this manner facilitates the assembly of the transmission assembly 16, permitting the wire clips 522 to be installed to the second and third ring gears 360 and 400, after which these assemblies are inserted into the hollow cavity 212 along the longitudinal axis of the transmission sleeve 200. With specific reference to FIGS. 13 and 27a through 27c, the rotary selector cam 520 is illustrated to include an arcuate selector body 530, a switch tab 532 and a plurality of spacing members 534. A pair of first cam slots 540a and 540b, a pair of second cam slots 544a and 544b, a spring aperture 546 and a guide aperture 548 are formed through the selector body 530. The selector body 530 is sized to engage the outside diameter of the body portion 246 of the transmission sleeve 200 in a slip-fit manner. The guide aperture 548 is generally rectangular in shape and sized to engage the front and rear surfaces of the selector cam guide 250. The guide aperture 548 is considerably wider than the width of the selector cam guide 250, being sized in this manner to permit the rotary selector cam 520 to be rotated on the transmission sleeve 200 between a first rotational position, a second rotational position and a third rotational position. The selector cam guide 250 and cooperates with the guide aperture 548 to limit the amount by which the rotary selector cam 520 can be rotated on the transmission sleeve 200, with a first lateral side of the selector cam guide 250 contacting a first lateral side of the guide aperture 548 when the rotary selector cam 520 is positioned in the first rotational position, and a second lateral side of the selector cam guide 250 contacting a second lateral side of the guide aperture 548 when the rotary selector cam 520 is positioned in the third rotational position. Each of the first cam slots 540a and 540b is sized to receive one of the tabs 526 of the wire clip 522 that is engaged to the second ring gear 360. In the particular embodiment illustrated, first cam slot 540a includes a first segment 550, a second segment 552 and an intermediate segment 554. The first segment 550 is located a first predetermined distance away from a reference plane 558 that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rotary selector cam 520 and the second segment 552 is located a second distance away from the reference plane 558. The intermediate segment 554 couples the first and second segments 550 and 552 to one another. The configuration of first cam slot 540b is identical to that of first cam slot 540a, except that it is rotated relative to the rotary selector cam 520 such that each of the first, second and intermediate segments 550, 552 and 554 in the first cam slot 540b are located 180° apart from the first, second and intermediate segments 550, 552 and 554 in the first cam slot 540a. Each of the second cam slots 544a and 544b is sized to receive one of the tabs 526 of a corresponding one of the wire clips 522. In the particular embodiment illustrated, second cam slot 544a includes a first segment 560, a second segment 562, a third segment 564 and a pair of intermediate segments 566 and 568. The first and third segments 560 and 564 are located a third predetermined distance away from the reference plane and the second segment 562 is located a fourth distance away from the reference plane 558. The intermediate segment 566a couples the first and second segments 560 and 562 to one another and the intermediate segment 568 couples the second and third segments 562 and 566 together. The configuration of second cam slot 544b is identical to that of second cam slot 544a, except that it is rotated relative to the rotary selector cam 520 such that each of the first, second, third and intermediate segments 560, 562, 564 and 566 and 568 in the second cam slot 544b are located 180° apart from the first, second, third and intermediate segments 560, 562, 564 and 566 and 568 in the second cam slot 544a. With the tabs 526 of the wire clips 522 engaged to the first cam slots 540a and 540b and the second cam slots 544a and 544b, the rotary selector cam 520 may be rotated on the transmission sleeve 200 between the first, second and third positions 500, 502 and 504 to selectively engage and disengage the second and third ring gears 360 and 400 from the first and third reduction carriers 314 and 404, respectively. During the rotation of the rotary selector cam 520, the first cam slots 540a and 540b and the second cam slots 544a and 544b confine the wire tabs 526 of their associated wire clip 522 and cause the wire tabs 526 to travel along the longitudinal axis of the transmission sleeve 200 in an associated one of the first and second clip slots 284 and 286. Accordingly, the rotary selector cam 520 is operative for converting a rotational input to an axial output that causes the wire clips 522 to move axially in a predetermined manner. A lubricant (not specifically shown) is applied to the lubricant grooves 252 formed into body portion 246 of the transmission sleeve 200 is employed to lubricate the interface between the transmission sleeve 200 and the rotary selector cam 520. Positioning the rotary selector cam 520 in the first rotational position 500 causes the tabs 526 of the wire clip 522 that is engaged to the second ring gear 360 to be positioned in the first segment 550 of the first cam slots 540a and 540b and the tabs 526 of the wire clip 522 that is engaged to the third ring gear 400 to be positioned in the first segment 560 of the second cam slots 544a and 544b. Accordingly, positioning of the rotary selector cam 520 in the first rotational position causes the second and third ring gears 360 and 400 to be positioned in meshing engagement with the second and third planet gears 362 and 402, respectively. Simultaneously with the meshing engagement of the second and third ring gears 360 and 400 with the second and third planet gears 362 and 402, the sleeve engagement teeth 370 and 418 of the second and third ring gears 360 and 400, respectively, are positioned in meshing engagement with the first and second sets of ring engagement teeth 254 and 256, respectively, to inhibit relative rotation between the second and third ring gears 360 and 400 and the transmission sleeve 200 to thereby providing the transmission assembly 16 with a first overall gear reduction or speed ratio 570 as shown in FIG. 23. Those skilled in the art will understand that the tip portion 272 of the teeth 268 of the first and second sets of ring engagement teeth 254 and 256 and the tip portions 372 and 420 of the sleeve engagement teeth 370 and 418, respectively, are rounded and tapered so as to improve their capability for meshing engagement in response to axial repositioning along a longitudinal axis of the transmission assembly 16. Positioning the rotary selector cam 520 in the second rotational position 502 causes the tabs 526 of the wire clip 522 that is engaged to the second ring gear 360 to be positioned in the first segment 550 of the first cam slots 540a and 540b and the tabs 526 of the wire clip 522 that is engaged to the third ring gear 400 to be positioned in the second segment 562 of the second cam slots 544a and 544b. Accordingly, positioning of the rotary selector cam 520 in second rotational position causes the second ring gear 360 to be in meshing engagement with the second planet gears 362 and the third ring gear 400 in meshing engagement with both the third planet gears 402 and the third reduction carrier 404. Positioning of the rotary selector cam 520 in the second rotational position 502 also positions the sleeve engagement teeth 370 of the second ring gear 360 in meshing engagement with the first set of ring engagement teeth 254 while the sleeve engagement teeth 418 of the third ring gear 400 are not meshingly engaged with the second set of ring engagement teeth 256. As such, relative rotation between the second ring gear 360 and the transmission sleeve 200 is inhibited, while relative rotation between the third ring gear 400 and the transmission sleeve 200 is permitted to thereby provide the transmission assembly 16 with a second overall gear reduction or speed ratio 572 as illustrated in FIG. 24. Positioning the rotary selector cam 520 in the third rotational position 504 causes the tabs 526 of the wire clip 522 that is engaged to the second ring gear 360 to be positioned in the second segment 552 of the first cam slots 540a and 540b and the tabs 526 of the wire clip 522 that is engaged to the third ring gear 400 to be positioned in the third segment 564 of the second cam slots 544a and 544b. Accordingly, positioning of the rotary selector cam 520 in the third rotational position causes the second ring gear 360 to be in meshing engagement with both the second planet gears 362 and the first reduction carrier 314 while the third ring gear 400 in meshing engagement with only the third planet gears 402. Positioning the rotary selector cam 520 in the third rotation position 504 also positions the sleeve engagement teeth 370 on the second ring gear 360 out of meshing engagement with the first set of ring engagement teeth 254 and the sleeve engagement teeth 418 on the third ring gear 400 in meshing engagement with the second sets of ring engagement teeth 256 to inhibit relative rotation between the second ring gear 360 and the transmission sleeve 200 and permit relative rotation between the third ring gear 400 and the transmission sleeve 200 to provide the transmission assembly 16 with a third overall gear reduction or speed ratio 574. In the example shown in FIGS. 13, 27b and 28, the spring member 523 is formed from a flat rectangular piece of spring steel and includes a flattened Z-shaped portion 580 and a raised portion 584. The flattened Z-shaped portion 580 is configured to wrap around two reinforcement bars 586 that extend into the spring aperture 546, thereby permitting the raised portion 584 to be maintained at a predetermined position and also to transmit a spring force between the rotary selector cam 520 and the spring member 523. With additional reference to FIG. 28, the raised portion 584 of the spring member 523 is sized to engage internal notches 590 formed in the housing 592 of the output spindle assembly 20. Lands 594 that are circumferentially spaced from the rotary selector cam 520 are formed between the notches 590. When the output spindle assembly 20 is positioned over the transmission assembly 16 and the speed selector mechanism 60 is positioned in one of the first, second and third rotational positions 500, 502 and 504, the raised portion 584 of the spring member 523 engages an associated one of the notches 590. The force that is generated by the spring member 523 when the raised portion 584 is moved downwardly toward the rotary selector cam 520 in response to contact between the raised portion 584 and the land 594 acts to inhibit unintended rotation of the speed selector mechanism 60. Furthermore, placement of the raised portion 584 in a notch 590 provides the user with a tactile indication of the positioning of the rotary selector cam 520. In the particular embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 27c, switch portion 510 is shown to include an arcuate band 600 having a raised hollow and rectangular selector button 602 formed therein. The arcuate band 600 is formed from a plastic material and is configured to conform to the outer diameter of the rotary selector cam 520. The open end of the selector button 602 is configured to receive the switch tab 532, thereby permitting the switch portion 510 and the rotary selector cam 520 to be coupled to one another in a fastenerless manner. The plurality of spacing members 534 are raised portions formed into the rotary selector cam 520 that are concentric to and extend radially outwardly from the selector body 530. The spacing members 534 elevate the arcuate band 600 to prevent the arcuate band from contacting the wire tabs 526 in the first cam slots 540a and 540b. The spacing members 534 may also be employed to selectively strengthen areas of the rotary selector cam 520, such as in the areas adjacent the first cam slots 540a and 540b. Those skilled in the art will understand that the rotary selector cam 520 (i.e., the first cam slots 540a and 540b and the second cam slots 544a and 544b) could be configured somewhat differently so as to cause the second ring gear 360 meshingly engages both the second planet gears 362 and the first reduction carrier 314 while the third ring gear 400 meshingly engages both the third planet gears 402 and the third reduction carrier 404 to thereby providing the transmission assembly 16 with a fourth overall gear reduction or speed ratio. Those skilled in the art will also understand that selector mechanisms of other configurations may be substituted for the selector mechanism 60 illustrated herein. These selector mechanisms may include actuators that are actuated via rotary or sliding motion and may include linkages, cams or other devices that are well known in the art to slide the second and third ring gears 360 and 400 relative to the transmission sleeve 200. Those skilled in the art will also understand that as the second and third ring gears 360 and 400 are independently movable between the active and inactive modes (i.e., the placement of one of the second and third ring gears 360 and 400 does not dictate the positioning of the other one of the second and third ring gears 360 and 400), the switch mechanism 60 could also be configured to position the second and third ring gears 360 and 400 independently of one another. Clutch Mechanism In FIGS. 23, 26 and 28 through 30, the clutch mechanism 18 is shown to include a clutch member 700, an engagement assembly 702 and an adjustment mechanism 704. The clutch member 700 is shown to be an annular structure that is fixed to the outer diameter of the first ring gear 310 and which extends radially outwardly therefrom. The clutch member 700 includes an arcuate clutch face 316 that is formed into the front face 318 of the first ring gear 310. The outer diameter of the clutch member 700 is sized to rotate within the portion of the hollow cavity 212 that is defined by the base 216 of the transmission sleeve 200. With specific brief reference to FIG. 29, the clutch face 316 of the example illustrated is shown to be defined by a plurality of peaks 710 and valleys 712 that are arranged relative to one another to form a series of ramps that are defined by an angle of about 18°. Those skilled in the art will understand, however, that other clutch face configurations may also be employed, such as a sinusoidally shaped clutch face 316′ (FIG. 29a). While the first ring gear 310 and the clutch member 700 have been illustrated as a one piece (i.e., unitarily formed) construction, those skilled in the art will understand that they may be constructed otherwise. One such embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 29b wherein the first ring gear 310′ is shown to include an annular collar 1000 and a plurality of tab apertures 1002. The annular collar 1000 is illustrated to include a plurality of ramps 1004 that have dual sloping sides, but is otherwise flat. The first ring gear 310′ is otherwise identical to the first ring gear 310. An annular damper 1008 abuts the annular collar 1000 and includes a plurality of tab members 1010 that engage the tab apertures 1002 in the first ring gear 310′ to prevent the damper 1008 from rotating relative to the first ring gear 310′. The damper 1008 includes a body portion 1012 that is configured to match the contour of the annular collar 1000 and as such, includes a plurality of mating ramped portions 1014 that are configured to engage each of the ramps 1004. The damper 1008 is formed from a suitable impact dampening material, such as acetyl. The clutch member 700′, which is an annular member that is formed from a wear resistant material, such as hardened 8620 steel, is disposed over the damper 1008. Like the damper 1008, the clutch member 700′ includes a plurality of tab members 1020, which lock into the tab apertures 1002 to prevent rotation relative to the first ring gear 310′, and a plurality of mating ramped portions 1022. The mating ramped portions 1022 of the clutch member 700′, however, matingly engage the mating ramped portions 1014 of the damper 1008. While the construction in this manner is more expensive relative to the previously described embodiment, it is more tolerant of high impact forces that are associated with the operation of the clutch mechanism 18. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the engagement assembly 702 includes a pin member 720, a follower spring 722 and a follower 724. The pin member 720 includes a cylindrical body portion 730 having an outer diameter that is sized to slip-fit within the second portion 278 of the actuator aperture 274 that is formed into the pin housing portion 248 of the transmission sleeve 200. The pin member 720 also includes a tip portion 732 and a head portion 734. The tip portion 732 is configured to engage the adjustment mechanism 704 and in the example shown, is formed into the end of the body portion 730 of the pin member 720 and defined by a spherical radius. The head portion 734 is coupled to the end of the body portion 730 opposite the tip portion 732 and is shaped in the form of a flat cylinder or barrel that is sized to slip fit within the first portion 276 of the actuator aperture 274. Accordingly, the head portion 734 prevents the pin member 720 from being urged forwardly out of the actuator aperture 274. The follower spring 722 is a compression spring whose outside diameter is sized to slip fit within the first portion 276 of the actuator aperture 274. The forward end of the follower spring 722 contacts the head portion 734 of the pin member 720, while the opposite end of the follower spring 722 contacts the follower 724. The end portion 740 of the follower 724 is cylindrical in shape and sized to slip fit within the inside diameter of the follower spring 722. In this regard, the end portion 740 of the follower acts as a spring follower to prevent the follower spring 722 from bending over when it is compressed. The follower 724 also includes a follower portion 744 having a cylindrically shaped body portion 746, a tip portion 748 and a flange portion 750. The body portion 746 is sized to slip fit within the first portion 276 of the actuator aperture 274. The tip portion 748 is configured to engage the clutch face 316 and in the example shown, is formed into the end of the body portion 746 of the follower 724 and defined by a spherical radius. The flange portion 750 is formed at the intersection between the body portion 746 and the end portion 740. The flange portion 750 is generally flat and configured to receive a biasing force that is exerted by the follower spring 722. The adjustment mechanism 704 is also shown to include an adjustment structure 760 and a setting collar 762. The adjustment structure 760 is shaped in the form of a generally hollow cylinder that is sized to fit a housing portion 766 of the output spindle assembly 20. The adjustment structure 760 includes an annular face 768 into which an adjustment profile 770 is formed. The adjustment profile 770 includes a first adjustment segment 772, a last adjustment segment 774, a plurality of intermediate adjustment segments 776 and a ramp section 778 between the first and last adjustment segments 772 and 774. In the embodiment illustrated, a second ramp section 779 is included between the last intermediate adjustment segment 776z and the last adjustment segment 774. Also in the particular embodiment illustrated, the portion of the adjustment profile 770 from the first adjustment segment 772 through the last one of the intermediate adjustment segments 776z is formed as a ramp having a constant slope. Accordingly, a follower 780 that is coupled to the housing portion 766 of the output spindle assembly 20 is biased radially outwardly toward the inside diameter of the adjustment structure 760 where it acts against the plurality of detents 782 that are formed into the adjustment mechanism 704 (e.g., in the setting collar 762). The follower 724 and plurality of detents 782 cooperate to provide the user of tool 10 with a tactile indication of the position of the adjustment profile 770 as well as inhibit the free rotation of the adjustment structure 760 so as to maintain the position of the adjustment profile 770 at a desired one of the adjustment segments 772, 774 and 776. The setting collar 762 is coupled to the exterior of the adjustment structure 760 and includes a plurality of raised gripping surfaces 790 that permit the user of the tool 10 to comfortably rotate both the setting collar 762 and the adjustment structure 760 to set the adjustment profile 770 at a desired one of the adjustment segments 772, 774 and 776. A setting indicator 792 is employed to indicate the position of the adjustment profile 770 relative to the housing portion 766 of the output spindle assembly 20. In the example provided, the setting indicator 792 includes an arrow 794 formed into the housing portion 766 of the output spindle assembly 20 and a scale 796 that is marked into the circumference of the setting collar 762. During the operation of the tool 10, an initial drive torque is transmitted by the motor pinion 46 from the motor assembly 14 to the first set of planet gears 312 causing the first set of planet gears 312 to rotate. In response to the rotation of the first set of planet gears 312, a first intermediate torque is applied against the first ring gear 310. Resisting this torque is a clutch torque that is applied by the clutch mechanism 18. The clutch torque inhibits the free rotation of the first ring gear 310, causing the first intermediate torque to be applied to the first reduction carrier 314 and the remainder of the reduction gearset assembly 202 so as to multiply the first intermediate torque in a predetermined manner according to the setting of the switch mechanism 60. In this regard, the clutch mechanism 18 biases the first reduction gearset 302 in the active mode. The magnitude of the clutch torque is dictated by the adjustment mechanism 704, and more specifically, the relative height of the adjustment segment 772, 774 or 776 that is in contact with the tip portion 732 of the pin member 720. Positioning of the adjustment mechanism 704 at a predetermined one of the adjustment segments 772, 774 or 776 pushes the pin member 720 rearwardly in the actuator aperture 274, thereby compressing the follower spring 722 and producing the a clutch force. The clutch force is transmitted to the flange portion 750 of the follower 724, causing the tip portion 748 of the follower 724 to engage the clutch face 316 and generating the clutch torque. Positioning of the tip portion 748 of the follower 724 in one of the valleys 712 in the clutch face 316 operates to inhibit rotation of the first ring gear 310 relative to the transmission sleeve 200 when the magnitude of the clutch torque exceeds the first intermediate torque. When the first intermediate torque exceeds the clutch torque, however, the first ring gear 310 is permitted to rotate relative to the transmission sleeve 200. Depending upon the configuration of the clutch face 316, rotation of the first ring gear 310 may cause the clutch force to increase a sufficient amount to resist further rotation. In such situations, the first ring gear 310 will rotate in an opposite direction when the magnitude of the first intermediate torque diminishes, permitting the tip portion 748 of the follower 724 to align in one of the valleys 712 in the clutch face 316. If rotation of the first ring gear 310 does not cause the clutch force to increase sufficiently so as to fully resist rotation of the first ring gear 310, the first reduction gearset 302 will be placed in the inactive mode wherein the first ring gear 310 will rotate so as to inhibit the transmission of the first intermediate torque to the first reduction carrier 314. In such situations, no torque will be transmitted through the portions of the transmission assembly 16 that are located forwardly of the first set of planet gears 312 (e.g., the first reduction carrier 314, the second sun gear 358, the second set of planet gears 362). Configuration of the clutch mechanism 18 in this manner is highly advantageous in that the clutch torque is sized to resist the first intermediate torque, as opposed to the output torque of the tool 10 that is generated by the multi-reduction transmission assembly 16 and transmitted through the chuck 22. In this regard, the clutch mechanism 18 may be sized in a relatively small manner, thereby improving the ability with which it can be incorporated or packaged into the tool 10. Furthermore, as the speed or gear ratios are changed after or down stream of the first ring gear 310, the clutch mechanism 18 is operable over a relatively large span of output torques. In comparison with conventional clutch mechanisms that operate to limit the output torque of a transmission, these devices are typically operable over a relatively narrow torque band, necessitating a change in their clutch spring if a considerable shift in the magnitude of the output torque is desired. In contrast, the clutch mechanism 18 of the present invention can accommodate a considerable shift in the magnitude of the output torque of the tool 10 by simply operating the transmission assembly 16 in a different (i.e., lower or higher) gear ratio. In the operation of rotary power tools such as tool 10, it is frequently desirable to change between two clutch settings, as when the tool 10 is used to both drill a hole and thereafter install a screw in that hole. Accordingly, the adjustment mechanism 704 may be rotated relative to the output spindle assembly 20 to position the adjustment mechanism 704 at a desired one of the adjustment segments 772, 774 and 776 to perform the first operation and thereafter rotated to a second one of the adjustment segments 772, 774 and 776 to perform the second operation. In contrast to the known clutch arrangements, the adjustment mechanism 704 of the present invention is configured such that the adjustment structure 760 and the setting collar 762 are rotatable through an angle of 360°. Assuming the adjustment structure 760 to be positioned at an intermediate adjustment segment 776x, rotation of the adjustment mechanism 704 through an angle of 360° would rotate the adjustment structure 760 past the other intermediate adjustment segments 776, as well as the first and last adjustment segments 772 and 774 and the ramp section 778 such that the adjustment structure 760 would again be positioned at the intermediate adjustment segment 776x. The feature is especially convenient when it is necessary to change the clutch setting between a relatively high clutch setting and a relatively low clutch setting. In this regard, the ramp section 778 permits the setting collar 762 (and adjustment structure 760) to be rotated from highest clutch setting, corresponding to the last adjustment segment, to the lowest clutch setting, corresponding to the first clutch setting, without positioning the clutch mechanism 18 in one of the intermediate clutch settings. Accordingly, the user of the tool 10 is able to vary the clutch setting from its maximum setting to its minimum setting (and vice versa) by rotating the setting collar 762 a relatively small amount. While the adjustment profile 770 has been described thus far as having a constant slope, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention, in its broader aspects, may be constructed somewhat differently. For example, the adjustment profile 770′ may be formed such that each of the first, last and intermediate adjustment segments 772′, 774′ and 776′ is detented as illustrated in FIG. 31. In this arrangement, the detents 782 in the adjustment structure 760 and the follower 780 in the housing portion 766 of the output spindle assembly 20 are unnecessary as the adjustment segments 772′, 774′ and 776′ will cooperate with the engagement 702 to provide the user of the tool 10 with a tactile indication of the position of the adjustment profile 770′, as well as inhibit the free rotation of the adjustment structure 760. Another example is illustrated in FIG. 32 wherein the adjustment profile 770″ is generally similar to the adjustment profile 770 except that the ramp section 779 has been omitted so that the last intermediate adjustment segment 776z is immediately adjacent the last adjustment segment 774. While the invention has been described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment illustrated by the drawings and described in the specification as the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any embodiments falling within the description of the appended claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Technical Field The present invention relates generally to power tools such as rotatable drills, power screwdrivers, and rotatable cutting devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a transmission for a multi-speed transmission for a rotary power tool. 2. Discussion Modernly, manufacturers of power tools have introduced rotary power tools that have variable speed motors in an attempt to permit the users of these tools with sufficient control over the output speed of the tool so as to permit them to perform diverse operations without resort to additional, specialized tools. Many of the tools that are commercially available include a three-stage, two-speed transmission that permits even greater control over speeds of these tools. Typically, the known transmission arrangements have lacked a transmission arrangement that could produce a wide range of output speeds and torques that would permit the tool to perform diverse operations such as drilling holes with a large diameter hole saw, installing drywall screws or large diameter lag screws, and performing high-speed drilling operations. The single or dual speed transmissions that were generally employed in these tools typically did not have sufficient speed reducing capacity to permit these transmissions to be diversely employed as configuring these tools for high torque operations tended to impair their high speed performance. Furthermore, the rechargeable batteries that were employed in many of the early cordless rotary power tools were not well suited for use in low-speed, high torque operations due to the amount of energy that is consumed and the rate with which the energy is consumed by the power tool during such operations. Consequently, consumers were often forced to purchase two different rotary power tools, a medium-duty tool for “standard” applications such as drilling and fastening, and a heavy-duty tool having a low-speed, high torque output for more demanding tasks. With the advent of the modern high capacity, high voltage battery, it is now possible to meet the energy demands of a power tool that is used in low-speed, high torque operations. There remains, however, a need in the art for a power tool transmission having a relatively large range in its speed reducing capacity. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In one form, the present teachings provide a mid-handle drill with a transmission having at least three speed ratios. In another form, the present teachings provide a power tool for performing at least a drilling operation. The power tool includes a housing, a motor disposed in the housing, an output spindle and a transmission that is disposed between the motor and the output spindle. The transmission receives a rotary input from the motor and is configured to provide an output that is transmitted to the output spindle. The transmission is characterized in that its centerline is coincident with a rotational axis of an output member of the motor, it has at least three speed ratios and it is contained within a volume that is about equal in diameter to a diameter of the motor. In yet another form, the present teachings provide a power tool for performing at least a drilling operation wherein the power tool has a three-speed planetary transmission that cooperates with a motor to drive an output member. In still another form, the present teachings provide a power tool for performing at least a drilling operation wherein the power tool includes a housing with a front portion, a rear portion and a handle that is intermediate the front and rear portions, a motor in the housing, an output device, and a transmission connecting the motor and the output device. The transmission is operable in at least three speed ratio settings. In yet another form, the present teachings provide a method for forming a power tool that is configured to perform at least a drilling operation. The method includes: installing at least a portion of a three speed transmission into a first housing; installing the first housing at least partially into a second housing; coupling the transmission to an output device, the output device being configured to drive a drill. In a further form, the present teachings provide a modular drive system for a power tool comprising a transmission sleeve and a planetary transmission that is at least partially received into the transmission sleeve, the planetary transmission being configured to provide at least three separately selectable speed ratios. In yet another form, the present teachings provide a method for drilling a hole that includes moving an annular collar associated with a planetary transmission to select one of at least three speed ratios. In a further form, the present teachings provide a hand-held power tool that includes a motor, an output spindle, and a transmission drivingly connected with the motor and the output spindle, the transmission having a plurality of stages that cooperate to provide three speed ratios, each speed ratio using three stages that are arranged such that the output of one stage is input to a subsequent stage. | 20040929 | 20070522 | 20050224 | 98973.0 | 2 | LE, DAVID D | MULTISPEED POWER TOOL TRANSMISSION | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,953,725 | ACCEPTED | Padded sports glove having improved flexibility and breathability | A protective sports glove for the game of lacrosse having a cuff portion, a hand portion, a plurality of finger portions, and a thumb portion. The hand portion has a palm portion and a back portion. The back portion has a plurality of protective padded portions disposed thereon. A wrist guard is elastically coupled to the hand portion. A plurality of vent openings are formed in the back portion of the hand portion. A plurality of mesh portions are disposed on the palm portion in areas that are not intended to provide primary contact with a stick. | 1-9. (canceled) 10. A protective sports glove, comprising: a cuff portion for engaging at least a portion of a user's forearm; a hand portion elastically coupled to said cuff portion, said hand portion having a palm portion and an opposing back portion having a plurality of protective padded portions secured thereon; a plurality of finger portions secured to and extending from said hand portion for receipt of a user's fingers therein; a thumb portion secured to and extending from said hand portion; said palm portion being primarily comprised of a durable material and having a plurality of breathable portions disposed on said palm portion in areas that are not intended to primarily contact a handle. 11. The protective sports glove of claim 10, wherein said cuff portion comprises a first portion and a second portion, with a portion of said first portion overlying said second portion. 12. The protective sports glove of claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of finger portions has a rear padded portion, an opposing palm portion, and a pair of substantially mesh side portions extending between said rear padded portion and said opposing palm portion. 13. The protective sports glove of claim 10, wherein one of said plurality of palm breathable portions is located at a junction between said plurality of finger portions and said palm portion. 14. The protective sports glove of claim 10, wherein one of said plurality of palm breathable portions is located at a junction between said thumb portion and said palm portion. 15. The protective sports glove of claim 10, wherein said back portion of said hand portion has a vertical cut portion that extends generally from a base of said hand portion to said finger portions. 16. The protective sports glove of claim 10, further comprising: a plurality of vent openings formed in said back portion of said hand portion. 17. A protective sports glove, comprising: a cuff portion; a hand portion coupled to said cuff portion, said hand portion having a palm portion and an opposing back side portion with protective padding formed thereon, said palm portion being comprised of a wear-resistant material with at least one opening formed therein; a plurality of finger portions extending from said hand portion; a breathable portion located in said at least one opening formed in said wear-resistant material to provide ventilation to a wearer's hand. 18. The glove of claim 17, wherein said at least one opening is formed in said wear-resistant material in a location that is not intended to primarily engage a lacrosse handle. 19. The glove of claim 17, wherein one of said at least one opening is formed in said wear-resistant material adjacent a junction between said plurality of finger portions and said palm portion. 20. The glove of claim 17, wherein one of said at least one openings is formed in said wear-resistant material adjacent a junction between a thumb portion and said palm portion. 21. The glove of claim 17, wherein each of said plurality of finger portions includes a substantially mesh side portion extending between a protective padding on said back side portion and a wear-resistant material on said opposing palm portion. 22. The glove of claim 17, comprising: a plurality of vent openings formed in said back side portion of said hand portion. 23. A protective sports glove, comprising: a cuff portion; a hand portion coupled to said cuff portion, said hand portion having a palm portion and an opposing back side portion with protective padding formed thereon, said palm portion being comprised of a wear-resistant material and having at least one breathable portion, wherein said at least one breathable portion provides ventilation to a wearer's hand and is in a location that is not intended to primarily engage a handle; and a plurality of finger portions extending from said hand portion. 24. The glove of claim 23, wherein said palm portion comprises an inner finger portion, an inner thumb portion, and an inner hand portion. 25. The glove of claim 24, wherein said at least one breathable portion is located in said inner finger portion. 26. The glove of claim 24, wherein said at least one breathable portion is located in said inner thumb portion. 27. The glove of claim 24, wherein said breathable portion is located in said inner hand portion. 28. A protective sports glove, comprising: a cuff portion; a hand portion coupled to said cuff portion, said hand portion having a back side portion with a plurality of protective pads disposed thereon; a plurality of finger portions extending from said hand portion, each of said plurality of finger portions having at least one protective pad disposed on a back side portion thereof; a thumb portion secured to and extending from said hand portion; a first palm portion generally underlying said back side portion of said hand portion; a second palm portion generally underlying said back side portion of said plurality of finger portions; said first palm portion and said second palm portion being comprised of a wear-resistant material; wherein said second palm portion is comprised of a wear-resistant material having at least one opening formed therein with a breathable material disposed in said at least one opening to provide ventilation to a wearer's fingers. 29. The glove of claim 28, wherein said first palm portion has at least one opening formed therein with a breathable material disposed in said at least one opening to provide ventilation to a wearer's palm. 30. The glove of claim 29, wherein said second palm portion has at least one opening formed in each of said plurality of finger portions and wherein a breathable material is disposed in each of said at least one openings in each of said plurality of finger portions to provide ventilation to a wearer's fingers. 31. The glove of claim 30, wherein said breathable material is a mesh material. 32. The glove of claim 29, wherein said breathable material is a mesh material. 33. The glove of claim 30, wherein said second palm portion has a plurality of openings formed in each of said plurality of finger portions. 34. The glove of claim 29, wherein said first palm portion has a plurality of openings formed therein with a breathable material disposed in each of said plurality of openings. 35. The glove of claim 28, wherein said first palm portion has at least one opening formed therein with a breathable material disposed in said at least one opening to provide ventilation. 36. A protective sports glove, comprising: a cuff portion for engaging at least a portion of a wearer's forearm; a hand portion in communication with said cuff portion, said hand portion includes a first palm portion and an opposing back side portion with a plurality of protective padded portions disposed on said back side portion; a plurality of finger portions secured to and extending from said hand portion for receipt of a wearer's fingers therein; said plurality of finger portions each having a second palm portion and an opposing back side portion with at least one protective pad disposed on said back side portion of each of said plurality of finger portions; and a pair of breathable side portions extending between said second palm portion and said opposing back side portion of each of said plurality of finger portions. 37. The glove of claim 36, wherein each of said substantially breathable side portions is formed of a mesh material. 38. The glove of claim 36, wherein said second palm portion of at least one of said plurality of finger portions has at least one opening formed therein with a breathable material disposed in said at least one opening for purposes of ventilation. 39. The glove of claim 38, wherein said breathable material disposed in said at least one opening in said second palm portion is a mesh material. 40. The glove of claim 39, wherein said second palm portion of said at least one of said plurality of finger portions has a plurality of openings formed therein with a breathable material disposed in each of said plurality of openings for purposes of ventilation. 41. The glove of claim 38, wherein said second palm portion of each of said plurality of finger portions has at least one opening formed therein with a breathable material disposed in said at least one opening for purposes of ventilation. 42. The glove of claim 36, wherein said first palm portion has at least one opening formed therein with a breathable material disposed in said at least one opening. 43. The glove of claim 42, wherein said breathable material in said at least one opening in said first palm portion is formed of mesh. 44. The glove of claim 42, wherein said first palm portion has a plurality of openings formed therein with a breathable material disposed in each of said plurality of openings. 45. The glove of claim 40, further comprising: a thumb portion secured to and extending from said hand portion, said thumb portion includes a third palm portion and an opposing back side portion having at least one protective pad disposed thereon, said third palm portion has at least one opening formed therein with a breathable material disposed in said at least one opening. 46. The glove of claim 45, wherein said breathable material in said third palm portion is formed of a mesh. 47. A protective sports glove comprising: a cuff portion; a hand portion in communication with said cuff portion, said hand portion having a hand palm portion and an opposing back side portion with a plurality of protective pads disposed therein; a plurality of finger portions extending from said hand portion, each of said plurality of finger portions having a finger palm portion and an opposing back side portion with at least one protective pad disposed on said back side portion thereof; a thumb portion extending from said hand portion, said thumb portion having a thumb palm portion and an opposing back side portion with at least one protective pad formed on said back side portion thereof; a first side portion extending generally between said hand palm portion and said back side portion of said hand portion; a second side portion extending generally between said thumb palm portion and said back side portion of said thumb portion; said hand palm portion having a lower edge-adjacent said cuff portion, an upper edge adjacent said plurality of finger portions, a first edge adjacent said first side portion, and a second side edge adjacent said thumb palm portion; said hand palm portion having wear-resistant material disposed substantially along a length of said lower edge; at least one breathable portion formed in one of said hand palm portion, said finger palm portion, or said thumb palm portion to provide ventilation to a wearer's hand. 48. The glove of claim 46, wherein said hand palm portion includes wear-resistant material disposed substantially along a length of said first side portion. 49. The glove of claim 46, wherein said hand palm portion includes wear-resistant material disposed along a length from said first side to said thumb palm portion adjacent a junction between said hand palm portion and said finger palm portion. 50. The glove of claim 46, wherein said hand palm portion includes wear-resistant material disposed substantially along a length of a junction between said hand palm portion and said thumb palm portion. 51. The glove of claim 46, wherein said thumb palm portion includes wear-resistant material disposed substantially along a length of said second side edge. 52. The glove of claim 46, wherein each of said plurality of finger portions have a pair of opposing side portions that extend between said backside portion and said finger palm portion; and wherein wear-resistant material connects to each of said pair of opposing side portions along substantially their lengths. 53. A protective sports glove, comprising: a cuff portion; a hand portion in communication with said cuff portion, said hand portion having a hand palm portion and an opposing back side portion with a plurality of protective pads disposed therein; a plurality of finger portions extending from said hand portion, each of said plurality of finger portions having a finger palm portion and an opposing back side portion with at least one protective pad formed on said back side portion thereof; a first glove side extending generally between and connecting said hand palm portion and said back side portion of said hand portion; said hand palm portion including a lower edge adjacent said cuff portion, an upper edge connected to said finger palm portion, a first edge adjacent said first side portion; at least one breathable portion formed in said hand palm portion; and wherein said hand palm portion includes wear-resistant material disposed substantially along a length of said lower edge and said first edge and extending inwardly therefrom. 54. The glove of claim 52, wherein said finger palm portion includes a wear-resistant material with at least one opening formed therein and a breathable material disposed in said at least one opening. 55. The glove of claim 53, wherein said breathable material is mesh. 56. The glove of claim 53, wherein said finger palm portion includes a plurality of openings formed in said wear-resistant material with a breathable material disposed in each of said plurality of openings. 57. A protective sports glove, comprising: a cuff portion; a hand portion in communication with said cuff portion, said hand portion having a hand palm portion and an opposing back side portion with a plurality of protective pads disposed therein; a plurality of finger portions extending from said hand portion, each of said plurality of finger portions having a finger palm portion and an opposing back side portion with at least one protective pad formed on said back side portion thereof; a pair of opposing side finger portions that extend between and connect said finger palm portion and said back side portion of each of said plurality of finger portions; a wear-resistant material connected to each of said pair of opposing side finger portions substantially along their length, said wear-resistant material extending from its connection with one of said pair of opposing side portions toward the other of said pair of opposing side portions; at least one breathable portion located in said finger palm portion. 58. The glove of claim 57, wherein said finger palm portion has at least one opening formed in each of said plurality of finger portions and wherein a breathable material is disposed in each of said at least one openings in each of said plurality of finger portions to provide ventilation to a wearer's fingers. 59. The glove of claim 58, wherein said breathable material is formed of mesh. 60. The glove of claim 58, wherein said finger palm portion has a plurality of openings formed in each of said plurality of finger portions. 61. The glove of claim 57, wherein said pair of opposing side finger portions are formed of a mesh material. 62. The glove of claim 57, wherein said hand palm portion has at least one mesh portion. 63. A protective sports glove, comprising: a cuff portion; a hand portion coupled to said cuff portion, said hand portion having a hand palm portion and an opposing back side portion with a plurality of protective pads disposed thereon; a plurality of finger portions extending from said hand portion, each of said plurality of finger portions having a finger palm portion and an opposing back side portion with at least one protective pad disposed on said back side portion thereof; a thumb portion extending from said hand portion, said thumb portion having a thumb palm portion and an opposing back side portion with at least one protective pad disposed on said back side portion thereof; a first side portion extending generally between said hand palm portion and said back side portion of said hand portion; a second side portion extending generally between said thumb palm portion and said back side portion of said thumb portion; said hand palm portion having a lower edge adjacent said cuff portion, an upper edge adjacent said plurality of finger portions, a first edge adjacent said first side portion, and a second side edge adjacent said thumb palm portion; a wear-resistant material disposed substantially along a length of said second side edge; and at least one breathable portion formed in said hand palm portion, said finger palm portion, or said thumb palm portion to provide ventilation to a wearer's hand. 64. The glove of claim 63, wherein a wear-resistant material is disposed substantially along a length of said lower edge of said hand palm portion. 65. The glove of claim 63, wherein a wear-resistant material is disposed substantially along a length of said first side portion. | TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates generally to a protective sports glove. More specifically, the present invention relates to a protective sports glove for use in the game of lacrosse that provides improved protection to a user's hand, while providing improved flexibility, durability, fit and breathability. BACKGROUND ART In contact sports, such as lacrosse or hockey, where sticks are essential elements of the game, a player's hands and wrists are especially vulnerable to injury when being checked by another player's stick. For this reason, players typically utilize padded gloves to protect their hands, wrists and lower forearms during play. The areas of a player's hand that are particularly susceptible to injury are those where the glove flexes, because at those locations, the protective padding is typically constructed such that it can bend or flex with a player's joint. However, such bending or flexing, such as at the wrist or knuckle area, can leave the player's joint exposed due to the bending away of the protective padding and, therefore, susceptible to injury. Accordingly, wrist guards are known in the art for protective sports gloves to provide protection for a player's wrist between the cuff and hand portion. While most prior wrist guards provide adequate protection, they provide limited flexibility and adjustability and are therefore uncomfortable and are often removed by user. It is also a problem to provide a protective guard for a player's wrist between the glove and cuff portion that both protects the user's wrist, also provides flexibility and is not overly bulky. Additionally, most prior gloves disclose cuffs that are secured directly to the glove portion by stitching. The stitching limits the flexibility of a player's wrist and also cannot be adjusted. U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,396, discloses a configuration where the cuff and glove portion are attached to one another by lacing which allows for improved flexibility and also adjustability. However, the lacing typically must be done by hand and therefore requires significant labor time in order to manufacture the glove, thereby increasing its cost. Further, many prior gloves attempt to provide limited breathability and flexibility. Therefore, certain gloves have been introduced that utilize mesh material on portions of a player's palm and fingers. However, the mesh material is located in primary areas that contact a stick and because of the amount of movement of the stick in a player's hand, such as through cradling or the like, the mesh material tends to wear quickly and ultimately tear, therefore making the glove illegal. Moreover, some prior gloves have utilized vent holes in the glove to provide ventilation. The vent holes in these prior gloves, however, are relatively small and therefore offer little ventilation. Further, prior gloves that have tried to provide improved breathability through the inclusion of vent holes have done so at the expense of exposing a user's hand to injury at that location. SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove for utilization in contact stick sports, such as lacrosse and hockey, having a wrist guard that is coupled to the glove so as to provide maximum protection and flexibility. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove for utilization in contact stick sports, such as lacrosse and hockey, that is more flexible and therefore more comfortable for a player. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove for utilization in contact stick sports, such as lacrosse and hockey, that provides more breathability and ventilation than prior gloves without sacrificing durability or protection. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove for use in lacrosse that is smaller than prior gloves. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove for use in lacrosse that provides a better fit for a user's hand. In accordance with the above and other objects of the present invention, an improved protective sports glove is provided. The sports glove has a cuff portion for engaging a user's wrist and forearm and a hand portion elastically coupled to the cuff portion. The hand portion has a palm portion on the inner side of the glove and an opposing portion. The glove has a plurality of finger portions extending from the hand portion for receipt of a user's fingers therein and a thumb portion. A wrist guard is secured to the cuff portion and elastically coupled to the hand portion. The back portion of the hand portion has a plurality of protective padded portions. The protective padded portions are cut horizontally to allow a user's hand to flex and also vertically to conform to a user's hand as it holds the stick. At least one vent opening is formed between two protective padded portions disposed on either side of the vertical cut in the back portion. The palm portion of the glove is similarly comprised of a non-mesh material with a plurality of mesh portions, whereby the mesh material is located in the palm portions in areas that are not intended to have primary contact with the handle of a stick and thus will not wear. These and other features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention, when viewed in accordance with the accompanying drawings and appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a protective sports glove in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a top view of a protective sports glove in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the protective sports glove of FIG. 2 along the line 3-3; FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a protective sports glove in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a protective sports glove illustrating the inner flap portion in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the junction of the cuff portion to the glove portion, which illustrates the wrist guard in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 7 is an illustration of the inner flap portion for a protective sports glove in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the Figures, which illustrate a lacrosse glove 10 in accordance with the present invention. The disclosed glove 10 is preferably for use in lacrosse, however, it should be understood that the disclosed glove 10 may be used in any other contact stick sport, including hockey. The glove 10 has a top portion 12 and a bottom portion 14 which therebetween define an interior space for receipt of a lacrosse player's hand. The glove 10 has a cuff portion 16, a hand portion 18 coupled to the cuff portion 16, a plurality of finger portions 20 extending from the hand portion 18 and a thumb portion 22 also extending from the hand portion 18. Referring now to the FIGS. 1 through 4 and 6, the cuff portion 12 preferably has a first cuff portion 24 and an adjacent second cuff portion 26. The first cuff portion 24 and the second cuff portion 26 are secured at an upper border portion 27. The first cuff portion 24 has a first edge portion 28 and a second edge portion 30. The second cuff portion 26 has a first edge portion 32 and a second edge portion 34. The second edge portion 30 of the first cuff portion 24 overlaps the first edge portion 32 of the second cuff portion 26 to provide a split cuff. The first cuff portion 24 and the second cuff portion 26 are designed to cover and protect substantial portions of a user's wrist and forearm. The overlapping (split cuff) configuration of the cuff portions 24, 26 provides added protection to a user's wrist and forearm because of the double layer of padding. Further, because the cuff portions 24, 26 are not affixed to each other along their adjacent edge portions 30, 32, they can move with respect to one another and therefore provide desired flexibility for a user's wrist as it moves during play. The first edge portion edge 28 of the first cuff portion 24 preferably has a first set of eyelets 36 formed therein. Similarly, the second edge portion 34 of the second cuff portion 26 has a second set of eyelets 38 formed therein. A lace 40 or other securing device is preferably passed through the first and second set of eyelets 36, 38 to connect the first cuff portion 24 to the second cuff portion 26 and surround a user's forearm when a user's hand is located in the interior space. As shown, the lace 40 is intended to pass around the underside of a user's forearm such that the tightness of the cuff portions 24, 26 with respect to a user's forearm may be adjusted. The lace 40 may be maintained in its desired position at a desired tightness through the use of the cord lock 42 or other similar locking device. As best shown in FIG. 6, the cuff portion 16 is preferably secured to the hand portion 18 through a plurality of elastic members 44. Each of the elastic members 44 is preferably secured at one end to the upper border 37 of the cuff portion 1 and at an opposing end to the hand portion 18. This configuration keeps the cuff portion 0.16 secured to the hand portion 18. However, the elastic members 44 allow the cuff portion 16 to move with respect to the hand portion 18 and provide flexibility as the user's hand flexes during play. The elastic members 44 are preferably disposed on either side of the cuff portion 16 with a third elastic member 44 being disposed generally in the middle. As the cuff portion 16 moves with respect to the hand portion 18, the back of a player's wrist or hand can be exposed at a seam 46 formed therebetween. Accordingly, a wrist guard 48 is preferably disposed over the seam 46 between the cuff portion 16 and the hand portion 18. The wrist guard 48 has a first end 50, which is preferably secured to the first cuff portion 24 adjacent the first edge portion 28. The wrist guard 48 has a second end 52 which is preferably attached to the second cuff portion 26 adjacent the second edge portion 34. While the first and second ends 44, 46 of the wrist guard 48 are preferably secured to the cuff portion 16 by sewing. It should be understood that the ends 44, 46 may be attached by any other known securing means. Alternatively, the wrist guard 48 could instead be secured to the hand portion 18. The integral attachment of the wrist guard 48 to the glove 0.10 prevents the wrist guard 48 from being removed and therefore provides permanent protection. Additionally, the wrist guard 48 is preferably coupled to the hand portion 18 by an elastic member 54. The elastic member 54 allows the wrist guard 48 to flex or move as needed during movement by a user's' hand during play and still remain over the seam 46. As shown, the wrist guard 48 is preferably located so that it lies over the seam 48 and above the top portion 12 of the glove 10. Alternatively, the wrist guard 48 may be disposed within the interior space of the glove 10 to cover the seam 46 from below the top portion 12. The hand portion 18 extends between the seam 46 in the finger portions 20 and has a rear portion 60 and a palm portion 62. The rear portion 60 preferably has an inner fabric 64 having a plurality of protected padded portions 66 secured thereto. As shown, the rear portion 60 is preferably subdivided into individual protective padded portions 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76. The rear portion 60 of the glove 10 has a first lengthwise cut 78, i.e., from one side 80 of the hand portion 18 to the other side 82 of the hand portion 18, which allows the glove to flex along the lengthwise cut 78 as a user's hand moves. Specifically, the lengthwise cut 78 is cut so that the protective padded portions 74 and 76 are moveable with respect to the adjacent protective padded portions 68 and 72. The protective padded portions 74, 76 terminate at a junction 84 between the hand portion 18 and the finger portions 20. The junction 84 allows the finger portions 20 to move with respect to the padded portions 74 and 76 as the junction 84 is generally disposed over a user's knuckle area, allowing the finger portions 20 to move as a user's fingers flex. Additionally, the rear portion 60 has a vertical cut 86 that extends generally from the cuff portion 16 to the junction 84. The vertical cut 84 allows the protective padded portions 68 and 76 to move with respect to the protective padded portions 72 and 74, allowing the glove to bend around an axis defined by the vertical cut 84. The vertical cut 84 allows the glove to fit more comfortably as it allows the glove to better conform to a user's hand as he closes his hand around a stick and, therefore, providing a tighter shape. This is necessary as the back of a typical user's hand is not flat, and the padded protected portions are not flexible enough to bend without the vertical cut portion 86. Thus, prior gloves tend to flatten out as a user flexes his hand which causes additional tension to be applied to the palm portions 62. The rear portion 60 of the hand portion 18 preferably has a pair of opposing angled cuts 88 and 90 which begin generally at the base of the hand portion 18 adjacent the seam 46 and extend generally outward to the respective side 80, 82 of the hand portion 18. The angled cuts 88, 90 similarly assist the glove 10 in conforming to the user's hand as the protective padded portions 66, 70 can each independently move with respect to the other padded portions as a user's hand flexes during play, thus providing a better fitting glove. The cuts 78, 84, 86, 88, and 90, are preferably formed in the glove through die cutting or other known cutting or forming means, which are sufficient to configure the rear portion 60 of the glove to conform to the configuration described above. The rear portion 60 may have a variety of additional or different cuts as desired. The rear portion 60 of the hand portion 18 has a plurality of vent openings formed therein to provide ventilation to a user's hand. A first vent opening 92 is preferably disposed along the vertical cut 86 between the protective padded portion 68 and the protective padded portion 72. A vent opening 94 is preferably disposed along the first angled cut 88 between the protective padded portion 70 and the protective padded portion 72. Another vent opening 96 is preferably disposed along the second angled cut 90 between protective padded portions 66 and 68. The vent openings 92, 94, 96 are located along die cuts 86, 88 and 90, which do not correspond to joints of a user's hand and, therefore while there is some relative movement of the protective pads in which the vent openings are formed, the movement is not sufficient to cause a portion of a user's hand to be exposed. Further, unlike prior vent openings which were typically formed along horizontal cuts, which result in the back of a user's hand being exposed to contact as the glove flexed, the disclosed vent openings 92, 94, 96 are located along non-horizontal cuts and thus can be made larger as the potential for exposure is minimal. It should be understood that while three vent openings are disclosed on the rear portion 60 of the glove 10, any number of vent openings may be utilized. Additionally, the vent openings may be disposed in a variety of other locations along the rear portion 60 in accordance with the preferred embodiment, including within the respective individual padded portions themselves, instead of along the die cuts. The finger portions 20 each have a respective padded portion 98 that extends from the second lengthwise cut 84 to the respective tip of each finger portion 100. As with the hand portion 18, each of the padded portions is disposed on an inner fabric layer 64 that overlies each of the finger portions 20. The hand portion 18 of the glove 10 has a first side portion 102 connecting the side 80 of the hand portion 18 to the palm portion 62. The other side 82 of the hand portion 18 has a side portion 104 which extends between the hand portion 18 and a thumb portion 22. The thumb portion 22 is in turn connected to the palm portion 62 on its other side. The first side 102 of the glove preferably has a mesh layer 106 extending between one side 80 of the hand portion 18 and the palm portion 62 with a protective padded portion 108 secured thereon. The second side 104 of the glove also has a protected padded portion that is sub-divided into a first padded portion 110 and a second padded portion 112 by a vertical die cut 114 formed therein. A side vent opening 116 is preferably formed along the vertical cut 14 between the first padded portion 110 and the second padded portion 112 of the second side 104 of the glove 10. The thumb portion 22 has a plurality of protected padded portions formed thereon. The thumb portion 22 has a first padded portion 120 disposed adjacent a second padded portion 122 and separated by a horizontal cut 124. The second padded portion 122 is disposed adjacent a third padded portion, which is sub-divided into a first part 126 and a second part 128 by a vertical cut 130. A second horizontal cut 132 is disposed between the second padded portion 122 and the first and second parts of the third padded portion 126, 128. Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, which illustrate the palm portion 62 of the lacrosse glove, in more detail. The palm portion 62: extends from the lower edge of the hand portion 18 adjacent the seam 46 to the tips 100 of the finger portions 20 and the tip 134 of the thumb portion 22. The palm portion 62 is attached to each of the respective padded portions 98 of each finger portion 20 by a mesh layer 136. The mesh layer 136 allows for flexibility of the fingers within the finger portions 20 as well as to provide sufficient ventilation through the mesh layer 136 to a user's fingers. As shown, the palm portion 62 is preferably comprised of a durable material such as leather, a synthetic material, or any other known suitable material, generally illustrated by reference number 138. Mesh portions 140, 142, 144, and 146 are preferably located throughout the palm portion 62 to provide ventilation to a user's palm. The mesh portions are located in the palm portion 62 in areas that are not intended as primary contact areas for a stick. This is contrary to prior gloves that provide much larger mesh portions on the palm portion with mesh, which tend to wear and rip and thus render the glove illegal. The first mesh portion 140 is preferably located at the junction between the palm portion 62 and the thumb portion 20. The first mesh portion 140 allows the thumb portion 20 to move with respect to the palm portion 62 without causing the palm material to bunch or bulge as typically occurs if the entire palm portion is formed of a wear-resistant material. Additionally, the second mesh portion 142 is disposed on the palm portion 62 at the junction between the hand portion 18 and the finger portions 20 to allow relative movement therebetween and to prevent bunching up of material at that joint as would typically occur if that portion were comprised of a wear-resistant material. Each of the finger portions 20 has a plurality of finger vent holes 148 formed in the durable wear-resistant material to provide ventilation to the user's fingers. The finger vent holes 146 are preferably formed by punching and must be formed far enough apart to prevent the durable material from ripping or tearing. The third mesh portion 144 and the fourth mesh portion 146 are also disposed in areas that are not likely to wear due to contact with a stick. The mesh portions 144, 146 are also disposed in locations that allow the glove to flex and therefore prevent bunching. Further, all of the mesh portions 140, 142, 144, 146, provide ventilation to the user's palm. It should be understood that more or less mesh portions may be included and the locations shown are merely exemplary and may obviously vary. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the glove 10 preferably has a flap portion 150 which is secured to the rear side of the cuff portion 16 and can move into and out of the interior portion of the glove. The flap portion 150 is shown in an inserted position inside the glove in FIG. 4 and is shown in a withdrawn position in FIG. 5. The flap portion 150 when in the inserted position, is designed to provide a better fit for the user's hand by taking up any excess space between the back of the user's hand and the underside of the hand portion 18. The flap portion 150 has a plurality of openings ˜152 formed therein, which correspond to a respective vent opening formed in the rear portion 60 and the second side 104 of the glove 10. The flap portion is preferably comprised of a foam or padded material so as to further protect the back of a user's hand from contact with a stick. As the flap portion 150 spans the seam 46 in the inserted position, it also assists the wrist guard 48 in preventing the back of a user's forearm or wrist from being exposed to contact with a stick. The flap portion 150 has a thumb portion 154 which preferably extends into the thumb portion 22 of the glove 10 to help to provide a better fit in the thumb portion and a palm portion 156 that helps provide a better fit for the hand. Having now fully described the invention, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth herein. | <SOH> BACKGROUND ART <EOH>In contact sports, such as lacrosse or hockey, where sticks are essential elements of the game, a player's hands and wrists are especially vulnerable to injury when being checked by another player's stick. For this reason, players typically utilize padded gloves to protect their hands, wrists and lower forearms during play. The areas of a player's hand that are particularly susceptible to injury are those where the glove flexes, because at those locations, the protective padding is typically constructed such that it can bend or flex with a player's joint. However, such bending or flexing, such as at the wrist or knuckle area, can leave the player's joint exposed due to the bending away of the protective padding and, therefore, susceptible to injury. Accordingly, wrist guards are known in the art for protective sports gloves to provide protection for a player's wrist between the cuff and hand portion. While most prior wrist guards provide adequate protection, they provide limited flexibility and adjustability and are therefore uncomfortable and are often removed by user. It is also a problem to provide a protective guard for a player's wrist between the glove and cuff portion that both protects the user's wrist, also provides flexibility and is not overly bulky. Additionally, most prior gloves disclose cuffs that are secured directly to the glove portion by stitching. The stitching limits the flexibility of a player's wrist and also cannot be adjusted. U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,396, discloses a configuration where the cuff and glove portion are attached to one another by lacing which allows for improved flexibility and also adjustability. However, the lacing typically must be done by hand and therefore requires significant labor time in order to manufacture the glove, thereby increasing its cost. Further, many prior gloves attempt to provide limited breathability and flexibility. Therefore, certain gloves have been introduced that utilize mesh material on portions of a player's palm and fingers. However, the mesh material is located in primary areas that contact a stick and because of the amount of movement of the stick in a player's hand, such as through cradling or the like, the mesh material tends to wear quickly and ultimately tear, therefore making the glove illegal. Moreover, some prior gloves have utilized vent holes in the glove to provide ventilation. The vent holes in these prior gloves, however, are relatively small and therefore offer little ventilation. Further, prior gloves that have tried to provide improved breathability through the inclusion of vent holes have done so at the expense of exposing a user's hand to injury at that location. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION <EOH>It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove for utilization in contact stick sports, such as lacrosse and hockey, having a wrist guard that is coupled to the glove so as to provide maximum protection and flexibility. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove for utilization in contact stick sports, such as lacrosse and hockey, that is more flexible and therefore more comfortable for a player. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove for utilization in contact stick sports, such as lacrosse and hockey, that provides more breathability and ventilation than prior gloves without sacrificing durability or protection. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove for use in lacrosse that is smaller than prior gloves. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove for use in lacrosse that provides a better fit for a user's hand. In accordance with the above and other objects of the present invention, an improved protective sports glove is provided. The sports glove has a cuff portion for engaging a user's wrist and forearm and a hand portion elastically coupled to the cuff portion. The hand portion has a palm portion on the inner side of the glove and an opposing portion. The glove has a plurality of finger portions extending from the hand portion for receipt of a user's fingers therein and a thumb portion. A wrist guard is secured to the cuff portion and elastically coupled to the hand portion. The back portion of the hand portion has a plurality of protective padded portions. The protective padded portions are cut horizontally to allow a user's hand to flex and also vertically to conform to a user's hand as it holds the stick. At least one vent opening is formed between two protective padded portions disposed on either side of the vertical cut in the back portion. The palm portion of the glove is similarly comprised of a non-mesh material with a plurality of mesh portions, whereby the mesh material is located in the palm portions in areas that are not intended to have primary contact with the handle of a stick and thus will not wear. These and other features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention, when viewed in accordance with the accompanying drawings and appended claims. | 20040929 | 20061010 | 20050331 | 58036.0 | 9 | MORAN, KATHERINE M | PADDED SPORTS GLOVE HAVING IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY AND BREATHABILITY | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,953,861 | ACCEPTED | Managing on-line advertising using metrics such as return on investment and/or profit | To help advertisers to manage their online advertising, some business metric, such as ROI, profit, gross profit, etc., may be estimated and/or tracked with respect to an ad campaign, or a portion of the ad campaign. An advertiser may provide a business metric target, such as a target ROI, a target gross profit, a target profit, etc. An ad delivery system may then adjust information in an ad campaign (or a portion of an ad campaign) in an effort to meet the target. Similarly, an advertiser may provide a goal, such as maximizing or minimizing a business metric. The ad delivery system may then adjust information in an ad campaign (or a portion of an ad campaign) in an effort to meet the goal. The targets or goals may be subject to one or more constraints. The advertiser may provide limits on values of one or more business metrics. The ad delivery system may then turn off, or govern, the delivery of ads if the limits are violated. | 1. A method comprising: a) accepting a metric limit; b) determining the metric for one or more ads; c) determining whether or not the determined metric violates the metric limit; and d) if it is determined that the determined metric violates the metric limit, then reducing the serving of the one or more ads. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of reducing the serving of the one or more ads includes stopping the serving of the one or more ads. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the metric limit is a minimum return on investment. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the metric limit is a minimum profit. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the metric limit is a minimum profit after ad expense. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of determining the metric for one or more ads uses profit information provided by an advertiser associated with the one or more ads. 7. A method comprising: a) accepting a metric limit; b) determining the metric for one or more ads; c) determining whether or not the determined metric violates the metric limit; and d) if it is determined that the determined metric violates the metric limit, then notifying an advertiser associated with the one or more ads of the violation. 8. The method of claim 7 further comprising: e) reducing the serving of the one or more ads after advertiser approval of the reduction. 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the act of reducing the serving of the one or more ads includes stopping the serving of the one or more ads. 10. The method of claim 7 wherein the metric limit is a minimum return on investment. 11. The method of claim 7 wherein the metric limit is a minimum profit. 12. The method of claim 7 wherein the metric limit is a minimum profit after ad expense. 13. The method of claim 7 wherein the act of determining the metric for one or more ads uses profit information provided by an advertiser associated with the one or more ads. 14. A method comprising: a) accepting a target metric value for one or more ads; and b) adjusting ad information for at least some of the one or more ads in an effort to meet the target metric. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting an offer per user action with respect to one or more ads. 16. The method of claim 14 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting an offer per selection of one or more ads. 17. The method of claim 14 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting an offer per conversion of one or more ads. 18. The method of claim 14 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting an offer per impression of one or more ads. 19. The method of claim 14 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting a maximum offer per user action with respect to one or more ads. 20. The method of claim 14 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting a maximum offer per selection of one or more ads. 21. The method of claim 14 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting a maximum offer per conversion of one or more ads. 22. The method of claim 14 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting a maximum offer per impression of one or more ads. 23. The method of claim 14 wherein the target metric value is a target profit after ad delivery expense. 24. The method of claim 14 wherein the target metric value is a target profit. 25. The method of claim 14 wherein the target metric value is a target advertising return-on-investment. 26. The method of claim 14 wherein the act of adjusting ad information for at least some of the one or more ads uses profit information provided by an advertiser associated with the one or more ads. 27. The method of claim 14 wherein the act of adjusting ad information for at least some of the one or more ads uses constraint information provided by an advertiser associated with the one or more ads. 28. The method of claim 27 wherein the constraint information includes a budget constraint. 29. The method of claim 27 wherein the constraint information includes a constraint concerning a sales volume of goods that the advertiser can meet. 30. A method comprising: a) accepting a goal for a metric for one or more ads; and b) adjusting ad information for at least some of the one or more ads in an effort to meet the goal. 31. The method of claim 30 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting an offer per user action with respect to one or more ads. 32. The method of claim 30 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting an offer per selection of one or more ads. 33. The method of claim 30 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting an offer per conversion of one or more ads. 34. The method of claim 30 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting an offer per impression of one or more ads. 35. The method of claim 30 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting a maximum offer per user action with respect to one or more ads. 36. The method of claim 30 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting a maximum offer per selection of one or more ads. 37. The method of claim 30 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting a maximum offer per conversion of one or more ads. 38. The method of claim 30 wherein the act of adjusting ad information includes adjusting a maximum offer per impression of one or more ads. 39. The method of claim 30 wherein the goal is to maximize a profit after ad delivery expense. 40. The method of claim 30 wherein the goal is to maximize a target profit. 41. The method of claim 30 wherein the goal is to maximize advertising return-on-investment. 42. The method of claim 30 wherein the act of adjusting ad information for at least some of the one or more ads uses profit information provided by an advertiser associated with the one or more ads. 43. The method of claim 30 wherein the act of adjusting ad information for at least some of the one or more ads uses constraint information provided by an advertiser associated with the one or more ads. 44. The method of claim 43 wherein the constraint information includes a budget constraint. 45. The method of claim 43 wherein the constraint information includes a constraint concerning a sales volume of goods that the advertiser can meet. 46. Apparatus comprising: a) an input for accepting a metric limit; b) means for determining the metric for one or more ads; c) means for determining whether or not the determined metric violates the metric limit; and d) means for reducing the serving of the one or more ads if it is determined that the determined metric violates the metric limit. 47. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein the metric limit is selected from a group consisting of (A) a minimum return on investment, (B) a minimum profit, and (C) a minimum profit after ad expense. 48. Apparatus comprising: a) an input for accepting a metric limit; b) means for determining the metric for one or more ads; c) means for determining whether or not the determined metric violates the metric limit; and d) means for notifying an advertiser associated with the one or more ads of the violation if it is determined that the determined metric violates the metric limit. 49. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the metric limit is selected from a group consisting of (A) a minimum return on investment, (B) a minimum profit, and (C) a minimum profit after ad expense. 50. Apparatus comprising: a) an input for accepting a target metric value for one or more ads; and b) means for adjusting ad information for at least some of the one or more ads in an effort to meet the target metric. 51. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the means for adjusting ad information includes at least one of (A) means for adjusting an offer per user action with respect to one or more ads, (B) means for adjusting an offer per selection of one or more ads, (C) means for adjusting an offer per conversion of one or more ads, (D) means for adjusting an offer per impression of one or more ads, (E) means for adjusting a maximum offer per user action with respect to one or more ads, (F) means for adjusting a maximum offer per selection of one or more ads, (G) means for adjusting a maximum offer per conversion of one or more ads, and (H) means for adjusting a maximum offer per impression of one or more ads. 52. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions which, when executed by a machine, perform a method comprising: a) accepting a metric limit; b) determining the metric for one or more ads; c) determining whether or not the determined metric violates the metric limit; and d) if it is determined that the determined metric violates the metric limit, then reducing the serving of the one or more ads. 53. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions which, when executed by a machine, perform a method comprising: a) accepting a metric limit; b) determining the metric for one or more ads; c) determining whether or not the determined metric violates the metric limit; and d) if it is determined that the determined metric violates the metric limit, then notifying an advertiser associated with the one or more ads of the violation. 53. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions which, when executed by a machine, perform a method comprising: a) accepting a target metric value for one or more ads; and b) adjusting ad information for at least some of the one or more ads in an effort to meet the target metric. | § 1. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION § 1.1 Field of the Invention The present invention concerns advertising. In particular, the present invention concerns helping advertisers to manage online advertising. § 1.2 Background Information Advertising using traditional media, such as television, radio, newspapers and magazines, is well known. Unfortunately, even when armed with demographic studies and entirely reasonable assumptions about the typical audience of various media outlets, advertisers recognize that much of their ad budget is simply wasted. Moreover, it is very difficult to identify and eliminate such waste. Recently, advertising over more interactive media has become popular. For example, as the number of people using the Internet has exploded, advertisers have come to appreciate media and services offered over the Internet as a potentially powerful way to advertise. Interactive advertising provides opportunities for advertisers to target their ads to a receptive audience. That is, targeted ads are more likely to be useful to end users since the ads may be relevant to a need inferred from some user activity (e.g., relevant to a user's search query to a search engine, relevant to content in a document requested by the user, etc.) Query keyword targeting has been used by search engines to deliver relevant ads. For example, the AdWords advertising system by Google of Mountain View, Calif., delivers ads targeted to keywords from search queries. Similarly, content targeted ad delivery systems have been proposed. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. Nos.: 10/314,427 (incorporated herein by reference and referred to as “the '427 application”) titled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SERVING RELEVANT ADVERTISEMENTS”, filed on Dec. 6, 2002 and listing Jeffrey A. Dean, Georges R. Harik and Paul Buchheit as inventors; and 10/375,900 (incorporated by reference and referred to as “the '900 application”) titled “SERVING ADVERTISEMENTS BASED ON CONTENT,” filed on Feb. 26, 2003 and listing Darrell Anderson, Paul Buchheit, Alex Carobus, Claire Cui, Jeffrey A. Dean, Georges R. Harik, Deepak Jindal and Narayanan Shivakumar as inventors, describe methods and apparatus for serving ads relevant to the content of a document, such as a Web page for example. Content targeted ad delivery systems, such as the AdSense advertising system by Google for example, have been used to serve ads on Web pages. Regardless of whether or how ads are targeted, an advertiser typically compensates the content (e.g., Web page) owner (and perhaps an ad serving entity). Such compensation may occur whenever the ad is served (per impression), or may be subject to a condition precedent such as a selection, a conversion, etc. Compensation per selection (commonly referred to as “pay per click”) is currently becoming popular. Some advertisers might want to track return-on-investment (ROI) for advertising and manage their online advertising using ROI. Other advertisers might want to track other business metrics (e.g., profit) with respect to their advertising and manage their online advertising using such business metrics. Unfortunately, the complex interaction between advertisers within an online ad delivery system makes it difficult for advertisers to track, manage, or estimate ROI, and/or other business metrics. Thus, it would be useful to help advertisers to track, and/or estimate certain business metrics, such as ROI, with respect to their advertising campaigns, and to help advertisers to use such business metrics to manage their advertising campaigns. § 2. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiments consistent with the present invention may be used to help advertisers to manage their online advertising. For example, at least one embodiment consistent with the present invention may do so by estimating and/or tracking some business metric, such as ROI, profit, gross profit, etc. with respect to an ad campaign, or a portion of the ad campaign. In at least one embodiment consistent with the present invention, an advertiser may provide a business metric target, such as a target ROI, a target gross profit, a target profit, etc. An ad delivery system may then adjust information in an ad campaign (or a portion of an ad campaign) in an effort to meet the target. Similarly, in at least one embodiment consistent with the present invention, an advertiser may provide a goal, such as maximizing or minimizing a business metric. The ad delivery system may then adjust information in an ad campaign (or a portion of an ad campaign) in an effort to meet the goal. In at least one embodiment consistent with the present invention, the targets or goals may be subject to one or more constraints (e.g., spend no more than x dollars per time period y, inventory is limited to N units per time period z, etc.) In at least one embodiment consistent with the present invention, the advertiser may provide limits on values of one or more business metrics. The ad delivery system may then turn off, or govern, the delivery of ads if the limits are violated. § 3. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating parties that may participate in an online advertising market. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary online advertising environment in which, or with which, the present invention may be used. FIG. 3 is a bubble diagram of operations that may be performed in a manner consistent with the present invention, as well as information that may be generated and/or used by such operations. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating how advertiser information may be arranged for use by an ad delivery system, in a manner consistent with the present invention. FIGS. 5-7 are diagrams illustrating how ad group, ad campaign, and ad account information, respectively, may be arranged for use by an ad delivery system, in a manner consistent with the present invention. FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method that may be used to stop or govern the serving of ads, using a metric limit, in a manner, consistent with the present invention. FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method that may be used to adjust ad information, using a target metric or metric goal, in a manner consistent with the present invention. FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method that may be used to help determine an expected value for a metric in a manner consistent with the present invention. FIG. 11 is block diagram of a machine that may perform one or more operations and store information used and/or generated in a manner consistent with the present invention. § 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention may involve novel methods, apparatus, message formats, and/or data structures for helping advertisers to track and/or manage their online advertising. The following description is presented to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and is provided in the context of particular applications and their requirements. Thus, the following description of embodiments consistent with the present invention provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise form disclosed. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles set forth below may be applied to other embodiments and applications. For example, although a series of acts may be described with reference to a flow diagram, the order of acts may differ in other implementations when the performance of one act is not dependent on the completion of another act. Further, non-dependent acts may be performed in parallel. No element, act or instruction used in the description should be construed as critical or essential to the present invention unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more items. Where only one item is intended, the term “one” or similar language is used. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown and the inventors regard their invention to include any patentable subject matter described. In the following, some terms that may be used in the specification are introduced in §4.1. Then, environments in which, or with which, the present invention may operate are described in § 4.2. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are then described in § 4.3. Examples of operations are provided in § 4.4. Finally, some conclusions regarding the present invention are set forth in § 4.5. § 4.1 Definitions Online ads may have various intrinsic features. Such features may be specified by an application and/or an advertiser. These features are referred to as “ad features” below. For example, in the case of a text ad, ad features may include a title line, ad text, and an embedded link. In the case of an image ad, ad features may include images, executable code, and an embedded link. Depending on the type of online ad, ad features may include one or more of the following: text, a link, an audio file, a video file, an image file, executable code, embedded information, etc. When an online ad is served, one or more parameters may be used to describe how, when, and/or where the ad was served. These parameters are referred to as “serving parameters” below. Serving parameters may include, for example, one or more of the following: features of (including information on) a document on which, or with which, the ad was served, a search query or search results associated with the serving of the ad, a user characteristic (e.g., their geographic location, the language used by the user, the type of browser used, previous page views, previous behavior, user account, any Web cookies used by the system, etc.), a host or affiliate site (e.g., America Online, Google, Yahoo) that initiated the request, an absolute position of the ad on the page on which it was served, a position (spatial or temporal) of the ad relative to other ads served, an absolute size of the ad, a size of the ad relative to other ads, a color of the ad, a number of other ads served, types of other ads served, time of day served, time of week served, time of year served, etc. Naturally, there are other serving parameters that may be used in the context of the invention. Although serving parameters may be extrinsic to ad features, they may be associated with an ad as serving conditions or constraints. When used as serving conditions or constraints, such serving parameters are referred to simply as “serving constraints” (or “targeting criteria”). For example, in some systems, an advertiser may be able to target the serving of its ad by specifying that it is only to be served on weekdays, no lower than a certain position, only to users in a certain location, etc. As another example, in some systems, an advertiser may specify that its ad is to be served only if a page or search query includes certain keywords or phrases. As yet another example, in some systems, an advertiser may specify that its ad is to be served only if a document being served includes certain topics or concepts, or falls under a particular cluster or clusters, or some other classification or classifications. “Ad information” may include any combination of ad features, ad serving constraints, information derivable from ad features or ad serving constraints (referred to as “ad derived information”), and/or information related to the ad (referred to as “ad related information”), as well as an extension of such information (e.g., information derived from ad related information). The ratio of the number of selections (e.g., clickthroughs) of an ad to the number of impressions of the ad (i.e., the number of times an ad is rendered) is defined as the “selection rate” (or “clickthrough rate”) of the ad. The selection rate of an ad rendered in an ad spot may be composed of various components such as a creative-specific selection rate (CSR), and a position-specific selection rate (PSR) for example. An estimated selection rate may be defined as the product of the component selection rates. A “conversion” is said to occur when a user consummates a transaction related to a previously served ad. What constitutes a conversion may vary from case to case and can be determined in a variety of ways. For example, it may be the case that a conversion occurs when a user clicks on an ad, is referred to the advertiser's Web page, and consummates a purchase there before leaving that Web page. Alternatively, a conversion may be defined as a user being shown an ad, and making a purchase on the advertiser's Web page within a predetermined time (e.g., seven days). In yet another alternative, a conversion may be defined by an advertiser to be any measurable/observable user action such as, for example, downloading a white paper, navigating to at least a given depth of a Website, viewing at least a certain number of Web pages, spending at least a predetermined amount of time on a Website or Web page, registering on a Website, etc. Often, if user actions don't indicate a consummated purchase, they may indicate a sales lead, although user actions constituting a conversion are not limited to this. Indeed, many other definitions of what constitutes a conversion are possible. The ratio of the number of conversions to the number of impressions or selections of the ad (i.e., the number of times an ad is rendered or selected) is referred to as the “conversion rate.” If a conversion is defined to be able to occur within a predetermined time since the serving of an ad, one possible definition of the conversion rate might only consider ads that have been served more than the predetermined time in the past. A “document” is to be broadly interpreted to include any machine-readable and machine-storable work product. A document may be a file, a combination of files, one or more files with embedded links to other files, etc. The files may be of any type, such as text, audio, image, video, etc. Parts of a document to be rendered to an end user can be thought of as “content” of the document. A document may include “structured data” containing both content (words, pictures, etc.) and some indication of the meaning of that content (for example, e-mail fields and associated data, HTML tags and associated data, etc.) Ad spots in the document may be defined by embedded information or instructions. In the context of the Internet, a common document is a Web page. Web pages often include content and may include embedded information (such as meta information, hyperlinks, etc.) and/or embedded instructions (such as JavaScript, etc.). In many cases, a document has a unique, addressable, storage location and can therefore be uniquely identified by this addressable location. A universal resource locator (URL) is a unique address used to access information on the Internet. “Document information” may include any information included in the document, information derivable from information included in the document (referred to as “document derived information”), and/or information related to the document (referred to as “document related information”), as well as an extensions of such information (e.g., information derived from related information). An example of document derived information is a classification based on textual content of a document. Examples of document related information include document information from other documents with links to the instant document, as well as document information from other documents to which the instant document links. Content from a document may be rendered on a “content rendering application or device”. Examples of content rendering applications include an Internet browser (e.g., Explorer, Netscape, Opera), a media player (e.g., an MP3 player, a Realnetworks streaming audio or video file player, etc.), a viewer (e.g., an Abobe Acrobat pdf reader), etc. A “content owner” is a person or entity that has some property right in the content of a document. A content owner may be an author of the content. In addition, or alternatively, a content owner may have rights to reproduce the content, rights to prepare derivative works of the content, rights to display or perform the content publicly, and/or other proscribed rights in the content. Although a content server might be a content owner in the content of the documents it serves, this is not necessary. “User information” may include user behavior information and/or user profile information. “E-mail information” may include any information included in an e-mail (also referred to as “internal e-mail information”), information derivable from information included in the e-mail and/or information related to the e-mail, as well as extensions of such information (e.g., information derived from related information). An example of information derived from e-mail information is information extracted or otherwise derived from search results returned in response to a search query composed of terms extracted from an e-mail subject line. Examples of information related to e-mail information include e-mail information about one or more other e-mails sent by the same sender of a given e-mail, or user information about an e-mail recipient. Information derived from or related to e-mail information may be referred to as “external e-mail information.” “Ad area” may be used to describe an area (e.g., spatial and/or temporal) of a document reserved or made available to accommodate the rendering of ads. For example, Web pages often allocate a number of spots where ads can be rendered, referred to as “ad spots”. As another example, an audio program may allocate “ad time slots”. An “offer” is something presented for acceptance. In the context of the present invention, an offer will often be a monetary amount, associated with an advertisement, to be paid, upon the occurrence of an act with respect to the advertisement (e.g., impression, selection, conversion, etc.). An offer may be a bid. In some embodiments, rather than defining a precise value to be paid, an offer may specify a maximum and/or a minimum amount to be paid. An offer may be non-monetary. An “arbitration” is a process for determining one or more winning participants competing for something. An auction is an example of an arbitration. § 4.2 Environments In Which, Or With Which, The Present Invention May Operate § 4.2.1 Exemplary Advertising Environment FIG. 1 is a high level diagram of an advertising environment. The environment may include an ad entry, maintenance and delivery system (simply referred to as an “ad server” or “ad delivery system”) 120. Advertisers 110 may directly, or indirectly, enter, maintain, and track ad information in the system 120. The ads may be in the form of graphical ads such as so-called banner ads, text only ads, image ads, audio ads, animation ads, video ads, ads combining one of more of any of such components, etc. The ads may also include embedded information, such as a link, and/or machine executable instructions. Ad consumers 130 may submit requests for ads to, accept ads responsive to their request from, and provide usage information to, the system 120. An entity other than an ad consumer 130 may initiate a request for ads. Although not shown, other entities may provide usage information (e.g., whether or not a conversion or a selection related to the ad occurred) to the system 120. This usage information may include measured or observed user behavior related to ads that have been served. FIG. 2 illustrates an environment 200 in which the present invention may be used. A user device (also referred to as a “client” or “client device”) 250 may include a browser facility (such as the Explorer browser from Microsoft, the Opera Web Browser from Opera Software of Norway, the Navigator browser from AOL/Time Warner, etc.), some other content rendering facility, an e-mail facility (e.g., Outlook from Microsoft), etc. A search engine 220 may permit user devices 250 to search collections of documents (e.g., Web pages). A content server 210 may permit user devices 250 to access documents. An e-mail server (such as Gmail from Google, Hotmail from Microsoft Network, Yahoo Mail, etc.) 240 may be used to provide e-mail functionality to user devices 250. An ad server (also referred to as an “ad delivery system”) 210 may be used to serve ads to user devices 250. For example, the ads may be served in association with search results provided by the search engine 220. Alternatively, or in addition, content-relevant ads may be served in association with content provided by the content server 230, and/or e-mail supported by the e-mail server 240 and/or user device e-mail facilities. As discussed in the '900 application, ads may be targeted to documents served by content servers. Thus, one example of an ad consumer 130 is a general content server 230 that receives requests for documents (e.g., articles, discussion threads, music, video, graphics, search results, Web page listings, etc.), and retrieves the requested document in response to, or otherwise services, the request. The content server may submit a request for ads to the ad server 120/210. Such an ad request may include a number of ads desired. The ad request may also include document request information. This information may include the document itself (e.g., a Web page), a category or topic corresponding to the content of the document or the document request (e.g., arts, business, computers, arts-movies, arts-music, etc.), part or all of the document request, content age, content type (e.g., text, graphics, video, audio, mixed media, etc.), geo-location information, document information, etc. The content server 230 may combine the requested document with one or more of the advertisements provided by the ad server 120/210. This combined information, including the document content and advertisement(s), is then forwarded towards the end user device 250 that requested the document for presentation to the user. Finally, the content server 230 may transmit information about the ads and how, when, and/or where the ads are to be rendered (e.g., position, selection or not, impression time, impression date, size, conversion or not, etc.) back to the ad server 120/210. Alternatively, or in addition, such information may be provided back to the ad server 120/210 by some other means. Another example of an ad consumer 130 is the search engine 220. A search engine 220 may receive queries for search results. In response, the search engine may retrieve relevant search results (e.g., from an index of Web pages). An exemplary search engine is described in the article S. Brin and L. Page, “The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Search Engine,” Seventh International World Wide Web Conference, Brisbane, Australia and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,285,999 (both incorporated herein by reference). Such search results may include, for example, lists of Web page titles, snippets of text extracted from those Web pages, and hypertext links to those Web pages, and may be grouped into a predetermined number of (e.g., ten) search results. The search engine 220 may submit a request for ads to the ad server 120/210. The request may include a number of ads desired. This number may depend on the search results, the amount of screen or page space occupied by the search results, the size and shape of the ads, etc. In one embodiment, the number of desired ads will be from one to ten, and preferably from three to five. The request for ads may also include the query (as entered or parsed), information based on the query (such as geolocation information, whether the query came from an affiliate and an identifier of such an affiliate, and/or as described below, information related to, and/or derived from, the search query), and/or information associated with, or based on, the search results. Such information may include, for example, identifiers related to the search results (e.g., document identifiers or “docIDs”), scores related to the search results (e.g., information retrieval (“IR”) scores such as dot products of feature vectors corresponding to a query and a document, Page Rank scores, and/or combinations of IR scores and Page Rank scores), snippets of text extracted from identified documents (e.g., Web pages), full text of identified documents, topics of identified documents, feature vectors of identified documents, etc. The search engine 220 may combine the search results with one or more of the advertisements provided by the ad server 120/210. This combined information, including the search results and advertisement(s), is then forwarded towards the user that submitted the search for presentation to the user. Preferably, the search results are maintained as distinct from the ads, so as not to confuse the user between paid advertisements and presumably neutral search results. The search engine 220 may transmit information about the ad and when, where, and/or how the ad was to be rendered (e.g., position, click-through or not, impression time, impression date, size, conversion or not, etc.) back to the ad server 120/210. Such information may include information for determining on what basis the ad was determined relevant (e.g., strict or relaxed match, or exact, phrase, or broad match, etc.) Alternatively, or in addition, such information may be provided back to the ad server 120/210 by some other means. Finally, the e-mail server 240 may be thought of, generally, as a content server in which a document served is simply an e-mail. Further, e-mail applications (such as Microsoft Outlook for example) may be used to send and/or receive e-mail. Therefore, an e-mail server 240 or application may be thought of as an ad consumer 130. Thus, e-mails may be thought of as documents, and targeted ads may be served in association with such documents. For example, one or more ads may be served in, under over, or otherwise in association with an e-mail. Although the foregoing examples described servers as (i) requesting ads, and (ii) combining them with content, one or both of these operations may be performed by a client device (such as an end user computer for example). § 4.3 Exemplary Embodiments The present invention may be used to help advertisers to track and/or manage their online advertising. For example, at least one embodiment consistent with the present invention may do so by estimating and/or tracking some business metric, such as ROI, profit, gross profit, etc. with respect to an ad campaign, or a portion of the ad campaign. In at least one embodiment consistent with the present invention, an advertiser may provide a business metric target, such as a target ROI, a target gross profit, a target profit, etc. An ad delivery system may then adjust information in an ad campaign in an effort to meet the target. Similarly, in at least one embodiment consistent with the present invention, an advertiser may provide a goal, such as maximizing or minimizing a business metric. The ad delivery system may then adjust information in an ad campaign in an effort to meet the goal. In one embodiment consistent with the present invention, the targets or goals may be subject to one or more constraints (e.g., spend no more than x dollars per time period y, inventory is limited to N units per time period z, etc.) In at least one embodiment consistent with the present invention, the advertiser may provide limits on values of one or more business metrics. The ad delivery system may then turn off, or govern, the delivery of ads if the limits are violated. FIG. 3 is a bubble diagram of operations that may be performed in a manner consistent with the present invention, as well as information that may be generated and/or used by such operations. As shown, an ad delivery system 300 may include ad serving operations 310, ad management advertiser interface operations 330, performance determination and user action feedback interface operations 340 and ad information adjustment operations 380. The various operations may use, populate, and/or modify ad information 320. The ad serving operations 310 may include one or more of operations for determining the relevance of ads, operations for scoring (e.g., relevant) ads, and operations for governing ad serving using some metric (e.g., ROI, profit, etc.) limit. Operations for governing ad serving may govern ad serving automatically. Alternatively, such operations may govern ad serving after notification to the advertiser. Alternatively, or in addition, such operations may govern ad serving after advertiser notification and prior advertiser approval. The ad management advertiser interface operations 330 may include one or more of operations to provide advertisers with information about their ad campaign(s), operations to accept advertiser input, etc. The performance determination and user action feedback interface operations 340 may include one or more of operations to accept information about user actions (e.g., selections, conversions, etc.) with respect to an ad, operations to determine ad performance values (e.g., selection rate, conversion rate, etc.), and operations to determine one or more of various metrics (e.g., ROI, profit, etc.) with respect to the ads. Finally, the ad information adjustment operations 380 may include operations for adjusting ad information in an effort to meet advertiser targets or goals, using one or more ad metrics. Such operations 380 may change ad information automatically. Alternatively, such operations 380 may change ad information only after advertiser notification. Alternatively, or in addition, prior advertiser approval may be required before such operations 380 change ad information. Such operations 380 may be run at the time of ad setup or entry. Alternatively, or in addition, such operations 380 may be run after the ad has been active (e.g., automatically at various times, and/or in response to an advertiser request). Having described operations that may be performed in a manner consistent with the present invention, information that may be used and/or generated in a manner consistent with the present invention are now described in § 4.3.1 below. § 4.3.1 Exemplary Data Structures As shown, in at least one embodiment consistent with the invention, the ad information 320 may include a table 350 of information including a plurality of entries 352. Each of the entries 352 may include one or more of an ad identifier 354, profit information (e.g., profitability (or margin), gross profits, net profits, etc.) for advertised item(s) 356, ad performance information (e.g., selection rate, conversion rate, etc.) 358, an impression count over a given time period 360, a count of user actions (e.g., selections, conversions, etc.) over a given time period 362, an identifier of an ad group to which the ad belongs 364, an identifier of an ad campaign to which the ad belongs 366, an identifier of an account to which the ad belongs 368, one or more ad metric (e.g., ROI, profit) targets 370 and one or more ad metric limits 372. The profit information 356, ad metric target value(s) 370 and/or one or more ad metric limit value(s) 372 may have been provided by the advertiser, for example via ad management advertiser interface operations 330. The ad performance values 358, impression count values 360 and user action values 362 may have been provided via performance determination and user action feedback interface operations 340. The ad metric target value(s) 370 may be used by ad information adjustment operations 380. The ad metric limit value(s) 372 may be used by ad serving operations 310. FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary inter-relationship 400 of advertising information, some of which information may be organized in a manner consistent with the present invention. As shown, account information 410 may include, for example, a unique e-mail address, a password, billing information (e.g., a billing address, a credit card, etc.), etc. Accordingly, the term “account” relates to information for a given advertiser. Account information 410 may be associated with information 420 about one or more campaigns. Campaign information 420 may include, for example, one or more budgets for one or more time periods (e.g., a daily budget), geo-targeting information, syndication preference information, start and end dates of the campaign, etc. For example, Honda may have one advertising campaign for its automobile line, and a separate advertising campaign for its motorcycle line. Each campaign may be associated with information 430 about one or more ad groups. Ad group information 430 may include, for example, keywords (which may be used by relevancy determination operation(s) to decide whether or not to serve an ad), and cost information, such as a maximum offer per impression or user action for example. Each ad group may be associated with information 440 about one or more ads. Ad information 440 may include, for example, content for the ad, a unique identifier, historical information about the ad or its performance, etc. Naturally, other types of ad information, and/or arrangements of ad information may be used. Consistent with the present invention, metric (e.g., ROI, profit, etc.) targets and/or limits may be associated with one or more ads 440, one or more ad groups 430, one or more campaigns 420, and/or the account 410. FIGS. 5-7 are diagrams illustrating how metric target and/or metric limit information may be associated with an ad group, an ad campaign, and an ad account, respectively, in a manner consistent with the present invention. FIG. 5 illustrates a table 500 that includes a number of entries 510. Each of the entries 510 may include one or more of an ad group identifier 520, one or more ad group metric targets 530 and one or more ad group metric limits 540. Similarly, FIG. 6 illustrates a table 600 that includes a number of entries 610. Each of the entries 610 may include one or more of an ad campaign identifier 620, one or more ad campaign metric targets 630 and one or more ad campaign metric limits 640. Finally, FIG. 7 illustrates a table 700 that includes a number of entries 710. Each of the entries 710 may include one or more of an ad account identifier 720, one or more ad account metric targets 730 and one or more ad account metric limits 740. Having described operations that may be performed in a manner consistent with the present invention, as well as information that may be used and/or generated in a manner consistent with the present invention, various exemplary methods that may be used to perform some of the various operations are now described in § 4.3.2 below. § 4.3.2 Exemplary Methods FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method 800 that may be used to stop or govern the serving of ads, using one or more metric limits, in a manner consistent with the present invention. The method 800 may be one of operations 310 for example. The expected or actual metric for a relevant time period (e.g., past month, present month, next month, past week, present week next week, past quarter, present quarter, next quarter, etc.) is determined. (Block 810) Then, whether or not the determined metric for the period violates a corresponding metric limit is determined. (Block 820) If so, the delivery of the ad may be turned off, or governed in accordance with some policy (Block 830), before the method 800 is left (Node 840). Referring to block 820, various metric limits can be used. For example, an advertiser may wish to stop the delivery an ad if its ROI becomes negative. As another example, an advertiser may wish to slow the delivery of an ad if its profit falls below a certain profit threshold. The metric limits may be applied at, and the metrics may be determined at, the level of an ad as described. Alternatively, or in addition, such application of metric limits and determination of metrics may be performed at the level of an ad group, an ad campaign, and/or the ad account. Referring to block 830, a wide range of policies may be applied to the delivery of ads. The policy used to turn off or to govern the delivery of one or more ads may be applied at the level of ads, at the level of ad groups, at the level of campaigns, and/or at the level of accounts. For example, if the ROI of an ad group is negative, it may be turned off. Alternatively, suppose the ad group includes one or more ads having a positive ROI and one or more ads having a negative ROI. The policy may be to turn off delivery of only those ads with a negative ROI. As another example, suppose an ad has an upper profit limit and a lower profit limit. One policy may be to not govern the delivery of the ad at all if its determined profit exceeds the upper profit limit, to decrease the delivery of the ad by 50% if is determined profit (e.g., unit profit, or profit per selection or conversion) falls between the upper and lower profit limits, and to decrease the delivery of the ad by 95% if its determined profit falls below the lower profit limit. In yet another example, the governing of the delivery of the ad may be some defined function of the determined metric and the metric limit. As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the flexibility in choosing metric limits and policies provides a wide array of various controls to the advertiser. Still referring to block 830, the method 800 may be used to govern or turn off an ad automatically. Alternatively, or in addition, the method 800 may simply be used to notify the advertiser of the limit of violation(s) or even expected future limit violations. Alternatively, or in addition, the method 800 may be used to notify the advertiser of a governing, or of a proposed governing. Alternatively, or in addition, the method 800 may wait for advertiser approval before turning off an ad, or governing the delivery of an ad. The data used to determine the metric for the period may come from various sources. For example, when determining a metric such as ROI or profit, conversion rate (e.g., conversions per selection) information may be provided by the advertiser, may be tracked by the ad delivery system, and/or may be inferred from similar, and/or related ads. A cost per user action may be set (e.g., as provided by the advertiser). Profit information (e.g., revenue per conversion, profit margins, etc.) may be provided by the advertiser. Selections per time period may be determined using historic information for the ad, and/or historic selection information for related, and/or similar ads. Similarly, in ad delivery systems that discount maximum offers, an estimated cost may be determined using historic cost information for the ad, and/or historic cost information for related and/or similar ads. FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method 900 that may be used to adjust ad information, using a target metric or using a metric goal, in a manner consistent with the present invention. The method 900 may be used to perform operations 380. A target metric, or a metric goal, as well as profit information may be accepted. (Block 910) Then, ad information may be adjusted in an effort to meet the target metric or metric goal (Block 920) before the method 900 is left (Node 930). Referring back to block 910, the profit information may include revenue per conversion and profit margin, and/or profit per conversion, etc., and may be provided by the advertiser. The target metric may be a specific value provided by the advertiser. Alternatively, the advertiser may have merely instructed that a metric be maximized or minimized. Referring back to block 920, the adjustment of the ad information in an effort to meet the target metric may consider certain constraints. For example, although profit might be maximized if the advertiser spent $100,000 per month in advertising, the advertiser might have an ad budget of only $25,000 per month. This budget limit may be provided as a constraint, which may be used to constrain the adjustment. Similarly, although profit might be maximized if the advertiser sold 20,000 units per month, the advertiser might only have inventory or capacity to sell 10,000 units per month. This inventory or capacity limit may be provided as a constraint, which may be used to constrain the adjustment. As yet another example, an advertiser may specify that it wants to maximize its ROI, but subject to the constraint that it get at least 100 selections per week. As still another example, an advertiser may specify that it wants to maximize its ROI, but subject to the constraint that it needs to spend at least $1500.00 per week. Thus, one or more constraints may be used to constrain the adjustment. Still referring to block 920, the method 900 may perform the adjustment automatically. Alternatively, or in addition, the method 900 may simply be used to notify the advertiser of the adjustment, or of a proposed adjustment. Alternatively, or in addition, the method 900 may wait for advertiser approval before performing the adjustment. The adjustment of ad information may consider various data from various sources, such as that data and those sources discussed above with reference to FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method 1000 that may be used to determine an expected metric in a manner consistent with the present invention. The method 1000 may be performed as part of operations 340. Different metrics may be determined using different data. The data may come from various sources. As indicated by decision block 1010, the branch of the method 1000 performed may depend on whether or not there is actual data available for the ad for the relevant period. If not, the expected metric value for the relevant period may be determined using data from similar and/or related ads, similar, and/or related ad groups, similar and/or related ad campaigns, etc. (Block 1020), before the method 1000 is left (Node 1040). If, on the other hand, actual data is available for the relevant period, the expected metric value for the period may be determined using, at least, the actual metric value (Block 1030), before the method 1000 is left (Node 1040). Referring to block 1030, data from similar and/or related ads, similar and/or related ad groups, similar and/or related ad campaigns, etc., may also be used in determining the expected metric value. Referring back to block 1020, suppose for example that a new ad is added to an existing ad group, and that all ads in the ad group are targeted using common keyword(s) and share a common maximum cost per selection offer. Even though the ad is new, information such as selections per week, or conversions per selection, for example, from existing ads in the ad group may be imputed to the new ad. As another example, suppose a totally new ad account is opened, with an ad targeted using a keyword and having a maximum offer per selection. Data from other ads targeted using the same keyword may be used to infer data used in determining metrics for the new ad. The term “target ROI” or “target profit” should be broadly construed to include any predetermined ROI or profit, or an determinable ROI or profit. One example of a target ROI or profit is a daily ROI or profit. § 4.3.3 Exemplary Apparatus FIG. 11 is block diagram of a machine 1100 that may perform one or more of the operations discussed above. The machine 1100 may include one or more processors 1110, one or more input/output interface units 1130, one or more storage devices 1120, and one or more system buses and/or networks 1140 for facilitating the communication of information among the coupled elements. One or more input devices 1132 and one or more output devices 1134 may be coupled with the one or more input/output interfaces 1130. The one or more processors 1110 may execute machine-executable instructions (e.g., C or C++, Java, etc., running on the Solaris operating system available from Sun Microsystems Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif. or the Linux operating system widely available from a number of vendors such as Red Hat, Inc. of Durham, N.C.) to perform one or more aspects of the present invention. At least a portion of the machine executable instructions may be stored (temporarily or more permanently) on the one or more storage devices 1120 and/or may be received from an external source via one or more input interface units 1130. In one embodiment, the machine 1100 may be one or more conventional personal computers. In this case, the processing units 1110 may be one or more microprocessors. The bus 1140 may include a system bus. The storage devices 1120 may include system memory, such as read only memory (ROM) and/or random access memory (RAM). The storage devices 1120 may also include a hard disk drive for reading from and writing to a hard disk, a magnetic disk drive for reading from or writing to a (e.g., removable) magnetic disk, and an optical disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable (magneto-) optical disk such as a compact disk or other (magneto-) optical media. A user may enter commands and information into the personal computer through input devices 1132, such as a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse) for example. Other input devices such as a microphone, a joystick, a game pad, a satellite dish, a scanner, or the like, may also (or alternatively) be included. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit(s) 1110 through an appropriate interface 1130 coupled to the system bus 1140. The output devices 1134 may include a monitor or other type of display device, which may also be connected to the system bus 1140 via an appropriate interface. In addition to (or instead of) the monitor, the personal computer may include other output devices (not shown), such as speakers and printers for example. The various operations described above may be performed by one or more machines 1100, and the various information described above may be stored on one or more machines 1100. The ad server 210, search engine 220, content server 230, e-mail server 240, user device 250, and/or related ad link server 260 may include one or more machines 1100. § 4.3.4 Refinements and Alternatives The ROI may be defined as: ROI = selections * ( profit per selection - cost per selection ) selections * cost per selection If profits and costs are fixed, this determination is straight-forward. If a cost per selection changes, as may be the case in ad systems that discount maximum offers per selection, the cost per selection used in the ROI determination may be an average cost per selection. Although selections may be canceled from the definition of ROI, these terms are shown for the case where there are no selections, in which case ROI may be zero or undefined. Although some of the foregoing examples were provided in terms of selections (e.g., profit per selection, cost per selection, etc.), metrics used may be in terms of some other user action, such as conversions for example. Although many of the foregoing examples considered metrics of ads, the foregoing embodiments may be applied to ad groups, ad campaigns, and/or accounts. Profits may be determined as the product, selections * conversions per selection * profit per conversion. Profit per conversion may be determined as the product, revenue per conversion * profit margin. Net profit may be profit less ad spend. Conversions per selection may be provided by the advertiser, inferred from other data, or may be determined by mixing various sources. User actions (e.g., selections, conversions, etc.) over some given time period may be estimated using historic data (e.g., past user actions) with respect to ads. Such historic data may be windowed to ignore certain time periods or to weight certain time periods more heavily. Trends in the historic data may also be considered with estimating user actions. Alternatively, or in addition, historic data from similar and/or related ads, ad groups, ad campaigns, etc., may be used when estimating user actions. In embodiments in which an advertiser can enter a target metric, if the advertiser enters a metric that is unobtainable or not likely to be obtained, the advertiser may be provided with a notification of such facts. The adjustment of ad information using one or more target metrics may be applied prospectively, when an advertiser is initiating a new ad. Alternatively, or in addition, the adjustment of ad information may be applied after an ad (or ad group, or ad campaign, or account) has been running. The adjustment of ad information may occur automatically, or may require prior advertiser approval. § 4.4 Examples of Operations The following examples illustrate how an exemplary implementation of the present invention may be used to maximize ROI, and to maximize profit. The following examples assume that the advertiser sells $10.00 of items for each conversion, that 10 percent of selections lead to conversions (10% conversion rate) and that the advertiser's profit margin is 50 percent. The advertiser may provide such information directly. (Recall, e.g., operations 330.) The following example shows the affect of cost per selection (or cost per click (CPC)) on average ROI. (Note that the cost per selection may correspond to an offer per selection, or a discounted maximum offer per selection.) Adjustment of Offer to Maximize ROI Profitability 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% (Margin) CPC $0.49 $0.50 $0.65 $0.75 $0.95 $1.00 Conversions — 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% per Click Revenue per $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 Conversion Clicks per day 0 100 170 270 300 315 Profit per Click $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 Ad Spend 0 $50 $110.50 $203 $285 $315 Gross Rev $0.00 $100.00 $170.00 $270.00 $300.00 $315.00 Adv ROI 0 100% 54% 33% 5% 0% MAX ROI In this case, the profit per click is $1.00 (=10% of $10.00). The ROI is defined as: ROI = selections * ( Average profit per selection - Average cost per selection ) selections * Average cost per selection So, the ROI at $0.49 cpc is undefined, the ROI at $0.50 cpc is 1.00 (=(1.00−0.50)/0.50), the ROI at $0.65 cpc is 0.54 (=(1.00−0.65)/0.65), the ROI at $0.75 cpc is 0.33 (=(1.00−0.75)/0.75), the ROI at $0.95 cpc is 0.05 (=(1.00−0.95)/0.95), and the ROI at $1.00 cpc is 0.00 (=(1.00−1.00)/1.00). Thus, if the advertiser's goal is to maximize ROI, an offer that would cause their average cost per selection to be $0.50 could be selected. The foregoing example presented a number of discrete cpc values for purposes of illustration. The present invention may use various optimization algorithms known to those skilled in the art, or proprietary optimization algorithms, to determine the cpc that maximizes ROI. Such algorithms may use many more discrete values, or continuous values. Notice that if the average cpc were greater than $1.00, the ROI would be negative. Thus, for example, if the advertiser entered a ROI minimum limit of 0, and entered an offer that would cause its cost per selection to be greater than $1.00, the delivery of its ad could be stopped. Alternatively, in the case of a discounted maximum offer, the delivery of its ad could be governed so that it would only be served if its actual cost per selection would be less than $1.00. Although it may be a goal of an advertiser to maximize ROI, higher ROI does not necessarily always lead to higher profits. For example, there may be a certain point at which a greater number of conversions at a lower ROI results in maximum profits. Thus, suppose the advertiser wants to maximize profits, given the same information as above, the following information may be determined. CPC $0.50 0.65 $0.75 $0.95 $1.00 Amount Sold 10 17 27 30 31.5 Gross Revenue $50.00 $59.50 $67.00 $15.00 $0 after Ad Spend Profit $25 $29.75 $33.50 $7.50 $0 MAX Profit per product $2.50 $1.75 $1.24 $0.25 $0.00 In this scenario, if the advertiser wants to maximize its profit, an offer that causes its average cpc to be $0.75 should be selected. Still referring to the foregoing table, suppose that the advertiser can only sell 20 items per day. If the advertiser entered this constraint, but still sought to maximize its profit, an offer that causes its average cpc to be $0.65 should be selected. The foregoing example presented a number of discrete cpc values for purposes of illustration. The present invention may use various optimization algorithms known to those skilled in the art, or proprietary optimization algorithms, to determine the cpc that maximizes profit. Such algorithms may use many more discrete values, or continuous values. § 4.5 Conclusions As can be appreciated from the foregoing disclosure, the present invention can be used advantageously to help advertisers to manage their online advertising and their online ad campaigns using metrics considered to be important by the particular advertiser, such as ROI, profits, etc. Constraints may be used to reflect advertiser limits, such as ad budget limits, inventory limits, sales volume limits, etc. | <SOH> § 1. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>§ 1.1 Field of the Invention The present invention concerns advertising. In particular, the present invention concerns helping advertisers to manage online advertising. § 1.2 Background Information Advertising using traditional media, such as television, radio, newspapers and magazines, is well known. Unfortunately, even when armed with demographic studies and entirely reasonable assumptions about the typical audience of various media outlets, advertisers recognize that much of their ad budget is simply wasted. Moreover, it is very difficult to identify and eliminate such waste. Recently, advertising over more interactive media has become popular. For example, as the number of people using the Internet has exploded, advertisers have come to appreciate media and services offered over the Internet as a potentially powerful way to advertise. Interactive advertising provides opportunities for advertisers to target their ads to a receptive audience. That is, targeted ads are more likely to be useful to end users since the ads may be relevant to a need inferred from some user activity (e.g., relevant to a user's search query to a search engine, relevant to content in a document requested by the user, etc.) Query keyword targeting has been used by search engines to deliver relevant ads. For example, the AdWords advertising system by Google of Mountain View, Calif., delivers ads targeted to keywords from search queries. Similarly, content targeted ad delivery systems have been proposed. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. Nos.: 10/314,427 (incorporated herein by reference and referred to as “the '427 application”) titled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SERVING RELEVANT ADVERTISEMENTS”, filed on Dec. 6, 2002 and listing Jeffrey A. Dean, Georges R. Harik and Paul Buchheit as inventors; and 10/375,900 (incorporated by reference and referred to as “the '900 application”) titled “SERVING ADVERTISEMENTS BASED ON CONTENT,” filed on Feb. 26, 2003 and listing Darrell Anderson, Paul Buchheit, Alex Carobus, Claire Cui, Jeffrey A. Dean, Georges R. Harik, Deepak Jindal and Narayanan Shivakumar as inventors, describe methods and apparatus for serving ads relevant to the content of a document, such as a Web page for example. Content targeted ad delivery systems, such as the AdSense advertising system by Google for example, have been used to serve ads on Web pages. Regardless of whether or how ads are targeted, an advertiser typically compensates the content (e.g., Web page) owner (and perhaps an ad serving entity). Such compensation may occur whenever the ad is served (per impression), or may be subject to a condition precedent such as a selection, a conversion, etc. Compensation per selection (commonly referred to as “pay per click”) is currently becoming popular. Some advertisers might want to track return-on-investment (ROI) for advertising and manage their online advertising using ROI. Other advertisers might want to track other business metrics (e.g., profit) with respect to their advertising and manage their online advertising using such business metrics. Unfortunately, the complex interaction between advertisers within an online ad delivery system makes it difficult for advertisers to track, manage, or estimate ROI, and/or other business metrics. Thus, it would be useful to help advertisers to track, and/or estimate certain business metrics, such as ROI, with respect to their advertising campaigns, and to help advertisers to use such business metrics to manage their advertising campaigns. | <SOH> § 2. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Embodiments consistent with the present invention may be used to help advertisers to manage their online advertising. For example, at least one embodiment consistent with the present invention may do so by estimating and/or tracking some business metric, such as ROI, profit, gross profit, etc. with respect to an ad campaign, or a portion of the ad campaign. In at least one embodiment consistent with the present invention, an advertiser may provide a business metric target, such as a target ROI, a target gross profit, a target profit, etc. An ad delivery system may then adjust information in an ad campaign (or a portion of an ad campaign) in an effort to meet the target. Similarly, in at least one embodiment consistent with the present invention, an advertiser may provide a goal, such as maximizing or minimizing a business metric. The ad delivery system may then adjust information in an ad campaign (or a portion of an ad campaign) in an effort to meet the goal. In at least one embodiment consistent with the present invention, the targets or goals may be subject to one or more constraints (e.g., spend no more than x dollars per time period y, inventory is limited to N units per time period z, etc.) In at least one embodiment consistent with the present invention, the advertiser may provide limits on values of one or more business metrics. The ad delivery system may then turn off, or govern, the delivery of ads if the limits are violated. | 20040929 | 20100608 | 20060330 | 77161.0 | G06Q3000 | 0 | CHAMPAGNE, DONALD | MANAGING ON-LINE ADVERTISING USING METRICS SUCH AS RETURN ON INVESTMENT AND/OR PROFIT | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | G06Q | 2,004 |
|
10,953,881 | ACCEPTED | Composite bone graft, method of making and using same | The invention is directed to a composite bone graft for implantation in a patient, and methods of making and using the composite bone graft, along with methods for treating patients by implanting the composite bone graft at a site in a patient. The composite bone graft includes two or more connected, discrete, bone portions, and includes one or more biocompatible connectors which hold together the discrete bone portions to form the composite bone graft. The composite bone graft may include one or more textured bone surfaces. The textured surface preferably includes a plurality of closely spaced protrusions, preferably closely spaced continuous protrusions. The composite bone graft is useful for repairing bone defects caused by congenital anomaly, disease, or trauma, in a patient, for example, for restoring vertical support of the anterior and/or posterior column. Implantation of the composite bone graft results in improved graft stability and osteoinductivity, without a decrease in mechanical strength. The composite bone graft does not shift, extrude or rotate, after implantation. The present composite bone graft can be appropriately sized for any application and can be used to replace traditional non-bone prosthetic implants. | 1-109. (canceled) 110. A composite bone graft comprising: a plurality of bone portions layered to form a graft unit, and one or more non-adhesive biocompatible mechanical connectors connecting said graft unit, said mechanical connectors comprising one or more biocompatible materials selected from the group consisting of cortical bone; stainless steel; titanium; cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy; a plastic of one or more members selected from the group consisting of nylon, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyacetal, polyethylene, and polysulfone; and one or more bioabsorbable polymers. 111. A composite bone graft comprising: two or more distinct bone portions, and one or more non-adhesive biocompatible mechanical connectors, wherein said mechanical connectors connect said two or more bone portions to form said composite bone graft, said mechanical connectors comprising one or more biocompatible materials selected from the group consisting of cortical bone; stainless steel; titanium; cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy; a plastic of one or more members selected from the group consisting of nylon, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyacetal, polyethylene, and polysulfone; and one or more bioabsorbable polymers. 112. A composite bone graft comprising: one or more cortical bone portions layered to form a first unit; one or more cortical bone portions layered to form a second unit; one or more cancellous bone portions layered to form a third unit; said third unit disposed between said first unit and said second unit to form a graft unit; and one or more non-adhesive biocompatible mechanical connectors connecting said graft unit, said mechanical connectors comprising one or more biocompatible materials selected from the group consisting of cortical bone; stainless steel; titanium; cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy; a plastic of one or more members selected from the group consisting of nylon, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyacetal, polyethylene, and polysulfone; and one or more bioabsorbable polymers. 113. The composite bone graft of any one of claims 110, 111, or 112, wherein said biocompatible mechanical connectors comprise one or more biocompatible materials selected from the group consisting of nylon, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyacetal, polyethylene, and polysulfone, and one or more bioabsorbable polymers. 114. The composite bone graft of any one of claims 110, 111, or 112, wherein said one or more biocompatible mechanical connectors comprises cortical bone. 115. The composite bone graft of claim 114, wherein said cortical bone connectors comprise one or more cortical bone pins. 116. The composite bone graft of claim 115, wherein said one or more cortical bone pins comprises a plurality of vertical grooves provided on a surface thereof. 117. The composite bone graft of claim 115, wherein said one or more cortical bone pins comprises a roughened surface. 118. The composite bone graft of claim 115, wherein said one or more cortical bone pins further comprises a slot extending from one end of said bone pin. 119. The composite bone graft of claim 115, wherein said graft unit comprises one or more through-holes configured to accommodate said one or more pins. 120. The composite bone graft of claim 119, wherein said one or more pins is threaded to provide a threaded engagement with said one or more through-holes. 121. The composite bone graft of claim 120, wherein said one or more pins is threaded and said one or more through-holes is threaded, to provide a threaded engagement between said one or more pins and said one or more through-holes. 122. The composite bone graft of claim 119, wherein said one or more pins and said one or more through-holes are configured to provide a slidable connection. 123. The composite bone graft of claim 119, wherein a cross-section of said one or more pins comprises a shape selected from the group consisting of round, ovoid, square, rectangular, triangular, pentagon, hexagon, and trapezoidal. 124. A composite bone graft comprising: one or more cortical bone portions layered to form a first unit; one or more cortical bone portions layered to form a second unit; one or more cancellous bone portions layered to form a third unit, said third unit disposed between said first unit and said second unit to form a graft unit; and one or more non-adhesive biocompatible connectors connecting said graft unit, said bone portions configured to provide an interlocking fit between adjacent bone portions. 125. A composite bone graft comprising: one or more cortical bone portions layered to form a first unit; one or more cortical bone portions layered to form a second unit; one or more cancellous bone portions layered to form a third unit, said third unit disposed between said first unit and said second unit to form a graft unit; and one or more non-adhesive means for connecting said graft unit, said bone portions configured to provide an interlocking fit between adjacent bone portions. 126. A composite bone graft comprising: a graft unit having one or more through-holes configured to accommodate one or more pins, said graft unit comprising: two or more bone portions layered to form said graft unit, and one or more pins connecting bone portions of said graft unit, said composite bone graft comprising a member selected from the group consisting of a parallelepiped, a parallel block, a square block, a trapezoid wedge, a cylinder, a flattened curved block, a tapered cylinder, and a polyhedron. 127. A composite bone graft comprising: a graft unit having one or more through-holes configured to accommodate one or more pins, said graft unit comprising: a first plate-like cortical bone portion; a second plate-like cortical bone portion; a plate-like cancellous bone portion disposed between said first plate-like cortical bone portion and said second plate-like cortical bone portion to form said graft unit; and one or more cortical bone pins connecting bone portions of said bone graft unit, said composite bone graft comprising a member selected from the group consisting of a parallelepiped, a parallel block, a square block, a trapezoid wedge, a cylinder, a flattened curved block, a tapered cylinder, and a polyhedron. 128. A composite bone graft comprising: a graft unit having one or more though-holes configured to accommodate one or more pins, said graft unit comprising: a first plate-like bone portion; a second plate-like bone portion provided on said first plate-like bone to form said graft unit, and one or more bone pins connecting said graft unit, said composite bone graft comprising a member selected from the group consisting of a parallelepiped, a parallel block, a square block, a trapezoid wedge, a cylinder, a flattened curved block, a tapered cylinder, and a polyhedron. 129. The composite bone graft of any one of claims 126, 127, or 128, wherein said composite bone graft is a polyhedron. 130. The composite bone graft of any one of claims 126, 127, or 128, wherein said composite bone graft further comprises one or more textured surfaces. 131. The composite bone graft of claim 130, wherein said one or more textured surfaces comprises a plurality of closely spaced continuous protrusions. 132. The composite bone graft of claim 131, wherein said continuous protrusions comprise a cross-section having one or more shapes selected from the group consisting of irregular, triangular, square, rectangular, and curved. 133. The composite bone graft of claim 131, wherein said plurality of continuous protrusions are sized to be in a range of greater than or equal to 1.5 mm in length, 0.5 to about 10.0 mm in width, and 0.1 to about 5.0 mm in depth. 134. The composite bone graft of claim 133, wherein said plurality of closely spaced protrusions are spaced from about 0.0 to about 3.0 mm apart. 135. The composite bone graft of any one of claims 131-134, wherein said plurality of continuous protrusions are in a linear arrangement. 136. The composite bone graft of any one of claims 131-134, wherein said plurality of continuous protrusions are arranged as concentric rings. 137. A composite bone graft comprising: a plurality of bone portions layered to form a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible mechanical connectors connecting said graft unit, said mechanical connectors comprising one or more cortical bone pins, said one or more cortical bone pins including a plurality of vertical grooves provided on a surface thereof. 138. A composite bone graft comprising: two or more distinct bone portions, and one or more biocompatible mechanical connectors, wherein said mechanical connectors connect said two or more bone portions to form said composite bone graft, said mechanical connectors comprising one or more cortical bone pins, said one or more cortical bone pins including a plurality of vertical grooves provided on a surface thereof. 139. A composite bone graft comprising: one or more cortical bone portions layered to form a first unit; one or more cortical bone portions layered to form a second unit; one or more cancellous bone portions layered to form a third unit; said third unit disposed between said first unit and said second unit to form a graft unit; and one or more biocompatible mechanical connectors connecting said graft unit, said mechanical connectors comprising one or more cortical bone pins, said one or more cortical bone pins comprising a plurality of vertical grooves provided on a surface thereof. 140. A composite bone graft comprising: a graft unit having one or more through-holes configured to accommodate one or more pins, said graft unit comprising: two or more bone portions layered to form said graft unit; one or more pins connecting bone portions of said graft unit; and one or more textured surfaces comprising a plurality of closely spaced continuous protrusions arranged as concentric rings. 141. A composite bone graft comprising: a graft unit having one or more through-holes configured to accommodate one or more pins, said graft unit comprising: a first plate-like cortical bone portion; a second plate-like cortical bone portion; a plate-like cancellous bone portion disposed between said first plate-like cortical bone portion and said second plate-like cortical bone portion to form said graft unit; one or more cortical bone pins connecting bone portions of said bone graft unit; and one or more textured surfaces comprising a plurality of closely spaced continuous protrusions arranged as concentric rings. 142. A composite bone graft comprising: a graft unit having one or more though-holes configured to accommodate one or more pins, said graft unit comprising: a first plate-like bone portion; a second plate-like bone portion provided on said first plate-like bone to form said graft unit, one or more bone pins connecting said graft unit; and one or more textured surfaces comprising a plurality of closely spaced continuous protrusions arranged as concentric rings. | This application is a Continuation-in-Part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/286,975, filed Apr. 6, 1999, which is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/225,299, filed Jan. 5, 1999, now pending. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to bone grafts and more particularly, to bone grafts useful for spinal fusion. The invention provides a composite bone graft for implantation in a patient, and methods of making and using the composite bone graft. The composite bone graft contains two or more distinct bone portions where the bone portions are connected. The bone portions are preferably self-locking, interlocking, and/or connected by at least one mechanical connector, including for example, a bone pin. One or more of the bone portions may be demineralized, and may also be continuous or discontinuous. The composite bone graft may include one or more textured surfaces, preferably including a plurality of closely spaced protrusions. The composite bone graft is useful for repairing bone defects caused by congenital anomaly, disease, or trauma, and is particularly useful for spinal fusions. The composite bone graft can be appropriately sized for any application and can be used to replace traditional non-bone prosthetic implants. The composite bone graft promotes the growth of patient bone at an implantation site by promoting osteoinductivity and cellularization, provides added stability and mechanical strength, and does not shift, extrude or rotate, after implantation. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the field of prosthetic implants, materials often used include bone grafts and implants produced from non-bone materials, including for example stainless steel, titanium and plastics. The choice of whether to use a bone or a non-bone implant often depends on the clinical indication, implant site, whether the implant is load-bearing, and the size of the implant needed. Prior to the present invention, the use of bone grafts versus non-bone prosthetic implants to for example, support and fuse together adjacent vertebrae, has been limited in part by the physical size of a cortical bone graft. Interbody bone grafting involves the problem of strength. Strong cortical bone (the outer layer) is required as a strut in the interbody position to prevent collapse of the disc space while healing occurs. For example, cortical bone obtained from a cadaver source fashioned into struts, is not wide enough for optimum load bearing. This natural limitation often excludes the use of a bone graft product. The success or failure of a bone graft further depends on whether the bone graft remains at the implant site, is cellularized, and whether it can withstand the mechanical load. In spinal surgery, there are two primary indications for use of allograft bone: (1) when there is insufficient available autograft bone, and (2) in spinal fusion procedures when a structural element in needed. Typically, bone grafts are affixed at an implant site by fusion. Bone grafts for spinal applications often fail because they are extruded from the implantation site due to shifting, rotation, and slippage of the graft, are not cellularized, or fail mechanically. The invention enables the use of bone grafts for applications normally suited for only non-bone prosthetic implants. The invention solves the problem of graft failure by providing a composite bone graft which can be appropriately sized for any application out of for example, strong cortical bone; promotes the ingrowth of patient bone at an implantation site by promoting osteoinductivity and cellularization; provides added stability and mechanical strength; and does not shift, extrude or rotate; after implantation. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a composite bone graft for repairing bone defects caused by congenital anomaly, disease, or trauma, including for example, for restoring vertical support of the posterior and/or anterior column. The present composite bone grafts can be used as structural grafts placed posteriorly in the spine as interbody grafts or as strut grafts spanning multiple *segments. Posterior composite bone grafts can be used to supplement autologous bone for spinal fusions in patients who lack sufficient host bone and to avoid significant donor site morbidity. The present composite bone grafts can be used for applications normally suited for only non-bone prosthetic implants because the composite bone graft can be appropriately sized for any application and has adequate mechanical strength. The invention provides a composite bone graft including a plurality of bone portions layered to form a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit. The invention also provides a composite bone graft including two or more distinct bone portions, and one or more biocompatible connectors, where the biocompatible connectors hold together the two or more bone portions to form the composite bone graft. The present invention provides a composite bone graft including two or more connected, distinct bone portions. The present invention provides a composite bone graft including three or more connected, distinct bone portions. The present invention provides a composite bone graft including three or more connected, distinct cortical bone portions. The present invention provides a composite bone graft including one or more horizontally disposed channels provided through the composite bone graft perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions. The present invention also provides a composite bone graft including one or more vertically disposed channels provided through the composite bone graft parallel to the interfaces of the bone portions. The present invention further provides a composite bone graft including one or more horizontally disposed channels and vertically disposed channels where the one or more channels includes one or more therapeutically beneficial substances. The invention further provides a composite bone graft including two or more connected bone portions, where the bone portions can include cortical bone and cancellous bone. The invention also provides a composite bone graft, including a first bone portion, a second bone portion, a third bone portion, the first, second and third bone portions are disposed one on the other (ie. layered) to form a graft unit; and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit. The invention provides a composite bone graft, including a first cortical bone portion, a second cortical bone portion, a cancellous bone portion disposed between the first cortical bone portion and the second cortical bone portion to form a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit. The invention further provides a composite bone graft, including a first cortical bone portion, a second cortical bone portion provided on the first cortical bone portion to form a graft unit; and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit. The invention provides a composite bone graft, including a plurality of layered cortical bone portions forming a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit. The invention provides a composite bone graft, including a plurality of layered bone portions forming a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit. The invention also provides a composite bone graft, including a first bone portion, a second bone portion provided on the first bone portion to form a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit. The invention provides a composite bone graft including a plurality of distinct bone portions, where one or more of the bone portions are demineralized. The invention provides a composite bone graft including a plurality of distinct bone portions, where one or more of the bone portions are continuous or discontinuous. The invention further provides a composite bone graft including a plurality of distinct bone portions where one or more of the bone portions include a discontinuous bone portion, the discontinuous bone portion including one or more therapeutically beneficial substances including but not limited to, for example, one or more of the following: osteoinductive substances, osteoconductive substances, and pharmaceutically active agents. Such therapeutically beneficial substances may optionally be provided with a carrier. Suitable osteoinductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, autograft bone; allograft bone; Grafton™ produced by Osteotech; DynaGraft™; demineralized cortical bone; demineralized cancellous bone; collagen including one or more growth factors including for example Novus™ produced by Stryker Biotech; collagen including demineralized bone including for example DynaGraft™; cancellous bone; cortical bone; OpteoForm™ produced by the University of Florida; OsteoFill™ produced by the University of Florida; and growth factors including for example, bone morphogenic protein, and transforming growth factor-β. Suitable osteoconductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, hydroxyapitate; collagen; any biocompatible matrix material including for example, polymeric matrix materials, bioglass, bioceramics, resorbable Biomaterials; bioabsorbable polymers; a plastic matrix; stainless steel; titanium; cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy matrix; and substances including hydroxyapitate, including for example, Osteoset™ produced by Wright Medical. Suitable pharmaceutically active agents include but are not limited to, for example, growth factors including for example bone growth factors including for example bone morphogenic protein, and transforming growth factors, chemotherapeutic agents, anti-inflammatory agents, and antibiotics. The invention also provides a composite bone graft, including a first cortical bone portion, a second cortical bone portion, a cancellous bone portion disposed between the first cortical bone portion and the second cortical bone portion to form a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit, where the cancellous bone portion is demineralized and discontinuous. The invention provides a composite bone graft, including a first cortical bone portion, a second cortical bone portion, and a third cortical bone portion disposed between the first cortical bone portion and the second cortical bone portion to form a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit, where the third cortical bone portion is demineralized and discontinuous. The invention provides a composite bone graft, including a first cortical bone portion, and a second cortical bone portion disposed apart from each other, and forming a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible mechanical connectors for holding together the graft unit, where the first and second cortical bone portions are disposed separate from each other by the biocompatible mechanical connectors, thereby forming a substantially void central area. The invention further provides a composite bone graft including a substantially void central area, where the substantially void central area further includes one or more therapeutically beneficial substances including but not limited to, for example, one or more of the following: osteoinductive substances, osteoconductive substances, and pharmaceutically active agents. Such therapeutically beneficial substances may optionally be provided with a carrier. Suitable osteoinductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, autograft bone; allograft bone; Grafton™ produced by Osteotech; DynaGraft™; demineralized cortical bone; demineralized cancellous bone; collagen including one or more growth factors including for example Novus™ produced by Stryker Biotech; collagen including demineralized bone including for example DynaGraft™; cancellous bone; cortical bone; OpteoForm™ produced by the University of Florida; OsteoFill™ produced by the University of Florida; and growth factors including for example bone morphogenic protein, and transforming, growth factor-β. Suitable osteoconductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, hydroxyapitate; collagen; any biocompatible matrix material including for example, polymeric matrix materials, bioglass, bioceramics, resorbable Biomaterials; bioabsorbable polymers; a plastic matrix; stainless steel; titanium; cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy matrix; and substances including hydroxyapitate, including for example, Osteoset™ produced by Wright Medical. Suitable pharmaceutically active agents include but are not limited to, for example, growth factors including for example bone growth factors including for example bone morphogenic protein, and transforming growth factor-β; chemotherapeutic agents; anti-inflammatory agents; and antibiotics. The material may be in any suitable form including for example, in the form of a solid, sponge, paste, powder, and/or gel. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the biocompatible connectors include one or more mechanical biocompatible connectors. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the biocompatible connectors include a chemical biocompatible connector. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the mechanical biocompatible connectors include one or more pins. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the chemical biocompatible connectors include a biocompatible adhesive. The invention provides a composite bone graft where one or more biocompatible connectors include one or more of the following: a mechanical connector and a chemical connector. The invention also provides a composite bone graft where the mechanical biocompatible connectors include one or more of the following biocompatible materials: cortical bone; stainless steel; titanium; cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy; a bioceramic; a bioglass; a plastic of one or more of the following: nylon, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyacetal, polyethylene, and polysulfone; and one or more bioabsorbable polymers. The invention also provides a composite bone graft where the mechanical biocompatible connectors include cortical bone. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the one or more pins include one or more cortical bone pins. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the graft unit includes one or more through-holes configured to accommodate the one or more pins. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the through-holes are disposed perpendicular to interfaces of bone portions forming the graft unit. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the through-holes are disposed perpendicular to interfaces of for example, the first bone portion, the second bone portion, and the third bone portion, of the graft unit. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the one or more pins and the one or more through-holes are configured to provide an interference fit to holding together the graft unit. The invention also provides a composite bone graft where the one or more through-holes arid the one or more pins are round and an inner diameter of a through-hole is smaller than a diameter of a pin, to provide an interference fit between the through-hole and the pin. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the one or more cortical bone pins include a plurality of vertical groves provided on a surface thereof. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the one or more cortical bone pins includes a roughened surface. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the one or more cortical bone pins further includes a slot extending from one end of the bone pin. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the one or more pins is threaded to provide a threaded engagement with the one or more through-holes. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the one or more pins is threaded and the one or more through-holes is threaded, to provide a threaded engagement between the one or more pins and the one or more through-holes. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the one or more pins and the one or more through-holes are configured to provide a slidable connection, for example, to provide a composite bone-graft including a substantially void central area. The invention also provides a composite bone graft where a cross-section of the one or more pins includes a shape selected from the group including the following: round, ovoid, square, rectangular, triangular, pentagon, hexagon, and trapezoidal. The invention further provides a composite bone graft including a plurality of plate-like cortical bone portions, the cortical bone portions layered to form a graft unit, the graft unit held together with one or more cortical bone pins. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the composite bone graft is a cortical cylinder. The invention provides a composite bone graft including a graft unit having one or more through-holes configured to accommodate one or more pins, the graft unit including two or more bone portions layered to form the graft unit, and one or more pins for holding together the graft unit. The invention further provides a composite bone graft, including a graft unit having one or more through-holes configured to accommodate or more pins, the graft unit including a first plate-like cortical bone, a second plate-like cortical bone, a plate-like cancellous bone disposed between the first plate-like cortical bone and the second plate-like cortical bone to form the graft unit, and one or more cortical bone pins for holding together the graft unit. The invention also provides a composite bone graft, including a graft unit having one or more through-holes configured to accommodate one or more pins, the graft unit including a first plate-like bone, a second plate-like bone provided on the first plate-like bone to form the graft unit, and one or more bone pins for holding together the graft unit. The invention also provides a cervical composite-bone graft, including a flattened curved wedge graft unit having one or more through-holes configured to accommodate one or more pins, the graft unit including two or more plate-like cortical bone portions layered to form the graft unit, and at least two bone pins for holding together the graft unit, where the graft unit includes a substantially centrally located through-hole. The diameter of the through-hole may be readily selected by one of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation depending upon the particular application; for example, the diameter of the through-hole may be from about 2.0 mm-4.0 mm; preferably 2.5 mm-3.0 mm; and more preferably 3.0 mm. The invention also provides a composite bone graft where the one or more through-holes are disposed perpendicular to interfaces of plate-like bones of the graft unit. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the composite bone graft is a parallelepiped; a parallel block; a square block; a trapezoid wedge; a cylinder; a tapered cylinder; a cervical wedge (flattened curved wedge); an ovoid wedge (anterior lumbar wedge graft) and a polyhedron. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the composite bone graft is a polyhedron including six planer surfaces. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the composite bone graft further includes one or more textured surfaces. The invention also provides a composite bone graft where the one or more textured surfaces includes a plurality of closely spaced continuous protrusions. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the continuous protrusions include a cross-section having one or more shapes selected from the following: irregular; triangular, square, rectangular, and curved. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the plurality of continuous protrusions are sized to be in a range of greater than or equal to about 1.5 mm in length; 0.5 to about 10.0 mm in width and 0.1 to about 5.0 mm in depth. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the plurality of closely spaced continuous protrusions are spaced from about 0.0 to about 3.0 mm apart. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the plurality of protrusions are spaced from about 0.1 to about 2.0 mm apart. The invention also provides a composite bone graft where the plurality of protrusions are spaced about 0.5 mm apart. The invention provides a method for restoring vertical support of the posterior and/or anterior column by implanting a composite bone graft including two or more distinct bone portions held together by one or more connectors, at a site in a patient. The invention provides a composite bone graft containing two or more connected bone portions, where the composite bone graft has a plurality of closely spaced protrusions on one or more surfaces thereof, where the protrusions are continuous protrusions, discrete protrusions, or a combination thereof. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the plate-like cortical and/or cancellous bone portions are continuous bone portions and/or discontinuous bone portions. The invention provides a composite bone graft including one or more discontinuous:bone portions. The invention provides a composite bone graft including one or more discontinuous, demineralized cortical bone portions. The invention provides a composite bone graft including one or more discontinuous, demineralized cancellous bone portions. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where one or more continuous or discontinuous cancellous bone portions, (continuous or discontinuous and/or demineralized)includes one or more therapeutically beneficial substances including but not limited to, for example, one or more of the following: osteoinductive substances, osteoconductive substances, and pharmaceutically active agents. Such therapeutically beneficial substances may optionally be provided with a carrier. Suitable osteoinductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, autograft bone; allograft bone; Grafton™ produced by Osteotech; DynaGraft™; demineralized cortical bone; demineralized cancellous bone; collagen including one or more growth factors including for example Novus™ produced by Stryker Biotech; collagen including demineralized bone including for example DynaGraft™; cancellous bone; cortical bone; OpteoForm™ produced by the University of Florida; OsteoFill™ produced by the University of Florida; and growth factors including for example bone morphogenic protein, and transforming growth factor-β. Suitable osteoconductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, hydroxyapitate; collagen; any biocompatible matrix material including for example, polymeric matrix materials, bioglass, bioceramics, resorbable Biomaterials; bioabsorbable polymers; a plastic matrix; stainless steel; titanium; cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy matrix; and substances including hydroxyapitate, including for example, Osteoset™ produced by Wright Medical. Suitable pharmaceutically active agents include but are not limited to, for example, growth factors including for example bone growth factors including for example bone morphogenic protein, and transforming growth factory; chemotherapeutic agents; anti-inflammatory agents; and antibiotics. The invention provides a composite bone graft where one or more continuous or discontinuous cancellous bone portions are demineralized and include one or more therapeutically beneficial substances. The invention provides a composite bone graft where one or more discontinuous cortical bone portions, include one or more therapeutically beneficial substances. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where one or more discontinuous cortical bone portions are demineralized and include one or more therapeutically beneficial substances. The invention also provides a composite bone graft including a two or more distinct bone portions held together by one or more connectors, where the composite-bone graft includes two diametrically opposing chamfered edges, one provided along the length of the graft at its top edge and the other provided along the length of the graft at its bottom edge, such that the chamfered edges are diametrically opposing. The invention further provides a composite bone graft including two or more distinct interlocking cortical bone portions. The invention provides a composite bone graft including two or more distinct interlocking bone portions, where the interlocking bone portions are self-locking. The invention also provides a composite bone graft including two or more distinct interlocking bone portions, where the interlocking bone portions are locked with one or more locking pins. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where bone portions are locked with one or more locking pins entirely or partially traversing a dimension of the composite bone graft. The invention provides an interlocking composite bone graft where each complementary bone portion is provided with a discrete or continuous interlocking pattern. The invention also provides an interlocking composite bone graft including two or more distinct adjacent bone portions where adjacent bone portions are configured to interlock with each other, and one or more bone pins partially or entirely traversing a dimension of the graft, where the dimension of the graft is the length, width, or height of the graft. The invention provides an interlocking composite bone graft including two or more distinct adjacent bone portions where adjacent bone portions are configured to interlock with each other. The invention provides a composite bone graft including two or more distinct adjacent interlocking bone portions where adjacent bone portions include complementary peg-like protrusions and corresponding depressions, such that the protrusions and depressions provide an interlocking fit between the bone portions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1. FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a trapezoid wedge composite bone graft having a non-textured surface. FIG. 2. FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a trapezoid wedge composite bone graft having opposing textured surfaces provided perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions. The textured surfaces illustrate continuous linear protrusions defining a saw-tooth-like pattern. FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-section posterior view of the trapezoid wedge composite bone graft of FIG. 2. FIG. 4. FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-section anterior view of the trapezoid wedge composite bone graft of FIG. 2. FIG. 5. FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of the trapezoid wedge composite bone graft of FIG. 2, and having a textured surface. FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the trapezoid wedge composite bone graft of FIG. 2, and having a textured surface. FIG. 7. FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective of a preferred slidably connected composite bone graft having a first cortical bone portion, a second cortical bone portion, cortical bone pins, through-holes, and a centrally located void. FIG. 8. FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of the slidably connected composite bone graft of FIG. 7, having a first cortical bone portion, a second cortical bone portion, and a cancellous bone portion disposed there between. FIG. 9. FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the composite bone graft. FIG. 10. FIG. 10 illustrates a preferred cortical dowel composite bone graft including a plurality of cortical bone portions connected by a single cortical bone pin inserted into a through-hole. FIG. 11A. FIG. 11A illustrates the method of making a preferred embodiment of the composite bone graft. FIG. 11B. FIG. 11B illustrates a method for producing bone pins and producing a pinned graft unit. FIG. 12. FIG. 12 illustrates another method for making a composite bone graft. FIGS. 13A & 13B. FIG. 13A is a perspective view of a preferred trapezoid block composite bone graft having opposing textured surfaces; FIG. 13B is a detail of the protrusions of the textured surface. FIGS. 14A, 14B & 14C FIGS. 14A, 14B and 14C, illustrate a cervical wedge (flattened curved wedge)composite bone graft for use in cervical fusions where 14A is a perspective standing view, 14B is a side view, and 14C is a perspective view where the graft is provided with opposing textured surfaces. FIG. 15. FIG. 15 illustrates a method for making a cervical wedge composite bone graft for use in cervical fusions. FIG. 16. FIG. 16 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical pin connector having a slot extending from its lower end. FIG. 17. FIG. 17 illustrates a side view of the mechanical pin connector of FIG. 16, having a slot extending from its lower end. FIG. 18. FIG. 18 illustrates a cross-section view of the mechanical pin connector of FIG. 16, having a slot extending from its lower end. FIG. 19. FIG. 19 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical pin connector having a plurality of horizontally disposed grooves. FIG. 20. FIG. 20 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical pin connector having helical threads. FIG. 21. FIG. 21 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical pin connector having a plurality of vertically disposed grooves. FIG. 22. FIG. 22 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical slotted pin connector. FIG. 23. FIG. 23 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical pin connector having a plurality of horizontally disposed ridges. FIG. 24. FIG. 24 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical triangular pin connector. FIG. 25. FIG. 25 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical square pin connector FIG. 26. FIG. 26 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical hexagon pin connector. FIG. 27. FIG. 27 illustrates a perspective view of a rectangular block composite bone graft having a demineralized cortical bone portion sandwiched between two cortical bone portions, where the demineralized cortical bone portion is provided with perforations and channels, and where the composite graft includes opposing textured surfaces provided perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions. The textured surfaces illustrate continuous linear protrusions defining a saw-tooth-like pattern. FIG. 28. FIG. 28 illustrates a perspective view of a rectangular block composite bone graft having a demineralized cancellous bone portion sandwiched between two cortical bone portions, where the composite graft includes opposing textured surfaces provided perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions. The textured surfaces illustrate continuous linear protrusions defining a saw-tooth-like pattern. FIG. 29. FIG. 29 illustrates a preferred method of making the bone graft of FIG. 27. FIG. 30. FIG. 30 illustrates a preferred method of making the bone graft of FIG. 28. FIG. 31A. FIG. 31A illustrates a top view of a composite bone graft including a void disposed between two cortical bone portions where the void includes one or more therapeutically beneficial substances. FIG. 31B illustrates a perspective view of a composite bone graft including a void disposed between two cortical bone portions where the void includes one or more therapeutically beneficial substances, and the composite graft includes opposing textured surfaces. FIG. 32A, 32B, & 32C FIGS. 32A, 32B, and 32C, illustrate a top view, a cross-section, and a side view, respectively, of a preferred parallel block composite bone graft. FIG. 33A, 33B, & 33C. FIGS. 33A, 33B, and 33C, illustrate a top view, a cross-section, and a side view, respectively, of a preferred trapezoid wedge composite bone graft. FIG. 34. FIG. 34 illustrates a perspective view of a preferred trapezoid wedge composite bone graft having opposing textured surfaces and having a horizontally disposed channel and vertically disposed canals. FIGS. 35A & 35B. FIG. 35A illustrates a standing view of a preferred cervical wedge composite bone graft for use in cervical fusions, having horizontally disposed channels and having a centrally located through-hole including an osteoconductive substance. FIG. 35B illustrates a side view of the cervical wedge graft of FIG. 35A including a vertically disposed channel. FIGS. 36A, 36B, & 36C FIGS. 36A, 36B, and 36C, illustrate a cross-section, a top view, and a side view, respectively, of a preferred trapezoid wedge composite bone graft. FIG. 37. FIG. 37 illustrates a standing view of a cervical wedge (flattened curved wedge)composite bone graft for use in cervical fusions. FIG. 38. FIG. 38 illustrates a standing view of a cervical wedge (flattened curved wedge)composite bone graft for use in cervical fusions. FIGS. 39. FIG. 39 illustrates a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the composite bone graft including two interlocking cortical bone portions. FIGS. 40A & 40B. FIG. 40A illustrates a side view of a preferred embodiment of a cervical wedge composite bone graft including two interlocking cortical bone portions, and FIG. 40B illustrates a perspective view of the graft including two interlocking cortical bone portions. FIG. 41. FIG. 41 illustrates a perspective view of a preferred trapezoid wedge bone graft including three interlocking cortical bone portions. FIGS. 42A, 42B, & 42C FIGS. 42A, 42B, & 42C illustrate side views of preferred composite bone grafts including two interlocking cortical bone portions where the interlocking interface defines a saw-tooth pattern, a stepped pattern and a lock & key pattern, respectively. FIG. 43. FIG. 43 illustrates a standing view of a cervical wedge (flattened curved wedge)composite bone graft for use in cervical fusions. FIG. 44. FIG. 44 illustrates a standing view of a cervical wedge (flattened curved wedge) composite bone graft for use in cervical fusions. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS I. DEFINITIONS The below definitions serve to provide a clear and consistent understanding of the specification and claims, including the scope to be given such terms. Bioabsorbable polymers. By the term “bioabsorbable polymers” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, bioabsorbable, bioabsorbable, biodegradable, and bioerodible materials that are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art and are described in Biomaterials Science—An Introduction to Materials in Medicine, edited by latner, B. D. et al., Academic Press, (1996), and include for example, the following materials: chitosan; isomorphic ploy(hexamethylene co-trans- 1,4-cyclohexane dimethylene oxalates); poly(glycolic acid); copolymers of poly(glycolic acid) and poly(lactic acid); polydioxanone; poly(latic acid); polymers having a back-bone structure selected from the group consisting of: polyanhydrides, polyphophazenes, polyphosphonates, polyamides, and polyiminocarbonates; polyhydroxybutyrate; polyhydroxyvalerate; copolymers of polyhydroxybutyrate and polyhydroxyvalerate; polycaprolactone; polydioxanone; poly(γ-ethyl glutamate); poly (DTH iminocarbonate); poly(Bisphenol A iminocarbonate); poly(DETOSU-1,6 HD-t-CDM ortho ester); poly(Sebacic acid-hexadecandioic acid anhydride); poly(ortho esters); poly(amino acids); and PLOA. Such polymers may optionally include one or more pharmaceutically active agents for controlled release applications, such agents including for example: osteoinductive factors including for example bone morphogenic protein; growth factors including for example transforming growth factor-β; chemotherapeutic agents; antiobiotics; and anti-inflammatory agents. Biocompatible. By the term “biocompatible” is intended for the purposes of the present invention; any material which when implanted in a patient does not provoke an adverse response in the patient. A suitable biocompatible material when introduced into a patient is not toxic or injurious to that patient, or does not cause immunological rejection. Biomechanical strength. By the term “biomechanical strength” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, those properties exhibited by a bone graft, including loading strength, compressive strength, and tensile strength. Bone. By the term “bone” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, bone recovered from any source including animal and human, for example, human bone recovered for the production of allografts, and animal bone recovered for the production of xenografts, such allografts and xenografts suitable for implantation into a human. Such bone includes: any bone or portion thereof, including cut pieces of bone, including cortical and/or cancellous bone, for example, recovered from a human including a living human or a cadaver, or animal, and processed for implantation into a living patient. Such bones including for example: the humorous, hemi-pelvi, tibia, fibula, radius, ulna, rib, vertebrae, mandibular, femur, and ilia, and any cut portion thereof Such bone may be demineralized or not demineralized. In a preferred embodiment a cancellous or cortical bone section is demineralized and disposed between two non-demineralized cortical bone portions. Suitable bone may also include continuous or discontinuous bone portions. For example, one or more bone portions of a composite bone graft may be discontinuous, for example, a bone portion may be perforated and demineralized, for example perforated either before or after demineralization, for example, to allow for uniform demineralization (perforations before demineralization) and to promote ingrowth of patient bone. Cancellous and/or demineralized cancellous and/or discontinuous cancellous and/or demineralized discontinuous cancellous and or discontinuous cortical and/or demineralized discontinuous cortical, bone, may optionally include one or more therapeutically beneficial substances provided with or without a carrier transforming growth factor-β; The composite bone graft may include a substantially void central area, where the substantially void central area further includes one or more therapeutically beneficial substances provided with or without a carrier. The material may be in any suitable form including for example, in the form of a solid, sponge, paste and/or gel. Bone marrow elements. By the term “bone marrow elements” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, the highly cellular hematopoietic connective tissue filling the medullary cavities and spongy epiphysis of bones which may harbor bacterial and/or viral particles and/or fungal particles, and includes for example, blood and lipid. Chamfer. By the term “chamfer” is intended for the purposes of the invention, an oblique face formed at a corner of a composite bone graft, at an angle to the adjacent principal faces. Suitable angles include angles in the range of from 38° to 52°, more preferably 40° to 50°, even more preferably 42° to 48°, and most preferably about 40° to 50°, even more preferably 42° to 48°, and most preferably about 45°. Cleaned bone. By the term “cleaned bone” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, a bone or cut portion thereof, that has been processed using means known in the art, to remove bone marrow elements. Closely Spaced. By the term “closely spaced” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, protrusions (discrete or continuous) which are in close proximity to each other. Preferably the protrusions are spaced no more than 3.0 mm apart (i.e. the distance between the edges of two adjacent protrusions), more preferably no more than 2.0 mm apart, even more preferably no more than 1.5 mm apart, and most preferably about 0.5 mm apart. Composite. By the term “composite” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, a bone graft which is made up of two or more distinct bone portions. Connector. By the term “connector” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, a means of connecting two or more distinct bone portions, including for example a chemical and/or mechanical means. By the term “mechanical connector” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, a structural member including for example, a pin. By the term “chemical connector” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, a biocompatible composition including for example, one or more biocompatible adhesives and one or more surface modification agents, and methods. Continuous Bone Portion. By the term “continuous bone portion” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, a bone portion that is substantially solid without any-artificial void areas. Continuous Protrusion. By the term “continuous protrusion” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, a protrusion whose length continues substantially uninterrupted, including for example a linear or curved protrusion whose length is at least three times greater than its width, preferably at least five times greater, and includes for example a continuous, protruding concentric ring, and a continuous linear protrusion, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Each continuous protrusion may or may not be distinct from another continuous protrusion. Demineralized Bone. By the term “demineralized bone” is intended for the purposes of this invention, one or more distinct bone portions which have been demineralized by any method well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Cortical bone is preferably demineralized in 0.5 to 0.6 N hydrochloric acid for a period of time of from about 1 to about 8 hours, more preferably for a time period of about two hours, at 25° C. to 50° C., more preferably at 25° C. to 37° C. Cancellous bone is preferably demineralized in 0.5 to 0.6N hydrochloric acid for a period of time of from about 20 minutes to about 6.0 hours, more preferably for a time period of from about 30 minutes to about 2.0 hours. Preferably, cortical and/or cancellous bone is demineralized to contain less than 10 wt % residual calcium, more preferably about less than 5 wt % residual calcium, even more preferably about 1 wt % to about 3 wt %, and most preferably about 2 wt % residual calcium. Other methods for demineralizing bone are well known in the art to which the present invention pertains, and can be readily selected and employed by one of ordinary skill in the art, without undue experimentation. Discontinuous Bone Portion. By the term “discontinuous bone portion” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, a bone portion that contains artificially created void areas including for example, a perforated bone portion, where the perforations or channels may be of any shape and may partially or completely transverse the bone portion. Such perforations may be randomly disposed or disposed in a regular pattern on and/or through the bone portion. Suitable perforations include perforations traversing the width of the bone portion provided perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions of the composite graft, and channels traversing the height of the bone portion provided parallel to the interfaces of the bone portions of the composite graft. Such perforations allow for uniform demineralization of a bone portion, and allow for ingrowth of patient bone. A demineralized discontinuous bone portion may be perforated prior to demineralization or after demineralization. Discrete Protrusion. By the term “discrete protrusion” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, a protrusion which is discontinuous, i.e. which has a distinct length and width, where each discrete protrusion is separate and distinct from every other discrete protrusion, and includes for example a protrusion whose length is less than three times its width, preferably less than twice its width and more preferably a protrusion whose length is about equal to its width. Interlocking. By the term “interlocking” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, any pattern provided on a bone portion which allows that bone portion to engage or interlace with another bone portion, such that the engaged bone portions act as a single bone portion when stressed. Such bone portions may be provided with engaging patterns including but not limited to the following: step patterns, sawtooth patterns, and ridged patterns, patterns that define mortise and tenon joints, and lock and key type patterns. These patterns may be either discrete, for example one bone portion may include one or more protrusions and a complementary bone portion may be provided with one or more corresponding depressions, or continuous, for example bone portions are provided with complementary continuous grooves (See. FIGS. 39, 40, and 41). The discrete patterns, may include protrusions and corresponding depressions of any shape and size sufficient to provide an interlocking fit, and include round, square, rectangular, triangular, oval, irregular, and any combination of geometric and curved shaped protrusions and corresponding depressions. The depth/height of the discrete or continuous patterns is from about 0.1 mm to about 3.5 mm, preferably from about 0.2 mm to about 2.0 mm, more preferably from about 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm, and most preferably from about 0.5 mm to about 1.0 mm. One of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertain can readily determine, select and employ an appropriate depth/height of the depression/protrusion based on the desired graft dimensions, whether or not a pin will also be used, clinical application, etc., without undue experimentation. Adjacent bone portions provided with interlocking patterns, may be self-locking such that no other connecting means, for example one or more pins, is necessary to form a unitary structure, ie. to hold the composite bone graft together. Alternatively, interlocking bone portions may be “locked” to form a unitary structure using other connection means, for example, one or more pins partially or entirely traversing a dimension of the composite bone graft, where the dimension is for example the height, width, or length of the composite bone graft. Load-bearing. By the term “load-bearing” is intended for the purposes of the present invention a non-demineralized bone product for implantation in a patient at a site where the bone graft will be expected to withstand some level of physical load(s). Locking-pin. By the term “locking-pin” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, one or more pins entirely or partially traversing a dimension of a composite bone graft which serve to hold the bone graft together, for example, two or more interlocking bone portions provided with complementary patterns for example, a stepped pattern, may be locked using one or more pins, for example, one bone pin partially traversing the length of the graft. Mechanical Strength. By the term “mechanical strength” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, the ability of a bone allograft to withstand mechanical loads at an implant site without failing. Materials properties. By the term “materials properties” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, those properties present in normal fresh bone and include loading strength, compressive strength, tensile strength, and brittleness. Normal bone. By the term “normal bone” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, fresh hydrated autogenous and/or fresh-frozen hydrated allograft bone tissue. Osteoconductivity. By the term “osteoconductivity” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, the ability of a substance which by its presence conducts osteoinductive activity. Suitable osteoconductive materials include but are not limited to, for example, one or more biocompatible matrix materials. Suitable osteoconductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, hydroxyapitate; collagen; any biocompatible matrix material including for example, polymeric matrix materials, bioglass, bioceramics, resorbable Biomaterials, bioabsorbable polymers, a plastic matrix, stainless steel, titanium, and cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy matrix, arid, substances including hydroxyapitate, including for example, Osteoset™ produced by Wright Medical. Osteoinductivity. By the term “osteoinductivity” is intended for the purposes of the present: invention, the ability of a substance to promote bone growth. Suitable osteoinductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, autograft bone; allograft bone; Grafton™: produced by Osteotech; DynaGraft™; demineralized cortical bone; demineralized cancellous bone; collagen l including one or more growth factors including for example Novus™ produced by Stryker Biotech; collagen including demineralized bone including for example DynaGraft™; cancellous bone; cortical bone; OpteoForm™ produced by the University of Florida; OsteoFill™ produced by the University of Florida; growth factors including for example, bone morphogenic protein and transforming growth factor-β. Preferably, when a demineralized bone product is used the bone is demineralized to contain less than 6 wt % residual calciurm, more preferably demineralized to contain 1 wt % to about 3 wt % residual calcium, and most preferably dermineralized to contain about 2 wt % residual calcium. Parallelepiped. By the term “parallelepiped” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, a six-faced polyhedron all of whose faces are parallelograms lying in-pairs of parallel planes. Polyhedron. By the term “polyhedron” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, a solid formed by plane faces, preferably formed by six faces. Protrusion. By the term “protrusion” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, an irregularity in a surface of a bone allograft having a height of from 0. 1 to 5.00 mm, preferably 0.3 to 3.0 mm, more preferably 0.5 to 1.5 mm, and most preferably 0.75 mm to 1.2 mm. The protrusions can be discrete, continuous, or a combination thereof, and can be of any shape including for example: irregular; pyrimidal; conical; cuboidal; rectangular; and cylindrical; or any-combination thereof. Further, a cross-section of a continuous or discrete protrusion may be of any shape including for example: irregular; rectangular; square; oval; round; triangular; trapizoidal; and a regular or irregular curve; or any combination thereof. The protrusions can be provided on the bone allograft surface in a regular, symmetric pattern including for example a linear pattern or in an irregular pattern. Self-locking, interlocking pattern. By the term “self-locking, interlocking pattern” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, any complementary patterns provided on adjacent bone portions which enable the bone portions: to interlock, act as a unitary structure, and the bone portions are held together, without the use of any additional connecting means. Stability. By the term “stability” is intended for the purposes of the present invention the ability of the present composite bone graft to remain at an implantation site without significantly shifting, rotating, or being extruded. Stress. By the term “stress” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, load per unit cross-sectional area. Textured. By the term “textured” is intended for the purposes of the present invention, a composite bone graft having one or more textured surfaces provided on the surface of the composite bone graft where the surface of the composite bone graft can be any surface or a portion of any surface including a natural surface and/or a cut surface. The textured surface preferably includes a plurality of protrusions provided on the surface or a portion thereof, the protrusions of a shake including for example, irregular; pyrimidal; conical; cuboidal; rectangular; trapizoidal: curved and cylindrical; or any combination thereof The protrusions can be discrete, continuous, or a combination thereof. Therapeutically Beneficial. By the term “therapeutically beneficial” is intended any material which by its action or presence, bring about a therapeutic result in a patient. Such materials include but are not limited to, for example, one or more of the following: osteoinductive substances, osteoconductive substances, and pharmaceutically active agents. Such therapeutically beneficial substances may optionally be provided with a carrier. Suitable osteoinductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, autograft bone; allograft bone; Grafton™ produced by Osteotech; DynaGraft™; demineralized cortical bone; demineralized cancellous bone; collagen including one or more growth factors including for example Novus™ produced by Stryker Biotech; collage including demineralized bone including for example DynaGraft™; cancellous bone; cortical bone; OpteoForm™ produced by the University of Florida; OsteoFill™ produced by the University of Florida; growth factors including for example bone morphogenic protein, and transforming growth factor-β. Suitable osteoconductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, hydroxyapitate; collagen; any biocompatible matrix material including for example, polymeric matrix materials, bioglass, bioceramics, resorbable Biomaterials; bioabsorbable polymers; a plastic matrix; stainless steel; titanium; cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy matrix; and substances including hydroxyapitate, including for example, Osteoset™ produced by Wright Medical. Suitable pharmaceutically active agents include but are not limited to, for example, growth factors including for example bone growth factors including for example bone morphogenic protein, and transforming growth factor-β, and transforming growth factor-β; chemotherapeutic agents; anti-inflammatory agents; and antibiotics. II. Procurement and Preliminary Processing of Bone Tissue Suitable bone tissue includes bone obtained from any animal or human source. Preferably, bone graft tissue can be obtained from the patient himself (autologous bone) or from a cadaver (allograft bone). When allograft bone tissue is used, it is processed under strict aseptic conditions in certified clean room operating suites. The bone tissue is preferably processed to remove all soft tissue, including marrow and blood, to produce a cleaned bone graft. Suitable processing methods are well known to those skilled in the art and can be readily selected and employed by those of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation. Suitable methods include the methods disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos.: 5,556,379; 5,820,581; and 5,797,891. After processing, the cleaned grafts are packaged under sterile conditions and stored for latter processing into the present composite bone allograft, or immediately processed into the present composite bone allograft followed by appropriate packaging. The use of fresh-frozen and/or freeze-dried, bone allografts are preferred. III. How to Make a Preferred Embodiment of the Composite Bone Graft FIG. 11A illustrates a preferred method 60 of making the present composite bone graft. A composite bone graft having of any size necessary for a particular application can be made using the preferred method discussed hereafter. A cortical bone shaft 61 is obtained from a cadaver and is transected into cortical sections 62 having a length 63 of at least 18.0 mm, preferably at least 21.0 mm. A cortical section 62 is then first cut to produce a cortical plank 64, the remaining cortical section 62a is turned and again cut to produce a second cortical plank, the remaining cortical plank 62b is again turned and cut into third and fourth cortical planks 64. The cortical planks 64 are cut to an appropriate width 65 and thickness 66. The concave surface 64a of the plank 64 can be smoothed if needed to produce a smoothed plank 67. Opposing edges 67a and 67b can be cut such that the cut surfaces 67c and 67d are approximately parallel. The cut width 68 should be larger than the final composite bone graft width. More specifically, cut width 68 is preferably greater than about 12.0 mm. The convex surface 64b of plank 64 is then smoothed to produce a smoothed plank 69. The smoothed plank 64 is further smoothed by for example, milling, such that the opposing surfaces 64a, and 64b, and 67c and 67d, are parallel, to produce a parallel plank 70 having a thickness 71 of at least 1.0 mm, preferably from about 1.5 mm to about 6.0 mm, and more preferably from about 2.0, mm to about 5.5 mm. FIG. 11B illustrates cortical pins 7 cut from a cortical section 62, using for example a drill, press, 72 or other means known in the art. The cortical pins 7, can also be made from a cortical plank 64, for example by turning on a lathe. The pins 7 have a diameter of from about 1.0 to about 6.06 mm, preferably from about 1.5 mm to about 4.5 mm, and more preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm. If the composite bone graft includes cancellous bone, cancellous bone planks 73 are produced and sized by the method as described above for producing cortical bone planks 69 and 70. The composite bone unit 74 is then assembled as desired, for example a cortical parallel plank 70, a cancellous plank 73, and another cortical parallel plank 70. The composite bone unit 74 has a height 74a, a width 74b and a length 74c. The height 74a, width 74b and length 74c, can be readily selected by one of ordinary skill in the art, depending on factors including for example, the particular application and site of implantation in a patient. The planks are secured and holes 5 are drilled there through. The through-holes 5 are sized such that a tight or frictional fit is provided between a pin 7 and a though-hole 5. The cortical pins 7 are then inserted through the through-holes 5 and pressed to fit if needed, to produce pinned composite graft 75. The cortical bone pins 7 have a diameter 8 sufficient to provide an interference fit or frictional fit between a pin 7 and a through-hole 5. More it specifically the diameter 8 of a cortical pin 7 is generally the same or slightly larger than the diameter 6 of a through-hole 5 into which it is to be inserted. The diameter of the pin 7 is preferably no more than 1.5 mm larger than the diameter of the through-hole 5. The assembled pinned graft can thereafter be shaped as desired, for example into a trapezoid shaped graft and appropriately dimensioned to produce a composite bone graft. One or more surfaces of the composite bone graft may be textured if desired, for example, depending upon the particular application. FIG. 12 illustrates an additional method 33 of making a preferred embodiment of the present composite bone graft. A cross-section of a femur is obtained from a cadaver, and cleaned using methods well known to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, to remove bone marrow elements thereby producing the cleaned femural ring 34. The cleaned femural ring is then sectioned into several sections of cortical bone including a first cortical bone portion 35 and a second cortical bone portion 36, each portion having a width 37 of from about 2.0 to about 10.0 mm; preferably of from about 4.0 to about 8.0 mm; and more preferably of from about 5.0 to about 6.0 mm. Portions 35 and 36 are then held together to form-a graft unit 38 having a width of 39 which is at least 4.0 mm; preferably greater than 9.0 mm; using for example, a clamp, and one or more through-holes 5 having a diameter 6 of about 0.5 mm to about 10.0 mm preferably 2.0 mm to about 5.0 mm, more preferably 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, are then drilled there through. Cortical pins 7 are produced from cortical bone by methods well known to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. The pins 7 have a diameter of from 1.0 mm to about 6.0 mm, preferably from about 1.5 mm to about 4.5 mm, and more preferably from-about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm. The graft unit 38, having through-holes 5 drilled there through is then placed in a press and one or more cortical pins 7 are inserted into the through-holes 5. Thereafter, one or more surfaces 44 of the composite bone graft 45 can be textured by for example, milling to create a desired texture including the illustrated continuous linear protrusions (sawtooth pattern). Preferably, the composite bone graft includes opposing textured surfaces disposed perpendicular to the interface(s) of the bone portions. FIG. 15 illustrates a preferred method for making a cervical wedge(flattened curved wedge) composite bone graft. Cortical planks 70 are produced and pinned using cortical pins 7 as previously described in FIGS. 11A and 11B to form a pinned cortical graft unit 89. The pinned graft unit 89 has a height 90, a length 91 and a width 92. The pinned graft unit 89 is then cut and shaped 94 to a designated pattern 93 to form a flattened curved block 95. A through-hole 83 is then provided centrally through the flattened curved block 95 using for example a drill press 72. The top 96 and bottom 97 faces of the block 95 are then provided with a slope at an angle 98 for example by milling. The top 96 and/or bottom 97 faces may optionally be textured, for example by providing the faces with a plurality of pyrimidal protrusions. FIG. 29 illustrates a method of making a composite bone graft 99 including a discontinuous, demineralized, cortical bone portion 100 disposed between two cortical bone portions 70. The cortical parallel planks 70 are produced as discussed above in reference to FIG. 11. The discontinuous, demineralized, cortical bone portion 100 is produced by first producing a cortical parallel plank 70, as described above in reference to FIG. 11. The cortical parallel plank 70 is then perforated, for example using a drill press, to create perforations 101 traversing the width of the plank, and to create channels 102 traversing the height of the plank, to produce a discontinuous bone plank 103. The discontinuous bone plank 103 is then demineralized by any method well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, including for example, demineralizing in 0.5-0.6N hydrochloric acid at from 25° C. to 50° C., preferably at from 25° C. to 37° C., for a period of time of from about 1 hour to about 8 hours, preferably for about 2 hours, more preferably demineralization is carried out until the discontinuous bone plank 103 contains less than 6 wt % residual calcium, preferably about 1 wt % to about 3 wt % residual calcium, and most preferably demineralized to contain about 2 wt % residual calcium, to produce a demineralized discontinuous plank 100. The demineralized discontinuous bone plank 100 and the cortical parallel planks 70 are then assembled, shaped, and textured to produce the composite bone graft 99, according to the methods described in reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 30 illustrates a method of making a composite bone graft 105 including a demineralized cancellous bone portion 106 disposed between two cortical bone portions 70. The cortical parallel planks 70 are produced as discussed above in reference to FIG. 11. The demineralized cancellous bone portion 106 is produced by first producing a cancellous parallel plank 73, as described above in reference to FIG. 11. The cancellous parallel plank 73 is then demineralized by any method well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, including for example, demineralizing in 0.5-0.6N hydrochloric acid at from 25° C. to 50° C., preferably at from 25° C. to 37° C., for a period of time of from about 20 minutes to about 6.0 hours, preferably for about 30 minutes to about 2.0 hour to produce a demineralized cancellous bone plank 106. More preferably, demineralization is carried out until the bone plank 106 produced, contains less than 6 wt % residual calcium, preferably about 1 wt % to about 3 wt % residual calcium, and most preferably demineralized to contain about 2 wt % residual calcium. The demineralized cancellous bone plank 106 and the cortical parallel planks 70 are then assembled, shaped, and textured to produce the composite bone graft 105, according to the methods described in reference to FIG. 11. Composite bone grafts including two or more distinct cortical bone portions each bone portion provided with a pattern thereon to enable the bone portions to interlock or engage, are made by first making cortical bone planks as described. After the planks are made they are each provided with a pattern, for example a discrete or continuous pattern. The patterned planks are then fitted together. The patterned planks may be self-locking, ie. provided with a “key” type pattern, to form a unitary structure, or may be locked using one or more pins entirely or partially traversing a dimension, ie. the graft's height, width, and/or length. Thereafter, the locked graft is shaped to form the composite bone graft. Suitable patterns include any complementary patterns which when provided on two or more adjacent bone portions, enable two or more bone portions to act as one, where the patterns are self-locking or are locked with one or more additional connection means, including for example one or more pins. IV. Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Composite Bone Graft The present composite bone graft provides a bone graft which can be appropriately sized for any application, has increased stability of the graft at an implant site and promotes the ingrowth of patient bone, while providing excellent mechanical strength. FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a preferred composite bone graft 1 including a first cortical bone portion 2, a second cortical bone portion 4, a cancellous bone portion 3 sandwiched between bone portions 2 and 4, a through-hole 5 having a diameter 6, and a cortical bone pin having a diameter 8. The composite bone graft 1, has a length 9, a posterior height 13, an anterior height 11, a composite width 12, and section widths 10a, 10b, and 10c. FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a composite bone graft 1 having opposing textured surfaces 14a and 14b provided perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions. 14a and 14b illustrate continuous linear protrusions defining a saw-tooth-like pattern. FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-section posterior view of composite bone graft 1, illustrating section widths 10a, 10b, and 10c of bone portions 2, 3, and 4, respectively, and having an anterior height 11 and composite width 12. FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-section anterior view of composite bone graft 1, illustrating an posterior height 13 and composite width 12. FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of composite bone graft 1 illustrating cortical bone portions 2 and 4, cancellous bone portion 3 disposed there between, and textured surface 14b. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of composite bone graft 1 illustrating cortical bone portions 2 and 4, cancellous bone portion 3 disposed there between, textured surfaces 14a and 14b, and cortical bone pins 7. FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective of a preferred composite bone graft 15 having a first cortical bone portion 16, a second cortical bone portion 17, cortical bone pins 18, through-holes 19, and void 107, where the diameter of the through-holes 19 and the diameter of the cortical bone pins 18 are configured to allow a slidable connection between the bone portions 16 and 17, and the bone portions 16 and 17 and the cortical bone pins 18. The composite bone graft 15 includes a top textured surface 14b and a bottom textured surface 14a disposed perpendicular to an interface between bone portions 16 and 17. Composite bone graft 15 may optionally include one or more cancellous or cortical bone portions disposed between and slidably connected to cortical bone portions 16 and 17, and to cortical bone pins 18. FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of composite bone graft 15 having a first cortical bone portion 16, a second cortical bone portion 17, and a cancellous bone portion 20 disposed there between, with one portions 16, 17, and 20 being slidably connected with cortical bone pins 19. This graft can be used in place of the traditional iliac crest wedge. FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of a preferred composite bone graft 21 including a first cortical bone portion 22, a second cortical bone portion 23, a third cortical bone portion 24, through-holes 5 and cortical bone pins 7. FIG. 10 illustrates a preferred composite bone graft 25 including a plurality of cortical bone portions including a first cortical bone portion 26, a second cortical bone portion 27, a third cortical bone portion 28, a forth cortical bone portion 29, a fifth cortical bone portion 30, and a single cortical bone pin 31 inserted in through-hole 32. This graft can be used in place of the traditional cloward dowel. FIG. 13A is a perspective view of a preferred trapezoid block composite bone graft having opposing textured surfaces which include a plurality of protrusions 80, and having a first cortical bone portion 2, a second cortical bone portion 4, a cancellous bone portion 3 sandwiched between bone portions 2 and 4, through-holes 5, and a cortical bone pins 7 having a diameter 8. The composite bone graft, has a length 9, a posterior height 13, an anterior height 11, a composite width 12, section widths 10a, 10b, and 10c, a length 76 which is the length of the graft measured from the anterior end to the center of the first pin 7, a length 77 which is the length of the graft measured from the center point of a first pin 7 to a center point of a second pin 7, and a length 78 which is the length of the graft measured from a center point of a second pin to the posterior end of the graft. The textured surface is detailed in FIG. 13B. The protrusions 80 have a height of 81, and are cut in a, “saw-tooth” pattern at an angle of 79. FIGS. 14A, 14B and 14C, illustrate a cervical wedge composite bone graft (flattened curved wedge composite bone graft) for use in cervical fusions where 14A is a perspective standing view, 14B is a side view, and 14C is a-perspective view where the graft is provided with opposing textured surfaces. The flattened curved wedge composite bone graft includes first and second cortical bone portions 82 held together by two cortical bone pins 7 to form a pinned graft unit, and the pinned graft unit having a hole 83 disposed there through located between pins 7. The cervical fusion graft has a diameter 84, a width 85, an front composite width 87, and a back composite width 86. The cervical fusion graft as shown in FIG. 14C has textured opposing faces which include a plurality of pyrimidal protrusions 88. FIG. 16 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical connector 46 having a slot 47 extending from its lower end. FIG. 17 illustrates a side view of mechanical connector 46 having a slot 47 extending from its lower end. FIG. 18 illustrates a cross-section view of mechanical connector 46 having a slot 47 extending from its lower end. FIG. 19 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical connector 48 having a plurality of horizontally disposed grooves 49. FIG. 20 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical connector 50 having helical threads 51. FIG. 21 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical connector 52 having a plurality of vertically disposed grooves 53. FIG. 22 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical slotted pin connector 54. FIG. 23 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical connector 55 having a plurality of horizontally disposed ridges 56. FIG. 24 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical triangular pin connector 57. FIG. 25 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical square pin connector 58. FIG. 26 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanical hexagon pin connector 59. FIG. 27 illustrates a perspective view of a rectangular block composite bone graft 99, including a first cortical bone portion 2, a second cortical bone portion 4, a discontinuous, demineralized cortical bone portion 104 disposed between cortical bone portions 2 and 4, where the discontinuous, demineralized cortical bone portion 100 includes perforations traversing the width of the bone portion 100 and are disposed perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions 2, 100 and 4, and channels 102 traversing the height of bone portion 100 and are disposed parallel to the interfaces of the bone portions 2, 100, and 4, through-holes 5, and cortical bone pins 7. The composite bone graft 99 includes opposing textured surfaces 14a and 14b provided perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions and defining a saw-tooth-like pattern. FIG. 28 illustrates a perspective view of a rectangular block composite bone graft 105, including a first cortical bone portion 2, a second cortical bone portion 4, a demineralized cancellous bone portion 106 disposed between cortical bone portions 2 and 4, through-holes 5, and cortical bone pins 7. The composite bone graft 105 includes opposing textured surfaces 14a and 14b provided perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions and defining a saw-tooth-like pattern. FIG. 31A illustrates a top view of a rectangular block composite bone graft 108, including a first cortical bone portion 2, a second cortical bone portion 4, avoid 107 disposed between cortical bone portions 2 and 4, and cortical bone pins 7. The void 107 includes one or more therapeutically beneficial substances 109. FIG. 31B illustrates a perspective view of a rectangular block composite bone graft 108, including a first cortical bone portion 2, a second cortical bone portion 4, a void 107 disposed between cortical bone portions 2 and 4, through-holes 5, and cortical bone pins 7. The void 107 includes one or more therapeutically beneficial substances 109. The composite bone graft 108 includes opposing textured surfaces 14a and 14b provided perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions 2 and 4, with the therapeutically beneficial substance 109, and defining a saw-tooth-like pattern. FIGS. 32A, 32B and 32C, illustrate a parallel block composite bone graft where 32A is a cross-section view, 32B is a top-view, and 32C is a is a side view of the width of the composite graft, where the graft is provided with opposing textured surfaces. The composite bone graft includes first and second cortical bone units 110, a cancellous bone portion 3 sandwiched between bone units 110, through-holes 5, and a cortical bone pins 7 (The diameter of each bone pin may be the same or different depending on the particular application, implant and size of the graft the diameter of a pin is preferably about 1.0 to about 5.0 mm, more preferably from about 1.5 mm to about 4.0 mm, even more preferably from about 2.0 to about 3.5 mm, and most preferably 2.5 to 3.0 mm). The composite bone graft, has a length 9 (preferably from 5.0 to about 50.0 mm, more preferably from about 10.0 to about 30.0 mm, even more preferably from about 15.0 mm to about 25.0 mm, and most preferably about 21.0 mm), a height 112 (preferably from about 3.0 mm to about 30.0 mm, more preferably from about 5.0 mm to about 25.0 mm even more preferably from about 8.0 mm to about 15.0 mm), a composite width 12 preferably from about 4.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, more preferably from about 5.0 mm to about 15.0 mm), section widths 10a, 10b, and 10c which are preferably 4.0 mm, 3.0 mm, and 4.0 mm; 4.0 mm, 5.0 mm, and 4.0 mm; and 3.0 mm, 5.0 mm, and 3.0 mm; respectively, where two bone portions 111 are layered to form the bone unit 110, and where the width of each bone portion 111 is such that when layered with another bone portion 111, the resultant width 113 is as desired, for example, 4.0 mm. The bone graft has a length 76 (for example when the length of the graft is 21.0 mm, length 76 is preferably about 7.5 mm) which is the length of the graft measured from the anterior end to the center of the first pin 7, a length 77 (for example when the length of the graft is 21.0 mm, length 77 is preferably about 8.0 mm) which is the length of the graft measured from the center point of a first pin 7 to a center point of a second pin 7, and a length 78 (for example when the length of the graft is 21.0 mm, length 78 is preferably about 5.5 mm) which is the length of the graft measured from a center point of a second pin to the posterior end of the graft. The protrusions 80 have a height of 81 (preferably from about 0.5 mm to about 2.5 mm, more preferably from about 1.0 mm to about 2.0 mm, and most preferably from about 1.1 mm to about 1.6 mm), and are cut in a “saw-tooth” pattern at an angle (preferably about 60°). FIGS. 33A, 33B, and 33C, illustrate a trapezoid wedge composite where 33A is a cross-section view, 33B is a top-view, and 33C is a side view of the width of the composite graft. The composite bone graft includes first and second cortical bone units 110, a cancellous bone portion 3 sandwiched between bone units 110, through-holes 5, and a cortical bone pins 7 (The diameter of each bone pin may be the same or different depending on the particular application, implant and size of the graft, the diameter of a pin is preferably about 1.0 to about 5.0 mm, more preferably from about 1.5 to about 4.0 mm, even more preferably from about 2.0 to about 3.5 mm, and most preferably 2.5 to 3.0 mm). The composite bone graft, has a length 9 (preferably from 5.0 to about 50.0 mm, more preferably from about 10.0 to about 30.0 mm, even more preferably from about 15.0 mm to about 25.0 mm, and most preferably about 21.0 mm), an anterior height 11 (preferably from about 3.0 mm to about 30.0 mm, more preferably from about 5.0 mm to about 25.0 mm, even more preferably from about 8.0 mm to about 15.0 mm), a posterior height 13 (preferably from about 5.0 mm to about 50.0 mm, more preferably from about 7.0 mm to about 25.0 mm, and even more preferably from about 10.0 to about 15.0 mm), a composite width 12 (preferably from about 4.60 mm to about 20.0 mm, more preferably from about 5.0 mm to about 15.0 mm, section widths 10a, 10b, and 10c, which are preferably 4.0 mm, 3.0 mm, and 4.0 mm; 4.0 mm, 5.0 mm, and 4.0 mm; and 3.0 mm, 5.0 mm, and 3.0 mm; respectively, where two bone portions 111 are layered to form the bone unit 110, and where the width of each bone portion 111 is such that when layered with another bone portion 111, the resultant width 10a or 10c is as desired, for example, 4.0 mm. The bone graft has a length 76 (for example when the length of the graft is 21.0 mm, length 76 is preferably about 7.5 mm) which is the length of the graft measured from the anterior end to the center of the first pin 7, a length 77 (for example when the length of the graft is 21.0 mm, length 77 is preferably about 8.0 mm) which is the length of the graft measured from the center point of a first pin 7 to a center point of a second pin 7, and a length 78 (for example when the length of the graft is 21.0 mm length 78 is preferably about 5.5 mm) which is the length of the graft measured from a center point of a second pin to the posterior end of the graft. The protrusions 80 have a height of 81 (preferably from about 0.5 mm to about 2.5 mm, more preferably from about 1.0 mm to about 2.0 mm, and most preferably from about 1.1 mm to about 1.6 mm), and are cut in a “saw-tooth” pattern at an angle (preferably about 60°). FIG. 34 illustrates a trapezoid wedge composite bone graft 113 including a first cortical bone portion 2, a second cortical bone portion 4, opposing textured surfaces 14a and 14b, vertically disposed channels 114 (preferably channels 114 have a diameter of from 0.25 mm to about 5.0 mm, more preferably from about) 0.5 mm to about 4.0 mm, and most preferably from about 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm), and horizontally disposed channel 115 (preferably channels 115 have a diameter of from about 0.5 to about 6.0 mm, more preferably from about 1.0 mm to about 5.0 mm, and most preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm). The composite bone graft also includes cortical bone pins 7 (preferably bone pins 7 have a diameter of from about 2.0 mm to about 3.5 mm, more preferably from about 2.5 mm to about 3.0 mm, where each pin may have the same or a different diameter) and through-holes 5. The channels may optionally include one or more therapeutically beneficial substances. The graft has a length 9 (preferably from 5.0 to about 50.0 mm, more preferably from about 10.0 to about 30.0 mm, even more preferably from about 15.0 mm to about 25.0 mm, and most preferably about 21.0 mm), an front height 11 (preferably-from about 3.0 mm to about 30.0 mm, more preferably from about 5.0 mm to about 25.0 mm, even more preferably from about 8.0 mm to about 15.0 mm), a back height 13 (preferably from about 5.0 mm to about 50.0 mm, more preferably from about 7.0 mm to about 25.0 mm, and even more preferably from about 10.0 to about 15.0 mm), a composite width 12 (preferably from about 4.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, more preferably from about 5.0 mm to about 15.0 mm and most preferably about 6.0 mm to about 8.0 mm), and a section width 116 (preferably from about 1.0 mm to about 5.0 mm, more preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, and most preferably from about 3.0 mm to about 3.5 mm). FIG. 35A illustrates a standing view of a cervical wedge composite bone graft having a textured surface 117a. The cervical wedge composite bone graft includes first and second cortical bone portions 82 held together by two cortical bone pins 7 to form a pinned graft unit, and the pinned graft unit having a through-hole 83 (preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 8.0 mm in diameter, more preferably from about 3.0 mm to about 5.0 mm) disposed there through located-between pins 7. The cervical fusion graft has a diameter 84, a width 85, a front composite width 87, and a back composite width 86. The cervical wedge also includes horizontally disposed channels 115 (preferably channels 115 have a diameter of from about 0.5 to about 10.0 mm, more preferably from about 1.0 mm to about 5.0 mm, and most preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm), and one or more therapeutically beneficial substances 109, for example cancellous bone or demineralized cancellous bone, disposed in through-hole 83 and/or channels 115. FIG. 35B illustrates a side view of the cervical wedge composite bone graft of FIG. 35A and includes opposing textured surfaces 11 7a and 11 7b, and a vertically disposed channel 118. The top and bottom surfaces of the graft are sloped at angel 119 and 120, respectively. Angle 119 is preferably from about 0° to about 10°, more preferably from about 0° to about 7°, and in this figure it is 0°. Angle 120 is preferably from about 0° to about 10°, more preferably from about 0° to about 7°, and in this figure the angle is 7°, that is the graft slopes at 7°. FIGS. 36A, 36B, and 36C, illustrate a trapezoid wedge composite bone graft including two cortical bone portions where 36A is a cross-section view, 36B is a top-view, and 36C is a side view of the width of the composite graft. The composite bone graft includes first and second cortical bone portions 2 and 4, through-holes 5, and a cortical bone pins 7 (The diameter of each bone pin may be the same or different depending on the particular application, implant and size of the graft, the diameter of a pin is preferably about 1.0 to about 5.0 mm, more preferably from about 1.5 to about 4.0 mm, even more preferably from about 2.0 to about 3.5 mm, and most preferably 2.5 to 3.0 mm). The composite bone graft, has a length 9 (preferably from 5.0 to about 50.0 mm, more preferably from about 10.0 to about 30.0 mm, even more preferably from about 15.0 mm to about 25.0 mm, and most preferably about 21.0 mm to 23 mm), an anterior (shorter) height 11 (preferably from about 3.0 mm to about 30.0 mm, more preferably from about 5.0 mm to about 25.0 mm even more preferably from about 8.0 mm to about 15.0 mm), a posterior (longer) height 13 (preferably from about 5.0 mm to about 50.0 mm, more preferably from about 7.0 mm to about 25.0 mm, and even more preferably from about 10.0 to about 15.0 mm), a composite width 12 (preferably from about 4.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, more preferably from about 5.0 mm to about 15.0 mm, section widths 124, which are preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 5.0 mm, more preferably from about 2.5 mm to about 4.0 mm, and most preferably about 3.5 mm±0.5 mm. The bone graft has a length 122 (for example when the length of the graft is 23.0 mm, length 122 is preferably about 5.5 mm) which is the length of the graft measured from the posterior (longer) end to the center of the first pin 7, a length 123 (for example when the length of the graft is 23.0 mm, length 123 is preferably about 13.5 mm) which is the length of the graft measured from the posterior (longer) end to the center point, of the second pin 7. The graft is chamfered at diametrically opposed edges including edge 140 at an angle 125 of preferably about 45° at a depth 126 of preferably about 0.5 mm. The wedge graft has a slope 121 of preferably from about 3.0° to about 13.0°, more preferably from about 5.0° to about 11.0°, and most preferably about 5.4° or 10.8° depending on the anterior and posterior heights. FIG. 37 illustrates a cross-section view of a cervical wedge composite bone graft (flattened curved wedge composite bone graft) for use in cervical fusions. The flattened curved wedge composite bone graft includes two or more cortical bone portions held together by two cortical bone pins 7 to form a pinned graft unit, and the pinned graft unit having a hole 83 disposed there through located between pins 7 and having a diameter 130 of from about 3.0 mm to about 7.0 mm, more preferably from about 4.0 mm to about 6.0 mm, and most preferably about 4.0 mm to 5.0 mm. The distance 127 between hole 83 and second width 129, and between pins 7 and arc 137, is preferably 1.0 mm to 3.5 mm, more preferably about 1.5 mm to about 3.0 mm and even more preferably about 2.0 mm. The distance 128 between hole 83 and pins 7 is preferably from 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm, more preferably from 2.0 mm to about 3.0 mm, and most preferably is about 2.25 mm to 2.75 mm. The cervical fusion graft has a diameter 84 of from about 10.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, more preferably from about 12.0 mm to about 16.0 mm, and most preferably about 12.0 mm to 14.0 mm, a width 85 of from about 14.0 mm to about 24.0 mm, more preferably from about 15.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, and most preferably about 15.5 mm to 17.5 mm, and a second width 129 of from about 8.0 mm to about 16.0 mm, more preferably from about 10.0 mm to about 14.0 mm, and most preferably about 11.0 mm to 12.0 mm. Slope 136 is preferably about 15° to about 30°, more preferably about 20° to about 25°, and most preferably about 20°. FIG. 38 illustrates a cross-section view of a cervical wedge composite bone graft (flattened curved wedge composite bone graft) for use in cervical fusions. The flattened curved wedge composite bone graft includes two or more cortical bone portions held together by two cortical bone pins 7 to form a pinned graft unit, and the pinned graft unit having a hole 83 disposed there through located between pins 7 and hole 83 having a height 131 of from about 5.0 mm to about 15.0 mm, more preferably from about 6.0 mm to about 12.0 mm, and most preferably about 8.0 mm to 10.0 mm, and having a width 130 of from 3.0 mm to about 7.0 mm, more preferably from about 4.0 mm to about 6.0 mm, and most preferably about 4.0 mm to 5.0 mm. The distance 127 between hole 83 and second width 129, and between pins 7 and arc 137, is preferably 1.0 mm to 3.5 mm, more preferably about 1.5 mm to about 3.0 mm and even more preferably about 2.0 mm. The distance 128 between-hole 83 and pins 7 is preferably from 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm, more preferably from 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm, and most preferably is about 2.0 mm. The cervical fusion graft has a diameter 84 of from about 10.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, more preferably from about 12.0 mm to about 16.0 mm, and most preferably about 12.0 mm to 14.0 mm, a width 85 of from about 14.0 mm to about 24.0 mm, more preferably from about 15.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, and most preferably about 15.5 mm to 17.5 mm, and a second width 129 of from about 8.0 mm to about 16.0 mm, more preferably from about 10.0 mm to about 14.0 mm, and most preferably about 11.0 mm to 12.0 mm. Slope 136 is preferably about 15° to about 30°, more preferably about 20° to about 25°, and most preferably about 20°. FIG. 39 illustrates a perspective view of a preferred composite bone graft including cortical bone portions 132, and a cortical bone pins 7. The cortical bone portions 132 are patterned with grooves 133 running in direction 135 to provide an interlocking fit between the bone portions 132. FIGS. 40A and 40B illustrate a wedge composite bone graft (flattened curved wedge composite bone graft) for use in cervical fusions where 14A is a standing side view, and 14B is a perspective view. The flattened curved wedge composite bone graft includes first and second, cortical bone portions 132 held together by two cortical bone pins 7 to form a pinned graft unit, and the pinned graft unit having a hole 83 disposed there through located between pins 7. The cortical bone portions 132 are patterned with grooves 133 running in direction 135 to provide an interlocking fit between the bone portions 132. FIG. 41 illustrates a perspective view of a preferred composite bone graft including cortical bone portions 132 and 134, and a cortical bone pins 7. The cortical bone portions 132 and 134 are patterned with grooves 133 running in direction 135 to provide an interlocking fit between the bone: portions 132. FIGS. 42A, 42B, and 42C illustrate side views of a preferred composite bone graft including two patterned cortical bone portions 132 having a pattern 133,138, and 139, respectively, where the bone portions are interlocked with each other. FIG. 42C illustrates a self-locking, interlocking pattern 139. FIG. 43 illustrates a cross-section view of a cervical wedge composite bone graft (flattened curved wedge composite bone graft) for use in cervical fusions. The flattened curved wedge composite bone graft includes two or more cortical bone portions held together by two cortical bone pins 7 having a diameter of from 1.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 3.0 mm and more preferably about 2.5 mm, to form a pinned graft unit, and the pinned graft unit having a hole 83 disposed there through located between pins 7, and hole 83 having a width 130 of from 3.0 mm to about 7.0 mm, more preferably from about 4.0 mm to about 6.0 mm, and most preferably about 4.0 mm to .0 mm. The distance 127 between hole 3 and second width 129, and between pins 7 and arc 137, is preferably 1.0 mm to 3.5 mm, more preferably about 1.5 mm to about 3.0 mm and even more preferably about 2.0 mm. The distance 128 between hole 83 and pins 7 is preferably from 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm, more preferably from 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm, and most preferably is about 2.0 mm. The cervical fusion graft has a diameter 84 of from about 10.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, more preferably from about 12.0 mm to about 16.0 mm, and most preferably about 11.0 mm to 13.0 mm, a width 85 of from about 10.0 mm to about 24.0 mm, more preferably from about 12.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, and most preferably about 13.5 mm to 15.5 mm, and a second width 129 of from about 4.0 mm to about 12.0 mm, more preferably from about 6.0 mm to about 10.0 mm and most preferably about 7.0 mm to about 8.0 mm. Slope 136 is preferably about 25°. FIG. 44 illustrates a cross-section view of a cervical wedge composite bone graft (flattened curved wedge composite bone graft) for use in cervical fusions. The flattened curved wedge composite bone graft includes two or more cortical bone portions held together by two cortical bone pins 7 having a diameter of from 1.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 3.0 mm and more preferably about 2.5 mm, to form a pinned graft unit, and the pinned graft unit having a hole 83 disposed there through located between-pins 7, and hole 83 having a diameter 130 of from 3.0 mm to about 9.0 mm, more preferably from about 4.0 mm to about 8.0 mm and most preferably about 6.0 mm to 7.0 mm, and a width 141 of from about 5.0 mm to about 13.0 mm, preferably from about 7.0 mm to about 11.0 mm, more preferably from about 8.5 mm to about 9.5 mm, and most preferably about 9.0 mm. Hole 83 has a second width 140 of from about 2.0 mm to about 6.0 mm, preferably from about 3.0 mm to about 5.0 mm, and more preferably form about 3.5 mm to about 4.5 mm. The distance 127 between hole 83 and second width 129, and between pins 7 and arc 137, is preferably 1.0 mm to 3.5 mm, more preferably about 1.5 mm to about 3.0 mm and even more preferably about 2.0 mm. The cervical fusion graft has a diameter 84 of from about 10.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, more preferably from about 12.0 mm to about 16.0 mm, and most preferably about 13.0 mm to 15.0 mm, a width 85 of from about 10.0 mm to about 24.0 mm, more preferably from about 12.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, and most preferably about 16.5 mm to 18.5 mm, and a second width 129 of from about 6.0 mm to about 14.0 mm, more preferably from about 8.0 mm to about 12.0 mm and most preferably about 9.0 mm to 11.0 mm. Slope 136 is preferably about 25°. The present composite bone graft can include two or more bone portions, including any combination of cancellous and cortical bone portions, or cancellous or cortical bone portions alone, where the bone portions may optionally be demineralized, and may optionally be discontinuous, where the bone portions are connected, for example by interlocking the bone portions and/or by one or more mechanical and/or chemical connectors. Any cancellous bone portion and/or discontinuous bone portion (cortical and/or cancellous), and/or any demineralized bone portion (cortical and/or cancellous) may optionally include one or more pharmaceutically active agents or therapeutically beneficial substances provided therein, for example provided in the matrix of cancellous bone, or provided in any artificially created void areas. Both the cortical and cancellous bone portions may be solid and continuous or may be discontinuous (i.e. include one or more “holes” or “perforations” of any shape disposed at regular or random intervals throughout the bone portion. Bone portions may be provided with a pattern to enable an interlocking fit between cortical bone portions. Suitable mechanical connectors include pin-type structures having any cross-section shape, such shapes including for example, round, square, triangular, rectangular, hexagon, pentagon, oval, and irregular. The pin-type structure can include surface modification, for example the surface can be roughened, or provided with a plurality of horizontally or vertically disposed grooves (horizontal or vertically relative to the length of the pin); horizontally or vertically disposed ridges; or helical threads. The pin or surface-modified pin can also include one or more slots extending partially or entirely through the diameter of the pin, and extending partially or entirely through the length of the pin, suitable slots include for example, a slot extending partially through the diameter of the pin, for example about half-way through the diameter of the pin, and through the entire length of the pin; and a slot extending entirely through the diameter of the pin, and extending through a partial length of the pin for example, extending at least half-way through the length of the pin, preferably extending no more than about seven-eighths the length of the pin. Suitable mechanical connectors also include cotter pins. A composite graft can be pinned with one or more biocompatible pins, where the pins have substantially the same diameter or have a diameter different from each other. Suitable diameters can be readily selected and employed by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains without undue experimentation depending upon, for example, the particular application and implantation site, and the size and shape of the composite graft. The composite graft can be pinned with one or more biocompatible pins, entirely or partially traversing a dimension of the graft, for example, the height, length, and/or width of the composite graft. One of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can readily select an appropriate pin, number of pins, and determine the orientation of the pin or pins, based on for example, the particular graft, whether the graft is interlocking or not, the orientation of the graft in the body, and the clinical indication, without undue experimentation. Suitable chemical connectors include any biocompatible adhesive. Such adhesives are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, and can be readily selected and employed by those of ordinary skill in the art, without undue experimentation. Suitable chemical connectors also include known methods of biochemical surface modification. Such methods are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, and can be readily selected and employed by those of ordinary skill in the art, without undue experimentation. The chemical and/or mechanical connectors may be used alone or in any combination and may include one or more therapeutically beneficial substances including for example, one or more osteoinductive substances, one or more osteoconductive substances and one or more pharmaceutically active agents. The through-hole(s) of the composite bone graft may also include surface modification as described above for the present mechanical connectors configured to accommodate a particular mechanical connector. For example, if a threaded cortical bone pin is used, the through-hole or holes can optionally be threaded. The through-hole(s) can traverse any dimension of the graft, provided that they are placed such that when graft unit is connected the graft is held together. One of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can readily select an optimum location for the through-holes based on criteria including the following: the anterior and posterior height of the composite bone graft, and the diameter of the mechanical and/or mechanical and chemical connectors, and the height of the protrusions. For example, when the anterior height is relatively small (i e. 7.0 mm) and the diameter of the pin is relatively large (i.e. 2.5-3.0 mm), the through-holes can be spaced equidistant along the length of the graft unit, or displaced toward the posterior end of the graft unit. The graft unit can be connected with one or more mechanical connectors. Suitable connection include any connection which is adequate to hold the bone portions of the graft unit together. Such connections include, for example, an interference or friction connection where the diameter of the pin is the same as or slightly larger than (preferably no more than 1.5 mm larger than the diameter of the through-hole) the diameter of the corresponding through-hole; a slidable connection where the diameter of the pin is the slightly less than the diameter of the through-hole, and a compression fit, where the pin is configured to allow compression upon insertion where the pin expands after insertion, achieved for example, by providing the pin with a slot. The mechanical connector of the invention, including pin-like connectors can be composed of any biocompatible material sufficient to hold together the present graft unit. Suitable biocompatible materials include for example, cortical bone; stainless steel; titanium cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy; and a plastic for example, of one or more of the following: nylon, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyacetal, polyethylene, and polysulfone, where the plastic can optionally include fibers; and a polymer including one or more bioabsorbable polymaths including resorbable calcium phosphates; bioceramics and/or glasses including for example bioactive glasses and glass-ceramics; and calcium phosphate ceramics. Such mechanical connectors including for example, bioabsorbable polymers may optionally include one or more active agents, including for example one or more pharmaceutically active agents and/or one or more therapeutically beneficial agents, provided on the surface or impregnated in the matrix of the material. The surface of the mechanical connector can be modified by methods well known to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains, and include for example the following: (a) modification to influence cell adhesion and growth, provided by: (I) oxidized polystyrene surface, (ii) ammonia plasma-treated surface, and (iii) plasma-deposited acetone or methanol film, (b) modification to control protein adsorption; and (c) modification to improve lubricity. The composite bone graft preferably has a shape including for example, a square; rectangular or curved block; a flattened curved wedge (ie. a cervical wedge for use in cervical fusion); a wedge; a trapezoid wedge; a polyhedron block, a parallelepiped; a cylinder or dowel having a uniform diameter or a decreasing or increasing diameter, for example a tapered cylinder or tapered dowel; a dowel or tapered dowel having a cross-section of a shape including for example, round, oval, square, rectangular, triangular, pentagon, or hexagon. The composite bone graft can include one or more partially or completely textured surfaces. Preferably, a textured composite bone graft includes opposing textured surfaces disposed perpendicular to the interface(s) of the bone portions. The textured surface of the composite bone graft includes a plurality of protrusions. The protrusions can be formed over an entire surface of the composite bone graft or over a portion of a surface, for example over the entire cut surfaces, or over a portion of the cut surfaces. The plurality of protrusions can be formed on the surface in any number of ways well known to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, including for example mechanical and/or chemical methods, including for example, by forming a series of parallel linear or curved grooves. The bone allograft protrusions can be formed by milling, for example by milling a set of parallel linear groves to form a saw-tooth configuration on the cut surface of the composite graft to form continuous linear protrusions; by milling a first set of parallel linear groves followed by turning the graft and forming a second set of parallel grooves at an angle to the first series, for example, at a 90° angle to form a plurality of discrete pyrimidal protrusions. Milling is preferably achieved, by for example: running the graft over a milling tool which includes a plurality of closely spaced blades which can be adjusted to achieve a desired height and width; to form the discrete pyrimidal protrusions, the graft can then be turned at, for example, a 90° angle and again run over the milling tool to produce the discrete protrusions illustrated. Milling can also be achieved using for example a routing or dremel tool, a laser, and masking and acid etching. Other protrusions, for example concentric rings or other curved or irregular, of regular protrusions can be provided by attaching a drill bit having a blade corresponding to the protrusion pattern desired where the blade is appropriately sized to provide a desired protrusion width; length, and height, to a drill and drilling the desired surface of the bone to achieve the desired textured surface. One of ordinary skill in the art can readily design and produce, or select, and employ an appropriate milling tool to achieve a desired textured surface on a bone allograft, without undue experimentation. Preferably, the protrusions (discrete, continuous, or a combination thereof) present on one or more surfaces of the present allograft are closely spaced, preferably from about 0.0 to 3.0 mm apart, preferably 0.1 to 2.0 mm apart, more preferably about 0.2 to 1.5 mm apart, and most preferably about 0.5 mm apart, (that is, there is preferably a distance of from 0.0 to 3.0 mm between the edges of two adjacent protrusions). The protrusions preferably have a height of from 0.1 to 5.00 mm, preferably 0.3 to 3.0 mm, more preferably 0.5 to 1.5 mm, and even more preferably 0.75 mm to 1.3 mm, and most preferably about 1.2 mm. The composite bone graft may include one or more void areas. Examples of such grafts include a composite graft having for example a first and a second cortical bone portion where the bone portions are for example slidably connected with for example one or more bone pins, where the first and second bone portion are disposed apart thereby creating a centrally located void. The void may optionally include any pharmaceutically active agent and/or therapeutically beneficial agent, including for example, osteoinductive substances including for example, bone morphogenic protein, hydroxyapitate, demineralized bone and bone products including for example GRAFTON and DYNEGRAFT, and autograft bone; such substances may be in any form including for example, in the form of a paste, gel, or sponge. IV. Use of the Composite Boise Grafts The present composite bone grafts are useful in spinal applications including restoration of column support and are preferably used from the posterior approach. Composite grafts suitable for posterior lumbar interbody fusions include for example the following described in detail below: (a) composite bone grafts having a trapezoid wedge shape and optionally having opposing textured surfaces disposed perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions, (b) composite bone grafts having a parallel block shape and optionally having opposing textured surfaces disposed perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions, (c) composite bone grafts having a large square block shape and optionally having opposing textured surfaces disposed perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions,(d) composite bone graft blocks having a flattened curved wedge shape and optionally having opposing textured surfaces disposed perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions for use in for example, cervical fusion, (which can be used from an anterior or posterior approach) and (e) composite bone grafts having an ovoid wedge shape for performing anterior fusions (which can be used from an anterior or posterior approach). The term “about” used below and throughout this disclosure in reference to specific dimensions means that the tolerance limits for overall or outer dimensions of the composite bone graft is plus or minus (±) 1.0 mm, and the tolerance limits for the width of individual cortical bone portions is plus or minus (±) 0.5 mm. The composite bone grafts having a trapezoid wedge shape, the shape as shown in FIG. 1, and optionally having opposing textured surfaces disposed perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions, preferably include two or more bone portions where the bone portions can be cortical or cancellous bone portions or a combination thereof, each bone portion having a width of from about 1.5 mm to about 10.0 mm, preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 7.0 mm, more preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 5.0 mm, and most preferably having a width of about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, to give a composite width of from about 8.0 mm to about 15.0 mm, preferably from about 9.0 mm to about 13.00 mm, and more preferably about 11.0 mm. The trapezoid wedge composite bone graft has a front (anterior) height which is smaller than its back (posterior) height, the anterior height being from about 5.0 mm to about, 15.0 mm, preferably from about 6.0 mm to about 13.0 mm, more preferably from about 7.0 mm to about 12.0 mm, and most preferably about 8.0 mm, 9.0 mm, 10.0 mm, 12.0 mm, or 14.0 mm; the posterior height being from about 7.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, preferably from about 8.0 mm to about 17.0 mm, more preferably from about 9.0 mm to about 15.0 mm, and most preferably the posterior height is about 7.0 mm, 10.0 mm, 11.0 mm, 12.0 mm, or 14.0 mm; and the trapezoid wedge composite bone graft has a length of from about 15.0 mm to about 35.0 mm, preferably from about 17.0 mm to about 30.0 mm, more preferably from about 20.0 mm to about 27.0 mm, and most preferably a length of about 21.0 mm, or 23.0 mm. The bone portions may be interlocking and/or connected with one or more mechanical and/or, chemical biocompatible connectors. The preferred connectors include mechanical connectors including for example, one or more cortical bone pins having a round cross-section and having a diameter of from about 1.0 mm to about 6.0 mm, preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 5.0 mm, more preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 4.5 mm, and most preferably a pin diameter of from about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, where the diameter of each pin in a single graft may be the same or different. The diameter of the two corresponding through-holes is preferably sufficient to provide an interference or frictional or slidable connection between the bone portions and the pin, preferably a interference or frictional connection. The foregoing described trapezoid wedge composite optionally includes a cancellous bone portion disposed between the two cortical bone portions and having the same width or a greater width than the cortical bone portions. The trapezoid wedge composite graft can optionally include diametrically opposed chamfered edges. Most preferable trapezoid wedge composite bone grafts include the following configurations: (a) a first cortical portion having a width of from about 3.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, preferably about 4.0 mm; a second cortical bone portion having a width of from about 3.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, preferably about 4.0 mm; a central cancellous bone portion having a width of from about 3.0 mm to about 5.0 mm, preferably about 3.0 mm disposed there between, forming a graft unit, the graft unit held together by two round cortical bone pins having a diameter of from about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, the composite graft having an overall length of about 21.0 mm, an anterior height of about 9.0 mm, and a posterior height of about 11.0 mm; or an anterior height of about 8.0 mm and a posterior height of about 10.0 mm, or an anterior height of about 10.0 mm and a posterior height of about 12.0 mm, or an anterior height of about 12.0 mm and a posterior height of about 14.0 mm. (b) a first cortical portion having a width of about 4.0 mm; a second cortical bone portion having a width of about 4.0 mm; a central cancellous bone portion having a width of about 3.0 mm disposed there between forming a graft unit, the graft unit held together by two round cortical bone pins having a diameter of about 3.0 mm, the composite graft having an overall length of about 21.0 mm, an anterior height of about 9.0 mm, and a posterior height of about 11.0 mm, or an anterior height of about 8.0 mm and a posterior height of about 10.0 mm, or an anterior height of about 10.0 mm and a posterior height of about 12.0 mm, or an anterior height of about 12.0 mm and a posterior height of about 14.0 mm; and where the length of the graft measured from the posterior end to the center of the first pin is about 5.5 mm, the length of the graft measured from the center point of a first pin to a center point of a second pin is about 8.0 mm and, the length of the graft measured from a center point of a second pin to the anterior end of the graft is about 7.5 mm, and optionally having opposing textured surfaces where the protrusions are in a saw-tooth pattern, and have a height of about 1.2 mm and have an angle of about 60° between protrusions; (c) a first cortical portion having a width of about 3.0 mm; a second cortical bone portion having a width of about 3.0 mm; a central cancellous bone portion having a width of-about 3.0..mm disposed there between forming a graft unit, the graft unit held together by two round cortical bone pins having a diameter of about 4.0 mm, the composite graft having an overall length of about 21.0 mm, an anterior height of about 7.0 mm, and a posterior height of about 9.0 mm, or an anterior height of about 8.0 mm and a posterior height of about 10.0 mm, or an anterior height of about 10.0 mm and a posterior height of about 12.0 mm, or an anterior height of about 12.0 mm and a posterior height of about 14.0 mm; and where the length of the graft measured from the posterior end to the center of the first pin is about 6.0 mm, the length of the graft measured from the center point of a first pin to a center point of a second pin is about 9.0 mm and, the length of the graft measured from a center point of a second pin to the anterior end of the graft is about 6.0 mm, and optionally having opposing textured surfaces where the protrusions are in a saw-tooth pattern, and have a height of about 1.2 mm and have an angle of about 60° between protrusions; (d) a first cortical portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a second cortical bone portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a central cancellous bone portion having a width of about 5.0 mm disposed there between, forming a graft unit, the graft unit held together by two round cortical bone pins having a diameter of about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, the composite graft having an overall length of about 21.0 mm, an anterior height of about 9.0 mm, and a posterior height of about 11.0 mm; (e) a first cortical portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a second cortical bone portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a central cancellous bone portion having a width of about 7.0 mm disposed there between, forming a graft unit, the graft unit held together by two round cortical bone pins having a diameter of about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, the composite graft having an overall length of about 21.0 mm, an anterior height of about 11.0 mm, and a posterior height of about 13.0 mm; (f) a first cortical portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a second cortical bone portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a central cancellous bone portion having a width of about 3.0 mm disposed there between, forming a graft unit, the graft unit held together by two round cortical-bone pins having a diameter of about 2.0 to about 4.0 mm, the composite graft having an overall length of about 21.0 mm, an anterior height of about 7.0 mm, and a posterior height of about 9.0 mm; (g) a first cortical portion having a width of about 4.0 mm, a second cortical bone portion having a width of about 4.0 mm forming a graft unit, the graft unit held together by two round cortical bone pins having a diameter of about 3.0 mm, the composite graft having an overall length of about 25.0 mm, an anterior height of about 12.0 mm, and a posterior height of about 15.0 mm; (h) a first, second, third and fourth cortical bone portion each having a width of from about 2.0 mm to about 3.0 mm, preferably about 2.0 mm, a first cancellous bone portion having a width of from about 2.0 mm to about 3.0 mm, preferably about 3.0 mm, where.the first cortical bone portion is disposed on the second cortical bone portion, the first cancellous bone portion is disposed between the second and third cortical bone portions, and the fourth cortical bone portion is disposed on the third cortical bone portion, forming a graft unit, the graft unit held together by two round cortical bone pins having a diameter of about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, the composite graft having an overall length of about 21.0 mm, an anterior height of about 9.0 mm, a posterior height of about 11.0 mm, and a composite width of about 11.0 mm; (i) a combination of at least two cortical bone portions optionally having a cancellous bone portion disposed therebetween, and having: (1) a posterior height of 9.0 mm an anterior height of 7.0 mm, a length of 21.0 mm, and a composite width of 12.0 mm; (2) a posterior height of 9.0 mm an anterior height of 7.0 mm, a length of 25.0 mm, and a composite width of 12.0 mm; (3) a posterior height of 11.0 mm, an anterior height of 9.0 mm, a length of 23.0 mm, and a composite width of 12.0 mm; (4) a posterior height of 11.0 mm, an anterior height of 9.0 mm, a length of 25.0 mm, and a composite width of 12.0 mm; (5) a posterior height of 13.0 mm, an anterior height of 11.0 mm, a length of 25.0 mm, and a composite width of 12.0 mm; and (6) a posterior height of 15.0 mm, an anterior height of 13.0 mm, a length of 25.0 mm, and a composite width of 12.0 mm; and (j) a combination of two or more cortical bone portions optionally each having a patterned surface such that an interlocking fit between the bone portions is provided, and having: (1) a posterior height of 14.0 mm an anterior height of 10.0 mm, a length of 21.0 mm, and a composite width of 7.0 mm, two cortical bone pins each having a diameter of 3.0 mm, and a slope of 10.8°, and having diametrically opposed chamfered edges at 45° and 0.5 mm in depth; a distance from the center of the first pin to the center point of the second pin of 8.0 mm, and a distance from the anterior end of the graft to the center point of the first pin of 7.5 mm; (2) a posterior height of 12.0 mm an anterior height of 10.0 mm, a length of 21.0 mm, and a composite width of 7.0 mm, two cortical bone pins each having a diameter of 3.0 mm, and a slope of 5.45°, having diametrically opposed chamfered edges at 45° and 0.5 mm in depth, a distance from the center of the first pin to the second of the second pin of 8.0 mm, and a distance from the anterior end of the graft to the center point of the first pin of 7.5 mm; (3) a posterior height of 14.0 mm an anterior height of 12.0 mm, a length of 21.0 mm, and a composite width of 7.0 mm, two cortical bone pins each having a diameter of 3.0 mm, and a slope of 5.45°, having diametrically opposed chamfered edges at 45° and 0.5 mm in depth, a distance from the center of the first pin to the second of the second pin of 8.0 mm, and a distance from the anterior end of the graft to the center point of the first pin of 7.5 mm; (4) a posterior height of 11.0 mm, an anterior height of 9.0 mm, a length of 25.0 mm, and a composite width of 12.0 mm; (5) a posterior height of 12.0 mm an anterior height of 9.8 mm, a length of 23.0 mm and a composite width of 7.0 mm, two cortical bone pins each having a diameter of 3.0 mm and a slope of 5.5°, having diametrically opposed chamfered edges at 45° and 0.5 mm in depth, a distance from the center point of the second pin to the posterior end of the graft of 13.5 mm, and a distance from the center point of the first pin to the posterior end of the graft 5.5 mm; (6) a posterior height of 14.0 mm an anterior height of 9.8 mm, a length of 23.0 mm, and a composite width of 7.0 mm two cortical bone pins each having a diameter of 3.0 mm, and a slope of 10.8°, having diametrically opposed chamfered edges at 45° and 0.5 mm in depth, a distance from the center point of the second pin to the posterior end of the graft of 13.5 mm, and a distance from the center point of the first pin to the posterior end of the graft 5.5 mm; (7) a posterior height of 13.0 mm an anterior height of 9.0 mm, a length of 23.0 mm, and a composite width of 7.0 mm, two cortical bone pins each having a diameter of 3.0 mm, and a slope of 10.8°, having diametrically opposed chamfered edges at 45° and 0.5 mm in depth, a distance from the center point of the second pin to the posterior end of the graft of 13.5 mm, and a distance from the center point of the first pin to the posterior end of the graft of 5.5 mm; (8) a posterior height of 13.0 mm an anterior height of 11.0 mm, a length of 23.0 mm, and a composite width of 7.0 mm, two cortical bone pins each having a diameter of 3.0 mm, and a slope of 5.4°, having diametrically opposed chamfered edges at 45° and 0.5 mm in depth, a distance from the center point of the second pin to the posterior end of the graft of 13.5 mm, and a distance from the center point of the first pin to the posterior end of the graft 5.5 mm; (9) a posterior height of 11.0 mm an anterior height of 9.0 mm, a length of 23.0 mm, and a composite width of 7.0 mm, two cortical bone pins each having a diameter of 3.0 mm, and a slope of 5.4°, having, diametrically opposed chamfered edges at 45° and 0.5 mm in depth, a distance from the center point of the second pin to the posterior end of the graft of 13.5 mm, and a distance from the center point of the first pin to the posterior end of the graft of 5.5 mm; (10) a posterior height of 7.0 mm an anterior height of 5.0 mm, a length of 21.0 mm, two cortical bone pins, and optionally having diametrically opposed chamfered edges; (11) a posterior height of 7.0 mm an anterior height of 5.0 mm a length of 23.0 mm, two cortical bone pins and optionally having diametrically opposed chamfered edges; and (12) a posterior height of 7.0 mm an anterior height of 5.0 mm, a length of 25.0 mm, two cortical bone pins, and optionally having diametrically opposed chamfered edges. The composite bone grafts having a parallel block shape and optionally having opposing textured surfaces disposed perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions, and optionally having diametrically opposed chamfered edges, preferably include: a combination of two or more bone portions, preferably cortical bone portions, optionally each having a patterned surface such that an interlocking fit between adjacent bone portions is provided; and: (a) at least two cortical bone portions each having a width of from about 1.5 mm to about 10.0 mm, preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 7.0 mm, more preferably from about 3.0 mm to about 5.0 mm, and most preferably having a width of about 4.0 mm to give a composite width of about 15.0 mm; the parallel block composite bone graft has a height from about 5.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, preferably from about 7.0 mm to about 19.0 mm, more preferably from about 8.0 mm to about 17.0 mm, and most preferably from about 9.0 mm to about 16.0 mm; and the parallel block composite bone graft has a length of from about 15.0 mm to about 35.0 mm, preferably from about 17.0 mm to about 30.0 mm, more preferably from about 20.0 mm to about 27.0 mm, and most preferably a length of from about 21.0 mm to about 25.0 mm. The preferred mechanical connectors include one or more, preferably two cortical bone pins having a round cross-section and having a diameter of from about 1.0 mm to about 6.0 mm, preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 5.0 mm, more preferably from about 2.5 mm to about 4.5 mm, and most preferably a pin diameter of from about 3.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, where the diameter of each cortical bone pin may be the same of different. The diameter of the two corresponding through-holes is preferably sufficient to provide an interference or frictional or slidable connection between the bone portions and the pin, preferably a interference or frictional connection, and (b) two or more cortical bone portions layered to form a graft unit, and optionally one or more cancellous bone portions disposed between said cortical bone portions, the graft unit being connected by one or more mechanical connectors, preferably two cortical bone pins having a diameter of from about 1.0 mm to about 6.0 mm, preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 5.0 mm, more preferably from about 2.5 mm to about 4.5 mm, and most preferably a pin diameter of from about 3.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, where the diameter of each pin may be the same or different, and having a con site width of from 4.5 mm to about 30.0 mm, preferably from about 6.0 mm to about 21.0 mm, more preferably from about 9.0 mm to about 15.0 mm, and most-preferably having a width of about 4.0 mm to give a composite width of about 12.0 mm to about 15.0 mm, a posterior and anterior height of from about 5.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, preferably from about 9.0 mm to about 17.0 mm, and a length of from about 20.0 mm to about 30.0 mm, specific preferred configurations include the following: following configurations: (1) an anterior and posterior height of about 9.0 mm and a length of about 25.0 mm; (2) an anterior and posterior height of about 9.0 mm and a length of about 21.0 mm; (3) an anterior and posterior height of about 1.0 mm , and a length of about 25.0 mm; (4) an anterior and posterior height of about 111.0 mm, and a length of about 210 mm (5) an anterior and posterior height of about 13.0 mm, and a length of about 25.0 mm; (6) an anterior and posterior height of about 11.0 mm, and a length of about 23.0 mm; (7) an anterior and posterior height of about 13.0 mm, and a length of about 23.0 mm; (8) an anterior and posterior height of about 15.0 mm, and a length of about 25.0 mm; and (9) an anterior and posterior height of about 17.0 mm, and a length of about 25.0 mm. The foregoing described parallel block composite bone graft optionally includes a cancellous bone portion disposed between the two cortical bone portions and having the same width or a greater width than the cortical bone portions. Most preferable parallel block composite bone grafts include the following configurations: (a) two or more cortical bone portions having a composite width of about 15.0 mm, held together by two round cortical bone pins having a diameter of about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, where each pin has the same or a different diameter, the composite graft having a height of about 16.0 mm and a length of about 25.0 mm, (b) a first cortical portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a second cortical bone-portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, one or more central cancellous bone portions having a composite width of about 9.0 mm disposed there between, forming a graft unit, the graft unit held together by two round cortical bone pins having a diameter of about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, where the diameter of each pin is the same or different, the composite graft having a height of about 16.0 mm and an overall length of about 25.0 mm, the parallel block composite bone graft also includes opposing textured surfaces disposed perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions; (c) a first cortical bone portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a second cortical bone portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a central cancellous bone portion having a width of about 3.0 mm disposed there between, forming a graft unit, the graft unit held together by two round cortical bone pins having a diameter of about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, where the diameter of each bone pin is the same or different, the composite graft having a height of about 10.0 mm and a length of about 25.0 mm, the parallel block composite bone graft also includes opposing textured surfaces disposed perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions; (d) a first cortical portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a second cortical bone portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a central cancellous bone portion having a width of about 3.0 mm disposed there between, forming a graft unit, the graft unit held together by two round cortical bone pins having a diameter of about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, where the diameter is the same or different, the composite graft having a height of about 9.0 mm and a length of about 21.0 mm, (e) a first cortical portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a second cortical bone portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a central cancellous bone portion having,a width of about 5.0 mm disposed there between, forming a graft unit, the graft unit held together by two round cortical bone pins having a diameter of about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, Where the diameter of each bone pin is the same or different, the composite graft having a height of about 11.0 mm and a length of about 21.0 mm, and (f) a first cortical portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a second cortical bone portion having a width of about 3.0 mm, a central cancellous bone portion having a width of about 7.0 mm disposed there between, forming a graft unit, the graft unit held together by two round cortical bone pins having a diameter of about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, where the diameter of each bone pine is the same or different, the composite graft having a height of about 13.0 mm and a length of about 21.0 mm. Most preferable cortical block composite bone grafts include the following configurations: (a) a plurality of cortical bone portions each having a width of from about 3.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, preferably about 3.0 mm and the plurality of cortical bone portions having a composite width of from about 18.0 to about 22.0 mm, preferably a composite width of about 20.0 mm, the cortical block composite has a height of from about 18.0 to about 22.0 mm, preferably of about 20.0 mm and a length of from about 18.0 to about 22.0 mm, preferably of about 20.0 mm or 21.0 mm, with the graft unit held together by two round cortical bone pins having a diameter of about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, where the diameter of each pin is the same or different, and (b) the cortical block composite bone graft of (a) where one or more of the central cortical bone portions are replaced with one or more cancellous bone portions having an overall width of from about 3.0 to about 15.0 mm, preferably about 14.0 mm. Most preferable cervical wedge grafts (flattened curved wedge composite bone grafts) for cervical fusion, include the following configurations: a combination of two or more cortical bone portions optionally each having a patterned surface such that an interlocking fit between the bone portions is provided, and: (a) a first cervical (flattened curved) cortical portion having a width of from about 2.0 mm to about 8.0 mm; a second cervical cortical bone portion having a width of from about 2.0 mm to about 8.0 mm; where the first portion is disposed on the second portion forming a graft unit, the graft unit is held together by at least two cortical bone pins having a diameter of from about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, preferably 2.0 mm to about 3.0 mm; where the diameter of each pin is the same or different, the composite graft having a width of about 10.0 to about 20.0 mm, preferably about 16.0 mm, a diameter of about 10.0 mm to about 18.0 mm, preferably about 13.0 mm, and a centrally located hole, preferably from about 2.0 to about 8.0 mm in diameter, more preferably from about 3.0 to about 5.0 mm in diameter, disposed through the pinned graft unit, between at least two pins. Each of the top and bottom surfaces of the cervical fusion graft, from a side view, may be sloped at an angle of from about 0° to about 15°, preferably at an angle of from about 3° to about 10°, and most preferably one of the top or bottom surfaces sloped at an angle of about 7° with the other surface not sloped, along the top and bottom faces of the graft from the curved top end to the flattened bottom end as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, to form the wedge shape. The anterior composite width at the flattened end is preferably from about 6.0 to about 8.0 mm. The top and bottom opposing faces of the cervical graft may optionally be textured, preferably with a plurality of pyrimidal protrusions, (b) a first cervical (flattened curved) cortical portion having a width of from about 2.0 mm to about 8.0 mm; a second cervical cortical bone portion having a width of from about 2.0 mm to about 8.0 mm; where the first portion is disposed on the second portion forming a graft unit, the graft unit is held together by at least two cortical bone pins having a diameter of from about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, preferably 2.0 mm to about 3.0 mm; where the diameter of each pin may be the same or different, the composite graft having a width of about 15.0 to about 25.0 mm, preferably about 19.0 mm, a diameter of about 12.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, preferably about 15.0 mm, and a centrally located hole disposed through the pinned graft unit, between at least two pins. The cervical fusion graft, from a side view, is preferably sloped at an angle of from about 3 to about 15°, preferably at an angle of about 7° along the top and bottom faces, or an angle of 0° along the top surface and an angle of 7° along the bottom surface, of the graft from the curved end to the flattened end as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, to form the wedge shape. The anterior composite width at the flattened end is preferably from about 6.0 to about 8.0 mm. The top and bottom opposing faces of the cervical graft may optionally be textured, preferably with a plurality of pyrimidal protrusions, (c) a first and a second cervical (flattened-curved) cortical bone portion, the first bone portion disposed on the second bone portion to form a graft unit, the graft unit is held together by at least two cortical bone pins having a diameter of from about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, and having the following preferred configurations: a posterior composite width of from 5.0 mm to 15.0 mm, preferably from about 8.0 mm to 10.0 mm, an anterior composite width of from about 5.0 mm to about 10.0 mm, preferably from about 6.0 mm to about 8.0 mm,; the composite graft having a width of from about 12.0 to about 25.0 mm, preferably from about 16.0 mm to about 19.0 mm, a diameter of from about 10.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, preferably from about 13.0 mm to about 15.0 mm, and a centrally located hole disposed through the pinned graft unit, between at least two pins. The graft, from a side view, is preferably sloped at an angle of from about 3° to about 15°, preferably at an angle of about 7°, or an angle of 0° along,the top surface and an angle of 7° along the bottom surface, along the top and bottom faces of the graft from the curved end to the flattened end as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, to form the wedge shape. The top and bottom opposing faces of the cervical graft may optionally be textured, preferably with a plurality of pyrimidal protrusions; and (d) two or more bone portions preferably cortical bone portions, layered to form a graft unit, where the bone portions are connected by: being configured to interlock with each other where the interlocking is self-locking or is locked with one or more pins entirely or partially traversing a dimension of the graft, and/or at least two cortical bone pins having a diameter of from about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm and having the following preferred configurations: (I) a diameter of about 14.0 mm; a width of about 17.5 mm; a pin diameter of about 2.5 mm; a through-hole having a diameter of about 6.5 mm, a first width of about 9.0 mm, and a second width of about 4.0 mm; a distance from the arc to a pin and from the through-hole to the second width of the graft, of about 2.0 mm a second width of about 1.0 mm, and the graft having its sides sloped at an angle of about 25° (see FIG. 44); and (ii) a diameter of about 12.0 mm; a width of about 14.5 mm; a pin diameter of about 2.5 mm; a through-hole having a diameter of about 4.0 mm; a distance from the arc to a pin and from the through-hole to the second width of the graft, and from the pin to the through-hole, of about 2.0 mm; a second width of about 7.75 mm, and the graft having its sides sloped at an angle of about 25° (see FIG. 43). Most preferable anterior lumbar oval wedge composite bone grafts include the following configurations: (a) two or more ovoid cortical bone portions disposed on each other thereby forming a graft unit having a composite posterior width of from about 5.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, preferably from about 1.0 mm to about 15.0 mm, an anterior composite width of from 5.0 mm to about 20.0 mm, preferably from about 8.0 mm to about 14.0 mm, a height of from about 15.0 mm to about 30.0 mm, preferably from about 21.0 mm to about 28.0 mm, and a length of from about 23.0 mm to about 45.0 mm, preferably from about 32.0 mm to about 42.0 mm; the graft unit is held together by at least two cortical bone pins having a diameter of from about 2.0 mm to about 4.0 mm, where the pins have the same or a different diameter, to form a pinned graft unit; and optionally one or more through-holes disposed through the pinned graft unit. The graft, from a side view, is preferably sloped at an angle of from about 3° to about 15°, preferably at an angle of about 7°, or an angle of 0° along the top surface and an angle of 7° along the bottom surface, along the top and bottom faces of the to form the wedge shape. The top and bottom opposing faces of the cervical graft may optionally be textured. Any one or more of the cortical and/or cancellous bone portions of the above-described composite bone grafts, may optionally be demineralized and/or discontinuous, depending upon the particular clinical application. For example, any one or more bone portions of any composite graft may include for example, one or more horizontally disposed channels, vertically disposed channels or randomly disposed channels, partially or completely traversing the height and/or width of the graft. One of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can readily select, make and employ, a particular composite graft, without undue experimentation. V. Surgical Implantation and Indications The present composite bone graft is useful for implantation in patients suffering from defects caused by congenital anomaly, disease, or trauma, including for example, spine fractures; deformity, e.g. kyphotic deformities, e.g. posttraumatic kyphosis; postlaminectomy kyphosls, junctional kyphosis, and Scheuermann's kyphosis; scoliosis, e.g. neuromuscular scoliosis, adult scoliosis; paralytic scoliosis, congenital and syndromic scoliosis; and cervical neck pain. Surgical methods for correcting degenerative conditions, for example in the lumbar spine, include decompression (excision of disc material, hypertrophied bone, or ligament along with fusion, or fusion alone. A posterior surgical approach is preferably used. The choice of approach is dictated by the site of primary pathology and the physical size of the composite bone graft. Pathology that involves vertebral bodies is best approached anteriorly through the thorax, abdomen or flank. Pathology involving posterior elements are best approached posteriorly for example, through a vertical midline approach or posterior lateral muscle spinning approach. Those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertain, including for example an orthopaedic surgeon and a spinal surgeon, can readily select and employ a particular composite bone graft, without undue experimentation. Factors to be considered in such selection and employment include: the type and size of graft bone, its anatomic site of fusion, and the age of the patient. An ideal graft, for example for use in lumbar interbody fusion, should be: osteoinductive, non-immunogenic, provide immediate mechanical stability, and be appropriately sized and shaped for the particular application/patient. Indications, diagnostic criteria, graft selection and surgical technique, are factors that can be readily selected optimized and employed by those of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation, and are discussed in: Master Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery, The Spine, edited by Bradford, David S., Lippincott-Raven, ISBN 0-7817-0033-7, Philadelphia, Pa., (1997), hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. When implanting a cervical fusion graft, an anterior cervical approach is used. The following examples are illustrative only, and do not in any way limit the scope of the invention. EXAMPLES I. Preparation of a Composite Graft Donor bone was harvested according to industry accepted standards from a cadaver donor. The composite bone grafts, sized as recorded in Table 1, were prepared according to the method described as follows. Using a bandsaw cortical planks and pin segments were cut from a cortical shaft. One surface of each cortical planks was smoothed on a planing table and the planks were cut to the recorded thickness using a mill. Thereafter, using a table saw, the cut planks were cut to the recorded width and length. Cortical pins were then cut using a drill press, from the pin segments. Using a drill sander, the cortical pins were tapered sufficient to allow insertion into the reamed graft unit. Next, using a bandsaw, cancellous wafers were cut from cancellous bone to the recorded thickness. The wafers were then cut to the recorded width and length using a table saw. The cortical planks and cancellous wafer were then assembled into a graft unit in a jig and were then reamed using a drill press. The anterior through-hole was disposed through the width of the graft unit at the through-hole's center point, 7.5 mm along the length of the graft unit, and centered relative to the width of the graft unit. Using an arbor press, the cortical pins were pushed into the reamed graft unit to produce a pinned graft unit. Any excess pin was then cut off using a bandsaw. Next, using a drill sander, the pinned graft unit was then shaped to the final recorded width, and if the composite graft was angled, the pinned graft was then milled to cut angles. The composite graft was milled to provide grooves of the recorded height, on the opposing surfaces as shown in the Figures. The produced composite bone grafts were then cleaned and tested as follows. TABLE 1 Composite Specimen Composite Tooth (mm) Height (mm) Length Pins (mm) Cancellous* Cortical* number Graft Type width (mm) Height angle front back (mm) front back width (mm) width (mm) 1 trapezoid wedge(TA) 9.0 1.2 60.0° 8.0 10.0 21.0 2.5 3.0 3.0 3.0 2 trapezoid wedge(TB) 11.0 1.5 60.0° 10.0 12.0 21.0 3.0 3.0 5.0 3.0 3 trapezoid wedge(TC) 13.0 1.5 60.0° 12.0 14.0 21.0 3.0 3.0 5.0 4.0 4 trapezoid wedge(TD) 13.0 1.5 60.0° 12.0 14.0 21.0 3.0 3.0 5.0 4.0** 5 parallel block(PA) 7.0 1.2 60.0° 9.0 9.0 21.0 2.5 2.5 3.0 2.0 6 parallel block(PB) 9.0 1.2 60.0° 9.0 9.0 21.0 2.5 2.5 3.0 3.0 7 parallel block(PC) 9.0 1.2 60.0° 11.0 11.0 21.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 8 parallel block(PD) 9.0 1.2 60.0° 10.0 10.0 21.0 2.5 3.0 3.0 3.0 9 parallel block(PE) 11.0 1.5 60.0° 13.0 13.0 21.0 3.0 3.0 5.0 3.0 10 parallel block(PF) 11.0 1.5 60.0° 12.0 12.0 21.0 3.0 3.0 5.0 3.0 12 parallel block(PG) 13.0 1.5 60.0° 14.0 14.0 21.0 3.0 3.0 5.0 4.0** 11 parallel block(PH) 11.0 — — 9.0 9.0 21.0 3.0 3.0 5.0 3.0 12 parallel block(PI) 11.0 — — 9.0 9.0 21.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 4.0** 13 parallel block(PJ) 9.0 — — 7.0 7.0 21.0 2.5 2.5 3.0 3.0 *+0.500 mm or −0.250 mm **two (2) cortical planks were used, each ˜2.0 mm to give a composite cortical width of 4.0 mm II. Biomechanical Strength The biomechanical strength of the composite bone grafts recorded in Table 2 Was determined using static compression testing. All of the tested bone grafts were produced as set forth in Example 1, and sized as recorded. All of the composite bone grafts were constructed from two cortical layers sandwiching a cancellous layer with all of the layers oriented parallel to the-sagittal plane, and secured together with two cortical bone pins. Tests were performed under a compressive load using an Instron™ 4204 test machine. An axial displacement was applied in a ramp fashion at 2.5 mm/min rate until catastrophic failure of the bone graft occurred or until the maximum displacement of 3 mm was reached. Data was collected at a rate of 2 Hz. As can be seen from the data set forth in Table 2, all of the composite grafts exhibited adequate to exceptional biomechanical strength, as compared to the vertebral body itself which fails at 10,000 N (2,200 lbs). TABLE 2 Load at Displacement Load at Displacement Stiffness (slope) Graft Specimen Max. Load at Max. Load z-slp, yield at z-slp, yield (AutYoung) Type number (KN) (Mm) (Mm) (Mm) (N/mm) PA PA-1 8.464 3.460 6.719 1.706 6708.0 (Donor 1) PA-2 8.923 2.450 8.625 1.957 6544.0 PA-3 8.569 3.020 7.323 1.851 6201.0 PA-4 7.238 3.070 6.727 1.998 4756.0 PA-5 8.395 2.160 8.078 1.873 7321.0 Mean (Donor 1): 8.318 2.832 7.495 1.877 6306 Std. Dev (Donor 1): .637 .521 .842 .113 957 (Donor 2) PA-6 9.718 3.300 6.636 1.560 5637.0 PA-7 8.118 1.970 8.113 1.956 6379.0 PA-8 11.190 3.150 9.052 2.102 6246.0 PA-9 8.201 2.110 8.193 2.102 6643.0 PA-10 5.992 1.430 5.882 1.248 7973.0 PA-11 7.248 2.500 7.130 2.060 6578.0 PA-12 8.319 2.660 8.228 2.123 6500.0 PA-13 6.325 2.690 5.782 1.624 4518.0 PA-14 7.973 1.770 7.970 1.749 5867.0 PA-15 8.969 2.750 — — 5546.0 Mean (Donor 2): 8.205 2.433 — — 6189.0 Std. Dev. (Donor 2): 1.535 .601 — — 900.0 (Donor 3) PA-16 7.259 1.540 7.256 1.541 8207.0 (Donor 4) PA-17 9.799 1.710 9.799 1.687 9930.0 PA-18 7.879 1.640 7.876 1.623 7963.0 PA-19 9.590 1.620 9.584 1.603 9794.0 PA-20 9.388 1.670 9.380 1.665 8773.0 PA-21 9.617 1.750 9.617 1.748 10260.0 Mean (Donor 4): 9.255 1.678 9.251 1.655 9344.0 Std. Dev. (Donor 4) .783 .053 .783 .057 950 PC PC-1 9.165 4.000 7.216 1.811 10230.0 (Donor 5) PC-2 7.664 2.860 7.664 2.853 4291.0 PC-3 8.360 2.810 8.338 2.791 4226.0 PC-4 8.612 .970 8.607 .958 19260.0 Mean (Donor 5): 8.450 2.660 7.956 2.103 9503.0 Std. Dev. (Donor 5): .623 1.254 .633 .900 7090.0 (Donor 6) PC-5 10.45 2.040 10.36 1.540 9482.0 PC-6 10.17 2.140 10.17 2.144 7261.0 PC-7 11.74 2.090 11.73 2.060 10330.0 PC-8 11.77 2.290 11.76 2.290 9123.0 Mean (Donor 6): 11.03 2.140 11.01 2.009 9049.0 Std. Dev. (Donor 6): .84 .108 .86 .326 1295.0 PB PB-1 8.953 1.540 8.604 1.310 10160.0 (Donor 7) PB-2 10.910 1.850 10.910 1.852 10380.0 Mean (Donor 7): 9.931 1.695 9.758 1.581 10270.0 Std. Dev. (Donor 7): 1.336 .219 1.632 .383 156.0 PE PE-1 11.42 1.810 11.21 1.601 13900.0 (Donor 8) III. Comparative Biomechanical Strength Composite bone grafts were produced as described in Example A. 11×9×21 mm grafts: (PH) having two 3.0 mm cortical layers sandwiching a 5.0 mm cancellous layer, and (PI) having two 4.0 mm cortical layers sandwiching a 3.0 mm cancellous layer; and 9×7×21 mm grafts (PJ) having two 3.0 mm cortical layers sandwiching a 3.0 mm cancellous layer, were produced After production, the grafts were either fresh frozen or freeze-dried. Table 3 summarizes the compression test results of fresh frozen composite grafts after thawing in 9.0% saline solution for 90 minutes and the freeze-dried composite bone grafts after soaking for 20 min., 60 min., and 7 days in 9.0% saline solution. Test results showed that the 20 minute soaked freeze-dried grafts had the highest strength (Table 3) and stiffness (Table 4) among all the tested groups. Generally, strength and stiffness of the fresh-frozen, grafts were relatively lower than the freeze-dried grafts. The inventive composite bone graft, both fresh-frozen and freeze-dried, when compared to commercially available bone graft products (Os™ and Mid America) was significantly stronger. See Brantigan et al, Compression Strength of Donor Bone for Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion, Spine Vol. 18, No. 9, 1993. TABLE 3 Specimen Number Graft Type 1 2 3 4 5 Mean Std. Dev. Fresh Frozen-one-hour 9.114 9.160 6.942 6.945 9.852 8.403 1.364 (PH-1) Fresh Frozen-one-hour 9.176 8.744 — — — 8.960 0.305 (PH-2) Frecze-dried-20.0 min. 13.970 14.460 — — — 14.220 0.346 (PI-1) Freeze-dried-one-hour 13.99 13.97 — — — 13.98 0.014 (PI-2) Freeze-dried-seven-days 10.300 8.255 — — — 9.277 1.446 (PI-3) Fresh Frozen-one-hour 7.925 7.973 8.958 7.836 9.799 8.498 .985 (PJ-1) Fresh Frozen-one-hour 8.897 9.015 — — — 8.956 .083 (PJ-2) Os ™* 1.098 .934 5.72 2.145 — 2.474 2.229 Mid America 2.823 1.699 1.926 2.629 2.464 2.308 0.477 Tricortical** *Os ™ bone is a commercial tricortical bone graft product. **Mid America tricortical is a commercially available bone graft product produced by Mid America. TABLE 4 Specimen Number Graft Type 1 2 3 4 5 Mean Std. Dev. Fresh Frozen-one-hour 7053.0 6176.0 5878.0 5434.0 7528.0 6413.8 1103.4 (PJ-1) (9 × 7, 3—3—3) Fresh Frozen-one-hour 7303.0 6112.0 — — — 6707.5 842.2 (PJ-2) (9 × 7, 3—3—3) Fresh Frozen-one-hour 10980.0 13900.0 — — — 12440.0 2064.8 (PH-1) (11 × 9, 3-5-3) Fresh Frozen-one-hour 4938.0 11340.0 11060.0 12180.0 9125.0 9728.0 2902.3 (PH-2) (11 × 9, 3-5-3) Freeze-dried-20.0 min. 27760.0 28420.0 — — — 28090.0 466.7 (PI-1) (11 × 9, 4-3-4) Freeze-dried-one-hour 21940.0 22890.0 — — — 22415.0 671.8 (PI-2) (11 × 9, 4-3-4) Freeze-dried-seven-days 14590.0 18130.0 — — — 16360.0 2503.2 (PI-3) (11 × 9, 4-3-4) IV. Preparation of a Cervical Wedge Composite Graft Donor bone was harvested according to industry accepted standards from a cadaver donor. The composite bone grafts, sized as recorded in Table 5, were prepared according to the method described as follows. Using a bandsaw cortical planks and pin segments were cut from a cortical shaft. One surface of each cortical planks was smoothed on a planing table and the planks were cut to the required thickness using a mill. Thereafter, using a table saw, the cut planks were cut to the required width and length. Cortical pins were then cut using a drill press, from the pin segments. Using a drill sander, the cortical pins were tapered sufficient to allow insertion into the reamed graft unit. Next, the cortical planks were assembled into a graft unit in a jig and were then reamed using a drill press. Using an arbor press, the cortical pins were pushed into the reamed graft unit to produce a pinned unit. At this point, the pinned unit was optionally sloped at it's top and/or bottom surface, for example at its bottom surface, at 7° using a radial saw. A circular shape was then cut through the pinned and optionally sloped unit using a trephine or Cloward cutter of appropriate size. Thereafter, using a radial saw or a band saw, the sides and bottom of the graft were shaped, and a centrally located hole was drilled through the pinned unit. Any excess pin was then cut off using a bandsaw. Lastly, the pinned graft unit was smoothed. If textured, the composite-graft was milled to provide grooves on the opposing surfaces as shown in FIG. 35. TABLE 5 Composite Specimen Width (mm) Diameter Width number Graft Type Front back (Mm) (Mm) 1 Cervical Wedge (CA) 6.0 10.0 13.0 16.0 2 Cervical Wedge (CB) 7.0 11.0 13.0 16.0 3 Cervical Wedge (CC) 8.0 12.0 13.0 16.0 4. Cervical Wedge (CD) 6.0 10.0 15.0 19.0 5. Cervical Wedge (CE) 7.0 11.0 15.0 19.0 6. Cervical Wedge (CF) 8.0 12.0 15.0 19.0 7. Cervical Wedge (CG) 6.0 6.0 13.0 16.0 8. Cervical Wedge (CH) 8.0 8.0 13.0 16.0 9. Cervical Wedge (CI) 6.0 6.0 15.0 19.0 10. Cervical Wedge (CJ) 7.0 7.0 13.0 16.0 11. Cervical Wedge (CK) 7.0 7.0 15.0 19.0 It is to be understood, however, that the scope of the present invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments described above. The invention may be practiced other than as particularly described and still be within the scope of the accompanying claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In the field of prosthetic implants, materials often used include bone grafts and implants produced from non-bone materials, including for example stainless steel, titanium and plastics. The choice of whether to use a bone or a non-bone implant often depends on the clinical indication, implant site, whether the implant is load-bearing, and the size of the implant needed. Prior to the present invention, the use of bone grafts versus non-bone prosthetic implants to for example, support and fuse together adjacent vertebrae, has been limited in part by the physical size of a cortical bone graft. Interbody bone grafting involves the problem of strength. Strong cortical bone (the outer layer) is required as a strut in the interbody position to prevent collapse of the disc space while healing occurs. For example, cortical bone obtained from a cadaver source fashioned into struts, is not wide enough for optimum load bearing. This natural limitation often excludes the use of a bone graft product. The success or failure of a bone graft further depends on whether the bone graft remains at the implant site, is cellularized, and whether it can withstand the mechanical load. In spinal surgery, there are two primary indications for use of allograft bone: (1) when there is insufficient available autograft bone, and (2) in spinal fusion procedures when a structural element in needed. Typically, bone grafts are affixed at an implant site by fusion. Bone grafts for spinal applications often fail because they are extruded from the implantation site due to shifting, rotation, and slippage of the graft, are not cellularized, or fail mechanically. The invention enables the use of bone grafts for applications normally suited for only non-bone prosthetic implants. The invention solves the problem of graft failure by providing a composite bone graft which can be appropriately sized for any application out of for example, strong cortical bone; promotes the ingrowth of patient bone at an implantation site by promoting osteoinductivity and cellularization; provides added stability and mechanical strength; and does not shift, extrude or rotate; after implantation. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention is directed to a composite bone graft for repairing bone defects caused by congenital anomaly, disease, or trauma, including for example, for restoring vertical support of the posterior and/or anterior column. The present composite bone grafts can be used as structural grafts placed posteriorly in the spine as interbody grafts or as strut grafts spanning multiple *segments. Posterior composite bone grafts can be used to supplement autologous bone for spinal fusions in patients who lack sufficient host bone and to avoid significant donor site morbidity. The present composite bone grafts can be used for applications normally suited for only non-bone prosthetic implants because the composite bone graft can be appropriately sized for any application and has adequate mechanical strength. The invention provides a composite bone graft including a plurality of bone portions layered to form a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit. The invention also provides a composite bone graft including two or more distinct bone portions, and one or more biocompatible connectors, where the biocompatible connectors hold together the two or more bone portions to form the composite bone graft. The present invention provides a composite bone graft including two or more connected, distinct bone portions. The present invention provides a composite bone graft including three or more connected, distinct bone portions. The present invention provides a composite bone graft including three or more connected, distinct cortical bone portions. The present invention provides a composite bone graft including one or more horizontally disposed channels provided through the composite bone graft perpendicular to the interfaces of the bone portions. The present invention also provides a composite bone graft including one or more vertically disposed channels provided through the composite bone graft parallel to the interfaces of the bone portions. The present invention further provides a composite bone graft including one or more horizontally disposed channels and vertically disposed channels where the one or more channels includes one or more therapeutically beneficial substances. The invention further provides a composite bone graft including two or more connected bone portions, where the bone portions can include cortical bone and cancellous bone. The invention also provides a composite bone graft, including a first bone portion, a second bone portion, a third bone portion, the first, second and third bone portions are disposed one on the other (ie. layered) to form a graft unit; and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit. The invention provides a composite bone graft, including a first cortical bone portion, a second cortical bone portion, a cancellous bone portion disposed between the first cortical bone portion and the second cortical bone portion to form a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit. The invention further provides a composite bone graft, including a first cortical bone portion, a second cortical bone portion provided on the first cortical bone portion to form a graft unit; and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit. The invention provides a composite bone graft, including a plurality of layered cortical bone portions forming a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit. The invention provides a composite bone graft, including a plurality of layered bone portions forming a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit. The invention also provides a composite bone graft, including a first bone portion, a second bone portion provided on the first bone portion to form a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit. The invention provides a composite bone graft including a plurality of distinct bone portions, where one or more of the bone portions are demineralized. The invention provides a composite bone graft including a plurality of distinct bone portions, where one or more of the bone portions are continuous or discontinuous. The invention further provides a composite bone graft including a plurality of distinct bone portions where one or more of the bone portions include a discontinuous bone portion, the discontinuous bone portion including one or more therapeutically beneficial substances including but not limited to, for example, one or more of the following: osteoinductive substances, osteoconductive substances, and pharmaceutically active agents. Such therapeutically beneficial substances may optionally be provided with a carrier. Suitable osteoinductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, autograft bone; allograft bone; Grafton™ produced by Osteotech; DynaGraft™; demineralized cortical bone; demineralized cancellous bone; collagen including one or more growth factors including for example Novus™ produced by Stryker Biotech; collagen including demineralized bone including for example DynaGraft™; cancellous bone; cortical bone; OpteoForm™ produced by the University of Florida; OsteoFill™ produced by the University of Florida; and growth factors including for example, bone morphogenic protein, and transforming growth factor-β. Suitable osteoconductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, hydroxyapitate; collagen; any biocompatible matrix material including for example, polymeric matrix materials, bioglass, bioceramics, resorbable Biomaterials; bioabsorbable polymers; a plastic matrix; stainless steel; titanium; cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy matrix; and substances including hydroxyapitate, including for example, Osteoset™ produced by Wright Medical. Suitable pharmaceutically active agents include but are not limited to, for example, growth factors including for example bone growth factors including for example bone morphogenic protein, and transforming growth factors, chemotherapeutic agents, anti-inflammatory agents, and antibiotics. The invention also provides a composite bone graft, including a first cortical bone portion, a second cortical bone portion, a cancellous bone portion disposed between the first cortical bone portion and the second cortical bone portion to form a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit, where the cancellous bone portion is demineralized and discontinuous. The invention provides a composite bone graft, including a first cortical bone portion, a second cortical bone portion, and a third cortical bone portion disposed between the first cortical bone portion and the second cortical bone portion to form a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible connectors for holding together the graft unit, where the third cortical bone portion is demineralized and discontinuous. The invention provides a composite bone graft, including a first cortical bone portion, and a second cortical bone portion disposed apart from each other, and forming a graft unit, and one or more biocompatible mechanical connectors for holding together the graft unit, where the first and second cortical bone portions are disposed separate from each other by the biocompatible mechanical connectors, thereby forming a substantially void central area. The invention further provides a composite bone graft including a substantially void central area, where the substantially void central area further includes one or more therapeutically beneficial substances including but not limited to, for example, one or more of the following: osteoinductive substances, osteoconductive substances, and pharmaceutically active agents. Such therapeutically beneficial substances may optionally be provided with a carrier. Suitable osteoinductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, autograft bone; allograft bone; Grafton™ produced by Osteotech; DynaGraft™; demineralized cortical bone; demineralized cancellous bone; collagen including one or more growth factors including for example Novus™ produced by Stryker Biotech; collagen including demineralized bone including for example DynaGraft™; cancellous bone; cortical bone; OpteoForm™ produced by the University of Florida; OsteoFill™ produced by the University of Florida; and growth factors including for example bone morphogenic protein, and transforming, growth factor-β. Suitable osteoconductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, hydroxyapitate; collagen; any biocompatible matrix material including for example, polymeric matrix materials, bioglass, bioceramics, resorbable Biomaterials; bioabsorbable polymers; a plastic matrix; stainless steel; titanium; cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy matrix; and substances including hydroxyapitate, including for example, Osteoset™ produced by Wright Medical. Suitable pharmaceutically active agents include but are not limited to, for example, growth factors including for example bone growth factors including for example bone morphogenic protein, and transforming growth factor-β; chemotherapeutic agents; anti-inflammatory agents; and antibiotics. The material may be in any suitable form including for example, in the form of a solid, sponge, paste, powder, and/or gel. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the biocompatible connectors include one or more mechanical biocompatible connectors. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the biocompatible connectors include a chemical biocompatible connector. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the mechanical biocompatible connectors include one or more pins. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the chemical biocompatible connectors include a biocompatible adhesive. The invention provides a composite bone graft where one or more biocompatible connectors include one or more of the following: a mechanical connector and a chemical connector. The invention also provides a composite bone graft where the mechanical biocompatible connectors include one or more of the following biocompatible materials: cortical bone; stainless steel; titanium; cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy; a bioceramic; a bioglass; a plastic of one or more of the following: nylon, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyacetal, polyethylene, and polysulfone; and one or more bioabsorbable polymers. The invention also provides a composite bone graft where the mechanical biocompatible connectors include cortical bone. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the one or more pins include one or more cortical bone pins. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the graft unit includes one or more through-holes configured to accommodate the one or more pins. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the through-holes are disposed perpendicular to interfaces of bone portions forming the graft unit. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the through-holes are disposed perpendicular to interfaces of for example, the first bone portion, the second bone portion, and the third bone portion, of the graft unit. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the one or more pins and the one or more through-holes are configured to provide an interference fit to holding together the graft unit. The invention also provides a composite bone graft where the one or more through-holes arid the one or more pins are round and an inner diameter of a through-hole is smaller than a diameter of a pin, to provide an interference fit between the through-hole and the pin. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the one or more cortical bone pins include a plurality of vertical groves provided on a surface thereof. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the one or more cortical bone pins includes a roughened surface. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the one or more cortical bone pins further includes a slot extending from one end of the bone pin. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the one or more pins is threaded to provide a threaded engagement with the one or more through-holes. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the one or more pins is threaded and the one or more through-holes is threaded, to provide a threaded engagement between the one or more pins and the one or more through-holes. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the one or more pins and the one or more through-holes are configured to provide a slidable connection, for example, to provide a composite bone-graft including a substantially void central area. The invention also provides a composite bone graft where a cross-section of the one or more pins includes a shape selected from the group including the following: round, ovoid, square, rectangular, triangular, pentagon, hexagon, and trapezoidal. The invention further provides a composite bone graft including a plurality of plate-like cortical bone portions, the cortical bone portions layered to form a graft unit, the graft unit held together with one or more cortical bone pins. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the composite bone graft is a cortical cylinder. The invention provides a composite bone graft including a graft unit having one or more through-holes configured to accommodate one or more pins, the graft unit including two or more bone portions layered to form the graft unit, and one or more pins for holding together the graft unit. The invention further provides a composite bone graft, including a graft unit having one or more through-holes configured to accommodate or more pins, the graft unit including a first plate-like cortical bone, a second plate-like cortical bone, a plate-like cancellous bone disposed between the first plate-like cortical bone and the second plate-like cortical bone to form the graft unit, and one or more cortical bone pins for holding together the graft unit. The invention also provides a composite bone graft, including a graft unit having one or more through-holes configured to accommodate one or more pins, the graft unit including a first plate-like bone, a second plate-like bone provided on the first plate-like bone to form the graft unit, and one or more bone pins for holding together the graft unit. The invention also provides a cervical composite-bone graft, including a flattened curved wedge graft unit having one or more through-holes configured to accommodate one or more pins, the graft unit including two or more plate-like cortical bone portions layered to form the graft unit, and at least two bone pins for holding together the graft unit, where the graft unit includes a substantially centrally located through-hole. The diameter of the through-hole may be readily selected by one of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation depending upon the particular application; for example, the diameter of the through-hole may be from about 2.0 mm-4.0 mm; preferably 2.5 mm-3.0 mm; and more preferably 3.0 mm. The invention also provides a composite bone graft where the one or more through-holes are disposed perpendicular to interfaces of plate-like bones of the graft unit. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the composite bone graft is a parallelepiped; a parallel block; a square block; a trapezoid wedge; a cylinder; a tapered cylinder; a cervical wedge (flattened curved wedge); an ovoid wedge (anterior lumbar wedge graft) and a polyhedron. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the composite bone graft is a polyhedron including six planer surfaces. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the composite bone graft further includes one or more textured surfaces. The invention also provides a composite bone graft where the one or more textured surfaces includes a plurality of closely spaced continuous protrusions. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the continuous protrusions include a cross-section having one or more shapes selected from the following: irregular; triangular, square, rectangular, and curved. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where the plurality of continuous protrusions are sized to be in a range of greater than or equal to about 1.5 mm in length; 0.5 to about 10.0 mm in width and 0.1 to about 5.0 mm in depth. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the plurality of closely spaced continuous protrusions are spaced from about 0.0 to about 3.0 mm apart. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the plurality of protrusions are spaced from about 0.1 to about 2.0 mm apart. The invention also provides a composite bone graft where the plurality of protrusions are spaced about 0.5 mm apart. The invention provides a method for restoring vertical support of the posterior and/or anterior column by implanting a composite bone graft including two or more distinct bone portions held together by one or more connectors, at a site in a patient. The invention provides a composite bone graft containing two or more connected bone portions, where the composite bone graft has a plurality of closely spaced protrusions on one or more surfaces thereof, where the protrusions are continuous protrusions, discrete protrusions, or a combination thereof. The invention provides a composite bone graft where the plate-like cortical and/or cancellous bone portions are continuous bone portions and/or discontinuous bone portions. The invention provides a composite bone graft including one or more discontinuous:bone portions. The invention provides a composite bone graft including one or more discontinuous, demineralized cortical bone portions. The invention provides a composite bone graft including one or more discontinuous, demineralized cancellous bone portions. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where one or more continuous or discontinuous cancellous bone portions, (continuous or discontinuous and/or demineralized)includes one or more therapeutically beneficial substances including but not limited to, for example, one or more of the following: osteoinductive substances, osteoconductive substances, and pharmaceutically active agents. Such therapeutically beneficial substances may optionally be provided with a carrier. Suitable osteoinductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, autograft bone; allograft bone; Grafton™ produced by Osteotech; DynaGraft™; demineralized cortical bone; demineralized cancellous bone; collagen including one or more growth factors including for example Novus™ produced by Stryker Biotech; collagen including demineralized bone including for example DynaGraft™; cancellous bone; cortical bone; OpteoForm™ produced by the University of Florida; OsteoFill™ produced by the University of Florida; and growth factors including for example bone morphogenic protein, and transforming growth factor-β. Suitable osteoconductive substances include but are not limited to, for example, hydroxyapitate; collagen; any biocompatible matrix material including for example, polymeric matrix materials, bioglass, bioceramics, resorbable Biomaterials; bioabsorbable polymers; a plastic matrix; stainless steel; titanium; cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy matrix; and substances including hydroxyapitate, including for example, Osteoset™ produced by Wright Medical. Suitable pharmaceutically active agents include but are not limited to, for example, growth factors including for example bone growth factors including for example bone morphogenic protein, and transforming growth factory; chemotherapeutic agents; anti-inflammatory agents; and antibiotics. The invention provides a composite bone graft where one or more continuous or discontinuous cancellous bone portions are demineralized and include one or more therapeutically beneficial substances. The invention provides a composite bone graft where one or more discontinuous cortical bone portions, include one or more therapeutically beneficial substances. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where one or more discontinuous cortical bone portions are demineralized and include one or more therapeutically beneficial substances. The invention also provides a composite bone graft including a two or more distinct bone portions held together by one or more connectors, where the composite-bone graft includes two diametrically opposing chamfered edges, one provided along the length of the graft at its top edge and the other provided along the length of the graft at its bottom edge, such that the chamfered edges are diametrically opposing. The invention further provides a composite bone graft including two or more distinct interlocking cortical bone portions. The invention provides a composite bone graft including two or more distinct interlocking bone portions, where the interlocking bone portions are self-locking. The invention also provides a composite bone graft including two or more distinct interlocking bone portions, where the interlocking bone portions are locked with one or more locking pins. The invention further provides a composite bone graft where bone portions are locked with one or more locking pins entirely or partially traversing a dimension of the composite bone graft. The invention provides an interlocking composite bone graft where each complementary bone portion is provided with a discrete or continuous interlocking pattern. The invention also provides an interlocking composite bone graft including two or more distinct adjacent bone portions where adjacent bone portions are configured to interlock with each other, and one or more bone pins partially or entirely traversing a dimension of the graft, where the dimension of the graft is the length, width, or height of the graft. The invention provides an interlocking composite bone graft including two or more distinct adjacent bone portions where adjacent bone portions are configured to interlock with each other. The invention provides a composite bone graft including two or more distinct adjacent interlocking bone portions where adjacent bone portions include complementary peg-like protrusions and corresponding depressions, such that the protrusions and depressions provide an interlocking fit between the bone portions. | 20040930 | 20120522 | 20051124 | 95896.0 | 2 | HAMMOND, ELLEN CHRISTINA | COMPOSITE BONE GRAFT, METHOD OF MAKING AND USING SAME | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,954,182 | ACCEPTED | Biased pulse DC reactive sputtering of oxide films | A biased pulse DC reactor for sputtering of oxide films is presented. The biased pulse DC reactor couples pulsed DC at a particular frequency to the target through a filter which filters out the effects of a bias power applied to the substrate, protecting the pulsed DC power supply. Films deposited utilizing the reactor have controllable material properties such as the index of refraction. Optical components such as waveguide amplifiers and multiplexers can be fabricated using processes performed on a reactor according to the present inention. | 1-39. (Canceled). 40. A method of depositing a film on a substrate, comprising: providing process gas between the target and a substrate; providing pulsed DC power to a target; providing a magnetic field to the target; and wherein a material is deposited on the substrate. 41. The method of claim 40, wherein the target is a metallic target and the process gas includes oxygen. 42. The method of claim 40, wherein the target is a metallic target and the process gas includes one or more of a set consisting of N2, NH3, CO, NO, CO2, halide containing gasses. 43. The method of claim 40, wherein the target is a ceramic target. 44. The method of claim 40, further including providing filtering of pulsed DC power to the target in order to protect a pulsed DC power supply. 45. The method of claim 40, wherein the magnetic field is provided by a moving magnetron. 46. The method of claim 40, further including holding the temperature of the substrate substantially constant. 47. The method of claim 40, wherein the process gas includes a mixture of Oxygen and Argon. 48. The method of claim 40, wherein the Oxygen flow is adjusted to adjust the index of refraction of the film. 49. The method of claim 40, wherein the process gas further includes nitrogen. 50. The method of claim 40, wherein providing pulsed DC power to a target includes providing pulsed DC power to a target which has an area larger than that of the substrate. 51. The method of claim 40, further including uniformly sweeping the target with a magnetic field. 52. The method of claim 51 wherein uniformly sweeping the target with a magnetic field includes sweeping a magnet in one direction across the target where the magnet extends beyond the target in the opposite direction. 53. The method of claim 40, wherein the target is an alloyed target. 54. The method of claim 53 wherein the alloyed target includes one or more rare-earth ions. 55. The method of claim 53 wherein the alloyed target includes Si and Al. 56. The method of claim 53 wherein the alloyed target includes one or more elements taken from a set consisting of Si, Al, Er, Yb, Zn, Ga, Ge, P, As, Sn, Sb, Pb, Ag, Au, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy Ho, Tm, and Lu. 57. The method of claim 53 wherein the alloyed target is a tiled target. 58. The method of claim 57 wherein each tile of the tiled target is formed by prealloy atomization and hot isostatic pressing of a powder. 59. The method of claim 40, wherein the oxide film is formed by reactive sputtering in metallic mode. 60. The method of claim 40, wherein the oxide film is formed by reactive sputtering in poison mode. 61. The method of claim 40, further including reconditioning the metallic target. 62. The method of claim 61, wherein reconditioning the metallic target includes: reactive sputtering in the metallic mode and then reactive sputtering in the poison mode. 63. A reactor according to the present invention, comprising: a target area for receiving a target; a magnetic field generator supplying a magnetic field to the target; a substrate area opposite the target area for receiving a substrate; and a pulsed DC power supply coupled to the target, wherein a material is deposited on the substrate when pulsed DC power from the pulsed DC power supply is applied to the target in the presence of a process gas. 64. The method of claim 63, wherein the target is a metallic target and the process gas includes oxygen. 65. The method of claim 63, wherein the target is a metallic target and the process gas includes one or more of a set consisting of N2, NH3, CO, NO, CO2, halide containing gasses. 66. The method of claim 63, wherein the target is a ceramic target. 67. The method of claim 63, further including providing filtering of pulsed DC power to the target in order to protect a pulsed DC power supply. 68. The method of claim 63, wherein the magnetic field is provided by a moving magnetron. 69. The method of claim 63, further including a temperature controller for holding the temperature of the substrate substantially constant. 70. The method of claim 63, wherein the process gas includes a mixture of Oxygen and Argon. 71. The method of claim 70, further including a process gas flow controller wherein the Oxygen flow is adjusted to adjust the index of refraction of the film. 72. The method of claim 63, wherein the process gas further includes nitrogen. 73. The method of claim 63, wherein the target has an area larger than that of the substrate. 74. The method of claim 63, wherein the magnetic field generator uniformly sweeps the target with the magnetic field. 75. The method of claim 74 wherein when the magnet field is swept in one direction across the target, the magnet field extends beyond the target in the opposite direction. 76. The method of claim 63, wherein the target is an alloyed target. 77. The method of claim 76 wherein the alloyed target includes one or more rare-earth ions. 78. The method of claim 76 wherein the alloyed target includes Si and Al. 79. The method of claim 76 wherein the alloyed target includes one or more elements taken from a set consisting of Si, Al, Er, Yb, Zn, Ga, Ge, P, As, Sn, Sb, Pb, Ag, Au, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy Ho, Tm, and Lu. 80. The method of claim 76 wherein the alloyed target is a tiled target. 81. The method of claim 80 wherein each tile of the tiled target is formed by prealloy atomization and hot isostatic pressing of a powder. 82. The method of claim 63, wherein the material is an oxide film formed by reactive sputtering in metallic mode. 83. The method of claim 63, wherein the material is an oxide film formed by reactive sputtering in poison mode. 84. The method of claim 63, wherein the target is reconditioned. | BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to deposition of oxide and oxynitride films and, in particular, to deposition of oxide and oxynitride films by pulsed DC reactive sputtering. 2. Discussion of Related Art Deposition of insulating materials and especially optical materials is technologically important in several areas including production of optical devices and production of semiconductor devices. In semiconductor devices, doped alumina silicates can be utilized as high dielectric insulators. The increasing prevalence of fiber optic communications systems has created an unprecedented demand for devices for processing optical signals. Planar devices such as optical waveguides, couplers, splitters, and amplifiers, fabricated on planar substrates, like those commonly used for integrated circuits, and configured to receive and process signals from optical fibers are highly desirable. Such devices hold promise for integrated optical and electronic signal processing on a single semiconductor-like substance. The basic design of planar optical waveguides and amplifiers is well known, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,119,460 and 5,563,979 to Bruce et al., 5,613,995 to Bhandarkar et al., 5,900,057 to Buchal et al., and 5,107,538 to Benton et al., to cite only a few. These devices, very generally, include a core region, typically bar shaped, of a certain refractive index surrounded by a cladding region of a lower refractive index. In the case of an optical amplifier, the core region includes a certain concentration of a dopant, typically a rare earth ion such as an erbium or praseodymium ion which, when pumped by a laser, fluoresces, for example, in the 1550 nm and 1300 nm wavelength ranges used for optical communication, to amplify the optical signal passing through the core. As described, for example in the patents by Bruce et al., Bhandarkar et al, and Buchal et al., planar optical devices may be fabricated by process sequences including forming a layer of cladding material on a substrate; forming a layer of core material on the layer of cladding mater; patterning the core layer using a photolighotgraphic mask and an etching process to form a core ridge; and covering the core ridge with an upper cladding layer. The performance of these planar optical devices depends sensitively on the value and uniformity of the refractive index of the core region and of the cladding region, and particularly on the difference in refractive index, Δn, between the regions. Particularly for passive devices such as waveguides, couplers, and splitters, Δn should be carefully controlled, for example to values within about 1%, and the refractive index of both core and cladding need to be highly uniform, for some applications at the fewer than parts per thousand level. In the case of doped materials forming the core region of planar optical amplifiers, it is important that the dopant be uniformly distributed so as to avoid non-radiative quenching or radiative quenching, for example by upconversion. The refractive index and other desirable properties of the core and cladding regions, such as physical and chemical uniformity, low stress, and high density, depend, of course, on the choice of materials for the devices and on the processes by which they are fabricated. Because of their optical properties, silica and refractory oxides such as Al2O3, are good candidate materials for planar optical devices. Further, these oxides serve as suitable hosts for rare earth dopants used in optical amplifiers. A common material choice is so-called low temperature glasses, doped with alkali metals, boron, or phosphorous, which have the advantage of requiring lower processing temperatures. In addition, dopants are used to modify the refractive index. Methods such as flame hydrolysis, ion exchange for introducing alkali ions in glasses, sputtering, and various chemical vapor deposition processes (CVD) have been used to form films of doped glasses. However, dopants such as phosphorous and boron are hygroscopic, and alkalis are undesirable for integration with electronic devices. Control of uniformity of doping in CVD processes can be difficult and CVD deposited films can have structural defects leading to scattering losses when used to guide light. In addition, doped low temperature glasses may require further processing after deposition. A method for eliminating bubbles in thin films of sodium-boro-silicate glass by high temperature sintering is described, for example, in the '995 patent to Bhandarkar et al. Typically, RF sputtering has been utilized for deposition of oxide dielectric films. However, RF sputtering utilizes ceramic targets which are typically formed of multiple smaller tiles. Since the tiles can not be made very large, there may be a large problem of arcing between tiles and therefore contamination of the deposited film due to this arcing. Further, the reactors required for RF sputtering tend to be rather complicated. In particular, the engineering of low capacitance efficient RF power distribution to the cathode is difficult in RF systems. Routing of low capacitance forward and return power into a vacuum vessel of the reaction chamber often exposes the power path in such a way that diffuse plasma discharge is allowed under some conditions of impedance tuning of the matching networks. Therefore, there is a need for new methods of depositing oxide and oxynitride films and for forming planar optical devices. SUMMARY In accordance with the present invention, a sputtering reactor apparatus for depositing oxide and oxynitride films is presented. Further, methods for depositing oxide and oxynitride films for optical waveguide devices are also presented. A sputtering reactor according to the present invention includes a pulsed DC power supply coupled through a filter to a target and a substrate electrode coupled to an RF power supply. A substrate mounted on the substrate electrode is therefore supplied with a bias from the RF power supply. The target can be a metallic target made of a material to be deposited on the substrate. In some embodiments, the metallic target is formed from Al, Si and various rare-earth ions. A target with an erbium concentration, for example, can be utilized to deposit a film that can be formed into a waveguide optical amplifier. A substrate can be any material and, in some embodiments, is a silicon wafer. In some embodiments, RF power can be supplied to the wafer. In some embodiments, the wafer and the electrode can be separated by an insulating glass. In some embodiments, up to about 10 kW of pulsed DC power at a frequency of between about 40 kHz and 350 kHz and a reverse pulse time of up to about 5 μs is supplied to the target. The wafer can be biased with up to about several hundred watts of RF power. The temperature of the substrate can be controlled to within about 10° C. and can vary from about −50° C. to several hundred degrees C. Process gasses can be fed into the reaction chamber of the reactor apparatus. In some embodiments, the process gasses can include combinations of Ar, N2, O2, C2F6, CO2, CO and other process gasses. Several material properties of the deposited layer can be modified by adjusting the composition of the target, the composition and flow rate of the process gasses, the power supplied to the target and the substrate, and the temperature of the substrate. For example, the index of refraction of the deposited layer depends on deposition parameters. Further, in some embodiments stress can be relieved on the substrate by depositing a thin film of material on a back side of the wafer. Films deposited according to the present invention can be utilized to form optical waveguide devices such as multiplexers and rare-earth doped amplifiers. These and other embodiments, along with examples of material layers deposited according to the present invention, are further described below with respect to the following figures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIGS. 1A and 1B show a pulsed DC sputtering reactor according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a planar view of target utilized in a reactor as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIG. 3 shows a cross-section view of an example target utilized in a reactor as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of an embodiment of a process for depositing a film on a substrate according to the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a hysterises curve of target voltage versus oxygen flow rates for an example target in an embodiment of a reactor according to the present invention. FIG. 6 shows a photo-luminescence and lifetimes of a film deposited in a process according to the present invention as a function of after deposition anneal temperature. FIG. 7 shows the relationship between the index of refraction of a film as a function of deposited oxide layers according to the present invention and due to oxide build-up on the target. FIG. 8 shows a graph of the index of refraction of a film deposited according to the present invention as a function of the aluminum content in a composite Al/Si target. FIG. 9 shows a graph of typical indices of refraction of material layers deposited according to the present invention. FIG. 10 shows a table of indices of refraction for a silica layer deposited according to the present invention as a function of different process parameters. FIG. 11 shows the refractive indices as a function of O2/Ar ratio utilized in an Alumina process according to the present invention. FIG. 12 shows the refractive indices as a function of DC pulsed power frequency for an Alumina layer deposited according to the present invention. FIG. 13 shows variation in the refractive index over time during repeated depositions from a single target. FIG. 14 shows variation in refractive index over time for repeated depositions from a target of another material layer according to the present invention. FIG. 15 shows the variation refractive index over time for repeated depositions from a target of another material layer according to the present invention. FIG. 16A through 16D shows a TEM film deposited according to the present invention. FIG. 17 shows the transparency of a film deposited according to the present invention. FIG. 18 shows an uppercladding layer deposited according to the present invention over a multiple-waveguide structure such that the deposited layer is substantially planarized. FIG. 19 illustrates the deposition of a film over a waveguide structure. FIGS. 20 and 21 illustrate different etch and deposition rates for deposition of films as a function of the surface angle of the film. FIG. 22 illustrates calculation of the planarization time for a particular deposition process. FIGS. 23 through 25 through illustrate adjustment of process parameters in order to achieve planarization of a film deposited over a waveguide structure according to the present invention. FIG. 26 shows the gain characteristics of an erbium doped waveguide amplifier formed of films depositions according to the present invention. FIG. 27 shows gain, insertion loss of a waveguide with an active core deposited according to the present invention. FIG. 28 shows up-conversion constants, and lifetimes of the active core layer of FIG. 27 deposited according to the present invention. FIG. 29 shows drift in the index of refraction with subsequent depositions for films deposited from a target according to the present invention. FIG. 30 shows drift in the photoluminescence with subsequent depositions according to the present invention. FIG. 31 shows drift in the excited state lifetime with subsequent depositions according to the present invention. FIG. 32 shows stabilization of the index of refraction in subsequent depositions. FIG. 33 shows the index of refraction of a film formed from a pure silicon target as a function of the ratio of O2/N2 in the process gas. In the figures, elements having the same designation have the same or similar function. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reactive DC magnetron sputtering of nitrides and carbides is a widely practiced technique, but the reactive dc magnetron sputtering of nonconducting oxides is done rarely. Films such as aluminum oxide are almost impossible to deposit by conventional reactive DC magnetron sputtering due to rapid formation of insulating oxide layers on the target surface. The insulating surfaces charges up and result in arcing during process. This arcing can damage the power supply, produce particles and degrade the properties of deposited oxide films. RF sputtering of oxide films is discussed in application Ser. No. 09/903,050 (the '050 application) by Demaray et al., entitled “Planar Optical Devices and Methods for Their Manufacture,” assigned to the same assignee as is the present invention, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. Further, targets that can be utilized in a reactor according to the present invention are discussed in U.S. Application serial no. {Attorney Docket No. M-12247 US} (the '247 application), filed concurrently with the present disclosure, assigned to the same assignee as is the present invention, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. A gain-flattened amplifier formed of films deposited according to the present invention are described in U.S. Application serial no. {Attorney Docket No. M-12652 US} (the '652 application), filed concurrently with the present disclosure, assigned to the same assignee as is the present invention, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. Further, a mode size converter formed with films deposited according to the present invention is described in U.S. Application serial no. {Attorney Docket No. M-12138 US} (the '138 application), filed concurrently with the present disclosure, assigned to the same assignee as is the present invention, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIG. 1A shows a schematic of a reactor apparatus 10 for sputtering of material from a target 12 according to the present invention. In some embodiments, apparatus 10 may, for example, be adapted from an AKT-1600 PVD (400×500 mm substrate size) system from Applied Komatsu or an AKT-4300 (600×720 mm substrate size) system from Applied Komatsu, Santa Clara, Calif. The AKT-1600 reactor, for example, has three deposition chambers connected by a vacuum transport chamber. These Komatsu reactors can be modified such that pulsed DC power is supplied to the target and RF power is supplied to the substrate during deposition of a material film. Apparatus 10 includes a target 12 which is electrically coupled through a filter 15 to a pulsed DC power supply 14. In some embodiments, target 12 is a wide area sputter source target, which provides material to be deposited on substrate 16. Substrate 16 is positioned parallel to and opposite target 12. Target 12 functions as a cathode when power is applied to it and is equivalently termed a cathode. Application of power to target 12 creates a plasma 53. Substrate 16 is capacitively coupled to an electrode 17 through an insulator 54. Electrode 17 can be coupled to an RF power supply 18. Magnet 20 is scanned across the top of target 12. For pulsed reactive dc magnetron sputtering, as performed by apparatus 10, the polarity of the power supplied to target 12 by power supply 14 oscillates between negative and positive potentials. During the positive period, the insulating layer on the surface of target 12 is discharged and arcing is prevented. To obtain arc free deposition, the pulsing frequency exceeds a critical frequency that depend on target material, cathode current and reverse time. High quality oxide films can be made using reactive pulse DC magnetron sputtering in apparatus 10. Pulsed DC power supply 14 can be any pulsed DC power supply, for example an AE Pinnacle plus 10K by Advanced Energy, Inc. With this example supply, up to 10 kW of pulsed DC power can be supplied at a frequency of between 0 and 350 KHz. The reverse voltage is 10% of the negative target voltage. Utilization of other power supplies will lead to different power characteristics, frequency characteristics and reverse voltage percentages. The reverse time on this embodiment of power supply 14 can be adjusted between 0 and 5 μs. Filter 15 prevents the bias power from power supply 18 from coupling into pulsed DC power supply 14. In some embodiments, power supply 18 is a 2 MHz RF power supply, for example can be a Nova-25 power supply made by ENI, Colorado Springs, Co. Therefore, filter 15 is a 2 MHz band rejection filter. In some embodiments, the band width of the filter can be approximately 100 kHz. Filter 15, therefore, prevents the 2 MHz power from the bias to substrate 16 from damaging power supply 18. However, both RF and pulsed DC deposited films are not fully dense and most likely have columnar structures. These columnar structures are detrimental for optical wave guide applications due to the scattering loss caused by the structure. By applying a RF bias on wafer 16 during deposition, the deposited film can be dandified by energetic ion bombardment and the columnar structure can be substantially eliminated. In the AKT-1600 based system, for example, target 12 can have an active size of about 675.70×582.48 by 4 mm in order to deposit films on substrate 16 that have dimension about 400×500 mm. The temperature of substrate 16 can be held at between −50C and 500C. The distance between target 12 and substrate 16 can be between about 3 and about 9 cm. Process gas can be inserted into the chamber of apparatus 10 at a rate up to about 200 sccm while the pressure in the chamber of apparatus 10 can be held at between about 0.7 and 6 millitorr. Magnet 20 provides a magnetic field of strength between about 400 and about 600 Gauss directed in the plane of target 12 and is moved across target 12 at a rate of less than about 20-30 sec/scan. In some embodiments utilizing the AKT 1600 reactor, magnet 20 can be a race-track shaped magnet with dimension about 150 mm by 600 mm. A top down view of magnet 20 and wide area target 12 is shown in FIG. 2. A film deposited on a substrate positioned on carrier sheet 17 directly opposed to region 52 of target 12 has good thickness uniformity. Region 52 is the region shown in FIG. 1B that is exposed to a uniform plasma condition. In some implementations, carrier 17 can be coextensive with region 52. Region 24 shown in FIG. 2 indicates the area below which both physically and chemically uniform deposition can be achieved, where physical and chemical uniformity provide refractive index uniformity, for example. FIG. 2 indicates that region 52 of target 12 that provides thickness uniformity is, in general, larger than region 24 of target 12 providing thickness and chemical uniformity. In optimized processes, however, regions 52 and 24 may be coextensive. In some embodiments, magnet 20 extends beyond area 52 in one direction, the Y direction in FIG. 2, so that scanning is necessary in only one direction, the X direction, to provide a time averaged uniform magnetic field. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, magnet 20 can be scanned over the entire extent of target 12, which is larger than region 52 of uniform sputter erosion. Magnet 20 is moved in a plane parallel to the plane of target 12. The combination of a uniform target 12 with a target area 52 larger than the area of substrate 16 can provide films of highly uniform thickness. Further, the material properties of the film deposited can be highly uniform. The conditions of sputtering at the target surface, such as the uniformity of erosion, the average temperature of the plasma at the target surface and the equilibration of the target surface with the gas phase ambient of the process are uniform over a region which is greater than or equal to the region to be coated with a uniform film thickness. In addition, the region of uniform film thickness is greater than or equal to the region of the film which is to have highly uniform optical properties such as index of refraction, density, transmission or absorptivity. Target 12 can be formed of any materials, but is typically metallic materials such as, for example, combinations of Al and Si. Therefore, in some embodiments, target 12 includes a metallic target material formed from intermetalic compounds of optical elements such as Si, Al, Er and Yb. Additionally, target 12 can be formed, for example, from materials such as La, Yt, Ag, Au, and Eu. To form optically active films on substrate 16, target 12 can include rare-earth ions. In some embodiments of target 12 with rare earth ions, the rare earth ions can be pre-alloyed with the metallic host components to form intermetalics. See the '247 application. In several embodiments of the invention, material tiles are formed. These tiles can be mounted on a backing plate to form a target for apparatus 10. FIG. 3A shows an embodiment of target 12 formed with individual tiles 30 mounted on a cooled backplate 25. In order to form a wide area target of an alloy target material, the consolidated material of individual tiles 30 should first be uniform to the grain size of the powder from which it is formed. It also should be formed into a structural material capable of forming and finishing to a tile shape having a surface roughness on the order of the powder size from which it is consolidated. A wide area sputter cathode target can be formed from a close packed array of smaller tiles. Target 12, therefore, may include any number of tiles 30, for example between 2 to 20 individual tiles 30. Tiles 30 are finished to a size so as to provide a margin of non-contact, tile to tile, 29 in FIG. 3A, less than about 0.010″ to about 0.020″ or less than half a millimeter so as to eliminate plasma processes between adjacent ones of tiles 30. The distance between tiles 30 of target 12 and the dark space anode or ground shield 19, in FIG. 1B can be somewhat larger so as to provide non contact assembly or provide for thermal expansion tolerance during process chamber conditioning or operation. Several useful examples of target 12 that can be utilized in apparatus 10 according to the present invention include the following targets compositions: (Si/Al/Er/Yb) being about (57.0/41.4/0.8/0.8), (48.9/49/1.6/0.5), (92/8/0/0), (60/40/0/0), (50/50/0/0), (65/35/0/0), (70/30/0,0), and (50,48.5/1.5/0) cat. %, to list only a few. These targets can be referred to as the 0.8/0.8 target, the 1.6/0.5 target, the 92-8 target, the 60-40 target, the 50-50 target, the 65-35 target, the 70-30 target, and the 1.5/0 target, respectively. The 0.8/0.8, 1.6/0.5, and 1.5/0 targets can be made by pre-alloyed targets formed from an atomization and hot-isostatic pressing (HIPing) process as described in the '247 application. The remaining targets can be formed, for example, by HIPing. Targets formed from Si, Al, Er and Yb can have any composition. In some embodiments, the rare earth content can be up to 10 cat. % of the total ion content in the target. Rare earth ions are added to form active layers for amplification. Targets utilized in apparatus 10 can have any composition and can include ions other than Si, Al, Er and Yb, including: Zn, Ga, Ge, P, As, Sn, Sb, Pb, Ag, Au, and rare earths: Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Th, Dy Ho, Er, Tm Yb and Lu. Optically useful materials to be deposited onto substrate 16 include oxides, fluorides, sulfides, nitrides, phosphates, sulfates, and carbonates, as well as other wide band gap semiconductor materials. To achieve uniform deposition, target 12, itself can be chemically uniform and of uniform thickness over an extended area. Target 12 can be a composite target fabricated from individual tiles, precisely bonded together on a backing plate with minimal separation, as is discussed further with respect to FIG. 3. In some embodiments, the mixed intermetalllics can be plasma sprayed directly onto a backing plate to form target 12. The complete target assembly can also includes structures for cooling the target, embodiments of which have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,071 to Demaray et al, and incorporated herein by reference. Substrate 16 can be a solid, smooth surface. Typically, substrate 16 can be a silicon wafer or a silicon wafer coated with a layer of silicon oxide formed by a chemical vapor deposition process or by a thermal oxidation process. Alternatively, substrate 16 can be a glass, such as Corning 1737 (Corning Inc., Elmira, N.Y.), a glass-like material, quartz, a metal, a metal oxide, or a plastic material. Substrate 16 can be supported on a holder or carrier sheet that may be larger than substrate 16. Substrate 16 can be electrically biased by power supply 18. In some embodiments, the area of wide area target 12 can be greater than the area on the carrier sheet on which physically and chemically uniform deposition is accomplished. Secondly, in some embodiments a central region on target 12, overlying substrate 16, can be provided with a very uniform condition of sputter erosion of the target material. Uniform target erosion is a consequence of a uniform plasma condition. In the following discussion, all mention of uniform condition of target erosion is taken to be equivalent to uniform plasma condition. Uniform target erosion is evidenced by the persistence of film uniformity throughout an extended target life. A uniformly deposited film can be defined as a film having a nonuniformity in thickness, when measured at representative points on the entire surface of a substrate wafer, of less than about 5% or 10%. Thickness nonuniformity is defined, by convention, as the difference between the minimum and maximum thickness divided by twice the average thickness. If films deposited from a target from which more than about 20% of the weight of the target has been removed continue to exhibit thickness uniformity, then the sputtering process is judged to be in a condition of uniform target erosion for all films deposited during the target life. As shown in FIG. 1B, a uniform plasma condition can be created in the region between target 12 and substrate 16 in a region overlying substrate 16. A plasma 53 can be created in region 51, which extends under the entire target 12. A central region 52 of target 12, can experience a condition of uniform sputter erosion. As discussed further below, a layer deposited on a substrate placed anywhere below central region 52 can then be uniform in thickness and other properties (i.e., dielectric, optical index, or material concentrations). In addition, region 52 in which deposition provides uniformity of deposited film can be larger than the area in which the deposition provides a film with uniform physical or optical properties such as chemical composition or index of refraction. In some embodiments, target 12 is substantially planar in order to provide uniformity in the film deposited on substrate 16. In practice, planarity of target 12 can mean that all portions of the target surface in region 52 are within a few millimeters of a planar surface, and can be typically within 0.5 mm of a planar surface. Other approaches to providing a uniform condition of sputter erosion rely on creating a large uniform magnetic field or a scanning magnetic field that produces a time-averaged, uniform magnetic field. For example, rotating magnets or electromagnets can be utilized to provide wide areas of substantially uniform target erosion. For magnetically enhanced sputter deposition, a scanning magnet magnetron source can be used to provide a uniform, wide area condition of target erosion. As illustrated in FIG. 1A, apparatus 10 can include a scanning magnet magnetron source 20 positioned above target 12. An embodiment of a scanning magnetron source used for dc sputtering of metallic films is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,744 to Halsey, et. al., (hereafter '744), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The '744 patent demonstrates the improvement in thickness uniformity that is achieved by reducing local target erosion due to magnetic effects in the sputtering of a wide area rectangular target. As described in the '744 patent, by reducing the magnetic field intensity at these positions, the local target erosion was decreased and the resulting film thickness nonuniformity was improved from 8%, to 4%, over a rectangular substrate of 400×500 mm. The process gas utilized in reactor 10 includes an inert gas, typically argon, used as the background sputtering gas. Additionally, with some embodiments of target 12, reactive components such as, for example, oxygen may be added to the sputtering gas. Other gasses such as N2, NH3, CO, NO, CO2, halide containing gasses other gas-phase reactants can also be utilized. The deposition chamber can be operated at low pressure, often between about 0.5 millitorr and 8-10 millitorr. Typical process pressure is below about 3-5 millitorr where there are very few collisions in the gas phase, resulting in a condition of uniform “free molecular” flow. This ensures that the gas phase concentration of a gaseous component is uniform throughout the process chamber. For example, background gas flow rates in the range of up to about 200 sccm, used with a pump operated at a fixed pumping speed of about 50 liters/second, result in free molecular flow conditions. The distance d, in FIG. 1A, between target 12 and substrate 16 can, in some embodiments, be varied between about 4 cm and about 9 cm. A typical target to substrate distance d is about 6 cm. The target to substrate distance can be chosen to optimize the thickness uniformity of the film. At large source to substrate distances the film thickness distribution is dome shaped with the thickest region of the film at the center of the substrate. At close source to substrate distance the film thickness is dish shaped with the thickest film formed at the edge of the substrate. The substrate temperature can be held constant in the range of about −40° C. to about 550° C. and can be maintained at a chosen temperature to within about 10° C. by means of preheating substrate 16 and the substrate holder prior to deposition. During the course of deposition, the heat energy impressed upon the substrate by the process can be conducted away from substrate 16 by cooling the table on which substrate 16 is positioned during the process, as known to those skilled in the art. The process is performed under conditions of uniform gas introduction, uniform pumping speed, and uniform application of power to the periphery of the target as known to skilled practitioners. The speed at which a scanning magnet 20 can be swept over the entire target can be determined such that a layer thickness less than about 5 to 10 Å, corresponding roughly to two to four monolayers of material, is deposited on each scan. Magnet 20 can be moved at rates up to about 30 sec/one-way scan and typically is moved at a rate of about 4 sec/one-way scan. The rate at which material is deposited depends on the applied power and on the distance d, in FIG. 1A, between the target 12 and the substrate 16. For deposition of optical oxide materials, for example scanning speeds between about 2 sec/one-way scan across the target to 20-30 sec/scan provide a beneficial layer thickness. Limiting the amount of material deposited in each pass promotes chemical and physical uniformity of the deposited layer. Substrate bias has been used previously to planarize RF sputtered deposited quartz films. A theoretical model of the mechanism by which substrate bias operates, has been put forward by Ting et al. (J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 15, 1105 (1978)). When power is applied to the substrate, a so-called plasma sheath is formed about the substrate and ions are coupled from the plasma. The sheath serves to accelerate ions from the plasma so that they bombard the film as it is deposited, sputtering the film, and forward scattering surface atoms, densifying the film and eliminating columnar structure. The effects of adding substrate bias are akin to, but more dramatic than, the effects of adding the low frequency RF component to the sputter source. Biasing substrate 16 results in the deposited film being simultaneously deposited and etched. The net accumulation of film at any point on a surface depends on the relative rates of deposition and etching, which depend respectively, on the power applied to the target and to the substrate, and to the angle that the surface makes with the horizontal. The rate of etching is greatest for intermediate angles, on the order of 45 degrees, that is between about 30 and 60 degrees. Powers to target 12 and substrate 16 can be adjusted such that the rates of deposition and etching are approximately the same for a range of intermediate angles. In this case, films deposited with bias sputtering have the following characteristics. At a step where a horizontal surface meets a vertical surface, the deposited film makes an intermediate angle with the horizontal. On a surface at an intermediate angle, there will be no net deposition since the deposition rate and etch rate are approximately equal. There is net deposition on a vertical surface. Target 12 can have an active size of about 675.70×582.48 by 4 mm, for example, in a AKT-1600 based system in order to deposit films on a substrate 16 that is about 400×500 mm. The temperature of substrate 16 can be held at between −50C and 500C. The distance between target 12 and substrate 16 can be between 3 and 9 cm. Process gas can be inserted into the chamber of apparatus 10 at a rate of between about 30 to about 100 sccm while the pressure in the chamber of apparatus 10 can be held at below about 2 millitorr. Magnet 20 provides a magnetic field of strength between about 400 and about 600 Gauss directed in the plane of target 12 and is moved across target 12 at a rate of less than about 20-30 sec/scan. Therefore, any given process utilizing apparatus 10 can be characterized by providing the power supplied to target 12, the power supplied to substrate 16, the temperature of substrate 16, the characteristics and constituents of the reactive gasses, the speed of the magnet, and the spacing between substrate 16 and target 12. Sputtered oxide films according to some embodiments of the present invention can be deposited onto a Si wafer or thermal oxide wafers at pressure of between about 3 and about 6 mTorr. The ratio of O2/Ar gas flow can be set at a value to ensure that target 12 is operating within a poison mode. The poison mode is defined as the ratio where the oxide is etched from the surface of target 12 as fast as the oxide layer is formed. Operating in the poison mode results in the stoichiometric film. Sub-stoichiometric oxides may not be optically transparent. The pulsing frequency range for power supply 14 can be from about up to about 250 KHz. The frequency 40 KHz is approximately the lowest frequency at which no arcing will occur during deposition in, for example, the AKT 1600 based system. The reverse pulsing time is determined by the amount of arcing generated during the process. Longer reverse time means longer discharge time and thus less arcs. However, if the reverse time is too long, the deposition rate will decrease. Power supply 18 is a 2 MHz RF power supply operated at powers up to several hundred Watts. FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a process procedure 400 performed on apparatus 10. In step 401, the target is prepared for the deposition. In some embodiments, target 12 can be cleaned by pure Ar sputtering. In other words, apparatus 10 is operated with pure Ar gas only (referred to as the metal mode) in order to sputter away a surface layer of target 12. FIG. 7 shows the typical drift in the index of refraction with deposition of oxide layers for several different targets over different runs for each target. In FIG. 7, the compositions of the target materials utilized in target 12 for the depositions shown are as follows: Si: 60 cat. % and Al: 40 cat. %; Si: 50 cat. % and Al: 50 cat. %; Si: 85 cat. % and Al: 15 cat. %; Si: 35 cat. % and Al: 65 cat. %; and Si: 92 cat. % and 8 cat. %. Each deposition was operated under the same process parameters: 4.5 kW of pulsed DC power at 200 kHz with a reverse time of 2.3 μs applied to target 12, O2 flow at 44 sccm, Ar flow at 30 sccm introduced to apparatus 10, 100 W of bias power at 2 MHz applied to substrate 16, the temperature of substrate 16 held at 200° C., and the distance between substrate 16 and target 12 being set at 6 cm. For each target measured, the index drifted up during repeated utilization. FIG. 8 shows the relationship between the index of refraction of a film deposited according to the present invention and the amount of aluminum in the composite target. As can be seen from FIG. 8, the index of refraction of the deposited film depends strongly on the aluminum content. Therefore, as the aluminum in a metal target is depleted, the index of refraction drifts. In some embodiments, the ratio of Ar and O2 utilized in the process can be maintained to provide films of uniform index over a large number of depositions on the target. Reactive sputtering from a metal or metallic alloy target 12 can be characterized by two modes of operation. In the first mode, which is sometimes referred to as the ‘metallic mode’ the surface of target 12 is substantially metallic. This mode is characterized by a small addition of reactive gas to the inert gas flow of apparatus 10 as well as a higher impedance magnetron discharge. It is also characterized by incomplete oxidation of film deposited on substrate 16 and therefore higher index films. As the proportion of reactive to inert gas is increased, the sputter voltage at target 12 begins to fall at constant power. FIG. 5 shows the voltage on target 12 of an embodiment of apparatus 10 according to the present invention as a function of process gas constitution. In the example illustrated in FIG. 5, for example, a metallic target with composition 0.8 cat. % Er, 0.8 cat. % Yb, 57.4 cat. % Si and 41 cat. % Si, which can be formed as described in the '247 application, was sputtered in an embodiment of apparatus 10 based on the AKT-1600 PVD system with 6 kW of pulsed DC power at a frequency of 120 kHz and a reverse time of 2.3 micro seconds. The Argon gas flow was set at 60 sccm and the Oxygen gas flow was varied from zero up to 40 sccm. For more details regarding this deposition, see Example 1 below. As shown in FIG. 5, the voltage on target 12 during deposition (the “target voltage”) was constant at about 420 Volts for oxygen flow rates up to about 20 sccm. This is clearly the metallic mode of operation for this embodiment of target 12. Films deposited in this range of oxygen flow are characterized as metallic with an oxygen content that increases with oxygen flow rate during deposition. As the oxygen flow is increased up to about 26 sccm, the voltage on target 12 begins to decrease, indicating that the surface of target 12 is beginning to form an oxide layer. The oxide layer on the surface of target 12 has a higher secondary electron yield under the influence of the Argon ion flux. The additional electron flux to the magnetron electron trap increases the ion production in the plasma, which, in turn, decreases the impedance of the plasma discharge in apparatus 10. At slightly higher oxygen flow during deposition, the oxide layer on target 12 forms a continuous layer and the voltage of target 12 during deposition falls rapidly to the range of about 190 to about 270 Volts, indicating complete coverage of the surface of target 12 with an oxide that is at least as thick as the material removed during one scan of the magnetron. Under this condition, the rate of oxide formation on the surface of target 12 equals or exceeds the rate of sputter removal of the surface of target 12 by the moving magnetron 20. This condition is sometimes referred to as the ‘poisoned mode’. Under steady state DC voltage conditions, the oxide layer on target 12 soon charges up, leading to reduced rate of sputtering and increased micro-arc discharging in apparatus 10. This discharging leads to particulation of the oxide layer on target 12, which degrades the quality of a film deposited on substrate 16. In the example shown with FIG. 5, the negative going DC Voltage is reduced at a frequency of 120 kHz to a positive value for a period of about 2.3 micro seconds per cycle, allowing charge neutralization of the surface of target 12, increasing the steady state sputter and deposition rates as well as decreasing the rate of micro-arcing. In the case of a magnetron configuration of magnet 20 having a significant deep local target erosion (rather than a configuration of magnet 20 described above which yields uniform target erosion), the change in the target voltage of target 12 is more gradual with increasing oxygen flow since it is more difficult to establish an oxide condition at the center of an intense region of local erosion. The resulting deposited film, however, will be rich in metallic sputtered flux to the substrate in the region of higher sputter erosion, leading to non uniform stoicheometry and non-uniform indices of refraction in a film deposited on substrate 16. In the case of a scanning magnetron 20 with uniform target erosion, the change in the surface condition from metallic to poisoned is more abrupt, as the formation rate of the oxide increases to equal the sputter removal of the oxide over a wide area of the target. In this case, there is uniform distribution of sputtered oxide from the target. Uniform stoicheometry and uniform indices of refraction result for the film deposited on substrate 16. FIG. 8 shows the range of indices of refraction of films deposited for targets of differing silica and alumina compositions, as deposited and after a subsequent anneal step. In the case of a pure silicon target, the as-deposited index of refraction can be as high as 3.4 for pure amorphous silicon. In FIG. 8, pure silica films (zero Al%) can be deposited with a reactive pulsed DC and substrate bias deposition according to the present invention with substantially complete oxygen stoicheometry, so as to approximate monolithic amorphous silica. The index of refraction of such films decreases with a subsequent heat treatment of between about 700-900° C., indicating somewhat more complete oxidation reaction of the material of the film together with some degree of stress relaxation of the film deposited on substrate 16. At the opposite extreme, a pure aluminum embodiment of target 12 (100% Al) can be utilized to deposit films on substrate 16 under similar process conditions as is utilized to deposit pure silica films on substrate 16. In the case of the pure aluminum reactive deposition, the dependence of the index of refraction of the film deposited on substrate 16 on oxygen flow as well as on the frequency of the pulsed DC process can be examined. As a result, a larger range of effective index of refraction is achieved together with a reduced or zero dependence of the index on the subsequent anneal process. Six targets having differing aluminum composition were utilized to evaluate the index of refraction of sputtered films on substrate 16 of related composition. The largest change of index with the sputtering conditions is achieved for composition near the middle of the Al/Si composition range (about 50% Al and 50% Si). FIG. 7 shows the change in film index for oxide films for several embodiments of target 12 and processes with an initial 30 minutes of Argon only sputtering, followed by continuous deposition with an oxygen flow rate sufficient for operation in the poisonous mode. Note that the rate of increase in the index of refraction of a resulting film deposited on substrate 16 with continuous poisoned mode deposition is proportional to the concentration of aluminum in the composition of target 12. This result is due to the depletion of the aluminum from the target surface during the metallic sputtering or pre-condition process. The aluminum in target 12 is preferentially sputtered over the silicon in target 12, leaving the surface of target 12 rich in silicon. At the onset of poisoned mode sputtering, the film deposited on substrate 16 is rich in silica and demonstrates a systematic and reproducible decrease in index of refraction. During continuous poisoned mode deposition, the silicon rich surface of target 12 can be sputtered away and the aluminum portion substantially returned to the bulk composition of target 12. Consequently, a metallic pre-condition step can be utilized to achieve a subsequent process for the deposition of a film having an increasing index of refraction under conditions of oxide/metal stoicheometry. In step 402 of FIG. 4, substrate 16 is prepared. Substrate 16 can be mounted on carrier sheet 17 and placed in apparatus 10. In step 403, gas flow parameters are adjusted for the particular deposition to be performed. The constituency and flow rates of the process gas are fixed. In some embodiments, the ratio of Ar and O2, for example, can be set and the flow rate of each gas set. Further, the combination of flow rate and vacuum system of apparatus 10 determines the pressure during deposition in apparatus 10. In step 404, the substrate temperature is set. Substrate 16 may be brought to temperature over a period of time. In step 405, the scan characteristics of magnet 20 are fixed. In step 406, the power setting for power supply 18 is set. Finally, in step 407, the parameters of pulsed DC power supply 14 is set, including the power, frequency, and reverse pulsing time. In step 408, then, a film that depends on the parameters of reactor apparatus 10 is deposited on substrate 16. In some embodiments, films deposited by procedure 400 are thermally annealed after deposition. FIG. 4 illustrates an example deposition process only. Embodiments of deposition processes according to the present invention can be performed in various different orders. FIG. 9 shows a chart of various deposition parameters according to the present invention for various embodiments of target 12 and the indices of refraction, both before and after an anneal step, for the resulting deposited film on substrate 16. Each deposition was accomplished with an embodiment of apparatus 10 based on the AKT 1600 PVD reactor. Anneals were accomplished at 725° C. for 30 min. Specific examples of particular depositions and characteristics of the resulting films deposited on substrate 16 are further discussed below. FIG. 10 shows the dependence of the index of refraction of silica layers deposited according to the present invention with process conditions. FIG. 11 shows the dependence of index of refraction on the O2/Ar flow ratio for the deposition of pure alumina according to the present invention. FIG. 12 shows the dependence of index for pure alumina films on the frequency of the pulsed DC power applied to target 12. Both parameters can be utilized to reliably control the index of refraction of films deposited on substrate 16 over a range of index values without the use of an additional cationic species, a so called ‘dopant’. A third process parameter that can be utilized to adjust the index of refraction of a film deposited on substrate 16 is the bias power applied to substrate 16. Increasing the oxygen flow ratio, the frequency of the pulsed DC power applied to target 12 or the bias power applied to substrate 16 will systematically increase the index of refraction of the alumina film deposited on substrate 16. In the case of pure alumina films, minor to no change in the index occurs due to a subsequent anneal process. FIG. 13 shows the index of refraction of a film deposited on substrate 16 from an embodiment of target 12 with about 92 cat. % of Si and about 8 cat. % of Al for a series of sequential depositions in an embodiment of apparatus 10 based on the AKT 4300 PVD reactor, each following a metallic process condition. For constant high oxygen flow conditions, a small upward trend in the index of refraction is observed. As is generally true, the index of films deposited with higher substrate bias power is systematically lower than films deposited without substrate bias. FIG. 14 shows the upward trend of the index of refraction after metallic mode precondition of an embodiment of target 12 having composition of about 83 cat. % Si and about 17 cat. % Al for a series of depositions in an embodiment of apparatus 10 based on the AKT 1600 PVD reaction. As is shown in FIG. 14, longer metallic preconditioning of target 12 results in the index of refraction of the films deposited on substrate 16 having a higher rate of increase than for cases with less prolonged metallic preconditioning of target 12. The vertical lines on FIG. 14 indicate places where target 12 was preconditioned with only Ar for the indicated periods of time. FIG. 15 shows a decrease in the change in index for sequential films with this embodiment of target 12 deposited with reduced oxygen flow rates at a constant total pressure. A flow rate for oxygen was determined so that the run to run variation for the index of refraction of the film deposited on substrate 16 from this target was about 0.0001 (see the circled data points on the graph of FIG. 15) which is similar to the variance of the index over the entire wafer of substrate 16, which is about 70 parts per million. In some embodiments, films deposited by a pulsed DC biased method according to the present invention are uniformly amorphous throughout their thickness. As has been discussed above, biasing of substrate 16 leads to densification and uniformity in the deposited film. FIGS. 16A through 16D show a TEM photograph of a film 1601 deposited according to the present invention. Further, diffraction patterns shown in FIGS. 16B, 16C and 16D at points a, b and c, respectively, in deposited film 1601 show that the film is ammorphous through the thickness of the film. The diffraction patterns of FIGS. 16B, 16C and 16D show no effects of crystallization. Further, the smoothness of the surface of film 1601 indicates a defect free film. The film deposited in FIG. 16A is deposited with an 0.8/0.8 target (i.e., a target having the composition 52.0 cat. % of Si, 41.0 cat. % of Al, 0.8 cat. % of Er and 0.8 cat. % of Yb). The film is deposited at 6 kW of 120 kHz pulsed DC power with a reverse time of 2.3 μs. The Argon and Oxygen flow rates are 60 sccm and 28 sccm, respectively. Substrate 16 is biased with 100 W of power. FIG. 17 shows the optical loss per centimeter, measured at 1310 nm, using a three prism coupling to the so called slab mode of the film on a 10 micron oxide, silicon wafer. As deposited the biased, pulsed DC film from a 60 cat. % Si and 40 cat. % Al film demonstrated about 0.1 dB/cm loss. After an 800° C. anneal in air, the loss was less than the measurement sensitivity of the prism coupling method. This data clearly demonstrates that films deposited according to embodiments of the present invention can be used for the purpose of constructing low loss planar light wave circuits. Deposition of films according to the present invention can be utilized to deposit cladding layers, active core layers, and passive core layers of an optical amplifier structure or optical waveguide structure. In some applications, for example multiplexer structures, the separation between adjacent waveguides can be small, for example about 8 μm. In some embodiments, the deposition parameters of the upper cladding layer can be adjusted to not only adjust the index of refraction of the layer, but also to insure that the spacing between adjacent waveguides is small. FIG. 18 shows an example planarization deposition over a multiplexer structure. In the particular example of upper cladding layer 1803 shown in FIG. 18, the deposition parameters from a 92 cat. % Si and 8 cat. % Al is: 5.5 Kw of Pulsed DC power applied at 200 KHz with 2.2 μs of reverse time, gas flow of 75 sccm Ar and 100 sccm O2, a substrate bias of 650 W (at 2 MHz), and a substrate temperature of 200° C. Layer 1803 was deposited with an AKT 4300 based embodiment of apparatus 10. As shown in FIG. 18, the layer thickness in areas other than over waveguide structures 1801 and 1802 is 11.4 μm. Waveguide structures 1801 and 1802 are 8.20 μm high waveguides and separated by 6.09 μm at the base and by 8.40 μm at their top. In FIG. 18, the undercladding layer 1804 is about 1.98 μm thick. FIG. 19 illustrates deposition of material over a structure. Upper cladding layer 1803, in region 1901, will be angled from the horizontal by an angle θ. The deposition and etching rates of a deposited layer depends on the angle θ. FIGS. 20 and 21 illustrate different cases of deposition and etch rates as a function of the angle θ. The relationship between the rate of deposition and the etch rates can be adjusted by adjusting the deposition parameters. For example, the bias power to substrate 16 can be adjusted to control the relationship between the etch rates and deposition rates of material. FIG. 22 illustrates deposition rates over a structure 2201 as a function of time. In FIG. 2201, h is the thickness deposited over structure 2201. The planarization when layer 1803 becomes flat. The time for planarization can be estimated as t p = W 2 tan α + H a flat - a min cos α , where W is the width of structure 2201, H is the height of structure 2201, aflat refers to the accumulation rate on the flat surface, amin refers to the accumulation rate on the minimum accumulation slope, and a is the surface angle from the horizontal plane of the minimum accumulation slope. FIG. 23 shows a deposited film 1803 as shown in FIG. 18, except that the bias power to substrate 16 is set to 400 W instead of 650 W. As can be seen in FIG. 23, a keyhole 2301 is formed with an incomplete filling of uppercladding layer 1803 between structures 1801 and 1802. Deposition of uppercladding layer 1803 substantially follows the trends illustrated in FIGS. 19 through 22. FIG. 24 shows deposition as shown in FIG. 18, except that the bias power to substrate 16 is set to 600 W instead of 650 W. As can be seen in FIG. 24, keyhole 2301 has closed leaving a small line defect 2401 in the fill. FIG. 28 shows deposition as shown in FIG. 18, except that the bias power to substrate 16 is set to 900 W instead of 650 W. As can be seen in FIG. 28, the etch rate has been increased to such an extent that the corners of structures 1801 and 1802 have been etched to form slopes 2501 and 2502, respectively. Therefore, as illustrated in FIGS. 18 through 25, an uppercladding layer can be deposited in accordance with the present invention such that it fills the space between adjacently placed waveguides. In general, the parameters can be optimized for index control and the bias power to substrate 16 can be adjusted for fill. In some embodiments, other parameters (e.g., the constituency of process gas, frequency and power of pulsed DC power source 14, and other parameters) in order to adjust the deposition and etch rates and thereby effectively planarize the structure as described. Therefore, depositions of various films in embodiments of apparatus 10 according to the present invention with several embodiments of target 12 and the effects on index of refraction, uniformity of films, and fill characteristics of varying several of the process parameters has been discussed above. In some embodiments, stress effects due to wafer bowing of substrate 16 can also be reduced. Wafer bowing of substrate 16 can be reduced, reducing the stress in a film deposited on substrate 16, by, for example, depositing a film on the backside of substrate 16 before deposition of a film on substrate 16. In some embodiments, a film having a similar thickness of a similar layer of material can be deposited on backside of substrate 16 prior to deposition of the film on substrate 16 according to the present invention. The wafer bowing resulting from differing thermal expansions of the film and substrate 16 is therefore countered by a similar stress from another film deposited on the backside of substrate 16. Several specific examples film depositions utilizing apparatus 10 are discussed below. Further, examples of optical amplifiers produced utilizing the ceramic tiles according to the present invention are presented. These examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting. Unless otherwise specified, apparatus 10 utilized in the following examples was based on the AKT 1600 reactor. Further, unless otherwise specified, the temperature of substrate 16 was held at about 200° C. and the distance between substrate 16 and target 12 was 4 s/scan. The separation between substrate 16 and target 12 is about 6 cm. EXAMPLE 1 An AKT 1600 based reactor can be utilized to deposit a film. In this example, a wide area metallic target of dimension 550×650 mm with composition (Si/Al/Er/Yb) being about 57.0 cat. % Si, 41.4 cat. % Al, 0.8 cat. % Er, and 0.8 cat. % Yb (a “0.8/0.8” target) was fabricated as described in the '247 patent. In step 402, a 150 mm P-type silicon wafer substrate was placed in the center of a 400×500 mm glass carrier sheet 17. Power supply 14 was set to supply 6000 watts of pulse DC power at a frequency of 120 KHz with a reverse pulsing time of about 2.3 us. Magnet 20, which is a race-track shaped magnet of approximate dimension 150 mm×600 mm, was swept over the backside of the target at a rate of about 4 seconds per one-way scan. The temperature of substrate 16 was held at 200C and 100 W of 2 MHz RF power was applied to substrate 16. The target 12 to substrate 16 distance was about 6.5 cm. The sputtering gas was a mixture of Argon and Oxygen. Substrate 16 and carrier 17 was preheated to 350° C. for at least 30 min prior to deposition. The active film was deposited in the poison mode. Deposition efficiency was approximately 1 um/hr. FIG. 5 shows the hysteresis curve of this particular embodiment of target 12. When target 12 under goes the transition from metallic to poison mode, the target voltage drops from an average of about 420V to an average of about 260V. Before each film deposition, in step 401, target 12 is cleaned by pure Argon sputtering in the metallic mode. Then target is then conditioned in poison mode with the oxygen flow much higher than the flow required at the transition region. Tables 1A through IC shows some effects on the deposited films of depositions with the 0.8/0.8 target under different operating conditions. Table 1A includes photoluminescence (pumped at 532 nm) and index of refraction for films deposited on substrate 16 with different Ar/02 gas flow ratios with no bias power applied to substrate 16. TABLE 1A Target Reverse Power Ar/ Frequency Pulsing PL/um (KW) O2 (KHz) Time (us) Bias (W) (532 nm) Index 6 30/42 200 2.3 0 1973 1.5142 6 30/36 200 2.3 0 2358 1.5215 6 60/30 200 2.3 0 3157 1.5229 6 60/28 200 2.3 0 3421 1.5229 Table 1B shows the variation in photoluminescence (pumped at 532 nm) and index of refraction of the film deposited on substrate 16 with deposition processes having with the same Ar/02 ratios but different pulsed DC power frequencies from power supply 14. TABLE 1B Target Reverse Power Ar/ Frequency Pulsing PL/um (KW) O2 (KHz) Time (us) Bias (W) (532 nm) Index 3 60/28 100 2.3 100 1472 1.5146 4 60/28 75 3.5 100 2340 1.5189 6 60/28 120 2.3 100 5178 1.5220 Table 1 C shows the photoluinescence and index as deposited where the bias power to substrate 16 is varied. TABLE 1C Target Reverse Power Ar/ Frequency Pulsing PL/um (KW) O2 (KHz) Time (us) Bias (W) (532 nm) Index 6 60/28 200 2.3 0 3657 1.5230 6 60/28 200 2.3 100 2187 1.5244 6 60/28 200 2.3 200 3952 1.5229 6 60/28 200 2.3 300 5000 1.5280 The photoluminescence values can be measured with a Phillips PL-100. The deposited film can be pumped with a 532 nm laser and the luminescence at 980 is measured. The index is the index of refraction. Typically, films deposited are annealed in order to activate the erbium. FIG. 6 shows the photoluminescence and lifetime versus anneal temperature for a typical film deposited as described in this example. EXAMPLE 2 A waveguide amplifier can be deposited according to the present invention. An embodiment of target 12 having composition 57.4 cat. % Si, 41.0 cat. % Al, 0.8 cat. % Er 0.8 cat. % Yb (the “0.8/0.8 target”) can be formed as disclosed in the '245 application. The Er—Yb (0.8/0.8) co-doped Alumino-Silicate film was deposited onto a 6 inch wafer of substrate 16 which includes a 10 μm thick thermal oxide substrate, which can be purchased from companies such as Silicon Quest International, Santa Clara, Calif. Target 12 was first cleaned by sputtering with Ar (80 sccm) only in the metallic mode. Target 12 was then conditioned in poison mode by flowing 60 sccm of Argon and 40 sccm of oxygen respectively. The power supplied to target 12 during conditioning was kept at about 6 kW. An active core film was then deposited on substrate 16. The thickness of the deposited film is approximately 1.2 μm. The deposition parameters are shown in Table 2. TABLE 2 Target Pulsing Reverse Power Ar/O2 Frequency pulsing (KW) (sccm) (KHz) Bias (W) time (us) 6 60/28 120 100 2.3 A straight waveguide pattern can then formed by standard photolithography techniques. The active core was etched using reactive ion etch followed by striping and cleaning. Next, a 10 μm top cladding layer is deposited using a similar deposition process according to the present invention. An embodiment of target 12 with composition 92 cat. % Si and 8 cat. % Al as shown in FIG. 9 to form the top cladding layer. The index difference between the top cladding layer and the active layer is about 3.7%. The amplifier is then annealed at 725° C. for about 30 min (see FIG. 6, for example). The erbium excited-state lifetime and the up-conversion coefficient were measured to be 3 ms and 4.5×10−18 cm3/s, respectively. A net gain of about 4 dB for small signal (about −20 dBm) with fiber to waveguide and to fiber coupling was obtained. Waveguide length was 10 cm and the width was about 1.5 to 8 μm. The coupling loss between the fiber and the waveguide is 3-4 dB/facet, and passive excess loss is 0.1-0.2 dB/cm for 3 um waveguide. The waveguide was both co- and counter pumped with 150 mW 980 nm laser per facet. EXAMPLE 3 This example describes production of a dual core Erbium/Yttrbium co-doped amplifier according to the present invention. In one example, substrate 16 is a silicon substrate with an undercladding layer of thermally oxidized SiO2 of about 15 μm thick. Substrate 16 with the thermal oxide layer can be purchased from companies such as Silicon Quest International, Santa Clara, Calif. A layer of active core material is then deposited on substrate 16 with a Shadow Mask as described in the '138 application. Use of a shadow mask results in a vertical taper on each side of a finished waveguide which greatly enhances the coupling of light into and out of the waveguide. Active core layer is deposited from a 0.8/0.8 target as described in the '247 application having composition 57.4 cat. % Si, 41.0 cat. % Al, 0.8 cat. % Er, and 0.8 cat. % Yb. The deposition parameters are identical to that of Example 2 described above. The active layer is deposited to a thickness of about 1.2 μm. A passive layer of aluminasilicate is then deposited over the active layer. A passive layer of about 4.25 μm thickness can be deposited with an embodiment of target 12 having composition of Si/Al of about 87 cat. % Si and about 13 cat. % Al. The passive layer and active layer are then patterned by standard lithography techniques to form a core that has a width of about 5.0 μm for the active core and tapering to about 3.5 μm at the top of the passive core with an effective length of about 9.3 cm. Upper cladding layer is then deposited from a Si/Al target of 92 cat. % Si and 8 cat. % Al. Deposition of the upper cladding layer is shown in FIG. 9. In some embodiments, the upper cladding layer can be deposited with a non-biased process. The thickness of the upper cladding layer can be about 10 μm. The amplifier formed by this process is then annealed at 725° C. for about 30 min. The as-deposited Erbium and Ytterbium concentrations in the active layer of core 303 is 2.3×1020 cm−3 Erbium concentration and 2.3×1020 cm−1 Ytterbium concentration. The index of the core is 1.508 and the index of cladding layers are 1.4458 for undercladding layer 302 and 1.452 for uppercladding layer 304. The parameter Δn/n is therefore about 5.0%. A reverse taper mode size converter, see the '138 application, is utilized for coupling light into waveguide amplifier 300. The insertion loss at 1310 nm is about 2 dB. FIG. 26 shows the amplifier performance of this example. In FIG. 26, amplifier 300 is pumped with 150 mW from one side pumping with 984 nm light. Gain flattening is achieved within about 1 dB in the range 1528 nm to 1562 nm for small input signals (−20 dBm). For large input signals (0 dBm), gain flattening is also achieved within about 1 dB. EXAMPLE 4 Another example of production of a waveguide amplifier is described here. Again, substrate 16 can be a Si wafer with about a 15 μm thick thermal oxide as can be purchased from Silicon Quest International, Santa Clara, Calif. The embodiment of target 12 for the deposition of the active core can have a composition of about 50 cat. % Si, 48.5 cat. % Al, 1.5 cat. % Er (the “1.5/0” target), which can be fabricated as discussed in the '138 application. Target 12 was first cleaned by sputtering with Ar (80 sccm) only in the metallic mode. Target 12 was then conditioned in poison mode by flowing 60 sccm of Argon and 40 sccm of oxygen respectively. The pulsed DC power supplied to target 12 was about 6 kW. Whenever a brand new target was used or when the target has been expose to atmosphere, a long time of condition (for example more than 30 hrs of conditioning) may be necessary to ensure films with the best active core property (longest life time and highest photoluminescence) are deposited. Substrate 16 is then preheat at about 350° C. for about 30 min before deposition. The active core film was deposited onto a 6 inch thermal oxide wafer, which has been previously discussed, from the 1.5/0 target. The thermal oxide thickness was about 10 μm as described in previous examples. The active core is deposited to a thickness of about 1.2 μm with a deposition time of approximately 1 hr. The process condition are as listed in Table 4 below. TABLE 3 Target Pulsing Reverse Power Ar/O2 Frequency pulsing (KW) (sccm) (KHz) Bias (W) time (us) 6 60/28 120 100 2.3 A straight waveguide pattern can then be formed by a standard photolithography procedure. The active core was etched using reactive ion etch followed by striping and cleaning. Finally, a 10 μm top cladding layer is deposited using a similar process. A target having composition 92 cat. % Si and 8 cat. % Al with deposition parameters as described in FIG. 9 was used to deposit the top cladding. The difference between the index of refraction between the core and the cladding is then about 3.7%. In this example, annealing of the amplifier structure was performed at various anneal temperatures. The results of the various anneals are shown graphically in FIGS. 27 and 28. FIG. 27 shows both internal gain in the C-band and insertion loss at 1310 nm of a 2.5 μm wide, 10.1 cm long waveguide as deposited in this example as a function of annealing temperature. The life time in ms and up-conversion constants in cm−3/s measurements for the deposited active core film at different annealing temperature are shown in FIG. 28. EXAMPLE 5 One of the problems encountered during the reactive sputtering from an alloy metallic target is that the film composition drifts from run to run due to the difference in sputtering yields from the elements that forms the target alloy. For example, with Ar as a sputtering gas, the sputtering yield of Aluminum is about 3-4 times that of Silicon, while sputtering yield of Alumina is only about 50% that of Silica. Therefore, during the metal burn in, more Aluminum is sputtered from the target, resulting in a Si rich target surface. When sputtering in the poison mode, more Silica will be removed from target. Thus, as deposition goes on, the composition of the film deposited on substrate 16 will drift from lower Alumina concentration to higher Alumina concentration. This results in the index of refraction of a film drifting up with subsequent depositions from a target 12, as is shown for the deposition described in Example 4 in FIG. 29. FIG. 30 shows the drift in photoluminescence pumped at 532 nm with subsequent depositions. FIG. 31 shows drift in the excited state lifetime with subsequent depositions from a target. The embodiment of target 12 utilized in FIGS. 29 through 31 is the 1.5/0 target and the deposition parameters are as described above in Example 4. The drift can be stabilized by recondition target 12 prior to deposition. The recondition process (or burn in) consists of both sputtering in metallic mode and then sputtering in poison mode to condition target 12. The burn in time in metallic mode needs to be as short as possible and at the same time insure no arcing during the poison mode deposition. FIG. 32 shows the much improved drift in the index of refraction and the photoluminescence when target 12 is reconditioned between subsequent depositions. EXAMPLE 6 This example describes the fabrication of another Er—Yb codoped waveguide amplifier according to the present invention. The active core is deposited with an embodiment of target 12 with composition about 49 cat. % Al, 1.6 cat. % Er and 0.5 cat. % Yb, which can be fabricated as described in the '247 application. Target 12 was first cleaned by sputtering with Ar (80 sccm) only in the metallic mode. Target 12 was then conditioned in poison mode by flowing 60 sccm of Argon and 40 sccm of oxygen respectively. The pulsed DC power supplied to target 12 was kept at 5 kW. Table 4 shows photoluminescence and index of refraction of as-deposited films from this example at some typical process conditions. The units for photoluminescence are the number of counts per micron. Lifetime and photoluminescence measured after annealing at various different temperatures are shown in Table 5. Target 4 Target Pulsing Reverse Power Ar/O2 Frequency Bias Pulsing Time 532 nm (KW) (sccm) (KHz) (W) (us) PL/um Index 5 60/34 120 100 2.3 3367 1.5333 5 60/30 120 100 2.3 3719 1.5334 TABLE 5 Anneal Life Time Temperature ° C. (ms) PL (532 nm)/um 725 3 7000 775 3 7000 800 4 7500 825 4.7 8560 850 5.8 10000 900 6.9 17000 A waveguide amplifier was fabricated using this material in the similar fashion as described in examples 2-4. The active core was first deposited on substrate 16, which includes a 10 um thermal oxide layer, using the following deposition parameters: target power 5 KW, pulsing frequency 120 KHz, bias 100 W, reverse time 2.3 us, Argon and Oxygen flow are 60 sccm and 30 sccm respectively. The active core thickness is deposited to a thickness about 1.2 μm, which takes approximately 1 hr. All wafers are preheated at about 350° C. for 30 min before deposition. A straight waveguide pattern is then formed by standard photolithography procedure. The active core was etched using reactive ion etch following by striping and cleaning. Next, a 10 μm top cladding layer is deposited using similar process. The “92/8” (92 cat. % Si and 8 cat. % Al) metallic target was used to deposit top clad according to deposition parameters shown in FIG. 9, resulting in a 4% index difference between active core and cladding. The wave guide was then annealed at 800° C. for about 30 min. This waveguide was tested for gain using the method described in previous examples. However no net gain was observed from this waveguide since the passive loss was too high. EXAMPLE 7 In addition to active material layers (i.e., layers having rare-earth ion concentrations), passive layers can also be deposited. FIG. 9 shows deposition parameters for several target compositions, including some targets for deposition of passive (i.e., alloys of Al and Si with no rare earth ion concentration) layers. In this example, an embodiment of target 12 with a material composition of pure silicon is utilized. Apparatus 10 can be based on an AKT 1600 reactor and deposited with about 1 to 3 kW of pulsed DC target power supplied to target 12. Particular depositions have been accomplished at 2.5 kW and 1.5 kW. The frequency of the pulsed DC power is between about 100 and 200 Khz. Some depositions were performed at 200 kHz while others were performed at 100 kHz. The reverse time was varied between about 2 μs and about 4 μs with particular depositions performed at 2.3 μs and 3.5 μs. The bias power to substrate 16 was set to zero. Index variation of SiO2 films with bias to substrate 16 and deposition rates as a function of bias power to substrate 16 is shown in FIG. 10. The process gas included a mixture of Ar, N2 and O2. The Ar flow rates was set at 20 sccm while the O2 flow rate was varied between about 5 and about 20 sccm and the N2 flow rate was varied from about 2 to about 35 sccm. FIG. 33 shows the variation in the index of refraction of a film deposition on substrate 16 as the O2/N2 ratio is varied. EXAMPLE 8 Alternatively, films can be deposited on substrate 16 from a pure alumina target. In an example deposition with an embodiment of target 12 of alumina in an embodiment of apparatus 10 based on the AKT 1600 reactor, the pulsed DC target power was set at 3 kW and the frequency was varied between about 60 kHz and 200 kHz. The reverse time was set at 2.5 μs. Again, no bias power was supplied to substrate 16. The O2 flow rate was varied from about 20 to about 35 sccm, with particular depositions performed at 22 and 35 sccm. The Ar flow rate was set at 26 sccm. A post deposition anneal of substrate 16 at 800° C. for 30 min. was performed. FIG. 12 shows the variation of refractive index of the film deposited on substrate 16 with varying frequency of the pulsed DC power supplied to target 12. FIG. 11 shows the variation in refractive index of a film deposited on substrate 16 with varying O2/Ar ratio. As can be seen from FIGS. 33, 34 and 35, the index of refraction of films deposited from alumina can be adjusted by adjusting the process gas constituents or by adjusting the frequency of the pulsed DC power supplied to target 12 during deposition. EXAMPLE 9 Additionally, passive films can be deposited from targets having a composition of Si and Al. For example, layers have been deposited from embodiments of target 12 with composition 83% Si and 17% Al. About 4.5 kW of pulsed DC power at about 200 kHz frequency was supplied to target 12. The reverse time was about 2.2 μs. A bias power of about 150 W was supplied to substrate 16 during deposition. FIGS. 14 and 15 show variation of the index of refraction for subsequent runs from this target. The examples and embodiments discussed above are exemplary only and are not intended to be limiting. One skilled in the art can vary the processes specifically described here in various ways. Further, the theories and discussions of mechanisms presented above are for discussion only. The invention disclosed herein is not intended to be bound by any particular theory set forth by the inventors to explain the results obtained. As such, the invention is limited only by the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to deposition of oxide and oxynitride films and, in particular, to deposition of oxide and oxynitride films by pulsed DC reactive sputtering. 2. Discussion of Related Art Deposition of insulating materials and especially optical materials is technologically important in several areas including production of optical devices and production of semiconductor devices. In semiconductor devices, doped alumina silicates can be utilized as high dielectric insulators. The increasing prevalence of fiber optic communications systems has created an unprecedented demand for devices for processing optical signals. Planar devices such as optical waveguides, couplers, splitters, and amplifiers, fabricated on planar substrates, like those commonly used for integrated circuits, and configured to receive and process signals from optical fibers are highly desirable. Such devices hold promise for integrated optical and electronic signal processing on a single semiconductor-like substance. The basic design of planar optical waveguides and amplifiers is well known, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,119,460 and 5,563,979 to Bruce et al., 5,613,995 to Bhandarkar et al., 5,900,057 to Buchal et al., and 5,107,538 to Benton et al., to cite only a few. These devices, very generally, include a core region, typically bar shaped, of a certain refractive index surrounded by a cladding region of a lower refractive index. In the case of an optical amplifier, the core region includes a certain concentration of a dopant, typically a rare earth ion such as an erbium or praseodymium ion which, when pumped by a laser, fluoresces, for example, in the 1550 nm and 1300 nm wavelength ranges used for optical communication, to amplify the optical signal passing through the core. As described, for example in the patents by Bruce et al., Bhandarkar et al, and Buchal et al., planar optical devices may be fabricated by process sequences including forming a layer of cladding material on a substrate; forming a layer of core material on the layer of cladding mater; patterning the core layer using a photolighotgraphic mask and an etching process to form a core ridge; and covering the core ridge with an upper cladding layer. The performance of these planar optical devices depends sensitively on the value and uniformity of the refractive index of the core region and of the cladding region, and particularly on the difference in refractive index, Δn, between the regions. Particularly for passive devices such as waveguides, couplers, and splitters, Δn should be carefully controlled, for example to values within about 1%, and the refractive index of both core and cladding need to be highly uniform, for some applications at the fewer than parts per thousand level. In the case of doped materials forming the core region of planar optical amplifiers, it is important that the dopant be uniformly distributed so as to avoid non-radiative quenching or radiative quenching, for example by upconversion. The refractive index and other desirable properties of the core and cladding regions, such as physical and chemical uniformity, low stress, and high density, depend, of course, on the choice of materials for the devices and on the processes by which they are fabricated. Because of their optical properties, silica and refractory oxides such as Al 2 O 3 , are good candidate materials for planar optical devices. Further, these oxides serve as suitable hosts for rare earth dopants used in optical amplifiers. A common material choice is so-called low temperature glasses, doped with alkali metals, boron, or phosphorous, which have the advantage of requiring lower processing temperatures. In addition, dopants are used to modify the refractive index. Methods such as flame hydrolysis, ion exchange for introducing alkali ions in glasses, sputtering, and various chemical vapor deposition processes (CVD) have been used to form films of doped glasses. However, dopants such as phosphorous and boron are hygroscopic, and alkalis are undesirable for integration with electronic devices. Control of uniformity of doping in CVD processes can be difficult and CVD deposited films can have structural defects leading to scattering losses when used to guide light. In addition, doped low temperature glasses may require further processing after deposition. A method for eliminating bubbles in thin films of sodium-boro-silicate glass by high temperature sintering is described, for example, in the '995 patent to Bhandarkar et al. Typically, RF sputtering has been utilized for deposition of oxide dielectric films. However, RF sputtering utilizes ceramic targets which are typically formed of multiple smaller tiles. Since the tiles can not be made very large, there may be a large problem of arcing between tiles and therefore contamination of the deposited film due to this arcing. Further, the reactors required for RF sputtering tend to be rather complicated. In particular, the engineering of low capacitance efficient RF power distribution to the cathode is difficult in RF systems. Routing of low capacitance forward and return power into a vacuum vessel of the reaction chamber often exposes the power path in such a way that diffuse plasma discharge is allowed under some conditions of impedance tuning of the matching networks. Therefore, there is a need for new methods of depositing oxide and oxynitride films and for forming planar optical devices. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>In accordance with the present invention, a sputtering reactor apparatus for depositing oxide and oxynitride films is presented. Further, methods for depositing oxide and oxynitride films for optical waveguide devices are also presented. A sputtering reactor according to the present invention includes a pulsed DC power supply coupled through a filter to a target and a substrate electrode coupled to an RF power supply. A substrate mounted on the substrate electrode is therefore supplied with a bias from the RF power supply. The target can be a metallic target made of a material to be deposited on the substrate. In some embodiments, the metallic target is formed from Al, Si and various rare-earth ions. A target with an erbium concentration, for example, can be utilized to deposit a film that can be formed into a waveguide optical amplifier. A substrate can be any material and, in some embodiments, is a silicon wafer. In some embodiments, RF power can be supplied to the wafer. In some embodiments, the wafer and the electrode can be separated by an insulating glass. In some embodiments, up to about 10 kW of pulsed DC power at a frequency of between about 40 kHz and 350 kHz and a reverse pulse time of up to about 5 μs is supplied to the target. The wafer can be biased with up to about several hundred watts of RF power. The temperature of the substrate can be controlled to within about 10° C. and can vary from about −50° C. to several hundred degrees C. Process gasses can be fed into the reaction chamber of the reactor apparatus. In some embodiments, the process gasses can include combinations of Ar, N 2 , O 2 , C 2 F 6 , CO 2 , CO and other process gasses. Several material properties of the deposited layer can be modified by adjusting the composition of the target, the composition and flow rate of the process gasses, the power supplied to the target and the substrate, and the temperature of the substrate. For example, the index of refraction of the deposited layer depends on deposition parameters. Further, in some embodiments stress can be relieved on the substrate by depositing a thin film of material on a back side of the wafer. Films deposited according to the present invention can be utilized to form optical waveguide devices such as multiplexers and rare-earth doped amplifiers. These and other embodiments, along with examples of material layers deposited according to the present invention, are further described below with respect to the following figures. | 20041001 | 20080603 | 20050303 | 57519.0 | 4 | MANDALA, MICHELLE | BIASED PULSE DC REACTIVE SPUTTERING OF OXIDE FILMS | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,954,563 | ACCEPTED | System and method for storage and dispensing items | A system and method for storing items, such as food wrapping products, according to which two or more stacked modules are provided with each being adapted to store, and permit the dispensing of, a plurality of items. | 1. A system for storing a plurality of items, the system comprising at least one module for receiving at least one item, the module comprising a bracket, and a housing supported by the bracket for and forming, with the bracket, an enclosure for storing the items and permitting dispensing of the items. 2. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for locking the housing to the bracket. 3. The system of claim 2 wherein the bracket comprises two side panels at least one of which has an opening formed therein, and wherein the housing comprises two side panels that extend within, and adjacent to, the side panels of the bracket. 4. The system of claim 3 wherein the locking means comprises a protruding member disposed on at least one side panel and adapted to extend in an opening formed in its adjacent side panel. 5. The system of claim 3 wherein a protruding member is disposed on each side panel of the housing and wherein an opening is formed through each side panel of the bracket for receiving a corresponding protruding member. 6. The system of claim 5 wherein the bracket is formed of a material that flexes so as to permit the protruding members to extend through the corresponding openings. 7. The system of claim 1 wherein there are at least two modules that are adapted to be disposed in a stacked relationship with the respective brackets of the modules being connected. 8. The system of claim 7 further comprising an interlocking tab provided on the bracket of each module, the tabs of adjacent modules interlocking to connect the latter modules. 9. The system of claim 8 wherein one of the modules extends above the other module, wherein the tab of the one module extends from a lower surface of its bracket, and wherein the tab of the other module extends from an upper surface of its bracket. 10. The system of claim 9 wherein the tabs have a substantially hooked shaped cross section that engage to interlock. 11. The system of claim 1 wherein the housing of at least one module is adapted to dispense a roll of sheet material. 12. The system of claim 11 wherein an elongated slot is formed through the housing of the latter module to permit the sheet material to be dispensed from the module. 13. The system of claim 12 wherein the sheet material is continuous and wherein a portion of the first module defining the slot is serrated to cut the sheet material. 14. The system of claim 12 wherein the sheet material is continuous and further comprising a bracket adapted to slide across the housing to cut the sheet material. 15. The system of claim 11 wherein the housing of at least one other module receives a series of stacked bags and has a opening for providing access to the bags. 16. The system of claim 1 wherein the housing of at least one module receives a series of stacked bags and has a opening for providing access to the bags. 17. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one module is adapted to be connected to a vertical support surface. 18. The system of claim 1 wherein the items are food wrapping and/or storage products. 19. The system of claim 18 wherein the items are selected from a group consisting of a roll of sheet material and a plurality of storage bags. 20. A method of assembling a system for storing a plurality of items, the method comprising connecting a first bracket to a second bracket, disposing items in a first housing, connecting the first housing to the first bracket to form an enclosure for storing some of the items and allowing the items to be dispensed, and connecting the second housing to the second bracket to form an enclosure for storing some of the items and allowing the latter items to be dispensed. 21. The method of claim 20 further comprising connecting a third bracket to the first bracket, disposing items in a third housing, connecting the third housing to the third bracket to form an enclosure for storing the last items and allowing the last items to be dispensed. 22. The method of claim 20 wherein the items are food wrapping and/or storage products. 23. The method of claim 20 wherein the items are selected from a group consisting of a roll of sheet material and a plurality of storage bags. | BACKGROUND This invention relates to a system and method for storing and dispensing a plurality of items such as products for wrapping and/or storing food. Products for wrapping and/or storing food are very common and include rolls of sheet material, such as foil, wax paper, plastic sheets, and the like, as well as bags made of various types of plastic and paper. These products are often sold in a package, or box, that has a slot or opening to permit the rolled sheet material, or the bags, to be removed from the box. However when these boxes are stacked in a cabinet or drawer for storage, it is difficult to pull the sheet material and the bags out from the storage boxes. Therefore what is needed is a storage system for storing various items while enabling the items to be easily accessed, and the present invention addresses this need. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a storage system according to an embodiment of the invention, shown mounted to a support surface. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 and depicting the materials being dispensed. FIG. 3 is an exploded isometric view of a module of the embodiment of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial isometric view showing a portion of the module of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the two modules of FIG. 1 shown in a spaced relationship. FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the modules of FIG. 5 shown connected. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing a storage system according to an embodiment of the invention is referred to, in general, by the reference numeral 10. The system consists of four storage modules 12, 14, 16, and 18 disposed in a stacked, or vertically-spaced, relation. It is understood that the system 10 can be affixed to the inner surface of a door 20 of a cabinet, pantry, or closet, in any conventional manner, such as by hooks, screws, hooks and loops, or any other type of fasteners. As shown in FIG. 2, the module 12 is designed to accommodate a roll of a sheet material, such as food wrapping material 24, which can be in the form of foil, paper, plastic, or the like. The material 24 can be one continuous rolled sheet, or a series of non-continuous rolled sheets, both of which are conventional and readily available in retail markets. The module 12 is generally rectangular in shape and defines an interior for receiving the roll of sheet material 24 which preferably is kept in its original box, or package, for reasons to be described. The leading end portion of the sheet material 24 is pulled from its original box, or package, and through an elongated slot 12a in the module 12 that extends for substantially the entire width of the module. The module 14 extends just below the module 12 as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 and is connected to the module 12 in a manner to be described. With one exception to be discussed later, the module 14 is identical to the module 12 and therefore will not be described in detail. The module 14 is also adapted to dispense a roll of material 24. The module 16 extends just below the module 14 and is connected to the module 14 in a manner to be described. The module 16 is designed to receive and dispense a series of stacked items, such as food storage bags 26. The module 16 is generally rectangular in shape with slightly tapered side walls to define an interior for receiving the bags 26. Preferably, the original box or package containing the bags can be placed in the module 16 and the bags dispensed from an opening in the latter box or package and through the module 16. To this end, a relatively large, triangularly-shaped, opening 16a is formed through the module 16 through which the bags 26 can be pulled. The module 18 extends just below the module 16 as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 and is connected to the module 16 in a manner to be described. The module 18 is identical to the module 16 with the exception that it is slightly smaller than the module 16. The tapers of each side wall of the modules 16 and 18 are such that, when assembled, they form a continuous tapered surface. The module 18 is also adapted to dispense a series of storage bags 26. Referring to FIG. 3, the module 12 consists of a mounting bracket 30 that rests against a support structure such as the door 20 (FIG. 1) and receives and supports a drawer, or housing 32. The mounting bracket 30 includes a back panel 30a and two side panels 30b and 30c extending from the back panel. A circular opening 30d is formed in each of the side panels 30b and 30c, and two connecting tabs 30e and 30f extend from the upper and lower edges, respectively, of the back panel 30a, for reasons to be described. The housing 32 includes a front panel 32a, two side panels 32b and 32c, an upper panel 32d, and a lower panel (not shown). The slot 12a is formed in the top panel 32a of the housing 32. The width and height of the housing 32 are slightly less than the width and height, respectively, of the bracket 30 so that the housing 32 can fit in the bracket 30 to form an enclosure for storing the roll of sheet material 24. In this context, each side panel 30b and 30c of the bracket 30 has two flanges extending inwardly from its respective upper and lower edges, to receive the housing 32. As a non-limiting example of a manner in which the housing 32 is locked to the bracket 30, two protruding members, in the form of circular knobs 34a and 34b are mounted on, and project outwardly from, the two side panels 32b and 32c, respectively, and are adapted to extend in the two openings 30d, respectively, in the bracket 30, as will be described in detail. FIGS. 4-6 depict a non-limiting example of the manner in which the mounting brackets of the modules 12 and 14 can be connected. In particular the tab 30e extends from the upper edge of the back panel 30a of the bracket 30 of the module 14, and has a “J”, or hook-shaped cross section which is upside down as viewed in FIG. 5. Similarly, the tab 30f extends from the lower edge of the back panel 30a of the bracket 30 of the module 12 which also has a “J”, or hook-shaped cross section that is reversed with respect to the tab 30e. The tab 30f of the bracket 30 of the module 12 interlocks with the tab 30e of the bracket 30 of the module 14, as shown in FIG. 6, to connect the brackets 30 of each module 12 and 14. A tab 30f is provided on the lower edge of the back panel of the bracket 30 of the module 14 which interlocks with a tab (not shown) on the module 16 that is identical to the tab 30e. Although not shown, it is understood that a tab identical to the tab 30f is provided on the lower edge of the back panel of the bracket 30 of the module 16 that interlocks with a tab identical to the tab 30e on the module 18. Thus, an unlimited number of modules can be stacked and connected in the above manner. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper module 12 does not have a tab with a “J”, or hook-shaped cross section, but rather has a curved tab that is not adapted to interlock, but rather is more attractive from an aesthetic standpoint. The latter tab is provided with an opening for receiving a fastener to fasten the system 10 to a support structure, such as the door 20 in FIG. 1. Once the brackets 30 of the modules 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 are connected in the above matter and fastened to a vertical support surface, such as the door 20 shown in FIG. 1, the roll of sheet material 24, contained in its original package, can be inserted into the interior of the housing 32 of the module 14 through the open rear thereof. The housing 32 is then aligned with the bracket 30, and, more particularly with the above mentioned flanges disposed on the side panels 30b and 30c of the bracket. The housing 32 can then be pushed towards the rear of the bracket 30, and, the latter panels can flex slightly outwardly to permit the knobs 34a and 34b to extend in the openings 32d, thus locking the housing 32 to the bracket 30. An enclosure is thus formed that contains the roll of sheet material 24. The leading end portion of the material 24 is passed through the slot 12a in the top panel 32c of the housing 32 to permit the material 24 to be dispensed from its original package and from the module 14. Assuming that the roll of material 24 is continuous and not precut, once the desired length of sheet material 24 is pulled from the module 12, the serrations of the original packing can be used to tear the material. A roll of material, identical to the material 24, can also be inserted in, and dispensed from, the module 12 in the above manner, and a plurality of different items, such as the food storage bags 26, or the like, can be inserted in, and dispensed from the modules 16 and 18. In each case, the roll of sheet material 24 and the food storage bags 26 can be inserted in the housing of the particular module, and the housing can then be connected to its corresponding bracket in the manner described above. As shown in FIG. 3, according to an alternate embodiment, the desired length of sheet material 24 can be cut from the roll of material using a cutting bracket 36 that includes two slightly-spaced, downwardly extending, flanges that receive a cutting blade, or the like (not shown). For the purpose of example, the bracket 36 is shown in connection with the module 14 in FIGS. 1-3 and would normally rest on the upper surface of the module. To cut the material 24, manual pressure can be applied to the bracket 36 in a downward direction, and the bracket then moved in a direction from right-to-left as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 so that the blade cuts the material 24. In this context, a sliding track (not shown) could be provided on the housing 32. It is understood that a cutting bracket, identical to the cutting bracket 36, can be associated with the module 12. The modules 12, 14, 16, and 18 can be fabricated of any material that is consistent with the uses described above. For example, each module 12, 14, 16, and 18 could be fabricated from a plastic material, or from a metal material. Also, the bracket 30 of each module could be fabricated from a plastic material and the housing 32 could be fabricated from a metal, or vice versa. In the event the buttons 34a and 34b and the openings 32d are used to connect each housing 32 to its corresponding bracket 30, at least one of the housing and bracket would be fabricated from a flexible material. Variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope of the invention. Examples of the variations are as follows: (1) The housing 32 can be locked to the bracket 30 in a manner other than by the knobs 34a and 34b, such as by locking screws, pins buttons, tabs, etc. (2) The adjacent modules can be connected together in a manner other than by the tabs 30e and 30f, such as by screws or any other interlocking techniques. (3) The number of modules 10 can be varied (4) The roll of sheet material 24 or the bags 26 can be removed from their original boxes, or packages, prior to being placed in the modules 12, 14 and 16, 18, respectively. In the former case, the cutting bracket 36 can be used, or one surface of the module 12 defining the slot 12a can be serrated for permitting the sheet material 24 to be cut, or the cutting bracket 36 can be used. (5) Only one knob 34a or 34b can be provided. (6) The knobs 34a and 34b can be provided on the bracket and the openings for receiving the knobs can be provided on the housing. (7) The number and configuration of the panels making up the bracket 30 and the housing 32 can be varied. (8) Spatial references, such as “upper”, “lower”, “top”, “bottom”, “side”, etc. are for the purpose of illustration only and do not limit the specific orientation or location of the elements described above. (9) The above embodiments are not limited to storing sheet material and food storage bags, but rather can be used to store other items. Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many other modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>This invention relates to a system and method for storing and dispensing a plurality of items such as products for wrapping and/or storing food. Products for wrapping and/or storing food are very common and include rolls of sheet material, such as foil, wax paper, plastic sheets, and the like, as well as bags made of various types of plastic and paper. These products are often sold in a package, or box, that has a slot or opening to permit the rolled sheet material, or the bags, to be removed from the box. However when these boxes are stacked in a cabinet or drawer for storage, it is difficult to pull the sheet material and the bags out from the storage boxes. Therefore what is needed is a storage system for storing various items while enabling the items to be easily accessed, and the present invention addresses this need. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a storage system according to an embodiment of the invention, shown mounted to a support surface. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 and depicting the materials being dispensed. FIG. 3 is an exploded isometric view of a module of the embodiment of FIG. 1 . FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial isometric view showing a portion of the module of FIG. 3 . FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the two modules of FIG. 1 shown in a spaced relationship. FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the modules of FIG. 5 shown connected. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | 20040930 | 20071009 | 20060330 | 73203.0 | B42F100 | 0 | NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING AND DISPENSING ITEMS | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | B42F | 2,004 |
|
10,954,655 | ACCEPTED | Vehicle locking apparatus | The keyless engine starting system includes a turning shaft 93 connected to a handle lock for locking and unlocking. The keyless engine starting system also includes a knob 92 having a cylindrical support portion which is turnably fitted along an outer periphery of the shaft 93. The shaft 93 is in engagement with a pawl 33 when the knob 92 is in a predetermined lock position to limit the turning motion of the shaft 93. The engagement of pawl 33 with respect to the shaft 93 is released in response to a releasing signal from outside. The keyless engine starting system also includes a click ball 95, a spring 94 and a recess 922 which form a torque limiter mechanism for connecting the knob 92 with the shaft 93. If the shaft 93 is forcibly turned, the knob 92 turns free without engaging the shaft 93. | 1. A vehicle locking apparatus comprising a turning shaft connected to a handle lock of a vehicle for displacing the handle lock to a lock position and an unlock position, an operation knob disposed on one end of the turning shaft, a connecting means having a torque limiter mechanism for connecting the operation knob and the turning shaft to each other, and an electromagnetic actuator which engages a pawl member with the turning shaft when the operation knob is in a predetermined lock position to limit the turning motion of the turning shaft, and which releases the limitation in response to a releasing signal from outside. 2. The vehicle locking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation knob comprises a cylindrical portion by which the operation knob is turnably fitted along an outer periphery of the turning shaft, and an operating portion connected to the cylindrical portion. 3. The vehicle locking apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the torque limiter mechanism comprises a click ball which is accommodated in the turning shaft and resiliently biased in an outer peripheral direction of the turning shaft, and a recess formed in the cylindrical portion of the operation knob such that the click ball is fitted into the recess. 4. The vehicle locking apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a torque limit value of the torque limiter mechanism is equal to or higher than a predetermined turning operation torque of the operation knob and the turning shaft, and is smaller than an engagement strength between the pawl member and the turning shaft. 5. The vehicle locking apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the torque limiter mechanism is operated and the connection between the turning shaft and the operation knob is released, if the operation knob is turned to the predetermined lock position, the click ball is fitted into the recess formed in the cylindrical portion of the operation knob. 6. The vehicle locking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation knob is flush with a mounting surface of the lock apparatus with respect to the vehicle. 7. The vehicle locking apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an emergency releasing mechanism for releasing the engagement of the engaging pawl at the time of emergency instead of the electromagnetic actuator, an immobilizer sending/receiving circuit which carries out communication with an ECU of the vehicle to give a starting permission of the vehicle, and a seat unlocking switch for unlocking a seat lock apparatus where the seat also functions as a lid of an accommodating chamber provided in the vehicle. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle locking apparatus, and more particularly, to a vehicle locking apparatus which is used especially for a keyless engine starting system and which is not unlocked by improper unlocking operation. 2. Description of the Related Art In a four-wheel automobile, there is a known keyless engine starting system designed such that a person having a remote key (e.g., a card key) approaches his or her locked vehicle and enters a predetermined approving area, a door of the vehicle is unlocked and its engine can be started. According to this keyless entry system, if the person having the card key moves away from the vehicle, the door is locked and the engine cannot start. The keyless entry system is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-317754 for example. As the keyless entry system, in order to prevent erroneous control of the system or to reduce the a battery consumption, there is a known system having a normal mode for sending a remote control signal to the vehicle and an output stop mode for stopping the output of the control signal (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-64918). In the keyless engine starting system, there is a possibility that a locked state of an engine starting switch is improperly unlocked without using a proper remote key. That is, since the engine starting switch is provided with a knob so that the switch can be turned, there is a possibility that the locked state is improperly unlocked by forcibly turning the knob using a tool. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle locking apparatus which can not forcibly be unlocked without using an appropriate remote key. The first feature of the present invention provides a vehicle locking apparatus comprising a turning shaft connected to a handle lock of a vehicle for displacing the handle lock to a lock position and an unlock position, an operation knob which can be engaged in one end of the turning shaft with a cylindrical portion, a connecting means having a torque limiter mechanism for connecting the operation knob and the turning shaft to each other, and an electromagnetic actuator which engages a pawl member with the turning shaft when the operation knob is in a predetermined lock position to limit the turning motion of the turning shaft, and which releases the limitation in response to a releasing signal from outside. The second feature of the present invention provides a vehicle locking apparatus, wherein the torque limiter mechanism comprises a clickball which is accommodated in the turning shaft and resiliently biased in an outer peripheral direction of the turning shaft, and a recess formed in the cylindrical portion of the operation knob such that the click ball is fitted into the recess. The third feature of the present invention provides a vehicle locking apparatus, wherein a torque limit value of the torque limiter mechanism is equal to or higher than a predetermined turning operation torque of the operation knob and the turning shaft, and is smaller than an engagement strength between the pawl member and the turning shaft. The fourth feature of the present invention provides a vehicle locking apparatus, wherein when the torque limiter mechanism is operated and the connection between the turning shaft and the operation knob is released, if the operation knob is turned to the predetermined lock position, the clickball is fitted into the recess formed in the cylindrical portion of the operation knob. The fifth feature of the present invention provides a vehicle locking apparatus, wherein the operation knob is flush with a mounting surface of the lock apparatus with respect to the vehicle. The sixth feature of the present invention provides a vehicle locking apparatus, further comprising an emergency releasing mechanism for releasing the engagement of the engaging pawl at the time of emergency instead of the electromagnetic actuator, an immobilizer sending/receiving circuit which carries out communication with an ECU of the vehicle to give a starting permission of the vehicle, and a seat unlocking switch for unlocking a seat lock apparatus which also functions as a lid of an accommodating chamber provided in the vehicle. According to the invention having the above feature, the engagement of the pawl member and the turning apparatus is released by energizing the electromagnetic actuator means, and the operation knob can be turned. If an attempt is made to turn the operation knob using torque exceeding the predetermined operation torque without energizing the electromagnetic actuator means, the torque limiter mechanism is operated, the connection between the operation knob and the turning shaft is released, and the operation knob turns free without engaging the turning shaft. Especially according to the fourth feature, after the operation knob is brought into the free turning condition, the click ball is fitted into the recess on the cylindrical portion at a predetermined lock position, and the torque limiter mechanism function is reset. According to the fifth feature, since the operation knob does not project from its mounting surface, it is difficult to apply large torque using a tool or the like. According to the sixth feature, since the vehicle locking mechanism is modularized, assembling and maintenance thereof are easy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an outer appearance of the handle lock module; FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the handle lock module; FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the A-A line in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a front view of an outer appearance of a knob switch; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a two-wheel motor vehicle to which a lock apparatus of the present invention is applied; FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an entire keyless engine starting system of an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a structure of a remote key; FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing processing in the remote key based on operation of a push button; and FIG. 9 is a timing chart of operation of the keyless engine starting system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an outer appearance of a scooter type two-wheeled motor vehicle having the vehicle locking apparatus of the embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 5, the scooter type two-wheeled motor vehicle 1 is provided at its front portion with a steering handle 2 which is turnably supported by a vehicle body frame through a shaft (not shown). A panel 4 on which a meter 3 is disposed is disposed around the handle 2. One end of the panel 4 is connected to a vertical panel 5, and the vertical panel 5 is connected to a floor 6. A front portion of the panel 4 (front portion of the vehicle) is connected to a front cowl 8 on which a headlight and a blinkers 7 are disposed. The panel 4 and the front cowl 8 cover an inner space. A handle lock module 9 is accommodated in the inner space. The handle lock module 9 includes a knob switch 10 for starting the engine. The knob switch 10 has an operating portion, i.e., a knob provided on the panel 4. The knob is exposed outside. A lock bar (not shown) follows the operation of the knob switch 10. The handle lock module 9 also includes a mechanism which brings the lock bar into engagement in a lock hole formed in the shaft of the handle 2 so that the handle 2 cannot turn. The handle lock module 9 also includes a seat unlocking switch 11. As a concrete structure of the handle lock, a structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H9-301239 can be employed. A rear cowl 12 is connected to the front cowl 8. A passenger seat 13 is disposed on an upper portion of the rear cowl 12. The seat 13 also functions as a lid which covers a fuel tank and an accommodation box (both not shown) for accommodating a helmet. Both the fuel tank and the accommodation box are covered with the rear cowl 12. Since the seat 13 functions as the lid, the seat 13 can freely open and close, and includes an electric locking apparatus 14 which is operated by a solenoid. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the entire keyless engine starting system including the handle lock module 9. The handle lock module 9 includes a control section 15 having a microcomputer, the knob switch 10, the seat unlocking switch 11, and a solenoid 16 as an actuator which unlocks a lock that limits the turning motion of the knob switch 10. Connected to the control section 15 are a transmission antenna 17 and a receiving unit 18 for carrying out communication with a remote key 100, a fuel injection control FI-ECU (simply “ECU”, hereinafter) 19, and an actuator, i.e., a solenoid 20 for unlocking the seat locking apparatus 14. A display LED 21 which is lit when the handle lock is unlocked to show that the handle is unlocked can be connected to the control section 15. The display LED 21 can be provided on the panel 4 for example. The remote key 100 includes a push button 22, a display light 23 and another display light 24. The display light 23 and the display light 24 preferably comprise LEDs. Functions of the display light 23 and the display light 24 will be described later. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a structure of the remote key 100. The remote key 100 has a communication function which carries out communication with the handle lock module 9 of the vehicle to transmit ID information. The remote key 100 includes a receiving circuit 26 to which a plurality of nondirectional antennas 25-1, 25-2 and 25-3 are connected for transmitting and receiving information. The remote key 100 also includes a transmission circuit 27, a display light operating circuit 28 for operating a display light (green LED) 23 and a display light (red LED) 24, an EEPROM 29 as a storing device for storing control data, and a CPU 30 for controlling these constituent elements. The remote key 100 is driven by a power supply 31 incorporated in the remote key 100. The power supply 31 is a lithium battery for example. A signal corresponding to a state of the push button 22 is input to the CPU 30. The CPU 30 has a function for making it possible or impossible to receive a signal from the handle lock module 9 in accordance with the state of the push button 22. That is, it is possible to response a signal sent from the handle lock module 9 and to ignore the sent signal. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of processing of the CPU 30 carried out based on operation of the push button 22. In step 1, it is determined whether the push button 22 is pushed. If step S1 is affirmative, the procedure is proceeded to step S2. In step S2, it is determined whether the push button 22 is pushed continuously for time T (0.1 seconds) or longer. If step S2 is affirmative, it is determined that the push button 22 is normally operated, and the procedure is proceeded to step S3. If the push button 22 is pushed for less than the time T, it is determined that the operation is error, and the procedure is jumped to end. In step S3, it is determined whether the push button 22 is pushed continuously for second predetermined time T (T1>T, e.g., 1 second). If step S3 is affirmative, it is determined that the push button 22 is pushed for long time (long time pushing), and the procedure is proceeded to step S4. In step S4, it is determined whether the receiving circuit 26 of the current remote key 100 is active, i.e., the receiving circuit 26 is waiting for reception of a signal. If the receiving circuit 26 is active, the procedure is proceeded to step S5, where the receiving circuit 26 is brought in to a stop state, i.e., a function stop state. In order to show that the receiving circuit 26 is brought into the function stop state, the procedure is proceeded to step S6 where the red LED 24 is lit. The lit state here is completed for a predetermined short time. That is, the red LED is lit only momentarily. If step S4 is negative, the procedure is proceeded to step S7, where the receiving circuit 26 is brought into the active state. In order to show that the receiving circuit 26 is in the waiting state, the procedure is proceeded to step S8, where the green LED 23 is lit. The lit state here is completed for a predetermined short time. That is, the red LED is lit only momentarily. If step S3 is negative, i.e., if the push button 22 is pushed for short time shorter than the long time push, i.e., the push button 22 is operated momentarily, the procedure is proceeded to step S9, where it is determined whether the receiving circuit 26 is in the waiting state. If step S9 is affirmative, the procedure is proceeded to step S10, where the green LED 23 is lit to shown that the receiving circuit 26 is the waiting state. The number of flashings is four for example. If step S9 is negative, the procedure is proceeded to step S11, where the red LED 24 is lit to show that the receiving circuit 26 is in the function stop state. The number of flashings is four for example. The receiving circuit 26 can be brought into the stop state by carrying out any of the following processing. First, the power supply of the receiving circuit 26 is shut off. Secondary, even if a signal is received, the CPU 30 is not actuated. That is, the CPU 30 is not brought into a run mode. Thirdly, even if the CPU 30 is actuated, validation processing of received ID information is not carried out. The entire keyless engine starting system shown in FIG. 6 is operated when the push button 22 is operated and the receiving circuit 26 of the remote key 100 is active and the remote key 100 is brought into the approving area. Even if the remote key 100 is brought into the approving area when the receiving circuit 26 is in the stop state, the system is not operated. Therefore, when the remote key 100 is in the approving area, i.e., when a person having the remote key 100 is out from the approving area, the keyless engine starting system is in its initialized state, and each locking apparatus is locked. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an outer appearance of the handle lock module, FIG. 2 is a sectional view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the A-A line in FIG. 2. In these drawings, the handle lock module 9 includes a flange 90 for mounting the handle lock module 9 on the panel 4 of the two-wheeled motor vehicle. An end of a cylindrical housing 91 constituting the knob switch 10 is fitted to the flange 90. A knob 92 and a turning shaft 93 are inserted into the housing 91. A head of the turning shaft 93, i.e., a large-diameter portion 932 of the turning shaft 93 closer to the knob 92 is formed with a bottomed spring-accommodating hole 933. The spring-accommodating hole 933 extends across the turning shaft 93 in a radial direction. A coil spring 94 and a click ball 95 which abuts against a tip end of the coil spring 94 are accommodated in the spring-accommodating hole 933. The click ball 95 is pushed against an inner surface of a cylindrical extension 921 of the knob 92 by a repulsion of the spring 94. The inner surface of the cylindrical extension 921 of the knob 92 has a recess 922. The click ball 95 is fitted into the recess 922 when the knob 92 is turned to an initial position, i.e., a lock position (which will be described later). The click ball 95 and the recess 922 function as torque limiter mechanism in which when the knob 92 is operated with a torque of a predetermined value or greater, the click ball 95 comes out of the recess 922 and the engagement between the knob 92 and the turning shaft 93 is released. A spring constant and a size of the ball as well as the shape of the recess 922 are designed such that the engagement between the click ball 95 and the recess 922 is released when a torque which is estimated to be applied when the knob 92 is normally operated, i.e., a torque generated when the engagement of a later-described retaining pawl 33 and the turning shaft 93 is forcibly released, more concretely, a torque which is keyless engine starting system than a torque which generates strength for destroying the retaining pawl 33 is applied. The knob 92 is slightly projecting from the flange 90, and since the knob 92 is substantially flush with the flange 90, it is difficult to operate using a tool other than fingers. A rear end of the turning shaft 93, i.e., a portion of the turning shaft 93 which is away from the knob 92 is provided with a crank 97 having a connecting shaft 96 which is eccentric from the turning shaft 93. The connecting shaft 96 is connected to an end 32A of a lock bar 32. Therefore, if the turning shaft 93 is turned, the connecting shaft 96 is displaced with respect to a center axis of the turning shaft 93. If the turning shaft 93 is displaced, the lock bar 32 moves toward and away from the shaft of the handle 2, thereby locking and unlocking the handle 2. Engaging apparatuses, i.e., the solenoid 16 and the retaining pawl 33 are provided for limiting the turning motion of the turning shaft 93 to prohibit the operation of the knob switch 10 and for prohibiting the unlock of the handle lock. A plunger 161 of the solenoid 16 is engaged with a link 34, and the retaining pawl 33 which break into the housing 91 and is engaged with a retaining groove 934 of the turning shaft 93 is connected to the link 34. The retaining pawl 33 engages with the retaining groove 934 of the turning shaft 93 when the knob switch 10 is in the lock position. The link 34 is supported by an outer case 162 of the solenoid 16 by a support shaft 35. An emergency releasing pawl 36 is turnably provided on an extension of the support shaft 35. The emergency releasing pawl 36 turns around the support shaft 35. The pawls 33 and 36 are biased downward by coil springs 37 and 38. A lower surface of the emergency releasing pawl 36 abuts against an upper surface of a link 40 extending from an emergency releasing key cylinder 39. When the solenoid 16 is not energized, i.e., when the unlocking operation is not carried out, since the plunger 161 can freely move, the retaining pawl 33 is biased toward the turning shaft 93 by the coil spring 37, and the retaining pawl 33 is pushed against the retaining groove 934. If the ID information is certified between the remote key 100 and the handle lock module 9, the solenoid 16 is driven, the plunger 161 is pulled inward and the link 34 turns around the support shaft 35. As a result, the retaining pawl 33 is released from the retaining groove 934, the turning shaft 93 can turn, and the knob switch 10 is allowed to be operated. An emergency releasing key K is used when the locked state can not be unlocked by the remote key 100. The emergency releasing key K is used in such a manner that the emergency releasing key K is inserted into the emergency releasing key cylinder 39. If the emergency releasing key K is turned in the direction of L1, the link 40 turns in the direction of the arrow L in FIG. 1 to push up the emergency releasing pawl 36. With this operation, an end operating section 361 of the emergency releasing pawl 36 abuts against the link 34 to push the plunger 161 into the solenoid 16. With this operation, the retaining pawl 33 is pushed upward in the same manner as that when the solenoid 16 is driven. If the solenoid 16 is driven by improper operation to forcibly turn the knob switch 10, since the retaining pawl 33 is in engagement with the turning shaft 93, the knob switch 10 can not be turned. If an attempt is made to turn the knob switch 10 by a greater force using a tool or the like, the click ball 95 is released from the groove 92, and the knob 92 turns free with respect to the turning shaft 93. When the knob 92 turns free without engaging the turning shaft 93 by the torque limiter mechanism, if the knob 92 turns once, the click ball 95 is again fitted into the groove 92 and thus, in a state in which the retaining pawl 33 is released, the turning shaft 93 is returned into a state in which the turning shaft 93 can be turned by using the knob 92 with normal operation torque. FIG. 4 is a front view showing one example of the knob switch 10. The knob switch 10 is in the lock position in its initial state. In this state, the knob switch 10 is locked, and the knob switch 10 can be pushed but can not be turned. If the knob 92 of the knob switch 10 is pushed, communication with respect to the remote key 100 is started, and if the ID information is certified, the solenoid 16 is driven, then the knob switch 10 can be turned. If the knob 92 of the knob switch 10 is turned to an ON position shown in FIG. 4, the control section 15 carries out communication with the ECU 19 to certify the ID information. If the ID information is certified between the ECU 19 and the handle lock module 9, the handle lock is unlocked, the engine can be started, and the function of the seat unlocking switch 11 for unlocking the seat lock apparatus 14 is activated. If an ignition switch 41 which is adjacent to the knob switch 10 is pushed, the starting operation of the engine, i.e., driving operation of an engine starting motor, fuel injection operation, igniting operation and the like are started. Instead of providing the ignition switch 41 separately from the knob switch 10, the starting position (ignition position) may be set in the knob switch 10. The starting switch may separately be provided in the vicinity of the handle grip. FIG. 9 is a timing chart showing the operation of the keyless engine starting system. The entire operation of the keyless engine starting system will be explained with reference to FIGS. 6 and 9. First, if the knob 92 of the knob switch 10 is pushed at time t0, the control section 15 starts up. An actuation signal is output from the control section 15 at time t1, and the ID information is sent at time t2. The control section 15 responses the actuation signal and the receiving circuit 26 on the side of the remote key 100 starts up and at the same time, the CPU 30 of the remote key 100 also starts up. The remote key 100 receives the ID information before time t3, and sends the ID information at time t4. The control section 15 checks the sent ID information and received ID information and if the control section 15 certifies the information, the solenoid 16 is operated at time t5 to release the limit of turning motion of the knob switch 10. The limit of the turning motion of the knob switch 10 is released and the seat unlocking switch 11 is brought into the active state. If the seat unlocking switch 11 is pushed, the solenoid 20 for unlocking the seat lock apparatus 14 is operated. Although only one click ball is provided on the torque limiter mechanism, a plurality of click balls may be provided. The invention can widely be applied to vehicles in which an engine starting knob switch is not covered and it is easy to access the vehicle from outside such as four-wheel vehicles, field working vehicles, and construction vehicles, in addition to the two-wheeled motor vehicles. The knob switch is not limited to that described above, and the knob switch may be a switch used for a keyless starting apparatus. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle locking apparatus, and more particularly, to a vehicle locking apparatus which is used especially for a keyless engine starting system and which is not unlocked by improper unlocking operation. 2. Description of the Related Art In a four-wheel automobile, there is a known keyless engine starting system designed such that a person having a remote key (e.g., a card key) approaches his or her locked vehicle and enters a predetermined approving area, a door of the vehicle is unlocked and its engine can be started. According to this keyless entry system, if the person having the card key moves away from the vehicle, the door is locked and the engine cannot start. The keyless entry system is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-317754 for example. As the keyless entry system, in order to prevent erroneous control of the system or to reduce the a battery consumption, there is a known system having a normal mode for sending a remote control signal to the vehicle and an output stop mode for stopping the output of the control signal (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-64918). In the keyless engine starting system, there is a possibility that a locked state of an engine starting switch is improperly unlocked without using a proper remote key. That is, since the engine starting switch is provided with a knob so that the switch can be turned, there is a possibility that the locked state is improperly unlocked by forcibly turning the knob using a tool. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In view of the above problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle locking apparatus which can not forcibly be unlocked without using an appropriate remote key. The first feature of the present invention provides a vehicle locking apparatus comprising a turning shaft connected to a handle lock of a vehicle for displacing the handle lock to a lock position and an unlock position, an operation knob which can be engaged in one end of the turning shaft with a cylindrical portion, a connecting means having a torque limiter mechanism for connecting the operation knob and the turning shaft to each other, and an electromagnetic actuator which engages a pawl member with the turning shaft when the operation knob is in a predetermined lock position to limit the turning motion of the turning shaft, and which releases the limitation in response to a releasing signal from outside. The second feature of the present invention provides a vehicle locking apparatus, wherein the torque limiter mechanism comprises a clickball which is accommodated in the turning shaft and resiliently biased in an outer peripheral direction of the turning shaft, and a recess formed in the cylindrical portion of the operation knob such that the click ball is fitted into the recess. The third feature of the present invention provides a vehicle locking apparatus, wherein a torque limit value of the torque limiter mechanism is equal to or higher than a predetermined turning operation torque of the operation knob and the turning shaft, and is smaller than an engagement strength between the pawl member and the turning shaft. The fourth feature of the present invention provides a vehicle locking apparatus, wherein when the torque limiter mechanism is operated and the connection between the turning shaft and the operation knob is released, if the operation knob is turned to the predetermined lock position, the clickball is fitted into the recess formed in the cylindrical portion of the operation knob. The fifth feature of the present invention provides a vehicle locking apparatus, wherein the operation knob is flush with a mounting surface of the lock apparatus with respect to the vehicle. The sixth feature of the present invention provides a vehicle locking apparatus, further comprising an emergency releasing mechanism for releasing the engagement of the engaging pawl at the time of emergency instead of the electromagnetic actuator, an immobilizer sending/receiving circuit which carries out communication with an ECU of the vehicle to give a starting permission of the vehicle, and a seat unlocking switch for unlocking a seat lock apparatus which also functions as a lid of an accommodating chamber provided in the vehicle. According to the invention having the above feature, the engagement of the pawl member and the turning apparatus is released by energizing the electromagnetic actuator means, and the operation knob can be turned. If an attempt is made to turn the operation knob using torque exceeding the predetermined operation torque without energizing the electromagnetic actuator means, the torque limiter mechanism is operated, the connection between the operation knob and the turning shaft is released, and the operation knob turns free without engaging the turning shaft. Especially according to the fourth feature, after the operation knob is brought into the free turning condition, the click ball is fitted into the recess on the cylindrical portion at a predetermined lock position, and the torque limiter mechanism function is reset. According to the fifth feature, since the operation knob does not project from its mounting surface, it is difficult to apply large torque using a tool or the like. According to the sixth feature, since the vehicle locking mechanism is modularized, assembling and maintenance thereof are easy. | 20041001 | 20090922 | 20050602 | 75267.0 | 1 | BOSWELL, CHRISTOPHER J | VEHICLE LOCKING APPARATUS | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,954,755 | ACCEPTED | Utilization of overhead channel quality metrics in a cellular network | In a 3G cellular network, a Reverse Link Channel Quality Indicator Channel (R-CQICH) may be transmitted on a reverse link to support forward link high-speed data transmissions. Accordingly, the R-CQICH may be utilized to track the quality of the signal path between the wireless unit and the base station. The base station may include a CQI component that utilizes a received Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) signal from the wireless unit to generate CQI quality metrics based on the quality of the received signal. Also, the CQI quality metrics may be compared to different thresholds to adjust various system configurations in the base station. The base station may also provide feedback to the wireless unit with the updated system configurations. This technique allows CQI quality metrics to be utilized to adjust system configurations dynamically and enhance the operation of a wireless system. | 1. A method comprising: generating quality metrics from a decoding process for a received channel quality indicator (CQI), wherein the quality metrics comprise short-term quality metrics and long-term quality metrics that are associated with a quality of the received CQI; comparing at least one of the quality metrics to a quality setting; and determining whether to dynamically adjust a CQI channel configuration based on the comparison. 2. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the CQI channel configuration comprises a R-CQICH mode setting of a full mode or a differential mode, and the comparison comprises comparing one of the long-term quality metrics to the quality setting. 3. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the CQI channel configuration comprises a reverse link outer loop power control setting, and the comparison comprises comparing one of the short-term quality metrics to the quality setting. 4. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the CQI channel configuration comprises a repetition factor, and the comparison comprises comparing one of the long-term quality metrics to the quality setting. 5. The method, as set forth in claim 1, comprising generating the short-term quality metrics by accumulating a plurality of quality information from the decoding process over a CQI frame. 6. The method, as set forth in claim 1, comprising generating the long-term quality metrics by filtering the plurality of quality metrics over a period of more than one frames. 7. The method, as set forth in claim 1, comprising generating a plurality of erasures for differential reports based on a CQI differential bit decision metric. 8. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the method is performed at a base station in a wireless communications system. 9. The method, as set forth in claim 1, comprising transmitting an adjustment for the CQI channel configuration to a wireless unit. 10. A system comprising: means for generating quality metrics from a decoding process for a received channel quality indicator (CQI), wherein the quality metrics comprise short-term quality metrics and long-term quality metrics that are associated with a quality of the received CQI; means for comparing at least one of quality metrics to a quality setting; and means for determining whether to dynamically adjust a CQI channel configuration based on the comparison. 11. The system, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the CQI channel configuration comprises a R-CQICH mode setting of a full mode or a differential mode, and the means for comparing compares one of the long-term quality metrics to the pre-determined quality setting. 12. The system, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the CQI channel configuration comprises a reverse link outer loop power control setting, and the means for comparing compares one of the short-term quality metrics to the pre-determined quality setting. 13. The system, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the CQI channel configuration comprises a repetition factor, and the means for comparing compares one of the long-term quality metrics to the pre-determined quality setting. 14. The system, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the means for generating quality metrics comprising a means for generating the short-term quality metrics by accumulating a plurality of quality information from the decoding process over a CQI frame. 15. The system, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the means for generating quality metrics comprising a means for generating the long-term metrics by accumulating the plurality of quality metrics over a period of more than one frames. 16. The system, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the system is performed at a base station in a wireless communications system. 17. A method comprising: generating quality metrics in a decoding process associated with a quality of the received channel quality indicator (CQI); comparing one of quality metrics to a pre-determined quality setting; and determining whether to dynamically adjust at least one of a mode setting, a reverse link outer loop power control setting, or a repetition factor based on the comparison. 18. The method, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the mode setting comprises a full mode or a differential mode setting. 19. The method, as set forth in claim 17, comprising transmitting an adjustment to a wireless unit if the determination is to dynamically adjust at least one of the mode setting, the reverse link outer loop power control setting, or the repetition factor. 20. The method, as set forth in claim 10, wherein generating quality metrics comprises generating long-term metrics by accumulating the plurality of quality metrics over a period of more than one frames. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to wireless communication systems and, more particularly, to baseband signal processing and resource management. 2. Description of the Related Art This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. In 3rd generation or “3G” standards associated with support for high-speed data transmissions, overhead channels are provided to carry control and quality information. The quality and control information includes a link quality indication, decoding acknowledgement and rate control commands. Specifically, in CDMA2000 standard revision C/D, which is hereby incorporated by reference, a Reverse Link (RL) overhead channel, which is a Reverse Channel Quality Indication Channel (R-CQICH), is utilized to support the high speed Forward Link Packet Data Channel (F-PDCH). The R-CQICH carries information for the Forward Link high rate packet data scheduling and cell switching. When high-speed data service is provided, a wireless unit continuously transmits Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) reports to the base station. The CQI reports are measurements of the Forward Link (FL) pilot energy at the wireless unit. The CQI report is updated each Power Control Group (PCG), which is a time interval of 1.25 ms. A CQI frame contains 16 PCG time slots and lasts 20 ms. Further, the 3GPP2 standard provides various configurations for CQICH that may be adjusted in the base station and wireless unit. In the Third Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) standard, two types of CQI reports are allowed, which are a full report and a differential report. The full report is a 4-bit CQI word that represents the sample of the pilot signal during the current PCG. The differential report is a one bit indicator that represents the change of the current CQI from the previous CQI. The full report utilizes more signal power than the differential report, which is one bit indicator. Accordingly, the 3GPP2 standard specifies that the R-CQICH may be configured to operate in a full mode and/or differential mode. In the full mode, all the PCG slots in a CQI frame carry the full reports. In the differential mode, the full reports are generated at the beginning of a CQI frame and followed by the differential bits. Also, a repetition factor may be set for the R-CQICH to adjust the number of times that a full report is retransmitted in both full and differential mode, which may be 1, 2 or 4, for example. At the beginning of a CQI frame in the differential mode, the number of full reports applied is determined by the repetition factor. Similarly, the number of switching slots may be adjusted to provide a cell switch indication pattern, as well. Thus, each of the system or CQI channel configurations may impact the power consumed to provide the CQI signal and provide different adjustments to improve signal quality. For example, as is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, exemplary diagrams are provided that illustrate the relationship of the CQI signal power verses different PCGs. In FIG. 10, a Full Report diagram, which may be referred to by reference numeral 160, depicts the CQI signal power for each of the full reports Fa-Fg over the different PCGs 162a-162v. In this diagram 160, the system configurations for the R-CQICH may include the mode being set to full mode and the repetition factor being set to 2. Accordingly, for the PCGs 162a and 162b, the same full report Fa is issued for each of the PCGs. To reduce the power allocated to the R-CQICH, the system configurations may be adjusted to the mode being in the differential mode and the repetition factor being adjusted to 1, as shown in FIG. 11. In FIG. 11, a Differential Report diagram, which may referred to by reference numeral 166, depicts the CQI signal power for the full report Fi and each of the differential reports Da-Do over the PCGs 168a-168v. In this diagram 166, the system configurations for the R-CQICH may include the mode being set to differential mode and the repetition factor being set to 1. Accordingly, in the first PCG 168a, the full report Fi may be provided at the indicated CQI signal power level 170, while the differential reports Da-Do in the subsequent PCGs 168b-168p may be provided at the indicated CQI signal power level 172. Thus, the system configurations impact the CQI signal power. Similarly, in FIGS. 12 and 13, exemplary diagrams of the switching slots illustrate the power of the CQI signal verses the PCGs. In FIG. 12, the Full Switching Report diagram, which may referred to by reference numeral 174, depicts the CQI signal power for each full report F1-F12 for each of the PCGs 176a-176v. In this diagram 174, the system configurations for the R-CQICH may be set to full mode and the number of switching slots may be set to 4. Accordingly, the full reports F1-F12 are provided over PCGs 176a-176l, for the PCGs 176m-176p, the switching slots S1-S4 may be allocated to carry the cell switch indication pattern. If the repetition factor is increased to 2, then the number of switching slots utilized to repeat the switching slot information may be increased, while the mode may be set to differential mode to reduce the CQI signal power, as shown in FIG. 13. In FIG. 13, a Differential Switching Report diagram, which may referred to by reference numeral 180, depicts a CQI signal power for each full report F13, the differential reports D1-D6, and the switching slots S5-S7. Accordingly, with the repetition factor set to 2, the switching slots S5-S7 may utilize PCGs 182i-182p. With the mode being set to differential mode, the CQI signal power may be conserved during the PCGs 182c-182h, when the differential reports D1-D6 are provided. Thus, the system configurations influence the CQI signal power. However, the 3GPP2 standard does not address how to determine the optimized CQI configurations based on different system deployment scenarios. Specifically, the 3GPP2 standard does not provide a mechanism for determining how to dynamically adjust the CQI system or CQI channel configurations based on different system deployment scenarios. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention may relate to the design of efficient method at base stations that maintain the quality of the signals communicated with wireless units. The specific exemplary embodiments described herein relate to code division multiple access (CDMA). Those of ordinary skill in the art, however, will appreciate that embodiments of the present invention may relate to other types of communication systems, such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS). A brief description of the use of channel quality indicator (CQI) in CDMA systems in utilizing 3GPP2 standards is provided herein by way of example. Generally, in a wireless system supporting data services, data and control channels carry burst type of traffic. These channels are not suitable to be used for tracking link quality for system usage because continuously monitoring of channel condition is desired. However, as noted above, continuous overhead channels may be utilized to provide the link quality information in a timely and constant manner. As a result, the monitoring of continuous overhead channels is utilized for quality protection and resource allocation to ensure the quality of services and improve the system capacity. In the CDMA2000 Standard revision C/D, as noted above, the overhead channel, such as R-CQICH, is utilized to support the Forward Link Packet Data Channel (F-PDCH). The R-CQICH, which continuously operates as long as the FL high rate data services are requested by the wireless unit, carries information for the Forward Link high rate packet data scheduling and cell switching. As a result, it may be utilized to provide RL quality metrics for system applications, such as power control, cell switch, scheduling and quality control of R-CQICH itself. Because R-CQICH carries information for scheduling and cell switch, the quality of the R-CQICH may impact the overall system throughput and cell switch performance. Accordingly, increased transmission power may be allocated to R-CQICH to maintain the quality of this channel. However, because the R-CQICH is a continuous channel, it may consume power comparable with other reverse link channels or even higher depending on the reporting mode of R-CQICH. Accordingly, it may be advantageous to reduce the power consumed by the R-CQICH to improve the overall system capacity. To measure the system performance, erasures may be utilized as a frame quality indication. That is, the number of erasures per frame may be utilized to monitor the R-CQICH quality. The generation of erasures involves hard decisions that cause a certain degree of information loss. These erasures are provided for full mode, but not for differential mode. Yet, the R-CQICH is utilized in full and differential mode with the differential mode being utilized to reduce power consumption. As a result, if the frame quality indication is based on the number of erasures from the full report, no enough erasure information may be obtained in a frame in differential mode. Accordingly, it may be advantageous to generate frame based CQI channel quality metrics for differential reports in addition to the full reports. Further, for both full and differential reports, soft decision metrics are desired rather than the number of erasures, to provide improved information about the quality of R-CQICH. Further, the consistent frame quality metrics for both full and differential reports may be utilized to generate long-term CQI frame quality metrics, which may be referred to as long-term quality metrics. The long-term quality metrics are generated by filtering the frame based quality metrics over multiple frames. Accordingly, under the present techniques, metrics may be provided for full and differential modes to maintain the quality of the R-CQICH. These metrics may be utilized to dynamically adjust system or CQI channel configurations and power settings. That is, the channel configurations, such as switching between differential and full modes, adjusting the repetition factor, and/or adjusting the number of switching slots, may be adjusted based on different system scenarios and channel conditions that are indicated by the metrics. Also, the frame quality metrics may be utilized to determine whether to continue or stop scheduling high-speed data transmission on F-PDCH based on the reliability of the CQI. Similarly, an Outer Loop Power Control (OLPC) may be adjusted based on short-term CQI frame quality metrics to adjust the power of CQI transmissions. The updated CQI channel or system configurations may affect both the base station and the wireless unit. That is, the system configurations may be applied to the base station locally and may be transmitted to the wireless unit via the signaling. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a mechanism in a base station that manages the quality of a wireless signal path is provided. As set forth by way of example, the base station is configured to decode a received signal into decoded signals. From these decoded signals, the base station may generate quality metrics that are associated with a channel quality indicator (CQI) for a transmitted signal. Then, the base station compares the quality metrics to frame quality settings or thresholds to determine whether to adjust one or more system configurations based on the comparison. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Advantages of the invention may become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which: FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a wireless communications system having a base station and wireless unit; FIGS. 2-7 illustrate diagrams depicting the use of the CQI frame quality metrics in an exemplary embodiment of the base station in FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects of the present technique; FIG. 8 illustrates a functional block diagram of exemplary CQI components in the base station of FIG. 1; FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary chart of a differential bit three-state decision metric associated with CQI erasure thresholds utilized in the exemplary CQI components of FIG. 8; and FIGS. 10-13 illustrate diagrams depicting exemplary system configurations in a base station and wireless unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS One or more specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions should be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure. The techniques disclosed herein may provide an improved approach for monitoring the quality of the signal paths between the base station and wireless units. Specifically, the techniques described herein relate to a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), and adjusting system configurations dynamically based on the metrics associated with the quality of the CQI. Under the present technique, a base station may include a CQI recovery/decoding unit, CQI metric generation unit, and a decision making unit that are utilized to process frame quality metrics to determine whether to dynamically adjust various system configurations. Specifically, the CQI components may generate soft decision metrics, such as short-term quality metrics and long-term quality metrics, utilized to change the system configurations for the channels communicating between the wireless unit and the base station. The sequence of soft decision metrics, which may be utilized for both CQI full and differential reports, represent the CQI quality, and their accumulations reflect long-term CQI performance. The CQI frame quality soft decision metrics may be utilized to track the CQI performance for R-OLPC, and the long-term quality metrics may be used to modify the repetition factor, and to allocate cell switch slots. Thus, the proposed techniques provide a method and apparatus for improving the wireless system's performance. Turning now to the drawings, and referring initially to FIG. 1, an exemplary wireless communications system that incorporates a base station and wireless units is illustrated and generally referred to by reference numeral 10. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the base station 12 includes various components, such as a CQI recovery/decoding unit 30 and a CQI metric generation unit 32 to provide CQI metrics to a decision making unit 34. Based on the metrics, the decision making unit 34 may compare the metrics with different settings and thresholds to adjust the system configurations, as discussed below. Before discussing the generation of metrics in the base station 12, it may be useful to discuss the wireless communications system 10 and the wireless unit 18. To begin, in any given cellular area, a cellular network, such as the wireless communications system 10, may include one or more base stations 12. For example, the wireless communications system 10 may be a Third Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) CDMA2000 1×system, a 1×evolution data and voice (EVDV) system, a 1×evolution data optimized (EVDO) system, or a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS). Through the base station 12 different data services may be provided to one or more wireless units, which are represented by wireless unit 18. Further, the base station 12 is typically coupled to the PSTN 26 through Radio Network Controller (RNC) 25. The RNC 25 may manage functions in multiple base stations. As calls take place within the wireless communications system 10, the wireless unit 18 communicates with the base station 12. Communications between the wireless unit 18 and the base station 12 occurs primarily via the RF communications over the intervening air interface between the antennas of the respective wireless unit 18 and base station 12. Each communication signal path 20 typically comprises a forward link 22 and a reverse link 24. The forward channels or links 22 are portions of the signal paths 20 from the base station 12 to the wireless units 18. If the system utilizes CDMA, the forward links 22 may include one or more code channels that are transmitted on top of the pilot channel to the wireless units 18. The reverse links 24 are portions of the signal paths 20 from the wireless units 18 to the base station 12. If the system utilizes CDMA, the reverse links 24 may also include one or more code channels. Through the use of these forward links 22 and reverse portions 24, the base station 12 and the wireless unit 18 are able to communicate with each other. The practical limit on the number of wireless units 18 that a wireless communications system 10, such as a CDMA system, can support is based on the amount of interference or noise present on the wireless communications system 10. Specifically, as the noise increases, the system capacity decreases. Because wireless units 18, such as mobile phones, transmit on the same frequency, decoding a single signal from a wireless unit 18 includes distinguishing that particular signal from received signals. In other words, non-desired signals are simply noise with respect to the desired signal. Therefore, distinguishing between desired and non-desired signals becomes increasingly difficult as more wireless units 18 are added to the wireless communications system 10 because the noise increases. Maintaining the low transmission power for the wireless units 18 may reduce the amount of interference caused by transmissions. Conversely, the transmission power of each of the wireless units 18 has to be maintained at a level that the base station 12 can demodulate/decode the signal without error. That is, the wireless units 18 transmission power may be managed to achieve a desired signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR). To manage the quality of a signal received, the wireless unit 18 may include a CQI generator 19 that may be utilized to determine CQI quality level of the signal received on the forward link 22 from the base station 12. The CQI quality level may be determined by calculating the Ec/Nt signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the pilot signal received by the wireless unit 18 and converting the calculated value into a CQI quality level. By way of example, the CQI generator 19 may include a Hadamard encoder, puncturer, modulator, and mulitplexer, signal flipper, along with other circuitry or the like, for example. The wireless unit 18 may provide the CQI to the base station 12 via the R-CQICH over the reverse link 24. The base station 12 may receive the transmitted signal from the wireless unit to process the CQI. Specifically, the base station 12 may include components, such as a rake receiver 28, a CQI recovery/decoding unit 30, a CQI metric generation unit 32, and/or a decision making unit 34 to process the CQI signals. The rake receiver 28 may despread, demodulate and provide CQI information about the received baseband signal to the CQI recovery/decoding unit 30 in a demodulated signal. With the demodulated signal, the CQI recovery/decoding unit 30 and the CQI metric generation unit 32 may generate and provide metrics that relate to the CQI and quality of the R-CQICH. Specifically, the CQI recovery/decoding unit 30 may receive signals from the wireless unit 18 and decode the demodulated signals through generating and comparing the CQI decoding/decision metrics. The CQI decoding/decision metrics, which may be referenced individually as decoding metrics or decision metrics, represent the CQI quality levels for full or differential reports respectively. The decoding and decision metrics are then provided to the CQI metric generation unit 32. The CQI metric generation unit 32 may further process the metrics and associated signals to provide metrics to the decision making unit 34. The metrics may include short-term quality metrics and long-term quality metrics for both full and differential modes. The decision making unit 34 may analyze the received metrics against various settings or thresholds to determine whether to adjust various system configurations. The thresholds may include switching slot thresholds, frame quality thresholds, repetition thresholds, and/or long-term quality threshold. By comparing the metrics to the thresholds, the decision making unit 34 may determine when to adjust the system configurations to account for changes in the CQI. The system configurations in the 3GPP2 standard may include settings, such as full and/or differential mode, a repetition factor, number of switching slots, number of switching frames, Out Loop Power Control (OLPC) settings, and/or scheduling states. Then, the adjusted configuration parameters are determined, the new settings may be send to the wireless unit 18 via a FL signal channel to update the R-CQICH configuration in the wireless unit 18. The same configuration may also be sent to the local CQI recover/decoding unit 30 to ensure the receiving process matches with the transmissions of wireless unit 18. As a result, the decision making unit 34 may provide a closed loop approach that dynamically updates system configurations in the base station 12 and wireless unit 18 to improve the overall system performance. Based on the CQI frame quality metrics discussed above, a frame on the reverse link 24 may be declared to be of low quality based on various thresholds, such as the frame quality threshold. Declaring a low quality frame may generate a CQI bad frame event, which is similar to generating an error event by cyclical redundancy check (CRC) for FCH. The CQI frame error event may be used by the power control mechanism in base station 12 to adjust transmission power of the wireless unit 18 via outer loop and inner loop power control. Similarly, the decision making unit 34 may utilize CQI long-term quality metrics to track the CQICH performance and employ the associated thresholds against the metrics to adjust the CQICH configurations. Each of FIGS. 2-7 illustrates the use of the CQI frame quality metrics, such as short-term quality metrics and long-term quality metrics, in an exemplary embodiment of the base station of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects of the present technique. Accordingly, each of the FIGS. 2-7 may be best understood in conjunction with FIG. 1. FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary diagram of the strength of the CQI frame quality metrics for full report in full mode verses the frame quality thresholds utilized in the base station of FIG. 1. The CQI Quality Full Report diagram, which may be referred to by reference numeral 70, depicts the CQI frame quality metric for a full report CQI_Q_Full verses the SNR of the signal received by the base station 12 from the wireless unit 18. In the diagram 70, the strength of the CQI frame quality metric may be represented by a curve 72, while lines 74, 76 and 78 may represent different frame quality thresholds. The frame quality thresholds 74, 76 and 78 are differentiated based upon the repetition factors utilized for full report CQI transmission from the wireless unit 18. Beneficially, the CQI frame quality metric for full mode may be used to provide accurate quality information than the number of erasures, which are utilized by the R-OLPC. In the diagram 70, a CQI bad event, such as a “bad quality” event, is generated when the CQI frame quality metric 72 is below the one of the frame quality thresholds 74, 76 and 78 in different repetition cases. The CQI bad event may be generated by the decision making unit 34. Based on the CQI bad event, the R-OLPC set point may be increased for unfavorable CQI performance. Thus, the increase in the R-OLPC set point results in an increase of the average transmission power for the wireless unit 18 via reverse inner loop power control (R-ILPC). FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary diagram of the strength of the CQI frame quality metrics for differential report in differential mode verses a frame quality threshold for differential reports utilized in the base station 12. The CQI Quality Differential Report diagram, which may be referred to by reference numeral 80, depicts the CQI frame quality metric for a differential report CQI_Q_Diff verses the SNR of the signal received by the base station 12 from the wireless unit 18. In the diagram 80, the strength of the CQI frame quality metric may be represented by a curve 82, while the frame quality threshold may be represented by a line 84. Because the differential reports are not affected by the repetition factors, a single frame quality threshold 84 is utilized to determine when the system configurations may be adjusted, similar to the discussion of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary diagram of the strength of the long-term CQI frame quality metrics in full mode verses the repetition thresholds utilized in the base station of FIG. 1. The Long-Term CQI Quality Full Report diagram, which may be referred to by reference numeral 86, depicts the long-term CQI frame quality metric for a full report CQI_LTQ_Full verses the SNR of the signal received by the base station 12 from the wireless unit 18. In the diagram 86, the strength of the long-term CQI frame quality metric may be represented by a curve 88, while lines 92, 94, 96 and 98 may represent different repetition thresholds. The different repetition thresholds 92, 94, 96 and 98 are differentiated based upon the repetition factors currently utilized for communicating with the wireless unit 18. In the diagram 86, the repetition factor may be determined by comparing the thresholds 92, 94, 96 and 98 against the long-term CQI frame quality metric 88. For example, if the current repetition factor is “1,” and the value of the long-term CQI frame quality metric 88 may be smaller than the repetition threshold 94, which may represent the threshold for increasing the repetition factor from 1 to 2. Then the repetition factor may be increased because the CQI quality is decreasing, which results in the repetition factor being increased from 1 to 2. Likewise, if the current repetition factor is “2,” and the value of the long-term CQI frame quality metric 88 may be greater than the repetition threshold 92, which may represent the threshold for decreasing the repetition factor from 2 to 1. Because the CQI quality is increasing, the repetition factor may be decreased from 2 to 1. Thus, the long-term CQI frame quality metric may be utilized along with the thresholds 92, 94, 96 and 98 to adjust the repetition factor. Further, the long-term CQI frame quality metric 88 may be utilized with the thresholds 90 and 100 to adjust for extreme conditions that may occur on the channel. For instance, when the channel condition is good and current operation mode of R-CQICH is in the full mode, the long-term CQI frame quality metric 88 may exceed the threshold 90, which indicates that the CQI reports may be switched to differential mode, not in full mode. As noted above, the switch to differential mode reduces the power consumption of the CQI reports. Similarly, when the channel condition is bad, the long-term CQI frame quality metric 88 may be below the threshold 100, which indicates that the quality of CQI reports may be too bad. Below the threshold 100, no high rate data scheduling may be permitted because the CQI reports are not reliable. As such, the long-term CQI frame quality metric 88 may be utilized along with the thresholds 90 and 100 improve the efficiency of the CQI reporting. FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary diagram of the strength of the long-term CQI frame quality metrics in differential mode verses the repetition thresholds utilized in the base station of FIG. 1. In differential mode, the initial full report metrics may be used to determine the differential mode full report repetition factor. The Long-term CQI Quality Differential (mode) Full Report diagram, which may be referred to by reference numeral 102, depicts the long-term CQI frame quality metric for the initial full reports, CQI_LTQ_DiffFull verses the SNR of the signal received by the base station 12 from the wireless unit 18. In the diagram 102, the strength of the long-term CQI frame quality metric may be represented by a curve 104, while lines 106, 108, 110 and 112 may represent different repetition thresholds. The different repetition thresholds 106, 108, 110 and 112 are differentiated based upon the repetition factors utilized for communicating with the wireless unit 18. Similar to the discussion of diagram 86 in FIG. 4, the repetition factor may be determined by comparing the thresholds 106, 108, 110 and 112 against the long-term CQI frame quality metric 104. Accordingly, the operation of the long-term CQI frame quality metric with the thresholds 106, 108, 110 and 112 is similar to diagram 86. For example, if the current repetition factor is “1,” then the value of the long-term CQI frame quality metric 104 may be smaller than repetition threshold 108, which may represent the threshold for increasing the repetition factor from 1 to 2. As a result, the repetition factor is increased from 1 to 2. Thus, the long-term CQI frame quality metric 104 may be utilized along with the thresholds 106, 108, 110 and 112 to adjust the repetition factor in differential mode. FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary diagram of the strength of the long-term CQI frame quality metrics in full mode verses the switching slot thresholds utilized in the base station of FIG. 1. The Long-term CQI Quality Full Report Switching diagram, which may be referred to by reference numeral 114, depicts the long-term CQI frame quality metric for a full report CQI_LTQ_FullSwitch verses the SNR of the signal received by the base station 12 from the wireless unit 18. In the diagram 114, the strength of the long-term CQI frame quality metric may be represented by a curve 116, while lines 120 and 122 may represent different switching slot thresholds. The switching slot thresholds 120 and 122 are differentiated based upon the cell switching slots provided to the reverse link 24 for the wireless unit 18. Beneficially, the long-term CQI frame quality metric for full mode may be used to adjust the switching slots allocated to the wireless unit 18. In the diagram 114, the allocated cell switching slots may be determined by comparing the switching slot thresholds 120 and 122 against the long-term CQI frame quality metric 116. For example, the current system configuration or parameter on the number of switching slots is “2” for a wireless unit 18. If the value of the long-term CQI frame quality metric 116 is smaller than the switching slot threshold 120, which may represent the threshold for increasing the number of allocated switching slots from 2 to 4. The number of switch slots is increased from 2 to 4 because the CQI quality is decreasing. When the long-term CQI frame quality metric 116 is above the threshold 120 or 122, it may be desirable to not reduce the number of switch slots for simplicity and to maintain the quality of service. Thus, the long-term CQI frame quality metric may be utilized along with the thresholds 120 and 122 to adjust the switching slots. Similar to the full mode discussed above, the long-term quality metrics for differential report may be used to determine the number of switching slots in the differential mode, as shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary diagram of the strength of the long-term CQI frame quality metrics in differential mode verses the switching slot thresholds utilized in the base station of FIG. 1. The Long-term CQI Quality Differential Report Switching diagram, which may be referred to by reference numeral 124, depicts the long-term CQI frame quality metric for a differential report CQI_LTQ_DiffSwitch verses the SNR of the signal received by the base station 12 from the wireless unit 18. In the diagram 124, the strength of the long-term CQI frame quality metric, which may be referred to as long-term quality metrics, may be represented by a curve 126, while lines 128 and 130 may represent different thresholds to determine the number of switching slots. The different switching slot thresholds 128 and 130 are differentiated based upon the number of slots allocated to the wireless unit 18. Similar to the discussion of diagram 114 in FIG. 6, the allocated switching slots may be determined by comparing the thresholds 128 and 130 against the long-term CQI frame quality metric 124. In contrast to the full mode, if the differential long-term quality metric 126 is below the threshold 132, the CQI reporting mode may be switched from the differential mode to the full mode to ensure the performance of the CQI recovery and decoding. The generation of CQI metrics by the CQI unit 36 is explained in greater detail below in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, a functional block diagram of exemplary CQI components in the base station of FIG. 1 is shown. In this embodiment, the rake receiver 28 receives a base band signal BBS from one of the wireless units 18. The CQI components evaluate the CQI received on the R-CQICH and calculate the appropriate CQI frame quality metrics. Then, the decision making unit 34 determines and optimizes the configurations and parameters to improve the system performance. The thresholds, which are pre-determined, are employed by the decision making unit 34 to maintain the quality of the CQICH. As noted above, the rake receiver 28 may include various components to demodulate the signals received from the wireless unit 18. For instance, the rake receiver 28 may include a demodulation/CQI symbol recovery unit 134 and a channel estimation unit 140. The demodulation/CQI symbol recovery unit 134 may be utilized to receive the baseband signal (BBS) from the wireless unit 18. The rake receiver/CQI symbol recovery unit 134 may function to despread, demodulate and combine the received signal BBS. Further, a channel estimation unit 140 may also be utilized in the rake receiver 28 to evaluate the phase shift of the baseband signal BBS. The phase shift removal process may introduce some bias at the signal level. Accordingly, a compensation factor is calculated in the channel estimation unit 140 and is then provided to the CQI metric generation unit 32. As noted above, the CQI components may include the CQI recovery/decoding unit 30 that includes various components to process the information in the demodulated signals provided from the demodulation/CQI symbol recovery unit 134. For instance, the CQI recovery/decoding unit 30 may include a CQI full report decoder 136 and a CQI differential bit decision unit 138. The CQI full report decoder 136 may utilize the demodulated soft symbols to further perform decoding. The CQI full report decoder 136 may decode the demodulated soft symbols into one of sixteen different values in a lookup table. The decoding metrics are calculated from the soft symbols. The decoding metrics, which may include about 16 estimated values for CQI words that correspond to 16 corresponding decoding metrics, are then sorted to form a list or table of values. The CQI word corresponding to the maximum decoding metric is the decoded word, which is transmitted from the wireless unit 18. The maximum decoding metric is send to the CQI frame quality metrics accumulator 142. In addition, the CQI full report decoder 136 may provide a full report via a signal FullCQI to the other components, such as a scheduler (not shown) to adjust the power utilized for the forward link 22. Similarly, the CQI differential bit decision unit 138 also may utilize the demodulated signals to further process the quality information provided from the demodulation/CQI symbol recovery unit 134 for CQI differential reports. Because the differential report is a single bit, the bit can be obtained by making a hard decision on the demodulated signal (soft symbol). In fact, the demodulated signal serves as the differential bit decision metric. In the event an erasure is indicated as a CQI quality metric for differential reports, the CQI differential bit decision unit 138 may conduct the three state decision process, which is discussed below in FIG. 9. For generating the soft decision metrics, the CQI differential bit decision unit 138 may provide a differential decision metric signal Diff_Decision_Metric to the CQI metric generation unit 32 and may provide differential reports via a signal DiffCQI to the scheduler (not shown) to allocate resources for the forward link 22. The CQI metric generation unit 32 may also include various components to generate metrics from the signals provided from the CQI recovery/decoding unit 30. For instance, the CQI metric generation unit 32 may include a CQI frame quality metric accumulator 142, a first divider unit 144, a second divider unit 146, a long-term filter unit 148, and a channel estimation summation unit 150. The CQI frame quality metric accumulator 142 may accumulate the decoding metric signal Max_Decode from the CQI full report decoder 136 and the differential decision metric signal Diff_Decision_Metric from the CQI differential bit decision unit 138. The signals may then be provided to a first divider unit 144 and a second divider unit 146. The first and second divider units 144 and 146 may receive signals from the CQI frame quality metric accumulator 142 and the summation unit 150. The signal from the summation unit 150 may be a channel estimation scaling factor, while the CQI frame quality metric accumulator 142 may be specific to the differential or full mode. For instance, the first divider unit 144 may receive signals that relate to CQI frame quality metrics for the full mode, while the second divider unit 146 may receive signals that relate to the CQI frame quality metrics for the differential mode. Regardless of the source, the first and second divider units 144 and 146 provide the resulting signals from each unit to the long-term filter 148 and the decision making unit 34. Specifically, the first divider unit 144 provides a signal CQI_Quality_Full to the decision making unit 34, while the second divider unit 146 provides a signal CQI_Quality_Diff to the decision making unit 34. In the long-term filter unit 148, the signals from the first and second divider units 144 and 146 may be processed to create signals that include CQI information from a specific interval of time. From the first divider unit 144, a signal CQI_Quality_Full_LT is created that is associated with the long-term metrics for the full mode. Similarly, from the second divider unit 146, a signal CQI_Quality_Diff_LT is created that is associated with the long-term metrics for the differential mode. The long-term quality metrics are obtained by applying a long-term filter on the frame based CQI frame quality metrics, which may include one or more frames of data. Then, the signals are provided to the decision making unit 34 from the long-term filter unit 148. The decision making unit 34 may receive these various signals that include CQI frame quality metrics and analyze the CQI frame quality metrics against thresholds 149. The thresholds 149 may be pre-determined values that are represented by a threshold signal Thresh. The thresholds 149 may include predefined or adjustable settings that are stored in memory and utilized as baselines for the communication between the wireless unit 18 and the base station 12. For example, the thresholds 149 may include switching slot thresholds, frame quality thresholds, repetition thresholds, long-term quality threshold and CQI erasure thresholds. Based on the CQI frame quality metrics and the thresholds 149, the decision making unit 34 may provide a feedback signal to the wireless unit 18 and/or update the system configurations 151, as discussed above. The system configurations 151 may include settings or configurations for the CQICH, such as the full/differential mode indication, the repetition factor, number of switching slots and/or number of switching frames, R-OLPC settings, and/or scheduling states, for example. The system configurations 151 may be stored in memory of the base station 12. These signals that include the systems configurations may be referred to as the decision signals DS. Thus, the decision making unit 34 may determine whether the system configurations should change based on various metrics associated with the CQI of the R-CQICH. The calculation of CQI frame quality metrics may be generated by the CQI recovery/decoding unit 30 and the CQI metric generation unit 32. In the CQI recovery/decoding unit 30, the calculation of CQI frame quality metrics associated with erasures in the differential and full mode may be utilized to improve the performance of the system. For instance, while erasures are typically generated for the full report, for the differential report erasures may also be generated by performing a three-state decision on CQI differential bit in the CQI recovery/decoding unit 30. The CQI differential bit three-state decision metric at PCGi is given by the following equation: Diff_ThreeState_Metrici=Diff_Hard_Decision_Metrici/Chest_Factori The differential bit hard decision metric at PCGi is: Diff_Hard _Decision _Metric i = ∑ j , k Re ( C ⋒ jk * r jk ) if the R-FCH is on, and is: Diff_Hard _Decision _Metric i = ∑ j , k Im ( C ⋒ jk * r jk ) if the R-FCH is off. In these equations, the power control group (PCG) is time interval that may be a 1.25 ms interval on the forward channels 22 and/or a reverse channels 24. Further, r (in complex form) is the received signal before combining the received signals in the rake receiver/CQI symbol recovery unit 134, j is the number of repeated symbols of a differential bit over one PCG, k is the number of fingers being combined. The symbol: Ĉ*jk is the complex conjugate of channel estimation at finger k and symbol j. The Chest_Factor is the scaling factor at PCGi based on the channel estimation. The chest factor is represented by the equation: Chest_Factor i = ∑ j , k C ⋒ jk 2 Based on these equations and the differential bit three-state decision metric, three different states may be determined by the CQI differential bit decision unit 138, as shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is an exemplary chart of the differential bit three-state decision metric Diff_ThreeState_Metric utilized with the associated CQI erasure thresholds 156 and 158 in the exemplary CQI unit of FIG. 9. The differential bit three-state decision metric (Diff_ThreeState_Metric), which is represented by line 154, may be divided into three-states, such as a CQI up state CQI_UP, a CQI down state CQI_Down, or a CQI hold state CQI_Hold. The states are divided based upon the value of the differential bit three-state decision metric 154 in relation to the CQI erasure thresholds 156 and 158. By dividing the differential bit three-state decision metric 154 into three-states, erasures for the differential mode may be determined. Thus, number of erasures over an entire frame may be determined, as discussed above. To provide the three-states, two CQI erasure thresholds 156 and 158 that are on opposite sides of a predetermined value 155 may intersect the line 154. The predetermined value 155 may be “0” or may be another suitable base value. A CQI up erasure threshold 156 may be utilized to divide the CQI up state CQI_Up from the CQI hold state CQI_Hold. The CQI up state CQI_UP may indicate that the CQI quality is improving, while the CQI hold state CQI_Hold may indicate that an erasure has occurred. Similarly, a CQI down erasure threshold 158 may be utilized to divide the CQI hold state CQI_Hold from the CQI down state CQI_Down. As an example, the differential bit three-state decision metric 154 may be in one of three basic types of decisions in a given PCGi. For instance, if the differential bit three-state decision metric 154 is less than the value of the CQI down erasure threshold 94, then the differential bit three-state decision is made to the CQI down state CQI_Down. That is, the CQI bit from the wireless unit 18 may be interpreted to as a “0,” which indicates that the current CQI value is decreasing. Further, if the differential bit three-state decision metric 154 is greater than the value of the CQI up erasure threshold 156, then the differential bit three-state decision is made to the CQI up state CQI_Up. As a result, the CQI bit from the wireless unit 18 may be interpreted to as a “1,” which indicates that the current CQI value is increasing. Finally, if the differential bit three-state decision metric 154 is less than or equal to the CQI up erasure threshold 156 and greater than or equal to the value of the CQI down erasure threshold 158, it is indicate that the quality of the received CQI signal is not good. Then, the differential bit three-state decision is made to the CQI hold state CQI_Hold. If the decision metric was in this region and a two state decision were made, it would be more likely to generate an error. As a result, the CQI bit from the wireless unit 18 may not be interpreted, and an erasure may be declared. Beneficially, by declaring an erasure, the CQI bit transmitted may be discarded and unreliable information may not be utilized. The erasure indicates that the channel condition on the reverse link 24 is not performing at the appropriate levels. Further, the erasures may be generated for the differential reports over a frame to be utilized as a frame quality metric in differential mode. One of the purposes of the three states decision method is to indicate the CQI signal quality and channel condition. It may be used to generate the erasures only while the CQI differential bits are still determined by the two state decisions. Another CQI frame quality metric may be the CQI frame quality soft decision metrics. As discussed above, erasures are generated by making hard decisions in the full or differential decoding/decision metrics. The hard decision results in a certain degree of information loss. To avoid the loss of information, the frame based quality metrics may provide more accurate measurement on the signal quality than the number of erasures per frame or multiple frames. As such, the CQI frame quality soft decision metrics may improve the system by providing more accurate information about the reliability of the CQI value. The CQI frame quality soft decision metrics are generated by the CQI metric generation unit 32, as discussed above. The CQI frame quality soft decision metrics are generated by accumulating the PCG based erasure metrics over a frame. In full mode, the CQI frame quality soft decision metric may be calculated differently over a switching period and a non-switching period. During the non-switching period, which is in normal operation mode and a cell switch is not involved, the CQI frame quality soft decision metric is represented by the equation: CqiQuality Full = ∑ j CQI_frm max M ( DecodeMetric m ) j / ∑ i CQI_frm Chest_Factor i Where i is the PCG index and j is about equal to the PCG index i divided by the CQI repeat factor CQI-repetition-factor. The channel estimation factor Chest_Factor is defined above in reference to the generation of the erasure metrics. Further, the DecodeMetric(s) are the CQI full report decoding metrics, which may include M different metrics. The CQI full report decoding metrics DecodeMetric(s) are accumulated over the CQI repeat factor CQI-repetition-factor of PCGs. Also, CQI_frm represents that the accumulation is over a CQI offset frame. During the switching period, the CQI frame quality soft decision metric may be accumulated over the region in the frame without switching indication. The CQI frame quality soft decision metric during this period is represented by the equation: CqiQualityFull = ∑ j CQI_regA max M ( DecodeMetric m ) j / ∑ i CQI_regA Chest_Factor i In this equation, CQI_regA is the duration or “region A” in a CQI frame, which carries the CQI reports. The CQI cell switch indications do not occur in the region A. Thus, this equation provides one of the signals provided to the decision making unit 34 from the CQI metric generation unit 32. Similarly, for the differential mode, the CQI frame quality soft decision metric for the initial full reports is represented by the equation: CqiQualityDiff_Full = max M ( DecodeMetric m ) / ∑ i = 0 Re pt_Fct - 1 Chest_factor i In this equation, Rept_Fct is the CQI repetition factor, and DecodeMetric is accumulated over the CQI repetition factor Rept_Fct number of PCGs. This equation provides another of the signals provided to the decision making unit 34 from the CQI metric generation unit 32. This calculation is not affected by the cell switch. The CQI frame quality metric for the differential report in differential mode may be calculated in a switching period or in a non-switching period, as well. During the non-switching period, the CQI frame quality metric for the differential report in differential mode is represented by the equation: CqiQualityDiff_Diff = ∑ i = 4 CQI_frm Diff_Decision _Metric i / ∑ i = 4 CQI_frm Chest_factor i During the switching period, valid CQI reports occur in region A. The frame quality metric can only be obtained from region A: CqiQualityDiff_Diff = ∑ i = 4 CQI_regA Diff_Decision _Metric i / ∑ i = 4 CQI_regA Chest_factor i Thus, the equations provide another one of the signals to the decision making unit 34 from the CQI metric generation unit 32. Further, some other considerations are utilized to enhance the CQI frame quality metrics provided. For instance, the CQI frame quality metrics accumulation for differential reports may be started from PCG 4 (i=4) in differential mode to avoid the effect of the full reports and repetition factor on the quality metrics. Also, the accumulation length of the channel estimation scaling factor may be the same as the accumulation length of the PCG based decoding/decision metrics. It should be understood that the rake receiver 28, CQI recovery/decoding unit 30, CQI metric generation unit 32 and decision making unit 34 are merely an example of hardware devices or routines that may be designed using the techniques described herein. For instance, these components may be implemented as a software program, such as routines or code, as a firmware or hardware component, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and/or a combination of these hardware components. Indeed, while the invention may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have been described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following appended claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to wireless communication systems and, more particularly, to baseband signal processing and resource management. 2. Description of the Related Art This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. In 3 rd generation or “3G” standards associated with support for high-speed data transmissions, overhead channels are provided to carry control and quality information. The quality and control information includes a link quality indication, decoding acknowledgement and rate control commands. Specifically, in CDMA2000 standard revision C/D, which is hereby incorporated by reference, a Reverse Link (RL) overhead channel, which is a Reverse Channel Quality Indication Channel (R-CQICH), is utilized to support the high speed Forward Link Packet Data Channel (F-PDCH). The R-CQICH carries information for the Forward Link high rate packet data scheduling and cell switching. When high-speed data service is provided, a wireless unit continuously transmits Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) reports to the base station. The CQI reports are measurements of the Forward Link (FL) pilot energy at the wireless unit. The CQI report is updated each Power Control Group (PCG), which is a time interval of 1.25 ms. A CQI frame contains 16 PCG time slots and lasts 20 ms. Further, the 3GPP2 standard provides various configurations for CQICH that may be adjusted in the base station and wireless unit. In the Third Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) standard, two types of CQI reports are allowed, which are a full report and a differential report. The full report is a 4-bit CQI word that represents the sample of the pilot signal during the current PCG. The differential report is a one bit indicator that represents the change of the current CQI from the previous CQI. The full report utilizes more signal power than the differential report, which is one bit indicator. Accordingly, the 3GPP2 standard specifies that the R-CQICH may be configured to operate in a full mode and/or differential mode. In the full mode, all the PCG slots in a CQI frame carry the full reports. In the differential mode, the full reports are generated at the beginning of a CQI frame and followed by the differential bits. Also, a repetition factor may be set for the R-CQICH to adjust the number of times that a full report is retransmitted in both full and differential mode, which may be 1 , 2 or 4 , for example. At the beginning of a CQI frame in the differential mode, the number of full reports applied is determined by the repetition factor. Similarly, the number of switching slots may be adjusted to provide a cell switch indication pattern, as well. Thus, each of the system or CQI channel configurations may impact the power consumed to provide the CQI signal and provide different adjustments to improve signal quality. For example, as is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 , exemplary diagrams are provided that illustrate the relationship of the CQI signal power verses different PCGs. In FIG. 10 , a Full Report diagram, which may be referred to by reference numeral 160 , depicts the CQI signal power for each of the full reports F a -F g over the different PCGs 162 a - 162 v . In this diagram 160 , the system configurations for the R-CQICH may include the mode being set to full mode and the repetition factor being set to 2. Accordingly, for the PCGs 162 a and 162 b , the same full report F a is issued for each of the PCGs. To reduce the power allocated to the R-CQICH, the system configurations may be adjusted to the mode being in the differential mode and the repetition factor being adjusted to 1 , as shown in FIG. 11 . In FIG. 11 , a Differential Report diagram, which may referred to by reference numeral 166 , depicts the CQI signal power for the full report F i and each of the differential reports D a -D o over the PCGs 168 a - 168 v . In this diagram 166 , the system configurations for the R-CQICH may include the mode being set to differential mode and the repetition factor being set to 1. Accordingly, in the first PCG 168 a , the full report F i may be provided at the indicated CQI signal power level 170 , while the differential reports D a -D o in the subsequent PCGs 168 b - 168 p may be provided at the indicated CQI signal power level 172 . Thus, the system configurations impact the CQI signal power. Similarly, in FIGS. 12 and 13 , exemplary diagrams of the switching slots illustrate the power of the CQI signal verses the PCGs. In FIG. 12 , the Full Switching Report diagram, which may referred to by reference numeral 174 , depicts the CQI signal power for each full report F 1 -F 12 for each of the PCGs 176 a - 176 v . In this diagram 174 , the system configurations for the R-CQICH may be set to full mode and the number of switching slots may be set to 4. Accordingly, the full reports F 1 -F 12 are provided over PCGs 176 a - 176 l , for the PCGs 176 m - 176 p , the switching slots S 1 -S 4 may be allocated to carry the cell switch indication pattern. If the repetition factor is increased to 2, then the number of switching slots utilized to repeat the switching slot information may be increased, while the mode may be set to differential mode to reduce the CQI signal power, as shown in FIG. 13 . In FIG. 13 , a Differential Switching Report diagram, which may referred to by reference numeral 180 , depicts a CQI signal power for each full report F 13 , the differential reports D 1 -D 6 , and the switching slots S 5 -S 7 . Accordingly, with the repetition factor set to 2, the switching slots S 5 -S 7 may utilize PCGs 182 i - 182 p . With the mode being set to differential mode, the CQI signal power may be conserved during the PCGs 182 c - 182 h , when the differential reports D 1 -D 6 are provided. Thus, the system configurations influence the CQI signal power. However, the 3GPP2 standard does not address how to determine the optimized CQI configurations based on different system deployment scenarios. Specifically, the 3GPP2 standard does not provide a mechanism for determining how to dynamically adjust the CQI system or CQI channel configurations based on different system deployment scenarios. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Embodiments of the present invention may relate to the design of efficient method at base stations that maintain the quality of the signals communicated with wireless units. The specific exemplary embodiments described herein relate to code division multiple access (CDMA). Those of ordinary skill in the art, however, will appreciate that embodiments of the present invention may relate to other types of communication systems, such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS). A brief description of the use of channel quality indicator (CQI) in CDMA systems in utilizing 3GPP2 standards is provided herein by way of example. Generally, in a wireless system supporting data services, data and control channels carry burst type of traffic. These channels are not suitable to be used for tracking link quality for system usage because continuously monitoring of channel condition is desired. However, as noted above, continuous overhead channels may be utilized to provide the link quality information in a timely and constant manner. As a result, the monitoring of continuous overhead channels is utilized for quality protection and resource allocation to ensure the quality of services and improve the system capacity. In the CDMA2000 Standard revision C/D, as noted above, the overhead channel, such as R-CQICH, is utilized to support the Forward Link Packet Data Channel (F-PDCH). The R-CQICH, which continuously operates as long as the FL high rate data services are requested by the wireless unit, carries information for the Forward Link high rate packet data scheduling and cell switching. As a result, it may be utilized to provide RL quality metrics for system applications, such as power control, cell switch, scheduling and quality control of R-CQICH itself. Because R-CQICH carries information for scheduling and cell switch, the quality of the R-CQICH may impact the overall system throughput and cell switch performance. Accordingly, increased transmission power may be allocated to R-CQICH to maintain the quality of this channel. However, because the R-CQICH is a continuous channel, it may consume power comparable with other reverse link channels or even higher depending on the reporting mode of R-CQICH. Accordingly, it may be advantageous to reduce the power consumed by the R-CQICH to improve the overall system capacity. To measure the system performance, erasures may be utilized as a frame quality indication. That is, the number of erasures per frame may be utilized to monitor the R-CQICH quality. The generation of erasures involves hard decisions that cause a certain degree of information loss. These erasures are provided for full mode, but not for differential mode. Yet, the R-CQICH is utilized in full and differential mode with the differential mode being utilized to reduce power consumption. As a result, if the frame quality indication is based on the number of erasures from the full report, no enough erasure information may be obtained in a frame in differential mode. Accordingly, it may be advantageous to generate frame based CQI channel quality metrics for differential reports in addition to the full reports. Further, for both full and differential reports, soft decision metrics are desired rather than the number of erasures, to provide improved information about the quality of R-CQICH. Further, the consistent frame quality metrics for both full and differential reports may be utilized to generate long-term CQI frame quality metrics, which may be referred to as long-term quality metrics. The long-term quality metrics are generated by filtering the frame based quality metrics over multiple frames. Accordingly, under the present techniques, metrics may be provided for full and differential modes to maintain the quality of the R-CQICH. These metrics may be utilized to dynamically adjust system or CQI channel configurations and power settings. That is, the channel configurations, such as switching between differential and full modes, adjusting the repetition factor, and/or adjusting the number of switching slots, may be adjusted based on different system scenarios and channel conditions that are indicated by the metrics. Also, the frame quality metrics may be utilized to determine whether to continue or stop scheduling high-speed data transmission on F-PDCH based on the reliability of the CQI. Similarly, an Outer Loop Power Control (OLPC) may be adjusted based on short-term CQI frame quality metrics to adjust the power of CQI transmissions. The updated CQI channel or system configurations may affect both the base station and the wireless unit. That is, the system configurations may be applied to the base station locally and may be transmitted to the wireless unit via the signaling. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a mechanism in a base station that manages the quality of a wireless signal path is provided. As set forth by way of example, the base station is configured to decode a received signal into decoded signals. From these decoded signals, the base station may generate quality metrics that are associated with a channel quality indicator (CQI) for a transmitted signal. Then, the base station compares the quality metrics to frame quality settings or thresholds to determine whether to adjust one or more system configurations based on the comparison. | 20040930 | 20150714 | 20060406 | 94409.0 | H04Q700 | 2 | BATISTA, MARCOS | Utilization of overhead channel quality metrics in a cellular network | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H04Q | 2,004 |
|
10,954,820 | ACCEPTED | Method for using computers to facilitate and control the creating of a plurality of functions | The present invention is a method and apparatus that allows competing as well as complementing suppliers, vendors, service providers, purveyors, and other types of sellers internal inventory management as well as controlled design and publication of presentations for external near real-time interactive access to buyer-centered presentation, sales, distribution, and confirmation systems as well as other traditional media advertising and outreach. The Automated Media Presentation Generator including a Publication and Placement Control Engine, integrates a Distributed Sales and Inventory Control structure with Processing and Communications Resource Saver, and further provides a Reservation, Access, and Verification System replacing traditional ticket and confirmation methods. | 1. A method of using a network of computers to facilitate and control the creating and publishing of presentations to a plurality of media venues while minimizing required input, comprising: a) a media database having a list of available media venues; b) a presentation rules database having corresponding creative guidelines of the media venues; c) means for transmitting said presentations to the selected media venues; d) means for the sellers selection of the media venues; e) means for sellers inputting information; and whereby a person may choose one or more media venues, create a presentation or presentations that comply with said media venues guidelines, and transmit the presentation or presentations to the selected media venues for publication. 2) The method of claim 1 wherein a seller database has a list of sellers. 3) The method of claim 1 wherein a means for creating structured presentations from sellers information for the media venues. 4) The method of claim 3 wherein a means for sellers transferring said created presentations to the media venues for publishing. 5) The method of claim 1 wherein said media venues inputs said creative guidelines and information. 6) The method of claim 1 wherein means of said media venues receives sellers presentations. 7) The method of claim 1 wherein a media buyers database has a list of media buyers. 8) The method of claim 1 wherein a media transactions database has a list of all media transactions. 9) The method of claim 1 wherein a media inventory database has a list of all media inventory. 10) The method of claim 1 wherein a presentations database contains created presentations. 11) The method of claim 1 wherein an inventories database contains available inventory. 12) The method of claim 1 wherein a transaction database contains transactions made. 13) The method of claim 1 wherein a method of buyers' selection and purchase of goods and services is offered by sellers. 14) The method of claim 13 wherein a transaction database contains records of the purchases of goods and services made. 15) The method of claim 1 wherein a means of purchasing the goods or services offered is provided. 16) The method of claim 1 wherein the media database having a list of available media includes corresponding editorial, design and publication standards. 17) The method of claim 1 wherein the media database having a list of available media includes corresponding pricing and media inventory availability. 18) The method of claim 1 wherein said presentations to be featured through selected media venues are transferred to them. 19) The method of claim 1 wherein a computer is used to control and facilitate the network of computers. 20) The method of claim 1 wherein a computer is used to control and facilitate creation and distribution of all presentations to media venues. 21) The method of claim 1 further comprising a means of automatically creating open-access electronic presentations. 22) The method of claim 1 further comprising a means of publishing open-access presentations electronically. 23) The method of claim 1 wherein a computer is used to present dynamic presentations electronically. 24) A method for using computers to control sales and inventory while reducing required processing resources comprising: a) setting of total available inventory; b) setting of notification level of total available inventory; c) establishing buffer inventory; d) monitoring inventory levels; e) notifying seller of sales; f) allocating available inventory; and g) preventing over allocation of inventory. 25) The method of claim 24 wherein communications allow for on-demand or on-event transmission of information without the overhead of constant communications. 26) The method of claim 24 wherein on-demand transactions without confirming communications are allowed. 27) The method of claim 24 wherein a computer is used to monitor transactions and facilitate the allocation of inventory. 28) The method according to claim 24 wherein a seller of goods or services can control sales and inventory with reduced processing resources without being required to maintain constant communications with points of sale. 29) A method of using a network of computers to facilitate and control access to events or functions comprising: a) utilizing a buyer's existing identification documents; b) combining a buyer's inputting existing identification information with purchase information; c) transmitting said buyer's identification information to seller; d) verifying by the seller the buyer's identification to allow admittance to event or function utilizing existing identification. 30) The method of claim 29 wherein: a) a biometric identification is utilized to identify the buyer; b) verifying the buyer's identification by seller to allow admittance to an event or function utilizing said biometric identification. 31) A method of using a network of computers to allow holders of identification documents to use said documents in combination with biometric identification for purchasing goods and services comprising: a) utilizing a buyer's existing identification documents; b) combining a buyer's purchase information with biometric identification at point of sale; c) transmitting said information to a central computer; d) verifying by the central computer of said biometric identification against a database of identification and credit information; e) verifying by the central computer of credit availability; and f) notifying the seller of acceptance or rejection of purchase. | This application is a continuation of copending parent application Ser. No. 10/165,091, filed Jun. 7, 2002 which was a continuation of the then copending parent application Ser. No. 09/480,303 filed Jan. 10, 2000, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,045 on Sep. 3, 2002. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The method and apparatus of the present invention is related to Automated Media Creation and Publication Engine with Resource Saver, Inventory Control, and Ticket Distribution Vending System. The invention also relates to the Automated Media Creation, Publication, Placement, and Control Engine with Processing and Communications Resource Saver, including a Sales and Inventory Control protocol, and a Reservation, Access, and Verification System Utilizing Ticket and Confirmation Replacement Methods. In another aspect the invention relates to Automated Media Creation, Publication, Placement, and Control Engine with Processing and Communications Resource Saver, including a Sales and Inventory Control protocol, and a Reservation, Access, and Verification System Replacing Traditional Ticket and Confirmation Methods. In yet another aspect the invention relates to Automated Media Creation, Publication, Placement, and Control Engine, including a Sales and Inventory Control protocol with Processing and Communications Resource Saver, and a Reservation, Access, and Verification System Replacing Traditional Ticket and Confirmation Methods. Prior art for electronic and other presentations of commercial products, goods, and services is accomplished by individual sellers or seller organizations or their agents submitting materials to each and every media outlet or to stand-alone electronic malls, outlets, or directories. Most sellers choose the media or outlet for the sale of their products, goods, or services; obtain the guidelines and requirements; negotiate a contract; and then compile material and design individual presentations to conform to the requirements for each media. This time consuming and costly business necessity has created huge marketing programs and agencies for large businesses. When created individually by sellers or seller organizations, media presentations may not be standardized in that they do not carry consistent, up-to-date inventory, pricing, and information for the consumer. A buyer may find conflicting presentations on different electronic or traditional channels or outlets. The management for the advertising and electronic commerce for many small to mid-size sellers falls either as additional duties to current staff or as new departments. In the media of electronic presentations, the lack of experience may result in presentations that are cumbersome, ineffective, or not accessible to the widest range of consumer. Currently, the non-standardized format for the presentation of products, goods, and services provides for both the advantage of allowing unlimited creativeness in presentation and the disadvantage, in inexperienced hands, of not delivering the most effective and motivating sales message. In many cases, this lack of standardization appropriate to each and every venue or media outlet may result in the presenting of goods and services in a way that does not entice the buyer to make a purchase. In the prior art, electronic Internet and Intranet presentations are developed either as static files that require constant and laborious manual updating or as dynamic (database-driven) Although the dynamic presentations require less labor to produce and update, the various Internet or Intranet search or retrieval programs do not generally read or index them because of their “dynamic, database-driven” nature. This fact alone substantially reduces their effectiveness in reaching the most motivated buying public because those presentations are largely invisible to the wide range of automated searches conducted by potential buyers. With either design choice, substantial cost is experienced for the small to mid-size seller, either in the form of labor intensive presentation methods or in lost sales opportunity, which can never be recovered. The electronic Internet malls and electronic directories, although generally much better staffed and able to produce effectively designed and edited content to motivate the buyer, suffer in part from the same dilemma. They are still faced with the same no-win choice between the labor intensive creation and placement for each presentation that gets the maximum visibility to the search methods of potential buyers and the easier database-driven presentation which get minimal visibility. One of the disadvantages to the advertising client of these electronic directories is that they find themselves publishing the same information in multiple directories or indexes as well as in their own stand-alone presentations in order to obtain the maximum coverage for access to the buying public. This supervision of multiple presentations is a control and management problem that is very costly and inefficient for the seller. Electronic malls and electronic directories also experience a high ratio of cost to generated income associated with sales, billing, and collections. The clients of these electronic malls and directories are typically contracted for some period of time and then billed for that period of time during the contract period. Currently, the sale of tickets, passes, admission documents, or reserved services is performed in a variety of ways that require the buyer to either call the agent or seller, contact a third-party seller, have a specific ID for that venue or event, or make the purchase electronically using a network presentation of some kind, usually the Internet. Upon the sale of those tickets, passes, admission documents, or reserved services, the transaction requires, or, would be enhanced by, the physical delivery of those proofs of purchase. In the prior state of the art, proof of purchase must be picked up at some physical facility or point of sale when the tickets, passes, admission, or reserved services are purchased. Or, they must be delivered via mail or one of the overnight services, delivered by courier, or picked up on a “will call” basis at the facility, site, business, or venue. Or, they must be a member and a holder of a specific ID used by that Seller of goods or services. All of these methods, at the very least, create additional inconvenience for the Buyer, requiring either travel time, waiting in lines, applying for and receiving specific ID card, or the uncertainty of last-minute delivery. In many cases where last-minute purchase decisions are made, there is additional expense to either the Buyer or Seller to insure timely delivery. In prior art, if the buyer is a existing member of an organization that issues special single purpose ID cards, the buyer may apply for and use that special single purpose ID card for access. This forces the buyer to have an individual access ID for each service that he wishes to periodically use. In regards to the Resource Saver Protocol, prior art requires a message to be recorded and sent for each and every transaction (purchase) at a resource cost for each transaction or transmission. If a Seller has inventory on multiple electronic sites or channels, each and every site must be updated and adjusted on an individual basis, one-by-one manually. It must be noted that prior art does not even communicate in an automated two-way method. This means that in many cases, the Seller has to receive the transmission of sale, record the inventory change manually onto his management or accounting software, and then update each and every place where this inventory is offered for sale. Through prior art, buyers and sellers often experience mistakes in over-selling or overbooking products, goods, or service because of the delays of manual updating. SUMMARY The invention allows sellers to present their inventory, products, goods and services in a choice of one or a variety of supported media outlets: in print, such as newspapers, magazines, periodicals, guidebooks, catalogs, brochures, fliers, and directories; in electronic form, such as online directories, web sites, bulletin boards, news groups, CD-ROMs, and interactive media and networks; and in other media, such as billboards, skywriters, bus benches, radio, interactive kiosk and any other form of customer outreach or information distribution. When these media choices are made, the present invention prompts the seller for information that is then used in the creation of presentations for the media outlets he has chosen. The Presentation Rules Database holds all the criteria, formatting architecture, and distribution factors for each participating media outlet. The present invention's Presentation Generation Program, along with the Presentation Rules Database, then creates a presentation for each and every media outlet the seller has chosen. The Presentation Generation Program then either transmits the presentation to the appropriate destination or holds it for a publication date to be submitted for a particular deadline or predetermined promotional market. The seller can then print out a report that shows him each presentation, distribution or media outlet, and the pricing of each media choice for an overall marketing valuation. The present invention allows the Seller to update, change, control inventory, and automatically process sales either from his in-house or third party accounting or management software that has a compatible communication component with the present invention or in the present invention. He can accomplish this updating and inventory control to all media outlets simultaneously. The invention is a method and apparatus that allows for the creation of presentations for the commerce of products, goods and services for any and all size of business; the accessibility of those presentations to a vast population of the buying public both in print, electronic, interactive electronic, and other media; the sale, reservation, and purchasing of those products, goods and services; the confirmation of these purchases and reservations through a Network ID or confirmation system; and the management of inventory control through multiple media outlets while saving resources of processing, transmission, and communications. The invention is a method and apparatus that allows for the creation of presentations that comply with the design and architectural requirements of any and all participating media. This is applicable to all media either in print, such as newspapers, magazines, advertisements, guidebooks, directories, fliers, and brochures; and electronic media, such as online directories and malls, web sites, bulletin boards, news groups, CD-ROMs, and interactive media and networks; and other media, such as billboards, skywriters, bus benches, radio, interactive kiosk, and any other form of customer advertising, outreach, or information distribution. These presentations can be updated for either presentation content or inventory control in near real time, by either manual or automatic means, via electronic message units from third-party management or inventory control software. Electronic presentations created can be either static open-access or database driven dynamic server presentations. Where appropriate, these presentations allow for the sale of products, goods, or services and for the making of payments by buyers. Inventory adjustments for production, sales, and other reasons are made in near real time, allowing for an accurate presentation of availability of inventory to buyers. The present invention allows for lower cost to management when used with all media outlets by creating a self-serve, automated billing environment for the seller's creation and display of presentations. The invention is a method and apparatus that allows for the creation of both static and dynamic Internet and Intranet presentations for the sale of products, goods, and services to be accessible to the maximum number buyers and the interactive purchase of those products, goods and service. The present invention is a method and apparatus that allows buyers to purchase products, goods and service electronically and receive confirmation of that purchase. The invention allows for the verification and substantiation of the purchase of access or admission to those services or events that traditionally have controlled access by means of tickets, passes, admission documents, reservations, reservation confirmations, or other substantiation at the facility, site, business, or venue. The invention provides several methods for the buyer to provide a ID at the time of purchase, which is then transmitted electronically to the facility, site, business, or venue. That buyer Network ID is then confirmed by the facility, site, business, or venue by means of readers or scanners of the magnetic, smart, or optical ID cards or by other electronic means when biometric authentication is required. This confirmation may automatically result in the printing of the tickets, passes, admission documents, reservation confirmations, or other documents required for admittance or in the automatic and immediate physical admittance of the buyer or ID holder. The present invention allows for both complete inventory control and management and the global updating and accessibility of real-time and time-sensitive inventory while saving communication resources and time for any and all businesses that sell products, goods, and services regionally or world-wide. The invention allows for a substantial reduction of the communications and computer resources necessary to control and coordinate the availability, presentation, and sales of common, unique, or time-sensitive products, goods, and services. The present invention allows for the sales process to be adjusted so as to optimize the communications and computer resources used in relationship to the sales volume and Seller, Buyer, and usage profiles. OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES Several objects and advantages of the Presentation Generation component of the present invention are: To provide an effective system of edit and content control for the creation and publishing of commercial sales or information-oriented traditional media and electronic presentations in a cost-effective manner for small, medium, and large sellers of products, goods, and services. This invention improves on the prior art by creating a controlled, managed environment for the sellers in which to create their presentations. This invention automatically applies not only editing, style, graphics, data, and content controls but also design specification and architectural requirements to the design environment of all forms of specific member media venues or outlets, both electronic print and all other media formats. To create open-access electronic presentations that can receive maximum electronic visibility from private, public, or commercial search algorithms and commercial search engines and indexes, as well as from other automated or on-demand computer search systems. This invention improves on the prior art by automatically publishing the information and data received from sellers in an open-access format that is readily available to public automatic search and index programs as well as to on-demand search programs. With this invention, the seller's presentation can be published in several different directories or indexes, taking on a different style, look, and feel in each as a result of the automatic restructuring of the data entered by the seller. This is accomplished by using different presentation formatting guidelines and rules for the targeted directories or indexes. This single-entry and automatically distributed method is more efficient than managing each directory or index individually. To allow sellers to create presentations on their computers that are automatically transmitted to be published and viewed on electronic networks and other traditional advertising media. The present invention partially resides on the sellers' computers, controls and edits the presentation, and then automatically transmits that information and data for publication in traditional media and electronic networks. To allow media venues, outlets, vendors, and representatives automated presentations giving media buyers' self-serve access to their products and services. To allow for the automatic publishing or updating of presentations within a simple environment that does not require lower-level coding or formatting of the presentation material. The present invention employs a text-only entry of information and data, thereby not requiring the seller to have knowledge of presentation computer codes or low-level formatting. To allow for automatic global updating of the description, price, quantity, and availability of products, goods, and services in traditional periodic media or electronic presentations. The present invention allows for the direct input of this information as well as for the automatic transmission of presentation-related data by compatible third-party, accounting, inventory control, or other management software for the inclusion or updating of the electronic presentation through common message files read and transmitted by the present invention. To allow for the central control and management of presentations, thereby allowing for a greater degree of promotion and flexibility of the category or group of products, goods, or services by the controlling server in order to attract more buyers. The present invention directs all presentations through a central controller, which standardizes the presentations within the style, editing, and content standards set by the controller standards for each presentation, directory, or index. All electronic interactive presentations are optimized for presentation search visibility by the controller and can then be globally refined, based on traffic analysis. To provide lower overhead cost associated with sales, billing, and collections for the operators of the present invention. By creating a self-serve, automated, direct billing environment for the sellers to create their presentations in, the operators of the present invention will experience substantial savings over traditional sales and billing methods. Allowing the sellers to create their presentations with a cafeteria-style selection and billing that presents all their options, including the associated cost up front, will also result in greater add-on sales without the associated sales overhead. Several objects and advantages of the Resource Saver Protocol component of the present invention are: To allow for the presentation of availability of products, goods, and services for sale in a real-time environment without requiring constant real-time communications during the sales process. To allow a substantial portion of the real-time sales to be completed without the overhead of a concurrent verification process. To reduce the necessary processing and communications resources used to control inventory presentations of products, goods, and services. To reduce the necessary processing and communications resources used to control sales and/or reservations of products, goods, and services. To transfer communications and processing resources to time periods of lower utilization of those resources. Several objects and advantages of the Network ID and Purchase Verification System component of the present invention are: To allow for the replacement of traditional tickets, passes, admission documents, reservations, reservation confirmations, and other means of verification that require prior or “will call” delivery to the buyer. The present invention improves on the prior art by creating a controlled universal ID at time of purchase that can be transmitted to the facility, site, business, or venue to be used for verification of the buyer and purchase. This ID can be used for one purchase or maintained within the network for future use as a permanent ID for the purchase and access to any facility, site, business, or venue that is represented by that instance of the present invention. To allow for a more convenient method of purchase of tickets, passes, admission documents, or reserved services, or for the late purchase of those tickets, passes, admission documents, or reserved services beyond what would be feasible if physical delivery of the access or admission documents were required. The present invention allows for purchases to be made and buyer IDs to be transmitted to the facility, site, business or venue within a matter of minutes of the buyer arriving for admittance. By using an electronic network, Internet, Intranet, or phone service, a buyer could literally make the purchase by laptop computer with wireless modem or by cell phone from the car on the way to the facility, site, business, or venue for admittance. The invention, when used in conjunction with an electronic inventory-available presentation, can allow buyers to become aware of and take advantage of last-minute cancellations and changes of availability. The invention reduces labor and material requirements by the sellers of tickets, passes, admission documents, or reserved services. The invention substantially reduces the labor and material requirement for fulfillment of purchases of tickets, passes, admissions, or reserved services in several ways. By eliminating the requirement of delivery of those documents that allow the buyer admittance, there is no outgoing correspondence and/or fulfillment package to prepare. The costs associated with shipping, tracking, or follow-up on lost items as well as the customer service costs that accompany late or poorly communicated delivery instructions are reduced or eliminated. At admission time, additional costs are saved with the full implementation of the present invention by the use of automatic vendors that print the admission documents on demand by the buyer and with automated verification of the buyer's ID. This function replaces the “will call” method of admission document delivery and the associated cost in labor and facility overhead. Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1a diagrams an embodiment of the present invention with a single level of service without Independent Directories. FIG. 1b diagrams an embodiment of the present invention with a sample depth of service of Sellers, Buyers, Presentation and Selection Servers, Independent Presentations, and Media. FIG. 2a is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the Central Controller and Presentation Processor. FIG. 2b is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the Central Presentation and Selection Server. FIG. 2c is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the Seller Interface. FIG. 2d is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the Buyer Interface. FIG. 2e is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the Media Interface. FIG. 3a through 3k and 3i-a is a block diagram showing the transaction processing and buyer's use of one embodiment of the present invention. This Example Embodiment of this invention is configured for delivery of tickets or reservation confirmation. FIG. 4a through 4g is a block diagram showing the Seller's use of the invention. This Example Embodiment is configured for delivery of tickets or reservation confirmation. FIG. 5a through 5h is a block diagram showing the Seller's use of the Resource Saver Protocol of the invention. This Example Embodiment of this invention is configured for delivery of tickets or reservation confirmation. Further Breakdown of the block diagrams 5a through h. FIG. 5a through 5c is a block diagram showing Seller's Setup and use of Resource Saver Protocol. FIG. 5d is a block diagram showing the Seller's Use of Notification Level Processing of Resource Saver Protocol at Seller Interface 4000. FIG. 5e through 5f is a block diagram showing the Seller's Use of Resource Saver Protocol on Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 or Other Selling Outlets. FIG. 5g through 5h is a block diagram showing the Seller's Use of Resource Saver Protocol for Inventory Adjustment or Replacement. Patent Application Glossary The following are explanations and or definitions of names or descriptors as used in the invention. For the purpose of this invention the following terms have the following definitions. These are meant to aid the reader in understanding the inventors' descriptions of the present invention and its components, design, use, and purpose. Advertising Any presentation or effort to inform or influence target demographics or the general public. This includes all media types and methods such as but not limited to audio and visual, print, electronic, multimedia etc. Algorithm The method or logic that performs given functions within a program. Typically can be described as a series of information access, comparisons, decisions, choices, and resulting outputs. Automatic Searches These are information text-based searches that are conducted of targeted Internet or Intranet sites on a page-by-page basis using either the information contained within the meta tags of each HTML page or full text searches of all content. Automatic Vendors Machines that read or scan the Delivery or Network ID Cards, access a database of Buyer information for confirmation of ID, and then dispense a custom printed ticket, pass, admission document, or reservation confirmation showing the appropriate access information. The tickets, passes, admission documents, reservations, or reservation confirmations could then be processed with normal procedures. Biometric Identification Identification that is accomplished by using an individuals distinctive natural biological differences, such as finger prints, iris scans, full face scans, voice prints, DNA etc. Buyer Any person, corporation, partnership, group, or any other legal entity that desires or may desire or consume the purchase, reservation, acquisition, consumption, of items, services, or ideas offered by the Seller either paid for or as a gratuity. Central Controller Refers to the Controller part or function of the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 Central Processor The CPU or main processing computer chip or unit within a given computer. Depending on the operating system a computer must have one but may have more than one CPU thereby increasing the processing speed of the computer. Client Channel Means, outlet, or avenue of advertising, marketing, distribution, or sales. Cookies Information formatted to be delivered or downloaded to the Internet Browser utilized by the Buyer Interface 5000, stored on the Data Storage Device 5500 within the Location for Cookie Storage 5695, and then accessed later by that Internet Browser. This information would thereby provide a carryover of information such as Buyer preferences. Database The term Database is used referring not only to the structured or relational storage of data within files, but also to the tables or sub divisions of data storage within those databases or files or any method or system of organizing data for storage and access by computers. Directory A consolidation, accumulation, or compilation of similar, competing, or complementing “Sellers” (see above) that are offered or presented in some logical or systematic presentation allowing “Buyers” (see above) to review, compare, and contrast the offerings or presentations. These directories may or may not allow for direct access or interactive sales or acquisition. These directories may be in any media such as, but not limited to, electronic, Internet, Intranet, CD-ROM, or print. Dynamic Presentations These are presentations that are created when the reader or viewer accesses them. They are typically created in response to queries or actions of the reader or viewer and are generated from database information that resides at the server that is being accessed. (See “Static Presentations”) Editorial and Design Standards These are the editorial, design, and style guidelines, standards, restrictions, and other specifications that are specific to each media venue that control the look and content of all presentations within that media venue. Electronic Directory Internet, Intranet, or bulletin board based directories or indexes focusing on narrow based collections of sellers, suppliers, vendors, purveyors, or providers of goods, products, services, information, ideas, etc. Electronic Mall A collection of electronic directories, indexes, “Sellers” (see above), or other Internet or Intranet sites at one place. Fixed Inventory Refers to Inventory that is limited and constant in its availability. One example might be rooms in a hotel. If the hotel has 300 identical rooms, then the fixed inventory is 300 units for each day into the future that the hotel is open for business. Adjustments can be made for units taken off line or made not available for maintenance etc. but rooms cannot easily be added. Given Instance For the purpose of this application the term “Given Instance” refers to a single particular established configuration of the present invention that has been designed to serve a defined demographics of Buyers and/or Sellers. A single copy of the present invention would be an instance of the present invention. Goods Merchandise or wares that are to be sold or transferred. Identification Documents Any artificial method of specifically Identifying an individual such as Credit Cards, Drivers License, Identification Cards, Membership Cards, and Academic Identification Cards etc. These documents may be read magnetically, optically or in some other manner to allow for verification. Independent Presentations Directories and Indexes Those directories and indexes, operated by management other than that of a given instance of the present invention, that have associated themselves with one or more Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 of the present invention for the purpose of utilizing the content and interactive services of those Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000. Index Same as “Directory” but with less information or material presented for the “Buyer.” Internet Browser Any Client-side program that resides on the Buyer Interface 5000 to facilitate the reading and or viewing or pages or presentations on the Internet or Intranet. Typically pages or presentations are based on the HTML display language or one of its successors or derivatives for presentations. Examples of Browser software are Netscape, Internet Explorer, etc. Inventory Refers in a very broad and general sense to any identifiable measure, item, or unit that can be sold, transferred, conveyed, or reserved. The term inventory can apply to goods, products, services, reservations for services, or any other identifiable unit to be sold, conveyed, or reserved. Units of Inventory may actually be a function of time with the same item being used over and over such as a room in a lodging facility, a seat in a sports stadium, or a table at a restaurant. Inventory Substitutability Inventory (defined above) is used in a very broad sense. The substitutability of those items that make up any given line of inventory being offered within the present invention may not always be clear. Though not always clear, the substitutability of the inventory must be determined and represented by the Seller, who has the clearest understanding of the makeup of the Buyer and their use of the goods, products, and services. If the inventory were a one-of-a-kind item, obviously there can be no substitutability and the inventory is unique. At the other extreme, for example, if the inventory were music CDs, with 1,000,000 copies in stock and another printing anticipated, then the inventory is common and substitutable. In between the extremes is a wide variety of items that are limited in quantity or availability and yet are substitutable. An example of an item that is limited in availability and is substitutable to the Buyer is rooms of a 100-room block at a hotel that are of the same standard (king bed, TV, phone, and desk). Although the rooms are not identical (as the CDs are) due to being on different floors and having different views, they are substitutable to the traveler. Media A means of communicating, delivering, or projecting concepts, ideas, or information to potential buyers, such as radio, television, newspapers, magazines, internet, Intranet, CD-ROMs, directories, brochures, flyers, billboards, bus benches, sky writers, direct mail or any other method or means of reaching a large number of people or a smaller number of targeted potential buyers or consumers. Media Venues or Media Outlets Those physical or virtual locations where presentations are placed or made available to present the information within the framework of the media so that it is accessible by the end users, consumers, viewers, or Buyers. This may mean an Internet directory, a newspaper, a multimedia CD-ROM, a travel guidebook, or any number of other examples. Near Real Time Refers to processing or access that takes place within a time frame that allows for some possibility that human interaction or other process may intercede or interpret that processing or access. For the purpose of this application, Near Real Time is referring to processing or access that take place within time limits that are unlikely to allow interruptions in the normal course of business. As an example, if you have a process that takes place randomly 15 times per day and each process takes within 1 minute due to communications delays, the likelihood of an interruption is approximately 1 chance in 1440 per event. Network or Delivery ID Magnetic, smart, or optical identification cards approved for use within the preferred embodiment of the present invention as identification, or biometric identification, that is used as substitution for the delivery of traditional tickets, to access to facilities, events, or venues. Network of Computers Two or more computers that may communicate either continuously or on-demand for the purpose of sharing processing, transferring information and data. Non-Resident Media Refers to media that is not wholly owned or controlled by the management, operators, or affiliates of the given instance of the present invention but are contracted for, designed, submitted, and controlled through the given instance of the present invention. On-Demand Functions, programs, or resources that are called or utilized when needed as opposed to being employed, engaged, or utilized continuously. Presentation Any content intended to inform or influence the viewers or readers of a given media venue. It may be in an advertising, public service, editorial, informational or any other format. It may be text, graphics, audio, multimedia, or a combination of any communication methods. Products Items that are manufactured, assembled, processed or created by the Seller and offered for sale or transfer. Publishing The act of placing or making available the presentation or information within the framework of media venue so that it is accessible by the end users, consumers, viewers, or Buyers. This may mean placing an HTML page on an Internet directory, printing a 12-word classified ad in a newspaper, adding a hotel presentation to a multimedia CD-ROM or guidebook, or any number of other examples. Reader or Viewer Client The reader or viewer client is the program that computer users use when accessing electronic information servers. The most common of these reader or viewer clients are Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer, which are Internet Browsers. Real-time Refers to processing, communications, information transfer, or access that takes place within fractions of a second so that it is humanly impossible to discern, intercede or interpret that processing, communications, information transfer, or access. (See “Near Real Time”.) Resident Media Refers to media that is wholly owned or controlled by the management, operators, or affiliates of the given instance of the present invention. Replaceable Inventory This is inventory that can either be purchased, manufactured, produced, or added to easily by the Seller thereby changing the inventory count and availability to the Buyer at any given time. Reservation A promise or commitment made by the Buyer and held by the Seller, to take, use, consume, utilize, attend, or enjoy a unit of inventory. Usually reservations are made by Buyers to reserve a time and facility to consume goods, products, or services. Seller A person, corporation, partnership, group, or any other legal entity that desires representation of its goods, products, services, reservations for services, ideas, views, or any legal intent or desire to be made public and offered for sale, exchange, trade, or distribution either paid for or free. Seller Type Refers to a category of Sellers that are offering comparable or similar information, products, or services classified by that type of information, product, or service. Static Presentations Presentations that are fixed in time as to the content that they display or convey to the client reader or viewer. They are created and then set into a presentation framework that can be accessed. These presentations are currently the most familiar to all of us now and are the standard presentations on the Internet or most Intranets. (See “Dynamic Presentations”) Transaction Message Any unit of information that is transferred or communicated between clients, components, or programs of the present invention or third-party compatible clients, components, or programs. Services Duties or work offered to be performed for the buyer or consumer, often but not necessarily specialized or professional in nature. Standalone Presentations Refers to independent presentations that are not part of organized Directories or Indexes of complementing and/or competing products or services. Traffic Generally refers to the number of times users access Internet or Intranet sites or presentations. More specifically, traffic refers to how many times Buyers access an electronic presentation directory, index, server, or instance of the present invention. Transmission Level One of the variables set within the Resource Saver Protocol for use with common inventory. A predetermined number of units that triggers the immediate transmission of inventory sold or reserved. This count is the total inventory sold or reserved within the Transaction Messages, that are being held awaiting transmission from the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 or any other sales outlet to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000. Transmission Time Control One of the variables set within the Resource Saver Protocol for use with common inventory. Transmission Time Control is a setting that controls the time of transmission for held transaction messages from the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 or any other sales outlet to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 Transaction Period One of the variables set within the Resource Saver Protocol for use with common inventory. A setting to control the maximum period in hours that the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 or any other sales outlet may hold transaction messages prior to transmitting them to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000. Will Call The act of, or a reference to, the picking up of tickets, passes, admission documents, reservations, or reservation confirmations or other access documents from a particular department of a venue for the purpose of being admitted to an event at that venue. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It should be noted that although specific hardware or software components may be referenced within this detailed description, newer, improved, or successor generations of given hardware or software should be substituted as available to increase reliability, performance, or cost effectiveness or to take advantage of new or replacement technology. The method and apparatus of the present invention will be discussed with reference to FIGS. 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, and 2e. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000, Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000, Seller Interface 4000, Buyer Interface 5000, and Media Interface 6000. Each of these components includes hardware, software programs, databases, communications programs and devices. The present invention edits and structures data and information from an individual seller, at a single location, into consistent, designed and controlled presentations. These presentations can be simultaneously published or displayed in a variety of traditional and electronic media as chosen by the Seller through the Seller Interface 4000. The presentations can also be integrated into interactive sales-enabled standalone presentations or as unified presentations of complementing and or competing products, goods, and services. In addition, the present invention allows buyers to purchase, commit to purchase, or reserve products, goods, and services in a real-time or near real-time environment. This also allows, where appropriate, for an alternative to the advance physical delivery of tickets, passes, admission documents, reservations, reservation confirmations, or other physical methods of controlling access or proving purchase or reservation. The present invention also allows sellers to control inventory of common, unique, or time-sensitive products, goods, and services with reduced computer and communications resources while decreasing the time necessary for buyers to confirm the availability and then confirm the reservation, purchase, or commitment of purchase of that inventory. The interactive portion of the present invention enables the buyer to view or compare the products, goods, and services from a single source or a variety of sellers and then purchase or reserve those products, goods, and services in a real or near real-time environment. Where appropriate, in an embodiment of the present invention, access to events, venues, reserved services, and other access controlled products or services can be accomplished without the requirement of delivery for any tickets, passes, admission documents, reservations, reservation confirmations, or other access documents. Design and Structure of the Present Invention The design and structure of the first embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention is diagramed with reference to FIGS. 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, and 2e. Shown in FIG. 1a, the components of the present invention are presented as a “1 each” single-level diagram of the interaction between the components. The components are the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000, the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000, Seller Interface 4000, Buyer Interface 5000, and Media Interface 6000. Sub components of Seller Interface 4000 are Seller 4000A as client, Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B, and Optional On Site Verification of Purchase Magnetic, Optical Card Reader or Biometric ID Reader with Ticket or Confirmation Printer 4350. Sub components and events of Buyer Interface 5000 are Buyer 5000A as client and Buyer Arrives at Facility or Event for Admission or Check-in 5000B as an event. Communication between the components is accomplished by use of on-demand, direct dial-up public phone lines, network, or Internet connection between Seller Interface 4000, Media Interface 6000, and Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000; standard Internet connections between Buyer Interface 5000 and Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000; and a high-speed network or Internet connection between Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000. Connections between components may be accomplished by any combination of public switched phone network, cellular, Personal Communication System, dedicated data lines, microwave, private network, shared data network, satellite network, or any other means that will provide data transfer. Seller Interface 4000, Media Interface 6000, and Buyer Interface 5000 represent components that are limited in number only by the capacity of both the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 and the associated communications and data transfer methods. The present invention allows for the modular expansion of capacity by duplicating any component or portions of a component requiring additional capacity and running the new component in parallel with the original existing component. In the embodiment, there is one Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and at least one Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000; however, the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 can support more than one Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000. An example of this embodiment is shown on FIG. 1b. The Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 are separate but co-located in the embodiment, however, they could be remotely located with a high-speed data connection. Both the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 could also coexist on the same computer in some specific low traffic or low transaction volume embodiments. In the embodiment, multiple Seller Interface 4000, Independent Presentation 3000, Media Interface 6000, and of course Buyer Interface 5000 are served, with the only limitations being the capacity of the associated processing, data storage, and communications hardware that can, as indicated above, be expanded. FIG. 2a diagrams the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000, which includes a central processor (CPU) 1100, operating system 1210, ROM 1220, RAM 1230, clock 1240, communication ports 1250, video driver 1260, network interface card 1270, video monitor 1310, input devices 1320, modem pool 1330, network interface 1340, and data storage device 1500. A personal, workstation, or server-grade computer with sufficient processing capacity, program and data storage capacity, and memory may be used as a Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000. The CPU 1100 may be a single CPU or multiple CPUs as necessary to provide sufficient processing capacity. The Intel Pentium II Processor with a speed of 300 MH or any comparable capacity processor that is compatible with the chosen operating system could be used as CPU 1100. In the embodiment of the present invention, the operating system 1210 should be one that allows for multiple processors, such as Windows NT by Microsoft, so that increases in utilization of the present invention can be handled with increases of processing capacity. The video monitor 1310 is a standard “SVGA” color monitor or its equivalent. The input devices 1320 are a standard keyboard and mouse or other replacement items. The communication ports 1250 are RS232 serial ports with 16550 UART or alternatives that provide comparable connections to the Modem Pool 1330. The Modem Pool 1330 may be made up of modems such as the US Robotics 56 K external made by 3Com Inc or any high-grade multi-modem equivalent. The Modem Pool 1330 should be made up of a sufficient number of modems to handle both incoming and outgoing messages from the Seller Interface 4000 using on-demand modem communications. If a given instance of the present invention generates sufficient modem traffic, the Modem Pool 1330 and its overhead and functions may be separated from the Central Controller and Presentation Processor and placed in a Modem Server to handle the Modem Pool 1330 and the associated communications overhead. The data storage device 1500 may be one or a combination of standard hard disks, optical storage devices, CD-W drives, CD-RW drives, DVD, flash memory, magnetic tape, or other data storage devices. It must be of sufficient capacity to store all the programs and data necessary for the present invention as well as provide for future capacity needs. In the embodiment, mirrored hard disks with separate hard disk controllers provide a redundancy of data storage and therefore increased dependability and data integrity. This configuration allows for easier recovery in case of data corruption or data storage equipment failure. The aforementioned Windows NT operating system allows for this mirrored configuration. In addition to the mirrored hard disk, daily or more frequent backup of all data to tape, which is then taken off-site for storage, is a required procedure to ensure safe data. The present invention has a degree of data security built into it by design, with the most critical data kept with both the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 FIG. 2b. In a catastrophic destruction of either the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 or the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 FIG. 2b, the most critical data can be recovered from the surviving component in order to rebuild the lost data and ensure the integrity of all transactions. The data storage device 1500 in the embodiment of the present invention contains relational databases controlled and managed by database software such as Microsoft SQL Server 7 by Microsoft Inc. Data used in the client control, the generation of presentations, and the processing of inventory sales in the present invention are contained within the Controller Databases 1600. The Controller Databases are the Buyer Database 1610, Transaction Database 1620, Media Transaction Database 1625, Seller Database 1630, Media Database 1635, Presentation Database 1640, Presentation Rules Database 1650, Inventory Database 1660, Referral Database 1670, the Presentation Location Database 1680, and any other databases necessary or desired to service the Buyers and Sellers. The Buyer Database 1610 maintains data on Buyers who make interactive purchases or reservations of the products, goods, or services offered by the Sellers over the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 FIG. 2a or other Independent Presentation Directories and Indexes 3000 FIG. 1b. The Buyer Database 1610 will have data fields containing Buyer name, network or delivery ID, physical address, phone, email address, credit card information, and any other information deemed necessary to support the Buyers and the Seller's required buyer information. The Buyer has the option to input the information when joining the network prior to attempting a purchase. As an alternative, the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 will prompt the Buyer for the information after the Buyer has found a desired product, good, or service to purchase but before forwarding the purchase transaction to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor. The Media Buyer Database 1615 maintains data on Media Buyers (Sellers) who make selections and purchases of media products or services offered by the Media through the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and the Seller Interface 4000. The Media Buyer Database 1615 will have data fields containing Media Buyer name, physical address, phone, email address, credit card information, and any other information deemed necessary to support the Media Buyers and the requirements of the Media. The Transaction Database 1620 maintains data on the Buyers' interactive purchases or reservations of products, goods, or services offered by the Sellers over the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 FIG. 2b or other Independent Presentation Directories and Indexes 3000 FIG. 1b. The Transaction Database 1620 will have data fields containing information that relates to the purchases or reservations made by the Buyer. The specific fields within the Transaction Database 1620 will depend on the type of Seller and their product, goods, or service, but would always contain the field for the purchase or reservation tracking ID. As an example, if an embodiment of the present invention were configured to present lodging facilities, the Transaction Database 1620 might contain fields for Buyer ID, room type or specific room, bed type, check-in date, check-out date, number of adults, number of children, smoking or non-smoking, room rate paid, taxes paid, responses to requests, and any special requests such as extra pillows, late check-in, airport pickup service, etc. The information in the Transaction Database 1620 is the result of each requested purchase made with the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 FIG. 2b, which is then passed to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and then to the Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c. The Media Transaction Database 1625 maintains data on the Sellers' interactive purchases of non-resident media presentations offered by the management or operators of that given instance of the present invention through the Seller Interface 4000. The specific fields within the Media Transaction Database 1625 will depend on the type of media. As one example, if the non-resident media were a newspaper, the Media Transaction Database1625 might contain publishing deadlines, placement or section requirements, rate paid, taxes paid, and any other information necessary to support that given media. The Seller Database 1630 will have data fields containing information that relates to the Sellers who have created presentations for traditional media or offer their products, goods, and services interactively over the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 or other Independent Presentation 3000 FIG. 1b. The specific fields within the Seller Database 1630 will cover all necessary information on the Seller for use both within the presentations created and by the managers of the present invention for the management of the Seller's account. The Seller Database 1630 will have data fields containing company name, contact name, marketing name, physical address, phone, email address, credit card or other payment information, contract dates, product or reservation types for presentation, data transfer modem numbers, third-party accessible management software, and any other information fields deemed necessary to support the proposed sellers. The seller will input this information when first accessing the present invention and joining as a Seller. The Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c, specifically the Configuration and Presentation Program 4715 FIG. 2c, will prompt the Seller for the necessary information as well as obtain an agreement to a contract for the services of the present invention and the distribution and payment of all presentations. The Media Database 1635 will have data fields containing information that relates to the Non-Resident Media organizations that have contracted with the management or operators of the given instance of the present invention to offer their services to the Sellers that are associated with the given instance of the present invention. The Media Database 1635 will have data fields containing company name, contact name, marketing name, physical address, phone, email address, contract dates, data transfer modem numbers, third-party accessible management software, and any other information fields deemed necessary to support the Non-Resident Media. The Presentation Database 1640 will have data fields containing information that relates to the Seller's choice of media or venues as well as the presentation of their products, goods, or services offered to the Buyers. This information is the majority of the data that, when combined with portions of the information within the Seller Database 1630 and the Presentation Rules Database 1650 and processed through the Presentation Generation Program 1710, creates the presentations that are transmitted to the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 for presentation to the Buyer or to other non-resident media to be published. The data fields held by Presentation Database 1640 will vary from seller type to seller type, depending on the design of the presentations and the types of resident and non-resident media offered by the given instance of the present invention. As an example, if an embodiment of the present invention were configured to present lodging facilities, the Presentation Database 1640 might contain fields for facility description, facility photos, room descriptions, room photos, facility amenities, room amenities, room service menu, payment types accepted, meeting and reception services offered, meeting rooms, photos of meeting rooms, policies, rates, special package offers, media or venue choices, and any other information to assist in the presentation and sale of the lodging. The Seller Interface 4000, specifically the Configuration and Presentation Program 4715 FIG. 2c, will prompt the Seller for the necessary information for the presentations and non-resident media they have selected. The data relationship between the Presentation Database 4640 FIG. 2c, which is a part of the Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c, and the Presentation Database 1640 is one of continual synchronization of the Seller's information. The Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 FIG. 2c and the Communication and Transport Program 4760 maintain that synchronization. The Seller makes any updates or corrections to the presentation within the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 FIG. 2c, which then updates the Presentation Database 4640 FIG. 2c. The Communication and Transport Program 4760 FIG. 2c sends those updates or corrections to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 for updating to the Presentation Database 1640. The Presentation Generation Program 1710 in conjunction with the Presentation Database 1640 then creates the new or updated presentations for publishing on the Central Presentation and Selection Servers or the appropriate non-resident media. The Presentation Rules Database 1650 will have data fields containing information that controls and limits the style and editing of the presentations created by the Presentation Generation Program 1710. The Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 administrator or management of that given instance of the present invention inputs this information based on the types of media and interactive presentations that are supported by that given instance. For the non-resident media components of the present invention this information is submitted and updated directly by means of the Media Interface 6000 and specifically the Media Configuration Program 6715. The data fields held by the Presentation Rules Database 1650 will vary from seller type to seller type, as well as from one media type to another, depending on the design of the presentations. Some of the fields that might be maintained are presentation templates; blocked words; blocked phrases; blocked references; presentation cost and options; publication dates and deadlines; blocked URLs; grammar guidelines; spelling dictionaries; presentation size restrictions; photo or graphics specifications such as size, compression, and file format; and any other guidelines, benchmarks, or controlling algorithms. The data within the Presentation Rules Database 1650 will be synchronized with the Presentation Rules Database 4650 FIG. 2c stored on the Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c. This synchronization will take place by the sending of updates from the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 to the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 FIG. 2c, which then updates the Presentation Rules Database 4650. The Inventory Database 1660 will have data fields containing information that monitors and controls the inventory of products, goods, and services offered for sale by the Sellers within the interactive sales portion of the present invention. The data fields held by the Inventory Database 1660 will vary from seller type to seller type, depending on the type of products, goods, or services that are being sold or reserved. As an example, if an embodiment of the present invention were configured to present lodging facilities, the Inventory Database 1660 might contain fields for Buyer ID, types of rooms, number of rooms available for each type, blocked rooms, blocked dates, room rates, exception date rates, and any other fields necessary to present and control that room inventory. The Media Inventory Database 1665 (optional) will have data fields containing information that monitors and controls the media inventory offered by the Non-Resident Media to the Sellers. The data fields held by the Media Inventory Database 1665 (optional) will vary from media seller type to media seller type, depending on the type media supported by the given instance of the present invention. As an example, if an embodiment of the present invention were configured to offer a given newspaper as a Non-Resident Media the Inventory Database 1665 (optional) might contain fields for number display ads available per size, number of classified lines available, number of color pages available, and any other fields necessary to present and control that media inventory. The Referral Database 1670 will have data fields containing information from the Sellers that refers Buyers to other sources of the same products, goods, or services offered when a given Seller cannot meet the wishes or needs of the Buyer. The information within the Referral Database 1670 is provided by the Seller through prompting by the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 FIG. 2c. This information is intended and designed to provide the Buyer with alternative sources when the products, goods, or services offered by the Seller interactively are either not available or do not meet the needs of the Buyer. The data fields held by the Referral Database 1670 will vary from seller type to seller type, depending on the type of products, goods, or services that are being sold or reserved. As an example, if an embodiment of the present invention were configured to present lodging facilities, the Referral Database 1670 might contain fields for other alternative accommodations, alternative dates, or alternative lodging facilities. An embodiment of the present invention configured to present professional services might contain alternative professionals or associates that might be acceptable to the Buyer. The preferred embodiment of the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 has a Presentation Generation Program 1710, Transaction Processing Program 1720, General Management Program 1730, Communication and Transport Program 1760, and other programs as necessary. The Presentation Generation Program 1710 utilizes the information submitted by the Sellers and held in the Presentation Database 1640, Inventory Database 1660, and Seller Database 1630. The Presentation Generation Program 1710 uses these databases to create the requested presentations for the various desired resident or non-resident media as well as those presentations necessary for the interactive Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 with its interactive sales presentations, using the Presentations Rules Database 1650 for style and control guidelines. It should be noted that in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the same rules and guidelines contained in the Presentation Rules Database 1650 are also held in the Presentation Rules Database 4650 FIG. 2c, which is part of the Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c. With the same rules and guidelines as those in the Presentations Rules Database 1650 applied and enforced during data input at the Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c module, no modification or editing should be necessary at the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 module. Although the same rules and guidelines are applied and enforced at Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c module as at the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 module, both processes should be utilized to ensure consistency and quality control. After the initial setup and publishing, the Presentation Generation Program 1710 automatically re-creates presentations either in the event of changes to the data for the Seller which affect any given presentation or upon the addition or deletion of any Seller. While creating or updating the Sellers' presentations, the Presentation Generation Program 1710 will determine which portions of the general presentation framework and structure on the overall directory or index require updating and republishing. This determination is made on a case-by-case basis for each non-resident media presentation requested by the Seller as well as for any interactive presentation on the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 FIG. 2b. This embodiment of the present invention allows the Seller to determine the urgency of original or revised publishing of presentations, depending on the media and the accessibility of republishing. With the present invention, there are two publishing levels of processing. With the choice of “Urgent Publishing,” the Presentation Generation Program 1710 would immediately process and publish the Seller's presentation to those non-resident media or Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 that are accessible for updating, but the Seller would be surcharged for this service. The Seller's second choice is “Standard Publishing,” which does not carry a surcharge. This “Standard Publishing” would be performed in the normal schedule of publishing for the non-resident media. “Standard Publishing” for any Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 presentations would be done when the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 FIG. 2b are at their lowest processor and network loads in handling the Buyers' requests and transactions. This economic choice gives a solution to the Seller who truly requires an immediate publishing of data while encouraging the bulk of the publishing to be done during times with less processor load. In this embodiment of the present invention, the Presentation Generation Program 1710 would be set to immediately process any “Urgent Publishing” request and any associated required structures. All other “Standard Publishing” would be processed as a batch at a preset low-traffic or low-utilization time for the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 FIG. 2b. In this embodiment, the Central Controller and Presentation Processor processes the publishing function in the following order: all new Sellers' presentations, all Sellers' updates, then all associated structure and presentation frameworks. With this embodiment of the present invention, the Transaction Processing Program 1720 is responsible for processing the transaction messages of all interactive sales and/or reservation of products, goods, or services offered by the Sellers and all media selections made by the Sellers from the offerings by the resident and non-resident media. The Transaction Processing Program 1720 confirms available inventory and rates/pricing, updates any other Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 FIG. 2b and Independent Presentations Directories and Indexes 3000 FIG. 1b if necessary, updates databases, and creates and sends the transaction message to the Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c. The transmission of transaction messages from the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 to the Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c takes place immediately upon processing, as there is no provision for holding those messages at this level. New Media presentation selections of the non-resident media offerings made by the Sellers are processed immediately upon receiving them from the Seller Interface 4000 and are sent to the Media Interface 6000. With this embodiment of the present invention, the General Management Program 1730 is responsible for the business accounting, billing and collections, reporting, trend analysis, general Seller maintenance, and any other necessary functions. Within this embodiment of the present invention, the Communication and Transport Program 1760 monitors, directs, and controls the receiving and transmitting of messages between the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000, Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c, and the Media Interface 6000 FIG. 2e. FIG. 2b diagrams the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 2000, which includes a central processor (CPU) 2100, operating system 2210, ROM 2220, RAM 2230, clock 2240, video driver 2260, video monitor 2310, input devices 2320, network interface 2340, and data storage device 2500. A personal, workstation, or server-grade computer with sufficient processing capacity, program and data storage capacity, and memory may be used as a Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000. The CPU 2100 may be a single CPU or multiple CPUs as necessary to provide sufficient processing capacity. The Intel Pentium II Processor with a speed of 300MH or any comparable capacity processor that is compatible with the chosen operating system could be used as CPU 2100. The operating system 2210 should be one that allows for multiple processors, such as Windows NT by Microsoft, so that increases in utilization of the present invention can be handled with increases of processing capacity. The video monitor 2310 is a standard “SVGA” color monitor or its equivalent. The input devices 2320 are a standard keyboard and mouse or other replacement items or methods. The data storage device 2500 may be one or a combination of standard hard disks, optical storage devices, CD-W drives, CD-RW drives, DVD, flash memory, magnetic tape, or other data storage devices. It must be of sufficient capacity to store all the programs and data necessary as well as provide for future capacity needs. In this embodiment of the present invention, mirrored hard disks with separate hard disk controllers provide a redundancy of data storage and therefore increased dependability and data integrity. This configuration allows for easier recovery in case of data corruption or data storage equipment failure. The aforementioned Windows NT operating system allows for this mirrored configuration. In addition to the mirrored hard disk, daily or more frequent backup of all data to tape, which is then taken off-site for storage, is a required procedure to ensure safe data. The data storage device 2500 in this embodiment of the present invention contains relational databases controlled and managed by database software such as Microsoft SQL Server 7 by Microsoft Inc. The data used in the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 and in the processing of inventory sales in the present invention is contained within the Presentation and Selection Server Databases 2600. The Presentation and Selection Server Databases are the Buyer Database 2610, Transaction Database 2620, Final Presentation Database 2645, Inventory Database 2660, Referral Database 2670, and any other databases necessary or desired to service the Buyers and Sellers. The Buyer Database 2610 maintains data on Buyers who make purchases or reservations for the products, goods, or services offered by the Sellers over the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 or other Independent Presentation Directories and Indexes 3000 FIG. 1b. The Buyer Database 2610 will have data fields containing Buyer name, network or delivery ID, physical address, phone, email address, credit card information, and any other information deemed necessary to support the Buyers and the requirements of the proposed Sellers. The Buyer has the option to input the information when joining the network prior to attempting to make a purchase or reservation. As an alternative, the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 will prompt the Buyer for the information after the Buyer has found a desired product, good, or service to purchase, but before forwarding the purchase transaction to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a. The information contained in the Buyer Database 2610 is synchronized with that in the Buyer Database 1610 FIG. 2a on the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a. It should be noted that if an embodiment of the present invention is configured with more than one Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 and is controlled by a single Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 (as in FIG. 1b). Then the Buyers represented on each Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 Buyer Database 2610 will be represented on the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 Buyer Database 1610 FIG. 2a. However all Buyers on Buyer Database 1610 may not be represented on each Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 Buyer Database 2610. A similar relationship exists between the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and the Seller Interface 4000 in that all Buyers are represented within the Buyer Database 1610 FIG. 2a, but only those Buyers that any given Seller has had transactions with are represented within the Buyer Database 4610 FIG. 2c of any given Seller. It should also be noted that any given Buyer might choose to utilize any or all Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 controlled by the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000. When this happens, the information contained within the associated Buyer Databases 2610 would be the same, but the Transaction Databases 2620 would be different, because the Transaction Database 1620 FIG. 2a represents the cumulative transactions made by that particular buyer. The Transaction Database 2620 maintains data on the Buyers' purchases of products, goods, or services offered by the Sellers over the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 or other Standalone Presentations or Independent Presentation Directories and Indexes 3000 FIG. 1b. The Transaction Database 2620 will have data fields containing information that relates to the purchases or reservations made by the Buyer. The specific fields within the Transaction Database 2620 will depend on the type of Seller and their product, goods, or service, but would always contain the field for the purchase or reservation tracking ID. As an example, if an embodiment of the present invention were configured to present lodging facilities, the Transaction Database 2620 might contain fields for Buyer ID, room type or specific room, bed type, check-in date, check-out date, number of adults, number of children, smoking or non-smoking, room rate paid, taxes paid, responses to requests, and any special requests such as extra pillows, late check-in, airport pickup service, etc. The information in the Transaction Database 2620 is the result of each requested purchase or reservation made with the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000; this information is then passed to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a and then to the Seller Interface 4000. The relationship between the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 Transaction Database 1620 FIG. 2a and the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 Transaction Database 2620 is the same as the relationship between the Buyer Database 1610 FIG. 2a and Buyer Database 2610 explained above. The Final Presentation Database 2645 will have data fields containing information that relates to the Sellers' presentations of their products, goods, or services to the Buyers on this instance of the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000. This is data that has been designed, edited and created by the Presentation Generation Program 1710 FIG. 2a of the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a and then transmitted to the instance of the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 for presentation to the Buyers. The data fields held by Final Presentation Database 2645 will vary from seller type to seller type, depending on the structure and design of the presentations. As an example, if an embodiment of the invention were configured to present lodging facilities, the Final Presentation Database 2645 might contain fields for combined facility descriptions, room descriptions, facility amenities, room amenities, payment types accepted, meeting rooms, policies, and any other information to assist in the presentation and sale of the lodging. These fields, as used in the lodging example, would contain information for all the lodging facilities represented. The Final Presentation Database 2645 is the result of the information contained within the Presentation Database 1640 FIG. 2a processed by the Presentation Generation Program 1710 FIG. 2a in conjunction with the information contained in the Presentation Rules Database 1650 FIG. 2a. There is no synchronization of this data, as it only exists for the presentations on a given Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 and is generally not transferable to other Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 due to differing presentation designs and structures. However the Presentation Generation Program 1710 FIG. 2a, using the Presentation Rules Database 1650 FIG. 2a and the Presentation Location Database 1680 FIG. 2c to identify and create the differing presentations, maintains the control of the various presentation designs and structures. The Inventory Database 2660 will have data fields containing information that monitors and controls the inventory of products, goods, and services offered for sale by the Sellers. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Inventory Database 2660 is synchronized with the Inventory Database 1660 FIG. 2a and the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B FIG. 2c depending on the inventory type (see discussion on Resource Saver Protocol). The Inventory Database 2660 can also be used as an alternative to Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B with the optional Inventory Database 4660 FIG. 2c. The data fields held by the Inventory Database 2660 will vary from seller type to seller type, depending on the type of products, goods, or services that are being sold or reserved. As an example, if an embodiment of the present invention were configured to present lodging facilities, the Inventory Database 2660 might contain fields for Buyer ID, types of rooms, number of rooms available for each type, blocked rooms, blocked dates, exception date rates, and any other fields necessary to present and control that room inventory. The Referral Database 2670 will have data fields containing information, from the Sellers and from the input of the management of the given instance of the present invention. This data refers Buyers to other sources of the same products, goods, or services offered when a given Seller cannot meet the wishes or needs of the Buyer. The information within the Referral Database 2670 is synchronized with the Referral Database 1670 FIG. 2a. See discussion of Referral Database 1670 FIG. 2a for reasons and origin of data. The preferred embodiment of the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 has a Transaction Negotiation Program 2725, Presentation Server 2740, Selection Server 2750, and other programs as necessary. Within the embodiment of the present invention, the Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 is responsible for the negotiations and processing of all sales and/or reservation of products, goods, and services. The Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 of the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 negotiates the interactive transaction with the Buyer. The program facilitates the transaction by presenting products, goods, services, offerings, options, add-on items, rates or prices, availability, alternatives or discounts in response to unavailable or denied requests, and other choices to assist the Buyer in making the purchase transaction. During the transaction negotiations, the inventory is held or reserved for that particular Buyer. If the Buyer does not complete the purchase or reservation, the inventory is made available once again. Once the Buyer makes a purchase or reservation decision, the inventory is deemed sold and taken off the available inventory list, and the Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 transmits a transaction message to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 for confirmation and processing. This transmission either takes place immediately or on a delayed or batch basis depending on the type of inventory being sold or reserved and the settings entered by the Seller. The Transaction Processing Program 1720 FIG. 2a of the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a performs some of the same functions and calculations as the Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 of the Central Presentation and Selection Server when it receives the transaction message. This duplication serves as both a check of the processes and a validation of the transaction message. It should be noted that although the Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 is referred to as a program, in the embodiment of the present invention it is a collection of programs, procedures and functions that work with the Selection Server 2750 to provide the selection and negotiation environment in which the Buyer can purchase or reserve the products, goods, or services. The Presentation Server 2740 is a fully functioning Internet or Intranet Web server. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Internet Information Server by Microsoft is the Presentation Server 2740. The Presentation Server 2740 performs the function of controlling the Buyers' access to the Sellers' presentations through the Internet or Intranet. The Presentation Server 2740 is able to allow access either with or without login and password control (in the embodiment of the present invention, no password control is used). The Presentation Server 2740 would allow full access to the Open Access Presentations 2810 without restrictions. The Selection Server 2750 is a fully functioning Internet or Intranet Dynamic Page Server. This is a server or server component that allows for presentations to be made based on the actions of the user and the functions or algorithms of the presentation designer or programmer. In this embodiment of the present invention, the server component, Active Server Pages by Microsoft, is added to the Presentation Server 2740 to provide this dynamic functionality. The Selection Server 2750 provides the control and access to the presentations held within the Dynamic Presentations 2820. These presentations are only accessible from presentations held within Open Access Presentations 2810 and cannot be independently viewed or accessed. The embodiment of the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 has directory structures Open Access Presentations 2810, Dynamic Presentations 2820, and other directory structures as necessary. Not only do these directory structures provide the physical storage location for the presentation files, but they also provide the framework and path references for access to the presentations by using the Presentation Server 2740 and the Selection Server 2750. FIG. 2c diagrams the Seller Interface 4000, which includes a central processor (CPU) 4100, operating system 4210, ROM 4220, RAM 4230, clock 4240, communication ports 4250, video driver 4260, video monitor 4310, input devices 4320, modem 4330, network interface 4340, and data storage device 4500. This embodiment of the present invention would also include a Magnetic or Optical Card Reader or Biometric ID Device as well as a Ticket or Confirmation Printer or Admission Control Device. A personal, workstation, or server-grade computer with sufficient processing capacity, program and data storage capacity, and memory may be used as a Seller Interface 4000. The CPU 4100 may be a single CPU or multiple CPUs as necessary to provide sufficient processing capacity. The Intel Pentium II Processor with a speed of 300 MH or any comparable capacity processor that is compatible with the chosen operating system could be used as CPU 4100. In this embodiment of the present invention, the operating system 4210 is Windows NT by Microsoft, although Windows 98 by Microsoft should be sufficient in most cases. The video monitor 4310 is a standard “SVGA” color monitor or its equivalent, with this embodiment of the present invention being a 19-inch standard video monitor. The input devices 4320 are a standard keyboard and mouse or other replacement items. The communication ports 4250 are RS232 serial ports with 16550 UART or alternatives that provide comparable connections to the Modem 4330. The Modem 4330 may be a US Robotics 56K external made by 3Com Inc or a comparable quality modem. A data storage device 4500 may be one or a combination of standard hard disks, optical storage devices, CD-W drives, CD-RW drives, DVD, flash memory, magnetic tape, or other data storage devices. It must be of sufficient capacity to store all the programs and data necessary as well as provide for future capacity needs. In this embodiment of the present invention, mirrored hard disks with separate hard disk controllers provide a redundancy of data storage and therefore increased dependability and data integrity. This configuration allows for easier recovery in case of data corruption or data storage equipment failure. The aforementioned Windows NT operating system allows for this mirrored configuration. In addition to the mirrored hard disk, daily or more frequent backup of all data to tape, which is then taken off-site for storage, is a required procedure to ensure safe data. The present invention has a degree of data security built into it by design, with the most critical data kept with both the Seller Interface 4000 and the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a. In a catastrophic destruction of the Seller Interface 4000, the most critical of data can be recovered from the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a and allow the rebuilding of the lost databases, thereby ensuring the integrity of all transactions. The data storage device in this embodiment contains relational databases controlled and managed by database software such as Microsoft SQL Server 7 by Microsoft Inc. or, for smaller Sellers, Access 2000 by Microsoft Inc. Data used in the generation of presentations and for the processing of inventory sales in the present invention is contained within the Seller's Databases 4600. The Seller's Databases 4600 contains the Buyer Database 4610, Transaction Database 4620, Seller Database 4630, Presentation Database 4640, Presentation Rules Database 4650, Inventory Database 4660, Referral Database 4670, and any other databases necessary or desired to service the Sellers. The Buyer Database 4610 maintains data on Buyers who make interactive purchases or reservations of the products, goods, or services offered by the Sellers over the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 FIG. 2b or other Independent Presentation Directories and Indexes 3000 FIG. 1b. The Buyer Database 4610 will have data fields containing Buyer name, network or delivery ID, physical address, phone, email address, credit card information, and any other information deemed necessary to supported the Buyers and the requirements of the Seller. The information within the Buyer Database 4610 is contained in transaction messages received from the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a along with the purchase information of a given transaction. The Transaction Database 4620 maintains data on the Buyers' interactive purchases or reservations of products, goods, or services offered by the Sellers over the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 FIG. 2b or other Independent Presentation Directories and Indexes 3000 FIG. 1b. The Transaction Database 4620 will have data fields containing information that relates to purchases or reservations made by the Buyer. The specific fields within this database will depend on the type of Seller and their products, goods, or services, but would always contain the field for the purchase or reservation tracking ID. As an example, if an embodiment of the present invention were configured to present lodging facilities, the Transaction Database 4620 might contain fields for Buyer ID, room type or specific room, bed type, check-in date, check-out date, number of adults, number of children, smoking or non-smoking, room rate paid, taxes paid, and special requests such as extra pillows, late check-in, airport pickup service, etc. The information in the Transaction Database 4620 is the result of each requested purchase made with the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 FIG. 2b. This information is then passed, via transaction messages, to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a and then to the Seller Interface 4000. The Seller Database 4630 will have data fields containing information that relates to the Seller. The specific fields within the Seller Database 4630 will cover all the necessary information on the Seller, for use both within the Seller's presentation and by the managers of the present invention for the management of the Seller's account. The Seller Database 4630 will have data fields containing company name, contact name, marketing name, physical address, phone, email address, credit card or other payment information, contract dates, product or reservation types for presentation, data transfer modem numbers, accessible third-party management software, and any other information fields deemed necessary to supported the proposed seller. The seller will input this information when first accessing the present invention and joining as a Seller. The Configuration and Presentation Program 4715 will prompt the Seller for the necessary information as well as obtain an agreement to a contract for the services of the present invention and the distribution and payment of all presentations. The Presentation Database 4640 will have data fields containing information that relates to the Seller's choice of non-resident media or advertising channels as well as to the interactive presentation of information and data describing their products, goods, or services for presentation to the Buyers. The data fields within Presentation Database 4640 will vary from seller type to seller type, depending on the design of the presentation and the types of other media offered by the given instance of the present invention. As an example, if an embodiment of the present invention were configured to present lodging facilities, the Presentation Database 4640 might contain fields for facility description, facility photos, room descriptions, room photos, facility amenities, room amenities, room service menu, payment types accepted, meeting and reception services offered, meeting rooms, photos of meeting rooms, policies, rates, special package offers, media or advertising channel choices, and any other information to assist in the presentation and sale of the lodging. The Configuration and Presentation Program 4715 will prompt the Seller for the necessary information for the presentations desired by the Seller. The data relationship between the Presentation Database 4640 and the Presentation Database 1640 FIG. 2a part of the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a is one of continual synchronization of the Seller's information. The synchronization is maintained by the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 and the Communication and Transport Program 4760. The seller makes any updates or corrections to the presentation within the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715. These corrections are then updated to the Presentation Database 4640 and sent to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 for updating to the Presentation Database 1640 FIG. 2a. The Presentation Rules Database 4650 will have data fields containing information that controls and limits the style and editing of the presentations created by the Seller using the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715. The data within the Presentation Rules Database 4650 will be synchronized with the data within the Presentation Rules Database 1650, which is stored on the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a. This synchronization will take place by the sending of updates from the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a to the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715. The data fields contained in the Presentation Rules Database 4650 will vary from seller type to seller type, depending on the types of media and interactive presentations that are supported by the given instance of the present invention and the design of the presentations. Some fields that might be maintained are presentation templates; blocked words; blocked phrases; blocked references; blocked URLs; grammar guidelines; spelling dictionaries; presentation size restrictions; photo or graphics specifications such as size, compression, and file format; and any other guidelines, benchmarks, or controlling algorithms. The Inventory Database 4660 will have data fields containing information that monitors and controls the inventory of products, goods, and services offered for sale or reservation by the Sellers within the interactive sales portion of the present invention. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inventory data is maintained by the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B. If that software cannot communicate or can only communicate partial data with the present invention, then the Inventory Database 4660 would be used alone or in combination with the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B, respectively. The embodiment of the present invention communicates with the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B for the synchronization of inventory and other data that can be coordinated. The data fields within the Inventory Database 4660 will vary from seller type to seller type, depending on the type of products, goods, or services that are being sold or reserved. As an example, if an embodiment of the present invention were configured to present lodging facilities, the Inventory Database 4660 might contain fields for Buyer ID, types of rooms, number of rooms available for each type, blocked rooms, blocked dates, exception date rates, and any other fields necessary to present and control that room inventory. The Referral Database 4670 will have data fields containing information from the Sellers that refers Buyers to other sources of the same products, goods, or services offered when the Sellers cannot meet the wishes or needs of the Buyers. The Seller through prompting by the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 provides the information within the Referral Database 4670. This information is intended and designed to provide the Buyer with alternative sources when the products, goods, or services offered interactively by a given Seller are either not available or do not meet the needs of the Buyer. The data fields held by the Referral Database 4670 will vary from seller type to seller type, depending on the type of products or services that are being sold or reserved. As an example, if an embodiment of the present invention were configured to present lodging facilities, the Referral Database 4670 might contain fields for alternative accommodations, dates, or lodging facilities. An embodiment of the present invention configured to present professional services might contain alternative professionals or associates that might be acceptable to the Buyer. The programs of the preferred embodiment of Seller Interface 4000 are a Presentation and Configuration Program 4715, Transaction Processing Program 4720, Communication and Transport Program 4760, Buyer Admission Control Program 4770, Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B, Seller Admission Control Program 4000C, and other programs as may be necessary or desirable. The Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 is both the gateway to the present invention and the controlling software interface for the Seller. The Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 introduces the Seller to the instance of the present invention and allows the Seller to choose in which presentations and which media or advertising channels the Seller wishes to participate. The Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 offers the choices of media and presentations to the Seller, giving requirements and cost for each. Upon choosing media and presentations, the Seller is then presented with a series of questions to answer. The answering of these questions contributes to the Seller Database 4630, Presentation Database 4640, Inventory Database 4660, Referral Database 4670, and any other databases necessary. The responses to the questions asked, text entry areas, photos, graphics, and other input, either required or optional, are monitored by the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 using the information within the Presentation Rules Database 4650 to guide the Seller in the creation of a presentation that meets the style, editorial, and content guidelines of that instance of the present invention for each media venue or outlet chosen. Within this embodiment of the present invention, the Transaction Processing Program 4720 is not utilized, as its functions are performed by the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B. If there is no Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B or it is not able to handle those functions, then the Transaction Processing Program 4720 will perform the necessary functions to process the incoming Transaction Messages; update databases; notify Seller of product, goods, or services sold or reserved; notify Seller of prices or rates paid; perform the necessary confirmations of available inventory and rates/pricing; create or send confirmation messages to buyer or other requested confirmation methods; and perform other functions necessary to process the incoming transaction. The Communication and Transport Program 4760 monitors, directs, and controls the receiving and transmitting of messages between the Seller and the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a. During the setup of the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715, the Communication and Transport Program 4760 is initialized and tested with the Modem 4330 and/or Network Interface 4340. The functions of the Communication and Transport Program 4760 are largely transparent to the Seller. It should be noted, however, that in this embodiment of the present invention, the Seller Interface 4000 should be left on, with the Communication and Transport Program 4760 running, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is necessary so that the Transaction Processing Program 4720 can receive and process any transaction messages from the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a regardless of the hour of the day. The Buyer Admission Control Program 4770 is present and utilized in the preferred embodiment of the present invention if the Seller's products, goods, or services lend themselves to the type of access control that has traditionally been accomplished using tickets, passes, admission documents, reservations, reservation confirmations, or other physical evidence of purchase or authorization. In this embodiment of the present invention, the Buyer Admission Control Program 4770 may be replaced with Seller Admission Control Program 4000C, a third-party program that is either currently in use or is preferred by the Seller. Normally, communications in the form of admission-controlling messages must be from either the Transaction Processing Program 4720 or the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B to the Buyer Admission Control Program 4770 or the Seller Admission Control Program 4000C, depending upon which software is used. In some instances, however, the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B may assume the duties of the Seller Admission Control Program 4000C. The Buyer Admission Control Program 4770 or the Seller Admission Control Program 4000C uses the information in the Buyer Database 4610 to confirm the admission or access of a given Buyer who is physically at the Seller's facility, site, business, venue, or other physical location seeking access. In this embodiment of the present invention, the information from the Buyer Database 4610 is confirmed by use of a magnetic or optical card reader portion of the Optional Magnetic or Optical Card or Biometric ID Device 4350 that reads the physical ID or their Biometric ID in the possession of the Buyer. This physical Magnetic or Optical Card ID is one that was previously issued to the Buyer for another use and is currently valid for that use. It could be a standard credit card, association ID, school ID, credit union ID, a driver's license, or any other “issued ID” that has been approved for use by the management of any given instance of the invention. This feature of the invention, of having the latitude to accept a variety of existing methods of identification, is important in that it allows the Buyer immediate access without requiring the Buyer to be processed to obtain a new ID. An example of this use within an embodiment of the present invention would be a “Major Credit Card” that has agreed to allow its cards to be used as identification for purchases within the invention. An example of this “alternate ID” use would be an instance of the invention that was established as a “Sports Reservation Network”. When the Buyer chooses the event that he wants to attend, he would enter the number off of his “Major Credit Card ” into the Buyer Interface 5000 FIG. 2d. When the Buyer arrived at the Facility or Event for Admission or Check-in 4380, the Magnetic or Optical Card Reader 4350 would read his “Major Credit Card”. The Magnetic or Optical Card Reader 4350, in conjunction with the Buyer Admission Control Program 4770, which draws its information from the Buyer Database 4610, would confirm the Buyer's admission and send the ticket information to the Ticket or Confirmation Printer or Admission Control Device 4360. The Ticket or Confirmation Printer or Admission Control Device 4360 would either print the tickets, allowing the buyer to proceed to the standard ticket entry point, or trip a physical gate or bar that would allow the Buyer entry to the event (Buyer Allowed Admittance 4370). In another example of an embodiment of the invention, the management of the invention has chosen to support the Biometric Identification method for assessing and guaranteeing the identity of the Buyer. With this method, the Buyer is first registered to use the invention by one of the Sellers who is part of the network and is equipped to perform the appropriate biometric scan. After the Buyer presents proof of identify, they submit to the biometric scan which is then transmitted to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor to become part of the Buyer's record. The Buyer is given an ID number to allow access to the invention. The next time the Buyer accesses the invention he can use the ID number to make the purchase and then when showing up at that facility his Biometric Scan becomes his ID. Biometric IDs can be any biological feature of the Buyer that is so deemed to be sufficiently unique that it can be used as a method of identification. Features such as fingerprints, palm prints, iris scans, voice, and full-face scans are just some of the currently accepted biometric identification methods. We believe this list of methods will expand and that new methods can easily be utilized by an embodiment of this invention as they are developed and become available. It should be noted that the level of certainty necessary for determining identification using biometric techniques is obviously lower for use in the present invention than the certainty required for other critical applications such as law enforcement or military security access. In yet another example of an embodiment of the invention, the management of the invention has chosen to support a function to allow Buyers to access their identification documents through the Network in combination with their biometric identification for the purchasing of goods and services. In this embodiment the Buyer is allowed to make purchases of goods and services from those Sellers that support biometric identification using only their personal biometric identification. The charges or payments requested and the biometric ID submitted by the Seller are transmitted to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a. The Transaction Processing Program 1720 verifies the biometric ID with the information held within the Buyer Database 1610. The Transaction Processing Program 1720 further verifies that sufficient funds are available for the requested transaction, either through third party sources such as the Identification Documents sponsor or through in-house financing or accounts. The acceptance or rejection of the transaction is then transmitted back to the Seller for the Sellers completion of the purchase or transaction. FIG. 2d diagrams the Buyer Interface 5000, which includes a central processor (CPU) 5100, operating system 5210, ROM 5220, RAM 5230, clock 5240, communication port 5250, video monitor 5310, input devices 5320, modem 5330, network interface 5340, and data storage device 5500. A personal or workstation computer with sufficient processing capacity, program and data storage capacity, and memory may be used as a Buyer Interface 5000. The CPU 5100 may be a single CPU. The Intel Pentium Processor with a speed of 166 MH or any comparable capacity processor that is compatible with the chosen operating system could be used as CPU 5100. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the operating system 5210 is either Windows 95 or Windows 98 by Microsoft. The video monitor 5310 is a standard 17-inch “SVGA” color monitor or its equivalent. The input devices 5320 are a standard keyboard and mouse or other replacement items. The communication ports 5250 are RS232 serial ports with 16550 UART or alternatives that provide comparable connections to the Modem 5330. The Modem 5330 may be a modem such as the US Robotics 56K external made by 3Com Inc. A Data Storage Device 5500 may be one or a combination of standard hard disks, optical storage devices, CD-W drives, CD-RW drives, DVD, flash memory, or other data storage devices. It must be of sufficient capacity to store the programs necessary to access the Sellers' presentations. The hardware requirements for the Buyer Interface 5000 are minimal compared to the requirements for the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a, Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 FIG. 2b, and the Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c. The only software or programs required for the Buyer Interface 5000 is an Internet Browser 5000C of the Buyer's choice. In the embodiment of the present invention, Internet Explorer by Microsoft would be used as Buyer's Choice of Internet Browser 5000C. No databases are required for the Buyer Interface 5000. The only data storage required is performed by the Buyer's Choice of Internet Browser 5000C in the form of saving “cookies” in the Location for Cookie Storage 5695. Although the above has described the preferred embodiment of the present invention, any Internet-enabled computer, operating system, and browser combination that can access the Internet and specifically standard HTML presentations should be able to serve as the Buyer Interface 5000. FIG. 2e diagrams the Media Interface 6000, which includes a central processor (CPU) 6100, operating system 6210, ROM 6220, RAM 6230, clock 6240, communication ports 6250, video driver 6260, video monitor 6310, input devices 6320, modem 6330, network interface 6340, and data storage device 6500. A personal, workstation, or server-grade computer with sufficient processing capacity, program and data storage capacity, and memory may be used as a Media Interface 6000. The CPU 6100 may be a single CPU or multiple CPUs as necessary to provide sufficient processing capacity. The Intel Pentium II Processor with a speed of 300 MH or any comparable capacity processor that is compatible with the chosen operating system could be used as CPU 6100. In this embodiment of the present invention, the operating system 6210 is Windows NT by Microsoft, although Windows 98 by Microsoft should be sufficient in most cases. The video monitor 6310 is a standard “SVGA” color monitor or its equivalent, with this embodiment of the present invention being a 19-inch standard video monitor. The input devices 6320 are a standard keyboard and mouse or other replacement items. The communication ports 6250 are RS232 serial ports with 16550 UART or alternatives that provide comparable connections to the Modem 6330. The Modem 6330 may be a US Robotics 56K external made by 3Com Inc or a comparable quality modem. A data storage device 6500 may be one or a combination of standard hard disks, optical storage devices, CD-W drives, CD-RW drives, DVD, flash memory, magnetic tape, or other data storage devices. It must be of sufficient capacity to store all the programs and data necessary as well as provide for future capacity needs. In this embodiment of the present invention, mirrored hard disks with separate hard disk controllers provide a redundancy of data storage and therefore increased dependability and data integrity. This configuration allows for easier recovery in case of data corruption or data storage equipment failure. The aforementioned Windows NT operating system allows for this mirrored configuration. In addition to the mirrored hard disk, daily or more frequent backup of all data to tape, which is then taken off-site for storage, is a required procedure to ensure safe data. The present invention has a degree of data security built into it by design, with the most critical data kept with both the Media Interface 6000 and the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a. In a catastrophic destruction of the Media Interface 6000, the most critical of data can be recovered from the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a and allow the rebuilding of the lost databases, thereby ensuring the integrity of all transactions. The data storage device in this embodiment contains relational databases controlled and managed by database software such as Microsoft SQL Server 7 by Microsoft Inc. or, for smaller Media outlets, Access 2000 by Microsoft Inc. Data used in the generation of presentations and for the processing of inventory sales in the present invention is contained within the Media's Databases 6600. The Media's Databases 6600 contains the Media Buyer's Database 6615, Media Transaction Database 6625, Media Database 6635, Presentation Database 6640, Presentation Rules Database 6650, Media Inventory Database 6665, and any other databases necessary or desired to service the Media. The Media Buyer Database 6615 maintains data on Sellers who make interactive purchases of presentations offered by the Media over the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and the Seller Interface 4000. The Media Buyer Database 6615 will have data fields containing Seller name, physical address, phone, email address, credit card information, and any other information deemed necessary to supported the Media Buyers and the requirements of the Media. The information within the Buyer Database 6615 is contained in transaction messages received from the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a along with the media purchase information of a given transaction. The Media Transaction Database 6625 maintains data on the Media Buyers' (Sellers') interactive selection and purchases of presentations offered by the Media over the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and the Seller Interface 4000. The Transaction Database 6625 will have data fields containing information that relates to the selection and purchases of presentations made by the Seller. The specific fields within this database will depend on the type of Media and their products and services. As an example, if an embodiment of the present invention were configured to offer newspaper advertising as a non-resident media the Media Transaction Database 6625 might contain fields for rates, publishing dates, publishing deadlines, etc. The information in the Media Transaction Database 6625 is the result of each requested purchase made with the Seller Interface 4000. This information is then passed, via transaction messages, to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a and then to the Media Interface 6000. The Media Database 6635 will have data fields containing information that relates to the Media. The specific fields within the Media Database 6635 will cover all the necessary information about the Media, for use both within the Media's presentation and by the managers of the present invention for the management of the Media's account. The Media Database 6635 will have data fields containing company name, contact name, marketing name, physical address, phone, email address, payment information, contract dates, product or service types for presentation, data transfer modem numbers, accessible third-party management software, and any other information fields deemed necessary to supported the proposed Media. The Media will input this information when first accessing the present invention and joining as a Media. The Media Configuration Program 6717 will prompt the Media for the necessary information as well as obtain an agreement to a contract between the Media and the management or operators of the present invention. The Presentation Database 6640 will have data fields containing information that relates to the Media's interactive presentation of information and data describing their products or services offered to Media Buyers (Sellers). The data fields within Presentation Database 6640 will vary from Media type to Media type, depending on the design of the presentation and the types of other media offered by the given instance of the present invention. The Media Configuration Program 6717 will prompt the Media for the necessary information. The data relationship between the Presentation Database 6640 and the Presentation Database 1640 FIG. 2a, part of the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a, is one of continual synchronization of the Media's information. The synchronization is maintained by the Media Configuration Program 6717 and the Communication and Transport Program 6760. The Media makes any updates or corrections to the presentation within the Media Configuration Program 6717. These corrections are then updated to the Presentation Database 6640 and sent to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 for updating to the Presentation Database 1640 FIG. 2a. The Presentation Rules Database 6650 will have data fields containing information that controls and limits the style and editing of the presentations to be created by the Sellers using the Seller Interface 4000 and the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 for this given Media's product or service. The data within the Presentation Rules Database 6650 will be synchronized with the data within the Presentation Rules Database 1650, which is stored on the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a. This synchronization will take place by sending updates from the Media Interface to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a. The data fields contained in the Presentation Rules Database 6650 will vary from Media type to Media type, depending on the types of media and interactive presentations that are supported by the given instance of the present invention and the design of the presentations. Some fields that might be maintained are presentation templates; blocked words; blocked phrases; blocked references; blocked URLs; grammar guidelines; spelling dictionaries; presentation size restrictions; photo or graphics specifications such as size, compression, and file format; and any other guidelines, benchmarks, or controlling algorithms. The Media Inventory Database (optional) 6665 will have data fields containing information that monitors and controls the inventory of products and services offered by the Media within the interactive Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 of the Seller Interface 4000 of the present invention. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Media Accounting or Management Program 6000B maintains the inventory data. If that software cannot communicate or can only communicate partial data with the present invention, then the Media Inventory Database 6665 would be used alone or in combination with the Media Accounting or Management Program 6000B, respectively. The embodiment of the present invention communicates with the Media Accounting or Management Program 6000B for the synchronization of inventory and other data that can be coordinated. The data fields within the Inventory Database (optional) 6665 will vary from Media type to Media type, depending on the type of products, goods, or services that are being sold or reserved. The reason that the Media Inventory Database 6665 is optional is that some media types such as newspaper classified ads or printed directories such as regional phone directories have no real limit as to the number or quantity of presentations that they can accept. Therefore there would be no need to track or control inventory. The programs of this embodiment of Media Interface 6000 are; Media Configuration Program 6717, Transaction Processing Program 6720, Communication and Transport Program 6760, Media Accounting or Management Program 6000B, and other programs as may be necessary or desirable. The Presentation and Configuration Program 6717 is both the gateway to the present invention and the controlling software interface for the Media. The Media Configuration Program 6717 introduces the Media to the instance of the present invention. The Media Configuration Program 6717 presents the Media with a series of questions to answer. The answering of these questions contributes to the Media Database 6635, Presentation Database 6640, Presentation Rules Database 6650, Media Inventory Database (optional) 6665, and any other databases necessary. The Media Configuration Program 6717 monitors the responses to the questions asked, text entry areas, photos, graphics, and other input, either required or optional. Within this embodiment of the present invention, the Transaction Processing Program 6720 is not utilized, as the Media Accounting or Management Program 6000B performs its functions. If there is no Media Accounting or Management Program 6000B or it is not able to handle those functions, then the Transaction Processing Program 6720 will perform the necessary functions to process the incoming Transaction Messages. These messages may update databases; notify Media of product, goods, or services sold or reserved; notify Media of prices or rates paid; perform the necessary confirmations of available inventory and rates/pricing; create or send confirmation messages to buyer or other requested confirmation methods; and perform other functions necessary to process the incoming transaction. The Communication and Transport Program 6760 monitors, directs, and controls the receiving and transmitting of messages between the Media and the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a. During the setup of the Media Configuration Program 6717, the Communication and Transport Program 6760 is initialized and tested with the Modem 6330 and/or Network Interface 6340. The functions of the Communication and Transport Program 6760 are largely transparent to the Media. It should be noted, however, that in this embodiment of the present invention, the Media Interface 6000 should be left on, with the Communication and Transport Program 6760 running, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is necessary so that the Transaction Processing Program 6720 can receive and process any transaction messages from the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 FIG. 2a regardless of the hour of the day. Buyer's Use of Present Invention Demonstrating Transaction Processing and Access Delivery Substitution The preferred embodiment of the present invention allows for “open access” to all electronic presentations by assembling the presentations in an accessible format that can be searched and read by independent, public, electronic search engines as well as by individual private search programs. We are referring to Internet Search Engines such as Yahoo, Lycos, Web Crawler, Excite, Hotbot, Altavista, and other referral and/or robotic, publicly accessible “Search Engines.” The block diagram of FIG. 3a through 3k is an example of the preferred embodiment of the present invention that, for this example, has been configured for presenting lodging and event service-type sellers. With this open-access design or architecture, the Buyer may choose any of the available access methods to find or search for the goods, products, events, or services represented. If the Buyer is aware of how to access the directory, index, or presentation site that may contain the subject presentations that the Buyer is interested in, he can go directly to the site or direct his personal search program to search the site. This searching of the site may be done either on a single search basis or as part of a group or list of sites that the Buyer wants to search. As an example, if the Buyer is looking for lodging in a given city, the Buyer might give instructions and search parameters to the Buyer's private search program. Those instructions and search parameters would include a list of sites that the Buyer wants to search. That list of sites could contain a wide range of sites that have been created under various methods including the present invention. The private search program can perform the searches while the Buyer is waiting for the results or can be scheduled to search during off-peak hours, then present the search results to the Buyer at his convenience. The search results delivered to the Buyer are a listing of those pages or presentations that meet the search instructions and parameters that were entered by the Buyer (blocks 10100, 10110-10118). If the Buyer has the access location knowledge, he also has the option to access the presentations directly using Internet access and any Internet Browser such as Netscape 4.0 or any other browser software. Once the Buyer has accessed the site directly, he has the choice to either conduct a search for the desired products, goods, or services using the on-site search capabilities or browse the presentations much the same way one would browse the aisles of books at a library. Search methods of the present invention can vary from instance to instance, but the preferred embodiment would always give the option of a full text-based search of all presentations or a database search of the information contained within the Final Presentation Database 2645 FIG. 2b. The search function is easily accessed by the Buyer entering key words or phrases that will most likely result in finding the information that he wants (blocks 10120-10126). The search results obtained from the on-site search function will direct the Buyer to those presentations contained within that Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000, but not to other sites or sources. For the Buyer who wishes to browse the structure of the presentations contained on the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000, the design and architecture of the presentation structure will direct him to the information he seeks by means of subject indexes and directories. Buyers who are not aware of how to access the directory, index, or presentation site can access the presentations by using the public search engines such as Yahoo, Lycos, Web Crawler, Excite, Hotbot, Altavista, and other referral and/or robotic publicly accessible “Search Engines”. With the open-access format and structure, the present invention allows the search engines to have full access to the presentations to review and index the subject matter of each presentation. Every search engine uses different algorithms to conduct the search and to establish the priorities in presenting the results of the requested searches. The result of these searches is presented to the Buyer in the form of direct references to the presentations which the search algorithms have determined contain the requested information (blocks 10102, 10104). Once the Buyer has narrowed his information search to a manageable amount by either automated search systems or by browsing, the Buyer would then review the presentations available (blocks 10140, 10150). If, for example, the Buyer is searching for lodging, he would, after deciding on a specific lodging facility and room type, request a reservation for a given set of dates (blocks 10660, 10162). This request is made interactively while he views the presentations on the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000. The Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 processes that request, using the information contained within the Inventory Database 2660 and the Referral Database 2670 if necessary. Continuing the lodging example, the program checks if the requested room is available for the dates requested and, if not, enters a negotiation mode. The program will suggest alternative accommodations (different rooms or even a different lodging facility and rooms), using logic to suggest the best alternative. As an example of this logic, the algorithms would not suggest a bridal suite when the Buyer has requested a single economy room, or it may offer a discount for an upgraded room (block 10170-10198). If the suggested alternatives do not meet the needs of the Buyer, then the buyer is referred back to the indexes to review the lodging possibilities again and start over (block 10140). Once the Buyer has chosen a facility, room, and dates (in the lodging example) which the Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 accepts, that program puts that particular inventory on a hold status to allow the Buyer time to respond with the additional information necessary to make the purchase or reservation (block 10200, 10202). It is important that the Buyer is not burdened with inputting the required information until the items (in the lodging example, room and dates) that he wants are confirmed to be available. If a Buyer is forced to input the additional information and then find that the inventory is not available, he will feel that the system has wasted his time and will probably not use the service in the future. Only when the program first confirms the availability of the inventory and then asks for the additional information will the Buyer view the process as appropriate and necessary. The type and amount of additional information that is required largely depends on the type of products, goods, or services that are represented. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Buyer would be prompted to apply for a Delivery or Network ID. Once the Buyer has this ID number and the associated password, then he would only have to enter that ID number for future use instead of entering all required information. The Delivery or Network ID is also used as a substitute for the more traditional methods of proof-of-access such as tickets, passes, admission documents, reservations, reservation confirmations, and other physical proof of purchase. In this embodiment of the present invention, the Delivery or Network ID could also be used to give discounts for use, promotional offers, upgrades, or other marketing incentives. The information required in the application for the Delivery or Network ID would be owner names; contact names, numbers, and address; payment and credit information or payment method information; and any other information necessary to support the Delivery or Network ID. The Buyer would also be required to identify which physical card or ID that he currently holds, he intends to use as the Delivery or Network ID. (blocks 10220-10232). An example of the appropriate use for the Delivery or Network ID would be in conjunction with an instance of the present invention that is configured to represent professional sporting events. The Buyer in our example could purchase access to a given represented sporting event through the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000, and the only requirement of the Buyer when arriving at the facility to attend the event would be to present his Delivery or Network ID for processing. If the Buyer has a Delivery or Network ID, he is prompted for the Delivery or Network ID and its password. If the Buyer does not want a Delivery or Network ID, he is prompted for the necessary information in lieu of the Delivery or Network ID. Depending on the information required and the responses from the Buyer, the Transaction Negotiation Program continues to prompt the Buyer until all information requirements have been met (blocks 10220-10262). Having received and reviewed all the required information requested from the Buyer, the Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 then requests a transaction approval code from a credit card processing company. If the credit card is not approved, the program then requests an alternative payment method from the Buyer (blocks 10270-10282). A Transaction ID is assigned after the Transaction Approval Code has been received (block 10290). With the assignment of the Transaction ID, the Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 creates a confirmation proof of purchase or order (Confirmation of Booking in the lodging example). This confirmation is presented to the Buyer with prompts for choosing any additional information that may be available to add to this document prior to the Buyer printing it. With the lodging example, the additional information might include directions to the facility, description and photos of the facility and or room, list of amenities of the facility such as pool and gym, list of activities in the area, or any other information of interest or concern to the Buyer (blocks (10300-10308). If, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Buyer later wishes to cancel or modify his purchase, reservation, or request, he would return to the Seller's presentation and access and modify his purchase or reservation by using his Delivery or Network ID, Transaction ID, confirmation number, credit card number, some combination of these, or some other identification method (blocks 10312-10316). After the Transaction ID has been assigned and the Buyer has been presented with the purchase response, the Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 determines if the inventory sold or reserved was controlled by the Resource Saver Protocol. If the inventory is controlled by the Resource Saver Protocol, the program determines if the Inventory Notification Level has been reached and if so, what the remaining inventory count currently is after subtracting the transactions currently on hold (blocks 10320-10324). Regardless of whether the Resource Saver Protocol applies to a particular instance of this invention, the program must calculate the Inventory Confirmation Number (block 10330). This Inventory Confirmation Number, which varies from seller type to seller type, is used as a “check number” to confirm that all components, the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000, the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000, and the Seller Interface 4000 have their associated inventory databases in synchronization. The Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 also assigns a sequential transaction message number associated with this transaction. It is through the tracking of this number that the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and Seller Interface 4000 can determine if a gap exists and a missing transaction message needs to be requested from the component that sent the missed message. The Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 updates Buyer Database 2610, Transaction Database 2620, Inventory Database 2660, and any other databases necessary. It uses all the aforementioned data to create the Transaction Message that is sent from the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 (blocks 10340, 10342). Upon receipt of the Transaction Message, the Transaction Processing Program 1720 on the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 confirms the transaction logic and then updates the Buyer Database 1610, Transaction Database 1620, Inventory Database 1660, and any other database affected. By confirming the transaction logic, we mean that the Transaction Processing Program 1720 recalculates all of the calculations done by the Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 on the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000. This is done for quality control and security reasons (blocks 10360-10364). The Transaction Processing Program 1720 then creates the Transaction Messages to send to the Seller Interface 4000 and updates any other Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 that may be affected by any change in inventory as a result of this transaction. It should be noted that this is an example of the savings presented by the Resource Saver Protocol. For those items of inventory that are controlled by the Resource Saver Protocol, Transaction Messages need not be sent to the related or sibling Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 unless the Notification Level has been reached or breached for that group of inventory. For those items of inventory that are not controlled by the Resource Saver Protocol, the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 sends Transaction Messages to the Seller Interface 4000 and to all affected Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000. In this embodiment of the present invention, the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and any Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 are linked via a full-time network connection, which would allow the update or Transaction Message to be sent via the network. The Sellers could be on the same network, but more likely would be communicating with the use of modem on demand, meaning that a communications link would only be established when there were Transaction Messages, Updates, or other data or information to exchange or deliver. The communications between the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000, the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and the Seller Interface 4000 is either protected by encryption or only takes place on a private network or secure line modem (blocks 10370-10400). Upon receiving a Transaction Message, either the Transaction Processing Program 4720 or the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B of the Seller Interface 4000 confirms that the purchased inventory or reservation is available and recalculates and confirms all needed data contained within the Transaction Message. If the Transaction Message is found to contain erroneous or missing data, then error messages are sent to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000, the management or administrator, and to the Buyer (blocks 10410-10432). It should be noted that in this embodiment of the present invention, the Transaction Processing Program 4720 is present but disabled whenever a compatible Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B is in use and capable of performing the functions of the Transaction Processing Program 4720. In this embodiment of the present invention, the Transaction Processing Program 4720 or the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B of the Seller Interface 4000, whichever is enabled, will have the option to be set to automatically accept or reject the purchase or reservation without any further operator interaction. If the automatic option is not invoked by the management of the Seller Interface 4000, then the processing of the Transaction Message would require the human operator to review the transaction and either accept or reject the transaction and provide the appropriate responses (blocks 10440-10456). All appropriate databases are updated, and then, if the Transaction Processing Program 4720 has been used instead of the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B, a Transaction Message may be sent to a second-level or non-compatible accounting or management software. An embodiment of the present invention distinguishes between a fully compatible Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B that performs all the necessary functions and a second-level or non-compatible accounting or management software that the seller may be using that does not meet the standards of the present invention (blocks 10460-10472). If the inventory or reservations purchased are controlled by the Resource Saver Protocol, then the Transaction Processing Program 4720 or the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B performs the appropriate inventory calculations. If the inventory level has reached or breached the notification level, then the Transaction Processing Program 4720 or the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B must send a transaction message to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000, which in turn sends it to the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000. The transaction message prompts the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 to update their respective databases. Regardless of whether or not the Resource Saver Protocol has been activated, the Transaction Processing Program or Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B sends an Acknowledgment Message to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 to confirm that it has received and processed the Transaction Message (blocks 10480-10490). Depending on the Seller type, the Transaction Message may contain a request from the Buyer for a confirmation of the purchase or reservation. This request will be delivered to the Seller and, by necessity, would primarily be handled or satisfied outside the realm of the present invention (blocks 10500-10512). If the purchased item is to be delivered to the buyer, then the alternative block diagram FIG. 3i-a shows the possible configuration of that transaction flow. This configuration would be for goods or products that might require physical delivery of the good or product to the Buyer. The Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 formats and sends a Transaction Message, which contains any shipping request or special instructions to the Seller. The Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 processes the Transaction Message and then sends it to the Seller Interface 4000. The Seller will respond to those shipping and special requests outside the realm of the present invention. (FIG. 3i-a, blocks 10500a-10510a). In keeping with the configuration of the block diagram that is intended for the delivery of tickets, passes, admission documents, reservations, or reservation confirmations, all processing is completed at block 10512 until the Buyer arrives at the facility, site, business, or venue to be admitted. For events that might traditionally require a ticket, pass, admission document, or reservation confirmation as proof of admittance, an instance of the present invention has several options for the confirmation and delivery of said documents. It should be noted that even though the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 supports the use of the Network or Delivery ID, which makes repeated use of the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 easier for the Buyer to utilize. The physical use of the Network or Delivery ID is optional at the level of the facility, site, business, or venue. The preferred embodiment of the present invention, when fully configured for the acceptance of the Delivery or Network ID, allows the Buyer several options. If the Buyer arriving at the facility, site, business, or venue chooses to use the Delivery or Network ID, he would simply have his ID Card read by an unattended automatic reader that would either print the necessary ticket, pass, admission document, or reservation confirmation or immediately allow admittance through a gate or turnstile (blocks 10550-10574). The savings to the Seller, in the form of time and labor for processing admittance, is obvious. The real advantage, however, comes in the form of Buyer goodwill resulting from the convenience of reducing the time it takes to be admitted or to obtain the physical tickets, passes, admission documents, reservations, or reservation confirmations. The use of the Delivery or Network ID within an embodiment of the present invention is accomplished by either the Buyer Admission Control Program 4770, which is a component of the present invention, or by compatible third-party programs such as the Seller Admission Control Program 4000C or the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B with an integrated admission control program to either print tickets or passes or open physical barriers. If the Seller's facility, site, business, or venue does not support the automatic processing of the Buyer's admittance, then the Seller may use the Delivery or Network ID, with an attendant visually examining the ID or operating the scanner or reader and responding to the results with either admittance or the printing of the tickets, passes, admission documents, reservations, or reservation confirmations. This would not be as efficient as the automatic process, but may present a transition method to the full implementation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention (blocks 10580-10612). In each of these methods, there is a small risk of the physical failure of the Delivery or Network ID or of the reader to accurately identify the Buyer. In all cases of failure, the management would manually confirm the identification and process the admittance of the Buyer (block 10620). In this embodiment of the present invention, the Delivery or Network ID is a Magnetic, Smart, or Optical Card similar to a standard Credit Card. The present invention allows for the use of any unique identification method either presently in use or to be developed in the future. The use of biometric scanners for voice, full face, finger print, iris, or other identification methods are just becoming commercially economical for this type of use and will require the secure and verified obtaining of the original scan or sample. Buyer is admitted to facility or event (block 10630). Seller's Use of Present Invention The preferred embodiment of the present invention allows Sellers to have a “self-serve” relationship to the networks, directories, indexes, printed media, and other sales and advertising channels (resident and non-resident media) available to and serviced by the given instance of the present invention. This relationship and process is accomplished through the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715. The Seller obtains the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 on either a compact disc (CD-ROM), DVD disc, downloaded file, or some other method, then installs the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 and its associated programs on an either dedicated or shared-use computer (diagrammed block 11102 to 11106 FIG. 4a). This embodiment of this component of the present invention is shown as Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c, which shows the relationship between the Presentation Program 4715 and the associated hardware, programs and databases of Seller Interface 4000. Once installed and configured, the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 allows the Seller to control access to the program through password protection (block 11120), allowing only authorized personal of the Seller to access the program. This access control is important because the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 may control substantial portions of the seller's sales, therefore the presentations should only be created or modified by authorized personnel. Upon accessing the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715, the new Seller/client is presented with a series of forms containing yes/no choices, text entry areas, menu-driven choices, and other data and information entry methods. These forms lead the Seller through his establishment as a client of the given instance of the present invention. This portion of the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 prompts the Seller for information such as contact numbers, contact address, payment methods, and other Seller/client information for the use of the management of the instance of the present invention in working with and servicing the Seller. This portion of the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 also presents the service contract for the review and agreement of the Seller. This agreement, complete with the management information, is then transmitted to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 along with all other Seller/client information upon the first submission of the Seller's presentation information. In the case of an existing Seller/client, the Seller enters his password (block 11120) to access the body of the program for creation and maintenance of his presentations. Upon entering the information to establish the client relationship, the new Seller/client is presented with the forms that give the choices of presentations, interactive sales presentations, resident and non-resident media that are supported by the given instance of the present invention. These choices are accompanied with descriptions of each choice and the approximate cost of each presentation for all choices of presentations, resident and non-resident media. This information comes from the Presentation Rules Database 4650. Because in many cases the Seller will be receiving transactions and taking orders over the instance of the present invention, the Seller may be given the option of paying for the services by monthly, quarterly, or annual subscriptions; on a per sale or percentage basis; some combination of any of the above; or another payment method. As an example, if the instance of the present invention were configured to support “Sailboats For Sale,” the Seller may be given the choice of three Internet Directories that specialize in boating-related goods and services, two printed magazines, and a subscription-based CD-ROM. The Seller could then choose one or two or all of the media/means of communication in which to be represented, with all presentations created by the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 (blocks 11130, 11132). The Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 would then prompt the Seller for the necessary and optional information to complete the presentations (block 11140, 11142). It should be noted that each presentation might have very different standards for publishing the same information. In those cases, the same questions or at least similar prompts may be presented to the Seller, requiring the entering of virtually the same information in multiple locations on the forms. Although this may seem redundant to the Seller, the differences will become apparent because each separate entry is controlled by the information contained within the Presentation Rules Database 4650. As a simple example, the description in a particular Internet Directory may allow for up to 3000 characters, whereas a printed magazine may allow only 300, depending on the presentations chosen. As the Seller enters information, the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715, using the information contained in the Presentation Rules Database 4650, controls and monitors that entered information to conform to the controlling format and style for each targeted media venue or outlet presentation. After the Seller has chosen the channels and means of communication and has entered the information necessary to create all the selected presentations, the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 notifies the Seller of the cost of and payment methods acceptable for those presentations or modifications and prompts the Seller for acceptance of the charges. If the Seller does not accept the charges, then the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 rolls the information or modifications back and notifies the Seller that the information will not be published or modified (blocks 11150-11156). The Seller is allowed to print reports for management review or for hard copy records. Those reports include the charges and conditions that have been agreed to by the Seller (blocks 11160, 11162). The information entered, either as a new presentation or as modifications to an existing presentation, can be sent to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 immediately or delayed for publication later. The reasons for delay could be that the presentation is geared to a given date or holiday, such as a Valentine's Day getaway offer from a resort, or is a special promotional offer to be used upon reaching a given inventory level (blocks 11170, 11172). The Communication and Transport Program 4760 performs the transmission of the Seller's presentation information from the Seller Interface 4000 to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000. The Communication and Transport Program 4760 utilizes either the modem or network connections to perform this transmission. The Communication and Transport Program 4760 applies the appropriate level of encryption of data necessary, depending on the method of transmission. In this embodiment of the present invention, the connection used for transmission between the Seller Interface 4000 and the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 is a direct dial-up modem connection. This configuration is more secure than public networks, even with encryption, and, due to the relatively small amount of data transmitted, has sufficient transmission capacity (blocks 11180 -11190). Once the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 receives the presentation message from the Seller Interface 4000 (block 11200), the Presentation Generation Program 1710 determines if the presentation message is information from a new Seller/client or modification to an existing current presentation from an existing Seller/client (block 11210). If it is a presentation message from a new Seller/client, the presentation message is passed to the General Management Program 1730. The General Management Program 1730 sets up the necessary Seller/client control accounts, payment information, contact information, database records, and any other administrative functions necessary to establish the Seller/client within the instance of the present invention and allows the creation of presentations by the Presentation Generation Program 1710 (blocks 11212, 11214). If the presentation message is from an existing Seller/client, the presentation message does not leave the control of the Presentation Generation Program 1710, which confirms the authenticity of the Seller/client presentation message prior to processing the message (block 11220, 11222). Once the Presentation Generation Program1710 has either confirmed the authenticity and origin of the presentation message or the message has passed through the General Management Program 1730, the Presentation Generation Program 1710 then analyses the information using the format and style guidelines contained within the Presentation Rules Database 1650 (blocks 11230, 11232). This process parallels the functions performed by the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 and the Presentation Rules Database 4650. This duplication of function ensures both quality control of content and prevents tampering of the process by either the Seller or any non-authorized entity. This duplication of function also ensures that the latest version of the Presentation Rules Database 1650 has been applied to every presentation. This embodiment of the present invention updates any changes in the Presentation Rules Database 1650 to the Presentation Rules Database 4650 using update messages to the Seller Interface 4000. Although this method should result in the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 always using the best and most current information that has been updated to the Presentation Rules Database 4650, the integrity of the presentations is critical enough to require the duplication of this function. During the analysis of the presentation performed by the Presentation Generation Program 1710, the program reviews the information and assigns the presentations into one of three processing categories: pass, fail, and needs review (blocks 11240-11272). A presentation in the “fail” category causes a rollback of data in the Presentation Database 1640, and a message is sent to the Seller notifying them that the presentation failed and the reason why (blocks 11242-11246). Messages are also sent to the management of the instance of the present invention because the synchronization of the Presentation Rules Database 1650 and Presentation Rules Database 2650 should prevent this failure. The management would investigate the reason for the failure and take appropriate action. Those presentations in the “needs review” category are ones which have content that is not recognized as being either allowed or not allowed by the Presentation Generation Program 1710. These presentations are referred to a human operator for review (blocks 11250-11262). The operator will pass, fail, or edit the presentations at this point. Those that fail return to block 11242. Those that are edited are sent back to block 11230. This forces the analysis done by the Presentation Generation Program 1710 to pass every presentation. It is through this process of forcing corrections to be made, examined, and reviewed by management that the information contained within the Presentation Rules Database 1650 and the algorithms which apply that information within the Presentation Generation Program 1710 are refined (block 11272). Once the presentation has worked through the analysis and review process, the Presentation Generation Program 1710 passes information to the General Management Program 1730 confirming the acceptability of the presentations. The General Management Program 1730 then confirms payment method and amounts, processes credit card payments, updates databases, and performs any other administrative procedures necessary (blocks 11280-11284). Having passed the presentation information for content and style, the Presentation Generation Program 1710 next determines the directories and presentation indexes in which this information should be published (blocks 11290-11296). In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 may support any number of client outlets, channels, resident media, or non-resident media. These client outlets, channels, resident media, or non-resident media may include Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000; Independent Presentation 3000; Printed Publications, Periodicals, Directories, CD-ROMs, and other Media Interface 6000 FIG. 2e; and other sales outlets, channels, or advertising methods. The Presentation Generation Program 1710, using the information contained within the Presentation Rules Database 1650, then formats the presentation information for each client outlet, channel, resident media, or non-resident media (blocks 11300, 11294). New presentations are created in their entirety, while only the portions of existing presentations affected by any modifications are republished. After creating or modifying the presentations, messages confirming any edits or modifications of submissions are created and sent to the Sellers (blocks 11310-11336). The presentations are then separated by their publication destination: resident or non-resident. The presentations destined for non-resident publication are formatted into media transaction messages and sent to the appropriate Media Interface 6000 for processing and ultimate publication. Upon receiving the media transaction message, the Media Interface 6000 and specifically the Transaction Processing Program 6720 or Media Accounting or Management Program 6000B if available, will process the message and schedule the publication of the presentation depending on media type, venue, available dates or other considerations. It should be noted that the non-resident media category and Media Interface 6000 is designed to provide a nearly seamless, self serve transaction environment that can be configured for an extremely broad spectrum of media vendors, resellers, and representatives. The makeup of these media vendors, resellers, and representatives will be in direct response to the demographics of buyers and sellers of the given instance of the present invention. The configuration of the offerings to the Sellers and also the design and configuration of the Media Interface 6000 are a result of the media vendors, resellers and representatives (blocks 11340-11358). The presentations that are to be published in resident media are then sorted into those that the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 publishes to directly, supported electronic media such as Internet, Intranet, and other similar electronic presentations and those “other” supported resident media. For any given instance of the present invention there may or may not be other resident media such as printed directories and presentations. Their inclusion is entirely optional (blocks 11360, 11362). Presentations that the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 will directly publish on media such as the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 may be published either on an “urgent” or “course of business” basis. This designation is set by the Seller at the time that the “original presentation” or “update to a publication” information is sent to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 thereby allowing the Seller a measure of control if the nature of the presentation or correction warrants it. The “urgent” designation means that the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 will process that presentation as soon as it receives the message. The “course of business” designation allows the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 to place the presentation and any associate files into a queue for processing and publishing at a time when the resources of the network are at their lowest utilization (blocks 11370-11374). The publications that are directed for resident media and are to be electronically published on the Internet, Intranet, or other electronic presentation channels are matched to the supporting, linking, dependent, reference, attached, or other affected parts or components of the directories, indexes, or presentation structures to which the presentations are published. Once identified, those parts or components are updated to reflect the changes caused by the new and updated presentations and information. As an example of the cascading or domino effect that the publication of a new presentation might have on an instance of the present invention, suppose the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 is supporting a Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 that is configured to represent lodging. A given directory for lodging may require that the new presentation be indexed by the state and city in which the lodging facility is located. In the interest of giving the best and most useful presentation to potential Buyers of the lodging services, the directory could also index the lodging facility by other categories to make the Buyer's selection easier. Some of the possible logical divisions are by locations such as “Lodging by the Ocean” or “Lodging in the Mountains”, by services or specialties such as “Weddings” or “Business Conference and Meeting Facilities”, or by promotional offerings such as “Romantic Getaways” or “Corporate Retreats”. Each of these additional categories would need indexes and supporting structures that would be updated and changed when the referenced facilities were changed or updated. It should be noted that the prior art generally allowed these indexes or categories to be accessed by the buyer using database searches thereby not allowing or promoting the open access created by the present invention. This embodiment of the present invention is not configured to support resident media other than the core presentations intended for Internet, Intranet, and interactive electronic presentations. However, depending on the demographics of the Buyers and Sellers, additional resident media can be added by the management of the instance of the present invention (block 11380). At this point the Presentation Generation Program 1710 contains all the presentations and presentation components that have been created or edited. The Presentation Generation Program 1710 will proceed to publish or place the presentations and any supporting components in their proper locations on the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 and Independent Presentation Directories and Indexes 3000 (block 11390-11414). Seller Setup and Use of the Resource Saver Protocol The preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes the Resource Saver Protocol to reduce the number of messages sent and received by all components of the present invention while maintaining the control and synchronization of any qualified inventory that is offered for sale. With the reductions in the quantity of messages needed to maintain inventory synchronization, there is a corresponding reduction in all other aspects of communications and processing overhead between both collocated and remote components. This savings is especially significant, with magnified results, when more than one Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000, sales outlets or channels are used in the marketing of the controlled inventory. Although most inventory types can benefit substantially from the utilization of the Resource Saver Protocol, it is most effective when controlling those inventory items that are substitutable but may be limited in availability. It should be noted that the term inventory is used in a very broad and general sense. The term inventory can apply to goods, products, services, reservations for services, or any other identifiable unit or item to be sold, conveyed, or reserved. The block diagram of FIG. 5a through 5h is an example of the Seller's setup and use of the Resource Saver Protocol as part of this embodiment of the present invention. In the first example, the instance of the present invention has been configured to represent Hotels and Lodging, and the Seller is a hotel with 312 rooms of the following types: 200 standard rooms, 100 upgrade rooms, and 12 suites. The setup of the Resource Saver Protocol is accomplished within the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 of the Seller Interface 4000. The seller divides the inventory into its logical groups for marketing, presentation, and sales to the Buyers. In this case, the groups are standard rooms, upgrade rooms, and penthouse suites (blocks 13100, 13110). Each item in each group of inventory must be substitutable with all the other items within that group. With the example hotel, we will assume that all rooms are identical within their groups without special view or amenities (blocks 13120-13132). If the inventory were not absolutely substitutable to any given Buyer, then the Seller would not use the Resource Saver Protocol with this inventory. That does not mean that all the Inventory items or groups of a Seller must either be or not be controlled by the Resource Saver Protocol. The Seller may have any combination of Inventory items or groups controlled or not controlled by the Resource Saver Protocol. In the case of the current hotel example, the inventory is considered to be both Limited and Time Sensitive. There are only a limited number of rooms of each type, and they are time sensitive in the fact that the inventory is sold by the “unit night” which, if not sold, can never be used or recovered (block 13150). Next, the Seller must set the maximum units of inventory that any given Buyer will be allowed to purchase in any given single purchase. In our hotel example, the Seller might set a limit of 4 rooms for any given Buyer to purchase from any Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 serviced by this instance of the present invention (block 13140). By setting a reasonable maximum number of units of inventory that any given Buyer may purchase, the Seller prevents that rare but possible case of a self-serve Buyer purchasing or reserving more inventory than is available. The Buyer is still allowed to purchase as much as he would like, but the purchase must be transacted in sequential “maximum unit” transactions as opposed to one large transaction. The explanation for blocks 13152 to 13184, which covers common inventory, follows the next example. The next decision pertaining to the suitability of each inventory group for control by the Resource Saver Protocol must be arrived at by assigning a number for the buffer inventory level. The purpose of this buffer is to allow for a margin of error, based on processing time and communications delays, that prevents the overselling of inventory (overbooking in the hotel example). This number is an estimate intended to be adjusted, based on the Seller's experience over time. The only loss of efficiency associated with setting the buffer number too high is the cost of the communications for the extra units within the buffer category (block 13190). In our hotel example, the management might set the buffer at 8 units (twice the maximum single purchase) as a starting point, to be adjusted later based on experience. To determine if there is sufficient inventory to realize a savings by utilizing the Resource Saver Protocol, the Seller subtracts the total of maximum single purchase units and buffer units from the total inventory. In our hotel example, the 200 standard rooms minus 4 maximum purchase rooms and minus 8 buffer rooms results in 188 rooms for which the Seller could realize savings. For the upgrade rooms, the management might use the same maximum purchase number and buffer number, resulting in savings for 88 rooms. In the case of the suites, the management might set the maximum purchase at 3 and the buffer at 6, which would only result in savings on 3 units. This “savings” would probably not be worth implementing the Resource Saver Protocol (blocks 13210,13212). If the savings are sufficient enough to utilize the Resource Saver Protocol, then the Seller must determine the Notification Level. The Notification Level equals the maximum purchase units plus the buffer units. In our hotel example, the Notification Level for the standard rooms and upgrade rooms would be 12, and the suites would not be covered by the Resource Saver Protocol at all due to the limited inventory (blocks 13210-13232). Once all groups of inventory have been analyzed and any notification levels have been set then the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 would update its databases and transmit the settings to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000. The Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 would update its databases and then forward the information to any Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 that are affected (blocks 13260,13262). It should be noted that the savings generated are more substantial than they appear to be for some Seller types. This is because the typical total sales of inventory in any given period does not reach the level that triggers the notification of Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 or other outlets and channels. With our hotel example, the hotel may only operate above the 88 percent occupancy of the standard and upgrade rooms a few days a month, thereby not triggering the communications and processing required above that notification level except for those few days. The savings become obvious when one looks at the processing of the individual transaction messages as outlined on FIG. 5d. All transactions, from all sources, are entered in such a way as to produce transaction messages that are then processed within the total system (blocks 13270-13284). As the transaction messages are processed by the Seller Interface 4000, more specifically the Transaction Processing Program 4720 or the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B. Only those that are not controlled by the Resource Saver Protocol and those that have reached or breached the notification level trigger the sending of transaction messages with the current inventory count to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000. The Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 then sends that message on to all Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 that are affected. If that Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 is controlling 3 Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000, then each message that is passed to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 generates 3 additional messages to the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 (blocks 13290-13296). Those transaction messages that are controlled by the Resource Saver Protocol and do not reach or breach the Notification Level would require no messages to be sent to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and then on to the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 (blocks 13310-13320). It would not be unreasonable to expect the hotel in our example to experience a 95 percent saving in transaction communications and the associated overhead by using the Resource Saver Protocol. Common goods and products experience the most savings within the present invention by utilizing the Transmission Level Method in conjunction with the setting of the Transmission Period. As an example, consider a Seller of music CDs. The Seller would separate his inventory into titles to be offered. Each CD of a given title is obviously substitutable with any other CD with that same title and is available in an almost unlimited supply. The Seller could order or press more if needed (blocks 13100 to 13130). The inventory is substitutable and almost unlimited in supply, therefore common. The setting of the maximum units of inventory that any given Buyer will be allowed to purchase with common inventory is not as critical to prevent overselling as with Limited or Time-Sensitive inventory; however, this is one of the controlling factors in setting the Transmission Level (block 13140). With a common type inventory, the savings of communications and processing while utilizing the present invention comes from the periodic processing and transmission of all transaction messages based on the setting of Transmission Levels, Transmission Periods, and Transmission Times. The use of these settings is possible with common inventory items because there is no concern for overselling the inventory. The Transmission Level is the total cumulative number of inventory items sold at any given Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 or outlet that forces a transmission of the transactions messages. The Transmission Level is the maximum units of inventory allocated by the transaction messages saved, stored, or held as a batch by the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 or outlet that then forces the transaction messages to be transmitted to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000. The initial setting of this number by the Seller requires the consideration of the availability of inventory and the processing and delivery of the sold inventory. With our CD Seller example, if the Seller were represented on 20 Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000, the potential sales surge caused by the maximum held units is 20 times the setting of the Transmission Level. It may be unlikely that all Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 and outlets would reach maximum held items at the same time, but this volume can be handled with planning. If the CD Seller were to set the Transmission Level at 100, then whenever each Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 or outlet was holding that many combined sales, it would trigger the transmission of all transaction messages and the clearing of that number or buffer (blocks 13152-13158). If the Seller utilizes the Transmission Level Method, he must also set the Transmission Period. This prevents the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 or outlet from holding the transactions messages indefinitely when the Transmission Level has not been reached and ensures a reasonable processing flow of transactions. If the Seller does not utilize the Transmission Level Method, he may set the Transmission Period alone to control the sending of transaction messages on a regular basis (block 13146). The setting of the Transmission Time Control allows the Seller to direct the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 or outlets to transmit their transaction messages at a specific time. The intent of this setting is to allow the Seller to schedule the transmissions to take place when the communications and processor utilization is at the lowest point during the daily business cycle. The Seller is allowed to either set each Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 or outlets to a specific time for transmission or set a specific time to be used with random offsets that have been set for the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000s or outlets. The use of offsets creates a spread or staggering of the times at which the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000s or outlets are transmitting their transaction messages, thereby better utilizing all communications and processing resources (blocks 13162-13184). In the CD Seller example, the major savings experienced utilizing the Resource Saver Protocol would not only be in limiting the number of times messages are transmitted back and forth, but would also be in the utilization of the automatic scheduling of the communications and processing usage times so that transaction messages will be received at times of less usage. This last method of savings is even more powerful when the Seller realizes more accessibility by potential buyers at high usage times when the computers and networks are freed up from transaction messages. The block diagram of FIG. 5e through 5f is an example of the Resource Saver Protocol as used by an instance of a Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 as part of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Once the Buyer has made his purchase decision and has provided the necessary purchase information, the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 and more specifically the Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 processes and creates a transaction message for transmission to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 (block 13330). If the item of inventory is “common” and the Seller is using the Transmission Level method to control the transmission of the transaction messages, then the transaction messages being processed are placed on hold. If the total of all sold inventory represented by the held transaction messages equals or exceeds the Transmission Level, then all messages are immediately sent to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor (blocks 13342 and 13366). The Transmission Level is set by the Seller to prevent the accumulation of too much sold inventory on any given Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 or other sales outlet. If the accumulated inventory sales exceed the Transmission Level at any time, then all messages are sent immediately. If the Transmission Level has not been exceeded, then the transaction messages are held until the Transmission Period has elapsed and the Transmission Time has arrived (blocks 13262 through 13366). By setting the Transmission Period, the Seller can require all transaction messages being held to be transmitted on a regular or periodic basis. As an example, the Seller might require the transaction messages to be sent every 24 hours. This setting allows the Seller to set the urgency of the processing of transactions messages and ensures that transaction messages are processed in a timely fashion. Another setting that allows the Seller to control the workflow and processing of transaction messages is the Transmission Offsets, which are specific to each sales outlet. The Transmission Offset is a number of minutes that is assigned to each sales outlet, which is then added to the Transmission Time that has been selected by the Seller. This sets the actual time an outlet is to transmit its accumulated transaction messages. This offset allows the Seller to prevent all Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 and other sales outlets from attempting to transmit their transaction messages at exactly the same time (blocks 13356-13366). The Seller has the option of not utilizing the Transmission Level, instead setting only the Transmission Period (blocks 13340, 13350). This combination might be used for a Seller that has an unlimited inventory such as the music CDs. If the Seller sells out of current inventory, they can create unlimited additional units. If the inventory is of a more unique or time-sensitive nature, then the Seller would probably not use the previous two methods, instead favoring the Notification Level method of the Resource Saver Protocol for all but the very unique inventory items (block 13370). With the Notification Level being the controlling method of processing, the criterion is whether the Notification Level as set by the Seller has been reached or breached. If the current status of the Notification Level is such that it has not been reached or breached, then the transaction message is transmitted immediately to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000. If the current Notification Level has been reached or breached then the current sold units of inventory are subtracted from the inventory count and that information is updated to the database and added to the transmission message to be sent to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000. The transmission message is processed and then transmitted from the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 to the Seller Interface 4000 (blocks 13372-13400). It should be noted that the Seller Interface 4000, and specifically the Transaction Processing Program 4720 or the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B, will make the determination for when the Notification Level has been reached or breached (block 13410). As soon as any given transaction, either electronic or otherwise, has reduced the available inventory so that the Notification Level is reached or breached, then either the Transaction Processing Program 4720 or the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B sends updates to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 and any other sales outlets affected. The Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 processes the message, updates its databases, and then sends the updates to any Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 under its control (blocks 13410-13418). In any given instance of the present invention, once the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 or any other sales outlet has been notified that the Notification Level has been reached or breached and given the current inventory level, then each Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 or outlet adjusts the available inventory and adds that information to each future transaction message processed (blocks 13372-13376). The block diagram of FIG. 5g through 5h is an example of the inventory setup and maintenance using the Resource Saver Protocol and Seller Interface 4000 as part of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Initial setup or adjustment of the inventory takes place by the Seller when first setting up their account and creating their presentations within the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715. The seller establishes the type of inventory and the settings that are appropriate for the inventory's sale and control (blocks 13500). Replaceable inventory is managed by either the Transaction Processing Program 4720 or by the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B setting, adding to, or adjusting the inventory count as appropriate (blocks 13502-13516). Fixed inventory is managed at the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 level with the inventory being set into the future at the given level set by the Seller from the Seller Interface 4000 (blocks 13510-13562). The inventory level may vary even with fixed inventory based on Buyers purchasing or canceling the purchase of the inventory. This means that the controls utilized by the Notification Level for a given inventory could be turned on, then off, then back on, several times based on purchases and cancellation of purchases. This on-again off-again tracking of inventory, although appearing confusing, will maintain the synchronization of the inventory and prevent overselling to the Buyer. If the Resource Saver Protocol is not used to control inventory, then the inventory offered for sale is synchronized by the present invention between all components, Seller Interface 4000, Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000, and Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000. This synchronization is maintained at all times with the utilization of the transaction messages between all components. When the Notification Level method of the Resource Saver Protocol is used, then the inventory offered for sale is synchronized by the present invention from the time the Notification Level is reached or breached until all inventory is sold. When all inventory is sold in either case above, then the Transaction Negotiation Program 2725 of the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 of an instance of the present invention notifies the buyer that no inventory is available and may offer possible alternatives or substitutes. The adding to or the replacement of inventory increases the inventory count or level. These events are processed as transactions messages that are sent from the Transaction Processing Program 4720 or the Seller Accounting or Management Program 4000B of the Seller Interface 4000 to the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000. The data for the inventory increase or replacement is either entered by the operator of the Seller Interface or is automatically updated by the aforementioned programs. The Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 then transmits transaction messages to any Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 or other outlets that are affected. Those Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 or outlets reset their inventory counts or levels and any control settings that are affected. The invention allows sellers to present their inventory, products, goods and services in a choice of one or a variety of supported media outlets: in print, such as newspapers, magazines, periodicals, guidebooks, catalogs, brochures, fliers, and directories; in electronic form, such as online directories, web sites, bulletin boards, news groups, CD-ROMs, and interactive media and networks; and in other media, such as billboards, skywriters, bus benches, radio, interactive kiosk and any other form of customer outreach or information distribution. When these media choices are made, the present invention prompts the seller for information that is then used in the creation of presentations for the media outlets he has chosen. The Presentation Rules Database 1650 and 4650 holds all the criteria, formatting architecture, and distribution factors for each participating media outlet. The present invention's Presentation Generation Program 1710, along with the Presentation Rules Database 1650 and 4650, then creates a presentation for each and every media outlet the seller has chosen. The Presentation Generation Program 1710 then either transmits the presentation to the appropriate destination or holds it for a publication date to be submitted for a particular deadline or predetermined promotional market. The seller can then print out a report that shows him each presentation, distribution or media outlet, and the pricing of each media choice for an overall marketing valuation. The present invention allows the Seller to update, change, control inventory, and automatically process sales either from his in-house or third-party accounting or management software that has a compatible communication component with the present invention or in the present invention. He can accomplish this updating and inventory control to all media outlets simultaneously. The Presentation Generation Program 1710 creates presentations that can be accessed by the buying public in location/outlet-appropriate formats and availability through the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000; Independent Presentation Directories and Indexes or Independent stand-alone Presentations 3000; Printed Publications, Periodicals, Directories, CD-ROMs, and other Media and Presentations 6000; and the Buyers Interface 5000. The present invention allows buyers to review descriptions; specifications; photos; graphics; pricing; and the availability of products, goods, and services, including time- and allocation-critical services. The buyer can access this information and these resources through either a search specific mode or a browsing mode, depending on the advertising channel or media outlet he is using. The invention allows buyers to hold or commit to the purchase; reservation; or utilization of those products, goods, and services, within the practical limits of the expiration of their utility or availability, on those media outlets supported by a Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000. The buyer can confidently select products, goods, and services with real-time or near real-time purchasing. Once the buyer has committed to a purchase, the commitment is transmitted to the seller and the inventory is updated. With the present invention, inventory control of the suppliers, vendors, service providers, purveyors, and other types of sellers is maintained with transaction and, when necessary, confirmation message units sent between the Central Controller and Presentation Processor 2000 and those same suppliers, vendors, service providers, and purveyors. Once the buyer makes a purchase or reservation, he can choose a method of confirmation, get a print-out of seller's commitment for delivery, an entry code number or whatever means of confirmation determined by the Seller. As an example, the buyer can even get a complete printout of directions to the facility if the purchase involves him arriving at a place of lodging, restaurant, arena, store, or any other facility. All these methods of confirmation can be near real-time. The buyer does not have to wait for printed tickets, passes, admission documents, reservation confirmations, or other physical substantiation to be mailed or conventionally delivered to him. Thus, the full implementation of the present invention makes the usual requirement of delivery of tickets, passes, admission confirmations, or reservation confirmations unnecessary. These traditional conveyance forms are replaced or augmented by the buyer's Reservation/Ticket Network ID card or confirmation of biometric ID. The present invention allows buyers of tickets, passes, admission documents, and reserved services to purchase or reserve those tickets, passes, admission documents, or services remotely via electronic network presentations, Internet, Intranet, dial-up self-serve or operator-served systems using standard telephone communications, or other means. The invention allows the buyer to confirm or prove his purchase at the facility, site, business, or venue by means of magnetic, smart, or optical ID cards or by electronic biometric authentication. These means of proof can be issued by the operators of an instance either for exclusive use for that instance of the present invention, for multi-use in conjunction with other entities and the operators of the other instances of the present invention, or through a “piggy-back” method that will allow the issue of Credit Cards, Membership ID Cards, or other ID Cards. For those services or events that require printed tickets, passes, admission documents, reservation confirmations, or other physical substantiation, those means of confirmation can be printed on demand from either automatic or manual vendors upon electronic reading or scanning of the buyer's Network ID card, the buyer entering a code, or by biometric authentication. The invention's Resource Saver Protocol allows for the coordination and synchronization of the sales and availability of products, goods, and services between interactive electronic presentations and other sales outlets, channels, or sources while reducing the communications and resources necessary to maintain that coordination and synchronization. The present invention does this while both allowing for the purchase or reservation through electronic networks and other diverse channels or outlets and keeping control of inventory to prevent overselling or overbooking. The seller can define his inventory and establish the settings that are appropriate for the sale and control of said inventory. Then communications will be transmitted when the levels he sets are reached or breached, when a notification time has been reached, or when a notification level has been met. If the seller does not have similar or substitutable inventory, then transmissions must be made for each and every sale. However, the seller may have some inventory that can benefit from the Resource Saver Protocol while other inventory is unique. This cost saving device will also allow the seller to schedule transmissions to be made when other uses of the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 is at a low traffic level. The invention will not only transmit all sales and reservations to the seller's compatible in-house accounting and management program or to an instance of the present invention at his location, but it will also update and control inventory offered on all the media channels and outlets on which that seller has chosen to sell his products, goods, and services. EXAMPLE USE OF INVENTION The following is a hypothetical example for the use of the present Invention in one possible embodiment. Only the major steps are included in this example to give an overview of one possible application or embodiment of the present invention. This example demonstrates some of the possible interface and interactions between operators of the invention, sellers or providers of goods or services, and customers or buyers of those goods or services. It is also meant to give an overview of the transaction flow of information, purchase decisions, and possible consummation of those purchase decisions. For the purpose of this hypothetical example, we will presume that this instance of the Invention has been established for some time and is managed by the ABC Company that promotes it to Professional Sports Franchises and Venues. Example Clients Are: Seller: XYZ is a corporation that owns the XYZ professional basketball team and wishes to promote that team and sell its tickets as efficiently as possible. Media: DEF is a basketball oriented web site owned by the DEF Corporation with content and discussion groups about the sport of basketball. Its demographics are centered on young male basketball enthusiasts. GHI is an all sports oriented web site owned by the GHI Corporation with content and discussion groups covering all sports. Its demographics are largely young male. JKL is a national sports magazine, published by the JKL Corporation monthly with subscription and retail rack sales. Its demographics are centered on an all sports audience. MNO is a sports newsletter, published by the MNO Corporation with a circulation that is primarily within the geographic area of the home stadium of the XYZ basketball team. PQR is a broad-based chain of newspapers published across the country by the PQR Holding Corporation. Their circulation is a general one with a sports section daily and a special sports insert on weekends. STU is a chain of music and video stores that have displays within their stores allowing sports and event information and ticket sales. Their stores are located within urban malls and their customer base primarily is mixed gender between 15 and 25 years of age with good disposable income and leisure time. STU has also installed the biometric readers necessary to do the initial entry of buyers into the ticket and reservation network, which is part of the ABC instance of the invention. Buyer: John Q. Public is a basketball enthusiast. Media Participation: The DEF Corporation was approached by the ABC Company and agrees to be represented on the ABC instance of the invention. 1) The DEF Corporation decides that it will promote one of the five Internet Web Sites that it publishes on the ABC instance of the invention. DEF will promote its basketball site because it matches well with the focus and demographics of the ABC instance of the invention. 2) ABC sends DEF the necessary software to be installed on their computer. 3) A computer operator at DEF installs the software on their computer that then is configured as Media Interface 6000 FIG. 2e. 4) After installation and setup the DEF operator does basic information input as prompted by the Media Interface 6000 FIG. 2e of the present Invention. 5) After the input of basic information by the operator, the Media Interface 6000 prompts the operator for input that describes and sets the standards for the presentations that Seller Clients of ABC will use (by way of the invention to publish presentations) on the DEF Web Site. The inputs set the upper and lower limits of quantities such as amounts of text and size of images, restrictions of language and reference, standards of style and presentation, choices of type fonts and colors, as well as the cost of presentations and demographics of the DEF subscribers or viewers. Any disclaimers and contracts or agreements are added to be delivered and acknowledge electronically concurrent with the submission of presentations. 6) DEF has also chosen to offer interactive sales of appropriate products and services through its web site as managed by the ABC Central Presentation and Selection Server. 7) At any point during the input of information the operator may test the presentations that will be created using the standards set within the Media Interface 6000 FIG. 2e. This allows the operator and DEF's management to insure that those presentations received for publication from the ABC Seller Clients will indeed meet the standards for DEF publication. 8) The other Media GHI, JKL, MNO, PQR, and STU have gone through a similar process to establish their Media offerings on the ABC instance of the invention. 9) The following steps pick up from the Sellers Participation below at step number 18. That Seller's action effects the following media. 10) The DEF Sports Web receives electronically the Seller information, agreements, payment information, web pages to be displayed and banner advertising to be placed on their web site. DEF also receives the web interface for the sale of the XYZ tickets. 11) The KLM Newspaper Chain receives electronically the Seller information, agreements, payment information, a requested schedule of ad placement and publishing, and the formatted ads. Because KLM also maintains the associated web site it also receives the web interface for the sale of the XYZ tickets. 12) The HIJ Basketball Magazine receives electronically the Seller information, agreements, payment information, a requested schedule of ad placement and publishing, and the formatted ads to be placed in their magazine. 13) The STU music stores receive electronically the Seller information, agreements, payment information, and the interface for the sale of the XYZ tickets on its in-store displays. 14) Once the Ads and Presentations are received by the Media, any changes or updating are either allowed or denied by the Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c based on the restrictions entered by the Media during their setup. Seller Participation: 1) The XYZ Corporation makes the decision to use ABC's services to promote its Basketball team. 2) ABC sends XYZ the necessary software to be installed on their computer. 3) A computer operator at XYZ installs the software on their computer that then is configured as Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c. 4) After installation and setup the XYZ operator does basic information input as prompted by the Seller Interface 4000 FIG. 2c of the present Invention. 5) After the input of basic information by the operator, the Seller Interface 4000 presents available media venues and associated information for review by the XYZ Corporation management. 6) ABC currently represents 15 different Media venues within its instance of the present invention. Information such as distribution, users or viewers, price, content restrictions, etc. about each Media venue is available for review by the XYZ management. 7) XYZ management reviews available media and chooses The DEF Sports Web, The HIJ Basket Ball Magazine, and The KLM Newspaper Chain to advertise their schedule of games. With the KLM Newspaper there is also the associated KLM Web Site on which KLM offers information as well as sales of products and services as advertised within the KLM Chain of newspapers. STU music stores are also chosen strictly for the distribution and sales of tickets. 8) The Seller Interface 4000 then presents the publication dates, any specific disclaimers, and the charges for review and approval by the XYZ management. 9) Upon approval of those items, the Seller Interface 4000 prompts the operator for the necessary text, graphics, and any other information as required by the three chosen media to create and format the individual ads for the chosen media. 10) XYZ management has also elected to offer tickets to their basketball games held within the XYZ stadium. They have installed the necessary software that synchronizes the XYZ ticket sales and accounting software with the sales and inventory control provided by the ABC instance of the invention within the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000. XYZ chooses to offer ticket sales on the DEF Sports Web, the KLM Newspaper associated site that offers interactive electronic sales, and the STU music and video stores in store electronic ticket sales displays. 11) Due to the large number of seats within the stadium and similarity of pricing and desirability among each class of seat, XYZ management has also elected to use the Resource Saver Protocol to allow for better customer service between the various sales outlets. 12) The XYZ management sets the various seat and ticket restrictions, standards and pricing. This information will be available to the Buyer when purchasing through the ABC Central Presentation and Selection Server. Each seat or ticket class is assigned a maximum single purchase number and a buffer number, the total of those two numbers become the notification level. It is the notification level that controls the flow of the communications involving the sale of tickets for XYZ. 13) In order to take full advantage of the services offered by the ABC Central Presentation and Selection Server XYZ elects to install new automatic ticket vendors using the existing ID cards and biometric methods supported by the ABC Central Presentation and Selection Server. 14) At any point during the content input phase, the operator may view the final formatted presentation products based on each Media venue's restructuring of the information to create specific Media presentations. 15) When the XYZ management is satisfied with the results, as presented by the Seller Interface 4000, they indicate their approval of the presentations and charges and then transmits the information to the ABC Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000. In addition to the presentation information, the game dates, ticket prices, and information that synchronize current sold and available tickets are transmitted also. 16) When the ABC Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 receives the presentation information it establishes an account for XYZ, reviews and analyzes the presentation information submitted, and then notifies XYZ as to the acceptance, editing or rejection of the material and any adjusted publishing dates. 17) The ABC Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000 then transmits the appropriate formatted presentations to each media that was selected by XYZ. 18) The flow of information transfers to the Media Participation section above at step 9. Buyer Use: For this example we will follow John Q. Public (our example buyer) as he uses the invention. John is an avid basketball fan and subscribes to the JKL sports magazine, receives the local PQR newspaper, and frequents the DEF web site to participate in the free discussion groups centering on basketball that are hosted there. John has seen the ads within the PQR newspaper promoting the teams winning record and giving dates of upcoming games. Within the ads it was stated that tickets could be obtained from the PQR web site. (1) Unexpectedly one of John's friends called, stated that he would be in town the next night and would it be possible to go to the basketball game. John said that he would find out and call back. John remembered that the PQR newspaper ad for the XYZ team stated that one could buy tickets at the PQR web site. (2) John uses his computer and navigates to the PQR web site. Once there he finds the XYZ ticket purchase section, chooses the seats he wants, and asks for availability. (3) With availability confirmed John enters his payment information and is then asked how he wants the tickets delivered to him. This presents a dilemma for John because he must work tomorrow and will not have time to go to the stadium to pickup the tickets. He could pick them up at a “will call” station when he and his friend go to the game, but there is always a long line and John does not want to wait. (4) Another option that is presented to John is that of using one of several forms of ID (either credit cards, ID cards, or biometric) as the identification method in lieu of advanced ticket delivery to him. John recognizes that he has one of the accepted brands of Credit Card and chooses to use the system using that Credit Card as his personal ID. He enters the card number as his ID, the system accepts the ID and gives John instructions as to the systems use when they arrive at the stadium. (5) John calls his friend back and they agree to meet just before the game. (6) When John and his friend meet at the stadium they are late and the game is about to start. There is a long line at the “will call” booth and John is glad to avoid that line. John goes to the Automatic Ticket Vending Machine, swipes his credit card, and the Automatic Ticket Vending Machine prints the tickets with the seat location and dispenses them to John. (7) John and his friend enter the stadium to watch the game. (8) During the game John notices within the free program a notice that he can have his thumbprint taken at the “Will Call” both and then that will become his identification method when he next attends an event at the XYZ stadium. As John is leaving the game, he stops and has his thumb print scanned to serve as his future identification. Summary In the simplest scenario when the chosen section or ticket category was not near a sell out (reaching notification level), the sales location that John was purchasing from simply assigned a set of tickets for that section and confirms the sale. The sales location then transmits all data to the Central Presentation and Selection Server 1000 that transmits the information to the XYZ Seller Interface 4000 that then passes the information to the XYZ in-house Accounting and Ticket Sales software. Whenever sales in any given section reaches the notification level then all sales sites are notified that the quantity of available tickets is limited and that all sales must be confirmed with the Seller prior to releasing confirmation of the sale to the buyer. With the Biometric scan (thumbprint) that John had done as he was leaving the stadium he can now reserve seats at any of the events featured on the ABC instance of the current invention and will be able to use his thumbprint as his ID for access to the event or facility instead of or in addition to his existing Credit Card. Presentation Generation Program: This component of the present invention relates to the creation and placement of presentations of commercial information with the purpose of informing buyers as to available products, goods, and services. The invention's purpose is to allow the seller the ability to influence the buyer and induce said buyer to purchase those products, goods, and services while specifically allowing for the advanced purchase or reservation of those products, good, and services when appropriate. The invention allows sellers to create presentations on their computers that are automatically transmitted to be published and viewed on a variety of traditional and electronic media networks. The present invention partially resides on the sellers' computers, controls and edits the presentation, and then automatically transmits that information and data for publication on traditional media and electronic networks. The invention allows for the automatic publishing or updating of presentations within a simple environment that does not require lower-level coding or formatting of the presentation material. The present invention employs a text-only entry of information and data, thereby not requiring the seller to have knowledge of presentation computer codes or low-level formatting. The invention will provide substantial savings in this area of commerce because the seller can choose the media or outlet for sale of his products, goods, or services. His instance of the present invention can then create presentations that conform to each and every media outlet he chooses, submit the presentation, and prepare a report of the cost for such publication choices. The present invention allows sellers to offer their inventory, products, goods, and services for sale in a choice of one or a variety of supported media outlets: in print, such as newspapers, magazines, periodicals, guidebooks, catalogs, brochures, fliers and directories; in electronic form, such as online directories, web sites, bulletin boards, news groups, CD-ROMS, and interactive media and networks; and in other media, such as billboards, skywriters, bus benches, radio, interactive kiosk, and any other form of customer outreach or information distribution. After the seller makes these media choices, the present invention prompts him for information, based on the criteria set forth by each media outlet and held in The Presentation Rules Database 1650 and 4650, that is then used in the creation of presentations. The Presentation Rules Database 1650 and 4650 holds all the criteria, formatting architecture, distribution factors, and prices for each participating media outlet. The present invention's Presentation Generation Program 1710, along with the Presentation Rules Database 1650 and 4650, not only creates a presentation designed to conform to the requirements set forth by each media, but it also “dynamically generates” both static presentations which can be accessed by traditional search methods of the buyer and dynamic presentations which respond to the buyer. This function creates two very distinctively different presentations in a labor-saving database method so the seller can save time and resources while creating presentations that incorporate the best of both “dynamic” and “static” type of presentations. [Note: static presentations are easily indexed and accessed by search engine and search modes. These are the best formats for accessibility in electronic media. Dynamic presentations are database-driven and respond to the queries of the viewer (buyer) with current and real-time inventory changes, updates, and control]. An Internet or Intranet presentation that utilizes both methods for delivering information is far superior to any other presentation online today. The Presentation Generation Program allows for the creation of traditional and electronic sales and information by minimally trained personnel who merely have to input information into the program, aided by prompting from the present invention. Once the present invention generates the presentation, it either automatically publishes the presentation to the appropriate electronic destination or holds the presentation for a scheduled publication date to be submitted for a particular deadline or predetermined promotional market. These presentations can be updated for either presentation content or inventory control in near real time by either manual or automatic means via electronic message units from third-party management or inventory control software. This means the seller can update or control his inventory in every media with just one in-house updating function. The presentations created by the present invention allow for the sale of the products, goods, or services and for the making of payments by buyers on those interactive sites that support electronic sales. Inventory adjustments for production, sales, and other reasons are made in near real time, allowing for an accurate presentation of availability of inventory to buyers in all supported media. The present invention, when used in both electronic and traditional media, also allows for lower cost to both the seller and the media management by creating a self-serve, automated billing environment for the seller's creation and publishing of the presentations. The present invention provides substantial savings in the area of commerce because it allows for transactions to occur instantly at “point of sale” or, to use an appropriately faster term, “point of decision”. Interactive Sale and Reservations: On the buyer's side of the process, the present invention provides consistent, vendor-appropriate information in all forms of media for products, goods, and services offered for sale. Prior art, in regards to online presentations, often does not give the buyer current information because that inventory must be manually updated, so real-time or near real-time transaction becomes an inaccurate phrase. The information the buyer gets from one media outlet, electronic mall, or directory may be in conflict from another media outlet, electronic mall, or directory. This conflicting information may contribute to a Buyer's potential dissatisfaction of the Seller and the whole online presentation and sales process. As previously stated, the present invention's electronic presentations are created to give the buyer products, goods, and services that are easily accessible and that dynamically produce the latest, current information, pricing, and availability. Because the seller can automatically update all media outlets from his in-house management or accounting software or an instance of the present invention, the buyer can feel confident in getting current information and inventory. The Buyer has the choice to either conduct a search for the desired products, goods, or services using the on-site search capabilities or browse the presentations much the same way one would browse the aisles of books at a library. Once the Buyer has made a selection on those supported interactive outlets, he can purchase, reserve, or hold products, goods, or services. The present invention will then tell him that his request is available and ask him to reaffirm his choice. If his selection is not available, the present invention may give him the opportunity to choose something else, change his purchase request, or provide him with optional choices from the Referral Database 2670. The Referral Database is an option that Sellers can use to recommend other Sellers of similar products, goods, and services. In the case of lodging facilities, often Sellers will refer their overflow to other lodging facilities in their immediate area. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, Sellers will input referral to other Sellers into their instance of the present invention. Once the Buyer has been assured that his choice of a product, goods, or service is available, the present invention will then prompt him to enter the information required by the Seller. The Buyer Database 2610 maintains data on buyers who make interactive purchases or reservations of the products, goods, and services offered by the Seller over the Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 or Independent Presentations 3000. Data fields may contain Buyer's name, network or delivery ID, physical address, phone, email address, credit card information, and any other information deemed necessary to support the Buyer and the Seller's required buyer information. If the Buyer has previously made a purchase through the same instance of the present invention, most or all the information needed may already be in the Buyer Database 2610. In this case, the information required by the Seller will come up on the screen and the Buyer will be prompted to update any information that may have changed or needs to be added. Once the buyer has committed to a purchase and has completed all the transaction data required, the commitment is transmitted to the seller and the inventory is updated. With the present invention, inventory control of the suppliers, vendors, service providers, purveyors, and other types of sellers is maintained with a transaction and confirmation message unit sent between the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000, Central Controller and Presentation Processor 1000, and those suppliers, vendors, service providers and purveyors. The present invention will then ask the Buyer to choose a confirmation method. Choices of confirmation may be by phone, fax, email, confirmation number, or any requirements the Seller may select for proof of purchase. Once the Buyer chooses a method of confirmation, he can get a print-out of the Seller's commitment for delivery, a confirmation number, or whatever means of confirmation determined by the Seller. As an example, he can even get a complete print-out of directions to the facility if the purchase involves him arriving at a place of lodging, restaurant, arena, store, or any other facility. Network ID Card: This component of the present invention relates to the verification and substantiation of the purchase of access or admission to those services or events that traditionally have controlled access by means of tickets, passes, admission documents, reservations, reservation confirmations, or other substantiation at the facility, site, business, or venue. The full implementation of the present invention makes the usual requirement of delivery of tickets, passes, admission confirmations, or reservation confirmations unnecessary. These traditional conveyance forms are replaced or augmented by the buyer's Reservation/Ticket Network ID card or confirmation of biometric ID. The present invention allows buyers of tickets, passes, admission documents, and reserved services to purchase or reserve those tickets, passes, admission documents, or services remotely. The present invention allows the buyer to confirm or prove his purchase at the facility, site, business, or venue by means of his existing magnetic, smart, or optical ID card; by entry code; or by electronic biometric authentication. These means of proof can be approved by the operators of an instance either for exclusive use for that instance of the present invention, for multi-use in conjunction with other entities and the operators of the other instances of the present invention, or by a “piggy-back” method that will allow the issue or use of new or existing Credit Cards, Membership ID Cards, or other ID Cards. For those services or events that require printed tickets, passes, admission documents, reservation confirmations, or other physical substantiation, those means of confirmation can be printed on demand from either automatic or manual vendors upon electronic reading or scanning of the buyer's ID card, entry of a code, or biometric authentication. Network or Delivery ID cards may be approved by either one operator of an instance of the present invention or a group of operators of different instances of the present invention with cross-use allowed. Network or Delivery IDs may be Single-use or Multi-use cards that are also access cards to the Network or Delivery ID. Resource Saver Protocol: This component of the present invention provides a method and apparatus to control, coordinate, and synchronize the sales and availability of either common, unique, or time-sensitive products, goods, and services. The present invention does this while allowing for the purchase or reservation of these products, goods, and services through electronic networks and other diverse channels or outlets and keeping control of inventory to prevent overselling or overbooking. The preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes the Resource Saver Protocol to reduce the number of messages sent and received by all components of the present invention while maintaining the control and synchronization of any qualified inventory that is interactively offered for sale. With the reductions in the quantity of messages needed to maintain inventory synchronization, there is a corresponding reduction in all other aspects of communications and processing overhead between the remote components and sales outlets. The invention automatically updates all components of the present invention on multiple sites or media channels in a time-sensitive and time-appropriate basis. The automatic two-way network communications method of the present invention provides the necessary coordination of inventory and sales. With the added dimension of the Resource Saver Protocol, the Seller can divide his inventory into logical groups for marketing, presentation, and sales to the Buyer. Using a hotel as an example, the instance of the present invention is configured to represent Hotels and Lodging, and the Seller is a hotel with 312 rooms of the following types: 200 standard rooms, 100 upgrade rooms, and 12 suites. The setup of the Resource Saver Protocol is accomplished within the Presentation and Configuration Program 4715 or the Seller Interface 4000. The Seller divides the inventory into its logical groups for marketing, presentation, and sales to the Buyer. In this case, the groups are standard rooms, upgrade rooms, and suites. Each item in each group of items must be substitutable with all the other items within that group. If the inventory were not absolutely substitutable to any given Buyer, then the Seller would not use the Resource Saver Protocol in this inventory. That does not mean that all the Inventory items or groups of a Seller must either be or not be controlled by the Resource Saver Protocol. The Seller may have any combination of Inventory items or groups controlled or not controlled by the Resource Saver Protocol. In the case of the current hotel example, the inventory is considered to be both Limited and Time Sensitive. There are only a limited number of rooms of each type, and they are time sensitive in the fact that the inventory is sold by the “unit night” which, if not sold and utilized by that night, can never be used or recovered. The Seller must then set the maximum units of inventory that any given Buyer will be allowed to purchase in any given single transaction. In the hotel example, the Seller might set a limit of 5 rooms for any given Buyer to purchase from any Central Presentation and Selection Server 2000 or other outlets serviced by this instance of the present invention. By setting a reasonable maximum number of units of inventory that a Buyer may purchase, the Seller prevents that rare but possible case of a self-serve Buyer purchasing or reserving more inventories than is available. The Buyer is still allowed to purchase or reserve as much inventory as he likes, but the purchase must be transacted in sequential “maximum unit” transactions as opposed to one large transaction. Next, the Seller sets a buffer number for each of the groups of items to be offered to the Buyer. The purpose of this buffer is to allow for a margin of error, based on processing time and communication delays, to prevent the overselling of inventory (overbooking in the hotel example). This number is an estimate intended to be adjusted, based on the Seller's experience over time. In the hotel example, the management might set the buffer number at 10 units (twice the maximum single purchase) as a starting point, to be adjusted later based on the Sellers experience. Then the Seller must determine the Notification Level. This level equals the maximum purchase units a Buyer can make at one time plus the buffer number. For instance, if the Seller is a hotel, it has for purchase 200 units of the same type of room, the maximum purchase units are 5 rooms, and the buffer number is 10 rooms, then his Notification Level would be 15. This means that the Seller would receive transmissions from all of his outlets when a purchase is made. However, he would not have to communicate back to those outlets (via one transmission message to the Central Processor and Control Server 1000) until his remaining units reached or breached the available inventory level of 15 units. If the level were reached or breached, transmissions for units within the unit group would be communicated back and forth for each purchase from the available inventory level of 15 until all units are sold for that period of time. A demonstration of the transmission savings for the example hotel would be as follows. There are 100 rooms available at the example hotel and 5 sale outlets or channels are used. Without the use of the Resource Protocol, 320 (80 messages each to 4 outlets) inventory update messages would have to be sent in order to accomplish the total individual booking of 80 rooms. Each outlet or channel would maintain the availability count for the rooms, and one update message for the booking of each room would be sent to each of the sale outlets or channels that did not originate a given sale. With presale verification of available inventory for each transaction, our same example hotel would receive and send a combination of 240 queries, responses, and updates (80 each) to reach the 80 rooms booked. The actual number could be much more because the 240 number assumes that each query results in a booking, whereas in actual practice, the experience would be that many queries did not result in booking. In addition, the buyer would be required to wait for the amount of time that it took for the transaction verification process to take place. That amount of time may or may not be significant, depending on several factors such as the current network use, network connection speeds, etc. With the present invention, each sales outlet, channel, or other source of unique or time-sensitive products queries availability only after receiving notice of a predetermined inventory level or count. This means that with our example hotel, only 80 booking messages would be sent if the management sets the notification level (predetermined available inventory count) at 15 units remaining. This would cause a 66% to 80% savings of communications and computer resources. For our example hotel to reach 100% occupancy, the total message load would be 160 messages (100 booking plus 60 update to four outlets or channels). With verification being required, the total message load would be 190 (100 booking plus 60 update plus 30 queries and responses). This compares with a total of 500 messages without verification and 700 messages with verification (100 booking, plus 400 inventory update message, plus 200 queries and responses for verification), showing savings of 68% to 73%, depending on the method used after the notification level is reached or breached. It should be noted that the savings generated are more substantial than they appear to be for some Seller types. This is because the typical total sales of inventory in any given period does not reach the level that triggers the notification of the Central Presentation and Selection Servers 2000 or other outlets and channels. For more common or commodity-like products, goods, or services, there is little concern of overselling. In order to conserve on communication and other resources, the Resource Saver Protocol allows the electronic networks and traditional sales outlets, channels, or other sources of sales to batch or hold the sales transaction messages. These messages are then transmitted once a certain quantity has been sold, once a specified time period has passed, or a combination of both bases. The operator of a given instance of the present invention has the option of settings for transmission levels or transmission periods and specific transmission times, or general transmission times plus specific outlet offsets. As an example, a Seller of music CDs who has sufficient inventory might set the transmission level at 35, the transmission period at 24 hours, and the transmission time at 01:00 AM plus any offset. This would then set the electronic networks and traditional sales outlets, channels, or other sources to either transmit transaction messages any time they are holding 35 transactions or more, transmit transaction messages at least every 24 hours, and/or transmit any remaining transactions at 01:00 AM plus any offset. The instruction for transmitting any remaining transactions at a specific time plus offset allows the Seller to set each outlet's specific transactions so that the transmissions are spread over some time frame. The Seller can then choose a time for transmission so he can take advantage of low processing and communications loads. The potential savings by using the present invention in connection with controlling the inventory and sales of common products, goods, or services are obvious but widely varied, based on the Seller's settings and goals. Operators of the present invention may provide additional transaction certainty and verification in the form of “confirmation of the transaction” messages or “inventory count” and/or “sequence numbers” data fields with each transaction message. All of these methods are optional at the discretion of the operators of the instance of the present invention, based on their experience or concerns. With the “confirmation of the transaction” method, a confirmation message is sent back to the originating outlet, repeating or confirming each transaction message that has been sent. Although this doubles the message units passed between Sellers and outlets, these “confirmation of the transaction” messages can be sent at times of low processing and communications loads, thereby reducing the impact of their use. The use of these confirmation messages virtually reduces transmission errors to zero. This method can be used during initial periods to build operator confidence in the present invention more than as a method that is used all the time. The “inventory count” is a field that is passed on all transaction messages where a total inventory has been established and each outlet is comparing and subtracting each sales transaction from that inventory. The establishment of total inventory or noticed inventory is based on whether or not the Seller is using the Notification Level method of monitoring and controlling inventory. If the Seller is not using that method, then the total inventory is known by the outlets and is used as the “inventory count” to be passed. If the Seller is using the Notification Level method, then the “inventory count” field is only included after the Notification Level has been reached or breached at the Seller's location and the Notification Level messages have been sent to the outlets. This “inventory count” is used by the present invention to verify that each component (Seller's location and all sales outlets) is synchronized as to the inventory level that all are working off of. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail herein, it is to be understood that these descriptions are merely illustrative. The inventive system may be modified in a variety of ways and equivalents in order to suite a particular purpose while still employing the unique concepts set forth. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>The invention allows sellers to present their inventory, products, goods and services in a choice of one or a variety of supported media outlets: in print, such as newspapers, magazines, periodicals, guidebooks, catalogs, brochures, fliers, and directories; in electronic form, such as online directories, web sites, bulletin boards, news groups, CD-ROMs, and interactive media and networks; and in other media, such as billboards, skywriters, bus benches, radio, interactive kiosk and any other form of customer outreach or information distribution. When these media choices are made, the present invention prompts the seller for information that is then used in the creation of presentations for the media outlets he has chosen. The Presentation Rules Database holds all the criteria, formatting architecture, and distribution factors for each participating media outlet. The present invention's Presentation Generation Program, along with the Presentation Rules Database, then creates a presentation for each and every media outlet the seller has chosen. The Presentation Generation Program then either transmits the presentation to the appropriate destination or holds it for a publication date to be submitted for a particular deadline or predetermined promotional market. The seller can then print out a report that shows him each presentation, distribution or media outlet, and the pricing of each media choice for an overall marketing valuation. The present invention allows the Seller to update, change, control inventory, and automatically process sales either from his in-house or third party accounting or management software that has a compatible communication component with the present invention or in the present invention. He can accomplish this updating and inventory control to all media outlets simultaneously. The invention is a method and apparatus that allows for the creation of presentations for the commerce of products, goods and services for any and all size of business; the accessibility of those presentations to a vast population of the buying public both in print, electronic, interactive electronic, and other media; the sale, reservation, and purchasing of those products, goods and services; the confirmation of these purchases and reservations through a Network ID or confirmation system; and the management of inventory control through multiple media outlets while saving resources of processing, transmission, and communications. The invention is a method and apparatus that allows for the creation of presentations that comply with the design and architectural requirements of any and all participating media. This is applicable to all media either in print, such as newspapers, magazines, advertisements, guidebooks, directories, fliers, and brochures; and electronic media, such as online directories and malls, web sites, bulletin boards, news groups, CD-ROMs, and interactive media and networks; and other media, such as billboards, skywriters, bus benches, radio, interactive kiosk, and any other form of customer advertising, outreach, or information distribution. These presentations can be updated for either presentation content or inventory control in near real time, by either manual or automatic means, via electronic message units from third-party management or inventory control software. Electronic presentations created can be either static open-access or database driven dynamic server presentations. Where appropriate, these presentations allow for the sale of products, goods, or services and for the making of payments by buyers. Inventory adjustments for production, sales, and other reasons are made in near real time, allowing for an accurate presentation of availability of inventory to buyers. The present invention allows for lower cost to management when used with all media outlets by creating a self-serve, automated billing environment for the seller's creation and display of presentations. The invention is a method and apparatus that allows for the creation of both static and dynamic Internet and Intranet presentations for the sale of products, goods, and services to be accessible to the maximum number buyers and the interactive purchase of those products, goods and service. The present invention is a method and apparatus that allows buyers to purchase products, goods and service electronically and receive confirmation of that purchase. The invention allows for the verification and substantiation of the purchase of access or admission to those services or events that traditionally have controlled access by means of tickets, passes, admission documents, reservations, reservation confirmations, or other substantiation at the facility, site, business, or venue. The invention provides several methods for the buyer to provide a ID at the time of purchase, which is then transmitted electronically to the facility, site, business, or venue. That buyer Network ID is then confirmed by the facility, site, business, or venue by means of readers or scanners of the magnetic, smart, or optical ID cards or by other electronic means when biometric authentication is required. This confirmation may automatically result in the printing of the tickets, passes, admission documents, reservation confirmations, or other documents required for admittance or in the automatic and immediate physical admittance of the buyer or ID holder. The present invention allows for both complete inventory control and management and the global updating and accessibility of real-time and time-sensitive inventory while saving communication resources and time for any and all businesses that sell products, goods, and services regionally or world-wide. The invention allows for a substantial reduction of the communications and computer resources necessary to control and coordinate the availability, presentation, and sales of common, unique, or time-sensitive products, goods, and services. The present invention allows for the sales process to be adjusted so as to optimize the communications and computer resources used in relationship to the sales volume and Seller, Buyer, and usage profiles. | 20040930 | 20070703 | 20050224 | 65960.0 | 1 | FISCHER, ANDREW J | AN INTERNET ADVERTISING SYSTEM AND METHOD | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,955,234 | ACCEPTED | Condition assessment system and method | System and method for monitoring and controlling one or more valves. The method can include sensing a condition of a valve, transmitting the condition to a sensor server, and transmitting a data stream including the condition to an assessment application. The method can also include generating a predictive model and comparing the condition to the predictive model. The method can further include transmitting a control instruction to at least one of a valve positioner and the sensor server and varying the position of the valve based on the control instruction. | 1. A system for monitoring a condition of a valve, the system comprising: a valve having a variable position; a valve positioner that receives a control instruction, that varies the position of the valve, that determines a condition of the valve, and that transmits the condition; a sensor server that receives the condition, that transmits a data stream including the condition, that receives a control instruction from a control system, and that transmits the control instruction to the valve positioner; and an assessment application that receives the data stream and that assesses the condition of the valve by comparing the data stream to a predictive model. 2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data stream transmitted by the sensor server to the assessment application is substantially continuous. 3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control instruction and the condition are transmitted between the sensor server and the valve positioner on a single transmission line. 4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the condition transmitted by the valve positioner is a Highway Addressable Remote Transducer protocol signal. 5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor server is connected to the assessment application by an Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control link. 6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve includes a steam valve. 7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve includes a liquid valve. 8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor server includes a multiplexer. 9. A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the multiplexer establishes a plurality of data channels. 10. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plurality of data channels includes up to sixty-four data channels. 11. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control system generates an approximately 4 to 20 milliamp control instruction. 12. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assessment application generates the predictive model. 13. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the assessment application generates the predictive model from historical data. 14. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a modem connected between the sensor server and the assessment application. 15. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the modem includes a RS232 to RS422 modem. 16. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assessment application generates a warning signal when the data stream indicates a failure. 17. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve positioner applies one of a pressure and a force to the valve. 18. A system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the valve positioner applies approximately 3 to 27 pounds per square inch of pressure to the valve. 19. A system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the valve positioner varies the position of a valve plug by changing one of a pressure and a force applied to the valve. 20. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control instruction includes a position instruction. 21. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the condition includes at least one of a position condition, an applied pressure condition, a received pressure condition, a temperature condition, an emission condition, and a distance traveled condition. 22. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve positioner includes a digital positioner. 23. A system for monitoring a condition of each one of a plurality of valves, each one of the plurality of valves having a variable position, the system comprising: a plurality of valve positioners, each one of the plurality valve positioners determining a condition for each one of the plurality of valves, transmitting the condition, receiving a control instruction, and changing the position of one of the plurality of valves; a sensor server receiving the condition from each one of the plurality of valve positioners, transmitting a data stream including the condition, receiving the control instruction from a control system, and transmitting the control instruction to one of the plurality of valve positioners; and an assessment application receiving the data stream and assessing the condition of one of the plurality of valves by comparing the data stream to a predictive model. 24. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the data stream transmitted by the sensor server is substantially continuous. 25. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the control instruction and the condition are transmitted between the sensor server and one of the plurality of valve positioners on a single transmission line. 26. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the condition transmitted by each one of the plurality of valve positioners is a Highway Addressable Remote Transducer protocol signal. 27. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the sensor server is connected to the assessment application by an Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control link. 28. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the system monitors and controls a steam valve. 29. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the system monitors and controls a liquid valve. 30. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the sensor server includes a multiplexer. 31. A system as claimed in claim 30, wherein the multiplexer establishes a plurality of data channels. 32. A system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the plurality of data channels includes up to sixty-four data channels. 33. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the control system generates an approximately 4 to 20 milliamp control instruction. 34. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the assessment application generates the predictive model. 35. A system as claimed in claim 34, wherein the assessment application generates the predictive model from historical data. 36. A system as claimed in claim 23, further comprising a modem connected between the sensor server and the assessment application. 37. A system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the modem includes a RS232 to RS422 modem. 38. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the assessment application generates a warning signal when the data stream indicates a failure. 39. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein each one of the plurality of valve positioners applies one of a pressure and a force to the valve. 40. A system as claimed in claim 39, wherein at least one of the plurality of valve positioners applies approximately 3 to 27 pounds per square inch of pressure to the valve. 41. A system as claimed in claim 40, wherein at least one of the plurality of valve positioners varies the position of a valve plug by changing one of a pressure and a force applied to the valve. 42. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the control instruction includes a position instruction. 43. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the condition includes at least one of a position condition, an applied pressure condition, a received pressure condition, a temperature condition, an emission condition, and a distance traveled condition. 44. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein at least one of the plurality of valve positioners includes a digital positioner. 45. A method of monitoring and controlling a valve, the method comprising: sensing a condition of the valve; transmitting the condition to a sensor server; transmitting a data stream including the condition to an assessment application; generating a predictive model; comparing the condition to the predictive model; transmitting a control instruction to at least one of a valve positioner and the sensor server; and varying the position of the valve based on the control instruction. 46. A method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising transmitting a continuous data stream. 47. A method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising transmitting the condition and the control instruction between the sensor server and the valve positioner over a single transmission line. 48. A method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising transmitting the condition including a Highway Addressable Remote Transducer protocol signal. 49. A method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising establishing an Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control link between the sensor server and the assessment application. 50. A method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising sensing a condition of a steam valve. 51. A method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising sensing a condition of a liquid valve. 52. A method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising transmitting the condition to a multiplexer included in the sensor server. 53. A method as claimed in claim 52, further comprising establishing a plurality of data channels. 54. A method as claimed in claim 53, further comprising assigning the condition to one of the plurality of data channels. 55. A method as claimed in claim 54, further comprising generating an approximately 4 to 20 milliamp control instruction. 56. A method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising generating the predictive model from historical data. 57. A method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising modulating the data stream. 58. A method as claimed in claim 57, further comprising converting the data stream from a RS232 protocol to a RS422 protocol. 59. A method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising generating a warning signal when the data stream indicates a failure. 60. A method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising applying one of a pressure and a force to the valve. 61. A method as claimed in claim 60, further comprising applying an approximately 3 to 27 pounds per square inch of pressure to the valve. 62. A method as claimed in claim 60, further comprising applying one of a pressure and a force to the valve based on the control instruction. 63. A method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising generating a control instruction including a position instruction. 64. A method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising sensing at least one of a position condition, an applied pressure condition, a received pressure condition, a temperature condition, an emission condition, and a distance traveled condition. 65. A method as claimed in claim 45, further comprising generating a digital condition. 66. A valve positioner for monitoring and controlling a valve, the valve positioner comprising: an actuator that applies one of a pressure and a force to the valve; a sensor that reads a condition of the valve; and a processor that transmits the condition to a sensor server, that receives a control instruction from a control system, and that instructs the actuator to apply one of a pressure and a force to the valve. 67. A valve positioner as claimed in claim 66, wherein the processor transmits the condition in a data stream that is substantially continuous. 68. A valve positioner as claimed in claim 66, wherein the processor transmits the condition and receives the control instruction over a single transmission line. 69. A valve positioner as claimed in claim 66, wherein the condition is a Highway Addressable Remote Transducer protocol signal. 70. A valve positioner as claimed in claim 66, wherein the processor transmits the condition to the assessment application over an Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control link. 71. A valve positioner as claimed in claim 66, wherein the valve includes a steam valve. 72. A valve positioner as claimed in claim 66, wherein the valve includes a liquid valve. 73. A valve positioner as claimed in claim 66, wherein the actuator applies approximately 3 to 27 pounds per square inch of pressure to the valve. 74. A valve positioner as claimed in claim 66, wherein the control instruction includes a position instruction. 75. A valve positioner as claimed in claim 66, wherein the condition includes at least one of a position condition, an applied pressure condition, a received pressure condition, a temperature condition, an emission condition, and a distance traveled condition. 76. A valve positioner as claimed in claim 66, wherein the condition is digital. 77. A sensor server for use in a system for monitoring and controlling a plurality of valves, the sensor server comprising: a plurality of valve channels receiving a condition from each one of a plurality of valve positioners and transmitting a control instruction to each one of the plurality of valve positioners; a multiplexer combining the condition received from each one of the plurality of valve positioners into a data stream; an assessment channel transmitting the data stream to an assessment application; and a control system channel receiving a control instruction for each one of the plurality of valve positioners. 78. A sensor server as claimed in claim 77, wherein the data stream is substantially continuous. 79. A sensor server as claimed in claim 77, wherein the condition is received from and the control instruction is transmitted over a single transmission line. 80. A sensor server as claimed in claim 77, wherein the condition includes a Highway Addressable Remote Transducer protocol signal. 81. A sensor server as claimed in claim 77, wherein the assessment channel includes an Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control link. 82. A sensor server as claimed in claim 77, wherein at least one of the plurality of valves includes a steam valve. 83. A sensor server as claimed in claim 77, wherein at least one of the plurality of valves includes a liquid valve. 84. A sensor server as claimed in claim 77, wherein the data stream includes a plurality of data channels. 85. A sensor server as claimed in claim 84, wherein the multiplexer establishes the plurality of data channels. 86. A sensor server as claimed in claim 85, wherein the multiplexer assigns the condition from each one of the plurality of valve positioners to one of the plurality of data channels. 87. A sensor server as claimed in claim 77, wherein the control system generates an approximately 4 to 20 milliamp control instruction. 88. A sensor server as claimed in claim 77, further comprising a modem connected between the sensor server and the assessment application. 89. A sensor server as claimed in claim 88, wherein the modem includes a RS232 to RS422 modem. 90. A sensor server as claimed in claim 77, wherein the control instruction includes a position condition. 91. A sensor server as claimed in claim 77, wherein the condition includes at least one of a position condition, an applied pressure condition, a received pressure condition, a temperature condition, an emission condition, and a distanced traveled condition. 92. A sensor server as claimed in claim 77, wherein at least one of the plurality of valve positioners includes a digital positioner. 93. A system for monitoring a condition of a valve, the system comprising: a valve having a variable position; a valve positioner that receives a control instruction, that varies the position of the valve, that determines a condition of the valve, and that transmits the condition in a Highway Addressable Remote Transducer protocol signal; a sensor server that receives the condition, that transmits a substantially continuous data stream including the condition, that receives a control instruction from a control system, and that transmits the control instruction to the valve positioner, the control instruction and the condition being transmitted between the sensor server and the valve positioner on a single transmission line; and an assessment application that receives the substantially continuous data stream over an Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control link and that assesses the condition of the valve by comparing the data stream to a predictive model. 94. Computer readable medium containing instructions for monitoring and controlling a plurality of valves, the instructions comprising: determining a condition for each one of the plurality of valves; transmitting the condition to a sensor server; generating a data stream including the condition for each one of the plurality of valves; transmitting the data stream to an assessment application; generating a predictive model; comparing the data stream to the predictive model; transmitting a control instruction from a control system to at least one of the sensor server and a valve positioner; and varying the position of the valve based on the control instruction. 95. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising transmitting a substantially continuous data stream. 96. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising transmitting the condition and the control instruction between the sensor server and the valve positioner over a single transmission line. 97. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising transmitting the condition including a Highway Addressable Remote Transducer protocol signal. 98. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising transmitting the condition over an Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control link. 99. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising sensing a condition of a steam valve. 100. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising sensing a condition of a liquid valve. 102. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising transmitting the condition to a multiplexer. 103. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising establishing a plurality of data channels. 104. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 103, further comprising assigning the condition to one of the plurality of data channels. 105. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising generating an approximately 4 to 20 milliamp control instruction. 106. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising generating the predictive model from historical data. 107. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising modulating the data stream. 108. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 107, further comprising converting the data stream from a RS232 protocol to a RS422 protocol. 109. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising generating a warning signal when the data stream indicates a failure. 110. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising applying one of a pressure and a force to the valve. 111. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 110, further comprising applying approximately 3 to 27 pounds per square inch of pressure to the valve. 112. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 110, further comprising applying one of a pressure and a force to the valve based on the control instruction. 113. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising generating a position instruction. 114. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising sensing at least one of a position condition, an applied pressure condition, a received pressure condition, a temperature condition, an emission condition, and a distance traveled condition. 115. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 94, further comprising generating a digital condition. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As manufacturing systems become more automated, control mechanisms that monitor and regulate the numerous components, such as controllable valves, become more important and prominent. Many current manufacturing systems employ a large number of control mechanisms that monitor operating parameters, such as flow through valves, to ensure that the system performs as desired. If one or more components of a manufacturing system fail, the operation of the entire manufacturing system can suffer. Failing components can cause significant damages or unwanted modifications to the output of the manufacturing system or to other components of the manufacturing system. In some situations, the damages or modifications can be dangerous. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the invention provide a system for monitoring a condition of a valve. The system can include a valve having a variable position. The system can also include a valve positioner that receives a control instruction, that varies the position of the valve, that determines a condition of the valve, and that transmits the condition. The system can further include a sensor server that receives the condition, that transmits a data stream including the condition, that receives the control instruction from a control system, and that transmits the control instruction to the valve positioner. The system can still further include an assessment application that receives the data stream and that assesses the condition of the valve by comparing the data stream to a predictive model. Some embodiments of the invention provide a method of monitoring and controlling a valve. The method can include sensing a condition of the valve, transmitting the condition to a sensor server, and transmitting a data stream including the condition to an assessment application. The method can also include generating a predictive model and comparing the condition to the predictive model. The method can further include transmitting a control instruction from a control system to at least one of a valve positioner and the sensor server and varying the position of the valve based on the control instruction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a control mechanism for monitoring the operation of a valve according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a control system for monitoring and controlling the operation of a valve according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a control system for monitoring and controlling a plurality of control/sensor devices according to another embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limited. The use of “including,” “comprising” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The terms “mounted,” “connected” and “coupled” are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mounting, connecting and coupling. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings, and can include electrical connections or couplings, whether direct or indirect. In addition, it should be understood that embodiments of the invention include both hardware and electronic components or modules that, for purposes of discussion, may be illustrated and described as if the majority of the components were implemented solely in hardware. However, one of ordinary skill in the art, and based on a reading of this detailed description, would recognize that, in at least one embodiment, the electronic based aspects of the invention may be implemented in software. As such, it should be noted that a plurality of hardware and software based devices, as well as a plurality of different structural components may be utilized to implement the invention. Furthermore, and as described in subsequent paragraphs, the specific configurations illustrated in the drawings are intended to exemplify embodiments of the invention and that other alternative configurations are possible. FIG. 1 illustrates a valve 20 and a control mechanism embodied by a valve positioner 30 that monitors the operation of the valve 20. The valve 20 can include a valve opening 22 and a valve plug 24. The valve 20 can be a component of a controlled system 38, such as a power plant, an assembly line, a feedwater heater, a steam turbine, fuel-control valves and spray valves, or another type of system that has regulated inputs, outputs, and/or operations. The valve 20 can be a steam release valve for releasing steam generated by a turbine. The valve 20 can also be a flume control, fuel injector, or other liquid valve that controls the amount of liquid supplied to a piece of machinery. In general, the valve 20 can be any suitable type of valve that regulates the amount of substance entering or leaving the controlled system 38. The position of the valve plug 24 within the valve opening 22 can be adjusted to change the size of the valve opening 22, and as a result, the amount of substance that is allowed into or out of the controlled system 38. It should be understood that other constructions for the valve 20 are possible. For example, the valve 20 can include a flume or input/output channel and a pinch or wrench that block or allow flow through the flume. The valve positioner 30 can vary the position of the valve 20. The valve positioner 30 can be a digital valve positioner. In some embodiments, the valve positioner 30 can receive an analog control signal (which can include a control instruction as further described below) and can output a digital feedback signal regarding the operation of the valve 20 and/or the control system 38. In other words, the valve positioner 30 can be controlled by an analog control signal or control instruction and can provide a digital feedback signal. In comparison to an analog signal, the digital feedback signal may contain more information and can often transmit information more efficiently. For example, the digital feedback signal can take advantage of network bandwidth or related baud rate to provide more information per transmission. The quality and integrity of the data contained in the feedback signal can also be better ensured using a digital signal. In some embodiments, the valve positioner 30 can include an actuator 32, a sensor 34, and a processor 36. The actuator 32 can apply a pressure or a force to the valve 20, or in particular, to the valve plug 24, in order to vary the position of the valve plug 24 and vary the opening of the valve 20. For example, the valve 20 can include a pneumatic linear actuator (including a spring and a diaphragm) that applies a force to move the valve plug 24. In some embodiments, the actuator 32 can apply approximately 3 to 27 pounds per square inch of pressure to the valve 20. Other amounts of pressure can be applied by the valve positioner 30, depending on the characteristics of the valve 20. For example, in some embodiments, the valve positioner 30 via the actuator 32 can also adjust the opening of the valve 20 through mechanisms other than applying pressure. In one embodiment, the valve positioner 30 via the actuator 32 can apply torque to the valve plug 24 in order to turn the valve plug 24 and adjust the rotational position of the valve plug 24 in the valve opening 22. The actuator 32 can include a solenoid or an air pressure applicator that adjusts the position of the valve plug 24 in the valve opening 22. In general, the actuator 32 can include any device that can receive and apply a pressure or a force to change the valve opening 22. The sensor 34 of the valve positioner 30 can obtain a condition of the valve 20. The term “condition” as used herein and in the appended claims can include one or more of the feedback parameters or information discussed below (e.g., position, applied pressure, received pressure, temperature, emissions, cycles, etc.). It should also be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that multiple sensors performing various individual functions can be included in the sensor 34. Also, in some embodiments, a single sensor 34 can perform multiple functions. In some embodiments, the condition of the valve 20 can include up to 12 separate signals acquired from the valve positioner 30. For example, in some embodiments, the sensor 34 can sense a position condition of the valve 20 that specifies the physical position of the valve plug 24 in the valve opening 22. In some embodiments, the sensor 34 can sense a distance traveled condition of the valve plug 24. The distance traveled condition can indicate the total amount of movement the valve plug 24 has made. The distanced traveled condition can indicate over a period of time how often and how much the position of the valve plug 24 changes. In some embodiments, the sensor 34 can sense an applied pressure condition (or position demand condition) of the valve 20. The applied pressure condition can indicate the amount of pressure applied to the valve plug 24 by the actuator 32 (e.g., pressure from an air supply). In some embodiments, the sensor 34 can determine a corresponding received pressure condition (or valve stem feedback condition) that identifies the amount of pushback pressure presented by the valve plug 24. The pushback pressure results from the pressure present inside the controlled system 38 being regulated by the valve 20. For example, the valve 20 can control the release of steam generated by a turbine. The steam generated and contained within the turbine can create pushback pressure on the valve 20 that can, in some embodiments, be sensed by the sensor 34. In some embodiments, the sensor 34 can sense a temperature condition of the valve 20 (e.g., a temperature of the valve positioner 30). The temperature condition can represent a temperature of the valve 20 or another component whose temperature influences the operation of the valve 20. In some embodiments, the sensor 34 can sense emission conditions. Emission conditions can indicate the flow rate or amount of substance released through the valve 20. Emission conditions can also indicate other characteristics of the released substance, such as chemical compositions. Additional or alternative conditions can be sensed by the sensor 34 of the valve positioner 30, such as cycle conditions that count the number of changes the position of the valve 20 goes through, and/or time conditions that indicate a percentage of time that the valve 20 is considered opened and/or closed. Depending on the type of controlled system 38 and the type of valve 20, other feedback conditions can alternatively be detected by the sensor 34. The processor 36 of the valve positioner 30 can process the condition sensed by the sensor 34 before transmitting the condition to another system, application, or device. The processor 36 can also process received instructions or signals from other systems, applications, or devices. The processor 36 can receive incoming signals, process the signals to determine the requested action, and can communicate with the actuator 32 or the sensor 34 to operate according to the received signals. The processor 36 can also be configured to perform internal processing or logic to determine error conditions or an erroneous sensed condition or operation. FIG. 2 illustrates a system 40 for monitoring and controlling the operation of the valve 20 with respect to the controlled system 38. The system 40 can include the valve 20, the valve positioner 30, a sensor server 54 including a processor 55, a modem 56, a network 57, an assessment application 58, a historian system 59, and a control system 60. In some embodiments, the condition sensed by the sensor 34 of the valve positioner 30 can be transmitted to the sensor server 54 in a data stream having a particular format or protocol. For example, the data stream can be transmitted to the sensor server 54 using the Highway Addressable Remote Transducer (“HART”) protocol. The HART protocol is a common communication protocol for “smart” field instruments. The HART protocol uses 1200 baud Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) based on the Bell 202 standard to superimpose digital information on a 4 to 20 milliamp analog control signal. The analog control signal that includes superimposed digital data allows the HART protocol to be used with analog and digital systems, and allows control and feedback to coexist on a single transmission line. In some embodiments, the analog control signal provides control instructions and the superimposed digital data provides feedback data (i.e., the condition of the valve 20). The sensor server 54 can transmit the data stream including the condition received from the valve positioner 30 (i.e., the digital feedback signal) to an assessment application 58. In some embodiments, the data stream transmitted to the assessment application 58 can be a substantially continuous data stream that provides the condition of the valve 20 in real-time. It should be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that a substantially continuous data stream can provide the condition periodically as defined by a sampling rate or as averaged over a set time duration. In other words, the condition of the valve 20 is always available to the sensor server 54 whether or not the sensor server 54 obtains and transmits the condition of the valve 20. Providing the condition in real-time can allow the assessment application 58 to substantially continuously monitor the operation of the controlled system 38 and make adjustments quickly and efficiently. Thus, the delay between the time an inefficient or dangerous operating condition exists and corrective action is requested and performed can be minimized. In addition, the assessment application 58 can receive a continuous and current view of the operating conditions of the controlled system 38, or more particularly, the valve 20. Before transmitting the data stream and/or the control signal, the sensor server 54 can separate the analog control signal from the digital feedback signal. In some embodiments, the control system 60 cannot handle or process digital feedback signals, and the sensor server 54 can remove the digital feedback signal from the analog control signal before transmitting the analog control signal to the control system 60. Similarly, the sensor server 54 can remove the analog control signal from the digital feedback signal before transmitting the digital feedback signal to the assessment application 58. In some embodiments, intermediary devices or applications, such as the modem 56, can be interfaced within the network 57 between the sensor server 54 and the assessment application 58. The modem 56 can modulate or format the data stream output by the sensor server 53 and received by the assessment application 58. The modem 56 can be a RS232 to RS422 module that converts the data stream from the RS232 protocol to the RS422 protocol and provides increased transmission distance and baud rates. It should be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the functionality of the modem 56 can be incorporated in the sensor server 54 and may not be a separate component. Additional intermediary devices, such as routers or gateways, can be connected between the sensor server 54 and the assessment application 58 to transmit the data stream. The connection between the sensor server 54 and the assessment application 58, and any intermediary devices, can use a Data Access Standard known as Object Linking and Embedding (“OLE”) for Process Control (“OPC”). An OPC link follows standardized procedures and protocols to ensure interoperability with preexisting and future devices, systems, and applications. The use of OLE as the basis for a single client/server specification for controlling industrial devices allows any vendor to develop software and applications that can share data and eliminate the proprietary schemes that once forced vendors to develop numerous communications drivers. In some embodiments, the OPC link can provide a substantially continuous data stream that allows the assessment application 58 to perform a real-time analysis of the data stream. In some embodiments, the assessment application 58 can be executed at a remote location and a system manager can monitor its operation. The condition of the valve 20 can be transmitted from the sensor server 54 to the assessment application 58 over the network 57, such as a local area network (“LAN”) or the Internet. The system manager can monitor the condition received by the assessment application 58. In other embodiments, the assessment application 58 can be located in close proximity to the controlled system 38 and/or the valve 20. The historian system 59 can be a data storage device such as one or more databases, hard-disk drives, etc. The historical data can include past operating trends, operating limits, or additional data that can be referenced to control current operating parameters. In some embodiments, the assessment application 58 can add the condition received from the valve 20, the valve positioner 30, and/or the controlled system 38 to the historian system 59. The assessment application 58 can also forward the condition to other systems or data storage devices through other direct or indirect connections (not shown). In some embodiments, the historian system 59 can be an Enterprise Wide Historian System (“EWHS”) that collects historical data from a number of components or controlled systems that comprise a larger manufacturing system. The assessment application 58 can generate a warning signal if the condition received in the digital feedback signal indicates a situation requiring immediate notification and/or correction. In some embodiments, a warning signal can set a timing device to track the duration of the condition that is indicating a potential failure. In some embodiments, the assessment application 58 can use historical data stored within the historian system 59 to make predictions regarding failures and to generate a warning signal based on those predictions. In some embodiments, the assessment application 58 can use a predictive model to analyze the condition of the valve 20. The assessment application 58 can generate a predictive model from the data stored in the historian system 59. The predictive model can calculate probable future behavior of the controlled system 38 based on past patterns, and can provide early suggestive actions to avoid system failures or inefficient operation. The predictive model used by the assessment application 58 can also be previously generated. The previously-generated model can be generated by the assessment application 58 or can be previously generated by another application and then referenced by the assessment application 58 as needed. The predictive model can be stored in the historian system 59, the assessment application 58, or another storage device. The assessment application 58 can use the predictive models to predict failures in the valve 20, the valve positioner 30, the actuator 32, or other components of the controlled system 38. The assessment application 58 can predict a problem before a failure causes an operational issue and/or lost output from the controlled system 38. The assessment application 58 can compare the condition received from the valve positioner 30 to a modeled condition in the predicative model and can calculate a difference. The assessment application 58 can generate an alarm or warning signal if the difference is above a threshold, indicating that the condition is either too high or too low and may lead to a failure. The warning signal can be an audible, visual, or movement (e.g., vibration) signal. The ability to detect incipient changes and provide early detection of failure can provide operational value and can help prevent damages to the valve 20 or to any other portion of the controlled system 38. The control system 60 can determine operating adjustments and can generate a corresponding control instruction for the controlled system 38 based on the analog control signal received from the valve positioner 30. In one embodiment, the control system 60 includes a Bailey Infi 90 distributed control system (DCS) that produces an analog output. The control system 60 can provide the control instruction to adjust the operation of the controlled system 38. For example, if the valve positioner 30 provides an analog control signal that indicates a high pressure inside the controlled system 38, the valve 20 can be opened to release the built-up pressure. The control system 60 can generate a control instruction, or more particularly a position instruction, to adjust the operation of the valve 20. The position instruction can indicate an amount of pressure or force the valve positioner 30 should apply to the valve 20 in order to achieve the correct position of the valve plug 24. In general, the control system 60 can generate a control instruction that may or may not include a position instruction for the valve 20 and/or the valve positioner 30. For example, rather than a position instruction for altering the position of the valve 20, the control instruction can include a request for more control data and/or an instruction to remain in the current position. In some embodiments, the control instruction can include a request for additional data along with a position instruction. After generating a control instruction, such as a position instruction, the control system 60 can transmit the control instruction to the sensor server 54. In some embodiments, the transmission line between the valve positioner 30 and the sensor server 54 can be a bi-directional line, and the control instruction generated by the control system 60 can be transmitted over the same transmission line that the data stream including the condition of the valve 20 was transmitted. When the sensor server 54 receives the control instruction from the control system 60, the processor 55 of the sensor server 54 can process the control instruction and can forward the control instruction to the appropriate valve positioner 30 (e.g., if there is more than one valve positioner connected to the sensor server 24, as shown and described with respect to FIG. 3). If necessary, the sensor server 54, using the processor 55, can format the received control instruction into a control instruction recognized or understood by the valve positioner 30. The valve positioner 30 can be configured to receive control information in a specific format, such as an analog control signal having a range of amperage values, with each value indicating a particular control instruction. In some embodiments, the processor 55 can integrate or convert the control instruction received from the control system 60 into a position instruction recognizable to the valve positioner 30. The control system 60 can provide the processor 55 with a signal, such as an analog control signal ranging between approximately 4 and 20 milliamps, which the processor 55 can use to generate a position instruction for the valve positioner 30. After performing any necessary formatting, the sensor server 54 can transmit the control instruction to the valve positioner 30. The processor 36 of the valve positioner 30 can receive the control instruction, process the control instruction to receive any position instruction included in the control instruction, and instruct the actuator 32 to adjust the amount of pressure or the force applied to the valve 20 in order to change the position of the valve 20 as indicated by the position instruction. In some embodiments, the processor 36 can error check the control instruction received by the sensor server 54 to ensure that the command will not cause the valve positioner 30 or the valve 20 to operate outside of normal operating parameters. The valve positioner 30, or more particularly the processor 36, can generate a warning if an invalid control instruction is received from the sensor server 54. The warning can be transmitted back to the sensor server 54 and/or the assessment application 58. FIG. 3 illustrates a control system 80 according to another embodiment of the invention in which the sensor server 54 is connected to two or more control/sensor devices 82, such as two or more valve positioners 30. The control/sensor devices 82 can monitor a controlled system 90 (which can also represent two or more separate controlled systems). Each of the control/sensor devices 82 can monitor a specific part or component of the controlled system 90. Alternatively, two or more of the control/sensor devices 82 can monitor the same part or component to provide redundant observation and control. Each one of the control/sensor devices 82 can generate a condition that can be used to assess the operation of the controlled system 90. To accommodate the control/sensor devices 82, the sensor server 54 can include a multiplexer 88 in addition to the processor 55. The multiplexer 88 can combine the signals from the control/sensor devices 82 so that the data stream can be transmitted in substantially real-time on a single transmission line. It should be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that a substantially real-time data stream can provide the conditions of the control/sensor devices 82 as sensed at a specific sampling rate, as averaged over a set time duration, or as an adjustment (i.e., increase or decrease) from a previously-sensed condition. The multiplexer 88 can perform frequency division multiplexing to integrate the various outputs of the control/sensor devices 82 into a single output. Frequency division multiplexing can be used to assign each data source to a different carrier frequency. The assigned carrier frequencies can be sufficiently separated to ensure that the signals, or data channels, do not overlap. Since the output of each control/sensor device 82 is transmitted on its own frequency, each control/sensor device 82 does not wait for other control/sensor devices 82 in order to use the single transmission line. Frequency division multiplexing can be used to provide real-time transmission of data. In some embodiments, the multiplexer 88 included in the sensor server 54 can integrate up to 64 data channels into a single output data stream. In other embodiments, the multiplexer 88 can use other multiplexing techniques, such as time division multiplexing or statistical time division multiplexing. The conditions from multiple control/sensor devices 82 can be integrated by the multiplexer 88 and can be transmitted to the assessment application 58 over a single transmission line. The assessment application 58 can receive the data stream from the sensor server 54. In addition, upon receiving the control instructions from the control system 60, the sensor server 54 can transmit each of the control instructions to the appropriate control/sensor device 82. It should be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that embodiments of the invention can be implemented using various computer devices, such as personal computers, servers, and other devices that have processors or that are capable of executing programs or sets of instructions. In general, the invention can be implemented using existing hardware or hardware that could be readily created by those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the architecture of exemplary devices has not always been explained in detail, except to note that the devices will generally have a processor, memory (of some kind), and input and output applications. The processor can be a microprocessor, a programmable logic control, an application specific integrated circuit, or a computing device configured to fetch and execute instructions. In some cases, the devices can also have operating systems and application programs that are managed by the operating systems. It should also be noted that although the control systems 40 and 80 are shown connected in a network, no specific network configuration is implied. One or more networks or communication systems, such as the Internet, telephone systems, wireless networks, satellite networks, cable TV networks, and various other private and public networks, could be used in various combinations to provide the communication links desired or needed to create embodiments or implementations of the invention, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the invention is not limited to any specific network or combinations of networks. Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>As manufacturing systems become more automated, control mechanisms that monitor and regulate the numerous components, such as controllable valves, become more important and prominent. Many current manufacturing systems employ a large number of control mechanisms that monitor operating parameters, such as flow through valves, to ensure that the system performs as desired. If one or more components of a manufacturing system fail, the operation of the entire manufacturing system can suffer. Failing components can cause significant damages or unwanted modifications to the output of the manufacturing system or to other components of the manufacturing system. In some situations, the damages or modifications can be dangerous. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Embodiments of the invention provide a system for monitoring a condition of a valve. The system can include a valve having a variable position. The system can also include a valve positioner that receives a control instruction, that varies the position of the valve, that determines a condition of the valve, and that transmits the condition. The system can further include a sensor server that receives the condition, that transmits a data stream including the condition, that receives the control instruction from a control system, and that transmits the control instruction to the valve positioner. The system can still further include an assessment application that receives the data stream and that assesses the condition of the valve by comparing the data stream to a predictive model. Some embodiments of the invention provide a method of monitoring and controlling a valve. The method can include sensing a condition of the valve, transmitting the condition to a sensor server, and transmitting a data stream including the condition to an assessment application. The method can also include generating a predictive model and comparing the condition to the predictive model. The method can further include transmitting a control instruction from a control system to at least one of a valve positioner and the sensor server and varying the position of the valve based on the control instruction. | 20040930 | 20070206 | 20060406 | 71758.0 | G08B2100 | 0 | BUGG, GEORGE A | CONDITION ASSESSMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | G08B | 2,004 |
|
10,955,571 | ACCEPTED | High speed, high density electrical connector | An electrical connector with electrically lossy materials bridging ground members. The lossy conductive members may be formed by filling a settable binder with conductive particles, allowing the partially conductive members to be formed through an insert molding process. Connectors assembled from wafers that contain signal conductors held within an insulative housing may incorporate lossy conductive members by having filled thermal plastic molded onto the insulatative housing. The lossy conductive members may be used in conjunction with magnetically lossy materials. The lossy conductive members reduce ground system do resonance within the connector, thereby increasing the high frequency performance of the connector. | 1. An electrical connector having comprising: a) a plurality type contact elements, positioned in a column; b) a plurality of discrete conductive elements each disposed adjacent at least one of the contact elements; c) insulative material securing at least the plurality of contact elements; and d) electrically lossy material bridging the discrete conductive elements. 2. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the electrically lossy material comprises a lossy conductor. 3. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the electrically lossy material comprises a lossy dielectric. 4. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the electrically lossy material bridges the conductive elements by making direct contact to each of the discrete conductive elements. 5. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the electrically lossy material bridges the conductive elements by being capacitively coupled to each of the discrete conductive elements. 6. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the electrically lossy material comprises a binder and a plurality of conducting particles therein. 7. The electrical connector of claim 6 wherein the conducting particles comprise flakes. 8. The electrical connector of claim 6 wherein the conducting particles comprise fibers. 9. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein the fibers comprise metal coated fibers. 10. The electrical connector of claim 9 wherein the fibers comprise nickel coated graphite fibers. 11. The electrical connector of claim 6 wherein the binder is a thermoplastic. 12. The electrical connector of claim 6 wherein the binder is a curable adhesive. 13. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the electrically lossy material comprises a preform having a fibrous substrate, a binder and a plurality of conductive particles disposed in the binder. 14. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the electrically lossy material has a surface resistance between 1 and 103 Ω/square. 15. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the electrically lossy material has a surface resistance between 10 Ω/square and 100 Ω/square. 16. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the electrically lossy material has a surface resistance between 20 Ω/square and 40 Ω/square. 17. The electrical connector of claim 14 wherein the electrically lossy material has a thickness between 0.025 mm and 1 mm in a region adjacent each of the conductive elements. 18. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the electrically lossy material has a bulk resistance between 0.01 Ω-cm and 1 Ω-cm. 19. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the electrically lossy material has a bulk resistance between 0.05 Ω-cm and 0.5 Ω-cm. 20. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the electrically lossy material has a bulk resistance between 0.1 Ω-cm and 0.2 Ω-cm. 21. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the plurality of discrete conductive elements are L-shaped. 22. The electrical connector of claim 21 wherein the electrically lossy material comprises a binder with conductive particles therein and at least a portion of each discrete conductive element is embedded in the binder. 23. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the plurality of discrete conductive elements are positioned within the column of contact elements. 24. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the plurality of discrete conductive elements are disposed in a line parallel to the column. 25. The electrical connector of claim 1 comprising a first wafer containing the column of contact elements and the electrical connector further comprises: a plurality of like wafers aligned in parallel with the first wafer, and a layer of magnetically lossy material between adjacent wafers. 26. An electrical connector comprising a plurality of regions, each region having: a) insulative material; b) a plurality of signal conductors, each signal conductor having a contact tail and a contact portion and an intermediate portion there between, and at least a part of the intermediate portion of each of the signal conductors secured in the insulative material; c) a plurality of shield members, each shield member having an intermediate portion adjacent an intermediate portion of a signal conductor; and d) electrically lossy material positioned adjacent the intermediate portion of the each of the shield members. 27. The electrical connector of claim 26 wherein each region further comprises magnetically lossy material disposed between the plurality of shield members in the region and signal conductors in an adjacent region. 28. The electrical connector of claim 26 wherein within each region the intermediate portions of the plurality of signal conductors are positioned in a plane and each shield member comprises a first portion parallel to the plane and a second portion transverse to the plane. 29. The electrical connector of claim 26 wherein within each region the electrically lossy material is in contact with the intermediate portion of each of the shield members. 30. The electrical connector of claim 26 wherein within each region the electrically lossy material is capacitively coupled to the intermediate portion of each of the shield members. 31. The electrical connector of claim 26 wherein the electrically lossy material has a surface resistivity between 1 and 103 Ω/square. 32. The electrical connector of claim 26 wherein the electrically lossy material has a surface resistivity between 10 Ω/square and 100 Ω/square. 33. The electrical connector of claim 26 wherein the electrically lossy material has a surface resistivity between 20 Ω/square and 40 Ω/square. 34. The electrical connector of claim 26 wherein the electrically lossy material has a bulk resistance between 0.01 Ω-cm and 1 Ω-cm. 35. The electrical connector of claim 26 wherein the electrically lossy material has a bulk resistance between 0.05 Ω-cm and 0.5 Ω-cm. 36. The electrical connector of claim 26 wherein the electrically lossy material has a bulk resistance between 0.1 Ω-cm and 0.2 Ω-cm. 37. The electrical connector of claim 27 wherein the magnetically lossy material has a magnetic loss tangent between about 0.1 and 1.0. 38. The electrical connector of claim 27 wherein the magnetically lossy material comprises a ferrite. 39. The electrical connector of claim 27 wherein the magnetically lossy material comprises yttrium garnet and/or aluminum garnet. 40. The electrical connector of claim 26 wherein the electrically lossy material comprises a binder and each of the shield members is disposed with at least a portion embedded in the binder. 41. An electronic system comprising: a) a plurality of printed circuit boards, each printed circuit board having a plurality of ground structures and a plurality of signal traces; b) a plurality of electrical connectors as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of electrical connectors is mounted to one of the plurality of printed circuit boards, and for each connector: i) each of the plurality of discrete conductive elements is connected to a ground structure in at least one of the plurality of printed circuit boards; ii) each of the plurality of contact elements is connected to at least one of the plurality of signal traces in at least one of the plurality of printed circuit boards. 42. The electronic system of claim 41 wherein the electrically lossy material has a surface resistivity between 1 and 103 Ω/square. 43. The electronic system of claim 41 wherein the electronically lossy material comprises a plurality of partially conductive members having a surface resistivity between 10 Ω/square and 100 Ω/square. 44. The electronic system of claim 41 wherein the electrically lossy material comprises a plurality of partially conductive members having a surface resistivity between 20 Ω/square and 40 Ω/square. 45. The electronic system of claim 41 wherein the electrically lossy material comprises a plurality of partially conductive members having a bulk resistance between 0.01 Ω-cm and 1 Ω-cm. 46. The electronic system of claim 41 wherein the electrically lossy material comprises a plurality of partially conductive members having a bulk resistance between 0.05 Ω-cm and 0.5 Ω-cm. 47. The electronic system of claim 41 wherein each of the electrically lossy material comprises a plurality of partially conductive members having a bulk resistance between 0.1 Ω-cm and 0.2 Ω-cm. 48. The electronic system of claim 41 wherein the contact elements are positioned in pairs, each pair adjacent a discrete conductive element, and at least a portion of the electrically lossy material is molded around at least a portion of each discrete conductive element. 49. The electronic system of claim 48 additionally comprising a plurality of magnetically lossy members, each magnetically lossy member positioned between adjacent pairs. 50. The electronic system of claim 41 wherein the electrically lossy material comprises plurality of partially conductive members, each comprising a first portion and a second portion and a third portion, the first portion and the third portion being adjacent a discrete conductive element of the plurality of discrete conductive elements and the second portion joining the first portion and the third portion, wherein the second portion has a higher conductivity than the first and third portions. 51. The electronic system of claim 50 wherein the second portion comprises a metal sheet. | BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Field of Invention This invention relates generally to an electrical interconnection systems and more specifically to improved signal integrity in interconnection systems. 2. Discussion of Related Art Electrical connectors are used in many electronic systems. It is generally easier and more cost effective to manufacture a system on several printed circuit boards (“PCBs”) which are then connected to one another by electrical connectors. A traditional arrangement for connecting several PCBs is to have one PCB serve as a backplane. Other PCBs, which are called daughter boards or daughter cards, are then connected through the backplane by electrical connectors. Electronic systems have generally become smaller, faster and functionally more complex. These changes mean that the number of circuits in a given area of an electronic system, along with the frequencies at which the circuits operate, have increased significantly in recent years. Current systems pass more data between printed circuit boards and require electrical connectors that are electrically capable of handling the increased bandwidth. As signal frequencies increase, there is a greater possibility of electrical noise being generated in the connector in forms such as reflections, cross-talk and electromagnetic radiation. Therefore, the electrical connectors are designed to control cross-talk between different signal paths and to control the characteristic impedance of each signal path. Shield members are often used for this purpose. Shields are placed adjacent the signal contact elements. Cross-talk between distinct signal paths can be controlled by arranging the various signal paths so that they are spaced further from each other and nearer to a shield, which is generally a grounded plate. Thus, the different signal paths tend to electromagnetically couple more to the shield and less with each other. For a given level of cross-talk, the signal paths can be placed closer together when sufficient electromagnetic coupling to the ground conductors are maintained. Shields are generally made from metal components. However, U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,294 (the “294 patent”), which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application, describes making shields in a connector from conductive plastic. The '294 patent is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Electrical connectors can be designed for single-ended signals as well as for differential signals. A single-ended signal is carried on a single signal conducting path, with the voltage relative to a common reference conductor being the signal. Differential signals are signals represented by a pair of conducting paths, called a “differential pair.” The voltage difference between the conductive paths represents the signal. In general, the two conducing paths of a differential pair are arranged to run near each other. No shielding is desired between the conducting paths of the pair but shielding may be used between differential pairs. One example of a differential pair electrical connector is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,827 (“the '827 patent”), which is assigned to the assignee of the present application. The '827 patent is incorporated by reference herein. The '827 patent discloses a differential signal electrical connector that provides shielding with separate shields corresponding to each pair of differential signals. U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,659 (the '659 patent), which is assigned to the assignee of the present application, shows individual shields corresponding to individual signal conductors. Ideally, each signal path is shielded from all other signal paths in the connector. Both the '827 patent and the '659 patents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. While the electrical connectors disclosed in the '827 patent and the '659 patent and other presently available electrical connector designs provide generally satisfactory performance, the inventors of the present invention have noted that at high speeds (for example, signal frequencies of 1 GHz or greater, particularly above 3 GHz), electrical resonances in the shielding system can create cross talk and otherwise degrade performance of the connector. We have observed that such resonances are particularly pronounced in ground systems having a shield member per signal contact or per differential pair. My prior patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,771, now published as U.S. 2004/0121652A1, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes the use of lossy material to reduce unwanted resonances and improve connector performance. It would be desirable to further improve connector performance. SUMMARY OF INVENTION In one aspect, the invention relates to a wafer for an electrical connector having a plurality of wafers. The wafer has a plurality of first type contact elements, positioned in a column; a plurality of discrete conductive elements each disposed adjacent at least one of the first type contact elements; insulative material securing at least the plurality of first type contact elements; and electrically lossy material bridging the discrete conductive elements. In another aspect, the invention relates to an electrical connector that has a plurality of regions. Each region has insulative material; a plurality of signal conductors, each signal conductor having a contact tail and a contact portion and an intermediate portion there between, and at least a part of the intermediate portion of each of the signal conductors secured in the insulative material; a plurality of shield members, each shield member having an intermediate portion adjacent an intermediate portion of a signal conductor; and electrically lossy material positioned adjacent the intermediate portion of the each of the shield members. In yet another aspect, the invention relates to an electronic system with a plurality of printed circuit boards, each printed circuit board having a plurality of ground structures and a plurality of signal traces. Electrical connectors are mounted to the plurality of printed circuit boards. Each connector has a first plurality of conducting members, each connected to a ground structure in at least one of the plurality of printed circuit boards; a second plurality of conducting members, each connected to at least one of the plurality of signal traces in at least one of the plurality of printed circuit boards, the second plurality of conducting members being positioned in groups with at least two conducting members of the first plurality of conducting members positioned adjacent conducting members of the second plurality of conducting members in each group; and a plurality of partially conductive members, each connecting the at least two conducting members of the first plurality of conducting members positioned adjacent conducting members of the second plurality of conducting members in a group. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly showing a first electrical connector about to mate with a second electrical connector; FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the first electrical connector of FIG. 1, showing a plurality of wafers; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of signal conductors of one of the wafers of the first electrical connector of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a side view of the signal conductors of FIG. 3 with an insulative housing formed around the signal conductors; FIG. 5a is a side view of shield strips of one of the wafers of the first electrical connector of FIG. 2; FIG. 5b is a perspective view of the shield strips of FIG. 5a; FIG. 6 is a side view of the shield strips of FIG. 5a formed on two lead frames, with each lead frame holding half of the shield strips; FIG. 7 is a side view of the shield strips of FIG. 5a with an insulative housing formed around the shield strips; FIG. 8a is a perspective view of an assembled one of the wafers of the first electrical connector of FIG. 2; FIG. 8b is a front view of a portion of the assembled wafer of FIG. 8a, showing first contact ends of the signal conductors and the shield strips configured for connection to a printed circuit board; FIG. 9a is a cross section to the wafer illustrated in FIG. 8a taken along the line 9a-9a; FIG. 9b is a cross section of an alternative embodiment of the wafer shown in FIG. 9a; FIG. 9c is a cross section of an alternative embodiment of the wafer shown in FIG. 9a. FIG. 10a is a plan view of a wafer formed according to an alternative construction method; FIG. 10b is a cross sectional view of a portion of the wafer of FIG. 10a taken along the line b-b; FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of a wafer according to an alternative embodiment; FIG. 12 is a cross section of a wafer formed according to a further alternative embodiment; and FIG. 13 is a cross section of a wafer formed according to a further alternative embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION This invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an electrical connector assembly 10. The electrical connector assembly 10 includes a first electrical connector 100 mateable to a second electrical connector 200. Electrical connector 100 may be used as a daughter card connector and electrical connector 200 may be used as a backplane connector. However the invention may be broadly applied in many types of connectors. The second electrical connector 200 may be as described in the above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,659. The first electrical connector 100, which is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2-13, includes a plurality of wafers 120, with each of the plurality of wafers 120 having a housing 122, a plurality of signal conductors 124 (see FIG. 3) and a plurality of shield strips 126 (see FIGS. 5a and 5b). For exemplary purposes only, the first electrical connector 100 is illustrated with ten wafers 120, with each wafer 120 having fourteen single-ended signal conductors 124 and corresponding fourteen shield strips 126. However, as it will become apparent later, the number of wafers and the number of signal conductors and shield strips in each wafer may be varied as desired. The first electrical connector 100 is also shown having alignment modules 102 on either end, with each alignment module 102 having an opening 104 (FIG. 2) for receiving a guide pin (which may also be referred to as a corresponding rod) 204 from member 202 of the second electrical connector 200. Each alignment module 102 further includes features 105 (FIG. 2), 106 to engage slots in stiffeners 110, 111, respectively. Likewise, the insulative housing 122 of each wafer 120 provides features 113, 114 to engage the slots in stiffeners 110 (FIG. 2), 111, respectively. Each signal conductor 124 has contact end 130 connectable to a printed circuit board, a contact end 132 connectable to the second electrical connector 200, and an intermediate portion 131 there between. Each shield strip 126 (FIG. 5a) has a first contact end 140 connectable to the printed circuit board, a second contact end 142 connectable to the second electrical connector 200, and an intermediate portion 141 there between. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-8b, the first contact end 130 of the signal conductors 124 includes a contact tail 133 having a contact pad 133a that is adapted for soldering to the printed circuit board. The second contact end 132 of the signal conductors 124 includes a dual beam structure 134 configured to mate to a corresponding mating structure of the second electrical connector 200. The first contact end 140 of the shield strips 126 includes at least two contact tails 143, 144 having contact pads 143a, 144a, respectively, that are adapted for soldering to the printed circuit board. The second contact end 142 of the shield strips 126 includes opposing contacting members 145, 146 that are configured to provide a predetermined amount of flexibility when mating to a corresponding structure of the second electrical connector 200. While the drawings show contact tails adapted for soldering, it should be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the first contact end 130 of the signal conductors 124 and the first contact end 140 of the shield strips 126 may take any known form (e.g., press-fit contacts, pressure-mount contacts, paste-in-hole solder attachment) for connecting to a printed circuit board. Still referring to FIGS. 5a and 5b, the intermediate portion 141 of each shield strip 126 has a surface 141s with a first edge 147a and a second edge 147b, at least one of the first edge 147a or the second edge 147b being bent out of the plane of surface 141s. In the illustrated embodiment, the first edge 147a is bent substantially perpendicular to the surface 141s of the shield strip 126 and extends through to the end of the second contact end 142 (but not through to the end of the first contact end 140). FIG. 4 is a side view of the signal conductors 124 of FIG. 3, with the signal conductors 124 disposed in a first insulative housing portion 160. Preferably, the first insulative housing portion 160 is formed around the signal conductors 124 by injection molding plastic. To facilitate this process, the signal conductors 124 are preferably held together on a lead frame (not shown) as known in the art. Although not required, the first insulative housing portion 160 may be provided with windows 161 adjacent the signal conductors 124. These windows 161 are intended to generally serve multiple purposes, including to: (i) ensure during an injection molding process that the signal conductors 124 are properly positioned, (ii) provide impedance control to achieve desired impedance characteristics, and (iii) facilitate insertion of materials which have electrical properties different than housing 160. FIG. 7 is a side view of the shield strips 126 of FIGS. 5a and 5b, with the shield strips 126 disposed in a second housing portion 170. As will be described in greater detail below, housing portion 170 may be formed from one or more materials that provides insulation, conductivity, lossy conductivity or magnetic lossiness. Housing portion 170 may be formed in whole or in part by injection molding of material around shield strips 126. To facilitate the injection molding process, the shield strips 126 are preferably held together on two lead frames 172, 174, as shown in FIG. 6. Each lead frame 172, 174 holds every other of the plurality of the shield strips 126, so when the lead frames 172, 174 are placed together, the shield strips 126 will be aligned as shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b. In the embodiment shown, each lead frame 172, 174 holds a total of seven shield strips 126. The lead frame 172 includes tie bars 175 that connect to the second contact ends 142 of its respective shield strips 126 and tie bars 176 that connect to the first contact ends 140 of the shield strips 126. The lead frame 174 includes tie bars 177 that connect to the second contact ends 142 of its respective shield strips 126 and tie bars 178 that connect to the first contact ends 140 of the shield strips 126. These tie bars 175-178 are cut during subsequent manufacturing processes. The first insulative housing portion 160 may include attachment features (not shown) and the second housing portion 170 may include attachment features (not shown) that correspond to the attachment features of the first insulative housing portion 160 for attachment thereto. Such attachment features may include protrusions and corresponding receiving openings. Other suitable attachment features may also be utilized. A first insulative housing portion 160 and the second housing portion 170 may be attached to form a wafer 120. As shown in FIGS. 8a and 8b, each signal conductor 124 is positioned along the surface 141s adjacent a corresponding shield strip 126. The bent edge 147a of the surface 141s is directed toward the corresponding signal conductor 124. The bent edge 147a, in combination with surface 147s, creates shielding on two sides of the adjacent signal conductor 124. The first electrical connector 100 may also be configured to carry differential pairs of signals. In this configuration, the signal conductors may be organized in pairs. The surface 141s of each shield strip is preferably wider than the width of a pair to provide sufficient shielding to the pair. FIG. 9a shows a wafer 120 in cross section taken along the line 9a-9a in FIG. 8a. Intermediate portions 131 of signal conductors 124 are embedded within an insulative housing 160. A portion of shield strips 126 are held within housing portion 170. The shield strips 126 are held with first edge portions 147a projecting between adjacent intermediate portions 131. The surface 141s of each shield strip is held within housing portion 170. Housing portion 170 may be molded around shield strips 126 and first insulative housing 160 may be molded around signal conductors 124 prior to assembly of wafer 120. In the illustrated embodiment, housing portion 170 is made of two types of materials. Housing portion 170 is shown to contain a layer 910 and a layer 912. Both layers 910 and 912 may be made of a thermoplastic or other suitable binder material such that they may be molded around shield strips 126 to form the housing 170. Either or both of layers 910 and 912 may contain particles to provide layers 910 and 912 with desirable electromagnetic properties. In the example of FIG. 9a, the thermoplastic material serving as the binder for layer 910 is filled with conducting particles. The fillers make layer 910 “electrically lossy.” Materials that conduct, but with some loss, over the frequency range of interest are referred to herein generally as “electrically lossy” materials. Electrically lossy materials can be formed from lossy dielectric and/or lossy conductive materials. The frequency range of interest depends on the operating parameters of the system in which such a connector is used, but will generally be between about 1 GHz and 25 GHz, though higher frequencies or lower frequencies may be of interest in some applications. Some connector designs may have frequency ranges of interest that span only a portion of this range, such as 1 to 10 GHz or 3 to 15 GHz. Electrically lossy material can be formed from material traditionally regarded as dielectric materials, such as those that have an electric loss tangent greater than approximately 0.01 in the frequency range of interest. The “electric loss tangent” is the ratio of the imaginary part to the real part of the complex electrical permittivity of the material. Examples of materials that may be used are those that have an electric loss tangent between approximately 0.04 and 0.2 over a frequency range of interest. Electrically lossy materials can also be formed from materials that are generally thought of as conductors, but are either relatively poor conductors over the frequency range of interest, contain particles or regions that are sufficiently dispersed that they do not provide high conductivity or otherwise are prepared with properties that lead to a relatively weak bulk conductivity over the frequency range of interest. Electrically lossy materials may be partially conductive materials, such as those that have a surface resistivity between 1 Ω/square and 106 Ω/square. In some embodiments, the electrically lossy material has a surface resistivity between 1 Ω/square and 103 Ω/square. In some embodiments, the electrically lossy material has a surface resistivity between 10 Ω/square and 100 Ω/square. As a specific example, the material may have a surface resistivity of between about 20 Ω/square and 40 Ω/square. In some embodiments, electrically lossy material is formed by adding a filler that contains conductive particles to a binder. Examples of conductive particles that may be used as a filler to form an electrically lossy materials include carbon or graphite formed as fibers, flakes or other particles. Metal in the form of powder, flakes, fibers or other particles may also be used to provide suitable electrically lossy properties. Alternatively, combinations of fillers may be used. For example, metal plated carbon particles may be used. Silver and nickel are suitable metal plating for fibers. Coated particles may be used alone or in combination with other fillers, such as carbon flake. The binder or matrix may be any material that will set, cure or can otherwise be used to position the filler material. In some embodiments, the binder may be a thermoplastic material such as is traditionally used in the manufacture of electrical connectors to facilitate the molding of the electrically lossy material into the desired shapes and locations as part of the manufacture of the electrical connector. However, many alternative forms of binder materials may be used. Curable materials, such as epoxies, can serve as a binder. Alternatively, materials such as thermosetting resins or adhesives may be used. Also, while the above described binder material are used to create an electrically lossy material by forming a binder around conducting particle fillers, the invention is not so limited. For example, conducting particles may be impregnated into a formed matrix material. As used herein, the term “binder” encompasses a material that encapsulates the filler or is impregnated with the filler. Preferably, the fillers will be present in a sufficient volume percentage to allow conducting paths to be created from particle to particle. For example, when metal fiber is used, the fiber may be present in about 3% to 40% by volume. The amount of filler may impact the conducting properties of the material. In one contemplated embodiment, layer 910 has a thickness between 1 and 40 mils (about 0.025 mm to 1 mm). The bulk resistivity of layer 910 depends on its thickness as well as its surface resistivity. The bulk resistivity is suitable to allow the layer to provide some conduction, but with some loss. Bulk resistivity of an electrically lossy structure used herein may be between about 0.01 Ω-cm and 1 Ω-cm. In some embodiments, the bulk resistivity is between about 0.05 Ω-cm and 0.5 Ω-cm. In some embodiments, the bulk resistivity is between about 0.1 Ω-cm and 0.2 Ω-cm. Layer 912 provides a magnetically lossy layer. Layer 912 may, like layer 910, be formed of a binder or matrix material with fillers. In the pictured embodiment, layer 912 is made by molding a filled binder material. The binder for layer 912 may be the same as the binder used for layer 910 or any other suitable binder. Layer 912 is filled with particles that provide that layer with magnetically lossy characteristics. The magnetically lossy particles may be in any convenient form, such as flakes or fibers. Ferrites are common magnetically lossy materials. Materials such as magnesium ferrite, nickel ferrite, lithium ferrite, yttrium garnet or aluminum garnet may be used. The “magnetic loss tangent” is the ratio of the imaginary part to the real part of the complex magnetic permeability of the material. Materials with higher loss tangents may also be used. Ferrites will generally have a loss tangent above 0.1 at the frequency range of interest. Presently preferred ferrite materials have a loss tangent between approximately 0.1 and 1.0 over the frequency range of 1 Ghz to 3 GHz and more preferably a magnetic loss tangent above 0.5. It is possible that a material may simultaneously be a lossy dielectric or a lossy conductor and a magnetically lossy material. Such materials can be formed, for example, by using magnetically lossy fillers that are partially conductive or by using a combination of magnetically lossy and electrically lossy fillers. Layer 912 plays the role of absorptive material as described in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,771, which is incorporated herein by reference. Layer 912 reduces resonance between shields in adjacent wafers 120. Layer 910 provides “bridging” between the individual shield strips 126 within the wafer 120. The bridging provides an electrically lossy path between conducting members over the frequency range of interest. The bridging may be provided by a physical connection to the conducting members that are bridged. In addition, over the frequency range of interest, signals may couple between structures capacitively or otherwise without direct physical contact between the structures. Accordingly, “bridging” may not require direct physical contact between structures. With bridging in place, each of the shield strips 126 is less likely to resonate independently from the others. Preferably, layer 910 is sufficiently conductive that the individual shield strips do not resonate independently but sufficiently lossy that the shield strips and the bridging do not form a combined structure that, in combination with similar structures in another wafer, support resonant modes between adjacent wafers. FIG. 9b shows an alternative embodiment of the wafer 120. In wafer 120′, intermediate portions 131 of signal conductors 124 and shield strips 126 are held within an insulative housing 160′. Insulative housing 160′ may be formed in any convenient manner. It may be formed in a single molding step or in multiple molding steps. Layer 914 is formed on top of insulative housing 160′. Layer 914 is an electrically lossy layer similar to layer 910. In contrast to layer 910, surfaces 141s of shield strips 126 are not embedded in layer 914. In the embodiment shown, surfaces 141s are not in direct contact with layer 914. The surfaces 141s are separated from layer 914 by a small portion of insulative housing 160′. Each of the surfaces 141s is capacitvely coupled to layer 914. In this way, layer 914 provides a partially conductive path at the frequencies of interest bridging the individual shield strips 126 in wafer 120′. Similar to the configuration in FIG. 9a, partially conductive layer 914 reduces resonances between the shield strips 126 within wafer 120′. Wafer 120′ may optionally be formed with a magnetically lossy material, such as a layer 912 shown in FIG. 9a. FIG. 9c shows a further embodiment. Wafer 120″ includes an insulative housing 160 as shown in FIG. 9a. Surfaces 141s of the shield strips 126 are held within a partially conductive layer 916. Layer 916 may be a partially conductive layer formed in the same fashion as layer 910, thereby bridging the shield strips 126. Regions 918 within layer 916 are formed from magnetically lossy material. Regions 918 may be formed of the same material as is used to form layer 912. Regions 918 may be formed in a separate step or may be formed by adding magnetically lossy particles during the formation of layer 916. FIGS. 9a and 9c show the use of electrically lossy and magnetically lossy materials in combination. In the described embodiments, both the magnetically lossy and electrically lossy materials are formed by the addition of particles to a binder. It is not necessary that the particles be added to binders forming distinct structures. For example, magnetically lossy and conductive particles may be intermixed in a single layer, such as layer 914, shown in FIG. 9b. It is also not necessary that bridging between shield strips in a wafer be formed from particles encapsulated in the binder. FIG. 10a shows an alternative construction of a wafer 120′″. Wafer 120′″ has inserts 950a and 950b inserted in openings in a surface of wafer 120′″. Preferably, the openings are sufficiently deep that they expose surfaces 141s of the shield strips within the wafer. FIG. 10b shows a cross section of a portion of wafer 120′″ taken along the line b-b in FIG. 10a. In FIG. 10b, insert 950a is seen in cross-section. Insert 950a may, for example, be a lossy conductive carbon filled adhesive preform such as those sold by Techfilm of Billerica, Mass., U.S.A. This preform includes an epoxy binder 952 filled with carbon flakes. The binder surrounds carbon fiber 956, which acts as a reinforcement for the preform. When inserted in a wafer 120′″, preform 950a adheres to shield strips 126. In this embodiment, preform 950a adheres through the adhesive in the preform, which is cured in a heat treating process. Preform 950a thereby provides electrically lossy bridging between the shield strips. Various forms of reinforcing fiber, in woven or non-woven form, may be used. Non-woven carbon fiber is one suitable material. In alternative embodiments, the preforms could be made to include both conductive and magnetically lossy filler. The conductive and magnetically lossy filler may be intermixed in a continuous binder structure or may be deposited in layers. Electrically lossy materials may also be used in connectors that do not have ground strips. FIG. 11 shows in cross-section an example of a wafer 1120 that includes signal conductors with intermediate portions 131 embedded in the insulative housing 1160. Wafer 1120 is designed for applications in which alternating signal conductors are connected to ground forming what it is sometimes referred to as a “checkerboard pattern.” For example, signal conductor 1126 is intended to be connected to ground. In wafer 1120, a partially conductive layer 1170 is used to provide bridging between signal conductors 1126 that are grounded. Layer 1170 may be formed generally in the same fashion as layers 910 or 914. FIG. 12 shows a wafer 1220 designed for carrying differential signals. Wafer 1212 includes an insulative housing 1260. Signal conductors such as 1231a and 1231b are arranged in pairs within insulative housing 1260. Shield members 1226 separate the pairs. Shield strips 1226 are embedded in a housing 1270. In wafer 1220, housing 1270 includes a partially conductive layer 1210 and a magnetically lossy layer 1212. Layers 1012 and 1210 may be formed generally as layers 910 and 912 described above in connection with FIG. 9a. FIG. 13 shows a further embodiment of a wafer 1320 that may be used to form an electrical connector as pictured in FIG. 1. Wafer 1320 may be similar to wafer 1120. It contains a plurality of conductors 131 held in an insulative housing 1360. However, none of the signal conductors 131 in wafer 1320 is specifically designed to be connected to ground. Layer 1370 is an electrically lossy material. It bridges all of the signal conductors 131. Where the benefit of reducing resonances between the signal conductors acting as grounds outweighs any loss of signal integrity caused by attenuation of the signals carried on conductors, layer 1370 provides a net positive impact on the signal integrity of a connector formed with wafers 1370. In embodiments such as those shown in FIGS. 9b and 13 in which the bridging material is not in direct contact with structures serving as ground contacts, there may be no direct electrical connection between the electrically lossy material and ground. Such a connection is not required, though may be included in some applications. Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. As one example, it is described that bridging may be provided by capacitively coupling an electrically lossy member to two structures. Because no direct conducting path need be provided, it is possible that the electrically lossy material may be discontinuous, with electrically insulating material between segments of electrically lossy material. Alternatively, electrically lossy bridging may be formed by creating signal paths that include conductive and lossy materials. For example, FIG. 11 shows a lossy layer 1170 that has vertical portions 1150 adjacent conductors 1126 and a horizontal portion 1152 joining the vertical portions. Portions 1150 and 1152 in combination create an electrically lossy path between contacts 1126. On or the other of these portions may be formed from a conductive material, such as metal. For example, portions 1150 may be electrically lossy material molded into housing 1160 and portion 1152 may be implemented as a metal plate. Though portion 1152 would be conductive, the signal path between adjacent contacts 1126 would be electrically lossy. Further, example embodiments show each of the signal conductors and ground conductors molded in an insulative housing, such as plastic. However, air is often a suitable dielectric and may be preferable to plastic in some applications. In some embodiments, the conductors within the wafer will be held in an insulative plastic housing over a relatively small portion of their length and surrounded by air, or other dielectric material, over the remainder of their length. As another example, electrically lossy structures and magnetically lossy structures were described as being formed by embedding particles in a settable binder. Where molding is used, preferably features are provided in each region formed by a separate molding step to interlock the regions. Partially conductive structures may be formed in any convenient manner. For example, adhesive substances which are inherently partially conductive may be applied to shield strips through windows in an insulative housing. As another alternative, conducting filaments such as carbon fibers may be overlaid on shield members before they are molded into a housing or they may be attached to the shield members with adhesive after the shield members are in place. Further, lossy conductive material is shown in planar layers. Such a structure is not required. For example, partially conductive regions may be positioned only between shield strips or only between selective shield strips such as those found to be most susceptible to resonances. Also, it was described that wafers 120 are formed by attaching a subassembly containing signal contacts to a subassembly containing shield members. It is not necessary that the sub-assemblies be secured to each other. However, where desired, the sub-assemblies may be secured with various features including snap fit features or features that engage through function. Further, electrically and magnetically lossy materials are shown only in connection with a daughter card connector. However, benefits of using such materials is not limited to use in daughter card connectors. Such materials may be used in backplane connectors or in other types of connectors, such as cable connectors, stacking connectors, mezzanine connectors. The concepts may also be applied in connectors other than board to board connectors. Similar concepts may be applied in chip sockets in other types of connectors. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of Invention This invention relates generally to an electrical interconnection systems and more specifically to improved signal integrity in interconnection systems. 2. Discussion of Related Art Electrical connectors are used in many electronic systems. It is generally easier and more cost effective to manufacture a system on several printed circuit boards (“PCBs”) which are then connected to one another by electrical connectors. A traditional arrangement for connecting several PCBs is to have one PCB serve as a backplane. Other PCBs, which are called daughter boards or daughter cards, are then connected through the backplane by electrical connectors. Electronic systems have generally become smaller, faster and functionally more complex. These changes mean that the number of circuits in a given area of an electronic system, along with the frequencies at which the circuits operate, have increased significantly in recent years. Current systems pass more data between printed circuit boards and require electrical connectors that are electrically capable of handling the increased bandwidth. As signal frequencies increase, there is a greater possibility of electrical noise being generated in the connector in forms such as reflections, cross-talk and electromagnetic radiation. Therefore, the electrical connectors are designed to control cross-talk between different signal paths and to control the characteristic impedance of each signal path. Shield members are often used for this purpose. Shields are placed adjacent the signal contact elements. Cross-talk between distinct signal paths can be controlled by arranging the various signal paths so that they are spaced further from each other and nearer to a shield, which is generally a grounded plate. Thus, the different signal paths tend to electromagnetically couple more to the shield and less with each other. For a given level of cross-talk, the signal paths can be placed closer together when sufficient electromagnetic coupling to the ground conductors are maintained. Shields are generally made from metal components. However, U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,294 (the “294 patent”), which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application, describes making shields in a connector from conductive plastic. The '294 patent is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Electrical connectors can be designed for single-ended signals as well as for differential signals. A single-ended signal is carried on a single signal conducting path, with the voltage relative to a common reference conductor being the signal. Differential signals are signals represented by a pair of conducting paths, called a “differential pair.” The voltage difference between the conductive paths represents the signal. In general, the two conducing paths of a differential pair are arranged to run near each other. No shielding is desired between the conducting paths of the pair but shielding may be used between differential pairs. One example of a differential pair electrical connector is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,827 (“the '827 patent”), which is assigned to the assignee of the present application. The '827 patent is incorporated by reference herein. The '827 patent discloses a differential signal electrical connector that provides shielding with separate shields corresponding to each pair of differential signals. U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,659 (the '659 patent), which is assigned to the assignee of the present application, shows individual shields corresponding to individual signal conductors. Ideally, each signal path is shielded from all other signal paths in the connector. Both the '827 patent and the '659 patents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. While the electrical connectors disclosed in the '827 patent and the '659 patent and other presently available electrical connector designs provide generally satisfactory performance, the inventors of the present invention have noted that at high speeds (for example, signal frequencies of 1 GHz or greater, particularly above 3 GHz), electrical resonances in the shielding system can create cross talk and otherwise degrade performance of the connector. We have observed that such resonances are particularly pronounced in ground systems having a shield member per signal contact or per differential pair. My prior patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,771, now published as U.S. 2004/0121652A1, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes the use of lossy material to reduce unwanted resonances and improve connector performance. It would be desirable to further improve connector performance. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF INVENTION <EOH>In one aspect, the invention relates to a wafer for an electrical connector having a plurality of wafers. The wafer has a plurality of first type contact elements, positioned in a column; a plurality of discrete conductive elements each disposed adjacent at least one of the first type contact elements; insulative material securing at least the plurality of first type contact elements; and electrically lossy material bridging the discrete conductive elements. In another aspect, the invention relates to an electrical connector that has a plurality of regions. Each region has insulative material; a plurality of signal conductors, each signal conductor having a contact tail and a contact portion and an intermediate portion there between, and at least a part of the intermediate portion of each of the signal conductors secured in the insulative material; a plurality of shield members, each shield member having an intermediate portion adjacent an intermediate portion of a signal conductor; and electrically lossy material positioned adjacent the intermediate portion of the each of the shield members. In yet another aspect, the invention relates to an electronic system with a plurality of printed circuit boards, each printed circuit board having a plurality of ground structures and a plurality of signal traces. Electrical connectors are mounted to the plurality of printed circuit boards. Each connector has a first plurality of conducting members, each connected to a ground structure in at least one of the plurality of printed circuit boards; a second plurality of conducting members, each connected to at least one of the plurality of signal traces in at least one of the plurality of printed circuit boards, the second plurality of conducting members being positioned in groups with at least two conducting members of the first plurality of conducting members positioned adjacent conducting members of the second plurality of conducting members in each group; and a plurality of partially conductive members, each connecting the at least two conducting members of the first plurality of conducting members positioned adjacent conducting members of the second plurality of conducting members in a group. | 20040930 | 20080513 | 20060330 | 62947.0 | H01R13648 | 1 | FIGUEROA, FELIX O | HIGH SPEED, HIGH DENSITY ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H01R | 2,004 |
|
10,955,723 | ACCEPTED | Tine plate | To provide a tine plate wherein the independency of the through holes is secured to improve the strength of the tine plate and enhance its moldability and in turn improve its yield while it can prevent the trouble that, due to variations in the service ambient temperature, cracks are generated in the soldering parts of the legs. It is a tine plate that is to be mounted on an electric connector, which comprises a plurality of contacts, each of which is provided on one end with a leg that is to be inserted into an insertion hole of a printed circuit board and on the other end side of the leg with a contacting part, and an insulative housing in which these contacts are so provided that their legs substantially extend in parallel to each other. The tine plate is provided with a plurality of through holes, which penetrate the tine plate in the thickness direction thereof and into which the legs of the contacts are to be inserted, and as to at least through holes on both ends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate, the largest value of the inside dimension in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate when seen in the thickness direction is made greater than the largest value of the inside dimension in the transverse direction of the tine plate. | 1. A tine plate that is to be mounted on an electric connector, which comprises a plurality of contacts, each of which is provided on one end with a leg that is to be inserted into an insertion hole that penetrates a printed circuit board in the thickness direction thereof and on the other end side of the leg with a contacting part that is to contact a contact of a counterpart connector, and an insulative housing in which these contacts are so provided that their legs substantially extend in parallel to each other, the tine plate has a longitudinal direction in which the distance between the edges of the tine plate when seen in the thickness direction is the largest, and a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the tine plate is provided with a plurality of through holes, which penetrate the tine plate in the thickness direction thereof and into which the legs of the contacts are to be inserted, and as to at least through holes on both ends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate, the largest value of the inside dimension in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate when seen in the thickness direction is made greater than the largest value of the inside dimension in the transverse direction of the tine plate. 2. The tine plate as recited in claim 1, wherein the through holes are, when seen in the thickness direction, distorted circles that are circles elongated in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate, or ellipses of which major axes extend in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention belongs to the field of tine plate, which is mounted on an electric connector to line up the legs of contacts. 2. Related Art Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Heisei 9-35829 discloses, in an electric connector, which comprises a plurality of contacts, each of which has a tine part that is to be inserted into a through hole of a board and a contacting part that is to contact a contact of a counterpart mutually-engaging connector, and a housing in which the plurality of contacts are arranged, a tine plate in which a plurality of through holes are formed, through which respective the tine parts of the plurality of contacts are to be put, and which is arranged in a lining-up position to line up the tine parts by making respective the tine parts penetrate through the plurality of through holes, the tine plate being characterized in that a slot, which interconnects at least two or more through holes of the plurality of through holes, is provided. Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Heisei 10-154537 discloses a board mount type connector, and this connector is provided with a tine plate. This tine plate has three rows of through holes that correspond to the number. of contacts. Some through holes of a row of through holes, which is the closest to the housing among these rows of through holes, are interconnected with each other by slots. With this arrangement, even when there is a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between a board and the tine plate, stresses that are generated in the soldering parts of the legs are moderated, hence solder cracking does not take place (refer to paragraph 0012 of the publication). When such a tine plate is mounted on an electric connector, the legs of a plurality of contacts, which substantially extend in parallel to each other, will be neatly lined up by the tine plate, hence when these legs are to be inserted into the insertion holes of a printed circuit board so as to mount the electric connector on the printed circuit board, the workability of this mounting can be enhanced. Moreover, the tine plate can cover and protect the legs of the contacts. When there is a difference in thermal expansion quantity between a tine plate and a printed circuit board due to a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion, etc. between them, it will pose such a trouble that, due to variations in the service ambient temperature, the tine plate and the legs of the contacts that are soldered onto the printed circuit board interfere with each other, resulting in generation of cracks in the soldering parts of the legs. The inventions of the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Heisei 9-35829 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Heisei 10-154537 prevent this trouble by providing the tine plate with slots that interconnect through holes. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION However, if a tine plate is thus provided with slots that interconnect through holes, because slits are formed in the tine plate by through holes and the slots, the strength of the tine plate will be decreased. Moreover, When the tine plate is formed by injection molding or the like, the flow of a molten material will be hindered by molds, pins or the like for forming slots, thus it poses a problem of decrease in the yield of the tine plate. The present invention was made in view of these points, and its object is to provide a tine plate wherein the independency of the through holes into which the legs of the contacts are to be inserted is secured to improve the strength of the tine plate and enhance its moldability and in turn improve its yield while it can reliably prevent the trouble that, due to variations in the service ambient temperature, the tine plate and the legs of the contacts interfere with each other, resulting in generation of cracks in the soldering parts of the legs. To accomplish the above-mentioned object, the tine plate according to the present invention is a tine plate that is to be mounted on an electric connector, which comprises a plurality of contacts, each of which is provided on one end with a leg that is to be inserted into an insertion hole that penetrates a printed circuit board in the thickness direction thereof and on the other end side of the leg with a contacting part that is to contact a contact of a counterpart connector, and an insulative housing in which these contacts are so provided that their legs substantially extend in parallel to each other. This tine plate has a longitudinal direction in which the distance between the edges of the tine plate when seen in the thickness direction is the largest, and a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and this tine plate is provided with a plurality of through holes, which penetrate the tine plate in the thickness direction thereof and into which the legs of the contacts are to be inserted, and as to at least through holes on both ends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate, the largest value of the inside dimension in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate when seen in the thickness direction is made greater than the largest value of the inside dimension in the transverse direction of the tine plate. When this tine plate is mounted on an electric connector, the legs of the plurality of contacts, which substantially extend in parallel to each other, will be neatly lined up by the tine plate, hence when these legs are to be inserted into the insertion holes of the printed circuit board to mount the electric connector on the printed circuit board, the workability of the mounting can be enhanced. Moreover, the tine plate can cover and in turn protect the legs of the contacts. When there is a difference in thermal expansion quantity between the tine plate and the printed circuit board due to a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion, etc. between them, the closer is a given portion of the tine plate to any of both ends in the substantially longitudinal direction of the tine plate, the greater is the difference in thermal expansion quantity between them. In response to this fact, in this tine plate, at least through holes on both the ends in the substantially longitudinal direction of the tine plate are so arranged that the largest value of the inside dimension in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate when seen in the thickness direction is made greater than the largest value of the inside dimension in the transverse direction of the tine plate. As a result, even if there are variations in the service ambient temperature, the tine plate and the legs of the contacts that are soldered onto the printed circuit board are restrained or prevented from interfering with each other, thus the trouble of generating cracks in the soldering parts of the legs is avoided. In that case, in comparison with the conventional cases wherein a tine plate is provided with slots that interconnect through holes, the independency of the respective through holes is secured, hence the strength of the tine plate is enhanced, and moreover, when the tine plate is to be formed by injection molding or the like, the flow of a molten material is hardly held back, thus the yield of the tine plate is improved. Accordingly, with the tine plate according to the present invention, the inventor has successfully provided a tine plate wherein the independency of the through holes into which the legs of the contacts are to be inserted is secured to improve the strength of the tine plate and enhance its moldability and in turn improve its yield while it can reliably prevent the trouble that, due to variations in the service ambient temperature, the tine plate and the legs of the contacts interfere with each other, resulting in generation of cracks in the soldering parts of the legs. The tine plate of the present invention may be so arranged that the through holes are, when seen in the thickness direction, distorted circles that are circles elongated in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate, or eclipses of which major axes extend in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate. With this description, the configurations of the through holes of the present invention have been exemplified. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of one end in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate of the first embodiment seen in the height direction. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tine plate of the first embodiment seen in the height direction. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an electric connector on which the tine plate of the first embodiment is mounted. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the electric connector on which the tine plate of the first embodiment is mounted, and the electric connector is mounted on a printed circuit board and sectioned in a plane facing in the width direction and seen in the width direction. FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of one end in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate of the second embodiment seen in the height direction. FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of one end in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate of the third embodiment seen in the height direction. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In the following, some embodiments of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a tine plate 100 being the first embodiment of the present invention. This tine plate 100 is to be mounted on an electric connector 200 that is shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. This electric connector 200 comprises a plurality of contacts 210 that are made of a conductive material and an insulative housing 220 that is made of an insulative material and holds the contacts 210. The contact 210 is provided, at one end, with a leg 211 that is to be inserted into an insertion hole 310, which is made to penetrate through a printed circuit board 300 in the thickness direction thereof, and on the other end side of this leg 211, with a contacting part 212 that is to contact a contact of a counterpart connector (not illustrated). These contacts 210 are provided in the insulative housing 220 in such a way that the legs 211 extend substantially in parallel to each other. A relatively large number of the legs 211 of the contacts 210 are lined up in a direction that is contained in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the extending direction of the legs 211, and a relatively small number of the legs 211 of the contacts 210 are lined up in a direction that is contained in the plane and is substantially perpendicular to the direction. The former direction is referred to as the longitudinal direction of the group of the contact legs, and the latter direction is referred to as the transverse direction of the group of the contact legs. The cross sectional configuration of the legs 211 of the contacts 210 is the same, and when the leg 211 of the contact 210 is sectioned in a plane that is perpendicular to the extending direction of the leg 211, the dimension of this section in the longitudinal direction of the group of the contact legs and the dimension of this section in the transverse direction are substantially equal to each other. When the electric connector 200 is to be mounted on a printed circuit board 300, it does not matter whether the insulative housing 220 is fixed on the printed circuit board 300 or not. A depth direction, a width direction and a height direction all being perpendicular to each other are assumed, and these directions are used in the following description. In the case of this embodiment, with reference to FIG. 4, the left-right direction of the diagram is the depth direction, the left of the diagram is the rear in the depth direction, and the right is the front in the depth direction. The direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper is the width direction, and the top-bottom direction of the diagram is the height direction. In the case of this embodiment, the insulative housing 220 is provided with receiving chambers 221 that open to the front in the depth direction, and the receiving chambers 221 are arranged to receive the counterpart connectors. The contact 210 is bent into an L-shape, one end of the contact 210 extends in the height direction to constitute the leg 211, and this leg 211 is arranged to be inserted into an insertion hole 310 of the printed circuit board. The other end of the contact 210 extends in the depth direction to penetrate and get fixed in a rear wall 222 that is provided on the rear side of the receiving chamber 221 of the insulative housing 220, and the top end is located inside the receiving chamber 221 to constitute the contacting part 212. The legs 211 of the contacts 210 are lined up in two rows in the depth direction, and twenty-six (26) legs 211 are lined up in the width direction in each row. The contacting parts 212 of the contacts 210 are lined up in two rows in the height direction, and twenty-six (26) contacting parts 212 are lined up in the width direction in each row. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the width direction is the longitudinal direction of the group of contact legs, and the depth direction is the transverse direction of the group of contact legs. The electric connector 200 has been described in detail above, however, the number, direction, arrangement, etc. of the contacts of the electric connector according to the present invention are not limited in any way by this embodiment, and the configuration, direction, etc. of the insulative housing are not limited in any way by this embodiment. The tine plate 100 is made of an insulative material and is formed into a plate shape of which thickness direction is the extending direction of the legs 211 of the contacts 210. Hence here the height direction is the thickness direction. This tine plate 100 has the longitudinal direction, in which the distance between both edges when seen in the thickness direction is the largest, and the transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. In other words, according to the layout of the group of the contact legs, the longitudinal direction of the group of the contact legs becomes the longitudinal direction of the tine plate 100, and the transverse direction of the group of the contact legs becomes the transverse direction of the tine plate 100. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the width direction becomes the longitudinal direction of the tine plate 100, and the depth direction becomes the transverse direction of the tine plate 100. This tine plate 100 is provided with a plurality of through holes 110, which penetrate through the tine plate 100 in the thickness direction and into which the legs 211 of the contacts 210 are to be inserted. Of the through holes 110, at least through holes 110 that are located at both ends in the substantially longitudinal direction of the tine plate 100 are hereby referred to as the outer through holes 110, and the through holes 110 except the outer through holes 110 are referred to as the inner through holes 110. The outer through holes 110 may be only through holes 110 that are on both ends in the substantially longitudinal direction of the tine plate, or may include in addition to them, some through holes 110 that are inwardly consecutive to the through holes 110 being located at both ends. The inner through holes are, for example, through holes 110 that are located around the center in the substantially longitudinal direction of the tine plate 100. As for the inner through holes 110, the largest value DL1 of the inside dimension in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate 100 when seen in the thickness direction and the largest value DS1 of the inside dimension in the transverse direction of the tine plate 100 are substantially of the same dimension. In contrast to this, as for the outer through holes 110, the largest value DL2 of the inside dimension in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate 100 when seen in the thickness direction is made larger than the largest value DS2 of the inside dimension in the transverse direction of the tine plate 100. In this case, the largest value DS1 of the inside dimension in the transverse direction of the tine plate 100 of the inner through holes 110 and the largest value DS2 of the inside dimension in the transverse direction of the tine plate 100 of the outer through holes 110 are substantially of the same dimension. Here the inside dimension is the dimension between the inner walls of the through hole. In the case of this embodiment, the through holes 110 are, when seen in the thickness direction, distorted circles that are circles elongated in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate 100. This distorted circle is such a configuration that a perfect circle is halved in the longitudinal direction into two hemicircles and the ends of these two hemicircles are connected by a line segment. It does not matter whether the opening of the through hole is chamfered or not. Accordingly, when this tine plate 100 is mounted on the electric connector 200, the legs 211 of the plurality of contacts 210, which extend substantially in parallel to each other, will be neatly lined up by the tine plate 100, hence when the electric connector 200 is to be mounted on a printed circuit board 300 by inserting these legs 211 into the insertion holes 310 of the printed circuit board 300, the workability of the mounting can be enhanced. Moreover, the tine plate 100 can cover and protect the legs 211 of the contacts 210. When there is a difference in thermal expansion quantity between the tine plate 100 and the printed circuit board 300 due to a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion, etc. between them, the closer is a given portion of the tine plate to any of both ends in the substantially longitudinal direction of the tine plate 100, the greater is the difference in thermal expansion quantity between them. In response to this fact, in this tine plate 100, at least through holes 110 on both the ends in the substantially longitudinal direction of the tine plate 100 are so arranged that the largest value of the inside dimension in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate 100 when seen in the thickness direction is made greater than the largest value of the inside dimension in the transverse direction of the tine plate 100. As a result, even if there are variations in the service ambient temperature, the tine plate 100 and the legs 211 of the contacts 210 that are soldered onto the printed circuit board 300 are restrained or prevented from interfering with each other, thus the trouble of generating cracks in the soldering parts of the legs 211 is avoided. In that case, in comparison with the conventional cases wherein a tine plate is provided with slots that interconnect through holes, the independency of the respective through holes 110 is secured, hence the strength of the tine plate 100 is enhanced, and moreover, when the tine plate 100 is to be formed by injection molding or the like, the flow of a molten material is hardly held back, thus the yield of the tine plate 100 is improved. FIG. 5 shows the tine plate 100 of the second embodiment. As for the tine plate 100 of the first embodiment, the through holes 110 are, when seen in the thickness direction, distorted circles that are circles elongated in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate 100, whereas as for the tine plate 100 of the second embodiment, the through holes 110 are, when seen in the thickness direction, eclipses of which major axes extend in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate 100. Other structures are similar to those of the tine plate 100 of the first embodiment, and the functions and effects are also similar. FIG. 6 shows the tine plate 100 of the third embodiment. As for the tine plate 100 of the third embodiment, the configuration of the through holes 110 differs from that of the tine plate 100 of the first embodiment. In the tine plate 100 of the third embodiment, the through holes 110 are, when seen in the thickness direction, rhombuses wherein the longer diagonal extends in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate 100 and the shorter diagonal extends in the transverse direction thereof. Other structures are similar to those of the tine plate 100 of the first embodiment, and the functions and effects are also similar. The present invention includes embodiments wherein features of the above-mentioned embodiments are combined. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention belongs to the field of tine plate, which is mounted on an electric connector to line up the legs of contacts. 2. Related Art Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Heisei 9-35829 discloses, in an electric connector, which comprises a plurality of contacts, each of which has a tine part that is to be inserted into a through hole of a board and a contacting part that is to contact a contact of a counterpart mutually-engaging connector, and a housing in which the plurality of contacts are arranged, a tine plate in which a plurality of through holes are formed, through which respective the tine parts of the plurality of contacts are to be put, and which is arranged in a lining-up position to line up the tine parts by making respective the tine parts penetrate through the plurality of through holes, the tine plate being characterized in that a slot, which interconnects at least two or more through holes of the plurality of through holes, is provided. Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Heisei 10-154537 discloses a board mount type connector, and this connector is provided with a tine plate. This tine plate has three rows of through holes that correspond to the number. of contacts. Some through holes of a row of through holes, which is the closest to the housing among these rows of through holes, are interconnected with each other by slots. With this arrangement, even when there is a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between a board and the tine plate, stresses that are generated in the soldering parts of the legs are moderated, hence solder cracking does not take place (refer to paragraph 0012 of the publication). When such a tine plate is mounted on an electric connector, the legs of a plurality of contacts, which substantially extend in parallel to each other, will be neatly lined up by the tine plate, hence when these legs are to be inserted into the insertion holes of a printed circuit board so as to mount the electric connector on the printed circuit board, the workability of this mounting can be enhanced. Moreover, the tine plate can cover and protect the legs of the contacts. When there is a difference in thermal expansion quantity between a tine plate and a printed circuit board due to a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion, etc. between them, it will pose such a trouble that, due to variations in the service ambient temperature, the tine plate and the legs of the contacts that are soldered onto the printed circuit board interfere with each other, resulting in generation of cracks in the soldering parts of the legs. The inventions of the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Heisei 9-35829 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Heisei 10-154537 prevent this trouble by providing the tine plate with slots that interconnect through holes. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>However, if a tine plate is thus provided with slots that interconnect through holes, because slits are formed in the tine plate by through holes and the slots, the strength of the tine plate will be decreased. Moreover, When the tine plate is formed by injection molding or the like, the flow of a molten material will be hindered by molds, pins or the like for forming slots, thus it poses a problem of decrease in the yield of the tine plate. The present invention was made in view of these points, and its object is to provide a tine plate wherein the independency of the through holes into which the legs of the contacts are to be inserted is secured to improve the strength of the tine plate and enhance its moldability and in turn improve its yield while it can reliably prevent the trouble that, due to variations in the service ambient temperature, the tine plate and the legs of the contacts interfere with each other, resulting in generation of cracks in the soldering parts of the legs. To accomplish the above-mentioned object, the tine plate according to the present invention is a tine plate that is to be mounted on an electric connector, which comprises a plurality of contacts, each of which is provided on one end with a leg that is to be inserted into an insertion hole that penetrates a printed circuit board in the thickness direction thereof and on the other end side of the leg with a contacting part that is to contact a contact of a counterpart connector, and an insulative housing in which these contacts are so provided that their legs substantially extend in parallel to each other. This tine plate has a longitudinal direction in which the distance between the edges of the tine plate when seen in the thickness direction is the largest, and a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and this tine plate is provided with a plurality of through holes, which penetrate the tine plate in the thickness direction thereof and into which the legs of the contacts are to be inserted, and as to at least through holes on both ends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate, the largest value of the inside dimension in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate when seen in the thickness direction is made greater than the largest value of the inside dimension in the transverse direction of the tine plate. When this tine plate is mounted on an electric connector, the legs of the plurality of contacts, which substantially extend in parallel to each other, will be neatly lined up by the tine plate, hence when these legs are to be inserted into the insertion holes of the printed circuit board to mount the electric connector on the printed circuit board, the workability of the mounting can be enhanced. Moreover, the tine plate can cover and in turn protect the legs of the contacts. When there is a difference in thermal expansion quantity between the tine plate and the printed circuit board due to a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion, etc. between them, the closer is a given portion of the tine plate to any of both ends in the substantially longitudinal direction of the tine plate, the greater is the difference in thermal expansion quantity between them. In response to this fact, in this tine plate, at least through holes on both the ends in the substantially longitudinal direction of the tine plate are so arranged that the largest value of the inside dimension in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate when seen in the thickness direction is made greater than the largest value of the inside dimension in the transverse direction of the tine plate. As a result, even if there are variations in the service ambient temperature, the tine plate and the legs of the contacts that are soldered onto the printed circuit board are restrained or prevented from interfering with each other, thus the trouble of generating cracks in the soldering parts of the legs is avoided. In that case, in comparison with the conventional cases wherein a tine plate is provided with slots that interconnect through holes, the independency of the respective through holes is secured, hence the strength of the tine plate is enhanced, and moreover, when the tine plate is to be formed by injection molding or the like, the flow of a molten material is hardly held back, thus the yield of the tine plate is improved. Accordingly, with the tine plate according to the present invention, the inventor has successfully provided a tine plate wherein the independency of the through holes into which the legs of the contacts are to be inserted is secured to improve the strength of the tine plate and enhance its moldability and in turn improve its yield while it can reliably prevent the trouble that, due to variations in the service ambient temperature, the tine plate and the legs of the contacts interfere with each other, resulting in generation of cracks in the soldering parts of the legs. The tine plate of the present invention may be so arranged that the through holes are, when seen in the thickness direction, distorted circles that are circles elongated in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate, or eclipses of which major axes extend in the longitudinal direction of the tine plate. With this description, the configurations of the through holes of the present invention have been exemplified. | 20040929 | 20060228 | 20050505 | 60114.0 | 1 | VU, HIEN D | TINE PLATE | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
|||
10,955,875 | ACCEPTED | Low ac loss filamentary coated superconductors | An article having low ac loss includes an elongated substrate having a length and a width; and a plurality of filaments comprising an oxide superconductor extending substantially along the length of the elongated substrate and spaced apart from one other filaments across the width of the elongated substrate, wherein at least one filament crosses over at least one other filament such that the at least one filament occupies a first position across the width of the elongated substrate before the crossover and a second position across the width of the elongated substrate after crossover. | 1. An article comprising: an elongated substrate comprising a textured surface and having a length and a width; and a plurality of filaments comprising an oxide superconductor extending substantially along the length of the elongated substrate and spaced apart from one other filaments across the width of the elongated substrate, wherein at least one filament crosses over at least one other filament such that the at least one filament occupies a first position across the width of the elongated substrate before the crossover and a second position across the width of the elongated substrate after crossover. 2. The article of claim 1, wherein the at least one filament is separated from the other filament at least at the location of crossover by an insulating or poorly conductive or medium to high resistivity material. 3. The article of claim 2, wherein the medium to high resistivity material is selected from the group consisting of copper-nickel alloy, nickel alloys and stainless steel. 4. The article of claim 1, wherein multiple filaments cross over at least one other filament to form multiple crossover locations along the length of the elongated substrate. 5. The article of claim 1, wherein the article comprises about 2 to about 100 filaments. 6. The article of claim 1, wherein the space between adjacent filaments is in the range of about 10 μm to about 100 μm. 7. The article of claim 1, wherein the space between adjacent filaments comprises an insulating or poorly conducting or medium to high resistivity material. 8. The article of claim 8, wherein the medium to high resistivity material is selected from the group consisting of copper-nickel alloy, nickel alloys and stainless steel. 9. The article of claim 8, wherein the poorly conductive material comprises amorphous rare earth-alkaline earth copper oxide or a conductive metal oxide. 10. The article of claim 1, wherein the filaments have a width of about 50 to 1000 μm. 11. The article of claim 1, wherein the distance along the length of the article between neighboring crossover locations is in the range of about 0.005 m to about 100. 12. The article of claim 1, wherein the distance along the length of the article between neighboring crossover locations is in the range of about 0.2 m to about 10 m. 13. The article of claim 4, wherein a filament at a lower filament position at a lower edge of the elongated substrate crosses over the plurality of filaments and is directed to a top filament position at an upper edge of the elongated substrate, and the remaining filaments are shifted in the opposite direction across the width of the elongated substrate by about one filament position. 14. The article of claim 13, wherein the filaments shift is repeated periodically along the length of the elongated substrate. 15. The article of claim 1, wherein a pair of filaments exchange filament positions during crossover. 16. The article of claim 15, wherein multiple filament pairs exchange filament positions periodically along the length of the elongated substrate. 17. The article of claim 1, wherein the filaments are fully transposed. 18. The article of claim 1, wherein the filaments are partially transposed. 19. The article of claim 1, wherein the filaments are located substantially in the same layer. 20. The article of claim 1, wherein the crossover comprises a conductive crossover bridge electrically connecting the at least one filament between its first and second position. 21. The article of claim 20, wherein the bridge comprises a superconductor. 22. The article of claim 20, wherein the bridge comprises a normal conductor. 23. The article of claim 20, wherein the bridge comprises a composite strip comprising a normal conductor layer and an insulating or high resistivity layer. 24. The article of claim 1, wherein the superconducting component of the filament is discontinuous and the ends of the discontinuous superconductor filament are joined by a conductive crossover bridge. 25. The article of claim 24, wherein the bridge comprises a composite strip comprising a normal conductor layer and an insulating or high resistivity layer, and the bridge is in electrical contact with the discontinuous superconductor filament. 26. The article of claim 24, wherein the bridge is bonded to each end of the discontinuous filament. 27. The article of claim 26, wherein the bond comprises a solder. 28. The article of claim 26, wherein the bond comprises a weld. 29. The article of claim 1, further comprising a cap layer disposed over the plurality of filaments. 30. The article of claim 31, further comprising a stabilizer layer disposed on the cap layer. 31. An article comprising: an elongated substrate having a length and a width; and a plurality of filaments comprising an oxide superconductor extending substantially along the length of the elongated substrate and spaced apart from one another across the width of the elongated substrate, wherein the plurality of filaments is periodically shifted in the same direction across the width of the elongated substrate by about one filament width and wherein a filament at a lower edge of the elongated substrate is directed to a top filament position at an upper edge of the elongated substrate through a conductive bridge. 32. The article of claim 31, wherein the superconducting component of the filament is discontinuous and the ends of the discontinuous superconductor filament are joined by a conductive bridge. 33. The article of claim 31, wherein the crossover bridge comprises a composite strip comprising a normal conductor layer and an insulating or high resistivity layer, and the bridge is in electrical contact with the discontinuous superconductor filament. 34. The article of claim 33, wherein the bridge is bonded to each end of the discontinuous filament. 35. The article of claim 34, wherein the bond comprises a solder. 36. The article of claim 34, wherein the bond comprises a weld. 37. The article of claim 31, wherein the crossover filament is separated from the other filament at least at the location of crossover by an insulating or high resistivity material. 38. The article of claim 31, wherein the article comprises about 2 to about 100 filaments. 39. The article of claim 31, wherein the space between adjacent filaments is in the range of about 10 μm to about 100 μm. 40. The article of claim 31, wherein the space between adjacent filaments comprises an insulating or poorly conductive or medium to high resistivity material. 41. The article of claim 31, wherein the filaments have a width of about 50 to 1000 μm. 42. The article of claim 31, further comprising a cap layer disposed over the plurality of filaments. 43. The article of claim 31, further comprising a stabilizer layer disposed above the cap layer. 44. A method of making a multifilamentary article comprising: providing a layer of oxide superconductor or precursor thereof on a substrate; treating the layer to form filaments, wherein at least one of the filaments is discontinuous; and joining the ends of the discontinuous filament using a conducting crossover bridge. 45. The method of claim 44, wherein the bridge comprises a composite strip comprising a normal conductor layer and an insulating or high resistivity layer, and the bridge is in electrical contact with the discontinuous superconductor filament. 46. The method of claim 44, wherein the bridge is bonded to each end of the discontinuous filament. 47. The method of claim 46, wherein the bond comprises a solder. 48. The method of claim 46, wherein the bond comprises a weld. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) from copending U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/603,202, filed Aug. 20, 2004, and entitled “Dropwise Deposition Of A Patterned Oxide Superconductor,” which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference. This application is related to copending applications U.S. application Ser. No. ______ TBD, filed on event date herewith and entitled “Dropwise Deposition Of A Patterned Oxide Superconductor” and U.S. application Ser. No. ______ TBD, filed on event date herewith and entitled “Stacked Filamentary Coated Superconductors,” which are hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to filamentary multilayer superconductor articles. The invention also relates to superconductor articles suitable for use in alternating current (ac) and time varying magnetic field applications. 2. Background of the Invention Since the discovery of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) materials (superconducting above the liquid nitrogen temperature of 77 K) there have been efforts to develop various engineering applications using such HTS materials. In thin film superconductor devices and wires, significant progress has been made with fabrication of devices utilizing an oxide superconductor including yttrium, barium, copper and oxygen in the well-known basic composition of YBa2Cu3O7-x (hereinafter referred to as “YBCO”). Biaxially textured superconducting metal oxides, such as YBCO, have achieved high critical current densities in a coated conductor architecture, often referred to as second generation HTS wires, or a “coated conductor.” The expression “HTS wire” indicates a HTS conductor with the attributes that make it useful for the construction of a superconducting device; its cross-sectional geometry can vary from tape-like to round. Typically, second generation HTS wires 10 include a metal substrate 11, buffer layer(s) 12, and an active layer 13, e.g., a superconductor, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The metal substrate, such as Ni, Ag, or Ni alloys, provides flexibility for the article and can be fabricated over long lengths and large areas. The buffer layer(s) consists of metal oxide layers, such as LaAlO3, Y2O3, CeO2, or yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ); it makes up the next layer and serves as a chemical barrier layer between the metal substrate and the active layer. The buffer layer(s) reduces oxidation of the substrate and also reduces the diffusion of chemical species between the substrate and the superconductor layer. Moreover, the buffer layer(s) can have a coefficient of thermal expansion that is well matched with the superconductor material. To achieve high critical current densities in the wire, the superconducting material has a sharp biaxial texture. As used herein, “biaxially textured” refers to a surface for which the crystal grains are in close alignment with a direction in the plane of the surface and a direction perpendicular to the surface. One type of biaxially textured surface is a cube textured surface, in which the crystal grains are also in close alignment with a direction perpendicular to the surface. Cube textured metal foils such as Ni or Ni alloys can serve as a substrate for high quality HTS wires. When using a cube textured substrate the buffer layer is an epitaxial layer, that is, its crystallographic orientation is directly related to the crystallographic orientation of the substrate surface onto which the buffer layer is deposited. For example, in a multi-layer superconductor having a substrate, an epitaxial buffer layer and an epitaxial layer of superconductor material, the crystallographic orientation of the surface of the buffer layer is directly related to the crystallographic orientation of the surface of the substrate, and the crystallographic orientation of the layer of superconductor material is directly related to the crystallographic orientation of the surface of the buffer layer. Second generation HTS wire can be incorporated into a variety of devices for many applications, including cables, motors, generators, synchronous condensers, transformers, current limiters, and magnet systems. The incorporation of second generation superconducting YBCO wires into such devices provides the opportunity to dramatically reduce the device cooling requirements, thus enabling the development of lightweight, compact, high-power sources. Currently a wide, e.g., several millimeters, tape configuration is used to reach practical electrical currents. Many potential applications for HTS wires involve operating the superconductor in the presence of ramped magnetic or oscillating magnetic fields, or require that the HTS wire carry alternating current. In the presence of time-varying magnetic fields or currents, there are a variety of mechanisms that give rise to energy dissipation, hereinafter referred to as “ac losses.” Although second generation HTS wire is currently suitable for many types of electric power devices, including power transmission cables and rotor sections of motors, the ac losses from the current HTS wires are too high for use in demanding HTS applications in which the alternating magnetic fields have a higher amplitude or frequency. The use of an HTS wire with greatly reduced ac losses would enhance the application of these wires in a great variety of novel, HTS-based devices. There are a number of factors contributing to the total ac loss in a superconducting wire, such as superconducting properties and dimensions of the superconducting oxide film, and the electrical and magnetic properties of the metal constituents of the conductor. A major contributor to the ac losses is so-called hysteretic losses in the superconducting oxide film caused by an oscillating external magnetic field. This loss contribution is proportional to the film width as seen by the magnetic field direction, and is therefore greatest when the magnetic field is perpendicular to the film surface, or when the alternating magnetic field has a large perpendicular component. For current HTS superconductor widths even a moderate ac frequency and magnetic field perpendicular to the superconducting film plane can produce very large ac losses. It has been proposed to divide an oxide superconducting film into narrow filaments to suppress ac loss in a superconducting oxide thin film. FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a portion of a coated conductor article in which the superconducting film is arranged as a thin filament array. The multilayer article 20 includes a metal substrate 21 having a textured surface and epitaxially grown buffer layer(s) 22. Such textured bases have been previously described. A RABiTS™ (rolling-assisted, biaxially textured substrates) textured template is typically used. A RABiTS™ substrate is a roll-textured and annealed metal tape, e.g., nickel or nickel alloy such as NiW with a sharp cube texture, covered in an epitaxial manner with one or more oxide or metal buffer or conditioning layers. Another variation used to prepare the textured template is ion beam assisted deposition or IBAD. The resulting textured base serves as a template for the HTS compound, e.g., yttrium-barium-copper-oxide (YBCO). Superconductor filaments 23 run substantially continuously along the length of the base to form an array of substantially parallel filaments. The superconducting filaments are crystallographically oriented and typically exhibit biaxial texture. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, the present invention provides low ac loss filamentary coated superconductors. In one aspect of the invention, an article includes an elongated substrate having a textured surface and having a length and a width, and a plurality of filaments including an oxide superconductor extending substantially along the length of the elongated substrate and spaced apart from one other filaments across the width of the elongated substrate. At least one filament crosses over at least one other filament such that the at least one filament occupies a first position across the width of the elongated substrate before the crossover and a second position across the width of the elongated substrate after crossover. In one or more embodiments, the at least one filament is separated from the other filament at least at the location of crossover by an insulating or poorly conductive or medium to high resistivity material. The medium to high resistivity material can be selected from the group consisting of copper-nickel alloy, nickel alloys and stainless steel. In one or more embodiments, multiple filaments cross over at least one other filament to form multiple crossover locations along the length of the elongated substrate. In one or more embodiments, the article includes about 2 to about 100 filaments, and for example, the filaments have a width of about 50 to 1000 μm. In one or more embodiments, the space between adjacent filaments is in the range of about 10 μm to about 100 μm, and the space between adjacent filaments can be an insulating or poorly conducting or medium to high resistivity material, and for example, the medium to high resistivity material is selected from the group consisting of copper-nickel alloy, nickel alloys and stainless steel, and for example, the poorly conductive material comprises amorphous rare earth-alkaline earth copper oxide or a conductive metal oxide. In one or more embodiments, the distance along the length of the article between neighboring crossover locations is in the range of about 0.005 m to about 100, or about 0.2 m to about 10 m. In one or more embodiments, a filament at a lower filament position at a lower edge of the elongated substrate crosses over the plurality of filaments and is directed to a top filament position at an upper edge of the elongated substrate, and the remaining filaments are shifted in the opposite direction across the width of the elongated substrate by about one filament position, and for example, the filaments shift is repeated periodically along the length of the elongated substrate. In one or more embodiments, a pair of filaments exchange filament positions during crossover, or for example, multiple filament pairs exchange filament positions periodically along the length of the elongated substrate. In one or more embodiments, the filaments are fully transposed, or the filaments are partially transposed, or the filaments are located substantially in the same layer. In one or more embodiments, the crossover includes a conductive crossover bridge electrically connecting the at least one filament between its first and second position, and for example, the bridge is a superconductor or a normal conductor, or the bridge includes a composite strip comprising a normal conductor layer and an insulating or high resistivity layer. In one or more embodiments, the superconducting component of the filament is discontinuous and the ends of the discontinuous superconductor filament are joined by a conductive crossover bridge, and for example, the bridge is in electrical contact with the discontinuous superconductor filament. The bridge can be bonded to each end of the discontinuous filament, and for example, the bond comprises a solder or a weld. The article of claim 1, further comprising a cap layer disposed over the plurality of filaments. In one or more embodiments, the article further includes a stabilizer layer disposed on the cap layer. In another aspect of the invention, an article includes an elongated substrate having a length and a width, and a plurality of filaments comprising an oxide superconductor extending substantially along the length of the elongated substrate and spaced apart from one another across the width of the elongated substrate. The plurality of filaments is periodically shifted in the same direction across the width of the elongated substrate by about one filament width and wherein a filament at a lower edge of the elongated substrate is directed to a top filament position at an upper edge of the elongated substrate through a conductive bridge. In one or more embodiments, the superconducting component of the filament is discontinuous and the ends of the discontinuous superconductor filament are joined by a conductive bridge. In one or more embodiments, the article further includes a cap layer disposed over the plurality of filaments, and the article further can include a stabilizer layer disposed above the cap layer. In another aspect of the invention, a method of making a multifilamentary article is provided. The method includes providing a layer of oxide superconductor or precursor thereof on a substrate, treating the layer to form filaments, wherein at least one of the filaments is discontinuous, and joining the ends of the discontinuous filament using a conducting crossover bridge. In one or more embodiments, the bridge includes a composite strip comprising a normal conductor layer and an insulating or high resistivity layer, and the bridge is in electrical contact with the discontinuous superconductor filament. The bridge can be bonded to each end of the discontinuous filament, for example, by solder or a weld. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention is described with reference to the following figures, which are presented for the purpose of illustration only and which are not intended to be limiting of the invention and in which like elements are indicated by the like numbers in all the figures. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a typical superconductor article. FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a coated conductor article, in which the YBCO film is arranged as a thin filament array; and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of a coated conductor article, in which the YBCO film is arranged as a thin filament array, with a common stabilizer layer. FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a twisted coated conductor with minimized ac loss. FIG. 4 is a top view of a low ac loss multifilamentary superconductor article illustrating periodic crossover of the filaments. FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the superconductor article of FIG. 4 taken at line 5a-5a′; FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the superconductor article of FIG. 4 taken at line 5b-5b′; and FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view of the superconductor article of FIG. 4 taken at line 5c-5c′; FIG. 6 is a top view of a low ac loss multifilamentary superconductor article illustrating periodic crossover of the filaments. FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of the superconductor article of FIG. 6 taken at line 7a-7a′; FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the superconductor article of FIG. 6 taken at line 7b-7b′; and FIG. 7C is a cross-sectional view of the superconductor article of FIG. 6 taken at line 7c-7c′; FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of filament patterns having a periodic crossover of superconducting filaments. FIG. 9 is a top view of two filaments at a crossover location demonstrating the use of a conducting bridge. FIG. 10 is a top view of a filamentary article illustrating conductive links in the gap between filaments. FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration of a system and process used to prepare a textured, patterned oxide superconductor wire according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Single superconductor layers can be patterned into multiple filaments to reduce local ac losses. Short sample testing shows a reduction in ac loss proportional to the reduction in conductor or filament width. In principle the filaments can be electrically isolated from each other and the absence of a conductive path would strongly reduce so-called interfilamentary coupling losses. However, there are several considerations that make this approach less practical. Even if a “perfect” conductor could be manufactured and patterned, the ends would still need to be soldered to the current injection points and filaments would be shorted. This would allow the formation of giant current loops through these ends. Second generation HTS wire production is based on a variety of continuous reel-to-reel thin film deposition techniques, practiced over very long lengths as superconducting wires are needed in piece lengths that can reach 1000 meters. Small defects can locally disrupt current transfer, and their effect becomes more serious when the conductor width is reduced. In narrow filaments of, for example, 100 micrometer width, small defects can potentially seriously disrupt local current transfer and render the conductor useless when used in long lengths. A certain degree of current sharing capability between filaments is therefore desired to mitigate the effect of these small defects, allowing currents an alternative path in case of an occasional local current constriction. A common stabilizer layer which is located on top of the superconducting filaments and which electrically connects the filaments can offer such a current sharing path. FIG. 2B illustrates a thin filament array 23 having a common stabilizer layer 25. The prime function of the stabilizer is to enhance the mechanical and electrical stability of the superconductor and offer a current path in along the length of the conductor in case of a local critical current depression. If used as a common stabilizer connecting individual filaments the electrical resistivity must be selected with care. Perpendicular alternating magnetic fields will cause circulating currents to pass through the superconductor filaments and perpendicular to the current direction, through the stabilizer to the next filament. When the loops become longer, currents through the normal conducting stabilizer will increase and the advantage of the filamentization is lost: the conductor has fully coupled filaments and losses can even exceed a conductor with a single, non-filamentized superconducting layer. An effective way to reduce the interfilamentary coupling losses is to select a stabilizer with enhanced electrical resistivity, and twist the superconducting wire. Both approaches have been used successfully in low temperature superconducting wires such as niobium-titanium wire. Twisting these small diameter round wires with a ductile superconductor is relatively easy. The thin filament arrays 23 of coated conductor 20 can in principle also be twisted to reduce coupling losses, as is illustrated in FIG. 3. The twist pitch must be long in order to avoid an unacceptable level of mechanical strain in the wire. Even low-strain twisting of less than 0.1% is difficult to accomplish and the twist pitch is very long, at the very least an order of magnitude higher than in low temperature superconductors, thereby limiting its effectiveness in reducing ac loss. Building a magnet using a twisted tape poses challenges as well, and uses the available space less effectively, thereby reducing the energy density of the device in a negative manner. In one aspect of the invention, a low ac loss HTS coated conductor wire contains a number of parallel current path along the length of the wire having transpositions of the parallel paths, e.g., filament crossovers, at selected points. The parallel current paths are substantially electrically insulated from one another along the wire length, are transposed at selected points while retaining their electrical isolation, and are electrically connected to one another at the ends of the length of wire. In other embodiments, the filaments share current through a common stabilizer. An exemplary superconducting article having reduced ac losses includes a wire having a textured surface and an array of superconducting oxide filaments extending substantially continuously along the length of the textured surface of the wire, wherein the filaments are substantially electrically and/or physically isolated from one another along their length. Periodic connections between adjacent filaments can be provided, however, to enhance current continuity from filament to filament and to offset defects that periodically arise in the superconducting material. Alternatively, the filaments are connected through a stabilizer layer bonded to the top of the filaments, with sufficient electrical resistivity to reduce interfilamentary coupling losses to an accepted level. The filaments are spaced apart from one another across the width of the elongated substrate and are patterned or arranged so that a filament periodically shifts across the width of the surface by one or more filament positions. The shifted filament crosses over at least one other filament to transpose the filaments and reduce the ac losses in long lengths of HTS coated wired without the need for twisting the wires. The filaments can be located substantially within the same plane or layer of the coated conductor (with the exception of the crossover). By “crossover” it is meant that a filament shifts its position so as to pass from one side of a second filament to the other. The second filament may be stationary or it may also be shifted during crossover. By “transposed” it is meant the transfer of one filament from an initial position into a position formerly occupied by another filament, where filament positions are defined as locations (coordinates) across the width of elongated substrate. The filament can shift positions, as exemplified in FIGS. 4 and 5, or a pair of filaments can exchange positions as exemplified in FIGS. 6 and 7. An article can be “fully transposed,” by which is meant that each filament successively and repeatedly takes on every possible position on the elongated substrate in an equal manner. An article can be “partially transposed,” by which is meant any filament configuration in which at least one filament takes on at least one other filament position on the elongated substrate. It is not required that all filaments take on multiple positions on the elongated filament or that they take on all positions on the elongated filament. In one embodiment, a low ac loss wire includes fully transposed filaments, that is, each filament occupies every filament position in the article. FIG. 4 is a top view of a low ac loss multifilamentary coated HTS article 400. FIG. 5A-5C illustrate cross-sectional views of article 400 taken at lines 5a-5a′, 5b-5b′ and 5c′-5c′, respectively. The coated article 400 includes a base 410 and an array of superconducting filaments 420 extending substantially continuously along the length of the article. For the purposes of illustration, the article includes five (5) filaments, however, any number of filaments may be used in practice. As indicated in FIGS. 5A-5C, the base 410 of the article 400 includes a metal substrate 510 having a textured surface and epitaxially grown buffer layer(s) 520. Such textured bases have been previously described. A RABiTS™ (rolling-assisted, biaxially textured substrates) textured template is typically used. A RABiTS™ substrate is a roll-textured and annealed metal tape, e.g., nickel, covered with one or more oxide or metal buffer or conditioning layers. Another variation used to prepare the textured template is ion beam assisted deposition or IBAD. Examples of buffer layer materials include metals and metal oxides, such as silver, nickel, MgO, Al2O3, GaOx, rare earth oxides such as Tb2O3 Gd2O3, CeO2, Y2O3, ternary compounds such as yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), LaAlO3, SrTiO3, LaNiO3, LaCuO3, SrRuO3, NdGaO3, NdAlO3 and nitrides as known in the art. The resulting textured base serves as a template for the HTS compound, e.g., yttrium-barium-copper-oxide (YBCO) or alternatively with a rare earth substituted for the Y. At an initial position indicated by line 5a-5a′ (and illustrated in cross-section in FIG. 5A), the filaments 420 are spaced apart from one another across the width of the substrate 410 in A-B-C-D-E order from the upper to the lower edge of the substrate. The array of filaments can have a gap between filaments in the range of about 10 to 100 μm, or for example, less than 50 μm. The filaments are typically about 50 to 1000 μm wide, or typically about 100 μm. In one or more embodiments, the filament array includes filaments of less than about 100 μm wide separated by a gap of about 10 to 20 μm. At a crossover point indicated at line 5b-5b′ in FIG. 4 and illustrated in cross-section in FIG. 5B, filaments A through D are shifted in one direction along the width (e.g., towards the lower edge) by a distance of about one filament position so that filament A is located at the position previously occupied by filament B prior to the shift, filament B is located at the position previously occupied by filament C prior to the shift, and so forth. Filament E shifts in the opposite direction and crosses over filaments A through D (e.g., towards the upper edge) to occupy the position previously occupied by filament A. The position of the filaments at the crossover point is shown in FIG. 5B, in which filaments A through D are located in some intermediate position between their original and final position and filament E crosses over the other filaments. The position of the filaments 420 after crossover is indicated by line 5c-5c′ (and illustrated in FIG. 5C). The filaments 420 are now spaced apart from one another across the width of the substrate 410 in E-A-B-C-D order. Periodic crossovers occur along the length of the article. For example, an additional crossover is shown in FIG. 4, in which filament D crosses over filaments E-A-B-C resulting in a filament arrangement of D-E-A-B-C. Such periodic crossovers cause each filament to occupy every filament position in the article. Such a filament crossover pattern results in a “fully transposed” wire. In one or more embodiments, the filaments are substantially electrically isolated from one another along their length. Electrical isolation may be accomplished in a number of ways. For example, an insulating air gap 530 may be maintained between adjacent filaments, as illustrated in FIG. 5A. By way of another example, a filler material 540 may be interposed between filaments, as illustrated in FIGS. 5B and 5C. Inclusion of a filler material 540 can contribute to the mechanical stability of the article and serves to electrically and/or mechanically isolate the filaments. A filler material 550 can be interposed between the lower face 555 of the crossover filament and the upper faces 558 of the crossed over filaments. The filler material can be a poorly conducting, insulating or of medium to high resistivity. Exemplary insulating materials include ceramic materials such as barium zirconate or HTS superconductor that has been thermally decomposed or poisoned by the additional of a metal contaminant, e.g., zinc-contaminated YBCO or PrBa2Cu3O7-x. PrBa2Cu3O7-x has the added advantage of having a lattice structure similar to that of YBCO, so that it can be textured in a manner similar to YBCO. In one or more embodiments the filaments are not electrically insolated but are connected through a common stabilizer layer disposed above the filaments (not shown). To reduce interfilamentary coupling losses (currents run perpendicular to the wire or tape direction, from filament-to-filament, through the metal stabilizer) the stabilizer needs to have a medium to high resistivity. Medium to high resistivity is associated with reduced ac losses. Exemplary medium resistivity materials include, for example, brass, copper-aluminum bronze, copper-tin bronze, copper with around 10-40% nickel, with resistivities of around 5-40 mircroohm-cm at cryogenic temperatures. Exemplary high resistivity materials include, for example, copper with 40-50% nickel such as Constantan™, (resistivity of around 50 microohm-cm) and most commercial nickel alloys with substantial additions such as nickel-20% chromium, Hastelloy™, Inconel™, and most commercial stainless steels, with resistivities of around 100-120 microohm-cm at cryogenic temperatures. In other embodiments, a low ac loss filamentary article 600 includes filaments that are partially transposed, that is, at least one filament does not occupy every filament position. FIG. 6 is a top view of a coated article 600 having a base 610 and an array of superconducting filaments 620 extending substantially continuously along the length of the article. For the purposes of illustration, the article includes five (5) filaments, however, any number of filaments may be used in practice. The base 610 of the article 600 includes a metal substrate 710 having a textured surface and epitaxially grown buffer layer(s) 720, as illustrated in FIGS. 7A-C. At an initial position indicated by line 7a-7a′ (and illustrated in cross-section in FIG. 7A), the filaments 620 are spaced apart from one another across the width of the substrate 610 in A-B-C-D-E order. The array of filaments can have a gap in the range of about 10 to 100 μm, or for example, less than 50 μm. The filaments are typically about 50 to 1000 μm wide, or typically about 100 μm. In one or more embodiments, the filament array includes filaments of less than about 100 μm wide separated by a gap of about 10 to 20 μm. As noted previously, the gap can be an insulating air gap 730 (FIG. 7A) or can be a poorly conducting (e.g. amorphous YBCO or a conductive metal oxide), insulating or medium or high resistivity material 740 (FIG. 7B). Inclusion of a material with low conductivity in the gap allows some current sharing between filaments and can help the electrical stability of the article. At a first crossover point indicated at line 7b-7b′ in FIG. 6 and illustrated in cross-section in FIG. 7B, filament A shifted is from its position at the upper edge of the substrate over filaments B, C and D (i.e., it is shifted by a distance of four filament positions) so that filament A is located at the position previously occupied by filament E prior to the shift. Filament E is shifted is from its position at the lower edge of the substrate over filaments D, C and B (i.e., it is also shifted by a distance of four filament positions) so that filament E is located at the position previously occupied by filament A. Thus, filaments A and E have exchanged filament positions at the first crossover location. The relative positioning of filaments A and E during crossover, e.g., A over E vs. E over A, is optional. The filaments are isolated from one another during crossover by barrier material 750. To help reduce interfilamentary coupling losses the barrier layer can be a medium to high resistivity material. Exemplary medium resistivity materials include, for example, brass, copper-aluminum bronze, copper-tin bronze, copper with around 10-40% nickel, with resistivities of around 5-40 mircroohm-cm at cryogenic temperatures. Exemplary high resistivity materials include, for example, copper with 40-50% nickel such as Constantan™, (resistivity of around 50 microohm-cm) and most commercial nickel alloys with substantial additions such as nickel-20% chromium, Hastelloy™, Inconel™, and most commercial stainless steels, with resistivities of around 100-120 microohm-cm at cryogenic temperatures. It can also be a metal oxide, for example, a metal oxide, that is doped to provide some conductivity, e.g., La(Sr)MnO3, or such as barium zirconate or HTS superconductor that has been thermally decomposed or poisoned by the additional of a metal contaminant, e.g., zinc-contaminated YBCO or PrBa2Cu3O7-x. La(Sr)MnO3 and PrBa2Cu3O7-x have the added advantage of having a lattice structure similar to that of YBCO, so that it can be textured in a manner similar to YBCO. Certain metal oxides can be deposited epitaxially and have a lattice structure similar to YBCO. At a second crossover point indicated at line 7c-7c′ in FIG. 6 and illustrated in cross-section in FIG. 7C, filament B shifted is from its initial position between filaments C and E over filament C (i.e., it is shifted by a distance of two filament positions) so that filament B is located at the position previously occupied by filament D. Filament D is shifted is from its initial position between filaments A and C over filament C (i.e., it is also shifted by a distance of two filament positions) so that filament D is located at the position previously occupied by filament B prior to the shift. Thus, filaments B and D have exchanged filament positions at the second crossover point. The relative positioning of filaments B and D during crossover, e.g., A over E vs. E over A, is optional. Barrier layer 750 separates filaments D, B and C. After two filament crossovers, the filaments 620 are spaced apart from one another across the width of the substrate 610 in E-D-C-B-A order from the upper to the lower edge of the substrate. Thus, this filament pattern results in a filament position exchange between filament A and filament E, and a filament position exchange between filament B and filament D. Filament C's position remains unchanged, and filaments A and E do not transpose into filaments positions B and D. Thus, this configuration represents a partially transposed wire. Other non-limiting examples of filament patterns including at least one filament crossover are shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 8 schematically illustrates four filaments 801, 820, 803, 804 (depicted by different line forms) that shift diagonally by one filament position back and forth across the filament width. Filament pairs exchange position periodically along the elongated substrate length so as to fully transpose all filaments. As a result, the current is forced to flow in the circuitous path outlined for each of the filaments 801, 820, 803, 804. One period of full transposition for four parallel paths requires 12 crossing points. In general, for n parallel paths, the number of crossing points for one period of full transposition is n(n−1). The number and placement of crossing points is determined, in part, by the performance of the superconducting tape at the projected operating conditions of the superconducting device and the maximum allowable ac losses. W. J. Carr calculated the loss dependence on twist pitch and transverse resistivity for a patterned thin film conductor, which was assumed to be twisted. From this model it can be concluded that the repeat distance will be in the range of 1 meter for a 60 Hz alternating magnetic field with a 0.1 T amplitude if losses are not to exceed 0.25-0.5 mW/Am, using a stabilizer with a resistivity of 50 100 microohm-cm. If the perpendicular field amplitude component as seen by the conductor is less the repeat distance can be increased proportionally. (W. J. Carr et al, “Filamentary YBCO Conductors for AC applications”, IEEE Trans. Appl. Superc. 9, pp. 1475-1478, (1999). The arrangement of filaments in a low ac loss multifilament coated HTS article is not limited to the examples described herein. Other filament patterns including at least one filament crossover will be readily apparent to one of skill in the art and are contemplated as within the scope of the invention. The articles may further include a cap layer disposed on top of the YBCO layer and a stabilizing layer deposed on the cap layer over the patterned superconductor filaments. The cap layer is an inert protective layer that provides a physical and chemical barrier to the environment. Exemplary cap layers include noble metals, such as silver. A stabilizing layer is used to provide improved mechanical and electrical stability during use, and reduce tensile and compressive strains on the superconductor filaments. For example, a thin layer of silver can be deposited on the superconductor filaments, thereby forming a composite with the superconducting layer and enabling the lamination of a hardened copper strip by soldering onto the silver. The multifilamentary pattern can be prepared using a variety of methods. By way of example only, patterns can be introduced into a thin film of superconducting material by abrasive milling, laser ablation, chemical etching, mechanical scribing, e-beam irradiation, ion implantation and deposition of ferromagnetic materials (iron). Abrasive milling, laser ablation, chemical etching and mechanical scribing physically remove YBCO material leaving behind a portion of the YBCO that forms the desired patterned filament structure. E-beam irradiation, ion implantation and deposition of ferromagnetic materials result in damage to exposed regions of the YBCO film transforming these regions into essentially non-superconducting material. The YBCO material that was not damaged forms the desired patterned filament structure. A multifilament article having filament crossovers can be obtained by first patterning the superconducting layer to form filaments within the plane of a superconducting layer. The in-plane patterning can be accomplished using known techniques such as those described herein. At a crossover location, the crossover filament is stopped to allow the continuous filament to pass; the crossover filament continues in its shifted position after the crossover. The ends of the discontinuous superconducting filaments are then joined using a flexible conducting crossover element. The conducting crossover element redirects the current from the first superconducting segment, through the conducting crossover element, and into the second superconducting segment of the crossover wire. A conductive crossover element 900 is illustrated in FIG. 9, which is a top view illustration of two filaments 902, 904 at a crossover location. Filament 902 is continuous at the crossover 906 and is patterned using a technique suitable for forming filaments within the plane of a superconductor layer (the method applies equally to filaments that are fabricated from a superconductor precursor). Exemplary techniques for forming the filament include scraping, sandblasting, laser ablation, e-beam irradiation, ion implantation and deposition of ferromagnetic materials. In order to form the crossover, a conducting crossover element 910 is formed between two discontinuous segments 904a and 904b of filament 904. Segment 904a is positioned on one side of the crossover and segment 904b is located on the other side of the crossover. The segment edges can be any shape, e.g., straight, irregular, curved or they can be formed at an angle, e.g., at about a 45° angle, selected to maximize superconductor coverage of the substrate while allowing switchover to occur. Conducting crossover element 910 joins the two segments 904a and 904b. The conducting element can be made of any conductive or superconductive material, and is typically made of a flexible conductive material. Suitable conductive crossover elements are preformed into a desired shape using materials such as copper or other flexible conductive material. The conductive crossover elements may be coated with an insulating or barrier layer to prevent electrical contact of the conductive bridge to the underlying filament. For example, the conducting crossover bridge can be a copper foil having a barrier layer of copper oxide. The conductive crossover element is joined to the ends of filament 904 at a bonding area 912. Exemplary bonds include solder and spot welds. An alternative approach to the fabrication of multifilamentary articles having the configurations described herein is to use fabrication techniques that allow the building of the three-dimensional crossover structures. Three-dimensional printing is one technique that can be used to build the multiple layers of oxide superconductor and filler material at the crossover point. The patterned filamentary superconducting oxide layer can be prepared by controlled deposition of droplets of a solution, e.g., dropwise deposition, containing precursor components to an oxide superconductor. The patterned layer is then converted into a patterned oxide superconductor. The method may be used to deposit a plurality of narrow strips of oxide superconductor in the patterns and configurations described herein in order to significantly suppress the ac loss of second generation coated conductor articles. Further information is found in copending application U.S. Ser. No. ______ TBD, entitled “Dropwise Deposition of a Patterned Oxide Superconductor,” and filed on even date herewith, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety. Precursor components to an oxide superconductor are dissolved in a suitable solvent to form a solution. A precursor component includes a metal source, e.g., a metal salt, metal compound and metal-organic compound and the like, that can be further processed (along with other precursor components) to form an oxide superconductor. The precursor components can include soluble compounds of one or more rare earth elements, one or more alkaline earth metals and one or more transition metals. As used herein, “soluble compounds” of rare earth elements, alkaline earth metals and transition metals refers to compounds of these metals that are capable of dissolving in the solvents contained in the precursor solution. Such compounds include, for example, salts (e.g., nitrates, acetates, alkoxides, halides, sulfates, and trifluoroacetates), oxides and hydroxides of these metals. A typical precursor solution includes the salts of yttrium, barium and copper, wherein at least one of the metal salts is a trifluoroacetate. Precursor components that permit pinning centers to be introduced into superconducting thin films may also be added to the precursor solution. For example a dopant component including a metal compound having a dopant metal capable of replacing one or more of the rare earth and alkaline earth metal of the rare-earth/alkaline-earth-metal/transition metal oxide or an additive component containing one or more metal compounds capable of forming a second phase nanoparticle can be included in the precursor solution. The solvent or combination of solvents used in the precursor solution can include any solvent or combination of solvents capable of dissolving the metal sources. Such solvents include, for example, water and alcohols, including methanol, ethanol, isopropanol and butanol. The solution is introduced into a dispensing device that has at least one nozzle through which the solution may be discharged, continuously or intermittently on demand, in the form of discrete fine droplets. The precursor solution may be dispensed through a plurality of dispensing devices and/or through a plurality of nozzles or nozzle orifices. The dispensed precursor solution is deposited onto a textured target surface essentially point by point to form a thin film in a predetermined pattern. Thus, a high degree of precision can be realized. In one or more embodiments, an inkjet printer is used to dropwise deposit the precursor solution. Inkjet printer technology provides continuous deposition of long lengths of superconductor material on moving substrates. Any desired distribution of interfilament bridges is achievable and can be precisely applied. Both the spacing between filaments and (optionally) the distribution of bridges can be precisely controlled using computer control, as is currently employed in conventional inkjet printing. An appropriate poorly conductive or medium or high resistivity material (or other second material) is deposited in the interfilament gaps using, for example, an additional set of printer heads with a second solution. Droplets with spot sizes as small as 10 μm in the lateral dimension have been created by inkjet methods, which provides adequate interfilament resolution. The precursor components are then heated to convert the precursors into an oxide superconductor. The precursor components are converted into an oxide superconductor by treating the precursor film to form an intermediate metal oxyfluoride film including the rare earth, the alkaline earth metal, and the transition metal of the precursor solution, and thereafter converting the oxyfluoride film into an oxide superconductor. Dropwise deposition enables the method to put down material at any point on the target substrate. Thus, material can be deposited within the gaps or spacings between the filaments of the filament array. For example, additional precursor solution is deposited at random or periodic intervals to form superconducting or conductive bridges between adjacent filaments. Periodic bridges provide current continuity from filament to filament and offset defects that periodically arise in the superconducting material. Periodic bridges provide current continuity from filament to filament and offset defects that periodically arise in the superconducting material. An exemplary bridge is illustrated in FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a top view of a coated conductor architecture 1000 having an array of continuous filaments 1020 separated by gaps 1040. The architecture includes periodic bridges 1060 that span the gap 1040. Alternatively, a second material is deposited within the gaps between filaments, such as poorly conductive material or medium or high resistivity material or precursor thereto that is selected to mechanically isolate the adjacent filaments and/or to increase electrical stability of the article. Using multiple passes over the substrate, it is possible to form a multilayer structure at the crossover location containing the physically separated filaments. In an exemplary deposition process of two transposed wires, a first deposition step deposits droplets of superconducting precursor material to form two filaments; and filler material is deposited to fill any space not occupied by filaments. The filler material desirably is able to be textured. At the crossover junction, one filament is printed continuously and the other is interrupted. In subsequent deposition sequences, a layer of barrier material is deposited (may be the same as the filler material) over the continuous filament at the crossover junction. The barrier layer is of a thickness to provide the appropriate isolating effect between the two filaments at their closest approach and may vary in thickness, e.g., to accommodate the increased thickness of the overlapping filaments. In a final sequence of deposition steps, superconducting materials is deposited over the filler material at the crossover junction to span the bridge. As shown in FIG. 11, at a first station 1100, a wire substrate is treated to obtain biaxial texture. Preferably, the substrate surface has a relatively well defined crystallographic orientation. For example, the surface can be a biaxially textured surface (e.g., a (113)[211] surface) or a cube textured surface (e.g., a (100)[011] surface or a (100)[001] surface). Preferably, the peaks in an X-ray diffraction pole figure of the surface have a FWHM of less than about 20° (e.g., less than about 15°, less than about 10°, or from about 5° to about 10°). The surface can be prepared, for example, by rolling and annealing. Surfaces can also be prepared using vacuum processes, such as ion beam assisted deposition, inclined substrate deposition and other vacuum techniques known in the art to form a biaxially textured surface on, for example, a randomly oriented polycrystalline surface. In certain embodiments (e.g., when ion beam assisted deposition is used), the surface of the substrate need not be textured (e.g., the surface can be randomly oriented polycrystalline, or the surface can be amorphous). The substrate can be formed of any material capable of supporting a buffer layer stack and/or a layer of superconductor material. Examples of substrate materials that can be used as the substrate include for example, metals and/or alloys, such as nickel, silver, copper, zinc, aluminum, iron, chromium, vanadium, palladium, molybdenum and/or their alloys. In some embodiments, the substrate can be formed of a superalloy. In certain embodiments, the substrate can be in the form of an object having a relatively large surface area (e.g., a wire or a wafer). In these embodiments, the substrate is preferably formed of a relatively flexible material. In some of these embodiments, the substrate is a binary alloy that contains two of the following metals: copper, nickel, chromium, vanadium, aluminum, silver, iron, palladium, molybdenum, tungsten, gold and zinc. For example, a binary alloy can be formed of nickel and chromium (e.g., nickel and at most 20 atomic percent chromium, nickel and from about five to about 18 atomic percent chromium, or nickel and from about 10 to about 15 atomic percent chromium). As another example, a binary alloy can be formed of nickel and copper (e.g., copper and from about five to about 45 atomic percent nickel, copper and from about 10 to about 40 atomic percent nickel, or copper and from about 25 to about 35 atomic percent nickel). As a further example, a binary alloy can contain nickel and tungsten (e.g., from about one atomic percent tungsten to about 20 atomic percent tungsten, from about two atomic percent tungsten to about 10 atomic percent tungsten, from about three atomic percent tungsten to about seven atomic percent tungsten, about five atomic percent tungsten). A binary alloy can further include relatively small amounts of impurities (e.g., less than about 0.1 atomic percent of impurities, less than about 0.01 atomic percent of impurities, or less than about 0.005 atomic percent of impurities). In certain of these embodiments, the substrate contains more than two metals (e.g., a ternary alloy or a quarternary alloy). In some of these embodiments, the alloy can contain one or more oxide formers (e.g., Mg, Al, Mo, V, Ta, Ti, Cr, Ga, Ge, Zr, Hf, Y, Si, Pr, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Lu, Th, Er, Tm, Be, Ce, Nd, Sm, Yb and/or La, with Al being the preferred oxide former), as well as two of the following metals: copper, nickel, chromium, vanadium, aluminum, silver, iron, palladium, molybdenum, gold and zinc. In certain of these embodiments, the alloy can contain two of the following metals: copper, nickel, chromium, vanadium, aluminum, silver, iron, palladium, molybdenum, gold and zinc, and can be substantially devoid of any of the aforementioned oxide formers. In embodiments in which the alloys contain an oxide former, the alloys can contain at least about 0.5 atomic percent oxide former (e.g., at least about one atomic percent oxide former, or at least about two atomic percent oxide former) and at most about 25 atomic percent oxide former (e.g., at most about 10 atomic percent oxide former, or at most about four atomic percent oxide former). For example, the alloy can include an oxide former (e.g., at least about 0.5 aluminum), from about 25 atomic percent to about 55 atomic percent nickel (e.g., from about 35 atomic percent to about 55 atomic percent nickel, or from about 40 atomic percent to about 55 atomic percent nickel) with the balance being copper. As another example, the alloy can include an oxide former (e.g., at least about 0.5 atomic aluminum), from about five atomic percent to about 20 atomic percent chromium (e.g., from about 10 atomic percent to about 18 atomic percent chromium, or from about 10 atomic percent to about 15 atomic percent chromium) with the balance being nickel. The alloys can include relatively small amounts of additional metals (e.g., less than about 0.1 atomic percent of additional metals, less than about 0.01 atomic percent of additional metals, or less than about 0.005 atomic percent of additional metals). A substrate formed of an alloy can be produced by, for example, combining the constituents in powder form, melting and cooling or, for example, by diffusing the powder constituents together in solid state. The alloy can then be formed by deformation texturing (e.g, annealing and rolling, swaging, extrusion and/or drawing) to form a textured surface (e.g., biaxially textured or cube textured). Alternatively, the alloy constituents can be stacked in a jelly roll configuration, and then deformation textured. In some embodiments, a material with a relatively low coefficient of thermal expansion (e.g, Nb, Mo, Ta, V, Cr, Zr, Pd, Sb, NbTi, an intermetallic such as NiAl or Ni3Al, or mixtures thereof) can be formed into a rod and embedded into the alloy prior to deformation texturing. In some embodiments, stable oxide formation at the surface can be mitigated until a first epitaxial (for example, buffer) layer is formed on the biaxially textured alloy surface, using an intermediate layer disposed on the surface of the substrate. Intermediate layers include those epitaxial metal or alloy layers that do not form surface oxides when exposed to conditions as established by PO2 and temperature required for the initial growth of epitaxial buffer layer films. In addition, the buffer layer acts as a barrier to prevent substrate element(s) from migrating to the surface of the intermediate layer and forming oxides during the initial growth of the epitaxial layer. Absent such an intermediate layer, one or more elements in the substrate would be expected to form thermodynamically stable oxide(s) at the substrate surface which could significantly impede the deposition of epitaxial layers due to, for example, lack of texture in this oxide layer. In some of these embodiments, the intermediate layer is transient in nature. “Transient,” as used herein, refers to an intermediate layer that is wholly or partly incorporated into or with the biaxially textured substrate following the initial nucleation and growth of the epitaxial film. Even under these circumstances, the intermediate layer and biaxially textured substrate remain distinct until the epitaxial nature of the deposited film has been established. The use of transient intermediate layers may be preferred when the intermediate layer possesses some undesirable property, for example, the intermediate layer is magnetic, such as nickel. Exemplary intermediate metal layers include nickel, gold, silver, palladium, and alloys thereof. Additional metals or alloys may include alloys of nickel and/or copper. Epitaxial films or layers deposited on an intermediate layer can include metal oxides, chalcogenides, halides, and nitrides. In some embodiments, the intermediate metal layer does not oxidize under epitaxial film deposition conditions. Care should be taken that the deposited intermediate layer is not completely incorporated into or does not completely diffuse into the substrate before nucleation and growth of the initial buffer layer structure causes the epitaxial layer to be established. This means that after selecting the metal (or alloy) for proper attributes such as diffusion constant in the substrate alloy, thermodynamic stability against oxidation under practical epitaxial buffer layer growth conditions and lattice matching with the epitaxial layer, the thickness of the deposited metal layer has to be adapted to the epitaxial layer deposition conditions, in particular to temperature. Deposition of the intermediate metal layer can be done in a vacuum process such as evaporation or sputtering, or by electrochemical means such as electroplating (with or without electrodes). These deposited intermediate metal layers may or may not be epitaxial after deposition (depending on substrate temperature during deposition), but epitaxial orientation can subsequently be obtained during a post-deposition heat treatment. In certain embodiments, sulfur can be formed on the surface of the intermediate layer. The sulfur can be formed on the surface of the intermediate layer, for example, by exposing the intermediate layer to a gas environment containing a source of sulfur (e.g., H2S, a tantalum foil or a silver foil) and hydrogen (e.g., hydrogen, or a mix of hydrogen and an inert gas, such as a 5% hydrogen/argon gas mixture) for a period of time (e.g., from about 10 seconds to about one hour, from about one minute to about 30 minutes, from about five minutes to about 15 minutes). This can be performed at elevated temperature (e.g., at a temperature of from about 450° C. to about 1100° C., from about 600° C. to about 900° C., 850° C.). The pressure of the hydrogen (or hydrogen/inert gas mixture) can be relatively low (e.g., less than about one torr, less than about 1×10−3 torr, less than about 1×10−6 torr) or relatively high (e.g., greater than about 1 torr, greater than about 100 torr, greater than about 760 torr). Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that exposing the textured substrate surface to a source of sulfur under these conditions can result in the formation of a superstructure (e.g., a c(2×2) superstructure) of sulfur on the textured substrate surface. It is further believed that the superstructure can be effective in stabilizing (e.g., chemically and/or physically stabilizing) the surface of the intermediate layer. While one approach to forming a sulfur superstructure has been described, other methods of forming such superstructures can also be used. For example, a sulfur superstructure (e.g., S c(2×2)) can be formed by applying an appropriate organic solution to the surface of the intermediate layer by heating to an appropriate temperature in an appropriate gas environment. Moreover, while formation of a sulfur superstructure on the surface of the intermediate layer has been described, it is believed that other superstructures may also be effective in stabilizing (e.g., chemically and/or physically stabilizing) the surface. For example, it is believed that an oxygen superstructure, a nitrogen superstructure, a carbon superstructure, a potassium superstructure, a cesium superstructure, a lithium superstructure or a selenium superstructure disposed on the surface may be effective in enhancing the stability of the surface. In a second processing station 1120, a buffer layer is formed on the textured substrate. The buffer layer can be formed using ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD). In this technique, a buffer layer material is evaporated using, for example, electron beam evaporation, sputtering deposition, or pulsed laser deposition while an ion beam (e.g., an argon ion beam) is directed at a smooth amorphous surface of a substrate onto which the evaporated buffer layer material is deposited. For example, the buffer layer can be formed by ion beam assisted deposition by evaporating a buffer layer material having a rock-salt like structure (e.g., a material having a rock salt structure, such as an oxide, including MgO, or a nitride) onto a smooth, amorphous surface (e.g., a surface having a root mean square roughness of less than about 100 Angstroms) of a substrate so that the buffer layer material has a surface with substantial alignment (e.g., about 13° or less), both in-plane and out-of-plane. The conditions used during deposition of the buffer layer material can include, for example, a substrate temperature of from about 0° C. to about 750° C. (e.g., from about 0° C. to about 400° C., from about room temperature to about 750° C., from about room temperature to about 400° C.), a deposition rate of from about 1.0 Angstrom per second to about 4.4 Angstroms per second, an ion energy of from about 200 eV to about 1200 eV, and/or an ion flux of from about 110 microamperes per square centimeter to about 120 microamperes per square centimeter. In some embodiments, when using IBAD, the substrate is formed of a material having a polycrystalline, non-amorphous base structure (e.g., a metal alloy, such as a nickel alloy) with a smooth amorphous surface formed of a different material (e.g., Si3N4). In certain embodiments, a plurality of buffer layers can be deposited by epitaxial growth on an original IBAD surface. Each buffer layer can have substantial alignment (e.g., about 13° or less), both in-plane and out-of-plane. A buffer material can be prepared using solution phase techniques, including metalorganic deposition, such as disclosed in, for example, S. S. Shoup et al., J. Am. Cer. Soc., vol. 81, 3019; D. Beach et al., Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., vol. 495, 263 (1988); M. Paranthaman et al., Superconductor Sci. Tech., vol. 12, 319 (1999); D. J. Lee et al., Japanese J. Appl. Phys., vol. 38, L178 (1999) and M. W. Rupich et al., I.E.E.E. Trans. on Appl. Supercon. vol. 9, 1527. In certain embodiments, solution coating processes can be used for deposition of one or a combination of any of the oxide layers on textured substrates; however, they can be particularly applicable for deposition of the initial (seed) layer on a textured metal substrate. The role of the seed layer is to provide 1) protection of the substrate from oxidation during deposition of the next oxide layer when carried out in an oxidizing atmosphere relative to the substrate (for example, magnetron sputter deposition of yttria-stabilized zirconia from an oxide target); and 2) an epitaxial template for growth of subsequent oxide layers. In order to meet these requirements, the seed layer should grow epitaxially over the entire surface of the metal substrate and be free of any contaminants that may interfere with the deposition of subsequent epitaxial oxide layers. The formation of oxide buffer layers can be carried out so as to promote wetting of an underlying substrate layer. Additionally, in particular embodiments, the formation of metal oxide layers can be carried out using metal alkoxide precursors (for example, “sol gel” precursors). Once the textured substrate including buffer layers is prepared, a patterned precursor solution is deposited deposition station 1130 as described above. Additional equipment may be required to accomplish the patterning operation, for example, when laser ablation or ion bombardment are used to pattern the superconducting layer. If dropwise patterned deposition is used, then a single station equipped with a inkjet printer deposition apparatus can accomplish both deposition and patterning of the oxide precursor solution. At a subsequent station 1140, the precursor components are decomposed. The conversion of the patterned precursor components into an oxide superconductor is carried out as has been previously reported for continuous thick precursor films. In the case of precursor components including at least one fluoride-containing salt, the first step of the heating step is performed to decompose the metalorganic molecules to one or more oxyfluoride intermediates of the desired superconductor material. Typically, the initial temperature in this step is about room temperature, and the final temperature is from about 190° C. to about 210° C., preferably to a temperature to about 200° C. Preferably, this step is performed using a temperature ramp of at least about 5° C. per minute, more preferably a temperature ramp of at least about 10° C. per minute, and most preferably a temperature ramp of at least about 15° C. per minute. During this step, the partial pressure of water vapor in the nominal gas environment is preferably maintained at from about 5 Torr to about 50 Torr, more preferably at from about 5 Torr to about 30 Torr, and most preferably at from about 20 Torr to about 30 Torr. The partial pressure of oxygen in the nominal gas environment is maintained at from about 0.1 Torr to about 760 Torr and preferably at about 730-740 Torr. Heating is then continued to a temperature of from about 200° C. to about 290° C. using a temperature ramp of from about 0.05° C. per minute to about 5° C. per minute (e.g., from about 0.5° C. per minute to about 1° C. per minute). Preferably, the gas environment during this heating step is substantially the same as the nominal gas environment used when the sample is heated to from the initial temperature to from about 190° C. to about 215° C. Heating is further continued to a temperature of about 650° C., or more preferably to a temperature of about 400° C., to form the oxyfluoride intermediate. This step is preferably performed using a temperature ramp of at least about 2° C. per minute, more preferably at least about 3° C. per minute, and most preferably at least about 5° C. per minute. Preferably, the gas environment during this heating step is substantially the same as the nominal gas environment used when the sample is heated to from the initial temperature to from about 190° C. to about 215° C. In alternate embodiments, barium fluoride is formed by heating the dried solution from an initial temperature (e.g., room temperature) to a temperature of from about 190° C. to about 215° C. (e.g., about 210° C.) in a water vapor pressure of from about 5 Torr to about 50 Torr water vapor (e.g., from about 5 Torr to about 30 Torr water vapor, or from about 10 Torr to about 25 Torr water vapor). The nominal partial pressure of oxygen can be, for example, from about 0.1 Torr to about 760 Torr. In these embodiments, heating is then continued to a temperature of from about 220° C. to about 290° C. (e.g., about 220° C.) in a water vapor pressure of from about 5 Torr to about 50 Torr water vapor (e.g., from about 5 Torr to about 30 Torr water vapor, or from about 10 Torr to about 25 Torr water vapor). The nominal partial pressure of oxygen can be, for example, from about 0.1 Torr to about 760 Torr. This is followed by heating to about 400° C. at a rate of at least about 2° C. per minute (e.g., at least about 3° C. per minute, or at least about 5° C. per minute) in a water vapor pressure of from about 5 Torr to about 50 Torr water vapor (e.g., from about 5 Torr to about 30 Torr water vapor, or from about 10 Torr to about 25 Torr water vapor) to form barium fluoride. The nominal partial pressure of oxygen can be, for example, from about 0.1 Torr to about 760 Torr. In certain embodiments, heating the dried solution to form barium fluoride can include putting the coated sample in a pre-heated furnace (e.g., at a temperature of at least about 100° C., at least about 150° C., at least about 200° C., at most about 300° C., at most about 250° C., about 200° C.). The gas environment in the furnace can have, for example, a total gas pressure of about 760 Torr, a predetermined partial pressure of water vapor (e.g. at least about 10 Torr, at least about 15 Torr, at most about 25 Torr, at most about 20 Torr, about 17 Torr) with the balance being molecular oxygen. After the coated sample reaches the furnace temperature, the furnace temperature can be increased (e.g., to at least about 225° C., to at least about 240° C., to at most about 275° C., to at most about 260° C., about 250° C.) at a predetermined temperature ramp rate (e.g., at least about 0.5° C. per minute, at least about 0.75° C. per minute, at most about 2° C. per minute, at most about 1.5° C. per minute, about 1° C. per minute). This step can be performed with the same nominal gas environment used in the first heating step. The temperature of the furnace can then be further increased (e.g., to at least about 350° C., to at least about 375° C., to at most about 450° C., to at most about 425° C., about 450° C.) at a predetermined temperature ramp rate (e.g., at least about 5° C. per minute, at least about 8° C. per minute, at most about 20° C. per minute, at most about 12° C. per minute, about 10° C. per minute). This step can be performed with the same nominal gas environment used in the first heating step. The foregoing treatments of a metal salt solution can result in an oxyfluoride intermediate film in which the constituent metal oxides and metal fluorides are homogeneously distributed throughout the film. Preferably, the precursor has a relatively low defect density and is essentially free of cracks through the intermediate thickness. While solution chemistry for barium fluoride formation has been disclosed, other methods can also be used for other precursor solutions. The superconductor intermediate film can then be heated to form the desired superconductor layer at a further processing station 1150. Typically, this step is performed by heating from about room temperature to a temperature of from about 700° C. to about 825° C., preferably to a temperature of about 740° C. to 800° C. and more preferably to a temperature of about 750° C. to about 790° C., at a temperature ramp of about greater than 25° C. per minute, preferably at a temperature rate of about greater than 100° C. per minute and more preferably at a temperature rate about greater than 200° C. per minute. This step can also start from the final temperature of about 400-650° C. used to form the intermediate oxyfluoride film. During this step, a process gas is flowed over the film surface to supply the gaseous reactants to the film and to remove the gaseous reaction products from the film. The nominal gas environment during this step has a total pressure of about 0.1 Torr to about 760 Torr and is comprised of about 0.09 Torr to about 50 Torr oxygen and about 0.01 Torr to about 150 Torr water vapor and about 0 Torr to about 750 Torr of an inert gas (nitrogen or argon). More preferably, the nominal gas environment has a total pressure of about 0.15 Torr to about 5 Torr and is comprised of about 0.1 Torr to about 1 Torr oxygen and about 0.05 Torr to about 4 Torr water vapor. The film is then held at a temperature of about 700° C.-825° C., preferably to a temperature of about 740° C. to 800° C. and more preferably to a temperature of about 750° C. to about 790° C., for a time of about at least 5 minutes to about 120 minutes, preferably for a time of at least about 15 minutes to about 60 minutes, and more preferably for a time of at least about 15 minutes to about 30 minutes. During this step, a process gas is flowed over the film surface to supply the gaseous reactants to the film and to remove the gaseous reaction products from the film. The nominal gas environment during this step has a total pressure of about 0.1 Torr to about 760 Torr and is comprised of about 0.09 Torr to about 50 Torr oxygen and about 0.01 Torr to about 150 Torr water vapor and about 0 Torr to about 750 Torr of an inert gas (nitrogen or argon). More preferably, the nominal gas environment has a total pressure of about 0.15 Torr to about 5 Torr and is comprised of about 0.1 Torr to about 1 Torr oxygen and about 0.05 Torr to about 4 Torr water vapor. The film is then cooled to room temperature at in a nominal gas environment with an oxygen pressure of about 0.05 Torr to about 150 Torr, preferably about 0.1 Torr to about 0.5 Torr and more preferably from about 0.1 Torr to about 0.2 Torr. Further processing by noble metal deposition at station 1160, oxygen anneal at station 1070, lamination at station 1080 and slitting at station 1090 complete the process, thereby allowing for the low cost fabrication of low ac loss coated conductor wires. The invention is described with reference to the following examples, which are provided for the purpose of illustration and are not limiting of the invention. EXAMPLE Design of an Exemplary Multifilamentary Coated Conductor Configuration Consider a 4 mm-wide YBCO coated conductor tape having a critical current of 125 A (at 77 K and self field) with superconductor layer dimensions of about 4 mm by 0.001 mm. Such a dc tape is converted into an ac tape by dividing the tape into a number of parallel paths along the tape length and performing transpositions of the parallel paths at selected points. Assuming a filament configuration as set forth in FIG. 8 with four filaments, a maximum distance between neighboring crossing points can be determined. The distance requirements for crossing points are a function of the field environment of the tape. Assume that the tape is exposed to uniform perpendicular magnetic field and the maximum voltage allowed between any two parallel paths is 1 V (e.g., the breaking voltage between the superconducting layer and the substrate). When the ac tape is exposed to a uniform perpendicular magnetic field oscillating at 50 Hz, the typical emf induced due the field change is the area times the field-time derivative. Thus, the amplitude of the induced electric field in 4-mm wide tape is about 6 mV/m for the magnetic field amplitude of 15 mT. For the maximum voltage of 1 V, the allowed tape length is 170 m and the distance l1 is then about 41 m. Thus even with four parallel strips, one full transposition along the 100 m long tape in uniform (or symmetric in respect to the transpositions) perpendicular magnetic field is sufficient to reduce the ac magnetization loss by a factor of 4 to a desired value of about 0.5 mJ/m. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE The following documents are hereby incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,074, issued on Jul. 27, 1993, and entitled “Preparation of Highly Textured Oxide Superconducting Films from MOD Precursor Solutions,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,832, issued Feb. 8, 2000, and entitled “Low Vacuum Process for Producing Superconductor Articles with Epitaxial Layers,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,564, issued Feb. 22, 2000, and entitled “Low Vacuum Process for Producing Epitaxial Layers,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,752, issued Feb. 20, 2001, and entitled “Thin Films Having Rock-Salt-Like Structure Deposited on Amorphous Surfaces,” PCT Publication No. WO 00/58530, published on Oct. 5, 2000, and entitled “Alloy Materials,” PCT Publication No. WO/58044, published on Oct. 5, 2000, and entitled “Alloy Materials,” PCT Publication No. WO 99/17307, published on Apr. 8, 1999, and entitled “Substrates with Improved Oxidation Resistance,” PCT Publication No. WO 99/16941, published on Apr. 8, 1999, and entitled “Substrates for Superconductors,” PCT Publication No. WO 98/58415, published on Dec. 23, 1998, and entitled “Controlled Conversion of Metal Oxyfluorides into Superconducting Oxides,” PCT Publication No. WO 01/11428, published on Feb. 15, 2001, and entitled “Multi-Layer Articles and Methods of Making Same,” PCT Publication No. WO 01/08232, published on Feb. 1, 2001, and entitled “Multi-Layer Articles And Methods Of Making Same,” PCT Publication No. WO 01/08235, published on Feb. 1, 2001, and entitled “Methods And Compositions For Making A Multi-Layer Article,” PCT Publication No. WO 01/08236, published on Feb. 1, 2001, and entitled “Coated Conductor Thick Film Precursor”, PCT Publication No. WO 01/08169, published on Feb. 1, 2001, and entitled “Coated Conductors With Reduced A.C. Loss” PCT Publication No. WO 01/15245, published on Mar. 1, 2001, and entitled “Surface Control Alloy Substrates And Methods Of Manufacture Therefor,” PCT Publication No. WO 01/08170, published on Feb. 1, 2001, and entitled “Enhanced Purity Oxide Layer Formation,” PCT Publication No. WO 01/26164, published on Apr. 12, 2001, and entitled “Control of Oxide Layer Reaction Rates,” PCT Publication No. WO 01/26165, published on Apr. 12, 2001, and entitled “Oxide Layer Method,” PCT Publication No. WO 01/08233, published on Feb. 1, 2001, and entitled “Enhanced High Temperature Coated Superconductors,” PCT Publication No. WO 01/08231, published on Feb. 1, 2001, and entitled “Methods of Making A Superconductor,” PCT Publication No. WO 02/35615, published on Apr. 20, 2002, and entitled “Precursor Solutions and Methods of Using Same,” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/579,193, filed on May 26, 2000, and entitled, “Oxide Bronze Compositions And Textured Articles Manufactured In Accordance Therewith;” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/309,116, filed on Jul. 31, 2001, and entitled “Multi-Layer Superconductors And Methods Of Making Same;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/208,134, filed on Jul. 30, 2002, and entitled “Superconductor Methods and Reactor;” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/308,957, filed on Jul. 31, 2001, and entitled “Superconductor Methods and Reactors;” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/166,297, filed on Nov. 18, 1999, and entitled “Superconductor Articles and Compositions and Methods for Making Same,” and commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/615,999, filed on Jul. 14, 2000, and entitled “Superconductor Articles and Compositions and Methods for Making Same;” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/477,613, filed Jun. 10, 2003, and entitled “Superconductor Methods and Reactors; and U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 10/858,309, filed Jun. 4, 2004, and entitled “Superconductor Methods and Reactors,” all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to filamentary multilayer superconductor articles. The invention also relates to superconductor articles suitable for use in alternating current (ac) and time varying magnetic field applications. 2. Background of the Invention Since the discovery of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) materials (superconducting above the liquid nitrogen temperature of 77 K) there have been efforts to develop various engineering applications using such HTS materials. In thin film superconductor devices and wires, significant progress has been made with fabrication of devices utilizing an oxide superconductor including yttrium, barium, copper and oxygen in the well-known basic composition of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x (hereinafter referred to as “YBCO”). Biaxially textured superconducting metal oxides, such as YBCO, have achieved high critical current densities in a coated conductor architecture, often referred to as second generation HTS wires, or a “coated conductor.” The expression “HTS wire” indicates a HTS conductor with the attributes that make it useful for the construction of a superconducting device; its cross-sectional geometry can vary from tape-like to round. Typically, second generation HTS wires 10 include a metal substrate 11 , buffer layer(s) 12 , and an active layer 13 , e.g., a superconductor, as illustrated in FIG. 1 . The metal substrate, such as Ni, Ag, or Ni alloys, provides flexibility for the article and can be fabricated over long lengths and large areas. The buffer layer(s) consists of metal oxide layers, such as LaAlO 3 , Y 2 O 3 , CeO 2 , or yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ); it makes up the next layer and serves as a chemical barrier layer between the metal substrate and the active layer. The buffer layer(s) reduces oxidation of the substrate and also reduces the diffusion of chemical species between the substrate and the superconductor layer. Moreover, the buffer layer(s) can have a coefficient of thermal expansion that is well matched with the superconductor material. To achieve high critical current densities in the wire, the superconducting material has a sharp biaxial texture. As used herein, “biaxially textured” refers to a surface for which the crystal grains are in close alignment with a direction in the plane of the surface and a direction perpendicular to the surface. One type of biaxially textured surface is a cube textured surface, in which the crystal grains are also in close alignment with a direction perpendicular to the surface. Cube textured metal foils such as Ni or Ni alloys can serve as a substrate for high quality HTS wires. When using a cube textured substrate the buffer layer is an epitaxial layer, that is, its crystallographic orientation is directly related to the crystallographic orientation of the substrate surface onto which the buffer layer is deposited. For example, in a multi-layer superconductor having a substrate, an epitaxial buffer layer and an epitaxial layer of superconductor material, the crystallographic orientation of the surface of the buffer layer is directly related to the crystallographic orientation of the surface of the substrate, and the crystallographic orientation of the layer of superconductor material is directly related to the crystallographic orientation of the surface of the buffer layer. Second generation HTS wire can be incorporated into a variety of devices for many applications, including cables, motors, generators, synchronous condensers, transformers, current limiters, and magnet systems. The incorporation of second generation superconducting YBCO wires into such devices provides the opportunity to dramatically reduce the device cooling requirements, thus enabling the development of lightweight, compact, high-power sources. Currently a wide, e.g., several millimeters, tape configuration is used to reach practical electrical currents. Many potential applications for HTS wires involve operating the superconductor in the presence of ramped magnetic or oscillating magnetic fields, or require that the HTS wire carry alternating current. In the presence of time-varying magnetic fields or currents, there are a variety of mechanisms that give rise to energy dissipation, hereinafter referred to as “ac losses.” Although second generation HTS wire is currently suitable for many types of electric power devices, including power transmission cables and rotor sections of motors, the ac losses from the current HTS wires are too high for use in demanding HTS applications in which the alternating magnetic fields have a higher amplitude or frequency. The use of an HTS wire with greatly reduced ac losses would enhance the application of these wires in a great variety of novel, HTS-based devices. There are a number of factors contributing to the total ac loss in a superconducting wire, such as superconducting properties and dimensions of the superconducting oxide film, and the electrical and magnetic properties of the metal constituents of the conductor. A major contributor to the ac losses is so-called hysteretic losses in the superconducting oxide film caused by an oscillating external magnetic field. This loss contribution is proportional to the film width as seen by the magnetic field direction, and is therefore greatest when the magnetic field is perpendicular to the film surface, or when the alternating magnetic field has a large perpendicular component. For current HTS superconductor widths even a moderate ac frequency and magnetic field perpendicular to the superconducting film plane can produce very large ac losses. It has been proposed to divide an oxide superconducting film into narrow filaments to suppress ac loss in a superconducting oxide thin film. FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a portion of a coated conductor article in which the superconducting film is arranged as a thin filament array. The multilayer article 20 includes a metal substrate 21 having a textured surface and epitaxially grown buffer layer(s) 22 . Such textured bases have been previously described. A RABiTS™ (rolling-assisted, biaxially textured substrates) textured template is typically used. A RABiTS™ substrate is a roll-textured and annealed metal tape, e.g., nickel or nickel alloy such as NiW with a sharp cube texture, covered in an epitaxial manner with one or more oxide or metal buffer or conditioning layers. Another variation used to prepare the textured template is ion beam assisted deposition or IBAD. The resulting textured base serves as a template for the HTS compound, e.g., yttrium-barium-copper-oxide (YBCO). Superconductor filaments 23 run substantially continuously along the length of the base to form an array of substantially parallel filaments. The superconducting filaments are crystallographically oriented and typically exhibit biaxial texture. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In one aspect, the present invention provides low ac loss filamentary coated superconductors. In one aspect of the invention, an article includes an elongated substrate having a textured surface and having a length and a width, and a plurality of filaments including an oxide superconductor extending substantially along the length of the elongated substrate and spaced apart from one other filaments across the width of the elongated substrate. At least one filament crosses over at least one other filament such that the at least one filament occupies a first position across the width of the elongated substrate before the crossover and a second position across the width of the elongated substrate after crossover. In one or more embodiments, the at least one filament is separated from the other filament at least at the location of crossover by an insulating or poorly conductive or medium to high resistivity material. The medium to high resistivity material can be selected from the group consisting of copper-nickel alloy, nickel alloys and stainless steel. In one or more embodiments, multiple filaments cross over at least one other filament to form multiple crossover locations along the length of the elongated substrate. In one or more embodiments, the article includes about 2 to about 100 filaments, and for example, the filaments have a width of about 50 to 1000 μm. In one or more embodiments, the space between adjacent filaments is in the range of about 10 μm to about 100 μm, and the space between adjacent filaments can be an insulating or poorly conducting or medium to high resistivity material, and for example, the medium to high resistivity material is selected from the group consisting of copper-nickel alloy, nickel alloys and stainless steel, and for example, the poorly conductive material comprises amorphous rare earth-alkaline earth copper oxide or a conductive metal oxide. In one or more embodiments, the distance along the length of the article between neighboring crossover locations is in the range of about 0.005 m to about 100, or about 0.2 m to about 10 m. In one or more embodiments, a filament at a lower filament position at a lower edge of the elongated substrate crosses over the plurality of filaments and is directed to a top filament position at an upper edge of the elongated substrate, and the remaining filaments are shifted in the opposite direction across the width of the elongated substrate by about one filament position, and for example, the filaments shift is repeated periodically along the length of the elongated substrate. In one or more embodiments, a pair of filaments exchange filament positions during crossover, or for example, multiple filament pairs exchange filament positions periodically along the length of the elongated substrate. In one or more embodiments, the filaments are fully transposed, or the filaments are partially transposed, or the filaments are located substantially in the same layer. In one or more embodiments, the crossover includes a conductive crossover bridge electrically connecting the at least one filament between its first and second position, and for example, the bridge is a superconductor or a normal conductor, or the bridge includes a composite strip comprising a normal conductor layer and an insulating or high resistivity layer. In one or more embodiments, the superconducting component of the filament is discontinuous and the ends of the discontinuous superconductor filament are joined by a conductive crossover bridge, and for example, the bridge is in electrical contact with the discontinuous superconductor filament. The bridge can be bonded to each end of the discontinuous filament, and for example, the bond comprises a solder or a weld. The article of claim 1 , further comprising a cap layer disposed over the plurality of filaments. In one or more embodiments, the article further includes a stabilizer layer disposed on the cap layer. In another aspect of the invention, an article includes an elongated substrate having a length and a width, and a plurality of filaments comprising an oxide superconductor extending substantially along the length of the elongated substrate and spaced apart from one another across the width of the elongated substrate. The plurality of filaments is periodically shifted in the same direction across the width of the elongated substrate by about one filament width and wherein a filament at a lower edge of the elongated substrate is directed to a top filament position at an upper edge of the elongated substrate through a conductive bridge. In one or more embodiments, the superconducting component of the filament is discontinuous and the ends of the discontinuous superconductor filament are joined by a conductive bridge. In one or more embodiments, the article further includes a cap layer disposed over the plurality of filaments, and the article further can include a stabilizer layer disposed above the cap layer. In another aspect of the invention, a method of making a multifilamentary article is provided. The method includes providing a layer of oxide superconductor or precursor thereof on a substrate, treating the layer to form filaments, wherein at least one of the filaments is discontinuous, and joining the ends of the discontinuous filament using a conducting crossover bridge. In one or more embodiments, the bridge includes a composite strip comprising a normal conductor layer and an insulating or high resistivity layer, and the bridge is in electrical contact with the discontinuous superconductor filament. The bridge can be bonded to each end of the discontinuous filament, for example, by solder or a weld. | 20040929 | 20090224 | 20060223 | 60486.0 | H01B1200 | 0 | VIJAYAKUMAR, KALLAMBELLA M | LOW AC LOSS FILAMENTARY COATED SUPERCONDUCTORS | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H01B | 2,004 |
|
10,955,941 | ACCEPTED | User interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object | An improved user interface is provided for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object and that remain visibly available for use while the selected object is being edited. Upon selection of a particular object for editing, functionality available for editing the object is presented in a ribbon-shaped user interface above the software application workspace to allow the user ready and efficient access to functionality needed for editing the selected object. The display of relevant functionality controls is persisted until the user dismisses the display, selects another top-level functionality control or selects another object for editing. | 1. A method for providing functionality from a software application that is relevant to an edited object via an improved user interface, comprising: providing a plurality of functionalities available from a software application; receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application; upon receiving the indication of the selection of the object for editing, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a first subset of the plurality of functionalities, whereby the subset of the plurality of functionalities allows for editing the selected object. 2. The method of claim 1, in response to receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application, providing a selectable control at the selected object for selectively causing provision in the user interface of the one or more selectable controls representing a first subset of the plurality of functionalities. 3. The method of claim 1, prior to providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a subset of the plurality of functionalities, further comprising providing in the user interface a user interface tab for each of one or more tasks that may be performed with the subset of the plurality of functionalities. 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising upon receiving an indication of the selection of a first user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a first task associated with the selected first user interface tab. 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting functionalities organized under a second task associated with the selected second user interface tab. 6. The method of claim 4, further comprising grouping the one or more selectable controls representing a subset of the plurality of functionalities into one or more logical groupings of selectable controls whereby each of the one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of the one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under the first task associated with the selected first user interface tab. 7. The method of claim 6, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 9. The method of claim 6, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, reducing a display size of each of the one or more logical groupings until each of the one or more logical groupings may be displayed in the user interface. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising rearranging a layout of individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising amending a display of one or more individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping. 12. The method of claim 4, further comprising: upon receiving an indication of a mouse-over of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities; and upon cessation of the mouse-over of the second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing the first subset of the plurality of functionalities. 13. The method of claim 12, after providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities, receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls representing the second subset of the plurality of functionalities; and if the second user interface tab is not selected for persisting a provision in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing the first subset of the plurality of functionalities. 14. The method of claim 1, whereby receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application includes receiving an indication of an insertion of an object for editing into a document object via the software application. 15. The method of claim 1, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the one or more selectable controls to the selected object. 16. An improved user interface for providing functionality from a software application that is relevant to a selected object, comprising: one or more tabs disposed in an upper row of the user interface, each of said one or more tabs identifying a task that may be performed with the software application, where said task is associated with objects of same type as a selected object; whereby each of said one or more tabs is operative upon selection to cause a display in the user interface of one or more selectable functionality controls associated with a selected tab; and whereby said one or more selectable functionality controls is disposed in a row underneath the disposition of the one or more tabs, each of said one or more functionality controls being operative to cause an application of an associated functionality of the software application to the selected object. 17. The improved user interface of claim 16, further comprising: said one or more selectable functionality controls being organized and displayed in the user interface in one or more logical groupings, whereby each of said one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of functionalities available from the software application that may be applied to the selected object according to a portion of a task associated with a selected tab. 18. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for providing functionality from a software application that is relevant to an edited object via an improved user interface, comprising: providing a plurality of functionalities available from a software application; receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application; upon receiving the indication of the selection of the object for editing, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a first subset of the plurality of functionalities, whereby the subset of the plurality of functionalities allows for editing the selected object. 19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, in response to receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application, providing a selectable control at the selected object for selectively causing provision in the user interface of the one or more selectable controls representing a first subset of the plurality of functionalities. 20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, prior to providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a subset of the plurality of functionalities, further comprising providing in the user interface a user interface tab for each of one or more tasks that may be performed with the subset of the plurality of functionalities. 21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, further comprising upon receiving an indication of the selection of a first user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a first task associated with the selected first user interface tab. 22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting functionalities organized under a second task associated with the selected second user interface tab. 23. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising grouping the one or more selectable controls representing a subset of the plurality of functionalities into one or more logical groupings of selectable controls whereby each of the one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of the one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under the first task associated with the selected first user interface tab. 24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 26. The computer readable medium of claim 23, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, reducing a display size of each of the one or more logical groupings until each of the one or more logical groupings may be displayed in the user interface. 27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, further comprising rearranging a layout of individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping. 28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, further comprising amending a display of one or more individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping. 29. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising: upon receiving an indication of a mouse-over of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities; and upon cessation of the mouse-over of the second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing the first subset of the plurality of functionalities. 30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, after providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities, receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls representing the second subset of the plurality of functionalities; and if the second user interface tab is not selected for persisting a provision in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing the first subset of the plurality of functionalities. 31. The computer readable medium of claim 18, whereby receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application includes receiving an indication of the insertion of an object for editing into a document object via the software application. 32. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the one or more selectable controls to the selected object. 33. A method for providing functionality from a software application that is relevant to an edited object via an improved user interface, comprising: receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application; upon receiving the indication of the selection of the object for editing, providing in the user interface a user interface tab for each of one or more tasks that are particular to performance on an object of a same type as the selected object; providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a first user interface tab, each of the one or more selectable controls for selecting for application to the selected object of one or more functionalities of the software application associated with a first task; and grouping the one or more selectable controls representing a first user interface tab into one or more logical groupings of selectable controls whereby each of the one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of the one or more selectable controls representing the first user interface tab. 34. The method of claim 33, in response to receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application, providing a selectable control at the selected object for selectively causing provision in the user interface of the user interface tab for each of one or more tasks that are particular to performance on an object of a same type as the selected object, and for causing provision in the user interface of the one or more selectable controls representing a first user interface tab, each of the one or more selectable controls for selecting for application to the selected object of one or more functionalities of the software application associated with a first task. 35. The method of claim 33, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing the second user interface tab, each of the one or more selectable controls for selecting for application to the selected object of one or more functionalities of the software application associated with a second task. 36. The method of claim 33, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 37. The method of claim 36, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 38. The method of claim 33, whereby receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application includes receiving an indication of an insertion of an object for editing into a document object via the software application. 39. The method of claim 33, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the one or more selectable controls to the selected object. 40. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for providing functionality from a software application that is relevant to an edited object via an improved user interface, comprising: receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application; upon receiving the indication of the selection of the object for editing, providing in the user interface a user interface tab for each of one or more tasks that are particular to performance on an object of a same type as the selected object; providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a first user interface tab, each of the one or more selectable controls for selecting for application to the selected object of one or more functionalities of the software application associated with a first task; and grouping the one or more selectable controls representing a first user interface tab into one or more logical groupings of selectable controls whereby each of the one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of the one or more selectable controls representing the first user interface tab. 41. The computer readable medium of claim 40, in response to receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application, providing a selectable control at the selected object for selectively causing provision in the user interface of the user interface tab for each of one or more tasks that are particular to performance on an object of a same type as the selected object, and for causing provision in the user interface of the one or more selectable controls representing a first user interface tab, each of the one or more selectable controls for selecting for application to the selected object of one or more functionalities of the software application associated with a first task. 42. The computer readable medium of claim 40, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing the second user interface tab, each of the one or more selectable controls for selecting for application to the selected object of one or more functionalities of the software application associated with a second task. 43. The computer readable medium of claim 40, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 44. The computer readable medium of claim 43, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 45. The computer readable medium of claim 40, whereby receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application includes receiving an indication of an insertion of an object for editing into a document object via the software application. 46. The computer readable medium of claim 40, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the one or more selectable controls to the selected object. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/601,815, Attorney Matter No. 60001.0407USP1, Applicant Matter No. 309417.1, filed Aug. 16, 2004, entitled “Improved User Interfaces for Computer Software Applications.” FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to software application user interfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved user interface for displaying selectable software controls that are relevant to a selected object. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With the advent of the computer age, computer and software users have grown accustomed to user-friendly software applications that help them write, calculate, organize, prepare presentations, send and receive electronic mail, make music, and the like. For example, modern electronic word processing applications allow users to prepare a variety of useful documents. Modern spreadsheet applications allow users to enter, manipulate, and organize data. Modern electronic slide presentation applications allow users to create a variety of slide presentations containing text, pictures, data or other useful objects. To assist users to locate and utilize functionality of a given software application, a user interface containing a plurality of generic functionality controls is typically provided along an upper, lower or side edge of a displayed workspace in which the user may enter, copy, manipulate and format text or data. Such functionality controls often include selectable buttons with such names as “file,” “edit,” “view,” “insert,” “format,” and the like. Typically, selection of one of these top-level functionality buttons, for example “format,” causes a drop-down menu to be deployed to expose one or more selectable functionality controls associated with the top-level functionality, for example “font” under a top-level functionality of “format.” After a user selects a desired functionality control, or if the user moves the mouse cursor to a different location, the drop-down menu typically disappears. If the user determines that functionality of the first drop-down menu was the desired functionality, the user must remember which top-level functionality was selected, reselect that functionality and then find the desired functionality control all over again. Accordingly, in order to use the functionality of a given software application, the user must know the desired functionality is available under one of the selectable buttons, or the user must select different top-level functionalities until the desired specific functionality is located. This is particularly cumbersome when the user desires to apply many available functionalities to a given object type. For example, if the user desires to edit a picture object imbedded in a text document, according to prior methods and systems, the user must find functionality in a drop-down menu associated with editing the picture object. After application of any given functionality, the drop-down menu associated with editing the selected object, e.g., picture object, typically disappears. When the user desires to make a second or subsequent edit to the object, the user must once again find the correct top-level functionality control, deploy a menu of available functionalities, and find the desired particular functionality. Such a method of searching for desired functionality is cumbersome and time-consuming, particularly for less-experienced users, and when new functionality is added by developers of the software application, the new functionality may never be utilized unless the user is somehow educated as to its existence. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved user interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object and that remain visibly available for use while the object is being edited. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present invention has been made. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention solve the above and other problems by providing an improved user interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object and that remain visibly available for use while the selected object is being edited. Generally, aspects of the present invention provide for presenting selectable functionality controls associated with a given top-level functionality upon selection of a given object for editing. Upon selection of a particular object for editing, functionality available for editing the object is presented in a ribbon-shaped user interface above the software application workspace to allow the user ready and efficient access to functionality needed for editing the selected object. The display of relevant functionality controls is persisted until the user dismisses the display, selects another top-level functionality control or selects another object for editing. According to an aspect of the invention, methods and systems provide functionality from a software application that is relevant to an edited object via an improved user interface. A plurality of functionalities available from a given software application is provided. Upon receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application, one or more selectable controls representing a subset of the plurality of functionalities is displayed in a ribbon-shaped user interface whereby the subset of the plurality of functionalities is relevant to and allows for editing the selected object. The subset of the plurality of functionalities is persisted in the user interface until an indication is received of the selection of a different object for editing or the selection of a different functionality associated with a different subset of the plurality of functionalities. These and other features and advantages, which characterize the present invention, will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the architecture of a personal computer that provides an illustrative operating environment for embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an illustration of a computer screen display showing a ribbon-shaped user interface for displaying task-based top-level functionality tabs and for displaying a plurality of functionalities available under a selected top-level functionality tab. FIG. 3 illustrates a computer screen display showing a ribbon-shaped user interface in which is disposed selectable functionality controls relevant to and associated with the editing of a selected object. FIG. 4 illustrates a computer screen display showing an editable object according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 5 illustrates a computer screen display showing the presentation of a plurality of functionalities associated with a selected object for editing. FIG. 6 illustrates the computer screen display of FIG. 5 wherein a drop-down menu of selectable formatting options combinations is illustrated under a selectable formatting control. FIG. 7 illustrates a computer screen display showing the presentation of a plurality of functionalities associated with a selected object for editing. FIG. 8 illustrates a computer screen display showing an editable object according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 9 illustrates a computer screen display showing a pop-up functionality menu for providing functionality associated with a selected object for editing. FIG. 10 illustrates a computer screen display showing the presentation of a plurality of functionalities associated with a selected object for editing. FIG. 11 illustrates a computer screen display showing the presentation of a plurality of functionalities associated with a selected object for editing. FIG. 12 illustrates a computer screen display showing the presentation of a plurality of functionalities associated with a selected object for editing. FIG. 13 illustrates a computer screen display showing a pop-up functionality menu for providing functionality associated with a selected object for editing. FIG. 14 illustrates a computer screen display showing the presentation of a plurality of functionalities associated with a selected object for editing. FIG. 15 illustrates a computer screen display showing a pop-up functionality menu for providing functionality associated with a selected object for editing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION As briefly described above, embodiments of the present invention are directed to an improved user interface for displaying selectable functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object and that remain visibly available for use while the selected object is being edited. In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustrations specific embodiments or examples. These embodiments may be combined, other embodiments may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals represent like elements through the several figures, aspects of the present invention and the exemplary operating environment will be described. FIG. 1 and the following discussion are intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment in which the invention may be implemented. While the invention will be described in the general context of program modules that execute in conjunction with an application program that runs on an operating system on a personal computer, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may also be implemented in combination with other program modules. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components, data structures, and other types of structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. The invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices. Turning now to FIG. 1, an illustrative computer architecture for a personal computer 2 for practicing the various embodiments of the invention will be described. The computer architecture shown in FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional personal computer, including a central processing unit 4 (“CPU”), a system memory 6, including a random access memory 8 (“RAM”) and a read-only memory (“ROM”) 10, and a system bus 12 that couples the memory to the CPU 4. A basic input/output system containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer, such as during startup, is stored in the ROM 10. The personal computer 2 further includes a mass storage device 14 for storing an operating system 16, application programs, such as the application program 205, and data. The mass storage device 14 is connected to the CPU 4 through a mass storage controller (not shown) connected to the bus 12. The mass storage device 14 and its associated computer-readable media, provide non-volatile storage for the personal computer 2. Although the description of computer-readable media contained herein refers to a mass storage device, such as a hard disk or CD-ROM drive, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by the personal computer 2. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other solid state memory technology, CD-ROM, DVD, or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by the computer. According to various embodiments of the invention, the personal computer 2 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to remote computers through a TCP/IP network 18, such as the Internet. The personal computer 2 may connect to the TCP/IP network 18 through a network interface unit 20 connected to the bus 12. It should be appreciated that the network interface unit 20 may also be utilized to connect to other types of networks and remote computer systems. The personal computer 2 may also include an input/output controller 22 for receiving and processing input from a number of devices, including a keyboard or mouse (not shown). Similarly, an input/output controller 22 may provide output to a display screen, a printer, or other type of output device. As mentioned briefly above, a number of program modules and data files may be stored in the mass storage device 14 and RAM 8 of the personal computer 2, including an operating system 16 suitable for controlling the operation of a networked personal computer, such as the WINDOWS operating systems from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. The mass storage device 14 and RAM 8 may also store one or more application programs. In particular, the mass storage device 14 and RAM 8 may store an application program 105 for providing a variety of functionalities to a user. For instance, the application program 105 may comprise many types of programs such as a word processing application, a spreadsheet application, a desktop publishing application, and the like. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the application program 105 comprises a multiple functionality software application for providing word processing functionality, slide presentation functionality, spreadsheet functionality, database functionality and the like. Some of the individual program modules comprising the multiple functionality application 105 include a word processing application 125, a slide presentation application 135, a spreadsheet application 140 and a database application 145. An example of such a multiple functionality application 105 is OFFICE manufactured by Microsoft Corporation. Other software applications illustrated in FIG. 1 include an electronic mail application 130. FIG. 2 is an illustration of a computer screen display showing a ribbon-shaped user interface for displaying task-based top-level functionality tabs and for displaying a plurality of functionalities available under a selected top-level functionality tab. As briefly described above, the improved user interface of the present invention includes a ribbon-shaped user interface for displaying selectable controls associated with task-based functionality available under a given software application, such as the software application 105 illustrated in FIG. 1. A first section 210 of the user interface 200 includes generic selectable controls for functionality not associated with a particular task, such as word processing versus spreadsheet data analysis. For example, the section 210 includes selectable controls for general file commands such as “file open,” “file save” and “print.” According to one embodiment of the present invention, the selectable controls included in the first section 210 are controls that may be utilized by a variety of software applications comprising a multiple functionality application 105. That is, the selectable controls included in the first section 210 may be controls that are generally found and used across a number of different software applications. Selectable controls included in the first section 210 may be utilized for all such applications comprising such a multiple functionality application, but other selectable controls presented in the user interface 200 described below, may be tailored to particular tasks which may be performed by particular software applications comprising the multiple functionality application. On the other hand, it should be appreciated that the user interface 200 described herein may be utilized for a single software application such as a word processing application 125, a slide presentation application 135, a spreadsheet application 140, a database application 145, or any other software application which may utilize a user interface for allowing users to apply functionality of the associated application. Referring still to FIG. 2, adjacent to the first section 210 of the user interface 200 is a task-based tab section. The tab section includes selectable tabs associated with task-based functionality provided by a given software application. For purposes of example, the task-based tabs illustrated in FIG. 2 are associated with tasks that may be performed using a word processing application 125. For example, a “Writing” tab 215 is associated with functionality that may be utilized for performing writing tasks. An “Insert” tab 220 is associated with functionality associated with performing insert operations or tasks. A “Page Layout” tab 230 is associated with functionality provided by the associated application for performing or editing page layout attributes of a given document. As should be appreciated, many other task-based tabs or selectable controls may be added to the tab section of the user interface for calling functionality associated with other tasks. For example, task tabs may be added for text effects, document styles, review and comment, and the like. And, as described above, the user interface 200 may be utilized for a variety of different software applications. For example, if the user interface 200 is utilized for a slide presentation application, tabs contained in the tab section may include such tabs as “Create Slides,” “Insert,” “Format,” “Drawing,” “Effects,” and the like associated with a variety of tasks that may be performed by a slide presentation application. Similarly, tabs that may be utilized in the tab section of the user interface 200 for a spreadsheet application 140 may include such tabs as “Data” or “Data Entry,” “Lists,” “Pivot Tables,” “Analysis,” “Formulas,” “Pages and Printing,” and the like associated with tasks that may be performed using a spreadsheet application. Immediately beneath the generic controls section 210 and the task-based tab section is a selectable functionality control section for displaying selectable functionality controls associated with a selected tab 215, 220, 230 from the task-based tab section. According to embodiments of the present invention, when a particular tab, such as the “Writing” tab 215 is selected, selectable functionality available from the associated software application for performing the selected task, for example a writing task, is displayed in logical groupings. For example, referring to FIG. 2, a first logical grouping 240 is displayed under a heading “Clipboard.” According to embodiments of the present invention, the clipboard section 240 includes selectable functionality controls logically grouped together and associated with clipboard actions underneath the general task of writing. For example, the clipboard section 240 may include such selectable controls as a cut control, a copy control, a paste control, a select all control, etc. Adjacent to the clipboard section 240, a second logical grouping 250 is presented under the heading “Formatting.” Selectable controls presented in the “Formatting” section 250 may include such selectable controls as text justification, text type, font size, line spacing, boldface, italics, underline, etc. Accordingly, functionalities associated with formatting operations are logically grouped together underneath the overall task of “Writing.” A third logical grouping 260 is presented under the heading “Writing Tools.” The writing tools section 260 includes such writing tools as find/replace, autocorrect, etc. According to embodiments of the present invention, upon selection of a different task-based tab from the tab section, a different set of selectable functionality controls in different logical groupings is presented in the user interface 200 associated with the selected task-based tab. For example, if the “Insert” task tab 220 is selected, the selectable functionality controls presented in the user interface 200 are changed from those illustrated in FIG. 2 to include selectable functionality controls associated with the insert task. For detailed information regarding the user interface 200, illustrated in FIG. 2, see United States Patent Application, Attorney Matter No. 60001.0410USU1, Applicant Matter No. 309411.01, entitled “Command User Interface for Displaying Selectable Software Functionality Controls,” which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set out herein. FIGS. 3 through 10 illustrate aspects of a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 illustrates a computer screen display showing a ribbon-shaped user interface in which is disposed selectable functionality controls relevant to and associated with the editing of a selected object. According to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3-10, of the present invention, when a portion of a document or a particular object is selected for editing, such as a text object, picture object, spreadsheet object, or the like, the user interface illustrated in FIG. 2 is temporarily replaced with a user interface, as illustrated in FIG. 3, which contains selectable functionality controls particularly associated with editing the selected object. For example, if a picture object embedded in a text file is selected for editing, the task-based functionality tabs and any associated logical groupings of individual selectable functionality controls, as described above with reference to FIG. 2, are replaced with one or more task-based functionality tabs and associated logical groupings of selectable functionality controls that are particular to editing the selected object. For example, referring to FIG. 3, if a picture object embedded in a text file or other document is selected for editing by the user, the ribbon-shaped user interface 300 replaces the ribbon-shaped user interface 200 so that the user is provided with task-based tabs 310, 320, 330 particular to editing the selected picture object. Similar to the description of the user interface 200 described above, upon selection of one of the task-based tabs 310, 320, 330, the portion of the user interface 300 disposed beneath the tabs is populated with individual or logical groupings of selectable functionality controls for applying functionality available under the selected task-based tab to the selected object. For example, referring to the user interface 300, selection of a “Style Gallery” tab 310 causes the presentation of a “Layout” section 350 and a “Picture Styles” section 355. In addition, a “Selection” section 345 is provided for allowing the user to select between multiple picture objects, for example, for application of any selected functionality. If the user applies a given functionality to the selected object, but is not satisfied with the result of the functionality application, a reset button 340 is provided for allowing the user to reset the selected object back to its condition prior to applying the selected functionality. Selection of one of the other task-based tabs, such as the “Effects” tab 320 or the “Picture Tools” tab 330, will cause a different set of selectable functionality controls to be displayed in the lower portion of the user interface 300 associated with the selected task-based tab. Referring to the example functionality controls illustrated in the user interface 300, in the “Picture Styles” section 355, a plurality of images are provided for showing a user how a selected object would be displayed if a particular combination of formatting options or picture styles is applied to the object. According to embodiments of the present invention, selection of one or more of the images may cause all commands necessary for formatting or stylizing the selected object in a manner consistent with the selected image from the user interface 300. That is, upon selecting a desired image in the “Picture Styles” section 355, the selected object in the user's document is automatically formatted or stylized accordingly. The “Layout” section 350 is representative of a functionality controls section which may have one or more images or potential layout styles or schemes than may be displayed in the user interface 300. Accordingly, as illustrated and described below with reference to FIG. 6, selection of the “Layout” section 350 may cause a drop-down menu or drop-across menu to be displayed providing a user with a variety of different layout options that may be applied to the selected object. As should be understood by those skilled in the art, the example task-based tabs and individual functionality controls illustrated in the user interface 300 are for purposes of example only and are in no way limiting of the variety of object-specific functionalities that may be provided in the user interface 300. According to embodiments of the present invention, by replacing the normal functionality offerings of the user interface 200 with functionality particular to the selected object, the user experience is one of being immersed in the functionality available to the user for editing the selected object. If insufficient space is available in the user interface 300 for displaying all logical groupings of functionality controls associated with a given task-based tab, a determination may be made at application run time as to any logical groupings that must be collapsed or closed until the associated task-based tab is selected. Similarly, if the user manually reduces the size of the user interface 300, a determination is made as to the available space for displaying selectable functionality control sections, and certain selectable functionality control sections are collapsed as required. As should be appreciated, a determination may be made as to the order of collapsing selectable functionality control sections such that a criteria, such as “most used” or “most recently used” may be used for determining which selectable functionality control sections are displayed and which sections are collapsed as the available space in the user interface is decreased. According to an alternate embodiment, if the user interface 300 lacks sufficient space to display all logical groupings of functionality controls associated with a given task-based tab, the size of the display of individual logical groupings is reduced to allow space for the display of all associated logical groupings. According to one aspect of this embodiment, different sizes of groupings displays, for example small, medium and large, may be defined. At display time, a determination may be made as to the available space. At a starting point, the largest size for each applicable logical grouping display is presented. As required, the display size is reduced (i.e., large to medium to small) for each logical grouping until each grouping fits in the available space. In addition, for smaller logical grouping display layouts, text labels may be shortened or eliminated and the layout of individual selectable controls contained in given groupings may be rearranged to allow for more efficient use of space. Referring now to FIG. 4, an example text document is displayed in a word processing application workspace having an embedded picture object. The user interface 200, disposed along the upper edge of the word processing application workspace, is displayed with task-based tabs and associated selectable functionality control sections for writing text into the displayed document. If the user desires to edit the picture object 410, according to embodiments of the present invention, the user need not search for functionality required for editing picture objects. Upon selecting the picture object 410 for editing, a “Show Picture Tools” control 420 is displayed to the user for allowing the user to call up tools and other functionality available to the user for editing the selected object. As should be understood by those skilled in the art, the description of the editing of a picture object is for purposes of example only and is not limiting of a variety of different tools and functionalities that may be exposed to the user in a user interface 300 described above upon selection of different types of objects. For example, tools and functionality may be provided for editing table objects, spreadsheet objects, slide presentation objects, database objects, and the like. If the user selects the “Show Pictures Tools” control, according to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3-10, the user interface 300 is dynamically generated and temporarily replaces the user interface 200, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 5, the user interface 300 replaces the user interface 200, and task-based functionality available to the user for editing the selected picture object is displayed in the user interface 300, as described above with reference to FIG. 3. Now, the user may select one or more functionalities applicable to editing the selected object (e.g., picture object) without the need for searching through a variety of different menus or tool bars for functionality needed for editing the selected object. In order to dismiss the user interface 300 and return to the user interface 200, an exit control may be selected. Referring to FIG. 6, consider, for example, that the user decides to change the layout of the document by moving the embedded picture object to a different location. The user could manually move the embedded object to a different location followed by changing the orientation and location of text contained in the document to cause the overall document to have an acceptable and desirable layout. However, according to embodiments of the present invention, the user may select the layout control 350 to deploy a drop-down menu for providing a variety of different potential layouts for the selected object within the selected document. For example, the drop-down menu 600 provides layouts such as “Centered Large,” 610, “Top Left,” 620, “Top Right,” 630, “Centered in Text,” 640, “Above & Below,” 650 and “Alone on Page” 660. As should be understood, the potential layouts described and illustrated with respect to FIG. 6 are for purposes of example only and are not limiting of a variety of different layouts that may be provided to the user via the user interface 300. As described above with reference to FIG. 3, according to embodiments of the present invention, all required commands for applying a presented formatting or layout to the selected object may be coded for execution upon selecting one of the formatting or layout images provided in the user interface. Accordingly, if the user desires to select a layout placing the selected picture object in the top right orientation of the selected document, the user may select the “Top Right” layout 630, and all required functionality for rearranging the selected object and document according to the selected layout is applied to the document and object so that the document assumes the selected layout, as illustrated in FIG. 7. Referring to FIG. 7, the selected object 410 is now positioned in the upper right-hand corner of the document, and the text has been rearranged accordingly. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the user interface 300 containing the functionality associated with the selected object remains persisted in the user interface until the user selects a different object in the document for editing. For example, if the user moves the mouse cursor to a text portion of the document and selects the text portion of the document for editing, the user interface 300 will be dismissed and an appropriate user interface 200 associated with editing the selected text will be displayed, as illustrated in FIG. 4. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the picture object has been deleted and the cursor is situated in the text portion of the document. Accordingly, the user interface 300, containing functionality particular to editing a picture object is dismissed, and the user interface 200, containing task-based tabs and associated selectable functionality controls, groupings or sections is displayed for providing the user necessary functionality for editing the text portion of the document. As described above, one method for deploying the user interface 300 for providing selectable functionality associated with a particular object is to select a particular object within a given document. Alternatively, the user interface 300, containing functionality associated with a particular object may be deployed by inserting an object of a given type into a document. For example, referring to FIG. 9, if a user decides to insert a table object into the document illustrated in FIG. 9, the user may select the “Insert” task-based tab 220 from the user interface 200 for deploying selectable functionality controls associated with inserting text or objects into the document. If the user then decides to insert a particular object, for example, a table object, into the document, the user may utilize one or more selectable functionality controls presented in the user interface 200, or the user may launch a dialog 900, as illustrated in FIG. 9, for creating and inserting a desired object, for example a table object, into the selected document. According to embodiments of the present invention, once the user selects for inserting the desired object into the document, the object 1050 is inserted into the document, as illustrated in FIG. 10. Simultaneously, the user interface 200 is replaced with a user interface 300 for displaying selectable functionality for editing the now-selected table object 1050. For example, referring to FIG. 10, the user interface 300 now includes task-based tabs associated with editing a table object. For example, task-based tabs, illustrated in the user interface 300, include “Style Gallery,” “Effects,” “Borders and Shading,” “Table Layout,” and “Date.” As described above with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, selection of one of the task-based tabs, for example the “Style Gallery” tab, causes a display of individual or groupings of selectable functionality controls 1020, 1030, 1040 for editing the selected object according to the selected task-based tab. FIGS. 11 through 15 illustrate aspects of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. Referring now to FIG. 11, aspects of this embodiment of the present invention are illustrated and described with reference to a spreadsheet application 140. As illustrated in FIG. 11, a spreadsheet document is displayed having an example table of data 1150. A user interface 1100 similar to the user interface 200 described above with reference to FIG. 2 is disposed above the spreadsheet workspace for providing spreadsheet application functionality. A plurality of task-based tabs are provided at the top of the user interface 1100 for selectively displaying logical groupings of selectable functionality controls associated with given task-based functionality tabs. For example, task-based functionality tabs included in the user interface 1100 include “Insert,” “Page Layout,” “Analysis,” etc. According to aspects of this embodiment, when an object is selected for editing, such as the table object 1150 illustrated in FIG. 11, the selectable functionality controls associated with the selected object do not replace the tabs displayed in the user interface 1100, but are appended to the user interface 1100 beneath the tabs displayed in the user interface 1100. The controls associated with the selected object are automatically displayed in the appended orientation relative to the tabs of the user interface 1100 upon selection or insertion of a given object. Selection of any of the tabs in the user interface 1100 dismisses the controls displayed for the selected or inserted object that are appended beneath the user interface 1100. For example, a “Styles” section 1110 is provided for applying spreadsheet workspace styles to the document, a “Properties” section 1120 is provided, an “Actions” section 1130 is provided, and a “Publish to Server” section 1140 is provided. According to embodiments of the present invention, because a table object is embedded in the spreadsheet workspace, a “Table Tools” tab is exposed adjacent to the task-based functionality tabs 1100. As should be appreciated, selection of the “Table Tools” tab may cause a display of selectable functionality controls associated with table objects in the lower portion of the user interface. As illustrated in FIG. 12, selection of the “Table Tools” tab causes display of the selectable functionality controls associated with the selected table. Alternatively, the display of the selectable functionality controls associated with the selected table may be automatically displayed upon selection of the table object without use of the “Table Tools” tab. As should be understood, description of the table object 1150 and use of the “Table Tools” tab are for purposes of example only and are not limiting of operation of embodiments of the present invention with respect to other objects that may be inserted into or edited in the spreadsheet workspace. Referring to FIG. 13, if a user decides to create a chart, for example, using data contained in the selected table object, the user may select one of the chart-type images “Controls” illustrated in the user interface of FIG. 12. Upon selection of a chart for inserting into the spreadsheet workspace, an “Insert Chart” dialog 1310 may be displayed for allowing the user to specify attributes of the selected chart. As illustrated in FIG. 14, once particular chart attributes are selected, a corresponding chart is drawn and is displayed in the spreadsheet workspace. According to embodiments of the present invention, insertion of the selected chart automatically causes functionality of the previously displayed user interface (see FIGS. 12 and 13) to be replaced with selectable functionality controls associated with editing the selected and inserted chart. For example, a “Chart Structure” section 1410, a “Chart Options” section 1420, a “3D View” section 1430, and an “Axis Scale” section 1440 are displayed in a lower portion of the user interface to provide particular selectable functionality controls associated with editing the selected chart. Referring now to FIG. 15, if the user selects a different functionality for application to the spreadsheet workspace, for example, inserting a pivot table, the particular functionality displayed in the user interface associated with editing the chart, as illustrated in FIG. 14, is replaced with functionality associated with inserting the selected or desired pivot table. Accordingly, functionality controls are made available and displayed to the user according to the nature of the user's work, for example, selection of a particular object in a document for editing. As described herein, an improved user interface is provided for displaying selectable functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object and that remain persisted for use while the selected object is being edited. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or variations may be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>With the advent of the computer age, computer and software users have grown accustomed to user-friendly software applications that help them write, calculate, organize, prepare presentations, send and receive electronic mail, make music, and the like. For example, modern electronic word processing applications allow users to prepare a variety of useful documents. Modern spreadsheet applications allow users to enter, manipulate, and organize data. Modern electronic slide presentation applications allow users to create a variety of slide presentations containing text, pictures, data or other useful objects. To assist users to locate and utilize functionality of a given software application, a user interface containing a plurality of generic functionality controls is typically provided along an upper, lower or side edge of a displayed workspace in which the user may enter, copy, manipulate and format text or data. Such functionality controls often include selectable buttons with such names as “file,” “edit,” “view,” “insert,” “format,” and the like. Typically, selection of one of these top-level functionality buttons, for example “format,” causes a drop-down menu to be deployed to expose one or more selectable functionality controls associated with the top-level functionality, for example “font” under a top-level functionality of “format.” After a user selects a desired functionality control, or if the user moves the mouse cursor to a different location, the drop-down menu typically disappears. If the user determines that functionality of the first drop-down menu was the desired functionality, the user must remember which top-level functionality was selected, reselect that functionality and then find the desired functionality control all over again. Accordingly, in order to use the functionality of a given software application, the user must know the desired functionality is available under one of the selectable buttons, or the user must select different top-level functionalities until the desired specific functionality is located. This is particularly cumbersome when the user desires to apply many available functionalities to a given object type. For example, if the user desires to edit a picture object imbedded in a text document, according to prior methods and systems, the user must find functionality in a drop-down menu associated with editing the picture object. After application of any given functionality, the drop-down menu associated with editing the selected object, e.g., picture object, typically disappears. When the user desires to make a second or subsequent edit to the object, the user must once again find the correct top-level functionality control, deploy a menu of available functionalities, and find the desired particular functionality. Such a method of searching for desired functionality is cumbersome and time-consuming, particularly for less-experienced users, and when new functionality is added by developers of the software application, the new functionality may never be utilized unless the user is somehow educated as to its existence. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved user interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object and that remain visibly available for use while the object is being edited. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present invention has been made. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Embodiments of the present invention solve the above and other problems by providing an improved user interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object and that remain visibly available for use while the selected object is being edited. Generally, aspects of the present invention provide for presenting selectable functionality controls associated with a given top-level functionality upon selection of a given object for editing. Upon selection of a particular object for editing, functionality available for editing the object is presented in a ribbon-shaped user interface above the software application workspace to allow the user ready and efficient access to functionality needed for editing the selected object. The display of relevant functionality controls is persisted until the user dismisses the display, selects another top-level functionality control or selects another object for editing. According to an aspect of the invention, methods and systems provide functionality from a software application that is relevant to an edited object via an improved user interface. A plurality of functionalities available from a given software application is provided. Upon receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application, one or more selectable controls representing a subset of the plurality of functionalities is displayed in a ribbon-shaped user interface whereby the subset of the plurality of functionalities is relevant to and allows for editing the selected object. The subset of the plurality of functionalities is persisted in the user interface until an indication is received of the selection of a different object for editing or the selection of a different functionality associated with a different subset of the plurality of functionalities. These and other features and advantages, which characterize the present invention, will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. | 20040930 | 20100420 | 20060216 | 66365.0 | G06F1700 | 1 | PHAM, LINH K | AN IMPROVED USER INTERFACE FOR DISPLAYING SELECTABLE SOFTWARE FUNCTIONALITY CONTROLS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO A SELECTED OBJECT | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | G06F | 2,004 |
|
10,955,946 | ACCEPTED | Method for performing retail sales analysis | The invention provides a user with substantial flexibility in requesting and generating analysis projects on transaction and/or consumer data that is stored in one or more databases. Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a method for retailers and other authorized users, such as suppliers, to access and perform sophisticated, highly specialized analysis on transaction and/or consumer data, such as retail sales and consumer data, from a remote location using an internet connected computer. The transaction and/or consumer data that is accessed can be a compilation of retail transaction data (collected from EPOS systems, for example) and/or consumer data (which has been collected from frequent-shopper or loyalty cards used by consumers when they shop, for example). Projects are generated as spreadsheet based interactive reports, which are easy to manipulate for further analysis and presentations. Insights from these projects can lead to better decisions on new product launches, sampling, merchandizing, assortment, distribution, and other sales and marketing priorities. Exemplary projects may be interactive, allowing the user to manipulate and extract information which is specific to the user's particular needs. | 1. A method for performing a transaction-related analysis, comprising the steps of: providing one or more computerized databases that include transaction and/or consumer data for one or more establishments, the transaction and/or consumer data including one or more transaction records associating at least a product identification code with a consumer identification code; formulating an analysis project request via a user interface that is operatively coupled to a computer system having access to the database; and generating, by the computer system, an analysis project on the transaction and/or consumer data in response to receiving the analysis project request. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is resident on a network device operatively coupled to the computer system over a global computer network. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the network device is a web-enabled device operatively coupled to the computer system over the world-wide-web. 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising a step taken from a group consisting of: downloading the analysis project over the world-wide-web from the computer system; and transmitting the analysis project over the global computer network from the computer system to a user computer operatively coupled to the global computer network. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code with at least one of a transaction time and a transaction date. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of formulating an analysis project request includes the step of selecting, via the user interface, an analysis project from a predefined list of available analysis projects. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of formulating an analysis project request includes the step of selecting a time frame in which to limit the analysis of the transaction and/or consumer data. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the predefined list of available analysis projects includes an analysis project providing rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is repeat purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. 10. The method of claim 7, wherein: the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code with a vendor identification code; and the predefined list of available projects includes an analysis project providing rates at which products associated with the vendor identification code are cross-purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. 11. The method of claim 7, wherein: the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code with a vendor identification code; and the predefined list of available projects includes an analysis project providing a comparison of rates at which a product associated with a first vendor identification code and a product associated with a second vendor identification code are purchased. 12. The method of claim 7, wherein: the one or more transaction records associates the consumer identification code with a purchaser category; and the predefined list of available projects includes an analysis project providing a comparison of rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is purchased by consumers in different consumer categories. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the consumer categories are defined based upon demographic information associated with the consumer identification code. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the consumer categories are defined based upon data derived from shopping histories associated with the consumer identification code. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the consumer categories are defined based upon data associated with price sensitivity associated with the consumer identification code. 16. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of formulating an analysis project request includes the step of selecting one or more products from a list of available products. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of selecting one or more products from a list of available products is preceded by a step of selecting a product category from a list of available product categories. 18. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of saving at least portions of the analysis project request for re-use in the formulation of future analysis project requests. 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the analysis project is repeated periodically. 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code and the consumer identification code with a transaction price. 21. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of downloading, via the user interface, the analysis project from the computer system. 22. The method of claim 1, wherein the analysis project request pertains to an analysis project providing rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is repeat purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. 23. The method of claim 1, wherein: the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code with a vendor identification code; and the analysis project request pertains to an analysis project providing rates at which products associated with the vendor identification code are cross-purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. 24. The method of claim 1, wherein: the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code with a vendor identification code; and the analysis project request pertains to an analysis project providing a comparison of rates at which a product associated with a first vendor identification code and a product associated with a second vendor identification code are purchased. 25. The method of claim 1, wherein: the one or more transaction records associates the consumer identification code with a purchaser category; and the analysis project request pertains to an analysis project providing a comparison of rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is purchased by consumers in different purchaser categories. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the purchaser categories are defined based upon demographic information associated with the consumer identification code. 27. The method of claim 25, wherein the purchaser categories are defined based upon data derived from shopping histories associated with the consumer identification code. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the purchaser categories are defined based upon data associated with price sensitivity associated with the consumer identification code. 29. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of formulating an analysis project request includes the step of selecting one or more products from a list of available products. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of selecting one or more products from a list of available products is preceded by a step of selecting a product category from a list of available product categories. 31. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of collecting at least a portion of the transaction and/or consumer data from shopper loyalty card data. 32. A method for performing a transactional analysis, comprising the steps of: providing one or more databases that include transaction and/or consumer data for one or more establishments, the transaction and/or consumer data including one or more transaction records associating at least a product identification code with consumer identification code; generating, by a computer system having access to the database, a project on the transaction and/or consumer data; and transmitting, by the computer system, the project to a user interface operatively coupled to the computer system. 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of generating the project is repeated periodically. 34. The method of claim 32, wherein the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code and the consumer identification code with a transaction price. 35. The method of claim 32, wherein the project provides rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is repeat purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. 36. The method of claim 32, wherein: the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code with a vendor identification code; and the project provides rates at which products associated with the vendor identification code are cross-purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. 37. The method of claim 32, wherein: the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code with a vendor identification code; and the project provides rates at which a product associated with a first vendor identification code and a product associated with a second vendor identification code are purchased. 38. The method of claim 32, wherein: the one or more transaction records associates the consumer identification code with a purchaser category; and the project provides a comparison of rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is purchased by consumers in different consumer categories. 39. The method of claim 38, wherein the consumer categories are defined based upon demographic information associated with the consumer identification code. 40. The method of claim 38, wherein the consumer categories are defined based upon data derived from shopping histories associated with the consumer identification code. 41. The method of claim 40, wherein the purchaser categories are defined based upon data associated with price sensitivity associated with the consumer identification code. 42. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of collecting at least a portion of the transaction and/or consumer data from shopper loyalty card data. 43. A method for performing a transactional analysis, comprising the steps of: providing one or more databases that include transaction and/or consumer data for one or more establishments; providing a computer system having access to the one or more databases; obtaining from a user, through a computer interface provided by the computer system, parameters for analysis of the transaction data and/or consumer data; feeding, by the computer system, the obtained parameters into an executable job file; executing, by the computer system, the executable job file on the transaction and/or consumer data to return results; and presenting to the user a project reflecting the returned results. 44. The method of claim 43, wherein the parameters for analysis include parameters relating to measures of retail sales. 45. The method of claim 44, wherein the parameters for analysis include an identification of an analysis format, an identification of retail products for analysis, and an identification of a timeframe for analysis. 46. The method of claim 45, wherein the analysis format pertains to rates at which consumers make repeat purchases of a retail product. 47. The method of claim 45, wherein the analysis format pertains to rates at which consumers make repeat purchases of a retail product at a particular type of retail establishment. 48. The method of claim 45, wherein the analysis format pertains to an identification of successful or unsuccessful recently-launched retail products for a retail establishment. 49. The method of claim 45, wherein the analysis format pertains to rates at which consumers cross-shop a vendor's retail products. 50. The method of claim 45, wherein the analysis format pertains to rates at which consumers cross-shop a vendor's retail products at one of a particular retail establishment and a particular type of retail establishment. 51. The method of claim 45, wherein the analysis format pertains to key sales measures in a particular retail product category. 52. The method of claim 45, wherein the analysis format pertains to key sales measures for a vendor's retail products. 53. The method of claim 52, wherein the analysis format pertains to key sales measures for the vendor's retail products over time. 54. The method of claim 45, wherein the analysis format pertains to key sales measures for a particular brand of retail products over time. 55. The method of claim 45, wherein the analysis format pertains to other retail products purchased by consumers of a vendor's retail products. 56. The method of claim 45, wherein the analysis pertains to locations where a particular retail product is sold. 57. The method of claim 45, wherein the analysis pertains to locations where a vendor's brand of retail products is sold. 58. The method of claim 45, wherein the analysis pertains to types of consumers who purchase the vendor's retail products. 59. The method of claim 58, wherein the analysis pertains to types of consumers who purchase the vendor's retail products over time. 60. The method of claim 58, wherein the analysis pertains to types of consumers who purchase the vendor's retail products in one of a particular retail establishment and a particular type of retail establishment. 61. The method of claim 45, wherein, in the obtaining step, the user is prompted to select at least one of the parameters for analysis from a menu containing a plurality of available parameters. 62. The method of claim 61, wherein the user is prompted to select each of the parameters for analysis from the menu. 63. The method of claim 45, wherein the computer interface is a web-based interface. 64. The method of claim 63, further comprising, prior to the obtaining step, a step of verifying that the user has rights to access the computer system. 65. The method of claim 45, wherein the feeding step further includes a step of merging the obtained parameters with segments of the executable code to create an executable job file. 66. The method of claim 65, wherein the segments of the executable code with which the obtained parameters are merged is determined, at least in part, from at least one of the obtained parameters. 67. The method of claim 45, wherein: the project is presented as a spreadsheet file; the method further comprises a step of generating the spreadsheet file from the returned results; and the generating step including the steps of selecting a spreadsheet project template from a plurality of available spreadsheet project templates based upon the analysis format and populating the spreadsheet project template with at least a portion of the returned results. 68. The method of claim 43, wherein the transaction and/or consumer data and consumer data includes an identity of products purchased, quantity of products purchased, date of purchase, and a code related to a particular purchasing consumer. 69. The method of claim 43, wherein the project is presented as an interactive project. 70. The method of claim 69, further comprising a step of generating the interactive project from the returned results, the generating step including the steps of selecting a project template from a plurality of available project templates based upon at least one of the obtained parameters and populating the project template with at least a portion of the returned results. 71. The method of claim 43, wherein the step presenting to the user a project reflecting the returned analysis includes the steps of: notifying the user of the availability of the project; and providing the user with access to the project after notifying the user and upon the user requesting access to the project. 72. The method of claim 71, wherein the step of providing the user with access to the project includes the step of downloading the project to the user's computer. 73. The method of claim 71, wherein the step of providing the user with access to the project includes the step of providing the access to the project to the user via a web-based interface. 74. A computerized system for performing analysis comprising: one or more databases having transaction and/or consumer data for one or more establishments, the transaction and/or consumer data including one or more transaction records associating at least a product identification code with a consumer identification code; and a computer system having access to the database, the computer system being configured to perform the steps of: generating a project on the transaction and/or consumer data; and transmitting the project to a user interface operatively coupled to the computer system. 75. The computerized system of claim 74, wherein the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code and the consumer identification code with a transaction price. 76. The computerized system of claim 74, wherein the project provides rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is repeat purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. 77. The computerized system of claim 74, wherein: the one or more databases include one or more product records that associate the product identification code with a vendor identification code; and the project provides rates at which products associated with the vendor identification code are cross-purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. 78. The computerized system of claim 74, wherein: the one or more databases include one or more product records that associate the product identification code with a vendor identification code; and the project provides rates at which a product associated with a first vendor identification code and a product associated with a second vendor identification code are purchased. 79. The computerized system of claim 74, wherein: the one or more databases include one or more consumer records that associate the consumer identification code with a purchaser category; and the project provides a comparison of rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is purchased by consumers in different consumer categories. 80. The computerized system of claim 79, wherein the consumer categories are defined based upon demographic information associated with the consumer identification code. 81. The computerized system of claim 79, wherein the consumer categories are defined based upon data derived from shopping histories associated with the consumer identification code. 82. The method of claim 81, wherein the consumer categories are defined based upon data associated with price sensitivity associated with the consumer identification code. 83. The computerized system of claim 74, the transaction and/or consumer data is taken from shopper loyalty card data. | BACKGROUND The present invention relates to analysis of transaction data generally, and particularly to a method enabling a remotely-located user to perform analysis on a compilation of retail sales data (or other transactional data) via a computer system. In order to succeed in the ever-changing retail sector, companies desire to maintain a constant watch on market conditions. Demand for products and the prices that consumers are willing to pay for them are continuously changing in response to shifting consumer tastes, activities of competitors, and the general economic climate. To excel in the retail market, whether you are a retailer or a supplier, requires detailed knowledge of the market conditions, and such detailed knowledge can best be obtained from a sophisticated analysis of retail sales data. Accordingly, retailers and their suppliers have begun to amass ever-growing compilations of data from retail transactions so they can keep a close eye on trends that become evident from the sales data. In order to maximize the benefit from such large and complex compilations of data, there is a need for retailers and their suppliers to be able to access the data and perform highly individualized analysis on the data with minimal delay soon after the data is collected. The present invention fills this need. SUMMARY Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a method for retailers and other authorized users, such as suppliers, to access and perform sophisticated, highly specialized analysis on retail sales and consumer data from a remote location using an internet or other connected computer. The data that is accessed will typically be a compilation of retail transaction data (collected from EPOS systems, for example), and/or consumer data (which has been collected from frequent-shopper or loyalty cards used by consumers when they shop, for example), and/or other related data that may be collected from time to time by any resource available to those of ordinary skill. Such data may also include, for example and without limitation, demographic data related to a consumer or may include data regarding the promotional status of a product. In an exemplary embodiment, the system and service provided by the present invention is Web-based such that authorized users may access the service from their remote desktops and have completed analysis projects delivered to them by email, for example, when complete. With such an embodiment, the minimum software that may be required to be installed on the authorized user's computer includes a Web browser (or similar) application and suitable spreadsheet software. Further, in the exemplary embodiment, the projects are generated as spreadsheet based interactive reports (examples of which are described below) that are easy to manipulate for further analysis and presentations. Insights from these projects can lead to better decisions on new product launches, sampling, merchandizing, assortment, distribution, and other sales and marketing priorities. In the exemplary embodiment, the projects are interactive, allowing the user to manipulate and extract information which is specific to the user's particular needs. Of course, while the exemplary embodiment is Web-based, it is certainly within the scope of the present invention that the service be provided in other computer-implemented forms, such as, for example, on a single computer system using dedicated software, or through an intranet or a private network. The service/system is designed to answer key sales, marketing, category management/planning inquiries and to provide brand/SKU level and customer insights such as, for example: Which of our last three promotions drove the largest increase in market share? What is the profile of a loyal Product X customer? What else do they buy? How are competitor brands/SKUs performing? What impact/effect did our new product launch have upon the category? In which stores should we undertake in-store sampling activities? Such insights can be used to provide, for example, an early indication of the success of a re-launch (i.e., is our launch achieving the expected level of trial and repeat purchase compared with our competitors and the category?); provide robust and detailed consumer information at an individual product level that can be utilized across the business; and review consumer purchasing patters over a time period (such as a year) to plan future marketing activity. Accordingly, a first aspect of the present invention provides a method for performing an analysis that includes the steps of: providing one or more databases that include transaction and/or consumer data for one or more establishments, where the transaction and/or consumer data includes one or more transaction records associating at least a product identification code with a consumer identification code; formulating an analysis project request via a user interface that is operatively coupled (“operatively coupled” meaning electrically coupled, coupled via a direct or indirect data link, or capable of being coupled via a direct or indirect data link) to a computer system having access to the database; and generating, by the computer system, a project on the transaction and/or consumer data in response to receiving the analysis project request. In a more detailed embodiment, the user interface is resident on a network device operatively coupled to the computer system over a global computer network. In a further detailed embodiment, the network device is a web-enabled device operatively coupled to the computer system over the world-wide-web. In a further detailed embodiment, the method further includes a step of downloading the project over the world-wide-web from the computer system, or a step of transmitting the project over the global computer network from the computer system to a user computer operatively coupled to the global computer network. In an alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code with a transaction time and/or transaction date. In a further detailed embodiment, the step of formulating an analysis project request includes the step of selecting, via the user interface, an analysis project from a predefined list of available analysis projects. In yet a further detailed embodiment, the predefined list of available analysis projects includes: an analysis project providing rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is repeat purchased by the consumer associated with consumer identification code; and/or an analysis project providing rates at which products associated with a vendor identification code are cross-purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code; and/or an analysis project providing a comparison of rates at which a product associated with a first vendor identification code and a product associated with a second vendor identification code are purchased; and/or an analysis project providing a comparison of rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is purchased by consumers in different purchaser categories, where the consumer categories may be defined based upon demographic information associated with the consumer identification code, upon data derived from shopping histories associated with the consumer identification code, and/or upon data associated with price sensitivity associated with the consumer identification code. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the step of formulating an analysis project request includes the step of selecting one or more products from a list of available products. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the method further includes the step of saving at least portions of the analysis project request for re-use in the formulation of future analysis project requests. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the step of generating the project is repeated periodically. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code and the consumer identification code with a transaction price. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the method further includes the step of downloading the project from the computer system. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the method further includes the step of collecting at least a portion of the transaction and/or consumer data from shopper loyalty card data. It is a second aspect of the present invention to provide a method for performing an analysis that includes the steps of: providing one or more databases that include transaction and/or consumer data for one or more establishments, where the transaction and/or consumer data includes one or more transaction records associating at least a product identification code with a consumer identification code; generating, by a computer system having access to the database, a project on the transaction and/or consumer data; and transmitting, by the computer system, the project to a user interface operatively coupled to the computer system. In a more detailed embodiment, the step of generating the project is repeated periodically. In an alternate detailed embodiment, the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code and the consumer identification code with a transaction price. In another alternate detailed embodiment, the project provides rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is repeat purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. In yet another detailed embodiment, the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code with a vendor identification code and the project provides rates at which products associated with the vendor identification code are cross-purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. In yet another detailed embodiment, the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code with a vendor identification code and the project provides rates at which a product associated with a first vendor identification code and a product associated with a second vendor identification code are purchased. In yet another detailed embodiment, the one or more transaction records associates the consumer identification code with a purchaser category and the project provides a comparison of rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is purchased by consumers in different purchaser categories. It is a third aspect of the present invention to provide method for performing an analysis that includes the steps of: providing one or more databases that include transaction data and/or consumer data for one or more establishments; providing a computer system having access to the one or more databases; obtaining from a user, through a computer interface provided by the computer system, parameters for analysis of the transaction and/or consumer data; feeding, by the computer system, the obtained parameters into an executable job file; executing, by the computer system, the executable job file on the transaction and/or consumer data to return results; and presenting to the user a project reflecting the returned results. In a more detailed embodiment, the parameters for analysis include parameters relating to measures of transaction. In a further detailed embodiment, the parameters for analysis include an identification of an analysis format, an identification of retail products for analysis, and an identification of a timeframe for analysis. In yet a further detailed embodiment, the analysis format pertains to: rates at which consumers make repeat purchases of a product; rates at which consumers make repeat purchases of a product at a particular type of establishment; rates at which consumers cross-shop a vendor's products; rates at which consumers cross-shop a vendor's products at a particular establishment or with a particular type of establishment; key sales measures in a particular product category; key sales measures for a vendor's products; key sales measures for the vendor's products over time; key sales measures for a particular brand of products over time; other retail products purchased by consumers of a vendor's products; locations where a particular product is sold; locations where a vendor's brand of products is sold; types of consumers who purchase the vendor's products; types of consumers who purchase the vendor's products over time; or types of consumers who purchase the vendor's products in a particular establishment or particular type of establishment. In an alternate detailed embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, in the obtaining step, the user is prompted to select at least one of the parameters for analysis from a menu containing a plurality of available parameters. In a further detailed embodiment, the user is prompted to select each of the parameters for analysis from the menu. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the computer interface is a web-based interface. In a more detailed embodiment, the method further includes a step of, prior to the obtaining step, verifying that the user has rights to access the computer system. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the feeding step further includes a step of merging the obtained parameters with segments of the executable code to create an executable job file. In a more detailed embodiment, the segments of the executable code with which the obtained parameters are merged is determined, at least in part, from at least one of the obtained parameters. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the project is presented as an interactive report, the method further includes a step of generating the interactive report from the returned results, and the generating step includes the steps of selecting a project template from a plurality of available project templates based upon the analysis format and populating the project template with at least a portion of the returned results. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the transaction and consumer data includes an identity of products purchased, quantity of products purchased, date of purchase, and a code related to the particular purchasing consumer. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the project is presented as a spreadsheet file. In a further detailed embodiment, the method further includes a step of generating the spreadsheet file from the returned results, where the generating step includes the steps of selecting a spreadsheet project template from a plurality of available spreadsheet project templates based upon the obtained parameters and populating the spreadsheet project template with at least a portion of the returned results. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the step of presenting to the user a project reflecting the returned analysis includes the steps of: notifying the user of the availability of the project and providing the user with access to the project after notifying the user and upon the user requesting access to the project. In a further detailed embodiment, the step of providing the user with access to the project includes the step of downloading the project to the user's computer. Alternately, the step of providing the user with access to the project includes the step of providing access to the project to the user via a web-based interface, via a web down load or by receiving the project by email. It is a fourth aspect of the present invention to provide a computerized system for performing analysis that includes (a) one or more databases having transaction and/or consumer data for one or more retail establishments, where the transaction and/or consumer data includes one or more transaction records associating at least a product identification code with a consumer identification code and (b) a computer system having access to the database, where the computer system is configured to perform the steps of: generating a project on the transaction and/or consumer data; and transmitting the project to a user interface operatively coupled to the computer system. In a more detailed embodiment, the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code and the consumer identification code with a transaction price. In an alternate detailed embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the project provides rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is repeat purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the one or more databases include one or more product records that associate the product identification code with a vendor identification code; and the project provides rates at which products associated with the vendor identification code are cross-purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the one or more databases include one or more product records that associate the product identification code with a vendor identification code; and the project provides rates at which a product associated with a first vendor identification code and a product associated with a second vendor identification code are purchased. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the one or more databases include one or more customer records that associate the consumer identification code with a purchaser category; and the project provides a comparison of rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is purchased by consumers in different consumer categories. In a more detailed embodiment, the consumer categories are defined based upon demographic information associated with the consumer identification code. Alternatively, the consumer categories are defined based upon data derived from shopping histories (such as price sensitivity) associated with the consumer identification code. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the transaction and/or consumer data is taken from shopper loyalty card data. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of the system and software configuration in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exemplary screenshot asking the user to choose the type of analysis project to be performed; FIG. 3 is an exemplary screenshot asking the user to select a product group with which to perform the analysis; FIG. 4 is an exemplary screenshot asking the user to select a time period over which sales data will be analyzed; FIG. 5 is an exemplary screenshot summarizing the analysis project defined by the user's selections; FIG. 6 is an example interactive project for the example project generated above from FIGS. 2-5; FIGS. 7A through 7J illustrate examples of interactive projects produced in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 is an exemplary screen shot showing the project status for a particular user; FIG. 9 is an exemplary screen shot indicating the history of a completed project; FIG. 10 is an exemplary screen shot for the beginning of the subgroup creation process; FIG. 11 is an exemplary screen shot listing several narrower categories of products that fall under the broad category previously selected by the user during the creation of a subgroup; FIG. 12 is an exemplary screen shot listing individual products within the user's selected group during the creation of a subgroup; FIG. 13 is an exemplary screen shot prompting the user to enter a name and description for the subgroup being created; and FIG. 14 is an exemplary screen shot showing a newly-created subgroup listed in the file tree. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Generally, the present invention provides a user with substantial flexibility in requesting and generating analysis projects on transaction and/or consumer data that is stored in one or more databases. More specifically, exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a method for retailers and other authorized users, such as suppliers, to access and perform sophisticated, highly specialized analysis on transaction and/or consumer data, such as retail sales and consumer data, from a remote location using an internet connected computer. The transaction and/or consumer data that is accessed can be, for example and without limitation, a compilation of retail transaction data (collected from EPOS systems, for example) and/or consumer data (which has been collected from frequent-shopper or loyalty cards used by consumers when they shop, for example). In the exemplary embodiments described below, a service provided by the present invention is a Web-based tool, such that authorized users may access the tool from their remote desktops and have completed projects delivered to them by email, for example, when complete. With such an embodiment, no dedicated software is required to be installed on the authorized user's computer—just a Web browser (or similar) application. Further, in the exemplary embodiment, the projects are generated as spreadsheet based interactive reports (examples of which are described below) that are easy to manipulate for further analysis and presentations. It is within the scope of the present invention, however, that the computerized tool may be resident on a private computer or computer system, where the software is a dedicated software, and it is within the scope of the invention that the tool be provided over an intranet or some other public or private computer or data network (and accessed by appropriate interfaces or tools) as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art. The service/system is designed to answer key sales, marketing, category management/planning and provide brand/SKU level insights such as, for example: Which of our last three promotions drove the largest increase in market share? What is the profile of a loyal Product X customer? What else do they buy? How are competitor brands/SKUs performing? What effect/impact did our new product launch have upon the category? Which stores should we undertake in-store sampling activities? Such insights can be used to provide, for example, an early indication of the success of a re-launch (i.e., is our launch achieving the expected level of trial and repeat purchase compared with our competitors and the category?); provide robust and detailed customer information at an individual product level that can be utilized across the business; and review consumer purchasing patterns over a time period (such as a year) to plan future marketing activity. As used herein, “transaction and/or consumer data” refers to data relating to any, several, or all transactions and/or interactions between a consumer and a business (or any other provider of products as defined below). In an exemplary embodiment, transaction and/or consumer data may include “shopping purchase data” or “shopping history data,” which can be information regarding a consumer's shopping history, including the identity of products and quantities thereof that the consumer has purchased. In an exemplary embodiment, transaction and/or consumer data may also include a consumer's demographic data, shopping preferences data, financial data and the like. Other sources for such transaction and/or customer data may include (without limitation) data collected by a financial institution and/or a retail establishment that is tied to a consumer's credit card or similar financial product; data provided voluntarily by the consumer; publicly accessible transactional, consumer, and/or financial data; data compiled by a census organization, consulting service and the like; and data provided by product manufacturers, suppliers and/or distributors. As used herein, the term “products” includes not only consumer products that can be purchased in a retail store, but also any other product, consumable, service, or thing of value that can be furnished by a business/provider to a consumer. As used herein, a “consumer” is any individual or group of persons or entities that can be identified and linked to, or associated with transactional data regarding one or more of their transactions. A consumer can be (without limitation): an individual person or customer; can be a household, comprising a group of persons residing at the same address or using the same credit card account, for example; can be a group of individuals or entities have some other relationship to one another (such as belonging to an organization); or can even be a business or governmental entity. The shopping purchase data can be collected using a unique identification tag or card, commonly known as a “frequent shopper card” or “loyalty card,” carried by each consumer. Such cards or tags contain a unique identification code stored by a bar code, magnetic media, or other data storage device and can be read by an electronic device in various manners that are well known to persons skilled in the art. A consumer's shopping purchase data can be associated with the consumer using other consumer identification information (such as a telephone number, store credit card, bank credit card, or checking account number, etc.) in addition to codes from frequent shopper cards. In this manner, the details of a particular transaction can be matched to the consumer's previous transactions, thus facilitating the continuing addition of transactional information to each consumer's record in the database. As shown in FIG. 1, the system for providing the Web-based service of the exemplary embodiment is segmented into several tiers: the User Tier 30; the Presentation Tier 32; the Management Tier 34; the Processing Tier 36 and the Data Tier 38. The User Tier 30 is essentially the components in which the user accesses the Web-based service, which is provided by a Web server 40 in the Presentation Tier 32. In the User Tier 30 the user accesses the Presentation Tier Web Server 40 over a computer network, such as the Internet 42, using an appropriate network-enabled (Web-enabled) device, such as a personal computer 44. Other network-enabled devices (such as PDAs, cell-phones, etc.) will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Preferably, the network-enabled device includes a display and an input device (such as a mouse, keyboard, voice-recognition, etc). The Presentation Tier Web Server 40 provides authentication functions 46, as known by those of ordinary skill, to positively identify the user. The Presentation Tier Web Server 40 also provides navigation functions 48, as known by those of ordinary skill, to control the navigation of the user through the project ordering and other associated applications/functions provided by the Web Server 40 as will be described in further detail below. The Web Server 40 also includes analysis project ordering and parameter collection functions 50 for collecting input data and selections made by the user in setting up the analysis projects described below. Finally, the Presentation Tier also 32 provides access for the user to the interactive projects 52 and other data generated by the Processing Tier as described further below. The Management Tier provides a management database 54 in communication with the Web Server 40 to store the input data, parameters and other selections made by the user in setting up the analysis projects. This input data, parameters and other selections are made available to analysis project processing software 56 situated within one or more central servers in the Processing Tier 36. In the exemplary embodiment an extensive permission control system is implemented to control which positively identified and authorized users are permitted access to each of the service/system's features and each part of its data. The permission control system is administered by authorized administrators using an authorization and configuration function of the invention, which stores and retrieves information about named permissions that have been granted and/or denied to users and groups of users in the Shop Management Database 54. The permission control system is used to control whether individual users and defined groups of users can access each part of the service/system. Each significant part, both large and small, of the service/system's functionality has a named permission associated with it. Some permissions are associated with a single part of the service/system's functionality and some are associated with many parts of the service/system's functionality. Users and groups of users are granted access to those permissions as determined appropriate by the administrators. If a user has been granted access to a particular permission, he or she will be able to use the features of the service/system with which that permission is associated. Likewise, if the user has not been granted access to a particular permission, he or she will not be able to use the features of the service/system with which that permission is associated. Some features to which a user does not have access are presented to the user by the Web Server 40 in a visual style which indicates in a commonly-understood way that they are not enabled for the user, and those features do not respond for the user. Other features to which a user does not have access are simply not visible to the user. The authorized administrators can change a user's access to permissions or membership of groups at any time as required by the operators of the service/system. In the Processing Tier 36, the analysis project processing software 56 constructs executable analysis project scripts 58, which are executed on subsets of the retail sales, consumer and other data resident in a database 60. As will be described further below, the executable analysis project scripts 58 are constructed from appropriate script templates 61 obtained from the Data Tier 38, where the script templates 61 are loaded with the input data, parameters and other selections input by the user. Multiple instances of the analysis project processing software 56 can be hosted on the same physical server, and multiple physical servers can all process projects created in the same Shop Management Database 54. The transaction and/or consumer data resident in the database 60 includes a plurality of record types, where a primary record type is the retail sales or “Transactions” record type. For each Transactions record, there is provided, in the exemplary embodiment: a code identifying the SKU/product(s) purchased by the consumer for the transaction; a code identifying the particular transaction or ‘basket’; a code identifying the consumer for the which the transaction is attributed; a code identifying the store in which the transaction occurred; data concerning the quantity of products purchased and the amount spent; data concerning the date, time, etc. of the purchase; and any other data or codes, such as a code indicating a geographical region for the purchase, as could be useful to generate projects based upon such transactional data. The code in the Transaction record identifying the SKU/product is used as a lookup to a “Products” record type, where for each Products record, there is provided, in the exemplary embodiment: product grouping or categorization data or codes; product data; manufacturer or supplier data or codes; and any other data or codes, such as suggested retail price data, as could be useful to generate projects based upon a combination of transaction, consumer and product data. The code in the Transaction record identifying the consumer for the transaction is used as a lookup to a “Households” record type, where for each Households record, there may be provided, in the exemplary embodiment data and/or codes pertaining to the consumer's demographics, geo-demographics, purchase recency, purchase frequency, spend, loyalty, product purchase history, shopping history, shopping preferences, and any other data or codes as could be useful to generate projects based upon a combination of transaction and consumer data. The code in the Transaction record identifying the store in which the transaction occurred is used as a lookup to a “Stores” record type, where for each Stores record, there is provided, in the exemplary embodiment: store name data; store location data or codes; and any other data or codes as could be useful to generate projects based upon a combination of transaction, consumer and store data. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill, the above-described database record structures are only exemplary in nature and that unlimited combinations of database records and hierarchies are available to cross-reference transaction information, product information, consumer information, store information, location information, timing information, and any other appropriate information with one another. Additionally, one of ordinary skill will appreciate that the invention is not limited for use with retail store transactions and that the invention can be used with most (if not all) types of transactions (such as financial/banking transactions, insurance transactions, service transactions, telecoms etc.), where the database structures and hierarchies may be adapted for generating projects on such alternate transaction and/or consumer data. Referring again to the system diagram of FIG. 1, a user logs into the Web server 40 via a personal computer 44 or other web-enabled device from a remote location, enters and/or selects the parameters defining the user's desired analysis project, and then submits the analysis project for processing. Once the user has submitted an analysis project order, the actual processing of the project takes place at the Management, Processing and Data Tiers 34, 36 & 38. Data returned by the analysis project processing software 56 will be inserted into an interactive spreadsheet template file 63 to generate an interactive project 65, where the results may be presented in a format that is easily interpreted by the user. The particular format of the interactive spreadsheet 65 will differ depending on what type of analysis project is being performed, and the appropriate format will be specified by the script template 61 that was used to encode the analysis project on the front end, as described above. Users are able to specify that they wish to be notified once the project has completed—notification can be made by a messaging service such as e-mail or SMS 64. Thus, the data compilation and processing are both managed by a central system server(s), and the individual user can design a customized analysis project tailored to the user's business needs. FIGS. 2-4 provide screen shots illustrating example menus/forms presented to the user by the Web Server 40 in an initial step of ordering an analysis project. Generally, the entire process of the method is commenced by the user, who can log into Web Server 40 from a remote location. The user first selects the type of analysis project they wish to order. The user may then be prompted additional times to select the parameters that are required in order to construct their desired analysis project. As shown in FIG. 2, after the user logs into the Web Server 40 through the authentication function 46, an initial screen provided by the Web Server, provides a menu 66 of selectable analysis projects that may be performed. As discussed above, the permission control system limits the menu of the available analysis projects that the user has been granted permission to order (i.e., the available analysis projects the user has paid for). Available analysis projects can be arranged in a graphical hierarchy to make navigation of the ordering process easier. FIG. 2 shows an example of this where the available analysis projects are divided into three categories: Customer Insight Projects (Standard), Customer Insight Projects (Regional), and Extracts. The first two categories, both labeled Consumer Insight Projects, contain many of the same analysis projects, with the first category generating projects drawn from the entire compilation of sales data, while the second category generates projects drawn from sales data specific to a specified geographic region. Once the user has selected a type of analysis project to run, more screens may be presented, if necessary, that prompt the user to provide information and set data filters that ensures the analysis is performed on the particular set of data that the user is interested in. Project-specific information selected, entered and otherwise provided by the user is captured and stored within the Management Database 54 in the Management Tier 34. In the present example, the user has selected the analysis project entitled: “What are the weekly key measures for my products?” 67. Thus additional screens are provided to the user for the selection of the products and weeks for which to perform the analysis. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, in a next step the user is prompted to select a product group with which to perform the analysis. A product group defines precisely the products for which sales data will be analyzed. The product groups may be predefined or may be defined by the user (as will be described below). As shown in FIG. 3, the product groups and categories may be presented to the user in a hierarchy of folders 68, from which to select one or more product groups. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the product group selected is a user-defined (the user being “edb”) group labeled “Eds Cheeses” 70. Following selection of a product group, in this example the user is then presented with a screen such as the one shown in FIG. 4, which asks the user to select a time period, from a menu of selectable time periods 72, over which sales data will be analyzed. As seen in FIG. 4, the exemplary embodiment presents time periods consisting of one or more weeks. In this example, the user selects the time period labeled, “The week 22-Mar-2004 to 28-Mar-2004” 74. Once the user has made the necessary selections (which in this example are project type, product group, and time period), the job or analysis project request is complete. The user is then presented with a screen such as the one shown in FIG. 5, which succinctly summarizes the analysis project defined by the user's selections. Once the user verifies that this analysis project description is correct, the user can submit the project for processing by clicking on or activating the “Finish” button 76, as instructed. Once the user submits the analysis project for processing, the project is encoded in a way that incorporates the user-selected parameters into an executable script written in an appropriate commercially available scripting language. Some suitable scripting languages, include, without limitation, VBScript, JavaScript, Perl, Korn Shell and the like. Specifically, referring again to FIG. 1, once a project has been constructed and submitted for processing utilizing the project ordering and parameter collection functions 50 on the Web Server 40, the Web Server inserts the job parameter identifications and associated data into the Shop Management Database 54. The Shop Management Database 54 contains a log of the various analysis projects that have been requested by each user, and it maintains a record containing the selected values entered by the user defining each project. When a project is ready for execution, the Analysis Project Processing Software 56 resident on the central server(s) retrieves the selected parameters from the Shop Management Database 54 and begins creating the analysis project script 58 for the particular analysis by inserting those parameters into a new script file template 61. The analysis project script, in the exemplary embodiment, is the package of executable code that is run on the retail sales, consumer and other data in database 60 in order to carry out a particular analysis project that has been requested by the user. The analysis project script 58 is constructed by the Analysis Project Processing Software 56 using a combination of the following: project type specific: code that is specific to the type of analysis project that has been ordered (e.g., the queries that are needed to perform the requested analysis project) project specific: code that is specific to the particular analysis project order (e.g., username, products of interest, weeks of interest, etc.) generic: code that is common to all analysis jobs The Data Tier 38 of the architecture contains the project-type specific code and generic code that will be retrieved by the Analysis Project Processing Software 56 and added to the analysis project script 58, while the project specific code is retrieved from the Shop Management Database 54 as described above. In the next step, the analysis project script 58 is executed on the transaction and/or consumer data in database 60, or a subset thereof. The script 58 queries the relevant records in the database 60 and returns collected data to answer the questions posed by the user's analysis project. In this search/query operation, the script 58 will look for transactional, consumer and other data that matches the search parameters (filters) entered by the user, which may include the type of sales information sought, the product group(s) to be searched, and the timeframe(s) to be searched, as described in the above example. Other filters (in addition to product groups and timeframe as used in the present example) falling within the scope of the present invention include, without limitation: any distinct period of time, multiple periods of time (including week, day, hour), store, geography (region), individual product, and groups of consumers with particular consumer/demographic/behavioral attributes. Product group filters can be based upon, for example and without limitation: category, price, brand, variant, pack size, flavor, and the like; or any combination of thereof. Following execution of the analysis project script, the data returned by the search operation will be inserted into an interactive spreadsheet template file 63 to generate an interactive project 65, where the results may be presented in a format that is easily interpreted by the user. The particular format of the interactive spreadsheet 65 will differ depending on what type of analysis project is being performed, and the appropriate format will be specified by the script template 61 that was used to encode the analysis project on the front end, as described above. For each type of analysis project, the script template 61 utilized is associated with a corresponding spreadsheet template that is formatted in an appropriate way to receive and present the data returned by the search/query for that analysis project. For use with the present invention, any suitable spreadsheet product may be used to generate these projects such as Microsoft Excel, Lotus 1-2-3, StarOffice Calc, OpenOffice.org Calc, and the like. It is also within the scope of the invention, and it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill, that the projects can be generated in other suitable formats, and using other suitable tools (whether off-the-shelf, custom, or a combination of both) for generating the types of projects described herein. After the analysis data has been imported into an interactive spreadsheet file, the finished analysis project, as embodied in the spreadsheet file, is published/transmitted to the user who requested the project. The appearance and content of the final project will depend on the type of analysis project. FIG. 6, for example, provides an illustration of the “What are the weekly key measures for my products?” project 78 as constructed above in FIGS. 2-5 on product subgroup “Eds Cheeses,” analyzing sales data for the week from Mar. 22, 2004 to Mar. 28, 2004. See the FIG. 7H and the accompanying description below for a discussion on the structure and layout of this type of project. As shown in FIG. 7A, another example interactive project 80 provided by the exemplary embodiment is titled, “Who buys my brand?” As shown in this example project, a number of products 82 are provided along with an indication of the type of consumer 84 that has bought these products over a given period of time. The purchases of such products can be segmented based upon the “Detailed Lifestyle” of the consumers as shown in the present example, where the consumers' lifestyle are segmented into the following categories: “Lifestyle A,” “Lifestyle B,” “Lifestyle C,” “Lifestyle D,” “Lifestyle E,” and “Lifestyle F.” Indications of these Detailed Lifestyle categories may be provided in the consumers' records in the database 60 for each consumer record. Such categorization may be determined by any number of methods. In an exemplary embodiment, consumers' purchases are analyzed over time to determine the types of products that are most commonly purchased by the consumer (where such products may be tagged with category of the type of consumer will typically purchase it—i.e., whole-wheat bread products may be tagged as a category of product that is purchased by “health-conscious” consumers, caviar may be tagged as a category of product that is purchased by “affluent” consumers, etc.). Depending upon the purchase history, the consumers can be profiled or categorized in one of the above-labeled categories (“Lifestyle A-F”). Alternatively, consumers may be profiled or categorized based upon other or additional information such as demographic information or information that the consumer provides (such as by filling out questionnaires). Other consumer profiles/segmentations in the exemplary embodiment may include without limitation: demographics, age, shopper frequency, locality, geo-demographics, and data obtained directly from the consumer or derived from their address or purchase behaviors. The interactive display of the results is shown in this example in two ways: a tabular format 86 and a bar-graph format 88. In this interactive project, the user is permitted to select a different consumer profile via pull-down menu 90 so that the results may be re-tabulated and displayed by the project based upon another selected profile, and the user is also permitted to select an index via pull-down menu 92 to limit the project display to only certain of the consumer categories. As shown in FIG. 7B, a similar project 94 as discussed above is titled, “Who buys my brand over time?” In this project, sales of one or more products are compared for different time periods, such as: “First 4 Weeks,” “Second 4 Weeks” and “Third 4 Weeks.” As in the above example project, such sales are broken down by the profile/category of consumer that purchased the product in these three time periods. Such an analysis/project allows the user to determine sales figures before, during and after a special promotional period, for example. As shown in FIG. 7C, another interactive project 96 entitled, “How are people repeat purchasing my product?,” allows users to evaluate repeat rates of new and existing products versus competitor products or versus the category of product. The project allows the user to study periodic (e.g., weekly) data or to study the cumulative effect over a period of time. For a given product, the amount of times that the product has been repeat-purchased by consumers is displayed for a respective plurality of weeks (or any selected time period) in both bar-graph 98 and tabular forms 100. In the bar-graph 98, if the product is purchased by the consumer for the first time (number of time purchased=1), it is shown in a first color; if the product is purchased by the consumer for the second time (number of times purchased=2), it is shown in a different color; and so on, where the last color is for products purchased 6 or more times. The interactive project allows the user to switch between weekly data views (as shown) and cumulative data views; and between views by consumer count (as shown) and units sold. Finally, a pull-down menu 102 allows the user to filter the project through various selectable store types. As shown in FIG. 7D, another interactive project 104 entitled, “What other products are found in my consumer's baskets?” allows users to evaluate which products are bought at the same time as a specified product, or group of products. The outputted project looks at basket level data as well as consumer data and the user can look at the overall retailer basket as well as defining baskets containing the selected product and a second specified product area. As shown in FIG. 7E, another interactive project 112 entitled, “Where is my brand sold (product level)?” allows users to evaluate consumers that are buying their products and competitors' products in total and in top and bottom performing stores. The user can also look at the full store list if desired. The outputted project can be used to see how a product is performing across different stores. Insights from this project can lead to better decisions on new product launches, sampling, merchandising, assortment, distribution, and other sales and marketing priorities. As shown in this project, three tables are provided: Sales Total 114, Sales by Store Type 116 and Sales by Store 118. In each table, the first column presents the total number of consumers buying a particular selected brand of product; the second column presents the total number of units of the brand that have been purchased; the third column provides the value of these sales; the fourth column provides the percentage of purchases by consumers in a given row (store type or store) versus all consumers; the fifth column provides the percentage of units sold by consumers in the given row versus all consumers; the sixth column provides the percentage of the value of these sales for the given row; the seventh column provides the consumer penetration percentage; and the last column provides the average amount spent by each consumer on the given brand. As shown in FIG. 7F, another interactive project 120 entitled, “What are the key measures for my products?,” allows users to evaluate key consumer and sales measures for their products and competitor's products. The measures that are included in the project are, in a given time period: store selling distribution, number of units sold, sales value for the units sold, number of consumers purchasing the selected products, number of visits of all consumers purchasing the selected products, consumer penetration, average weight of each purchase of the selected products, frequency of purchases, market share, and price per unit. As shown in FIG. 7F the interactive project provides such key measures in both tabular form 122 and bar-graph form 124. A pull-down menu 126 allows the user to select which key measure that is to be illustrated in the bar-graph display 124. A sub-table 128 provides another view of specific key measures. FIGS. 7H and 7I, described below, provide alternate examples of key measures interactive projects. As shown in FIG. 7G, another interactive project 130 entitled, “How many people cross-shop my products?,” allows users to evaluate how consumers cross-shop across different products/SKUs, brands, or categories. Both the volumes of consumers and the number of units these consumers account for are included in the project. The project can be used for new product development/listing, for example. Another area where the project can be used is to identify whether link saves or multi-pack formats are appropriate across different SKUs/product areas. The cross-shopping statistics are presented by venn diagram 132 and by an intersection table 134. As shown in FIG. 7H, the interactive project 136 entitled, “What are the weekly key measures for my products?,” provides an overview of brand performance measures for a user defined product group. The project is designed to be interactive, allowing the user to manipulate and extract information which is specific to the user's particular needs. The project can provide: Sales value, units, consumer and visit numbers Number of consumers, average weight of purchase (by value or units) % Share of Subgroup and Customer Penetration into all of the selected retail outlets These measures can also be viewed in different ways such as: A table 138 cross-tabbing products by week A bar chart (not shown), selectable by activating the View as Chart button 139, enabling the user to view the data by individual product or week An ability to drill down by week or at SKU level An ability to sort alphabetically or by selected measure A pull-down menu 140 allows the user to select the format and specificity of the display. In FIG. 7H, the values of sales for the selected products are shown in tabular form on a week-by-week basis. As shown in FIG. 7I, another interactive project 142 entitled, “What are the key measures for my products over time?”, provides an interactive project that illustrates a comparison of two time periods for a specific group of products. The project 142 contains dynamic text in a text box 144 that provides an explanation of changes and which key measures are driving the changes. The project provides a quick ‘health check’ of the performance of selected products. The project can be used to easily understand whether the market share is increasing or whether the number of units sold is decreasing. This is an ideal project for undertaking month-on-month or year-on-year analysis. As shown in FIG. 7I, a pull-down menu 146 allows the user to select the specificity of the project and the selected measures are shown both in tabular form 148, comparing the most recent period to the previous period and including a comparison index, and bar-graph form 150. As shown in FIG. 7J, another interactive project 152 entitled, “How does my brand sell over time?”, breaks down consumers, sales and visits by hour, day and weekend vs. weekday. The project 152 provides information that can be used to understand out-of-stock issues and identify demand during the day, weekday and weekend to help with supply chain management. The project provides a selected key measure for a product or a group of products in tabular form 154 and in line-graph form 156. A button 158 provides a menu for the user to change the key measure(s) being displayed upon activation. The graph 156 within the project can display several SKU products simultaneously (different line colors) and can include the entire subgroup of products (as shown in the example project of FIG. 7J). In many or all of the above example projects shown in FIGS. 7A-7J, buttons/icons are provided that allow the user to start support functions/programs, such as: Print 160; Toolbars 162; Glossary 164; Contact Us 166; Sort 168; and Export Chart/Table/Diagram/Data 170. At any time, the user can log into the system and view the status of an analysis project that has been submitted for processing. FIG. 8 is an exemplary screen view showing the project status for a particular user. In this example, the screen shows the projects pending at 4:36:10 pm on Apr. 14, 2004 for the username “edb.” The list contains two projects, listing the job number, username, project status, and project description for each. In this example, both listed projects have a status of “PROCESSING.” FIG. 9 shows a status screen indicating the history of a completed project, showing the various events and steps performed during the processing of that project, and the time at which each event or step was performed. As discussed in the above example process shown in FIG. 3, the products for which sales data will be analyzed are selected from a list of product groups. The user can create a product group by identifying which individual products they wish to be grouped together. FIG. 10 shows a screen shot for the beginning of the product group creation process. In the left box 172, various broad categories of merchandise are listed, and the user chooses the appropriate merchandise category for the products he wishes to group together. In this example, the user selects the “Wines & Spirits” category 174. The next screen, shown in FIG. 11, lists several narrower categories in box 176 of products that fall under the broad “Wines & Spirits” category previously selected by the user. After the user makes this further selection of the narrower product category, a screen like the one in FIG. 12 is provided, listing individual products in the selected category. In this example, the user has selected “Bacon Products”, and the box 178 lists all available bacon products predefined to that category. From this product list in the box 178, the user can choose individual products to add to his/her customized product group. The user clicks on a desired product to highlight it, then the user clicks the “add” button 180, which causes the highlighted product to appear in the right box 182, thus indicating that it has been selected for inclusion in the user's customized subgroup. This selection process can be repeated until the customized subgroup contains all the individual products that user wishes to include. The user is then presented with the Save Product Group screen, shown in FIG. 13, which prompts the user to enter a name and description for the subgroup being created. In this example, the user names the subgroup, “david's bacon.” Once the subgroup has been created, it will be listed in the folder structure and may be selected for performing an analysis project, as seen in FIG. 14. Following from the above description and invention summaries, it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that, while the systems and processes herein described constitute exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise systems and processes and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Additionally, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the claims and it is not intended that any limitations or elements describing the exemplary embodiments set forth herein are to be incorporated into the meaning of the claims unless such limitations or elements are explicitly listed in the claims. Likewise, it is to be understood that it is not necessary to meet any or all of the identified advantages or objects of the invention disclosed herein in order to fall within the scope of any claims, since the invention is defined by the claims and since inherent and/or unforeseen advantages of the present invention may exist even though they may not have been explicitly discussed herein. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The present invention relates to analysis of transaction data generally, and particularly to a method enabling a remotely-located user to perform analysis on a compilation of retail sales data (or other transactional data) via a computer system. In order to succeed in the ever-changing retail sector, companies desire to maintain a constant watch on market conditions. Demand for products and the prices that consumers are willing to pay for them are continuously changing in response to shifting consumer tastes, activities of competitors, and the general economic climate. To excel in the retail market, whether you are a retailer or a supplier, requires detailed knowledge of the market conditions, and such detailed knowledge can best be obtained from a sophisticated analysis of retail sales data. Accordingly, retailers and their suppliers have begun to amass ever-growing compilations of data from retail transactions so they can keep a close eye on trends that become evident from the sales data. In order to maximize the benefit from such large and complex compilations of data, there is a need for retailers and their suppliers to be able to access the data and perform highly individualized analysis on the data with minimal delay soon after the data is collected. The present invention fills this need. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a method for retailers and other authorized users, such as suppliers, to access and perform sophisticated, highly specialized analysis on retail sales and consumer data from a remote location using an internet or other connected computer. The data that is accessed will typically be a compilation of retail transaction data (collected from EPOS systems, for example), and/or consumer data (which has been collected from frequent-shopper or loyalty cards used by consumers when they shop, for example), and/or other related data that may be collected from time to time by any resource available to those of ordinary skill. Such data may also include, for example and without limitation, demographic data related to a consumer or may include data regarding the promotional status of a product. In an exemplary embodiment, the system and service provided by the present invention is Web-based such that authorized users may access the service from their remote desktops and have completed analysis projects delivered to them by email, for example, when complete. With such an embodiment, the minimum software that may be required to be installed on the authorized user's computer includes a Web browser (or similar) application and suitable spreadsheet software. Further, in the exemplary embodiment, the projects are generated as spreadsheet based interactive reports (examples of which are described below) that are easy to manipulate for further analysis and presentations. Insights from these projects can lead to better decisions on new product launches, sampling, merchandizing, assortment, distribution, and other sales and marketing priorities. In the exemplary embodiment, the projects are interactive, allowing the user to manipulate and extract information which is specific to the user's particular needs. Of course, while the exemplary embodiment is Web-based, it is certainly within the scope of the present invention that the service be provided in other computer-implemented forms, such as, for example, on a single computer system using dedicated software, or through an intranet or a private network. The service/system is designed to answer key sales, marketing, category management/planning inquiries and to provide brand/SKU level and customer insights such as, for example: Which of our last three promotions drove the largest increase in market share? What is the profile of a loyal Product X customer? What else do they buy? How are competitor brands/SKUs performing? What impact/effect did our new product launch have upon the category? In which stores should we undertake in-store sampling activities? Such insights can be used to provide, for example, an early indication of the success of a re-launch (i.e., is our launch achieving the expected level of trial and repeat purchase compared with our competitors and the category?); provide robust and detailed consumer information at an individual product level that can be utilized across the business; and review consumer purchasing patters over a time period (such as a year) to plan future marketing activity. Accordingly, a first aspect of the present invention provides a method for performing an analysis that includes the steps of: providing one or more databases that include transaction and/or consumer data for one or more establishments, where the transaction and/or consumer data includes one or more transaction records associating at least a product identification code with a consumer identification code; formulating an analysis project request via a user interface that is operatively coupled (“operatively coupled” meaning electrically coupled, coupled via a direct or indirect data link, or capable of being coupled via a direct or indirect data link) to a computer system having access to the database; and generating, by the computer system, a project on the transaction and/or consumer data in response to receiving the analysis project request. In a more detailed embodiment, the user interface is resident on a network device operatively coupled to the computer system over a global computer network. In a further detailed embodiment, the network device is a web-enabled device operatively coupled to the computer system over the world-wide-web. In a further detailed embodiment, the method further includes a step of downloading the project over the world-wide-web from the computer system, or a step of transmitting the project over the global computer network from the computer system to a user computer operatively coupled to the global computer network. In an alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code with a transaction time and/or transaction date. In a further detailed embodiment, the step of formulating an analysis project request includes the step of selecting, via the user interface, an analysis project from a predefined list of available analysis projects. In yet a further detailed embodiment, the predefined list of available analysis projects includes: an analysis project providing rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is repeat purchased by the consumer associated with consumer identification code; and/or an analysis project providing rates at which products associated with a vendor identification code are cross-purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code; and/or an analysis project providing a comparison of rates at which a product associated with a first vendor identification code and a product associated with a second vendor identification code are purchased; and/or an analysis project providing a comparison of rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is purchased by consumers in different purchaser categories, where the consumer categories may be defined based upon demographic information associated with the consumer identification code, upon data derived from shopping histories associated with the consumer identification code, and/or upon data associated with price sensitivity associated with the consumer identification code. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the step of formulating an analysis project request includes the step of selecting one or more products from a list of available products. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the method further includes the step of saving at least portions of the analysis project request for re-use in the formulation of future analysis project requests. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the step of generating the project is repeated periodically. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code and the consumer identification code with a transaction price. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the method further includes the step of downloading the project from the computer system. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the method further includes the step of collecting at least a portion of the transaction and/or consumer data from shopper loyalty card data. It is a second aspect of the present invention to provide a method for performing an analysis that includes the steps of: providing one or more databases that include transaction and/or consumer data for one or more establishments, where the transaction and/or consumer data includes one or more transaction records associating at least a product identification code with a consumer identification code; generating, by a computer system having access to the database, a project on the transaction and/or consumer data; and transmitting, by the computer system, the project to a user interface operatively coupled to the computer system. In a more detailed embodiment, the step of generating the project is repeated periodically. In an alternate detailed embodiment, the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code and the consumer identification code with a transaction price. In another alternate detailed embodiment, the project provides rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is repeat purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. In yet another detailed embodiment, the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code with a vendor identification code and the project provides rates at which products associated with the vendor identification code are cross-purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. In yet another detailed embodiment, the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code with a vendor identification code and the project provides rates at which a product associated with a first vendor identification code and a product associated with a second vendor identification code are purchased. In yet another detailed embodiment, the one or more transaction records associates the consumer identification code with a purchaser category and the project provides a comparison of rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is purchased by consumers in different purchaser categories. It is a third aspect of the present invention to provide method for performing an analysis that includes the steps of: providing one or more databases that include transaction data and/or consumer data for one or more establishments; providing a computer system having access to the one or more databases; obtaining from a user, through a computer interface provided by the computer system, parameters for analysis of the transaction and/or consumer data; feeding, by the computer system, the obtained parameters into an executable job file; executing, by the computer system, the executable job file on the transaction and/or consumer data to return results; and presenting to the user a project reflecting the returned results. In a more detailed embodiment, the parameters for analysis include parameters relating to measures of transaction. In a further detailed embodiment, the parameters for analysis include an identification of an analysis format, an identification of retail products for analysis, and an identification of a timeframe for analysis. In yet a further detailed embodiment, the analysis format pertains to: rates at which consumers make repeat purchases of a product; rates at which consumers make repeat purchases of a product at a particular type of establishment; rates at which consumers cross-shop a vendor's products; rates at which consumers cross-shop a vendor's products at a particular establishment or with a particular type of establishment; key sales measures in a particular product category; key sales measures for a vendor's products; key sales measures for the vendor's products over time; key sales measures for a particular brand of products over time; other retail products purchased by consumers of a vendor's products; locations where a particular product is sold; locations where a vendor's brand of products is sold; types of consumers who purchase the vendor's products; types of consumers who purchase the vendor's products over time; or types of consumers who purchase the vendor's products in a particular establishment or particular type of establishment. In an alternate detailed embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, in the obtaining step, the user is prompted to select at least one of the parameters for analysis from a menu containing a plurality of available parameters. In a further detailed embodiment, the user is prompted to select each of the parameters for analysis from the menu. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the computer interface is a web-based interface. In a more detailed embodiment, the method further includes a step of, prior to the obtaining step, verifying that the user has rights to access the computer system. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the feeding step further includes a step of merging the obtained parameters with segments of the executable code to create an executable job file. In a more detailed embodiment, the segments of the executable code with which the obtained parameters are merged is determined, at least in part, from at least one of the obtained parameters. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the project is presented as an interactive report, the method further includes a step of generating the interactive report from the returned results, and the generating step includes the steps of selecting a project template from a plurality of available project templates based upon the analysis format and populating the project template with at least a portion of the returned results. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the transaction and consumer data includes an identity of products purchased, quantity of products purchased, date of purchase, and a code related to the particular purchasing consumer. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the project is presented as a spreadsheet file. In a further detailed embodiment, the method further includes a step of generating the spreadsheet file from the returned results, where the generating step includes the steps of selecting a spreadsheet project template from a plurality of available spreadsheet project templates based upon the obtained parameters and populating the spreadsheet project template with at least a portion of the returned results. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the step of presenting to the user a project reflecting the returned analysis includes the steps of: notifying the user of the availability of the project and providing the user with access to the project after notifying the user and upon the user requesting access to the project. In a further detailed embodiment, the step of providing the user with access to the project includes the step of downloading the project to the user's computer. Alternately, the step of providing the user with access to the project includes the step of providing access to the project to the user via a web-based interface, via a web down load or by receiving the project by email. It is a fourth aspect of the present invention to provide a computerized system for performing analysis that includes (a) one or more databases having transaction and/or consumer data for one or more retail establishments, where the transaction and/or consumer data includes one or more transaction records associating at least a product identification code with a consumer identification code and (b) a computer system having access to the database, where the computer system is configured to perform the steps of: generating a project on the transaction and/or consumer data; and transmitting the project to a user interface operatively coupled to the computer system. In a more detailed embodiment, the one or more transaction records associates the product identification code and the consumer identification code with a transaction price. In an alternate detailed embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the project provides rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is repeat purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the one or more databases include one or more product records that associate the product identification code with a vendor identification code; and the project provides rates at which products associated with the vendor identification code are cross-purchased by the consumer associated with the consumer identification code. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the one or more databases include one or more product records that associate the product identification code with a vendor identification code; and the project provides rates at which a product associated with a first vendor identification code and a product associated with a second vendor identification code are purchased. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the one or more databases include one or more customer records that associate the consumer identification code with a purchaser category; and the project provides a comparison of rates at which a product associated with the product identification code is purchased by consumers in different consumer categories. In a more detailed embodiment, the consumer categories are defined based upon demographic information associated with the consumer identification code. Alternatively, the consumer categories are defined based upon data derived from shopping histories (such as price sensitivity) associated with the consumer identification code. In another alternate detailed embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the transaction and/or consumer data is taken from shopper loyalty card data. | 20040930 | 20120703 | 20060330 | 85215.0 | G06Q9900 | 2 | DICKERSON, TIPHANY B | METHOD FOR PERFORMING RETAIL SALES ANALYSIS | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | G06Q | 2,004 |
|
10,955,967 | ACCEPTED | Command user interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls | An improved user interface is provided for displaying selectable software functionality controls and for presenting logical groupings of particular functionality controls associated with a selected top-level functionality. Underneath a row of top-level functionality tabs, functionalities controls associated with a given top-level functionality tab are presented in logical groupings. Selection of a particular tab switches modes of the user interface to present controls for functionalities associated with the selected tab. | 1. A method for providing functionality from a software application via an improved user interface, comprising: providing a plurality of functionalities available from the software application; organizing the plurality of functionalities according to one or more tasks that may be performed with the software application; providing in the user interface a user interface tab for each of the one or more tasks; and upon receiving an indication of a selection of a first user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a first task associated with the selected first user interface tab. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the one or more selectable controls to a selected document object. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a second task associated with the selected second user interface tab. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising grouping the one or more selectable controls into one or more logical groupings of selectable controls where each of the one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of functionalities associated with the selected user interface tab. 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising upon receiving a selection of one of the one or more logical groupings of selectable controls, providing a details tab for selectively deploying a second user interface for providing additional functionality controls associated with the selected logical grouping. 6. The method of claim 5, whereby providing a details tab includes providing a details tab for selectively deploying a second user interface for providing information identifying functionality organized under the selected logical grouping presently applied to a selected document object. 7. The method of claim 4, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 9. The method of claim 4, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, reducing a display size of each of the one or more logical groupings until each of the one or more logical groupings may be displayed in the user interface. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising rearranging a layout of individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising amending a display of one or more individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping. 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising: upon receiving an indication of a mouse-over focus on a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a second task associated with the second user interface tab; and upon cessation of the mouse-over focus on the second user interface tab, providing in the user interface the one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under the first task associated with the first user interface tab. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: after providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a second task, receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a second task; applying functionality associated with the selected control to a selected object; and if the second user interface tab is not selected for persisting a provision in the user interface of one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a second task, providing in the user interface the one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under the first task associated with the selected first user interface tab. 14. The method of claim 1, further comprising upon receiving a selection of one of the one or more logical groupings of selectable controls, providing a tool tips dialog for providing information about software application functionalities associated with the selected logical grouping. 15. An improved user interface for providing functionality from a software application, comprising: one or more tabs disposed in an upper row of the user interface, each of said one or more tabs identifying a task that may be performed with the software application, and each of said one or more tabs being operative upon selection to cause a display in the user interface of one or more selectable functionality controls associated with a selected tab; said one or more selectable functionality controls being disposed in a row underneath the disposition of the one or more tabs, each of said one or more functionality controls being operative to cause an application of an associated functionality of the software application to a selected object; and said one or more selectable functionality controls being organized and displayed in the user interface in one or more logical groupings, whereby each of said one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of functionalities available from the software application that may be applied to a selected object according to a portion of a task associated with a selected tab. 16. The user interface of claim 15, further comprising a details tab deployable under a given logical grouping, said details tab operative upon selection to cause a display of a second user interface for providing additional functionality controls associated with the selected logical grouping. 17. The user interface of claim 16, the details tab being further operative upon selection to cause a display of the second user interface for providing information identifying functionality organized under the selected logical grouping presently applied to a selected object. 18. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for providing functionality from a software application via an improved user interface, comprising: providing a plurality of functionalities available from the software application; organizing the plurality of functionalities according to one or more tasks that may be performed with the software application; providing in the user interface a user interface tab for each of the one or more tasks; and upon receiving an indication of a selection of a first user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a first task associated with the selected first user interface tab. 19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the one or more selectable controls to a selected document object. 20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a second task associated with the selected second user interface tab. 21. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising grouping the one or more selectable controls into one or more logical groupings of selectable controls where each of the one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of functionalities associated with the selected user interface tab. 22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising upon receiving a selection of one of the one or more logical groupings of selectable controls, providing a details tab for selectively deploying a second user interface for providing additional functionality controls associated with the selected logical grouping. 23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, whereby providing a details tab includes providing a details tab for selectively deploying a second user interface for providing information identifying functionality organized under the selected logical grouping presently applied to a selected document object. 24. The computer readable medium of claim 21, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 26. The computer readable medium of claim 21, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, reducing a display size of each of the one or more logical groupings until each of the one or more logical groupings may be displayed in the user interface. 27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, further comprising rearranging a layout of individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping. 28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, further comprising amending a display of one or more individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping. 29. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising: upon receiving an indication of a mouse-over focus on a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a second task associated with the second user interface tab; and upon cessation of the mouse-over focus on the second user interface tab, providing in the user interface the one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under the first task associated with the first user interface tab. 30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, further comprising: after providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a second task, receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a second task; applying functionality associated with the selected control to a selected object; and if the second user interface tab is not selected for persisting a provision in the user interface of one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a second task, providing in the user interface the one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under the first task associated with the selected first user interface tab. 31. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising upon receiving a selection of one of the one or more logical groupings of selectable controls, providing a tool tips dialog for providing information about software application functionalities associated with the selected logical grouping. 32. A method for providing functionality from a software application via an improved user interface, comprising: providing in the user interface a user interface tab for each of one or more tasks that may be performed with the software application; upon receiving an indication of a selection of a first user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities associated with a first task; and grouping the one or more selectable controls into one or more logical groupings of selectable controls where each of the one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of functionalities associated with the selected first user interface tab. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the one or more selectable controls to a selected document object. 34. The method of claim 32, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities associated with a second task. 35. The method of claim 32, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 36. The method of claim 35, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 37. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for providing functionality from a software application via an improved user interface, comprising: providing in the user interface a user interface tab for each of one or more tasks that may be performed with the software application; upon receiving an indication of a selection of a first user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities associated with a first task; and grouping the one or more selectable controls into one or more logical groupings of selectable controls where each of the one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of functionalities associated with the selected first user interface tab. 38. The computer readable medium of claim 37, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the one or more selectable controls to a selected document object. 39. The computer readable medium of claim 37, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities associated with a second task. 40. The computer readable medium of claim 37, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 41. The computer readable medium of claim 40, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping. 42. The computer readable medium of claim 37, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, reducing a display size of each of the one or more logical groupings until each of the one or more logical groupings may be displayed in the user interface. 43. The computer readable medium of claim 42, further comprising rearranging a layout of individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping. 44. The computer readable medium of claim 43, further comprising amending a display of one or more individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/601,815, Attorney Matter No. 60001.0407USP1, Applicant Matter No. 309417.1, filed Aug. 16, 2004, entitled “Improved User Interfaces for Computer Software Applications.” FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to software application user interfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to a command user interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With the advent of the computer age, computer and software users have grown accustomed to user-friendly software applications that help them write, calculate, organize, prepare presentations, send and receive electronic mail, make music, and the like. For example, modern electronic word processing applications allow users to prepare a variety of useful documents. Modern spreadsheet applications allow users to enter, manipulate, and organize data. Modern electronic slide presentation applications allow users to create a variety of slide presentations containing text, pictures, data or other useful objects. To assist users to locate and utilize functionality of a given software application, a user interface containing a plurality of generic functionality controls is typically provided along an upper, lower or side edge of a displayed workspace in which the user may enter, copy, manipulate and format text or data. Such functionality controls often include selectable buttons with such names as “file,” “edit,” “view,” “insert,” “format,” and the like. Typically, selection of one of these top-level functionality buttons, for example “format,” causes a drop-down menu to be deployed to expose one or more selectable functionality controls associated with the top-level functionality, for example “font” under a top-level functionality of “format.” After a user selects a desired functionality control, or if the user moves the mouse cursor to a different location, the drop-down menu typically disappears. If the user determines that functionality of the first drop-down menu was the desired functionality, the user must remember which top-level functionality was selected, reselect that functionality and then find the desired functionality control all over again. Accordingly, in order to use the functionality of a given software application, the user must know the desired functionality is available under one of the selectable buttons, or the user must select different top-level functionalities until the desired specific functionality is located. Such a method of searching for desired functionality is cumbersome and time-consuming, particularly for less experienced users, and when new functionality is added by developers of the software application, the new functionality may never be utilized unless the user is somehow educated as to its existence. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved functionality command user interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls and for presenting logical groupings of particular functionality controls associated with a selected top-level functionality. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present invention has been made. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention solve the above and other problems by providing an improved user interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls and for presenting logical groupings of particular functionality controls associated with a selected top-level functionality. Generally, aspects of the present invention provide for organization of the functionality of a given software application into task-based modes. The modes are associated with tabs in a ribbon-shaped user interface, and the tabs are labeled with descriptive text associated with different functionality modes or tasks. Underneath a row of top-level functionality tabs, functionalities associated with a given top-level functionality tab are presented in logical groupings. Selection of a particular tab switches modes of the user interface to present controls for functionalities associated with the selected tab. According to an aspect of the invention, methods and systems for providing functionality from a software application via an improved user interface are provided. A plurality of functionalities available from one or more software applications is organized according to one or more tasks that may be performed with the software application. A user interface tab for each of the one or more tasks is provided in the user interface. Upon receiving an indication of a selection of a given user interface tab, one or more selectable functionality controls are provided in the user interface for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a given task associated with the selected user interface tab. These and other features and advantages, which characterize the present invention, will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the architecture of a personal computer that provides an illustrative operating environment for embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an illustration of a computer screen display showing a ribbon-shaped user interface for displaying task-based top-level functionality tabs and for displaying a plurality of functionalities available under a selected top-level functionality tab. FIG. 3 illustrates a computer screen display showing the user interface illustrated in FIG. 2 whereby a different set of functionalities is presented associated with a different top-level functionality tab. FIG. 4 illustrates a computer screen display showing the user interface illustrated in FIG. 2 whereby a different set of functionalities is presented associated with a different top-level functionality tab. FIG. 5 illustrates a computer screen display showing a pop-up user interface for providing detailed functionality associated with a selected subset of functionalities presented in the ribbon-shaped user interface illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 4. FIG. 6 illustrates a computer screen display showing a pop-up user interface for providing detailed functionality associated with a selected subset of functionalities presented in the ribbon-shaped user interface illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 4. FIG. 7 illustrates a computer screen display showing a drop-down menu of functionalities associated with a selected functionality presented in the ribbon-shaped user interface illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 4. FIG. 8 illustrates a computer screen display showing the presentation of a tool tip dialog box for providing helpful information about a selected or focused-on functionality control. DETAILED DESCRIPTION As briefly described above, embodiments of the present invention are directed to an improved user interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls associated with task-based functionality and for presenting logical groupings of particular functionality associated with a selected task-based functionality. As will be described in detail below, when one task-based functionality tab is selected from the user interface of the present invention, selectable functionality controls provided by the associated software application for performing aspects of a task related to the selected task-based functionality tab are presented in a ribbon-shaped user interface above a workspace in which the user is entering or editing a document or object. Upon selection of a different task-based functionality tab, the presentation of functionality controls associated with the first task is removed, and selectable functionality controls associated with the second selected task-based functionality tab are presented in the user interface. The selectable functionality controls presented in the user interface are grouped into logical groupings for more efficient utilization. In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustrations specific embodiments or examples. These embodiments may be combined, other embodiments may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals represent like elements through the several figures, aspects of the present invention and the exemplary operating environment will be described. FIG. 1 and the following discussion are intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment in which the invention may be implemented. While the invention will be described in the general context of program modules that execute in conjunction with an application program that runs on an operating system on a personal computer, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may also be implemented in combination with other program modules. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components, data structures, and other types of structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. The invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices. Turning now to FIG. 1, an illustrative computer architecture for a personal computer 2 for practicing the various embodiments of the invention will be described. The computer architecture shown in FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional personal computer, including a central processing unit 4 (“CPU”), a system memory 6, including a random access memory 8 (“RAM”) and a read-only memory (“ROM”) 10, and a system bus 12 that couples the memory to the CPU 4. A basic input/output system containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer, such as during startup, is stored in the ROM 10. The personal computer 2 further includes a mass storage device 14 for storing an operating system 16, application programs, such as the application program 205, and data. The mass storage device 14 is connected to the CPU 4 through a mass storage controller (not shown) connected to the bus 12. The mass storage device 14 and its associated computer-readable media, provide non-volatile storage for the personal computer 2. Although the description of computer-readable media contained herein refers to a mass storage device, such as a hard disk or CD-ROM drive, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by the personal computer 2. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other solid state memory technology, CD-ROM, DVD, or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by the computer. According to various embodiments of the invention, the personal computer 2 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to remote computers through a TCP/IP network 18, such as the Internet. The personal computer 2 may connect to the TCP/IP network 18 through a network interface unit 20 connected to the bus 12. It should be appreciated that the network interface unit 20 may also be utilized to connect to other types of networks and remote computer systems. The personal computer 2 may also include an input/output controller 22 for receiving and processing input from a number of devices, including a keyboard or mouse (not shown). Similarly, an input/output controller 22 may provide output to a display screen, a printer, or other type of output device. As mentioned briefly above, a number of program modules and data files may be stored in the mass storage device 14 and RAM 8 of the personal computer 2, including an operating system 16 suitable for controlling the operation of a networked personal computer, such as the WINDOWS operating systems from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. The mass storage device 14 and RAM 8 may also store one or more application programs. In particular, the mass storage device 14 and RAM 8 may store an application program 105 for providing a variety of functionalities to a user. For instance, the application program 105 may comprise many types of programs such as a word processing application, a spreadsheet application, a desktop publishing application, and the like. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the application program 105 comprises a multiple functionality software application for providing word processing functionality, slide presentation functionality, spreadsheet functionality, database functionality and the like. Some of the individual program modules comprising the multiple functionality application 105 include a word processing application 125, a slide presentation application 135, a spreadsheet application 140 and a database application 145. An example of such a multiple functionality application 105 is OFFICE manufactured by Microsoft Corporation. Other software applications illustrated in FIG. 1 include an electronic mail application 130. FIG. 2 is an illustration of a computer screen display showing a ribbon-shaped user interface for displaying task-based top-level functionality tabs and for displaying a plurality of functionalities available under a selected top-level functionality tab. As briefly described above, the improved user interface of the present invention includes a ribbon-shaped user interface for displaying selectable controls associated with task-based functionality available under a given software application, such as the software application 105 illustrated in FIG. 1. A first section 210 of the user interface 200 includes generic selectable controls for functionality not associated with a particular task, such as word processing versus spreadsheet data analysis. For example, the section 210 includes selectable controls for general file commands such as “file open,” “file save” and “print.” According to one embodiment of the present invention, the selectable controls included in the first section 210 are controls that may be utilized by a variety of software applications comprising a multiple functionality application 105. That is, the selectable controls included in the first section 210 may be controls that are generally found and used across a number of different software applications. Selectable controls included in the first section 210 may be utilized for all such applications comprising such a multiple functionality application, but other selectable controls presented in the user interface 200 described below, may be tailored to particular tasks which may be performed by particular software applications comprising the multiple functionality application. On the other hand, it should be appreciated that the user interface 200 described herein may be utilized for a single software application such as a word processing application 125, a slide presentation application 135, a spreadsheet application 140, a database application 145, or any other software application which may utilize a user interface for allowing users to apply functionality of the associated application. Referring still to FIG. 2, adjacent to the first section 210 of the user interface 200 is a task-based tab section. The tab section includes selectable tabs associated with task-based functionality provided by a given software application. For purposes of example, the task-based tabs illustrated in FIG. 2 are associated with tasks that may be performed using a word processing application 125. For example, a “Writing” tab 215 is associated with functionality that may be utilized for performing writing tasks. An “Insert” tab 220 is associated with functionality associated with performing insert operations or tasks. A “Page Layout” tab 230 is associated with functionality provided by the associated application for performing or editing page layout attributes of a given document. As should be appreciated, many other task-based tabs or selectable controls may be added to the tab section of the user interface for calling functionality associated with other tasks. For example, task tabs may be added for text effects, document styles, review and comment, and the like. And, as described above, the user interface 200 may be utilized for a variety of different software applications. For example, if the user interface 200 is utilized for a slide presentation application, tabs contained in the tab section may include such tabs as “Create Slides,” “Insert,” “Format,” “Drawing,” “Effects,” and the like associated with a variety of tasks that may be performed by a slide presentation application. Similarly, tabs that may be utilized in the tab section of the user interface 200 for a spreadsheet application 140 may include such tabs as “Data” or “Data Entry,” “Lists,” “Pivot Tables,” “Analysis,” “Formulas,” “Pages and Printing,” and the like associated with tasks that may be performed using a spreadsheet application. Immediately beneath the generic controls section 210 and the task-based tab section is a selectable functionality control section for displaying selectable functionality controls associated with a selected tab 215, 220, 230 from the task-based tab section. According to embodiments of the present invention, when a particular tab, such as the “Writing” tab 215 is selected, selectable functionality available from the associated software application for performing the selected task, for example a writing task, is displayed in logical groupings. For example, referring to FIG. 2, a first logical grouping 240 is displayed under a heading “Clipboard.” According to embodiments of the present invention, the clipboard section 240 includes selectable functionality controls logically grouped together and associated with clipboard actions underneath the general task of writing. For example, the clipboard section 240 may include such selectable controls as a cut control, a copy control, a paste control, a select all control, etc. Adjacent to the clipboard section 240, a second logical grouping 250 is presented under the heading “Formatting.” Selectable controls presented in the “Formatting” section 250 may include such selectable controls as text justification, text type, font size, line spacing, boldface, italics, underline, etc. Accordingly, functionalities associated with formatting operations are logically grouped together underneath the overall task of “Writing.” A third logical grouping 260 is presented under the heading “Writing Tools.” The writing tools section 260 includes such writing tools as find/replace, autocorrect, etc. As described below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, upon selection of a different task-based tab from the tab section, a different set of selectable functionality controls in different logical groupings is presented in the user interface 200 associated with the selected task-based tab. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the “Insert” task tab 220 is selected, and the selectable functionality controls presented in the user interface 200 are changed from those illustrated in FIG. 2 to include selectable functionality controls associated with the insert task. For example, a first selectable functionality control section 310 is illustrated under a heading “Illustrations.” The illustrations section 310 includes selectable controls for allowing a user to insert into the application workspace a variety of illustrations such as pictures, clip art, word art, charts, diagrams, organization charts, drawings and the like. A second selectable functionality control section 315 is provided under the heading “Text” and provides selectable functionality controls for inserting text-type objects or data into the user's workspace. For example, controls contained in the text section 315 include hyperlink, symbol, text box, date and time, page numbers, headers and footers, etc. A third selectable functionality control section 320 is presented under the heading “Breaks.” This section includes selectable functionality controls for inserting breaks such as page breaks, column breaks, section breaks, etc. Referring to FIG. 4, the user interface 200 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is illustrated wherein the “Page Layout” tab 230 is selected. Upon selection of the “Page Layout” tab 230, selectable functionality controls associated with performing page layout tasks are presented to the user in logical groupings 410, 420, 430, 440, 450, 460. For example, a first logical grouping 410 is illustrated under the heading “Show/Hide” and includes selectable functionality controls associated with showing or hiding page layout information such as ruler information, paragraph markings, text boundaries, and the like. A second section 420 is grouped under a heading “Page Setup.” The page setup section 420 includes selectable functionality controls for adjusting or editing a page's orientation, size, margins, column settings, page layout breaks, etc. A third section 430 is presented under a heading “Header & Footer.” This section 430 includes selectable functionality controls for software application functionality related to inserting and editing header and footer information. Along the right edge of the user interface 200 is included a “Background” section 450 and a “Position” section 460. According to the user interface illustrated in FIG. 4, these selectable functionality control sections are closed or collapsed. That is, the user interface 200, as illustrated in FIG. 4, has insufficient space for displaying individual selectable functionality controls under each of these two sections. Accordingly, these two sections are closed from view. As should be appreciated, depending upon the screen size available for displaying the user interface 200 or depending upon the display settings utilized by a given user of the user interface 200, varying amounts of space will be available for displaying the task-based tabs and associated selectable functionality controls. Accordingly, when insufficient space is available in the user interface 200 for displaying all logical groupings associated with a given task-based tab, a determination may be made at application run time as to any logical groupings that must be collapsed or closed until the associated task-based tab is selected. Similarly, if the user manually reduces the size of the user interface 200, a determination is made as to the available space for displaying selectable functionality control sections, and certain selectable functionality control sections are collapsed as required. As should be appreciated, a determination may be made as to the order of collapsing selectable functionality control sections such that a criteria, such as “most used” or “most recently used” may be used for determining which selectable functionality control sections are displayed and which sections are collapsed as the available space in the user interface is decreased. According to an alternate embodiment, if the user interface 200 lacks sufficient space to display all logical groupings of functionality controls associated with a given task-based tab, the size of the display of individual logical groupings is reduced to allow space for the display of all associated logical groupings. According to one aspect of this embodiment, different sizes of groupings displays, for example small, medium and large, may be defined. At display time, a determination may be made as to the available space. At a starting point, the largest size for each applicable logical grouping display is presented. As required, the display size is reduced (i.e., large to medium to small) for each logical grouping until each grouping fits in the available space. In addition, for smaller logical grouping display layouts, text labels may be shortened or eliminated, and the layout of individual selectable controls contained in given groupings may be rearranged to allow for more efficient use of space. According to embodiments of the present invention, selection of a closed or collapsed selectable functionality control section, such as the sections 450, 460 causes a rearrangement of the user interface 200 for presenting the selectable functionality controls associated with the selected section. That is, as should be appreciated, one or more of the other presently fully displayed sections may be collapsed in order to make room for the selectable functionality controls of a previously closed or collapsed section. Alternatively, all selectable functionality controls presently displayed in the user interface 200 may remain displayed as is, and selectable functionality controls contained under a selected closed or collapsed section may be displayed in a drop-down display that is presented vertically below the selected closed or collapsed section or that is displayed horizontally underneath the user interface 200. Alternatively, the selectable functionality controls associated with a selected closed or collapsed section may be displayed in a pop-up menu or text box. According to embodiments of the present invention, customization of the displayed selectable functionality control sections may be performed. That is, the selectable functionality control sections under a given selected task tab may be reordered according to the particular needs of a given user, and certain sections may be hidden from view if the functionality associated with those sections are never used by a given user. Or, a presently displayed selectable functionality control section may be manually collapsed in order to make space in the user interface 200 for the display of a selectable functionality control section that is presently closed or collapsed due to insufficient space in the user interface 200. According to embodiments of the present invention, a user may browse through available selectable functionality controls using a mouse-over action. During the mouse-over action, the displayed functionality is dynamically changed relative to a tab or functionality control on which the mouse cursor is focused at a given time. For example, referring to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, if a user clicks and holds the mouse cursor over the “Writing” tab, the selectable functionality controls sections and associated controls are displayed. If the user does not see desired functionality controls, the user may mouse-over to a second tab, for example, the “Insert” tab 220, and the selectable functionality controls groupings associated with the “Insert” tab are dynamically displayed as illustrated in FIG. 3. If the user sees a desired control in one of the selectable functionality controls sections or groupings under the “Insert” tab, for example, the user may select the desired control for application to a selected document or object. After the user selects the desired control or command, the user interface 200 reverts back to the display that was presented to the user before the user started the mouse-over action. That is, a display of the selectable functionality control sections of the finally selected control does not remain displayed in the user interface 200. The user interface 200 returns to the original display prior to the mouse-over action. As should be appreciated by those skilled in the art, because of space limitations in the sections of the user interface 200 containing logical groupings of selectable functionality controls, not all functionality that may be desired or utilized by a given user of the software application may be accessible by selecting one of the controls presented in a given section. Many additional functionalities may be available that may be associated with, or otherwise related to a given selectable functionality control section under a selected task-based tab. Referring now to FIG. 5, if a user requires the use of additional functionality not presented in a given selectable functionality control section, or if the user desires detailed information regarding the attributes of a document or object according to the application of functionality presented in a given selectable functionality control section, a dialog 540 may be launched to provide additional selectable functionality controls, or to provide detailed information regarding the application of functionality to a document or object. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, selection of the “Fonts” selectable functionality control section 510 causes the deployment of a “Font Details” tab 515 below the section 510. Selection of the “Font Details” tab 515 causes deployment of the “Font” dialog 540 to provide the user detailed information as to the application of particular functionality, for example fonts, to a selected document or object and provides the user additional selectable functionality not presented to the user in the selectable functionality control section 510. As should be appreciated, the “Font Details” tab 515 may be deployed each time the user focuses a mouse cursor in any portion of the section 510 to alert the user that the user may selectively launch the dialogue 540 if desired. Alternatively, other mechanisms may be used for deploying the tab 515 such as selecting the section heading, for example “Fonts” for the section 510, or selecting any area within the section 510 not associated with a particular control, or right clicking the “Fonts” section 510. Referring to FIG. 6, a second launched dialog 600 is illustrated which is associated with a second selectable functionality control section 520 of the user interface 200. As described with respect to FIG. 5, a tab 522 is deployed underneath the selectable functionality control section 520 for launching the dialog 600 for providing a user additional functionality or additional information regarding attributes applied to a selected document or object under the associated selectable functionality control section 520, for example the “Paragraph” section. As should be appreciated, dialog such as the dialogs 540 and 600 illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, may be launched for any selectable functionality control section displayed in the user interface 200 where additional functionality or details may be provided to a desiring user. Referring now to FIG. 7, a drop-down menu of selectable functionality controls is illustrated beneath a selected control 710 in the main body of the user interface 200. In some cases, insufficient space may be available for all selectable functionality controls to be displayed into a logical grouping in the user interface 200 upon selection of an associated functionality tab 230. According to embodiments of the invention, in such a case, a control such as the “Header & Footer” control 710 may be populated into the user interface 200. Selection of the control 710 causes deployment of the drop-down menu 730 for displaying selectable functionality controls associated with the control 710. Referring now to FIG. 8, a variety of tool tips may be displayed to the user to provide helpful information or tutorials regarding different functionality of an associated application. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, a tool tips pop-up dialog 820 is displayed for providing helpful information regarding the functionality available under a “Columns” section 810. As shown in the pop-up dialog 820, helpful information is provided regarding application of columns formatting and structure to a document. In addition, online training and other helpful information may be provided through the deployed pop-up dialog. As should be understood, helpful tool tips, such as the tool tip 820, may be provided for any functionality grouping displayed in the user interface 200, or tool tips 820 may be provided for individual functionality controls. Deployment of tool tips 820 may be performed in response to a variety of different user actions. For example, placing a mouse cursor on a selected control or grouping of controls followed by selection of a function key, such as the F1 key may deploy the pop-up dialog. For another example, a right-click of a mouse device on a given grouping of functionality controls may deploy the pop-up dialog. Other mechanisms including mouse-over actions or automatic deployment after a set amount of time of focusing a mouse cursor in a given section of the user interface 200 may be utilized for deploying the tool tips pop-up dialog. As described herein, an improved user interface is provided for exposing task-based top-level functionality tabs for displaying logical groupings of selectable software functionality controls associated with given task-based functionality tabs. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or variations may be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>With the advent of the computer age, computer and software users have grown accustomed to user-friendly software applications that help them write, calculate, organize, prepare presentations, send and receive electronic mail, make music, and the like. For example, modern electronic word processing applications allow users to prepare a variety of useful documents. Modern spreadsheet applications allow users to enter, manipulate, and organize data. Modern electronic slide presentation applications allow users to create a variety of slide presentations containing text, pictures, data or other useful objects. To assist users to locate and utilize functionality of a given software application, a user interface containing a plurality of generic functionality controls is typically provided along an upper, lower or side edge of a displayed workspace in which the user may enter, copy, manipulate and format text or data. Such functionality controls often include selectable buttons with such names as “file,” “edit,” “view,” “insert,” “format,” and the like. Typically, selection of one of these top-level functionality buttons, for example “format,” causes a drop-down menu to be deployed to expose one or more selectable functionality controls associated with the top-level functionality, for example “font” under a top-level functionality of “format.” After a user selects a desired functionality control, or if the user moves the mouse cursor to a different location, the drop-down menu typically disappears. If the user determines that functionality of the first drop-down menu was the desired functionality, the user must remember which top-level functionality was selected, reselect that functionality and then find the desired functionality control all over again. Accordingly, in order to use the functionality of a given software application, the user must know the desired functionality is available under one of the selectable buttons, or the user must select different top-level functionalities until the desired specific functionality is located. Such a method of searching for desired functionality is cumbersome and time-consuming, particularly for less experienced users, and when new functionality is added by developers of the software application, the new functionality may never be utilized unless the user is somehow educated as to its existence. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved functionality command user interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls and for presenting logical groupings of particular functionality controls associated with a selected top-level functionality. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present invention has been made. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Embodiments of the present invention solve the above and other problems by providing an improved user interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls and for presenting logical groupings of particular functionality controls associated with a selected top-level functionality. Generally, aspects of the present invention provide for organization of the functionality of a given software application into task-based modes. The modes are associated with tabs in a ribbon-shaped user interface, and the tabs are labeled with descriptive text associated with different functionality modes or tasks. Underneath a row of top-level functionality tabs, functionalities associated with a given top-level functionality tab are presented in logical groupings. Selection of a particular tab switches modes of the user interface to present controls for functionalities associated with the selected tab. According to an aspect of the invention, methods and systems for providing functionality from a software application via an improved user interface are provided. A plurality of functionalities available from one or more software applications is organized according to one or more tasks that may be performed with the software application. A user interface tab for each of the one or more tasks is provided in the user interface. Upon receiving an indication of a selection of a given user interface tab, one or more selectable functionality controls are provided in the user interface for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a given task associated with the selected user interface tab. These and other features and advantages, which characterize the present invention, will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. | 20040930 | 20120828 | 20060216 | 66365.0 | G06F300 | 1 | PHAM, LINH K | COMMAND USER INTERFACE FOR DISPLAYING SELECTABLE SOFTWARE FUNCTIONALITY CONTROLS | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | G06F | 2,004 |
|
10,956,070 | ACCEPTED | System and method for rights offering and granting using shared state variables | A method, system and device for sharing rights adapted to be associated with items, the method and system including generating at least one of usage rights and meta-rights for the items; defining, via the usage rights, a manner of use for the items; and defining, via the meta-rights, a manner of rights transfer for the items. The device including receiving at least one of usage rights and meta-rights for the items; interpreting, via the usage rights, a manner of use for the items; and interpreting, via the meta-rights, a manner of rights transfer for the items. The usage rights or the meta-rights include at least one state variable that is shared by one or more rights. | 1. A method for sharing rights adapted to be associated with items, the method comprising: generating at least one of usage rights and meta-rights for the items; defining, via the usage rights, a manner of use for the items; and defining, via the meta-rights, a manner of rights transfer for the items; wherein the usage rights or the meta-rights include at least one state variable that is shared by one or more rights. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the state variable inherits a state thereof for content usage or rights transfer from other generated usage rights and meta-rights. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the state variable shares a state thereof for content usage or rights transfer with other generated usage rights and meta-rights. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the state variable inherits a remaining state for content usage or rights transfer from other generated usage rights and meta-rights. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the state variable is updated upon exercise of a right associated with the state variable. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the state variable represents a collection of states. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising deriving at least one right from the generated usage rights and meta-rights, wherein the derived right includes at least one state variable that is shared with or inherited from the generated usage rights and meta-rights and is used for determining a state of the derived right. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of state variables that determine the state of the derived right. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the state variable is unspecified in the derived right, is created during a rights transfer, and is assigned to the derived right. 10. The method of claim 7, wherein the state variable is transferred from the generated usage rights and meta-rights to the derived right. 11. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating a license including the derived right. 12. The method of claim 7, further comprising deriving a plurality of rights from the generated usage rights and meta-rights, wherein the state variable is shared by the derived rights. 13. A system for sharing rights adapted to be associated with items, the system comprising: means for generating at least one of usage rights and meta-rights for the items; means for defining, via the usage rights, a manner of use for the items; and means for defining, via the meta-rights, a manner of rights transfer for the items; wherein the usage rights or the meta-rights include at least one state variable that is shared by one or more rights. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the state variable inherits a state thereof for content usage or rights transfer from other generated usage rights and meta-rights. 15. The system of claim 13, wherein the state variable shares a state thereof for content usage or rights transfer with other generated usage rights and meta-rights. 16. The system of claim 13, wherein the state variable inherits a remaining state for content usage or rights transfer from other generated usage rights and meta-rights. 17. The system of claim 13, wherein the state variable is updated upon exercise of a right associated with the state variable. 18. The system of claim 13, wherein the state variable represents a collection of states. 19. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for deriving at least one right from the generated usage rights and meta-rights, wherein the derived right includes at least one state variable that is shared with or inherited from the generated usage rights and meta-rights and is used for determining a state of the derived right. 20. The system of claim 19, including a plurality of state variables that determine the state of the derived right. 21. The system of claim 19, wherein the state variable is unspecified in the derived right, is created during a rights transfer, and is assigned to the derived right. 22. The system of claim 19, wherein the state variable is transferred from the generated usage rights and meta-rights to the derived right. 23. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for generating a license including the derived right. 24. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for deriving a plurality of rights from the generated usage rights and meta-rights, wherein the state variable is shared by the derived rights. 25. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for generating; the means for defining via the usage rights, and the means for defining via the meta-rights comprise at least one of computer-executable instructions, and devices of a computer system. 26. A device for sharing rights adapted to be associated with items, the device comprising: means for receiving at least one of usage rights and meta-rights for the items; means for interpreting, via the usage rights, a manner of use for the items; and means for interpreting, via the meta-rights, a manner of rights transfer for the items; wherein the usage rights or the meta-rights include at least one state variable that is shared by one or more rights. 27. The device of claim 26, wherein the state variable inherits a state thereof for content usage or rights transfer from other generated usage rights and meta-rights. 28. The device of claim 26, wherein the state variable shares a state thereof for content usage or rights transfer with other generated usage rights and meta-rights. 29. The device of claim 26, wherein the state variable inherits a remaining state for content usage or rights transfer from other generated usage rights and meta-rights. 30. The device of claim 26, wherein the state variable is updated upon exercise of a right associated with the state variable. 31. The device of claim 26, wherein the state variable represents a collection of states. 32. The device of claim 26, further comprising means for deriving at least one right from the generated usage rights and meta-rights, wherein the derived right includes at least one state variable that is shared with or inherited from the generated usage rights and meta-rights and is used for determining a state of the derived right. 33. The device of claim 32, including a plurality of state variables that determine the state of the derived right. 34. The device of claim 32, wherein the state variable is unspecified in the derived right, is created during a rights transfer, and is assigned to the derived right. 35. The device of claim 32, wherein the state variable is transferred from the generated usage rights and meta-rights to the derived right. 36. The device of claim 32, further comprising means for generating a license including the derived right. 37. The device of claim 32, further comprising means for deriving a plurality of rights from the generated usage rights and meta-rights, wherein the state variable is shared by the derived rights. 38. The device of claim 26, wherein the means for receiving, the means for interpreting via the usage rights, and the means for interpreting via the meta-rights comprise at least one of computer-executable instructions, and devices of a computer system. 39. The device of claim 26, wherein one or more of the means for receiving, the means for interpreting via the usage rights, and the means for interpreting via the meta-rights are specified in a license. | RELATED APPLICATION DATA This application is a continuation-in-part application of co-pending application Ser. No. 10/162,212 filed on Jun. 5, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 09/867,745 filed on May 31, 2001, and which claims benefit from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/296,113, filed in Jun. 7, 2001, U.S. provisional application, Ser. No. 60/331,625 filed in Nov. 20, 2001, and U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/331,624 filed on Nov. 20, 2001, the entire disclosures of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to offering and granting of rights and more particularly to a method, system and device for offering and granting of rights using shared state variables. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The digital age has greatly increased concerns about ownership, access, and control of copyrighted information, restricted services and valuable resources. Rapid evolution and wide deployment has occurred for computers, and other electronic devices such as cellular phones, pagers, PDAs, and e-book readers, and these devices are interconnected through communication links including the Internet, intranets and other networks. These interconnected devices are especially conducive to publication of content, offering of services and availability of resources electronically. One of the most important issues impeding the widespread distribution of digital works (i.e. documents or other content in forms readable by computers), via electronic means, and the Internet in particular, is the current lack of ability to enforce the intellectual property rights of content owners during the distribution and use of digital works. Efforts to resolve this problem have been termed “Intellectual Property Rights Management” (“IPRM”), “Digital Property Rights Management” (“DPRM”), “Intellectual Property Management” (“IPM”), “Rights Management” (“RM”), and “Electronic Copyright Management” (“ECM”), collectively referred to as “Digital Rights Management (DRM)” herein. There are a number of issues to be considered in effecting a DRM System. For example, authentication, authorization, accounting, payment and financial clearing, rights specification, rights verification, rights enforcement, and document protection issues should be addressed. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,235, 5,634,012, 5,715,403, 5,638,443, and 5,629,980, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, disclose DRM systems addressing these issues. Two basic DRM schemes have been employed, secure containers and trusted systems. A “secure container” (or simply an encrypted document) offers a way to keep document contents encrypted until a set of authorization conditions are met and some copyright terms are honored (e.g., payment for use). After the various conditions and terms are verified with the document provider, the document is released to the user in clear form. Commercial products such as Cryptolopes and Digiboxes fall into this category. Clearly, the secure container approach provides a solution to protecting the document during delivery over insecure channels, but does not provide any mechanism to prevent legitimate users from obtaining the clear document and then using and redistributing it in violation of content owners' intellectual property. In the “trusted system” approach, the entire system is responsible for preventing unauthorized use and distribution of the document. Building a trusted system usually entails introducing new hardware such as a secure processor, secure storage and secure rendering devices. This also requires that all software applications that run on trusted systems be certified to be trusted. While building tamper-proof trusted systems is a real challenge to existing technologies, current market trends suggest that open and untrusted systems, such as PC's and workstations using browsers to access the Web, will be the dominant systems used to access digital works. In this sense, existing computing environments such as PC's and workstations equipped with popular operating systems (e.g., Windows, Linux, and UNIX) and rendering applications, such as browsers, are not trusted systems and cannot be made trusted without significantly altering their architectures. Of course, alteration of the architecture defeats a primary purpose of the Web, i.e. flexibility and compatibility. Some DRM systems allow content owners to specify usage rights and conditions, and associate them with content. These usage rights control how the recipient thereof can use the content. Usually after a content distributor or consumer has completed selecting and ordering specific content, the content is delivered either electronically from some content repository or via a conventional distribution channel to the recipient, such as tangible media sent via a common carrier. Corresponding DRM systems used by the recipient, for example the distributor or consumer, will then interpret the rights and conditions associated with the content, and use them to control how the content is distributed and/or used. Examples of usage rights include view, print and extract the content, and distribute, repackage and loan content. Associated conditions may include any term upon which the rights may be contingent such as payment, identification, time period, or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,012, discloses a system for controlling the distribution of digital documents. Each rendering device has a repository associated therewith. A predetermined set of usage transaction steps define a protocol used by the repositories for enforcing usage rights associated with a document. Usage rights persist with the document content. The usage rights can permit various manners of use such as, viewing only, use once, distribution, and the like. Usage rights can be contingent on payment or other conditions. However, there are limitations associated with the above-mentioned paradigms wherein only usage rights and conditions associated with content are specified by content owners or other grantors of rights. Once purchased by an end user, a consumer, or a distributor, of content along with its associated usage rights and conditions has no means to be legally passed on to a next recipient in a distribution chain. Further the associated usage rights have no provision for specifying rights to derive other rights, i.e. Rights to modify, transfer, offer, grant, obtain, transfer, delegate, track, surrender, exchange, transport, exercise, revoke, or the like. Common content distribution models often include a multi-tier distribution and usage chain. Known DRM systems do not facilitate the ability to prescribe rights and conditions for all participants along a content distribution and usage chain. Therefore, it is difficult for a content owner to commercially exploit content unless the owner has a relationship with each party in the distribution chain. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Exemplary aspects of the present invention include a method, system and device for sharing rights adapted to be associated with items, the method and system including generating at least one of usage rights and meta-rights for the items; defining, via the usage rights, a manner of use for the items; and defining, via the meta-rights, a manner of rights transfer for the items. The device including receiving at least one of usage rights and meta-rights for the items; interpreting, via the usage rights, a manner of use for the items; and interpreting, via the meta-rights, a manner of rights transfer for the items. The usage rights or the meta-rights include at least one state variable that is shared by one or more rights. Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description, simply by illustrating a number of exemplary embodiments and implementations, including the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention. The present invention is also capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details can be modified in various respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Exemplary embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the attached drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a three-tier model for content distribution; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating rights offering and granting processes in the model of FIG. 1; FIG. 3(a) is a schematic diagram of a simple supplier-consumer push model for rights generating, issuing and exercising; FIG. 3(b) is a schematic diagram of a simple supplier-consumer pull model for rights generating, issuing and exercising; FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a rights offering-granting architecture in accordance with the preferred embodiment; FIGS. 5a and 5b are workflow diagrams for examples of offering and granting rights between a rights supplier and a rights consumer with a push and pull model respectively; FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a rights offer generation process in accordance with the preferred embodiment; FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a rights offer consideration process in accordance with the preferred embodiment; FIG. 8 is a flow chart of a rights offer customization process in accordance with the preferred embodiment; FIG. 9 is block diagram of a DRM system that may be utilized in connection with the preferred embodiment; FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an exemplary structure of a license containing usage rights and meta-rights of the preferred embodiment; FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration of a rights label of the preferred embodiment; FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary system including a state-of-rights server; FIG. 13 illustrates employing of a state variable in deriving exclusive usage rights; FIG. 14 illustrates employing of a state variable in deriving inherited usage rights; FIG. 15 illustrates employing of a state variable in deriving rights that are shared among a known set of rights recipients; FIG. 16 illustrates employing of a state variable in deriving rights that are shared among a dynamic set of rights recipients; FIG. 17 illustrates employing of a state variable in maintaining a state shared by multiple rights; FIG. 18 illustrates employing of multiple state variables to represent one state of rights; FIG. 19 illustrates a case where not all rights are associated with states; FIG. 20 illustrates a case where not all rights which are associated with states are shared or inherited; and FIG. 21 illustrates a case of rights sharing based on an offer which does not explicitly include meta-rights. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Prior to providing detailed description of the apparatus and method for offering and granting rights, a description of a DRM system that can be utilized to specify and enforce usage rights and meta-rights for specific content, services, or other items is first described below. FIG. 9 illustrates DRM System 10 that includes a user activation component, in the form of activation server 20, that issues public and private key pairs, or other identification mechanisms, to content users in a protected fashion, as is well known. Typically, when a user uses DRM system 10 for the first time, the user installs software that works with, or includes, a rendering application for a particular content format. The software is installed in client environment 30, a computer associated with the content recipient, for example. The software is part of DRM 10 system and is used to enforce usage rights for protected content. During the activation process, some information is exchanged between activation server 20 and client environment 30. Client component 60 preferably is tamper resistant and contains the set of public and private keys issued by activation server 20 as well as other components, such as rendering components for example. Rights label 40 is associated with content 42 and specifies usage rights and meta-rights that are available to a recipient, i.e. a consumer of rights, when corresponding conditions are satisfied. License Server 50 manages the encryption keys and issues licenses 52 for protected content 42. Licenses 52 embody the actual granting of rights, including usage rights and meta-rights, to an end user. For example, rights offer 40 may permit a user to view content for a fee of five dollars and print content for a fee of ten dollars, or it may permit a user to offer rights to another user, for example, by utilizing the concept of meta-rights described below. License 52 can be issued for the view right when the five dollar fee has been paid. Client component 60 interprets and enforces the rights, including usage rights and meta-rights, that have been specified in the license. Rights label 40 and license 52 are described in detail below. FIG. 11 illustrates rights label 40 in accordance with the preferred embodiment. Rights label 40 includes plural rights options 44. Each rights option 44 includes usage rights 44a, conditions 44b, and content specification 44c. Content specification 44c can include any mechanism for referencing, calling, locating, or otherwise specifying content 42 associated with rights offer 44. As shown in FIG. 10, license 52 includes license 52a, grant 52b, and digital signature 52c. Grant 52b includes granted usage rights and/or meta-rights selected from label. The structure of the grant also includes one or more principals, to whom the specified usage rights and/or meta-rights are granted, a list of conditions, and state variables required to enforce the license. Like usage rights, access and exercise of the granted meta-rights are controlled by the condition list and state variables as described below. Clear (unprotected) content can be prepared with document preparation application 72 installed on computer 70 associated with a content publisher, a content distributor, a content service provider, or any other party. Preparation of content consists of specifying the usage rights, meta-rights, and conditions under which content 42 can be used and distributed, associating rights label 40 with content 42 and protecting content 42 with some crypto algorithm. A rights language such as XrML can be used to specify the rights and conditions. However, the usage rights and meta-rights can be specified in any manner. Also, the rights can be in the form of a pre-defined specification or template that is merely associated with the content. Accordingly, the process of specifying rights refers to any process for associating rights with content. Rights label 40 associated with content 42 and the encryption key used to encrypt the content can be transmitted to license server 50. Rights can specify transfer rights, such as distribution rights, and can permit granting of rights to others or the derivation of rights. Such rights are referred to as “meta-rights”. Meta-rights are the rights that one has to manipulate, modify, or otherwise derive other meta-rights or usage rights. Meta-rights can be thought of as usage rights to usage rights. Meta-rights can include rights to offer, grant, obtain, transfer, delegate, track, surrender, exchange, and revoke usage rights to/from others. Meta-rights can include the rights to modify any of the conditions associated with other rights. For example, a meta-right may be the right to extend or reduce the scope of a particular right. A meta-right may also be the right to extend or reduce the validation period of a right. Often, conditions must be satisfied in order to exercise the manner of use in a specified right. For, example a condition may be the payment of a fee, submission of personal data, or any other requirement desired before permitting exercise of a manner of use. Conditions can also be “access conditions” for example, access conditions can apply to a particular group of users, say students in a university, or members of a book club. In other words, the condition is that the user is a particular person or member of a particular group. Rights and conditions can exist as separate entities or can be combined. State variables track potentially dynamic states conditions. State variables are variables having values that represent status of an item, usage rights, license or other dynamic conditions. State variables can be tracked, by clearinghouse 90 license or server 30 another device, based on identification mechanisms in license 52. Further, the value of state variables can be used in a condition. For example, a usage right can be the right to print content 42 three times. Each time the usage right is exercised, the value of the state variable “number of prints” is incremented. In this example, when the value of the state variable is three, the condition is not longer satisfied and content 42 cannot be printed. Another example of a state variable is time. A condition of license 52 may require that content 42 is printed within thirty days. A state variable can be used to track the expiration of thirty days. Further, the state of a right can be tracked as a collection of state variables. The collection of the change is the state of a usage right represents the usage history of that right. A typical workflow for DRM system 10 is described below. A recipient, such as a user, operating within client environment 30 is activated for receiving content by activation server 20. This results in a public-private key pair (and some user/machine specific information) being downloaded to client environment 30 in the form of client software component 60 in a known manner. This activation process can be accomplished at any time prior to the issuing of a license. When a user wishes to use protected content 42, the user makes a request for the content 42. For example, a user might browse a Web site running on Web server 80 associated with a grantor of rights such as a content distributor, using a browser installed in client environment 30, and attempt to download protected content 42. During this process, the user may go through a series of steps possibly including a fee transaction (as in the sale of content) or other transactions (such as collection of information). When the appropriate conditions and other prerequisites, such as the collection of a fee and verification that the user has been activated, are satisfied, Web server 80 contacts license server 50 through a secure communications channel, such as a channel using a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). License server 50 then generates license 52 for the content and Web server 80 causes both protected content 42 and license 52 to be downloaded. License 52 can be downloaded from license server 50 or an associated device. Content 42 can be downloaded from computer 70 associated with a publisher, distributor, or other party. Client component 60 in client environment 30 will then proceed to interpret license 52 and allow use of content 42 based on the rights and conditions specified in license 52. The interpretation and enforcement of usage rights are well known generally. The steps above may take place sequentially or approximately simultaneously or in various order. DRM system 10 addresses security aspects of protecting content 42. In particular, DRM system 10 may authenticate license 52 that has been issued by license server 50. One way to accomplish such authentication is for application 60 to determine if the licenses can be trusted. In other words, application 60 has the capability to verify and validate the cryptographic signature of digital signature 52c, or other identifying characteristic of the license. During the activation step described above, both client environment 30 and license server 50 receive a set of keys in a tamper-resistant software “package” that also includes other components, such as the necessary components for activated client environment 30 to verify signature 52 of license 52 in a known manner. Of course, the example above is merely one way to effect a DRM system. For example, the license and content can be distributed from different entities. Also, rights offer 40 can be associated with content by a party other than the party preparing the content. Also, clearinghouse 90 can be used to process payment transactions and verify payment prior to issuing a license. For any set of rights, there are two kinds of entities involved, the “supplier” and the “consumer”. The function of the supplier is to offer , and possibly grant, the rights, and the function of the consumer is to select, and possibly exercise the rights. Both the supplier and consumer may actually represent two or more entities. In general, multiple entities may collectively make an offer and grant rights to multiple entities. The supplier and consumer represent any two entities in the content value chain that have a direct relationship with each other regarding the granting of rights. At the beginning of the value chain, the supplier and consumer may be author and publisher. Going down along the value chain, the supplier and consumer may be a publisher and another publisher (for content aggregation), a publisher and distributor (for content distribution), a distributor and another distributor (for multi-tier content distribution), a distributor and a retailer (for content retailing), a retailer and a consumer (for content consumption), and a consumer and another consumer (for content supper-distribution or personal lending). An “offer of rights” or “rights offer” expresses how a consumer (e.g. a content distributor or user) can acquire a particular instance of content together with its associated usage rights and/or meta-rights. An offer may or may not contain financial terms. An offer is an expression of mere willingness to commerce negotiation and also an expression of willingness to grant on terms stated. An offer may be expressed in the form of a rights label. A “consideration of rights” is a process as part of the rights granting in which the rights consumer has examined the rights being offered and possibly bargained them and associated terms and conditions. A “choice of rights” is a selection of rights and their associated terms and conditions from a rights offer. It indicates the intent of the consumer to accept these rights and the corresponding terms and conditions. For example, selection can comprise selecting one option 44 from label 40. “Customization of rights” is a process as part of the rights granting in which the rights supplier assembles rights and terms and conditions based on a choice of the rights consumer. The output of this process can be a draft license to be accepted by the rights consumer. A “license of rights” is an expression of rights and possibly conditions accepted and agreed upon by the rights supplier and consumer. It is the output of the rights offering and granting process. A license is a grant to exercise the rights that govern the usage (possibly including further distribution) of content or other items. As described above, a rights label, such as rights label 40, may contain a number of options 44 allowing the consumer to make a selection and conduct negotiation (if permitted), while license 52 contains rights the consumer has selected and accepted. Note that the accepted rights may include a right to present offers to others or make selections of offers. An example of a distribution chain model is illustrated in FIG. 1. The distribution chain includes a content provider 100, distributor 110, and end user 120. Of course content may be prepared in the manner described above. It is assumed that the content has already been prepared in the model of FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is directed to the transfer of content and shows that, in this example, provider 100 may publish content to distributor 110 or receive content for reuse from distributor 110. Distributor 110 may in turn distribute content to user 120 or receive returned content form user 120. User 100 can use content. To further illustrate the potential complexities of multi-tier distribution chains provider 100 can aggregate content from others, distributor 110, can receive content from other distributors for redistribution, and user 120 can share content with the other users. It is clear that there are plural stages in the content life cycle and plural relationships between the various parties. A precise and consistent specification of rights at the different stages of the life cycle and relationships is important and crucial to persistent protection of content in multi-tier distribution and usage. FIG. 2 illustrates the flow of rights in the same model, including rights generating, aggregating, issuing, relinquishing, driving, granting, surrendering, delegating and exercising. The model of FIG. 2 includes the same entities, provider 100, distributor 110, and user 120. It can be seen that, with respect to the flow of rights, each party can grant and accept rights. User 120 can grant and accept rights from other users, a process called “delegation”, in this example. The model of FIG. 2 covers many specific content publishing, distribution and use relationships. Other models can be derived from on this model by a different consolidation or segregation of the parties. For example, every provider can be a distributor. This is “direct publishing”, which allows individual authors to distribute/sell their content without any intermediate publisher. Further, every consumer can be a potential distributor. This allows consumers to pass content to each other. This includes supper-distribution, gifting, and personal lending. In a “Web community” and everyone is able to publish, distribute and consume content. “Content aggregation” allows publishers to compose content from other publishers into composite works. Site license and enterprise use allows sharing content among consumers. In general, all the rights relationships shown in FIG. 2 can be captured by two generic supplier-consumer models, as shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b). FIG. 3(a) shows a “push” model and FIG. 3(b) shows a “pull” model. In the push model shown in FIG. 3(a), rights supplier 200 initiates the rights offering and granting process by generating an offer and granting the rights to the rights consumer 210. In the pull model shown in FIG. 3(b), rights consumer 210 initiates the process by requesting an offer and accepting the rights from the rights supplier 200. An architecture of the preferred embodiment for rights offering and granting is shown in FIG. 4. Architecture 400 can be implemented as a combination of computer hardware and software and includes rights supplier component 402, rights consumer component 438 and communication channel 422 linking these two components. For example, communication channel 42 can be Internet, a direct computer to computer connection, a LAN, a wireless connection or the like. Supplier component 402 is associated with the supplier, i.e. the entity making rights available to a consumer who is the entity going to exercise, i.e., consume the rights. The supplier could be the content owner or provider, or could be a distributor or any “middle-man,” such as a retailer or operator of a web site. Consumer component 438 is associated with the consumer who could be the ultimate user (i.e., content consumer) or a “middle-man,” such as a retailer, whole-seller, or reseller. Keep in mind that the consumer consumes rights and does not necessarily use (i.e. consume) the content. Both supplier component 402 and consumer component 438 can embody any type of hardware devices, and or software modules, such as a personal computer, a handheld computer, a mobile phone a server, a network, or any combination of the same. Supplier component 402 generates rights label 40 as offers, presents draft licenses and grants license 52 to the consumer. Consumer component 438 issues requests, select choices of options 44 from rights labels 40, generates counter offers, and accepts licenses 52. Supplier component 402 and consumer component 438 can be embodied in the same device(s) and communication channel 422 can be an internal channel. Supplier component 402 contains user interface module 404, communication interface module 420 identity module 406 repository 412 for supplier's rights (e.g., in the form of issued licenses) and database 414 for management related information. User interface 404 accomplishes presentation to the user of the component functions and acceptance of user interactions in a known manner. Communication interface 422 provides the proper formatting and protocols for messages between supplier component 402 and consumer component 438. Identity module 406 ensures that the identity of supplier component 402 can be authenticated by consumer component 438 and may contain authentication information like a password, cryptographic keys or biometric information of the user of supplier component 402. Rights repository 412 stores rights granted to the user of supplier component 402 and may include functions for indexing, searching and updating the rights stored within. Management database 414 is used to archive information generated during the rights offering and granting processes. Such information includes information related to initial offers, consumer choices, possible counter-offers, agreements and final licenses. Consumer component 438 includes user interface module 428, communication interface module 424, identity module 426, repository 434 for consumer's rights (e.g., in the form of issued licenses), and database 436 for management related information. User interface 424 deals handles presentation to the user of the component and acceptance of user interactions. Communication interface 422 provides the proper formatting and protocols for rights offering and granting messages between supplier component 402 and consumer component 438. Identity module 426 ensures that the identity of the consumer component 438 can be authenticated by supplier component 402 and may contain authentication information like a password, cryptographic keys or biometric information of the user. Rights repository 434 stores rights granted to the user of consumer component 438 and may include functions for indexing, searching and updating the rights stored within. Management database 436 is used to archive information generated during the rights offering and granting process. The information includes that related to offers 44, consumer choices, possible counter-offers, agreements and licenses 52. Note that database 436 can store information that is the same as or different from database 414 because the parties may interact with other parties and thus have different archived information. Supplier component 402 also includes offer generator module 408 for generating offers, rights composer module 410 for composing licenses, offer templates module 418 for providing templates for generating offers based on previous transactions and common formality of offers, and consumer profiles module 416 for customizing and granting rights based on past consumer characteristics and relationships. Consumer component 438 also includes offer analyzer module 430 for understanding rights and their terms and conditions presented within offers, a choice maker module 432 for selecting favorable options specified in offers, a supplier preference module 438 for describing any preferred suppliers based on past and existing supplier characteristics and relationships, and choice patterns module 440 for providing patterns and interests in selection options in offers. For example, the choice pattern module 440 may include a list of preferred suppliers or a list of lowest prices for the item of interest to the consumer. Offer analyzer module 430 and choice maker module 432, respectively, may be combined into one module. The process of offering and granting rights within architecture 400 is based on protocols followed by supplier component 402 and consumer component 438. These protocols generally consist of an offer and acceptance of that offer. Specifically, the protocols include an offering of rights by one party to another and acceptance of that offer by the person to whom it is made. An offer, once made, may be styled so that it may revoked before acceptance or the offeror could styled it so that it cannot be revoked at all or only under certain circumstances definable by the offeror. An offer can also expire in various way, for example if a deadline for acceptance passes. If there is no specified deadline, then the offer could expire in a predetermined reasonable time, depending on the subject matter of the offer. For periodically available content such as magazines, journals, and even newspapers, a reasonable time could be accord to the period of the content publication, for example. For dynamically generated or provided content such as streaming content, a reasonable time could be any time before the availability of the content. The rights supplier can dictate other terms of the acceptance, to which the rights consumer is bound. For example, the offer may require acceptance in sending back in a certain form via an email or through a certain web page interface. FIG. 5(a) illustrates the workflow of protocol 500 of a push model for rights granting. Supplier component 402 generates an offer of rights in the form of rights label 40 for example, with possibly many options 44, and sends it to consumer component 438 (510 ). Consumer component 438 considers the offer and its possible options, and responds to supplier component 402 with a choice of any of the optional rights offer 44 (512). Supplier component 402 customizes rights according to the consumer's response, and issues the rights the user of consumer component 432 (514) in the form of a draft license. Consumer component 438 then accepts the draft license if it corresponds to the choice made and is otherwise acceptable (516). Upon acceptance, supplier component 402 generates license 52 and transmits license 52 to consumer component(518). Keep in mind that grant 52b of license 52 can include usage rights and/or meta-rights. Therefore license 52 can permit the user of consumer component 438 to grant rights to others in a similar fashion. However, the derivable rights are controlled by upstream parties through the use of meta-rights. Additionally, the protocol can include steps where supplier component 402 requests to make payment through a credit card of the user of consumer component 438, and the user component 402 provides the information and authorizes the charge. Both supplier component 402 and consumer component 438 can generate status reports on success or failure of the process. Further, parties can authenticate each other during the process and maintain authentication through the process. FIG. 5(b) shows a protocol of pull model for rights granting. First, consumer component 438 sends a request to supplier component 402 to indicate an interest in obtaining certain rights in content (520). Supplier component 402 then responds with an offer, in the form of label 40 having plural offer options 44, covering the rights requested by consumer component 438, and sends the offer to consumer component 438 (522). Consumer component 438 then considers the offer and its options, and responds to supplier component 402 with a choice of one of the offer options (524). Supplier component 402 customizes rights according to the response, and grant the rights to the consumer in the form of a draft license (526). Consumer component 438 then accepts the draft license (528) and supplier component 402 issues license 52 granting rights to consumer component 438 (530). Once again the rights can include meta-rights. FIG. 6 illustrates the offer generation process 600 performed by offer generator module 408 in supplier component 402. In offer generation process 600, available rights are first collected in block 602. Rights may be available from a previous supplier by being derived from meta-rights granted to the supplier or may be originally created rights. In step 604 it is determined whether supplier has a right to make an offer to the consumer. For example, if the consumer is known to be a minor and the content is restricted to an adult consumer or if the consumer is on a list of those prohibited from receiving content, the supplier may not make an offer. In such case, the offer generation process terminates in step 606. If the supplier has the right to make an offer, the process then determines all the rights that can be offered to the consumer in step 608 by parsing the rights collected in step 602. Next, in step 610, the process determines whether the consumer has requested any specific rights. If a request has been received, the process further filters the determined rights that can be offered, taking the received consumer requested rights into consideration and comparing them to the available rights. Then, the process determines whether an offer template needs to be applied in steps 614. For example, the consumer might be offered standard rights included in the template, such as printing right, archiving right, etc. of the content. If an offer template is available and needed, the offer template is then applied in steps 616. In steps 618, human intervention may be provided to further make adjustments to the offer template or to any of the rights that are available for offering thus far in the process. Next, restrictions can be applied, through conditions and/or state variables. For example, a time restriction may be place on certain rights in step 620. Finally, a digital signature or other authentication is provided with the collection of rights to be offered in step 622 and an authenticated offer, in the form of rights label 40 is made in step 624 and presented to consumer component 438 in step 624. FIG. 8 illustrates rights customization process 800 which is performed by rights composer module 410 in supplier component 402. Initially, consumers choices are received in step 802. Choices are rights and conditions of an option 44 selected label 40 of step 624 (FIG. 6). The process then determines if supplier component 402 has the right to grant rights to consumer component 438 in step 804. For example, if the consumer fails to meet a certain requirement, such as minimum age or proof of residence in a locale where content may be licensed, for example, granting a license may not be proper, and the rights customization process 800 terminates in step 806. Otherwise, consumer selected choices are analyzed in step 808 to ascertain if they are an discernible by supplier component 402. For example, the choices can be parsed to see if they are understandable. Next, the process determines if consumer information is available in step 810. For example, consumer profiles may be stored in database 414 (FIG. 4). If available, the consumer information is taken into consideration in step 812 for further analysis of consumer choices. In step 812, dynamic information can also considered as described below. For example, the profile may include a trust rating or address of the consumer that renders it desirable of undesirable to provide certain rights. The process then determines if the choices are reasonable in step 814. This determination may be carried out, for example, computationally or with human intervention. If the customer's choices are deemed unreasonable, re-negotiation of the customer's choices is then performed in block 816. In this re-negotiation process, the customer is presented with a new proposed offer based on the previously analyzed choices, the customer is given an opportunity to submit new choices offered, and the right customization process 800 begins again in step 802. Otherwise, a license including the selected rights is created in step 818. After a license is created, if consumer acceptance is necessary (step 820), it is presented to the consumer for review in step 822. If the consumer does not agree with the terms in the license in step 824, re-negotiation is then initiated in step 816, which re-starts the rights customization process 800 again in step 802. In step 820, if a review by the consumer is not required, then the license is authenticated in step 826 to create a completed license 52 in step 828 which is to be issued and associated with content 42. FIG. 7 illustrates offer consideration process 700 which is performed by offer analyzer module 430 and choice maker module 432 of consumer component 438. Available offers are first collected in step 702. In step 704, process 700 determines whether it has a right to accept offers from the supplier. For example, if the consumer certain restrictions on the purchase of content, such as an age restriction or a restriction against accepting content from outside an enterprise, the consumer may not accept an offer. In such a case, the offer consideration process terminates in step 706. If the consumer has the right to accept offers from the supplier, the offers are then analyzed in step 708 to ascertain if they are discernible. If it is determined that supplier preferences are available in step 710, the offers are filtered in step 712 based on the preferences. For example, the consumer may trust a specific supplier, or otherwise prefer transactions with that supplier, more that other suppliers. Next, step 714 determines if consumer preferences are available and, if so, they are applied in step 716 to the offers. Once all the offers are analyzed, by applying the logic of steps 708-714 and any other desired logic, the consumer then selects options in block 718 and specifies contingencies in block 720. The selection of options can be done automatically. If human intervention is desired, the customer can intervene and further specify additional choices or conditions desired. Any preferences, rules, or other logic can be used to analyze offers. Overall, as can be seen in the description of FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 above, the consumer sends a request, and then a license is constructed. Either the supplier or the consumer could draft the content of the license, but in the example above the supplier does so. The request is a subset of an offer and the offer has one or more options. The supplier makes the offer available to the consumer sending the request (and to other consumers if that is the desire), and the consumer (including other consumers, if applicable) makes choices. Then, the supplier analyzes the choices, and constructs the license (i.e. a grant of rights). Note that the request can also be rejected, or a counter proposal could be made and the same process could then repeat for the counter proposal. Also, when the supplier analyzes the request, the analysis may be done automatically, or with human intervention. When the consumer considers the offer, the choice or acceptance may be done automatically, or with human intervention. Either the offer or a license, or both, may be generated based on the dynamic information, the consumer's information, and the consumer's request, such as described above. The dynamic information may include many kinds of information including information related to pricing, status of the network, the traffic of a web site at each moment of time, discounts given, coupons given, the habits of the consumer, how many times the content has been used, for how long the content was used, where it was used, or the like. The dynamic information can be tracked as state variables and the values of the state variables can be checked and updated as necessary. Dynamic information is information capable of being (although, it need not actually be) changed or created by or by reference to a non-static element. For example, the dynamic information can be obtained based on a formula, database, curve, predetermined table, percentage of a value, a function, reference to other data, such as the prime rate of interest or the change in a stock market index, and/or by a human intervention of the user or distributor, and/or consumer's input. The consumer's information may include information such as the age of the consumer, the credit history of the consumer, the credit limit of the consumer, income of the consumer, what kind of rights or licenses obtained, the password of the consumer, the key assigned to the consumer, club membership for access or discount, the class of the consumer based on a predetermined criteria, or any other data, identification characteristics and information. The supplier's information may include some or all of the subjects of information as the consumer's information, and may also include, for example, available options or variations, suppliers, shipping information, and other information. The system and processes disclosed in this invention support multi-tier and super distributions of content. The following is a use case that shows how this can be modeled and supported. It illustrates the process of offering and granting rights by showing the process of transforming offered rights to a rights supplier (the content distributor in this case) to granted rights to a rights consumer (the end user in this case). It specifically shows how an offer is generated from an existing license, how this offer is considered with a choice, and how a final license is issued. Meta-rights provide a mechanism for permitting the transfer of rights from one party to the next party in a content distribution chain. Suppose that a content provider P of some content C wants to specify that a distributor D may sell, to any end user within the region of the United States (US), the “play” right at a flat rate of $1 and the “print” right at a cost of $4 per copy (both are paid by D to P). The provider also allows the content distributor to add its own conditions to the “play” and “print” rights it issues to end users. A license from the content provider to the distributor may resemble the following using the XrML rights language. <license> <grant> <forAll varName=“user”/> <forAll varName=“distributorConditionForPlay”/> <principal id=“distributor”/> <issue/> <grant> <principal varRef=“user”/> <play/> <digitalResource licensePartId=“book”/> <allCondition> <region regionCode=“US”/> <condition varRef=“distributorConditionForPlay”/> </allCondition> </grant> <fee> <flat currencycode=“USD”>1</flat> <to licensePartId=“provider”/> </fee> </grant> <grant> <forAll varName=“user”/> <forAll varName=“distributorConditionForPrint”/> <principal id=“distributor”/> <issue/> <grant> <principal varRef=“user”/> <play/> <digitalResource licensePartId=“book”/> <allCondition> <region regionCode=“US”/> <condition varRef=“distributorConditionForPrint”/> </allCondition> </grant> <fee> <perUse regionCode=“USD”>5</perUse> <to licensePartId=“provider”/> </fee> </grant> <issuer id=“provider”/> </license> The distributor may make an offer to the end user based on the rights it has as expressed in the license above. Note that usage rights and conditions of each option are set forth as XML elements between <grant> tags. In the following offer, note that the distributor adds a fee condition for getting the “play” right, charging the end user $2 ($1 more than it pays to the provider), and another fee condition for the “print” right, charging the end user $6 per print copy ($1 more than it pays to the provider). The distributor also limits the offer to an acceptance time period (up to Dec. 31, 2002). Meta rights granted to the distributor permit the distributor to modify the grant in the license, as described above, and make the offer. <offer> <grant> <forAll varName=“user”/> <principal varRef=“user”/> <obtain/> <grant> <principal varRef=“user”/> <play/> <digitalResource licensePartId=“book”/> <region regionCode=“US”/> </grant> <fee> <flat currencyCode=“USD”>2</flat> <to licensePartId=“distributor”/> </fee> </grant> <grant> <forAll varName=“user”/> <principal varRef=“user”/> <obtain/> <grant> <principal varRef=“user”/> <print/> <digitalResource licensePartId=“book”/> <allCondition> <region regionCode=“US”/> <fee> <perUse currencyCode=“USD”>6</perUse> <to licensePartId=“distributor”/> </fee> </allCondition> </grant> </grant> <issuer id=“distributor”> <validityInterval> <until>2002:12:31</until> </validityInterval> </issuer> </offer> When the offer is presented to an end user, the end user may choose to get only the right to “play” for the flat fee of $2 and responds to the distributor with a choice set forth as an XML element between <choice> tags as follows. <choice> <grant> <principal id=“anEndUser”/> <obtain/> <grant> <principal id=“anEndUser”/> <play/> <digitalResource licensePartId=“book”/> <region regionCode=“US”/> </grant> <fee> <flat currencyCode=“USD”>2</flat> <to licensePartId=“distributor”/> </fee> </grant> <issuer id=“anEndUser”> <validityInterval> <until>2002:12:31</until> </validityInterval> </issuer> </choice> Note that the request can also be rejected. Note also that a response can also be constructed as a counter offer for rights not originally offered by the distributor. When the distributor receives the choice from the end user, it then issues a license to the user as shown below. <license> <grant> <principal id=“anEndUser”/> <obtain/> <grant> <principal id=“anEndUser”/> <play/> <digitalResource licensePartId=“book”/> <region regionCode=“US”/> </grant> <fee> <flat currencyCode=“USD”>2</flat> <to licensePartId=“distributor”/> </fee> </grant> <issuer id=“distributor”> <issuedTime> 2002:05:06 </issuedTime> </issuer> </license> Note that in all the XML documents above, the issuers may choose to digitally sign the documents using some digital signature algorithms. The recipients of these documents have options to verify the validity of these documents by checking the validity of the attached digital signatures. Access to the various documents, and elements thereof, can be controlled using known techniques. In some situations offering and granting result in a license with a fresh state for content usage. As one starts to exercise the rights, derived rights, obtained as a result of meta-rights, may inherit and/or share the state variable values associated with the rights. For example, when one is granted with the right to print 5 times and make 4 copies of some document, all new copies may have the same set of rights but share the state (or remaining rights) with the original. After the original has been printed 2 times and a new copy was then made, the copy and original can all together print 3 times and make 2 more new copies. Thus, the exemplary embodiments include a method for transferring usage rights adapted to be associated with items. The method includes generating, by a supplier, at least one first offer containing usage rights and meta-rights for the item, the usage rights defining a manner of use for the items, the meta-rights specifying rights to derive usage rights or other meta-rights, presenting the offer to a first consumer, receiving a selection from the first consumer indicating desired usage rights and meta-rights, and generating a first license granting the desired usage rights and meta-rights to the first consumer. The exemplary embodiments further include a system for transferring usage rights adapted to be associated with an item to be licensed in multi-tier channels of distribution with downstream rights and conditions assigned at least one level. The system includes a supplier component, comprising a supplier user interface module, an offer generator module for generating an offer containing at least usage rights and of meta-rights, a rights composer module for composing a draft license, and a repository for supplier's rights, a supplier management database. The system further includes a consumer component comprising a consumer user interface module, an offer-consideration module configured to analyze the offers generated by the supplier component and select offers based on the analysis, and a repository for consumer's rights, a consumer management database. The exemplary embodiments still further include a method for generating a license to digital content to be used within a system for at least one of managing use and distribution of the digital content. The method includes presenting a consumer with an offer including meta-rights, receiving a selection by the consumer of at least one meta-right in the offer, generating a license based on the selection, wherein the license permits the consumer to exercise the at least one meta-right and permits the consumer to offer at least one derived right derived from the at least one meta-right and generate a license including the at least one derived right. FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary system including a common state-of-rights server, according to the present invention. In FIG. 12, the exemplary system can include a common state-of-rights server of the system 1201, including a state-of-rights manager 1209, and one or more state-of-rights repositories 1214, and one or more license servers 1200, including a meta-rights manager 1210, a usage rights manager 1212, an authorization component 1208, a condition validator 1206, a state-of-rights manager 1204, one or more state-of-rights repositories 1216, a license manager 1203, a license interpreter 1202, and one or more license repositories 1218. The common state-of-rights server 1201 can be configured as a remote server connected with one or more of the license servers 1200. The common state-of-rights server 1201 provides comparable services as the state-of-rights manager 1204 in the license servers 1200 via the state-of-rights manager 1209. The services provided by the state-of-rights server 1201 are accessible and states that the server 1201 manages can be shared by one or more rights suppliers and rights consumers (not shown). The state-of-rights server 1201 can be configured as a remote server connected with one or more of the license servers 1200 via one or more communication links 1220, and the like. The services provided by the state-of-rights server 1201 also can be integrated within one or more of the license server 1200 and such services can be accessible by other rights suppliers, rights consumers, and the like. The license manager 1203 derives new rights based on an offer, which can include any suitable machine-readable expression, and optionally including meta-rights. While deriving rights, the license manager 1203 can create new state variables to be associated with derived rights. The creation of state variables and their scopes can be prescribed in the offer or by some other function in the system. The state variables can be created in one or more instances, for example, prior to rights derivation, during rights derivation, upon fulfillment of conditions, during a first exercise of rights associated with the state variables, and the like. The state variables can be designated exclusively for a specific rights consumer, can be shared among rights consumers, and can be shared among rights consumers and other entities, such as rights suppliers, and the like. The license manager 1203 can interact with the state-of-rights manager 1204 to associate new state variables with physical addresses in one or more of the state-of-rights repositories 1216. The state-of-rights manager 1204 can access the one or more state-of-rights repositories 1216 and can interact with the state-of-rights server 1201 to access shared state variables from one or more of the state-of-rights repositories 1214. Designated state variables can be used to support a license that grants a recipient of the license a right to print content 5 times, shared state variables can be used to support a site license that grants a group of authorized users a right to print content an aggregated total of 100 times, and the like. A designated state variable can be updated when the corresponding right is exercised, whereas a shared state variable can be updated when an authorized user exercises the corresponding right. In other words, a shared state variable can include a data variable that is updated in response to actions by a plurality of users and which is globally applied to each of the users. There are multiple ways to specify the scope of state variables, each of which can affect whether the derivative state variables can be shared, how the derivative state variables can be shared, and the like. For example, a state variable can be local, and solely confined to a recipient or can be global, and shared by a predetermined group of recipients. A global state variable can be shared by a group of recipients not determined when derived rights are issued, but to be specified later, perhaps based on certain rules defined in the license or based on other means. A global state variable can be shared between one or more rights suppliers, predetermined recipients, un-specified recipients, and the like. Advantageously, depending on the sharing employed with a given a business model and the rights granted in the meta-rights, state variables can be created at different stages of the value chain. A set of non-exhaustive exemplary usages of state variables will now be described. For example, a state variable can be unspecified in meta-rights, which means the identifier and value of the state variable are yet to be determined by the meta-rights manager module 1210 and included in the derived right. If a distinct state variable is assigned to each derived right, the scope of the state variable in the derived right is typically exclusive to the recipient. FIG. 13 is used to illustrate employing of a state variable in deriving exclusive usage rights, according to the present invention. In FIG. 13, rights 1302 and 1303 derived from an offer 1301 are exclusive to each respective consumer. The offer 1301 is a type of meta-right of which the recipients have the rights to obtain specific derivative rights when the conditions for obtaining such rights are satisfied. Accordingly, the exemplary offer 1301 has an unspecified state variable 1304. However, specific state variable 1305 and 1306, each with uniquely assigned identifications (IDs) are included in the derived rights 1302 and 1303. The derived state variables 1305 and 1306 are bound to their associated derived rights, e.g., “AlicePlayEbook” (i.e., Alice has the right to play Ebook) is bound to derived right 1302, and “BobPlayEbook” (i.e., Bob has the right to play Ebook) is bound to derived right 1303 The “AlicePlayEbook” variable can be updated when Alice exercises her play right, whereas the “BobPlayEbook” variable can be updated when Bob exercises his play right. Other than deriving rights from an offer, a right can transfer from an entity to a recipient. When a right is transferred, the governing of the associated state variable is also transferred to the recipient. After a right is transferred, the source principal typically can no longer exercise the right, whereas the recipient can exercise the right. The license server governing the exercising of a right of a recipient assumes the responsibility for state management. If, however, the state variables are managed by the common state of right server 1201, the state of right server 1201 needs to be informed of the transfer of right. Specifically, the state variable can be managed in the context of the recipient after the transfer of right. When a right is to be shared between the source principal and the recipient, the associated state variable is referenced in the derived right. If the same right is shared with multiple recipients, then typically all of the recipients share the same state variables with the source principal. In this case, a shared state can be managed by an entity that is accessible by all sharing principals. FIG. 14 is used to illustrate employing of a state variable in deriving inherited usage rights, according to the present invention. In FIG. 14, a derived right can inherit a state variable from meta-rights. For example, a personal computer (PC) of a user, Alice, can be configured to play an e-book according to a license 1403. A personal data assistant (PDA) of Alice also can obtain a right to play the e-book according to offer 1401, if the PC and PDA share the same state variables 1404 and 1405, e.g., “AlicePlayEbook.” A derived right 1402 allows Alice also to play the e-book on her PDA as long as the PDA and the PC share a same count limit 1406 of 5 times. When a usage right is to be shared among a predetermined set of recipients, a state variable for tracking a corresponding usage right can be specified in a meta-right using a same state variable identification for all recipients. During a process of exercising the meta-right, the same state variable identification is included in every derived right. FIG. 15 illustrates the use of state variable in deriving rights that are shared among a known set of rights recipients, according to the present invention. In FIG. 15, a site license 1501 is issued to FooU university. For example, via the site license 1501, a librarian is granted a right to issue rights that allow FooU students to play, view, and the like, corresponding content, such as e-books and the like, as long as such usage is tracked by a state variable 1504, e.g., “www.foou.edu.” Accordingly, rights 1502 and 1503 derived from the site license 1501 include state variables 1505 and 1506, “www.foou.edu,” which can be updated when corresponding students, Alice and Bob, play the e-book. When a usage right is to be shared among a dynamic set of recipients, the state variable can stay unspecified in the usage right. When exercising a meta-right and a set of recipients is known, a state variable can be specified using some identification unique to the known recipients and can be included within a derived right. FIG. 16 is used to illustrate employing of a state variable in deriving rights that are shared among a dynamic set of rights recipients, according to the present invention. In FIG. 16, an offer 1601 specifies that a distributor can issue site licenses to affiliated clubs, allowing 5 members of each club to concurrently view, play, and the like, content, such as an e-book. A corresponding state variable 1607 associated with such a right can be unspecified in the offer 1601. When corresponding rights 1602 and 1603 are issued to affiliated clubs, the corresponding club identities are used to specify state variables 1608 and 1609 in the issued rights. The offers 1602 and 1603 are meta-rights derived from the offer 1601, with offer being assigned the distinct state variables 1608 and 1609. Further rights 1604-1606 can be derived from the offers 1602 and 1603 to be shared among members of each respective club. The licenses 1604 and 1605 are examples of rights derived from the offer 1602, and which inherit the state variable 1608, e.g., “urn:acme:club,” whereas the license 1606 inherits the state variable 1609, e.g., “urn:foo:club.” Not only can state variables be shared among principals, such as rights suppliers, consumers, and the like, a state variable can be shared among multiple exercisable rights. FIG. 17 is used to illustrate employing of a state variable for maintaining a state shared by multiple rights, according to the present invention. In FIG. 17, a same state variable 1703 is associated to both a right to print 1702 and the right to play 1701, so that the total number of playing, printing, and the like, can be tracked together. The state of rights can depend on more than one state variable. FIG. 18 is used to illustrate employing of multiple state variables to represent one state of rights, according to the present invention. The example described with respect to FIG. 18 builds upon the example described with respect to FIG. 16. In FIG. 18, a usage right can be tracked by employing multiple state variables 1807 and 1808 in an offer 1801. The state variable 1808, for example, representing a priority level, can stay unspecified in the corresponding offers 1802 and 1803 (e.g., site licenses). The corresponding state variables 1809-1811, for example, used for setting a priority, can be assigned to each member in the corresponding licenses 1804, 1805 and 1806. The corresponding right to view, play, and the like, can now be dependent on two state variables, effectively restricting 5 simultaneous views, plays, and the like, per priority level. One state variable can represent a collection of states. For example, a unique identification can be used to represent a state variable, and an appropriate mechanism can be employed to map such unique id to a database of multiple variables, where each variable represents a distinct state. The scope of state variables can be used to determine entities by which the state variables can be managed. For example, for a local state variable, usage tracking of associated rights thereof can be managed solely by a trusted agent embedded within a rights consumption environment, such as a media player, and the like. In addition, such usage tracking can be conducted by a trusted remote service, such as the common state-of-rights server 1201. Further, shared global state variables can be made accessible by multiple trusted agents. To avoid privacy issues, security issues, trust issues, rights issues, and the like, associated with accessing content, such as data, and the like, included within a peer rights consumption environment, managing of such shared global state variables can be performed by a remote service, such as the state-of-rights server 1201. A counter is a common form of state variable usage. For example, such state sharing can include counter sharing where a state represents a number of times a right has been exercised, an event has occurred, and the like. Such counter sharing can be manifested in various forms and occur in many contexts, such as: tracking a number of simultaneous uses, tracking a number of sequential uses, sequencing (e.g., a commercial must be viewed before free content can be accessed), a one-time use constraint, a transaction count, a delegation control level, a super-distribution level, dependency on at least one or more services or devices, and the like. In addition, state variables can be incarnated in a wide variety of forms. For example, a state variable can be used to track specific time slots within a period of time, such as used by a movie studio to transfer syndication rights to a specific TV station, to transfer syndication rights shared by a group of stations, to transfer syndication rights assigned through a bidding process, and the like. State variables also can be employed, for example, with regional selling or distribution rights, in a statement from a financial clearing house to acknowledge that an appropriate fee has been paid, as a status of whether a commercial has been watched before free content can be accessed, and the like. Not all rights need be associated with states. FIG. 19 is used to illustrate a case where not all rights are associated with states, according to the present invention. In FIG. 19, an offer 1901 allows a user, Alice, to grant an unlimited play right, view right, and the like, to her PDA. Such a play right need not be associated with any state. Accordingly, derived right 1902 also has an unlimited play right to the content, as well as the right 1903 for her PC. Not all rights which are associated with states are shared or inherited. For example, some rights are meant for off-line usage, can be transferred in whole to another device, and hence are not shared with other devices. FIG. 20 is used to illustrate a case where not all rights which are associated with states are shared or inherited, according to the present invention. In FIG. 20, even though a play right 2003 of a user, Alice, a play right 2002 of a PDA of Alice, and a play right 2003 of a PC of Alice specify a same state variable identification 2004, a same state need not be shared since each device can track a state thereof locally. Advantageously, such an implementation would allow the PC and the PDA to each play the corresponding content up to 5 times. FIG. 21 illustrates a form of an offer which does not explicitly include meta-rights. In FIG. 21, an offer 2101 is configured as a site license written in English. Licenses 2102 and 2103 are instances derived from the offer 2101. In an exemplary embodiment, variables 2104 and 2105 can be created based on interpretation of the offer 2101, for example, by the system of FIG. 12. The preferred embodiment can utilize various devices, such as a personal computers, servers, workstations, PDA's, thin clients, and the like. For example, the client environment can be a handheld device such as a mobile phone or a PDA. Various channels for communication can be used. Further, the various functions can be integrated in one device. For example, the license server function can be accomplished by software within the client environment. Further, the function of the license server or other modules for making offers, selecting rights and granting licenses can be accomplished in the same device. The disclosed functional modules are segregated by function for clarity. However, the various functions can be combined or segregated as hardware and/or software modules in any manner. The various functions can be useful separately or in combination. The various elements and portions thereof can be stored on the same device or on different devices. For example, a license can be stored together with, or separate from, content. Further, the various elements of a license can be stored on separate devices. For example the values of state variables can be stored in a state variable repository of a system that tracks the current value of state variables. Various links, references, specifications, and the like can be used to associate the elements. The invention has been described through exemplary embodiments and examples. However, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and legal equivalents. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The digital age has greatly increased concerns about ownership, access, and control of copyrighted information, restricted services and valuable resources. Rapid evolution and wide deployment has occurred for computers, and other electronic devices such as cellular phones, pagers, PDAs, and e-book readers, and these devices are interconnected through communication links including the Internet, intranets and other networks. These interconnected devices are especially conducive to publication of content, offering of services and availability of resources electronically. One of the most important issues impeding the widespread distribution of digital works (i.e. documents or other content in forms readable by computers), via electronic means, and the Internet in particular, is the current lack of ability to enforce the intellectual property rights of content owners during the distribution and use of digital works. Efforts to resolve this problem have been termed “Intellectual Property Rights Management” (“IPRM”), “Digital Property Rights Management” (“DPRM”), “Intellectual Property Management” (“IPM”), “Rights Management” (“RM”), and “Electronic Copyright Management” (“ECM”), collectively referred to as “Digital Rights Management (DRM)” herein. There are a number of issues to be considered in effecting a DRM System. For example, authentication, authorization, accounting, payment and financial clearing, rights specification, rights verification, rights enforcement, and document protection issues should be addressed. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,235, 5,634,012, 5,715,403, 5,638,443, and 5,629,980, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, disclose DRM systems addressing these issues. Two basic DRM schemes have been employed, secure containers and trusted systems. A “secure container” (or simply an encrypted document) offers a way to keep document contents encrypted until a set of authorization conditions are met and some copyright terms are honored (e.g., payment for use). After the various conditions and terms are verified with the document provider, the document is released to the user in clear form. Commercial products such as Cryptolopes and Digiboxes fall into this category. Clearly, the secure container approach provides a solution to protecting the document during delivery over insecure channels, but does not provide any mechanism to prevent legitimate users from obtaining the clear document and then using and redistributing it in violation of content owners' intellectual property. In the “trusted system” approach, the entire system is responsible for preventing unauthorized use and distribution of the document. Building a trusted system usually entails introducing new hardware such as a secure processor, secure storage and secure rendering devices. This also requires that all software applications that run on trusted systems be certified to be trusted. While building tamper-proof trusted systems is a real challenge to existing technologies, current market trends suggest that open and untrusted systems, such as PC's and workstations using browsers to access the Web, will be the dominant systems used to access digital works. In this sense, existing computing environments such as PC's and workstations equipped with popular operating systems (e.g., Windows, Linux, and UNIX) and rendering applications, such as browsers, are not trusted systems and cannot be made trusted without significantly altering their architectures. Of course, alteration of the architecture defeats a primary purpose of the Web, i.e. flexibility and compatibility. Some DRM systems allow content owners to specify usage rights and conditions, and associate them with content. These usage rights control how the recipient thereof can use the content. Usually after a content distributor or consumer has completed selecting and ordering specific content, the content is delivered either electronically from some content repository or via a conventional distribution channel to the recipient, such as tangible media sent via a common carrier. Corresponding DRM systems used by the recipient, for example the distributor or consumer, will then interpret the rights and conditions associated with the content, and use them to control how the content is distributed and/or used. Examples of usage rights include view, print and extract the content, and distribute, repackage and loan content. Associated conditions may include any term upon which the rights may be contingent such as payment, identification, time period, or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,012, discloses a system for controlling the distribution of digital documents. Each rendering device has a repository associated therewith. A predetermined set of usage transaction steps define a protocol used by the repositories for enforcing usage rights associated with a document. Usage rights persist with the document content. The usage rights can permit various manners of use such as, viewing only, use once, distribution, and the like. Usage rights can be contingent on payment or other conditions. However, there are limitations associated with the above-mentioned paradigms wherein only usage rights and conditions associated with content are specified by content owners or other grantors of rights. Once purchased by an end user, a consumer, or a distributor, of content along with its associated usage rights and conditions has no means to be legally passed on to a next recipient in a distribution chain. Further the associated usage rights have no provision for specifying rights to derive other rights, i.e. Rights to modify, transfer, offer, grant, obtain, transfer, delegate, track, surrender, exchange, transport, exercise, revoke, or the like. Common content distribution models often include a multi-tier distribution and usage chain. Known DRM systems do not facilitate the ability to prescribe rights and conditions for all participants along a content distribution and usage chain. Therefore, it is difficult for a content owner to commercially exploit content unless the owner has a relationship with each party in the distribution chain. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Exemplary aspects of the present invention include a method, system and device for sharing rights adapted to be associated with items, the method and system including generating at least one of usage rights and meta-rights for the items; defining, via the usage rights, a manner of use for the items; and defining, via the meta-rights, a manner of rights transfer for the items. The device including receiving at least one of usage rights and meta-rights for the items; interpreting, via the usage rights, a manner of use for the items; and interpreting, via the meta-rights, a manner of rights transfer for the items. The usage rights or the meta-rights include at least one state variable that is shared by one or more rights. Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description, simply by illustrating a number of exemplary embodiments and implementations, including the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention. The present invention is also capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details can be modified in various respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. | 20041004 | 20110816 | 20050623 | 63063.0 | 4 | AUGUSTIN, EVENS J | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RIGHTS OFFERING AND GRANTING USING SHARED STATE VARIABLES | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | 2,004 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.